Mail - Mt Evelyn Star Mail - 30th April 2024

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Dawn to dusk

From the early dawn to the afternoon, thousands of people from across the Yarra Ranges paid their respects to Australia’s fallen, veterans and current serving members on Anzac Day.

The cenotaph in Mount Evelyn was surrounded by a crowd estimated between 2500 and 3000 people at dawn, with many continuing the day on at the RSL sub-branch for breakfast, to commemorate, tell stories and laugh.

Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble said during the service “it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the East Timor campaign.

“Many of our troops served in both war and peacetime operations in this country over 14 years, only leaving EastTimor in 2013,” he said.

Lilydale’s dawn service was yet again spectacular with people from all over flocking to Main Street to hear the sombre sound of the

Last Post, to listen to school choirs and to learn of war veterans as the sun came up.

By midday a crowd had again gathered in Mooroolbark’s Hookey Park for a touching service reflecting on the D-Day landing in Normandy.

This was expressed through the story of a local man and community member, the late Bob Gatherum, who’s grandson Adam shared a snippet of the diary notes he kept over the seven years he served in World War II.

Adam said his grandfather was “proud to be a Normandy veteran” and never held any malice.

“They also made me more conscious of and thankful for the freedom we enjoy here in our most fortunate land’,“ Adam read from his grandfather’s notes.

To see photos from the services and to read more,turn to pages 9,10 and 12

Junior Years Program

As the Mount Evelyn dawn service finished, the crowd turned their attention to the formation of the march to the RSL. 403636

Anthony McAleer, Margaret Tull, Adam Gatherum and Marion Stott place the coloured wreaths of remembrance at Mooroolbark. 403746

Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Man injured in big drop

By Tanya Steele

On Friday 19 April, a young man was lucky to escape with minor injuries after falling near the popular Burke’s Lookout on the face of Mount Dandenong.

A multi-service effort from Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, SES and multiple CFA units rescued the man from around 10 metres

down the steep embankment with a rope pulley system at around 9.30pm.

Lilydale SES attended the scene and unit controller Shaun Caulfield said they were called out to assist with the high angle rescue.

Tax cuts for

Ambulance services had initially walked down to the patient and as they got more information Mr Caulfield said it became evident that they were going to need some rope access systems.

Multiple CFA units from Montrose, Kalorama, Monbulk and Wandin CFA were also called to assist.

“Monbulk andWandin are our region’s rope rescue providers and the area that he fell inthe access is difficult,” he said.

The terrain was quite narrow, steep and damp and the rescue efforts involved using a specialised piece of equipment known as a ‘mule’.

“It’s essentially like a buggy wheel, it’s got handles on the front and the back and allows us to wheel the stretcher rather than carry it,” Mr Caulfield said.

“It worked out quite well in this instance because the track at that particular point where he was was quite narrow,” he said.

After assessment and treatment by paramedics, emergency services worked together to form a hauling team to retrieve the man and the people holding the stretcher.

“The system has to be prepared to pull everybody up and many hands make light work as they say,” Mr Caulfield said.

Mr Caulfield said it was a well coordinated job with Ambulance, Police, CFA and SES working together on the night.

“The fundamentals of what we do is, is the same so it pays for us to work together and to cross train and then when we come together with events like this, everything goes far more smoothly,” he said.

A spokesperson from Ambulance Victoria said paramedics were called to a report of a fall and Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics attended the scene and worked alongside CFA and SES to extricate the patient.

“A man in his 20s with upper and lower body injuries was transported by road to The Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition,” they said.

The hauling team lined up to retrieve the lucky bushwalker.

Picture: SES LILYDALE

Lilydale SES’s rescue skills were tested at Burkes Lookout when called after a man fell from the edge.

234335 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Stop the violence

As Australians rally against the devastating incidents of violence against women and alarming rates of domestic and family violence incidents occurring around Australia, crisis talks are being held between politicians, police, courts and support services.

A national cabinet meeting is being held on Wednesday 1 May amidst calls for changes to the bail system, tougher punishments, education for young men and boys and greater funding for support services.

Community health service EACH offers qualified family violence counselling throughout the Outer East and EACH’s Head of Service Design and National Practice Lead for Family Violence Olivia Sinn said government funding needs to increase so support services can help women and children live free from violence.

“EACH’s Family Violence Program supports people affected by both past and current family violence, but ever-growing demand for this program far exceeds our capacity,” she said.

“We need to provide services to meet community needs, including flexible and extended services to reflect the long recovery journey.

“When a child or young person reaches a different developmental stage, or an ex-partner is released from prison, people should not have to go back to the start.”

At the time of writing on 29 April, the death toll of women killed by violence for the year stands at 27 according to Destroy the Joint, with some protesters and marchers saying that number could be as high as 32.

The number of women killed is almost double the number in any of the four years prior and almost halfway to the total of 63 women killed in 2023 total.

Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway fronted a press conference on Friday 26 April to discuss the issue and said it seems like there’s another terrible news story every day.

“Those of us who work in family violence are equally disheartened by the statistics and they’re not just statistics, they’re people who have suffered the most tragic circumstances of family violence,” she said.

“I do think that some of the conversations we need to really think about is that it shouldn’t be on women to change everything, we know who is committing the violence and we know what needs to change and some solutions, I think, place too much emphasis on women to do the changing and we know that that’s not the long-term solution,”

“We need to really remember that the majority of violence committed against women is done by men who are known to women and it’s in places where they’re expected to be safe like their home.”

Crime Statistics Agency data reveals there was a total of 57,111 family violence incidents recorded in 2023 with 70.1 per cent (40,028) of those being recorded as one incident, 16 per cent (9133) being two related incidents, 6.2 per cent (3559) three incidents, 3.2 per cent (1812) four incidents and five or more related incidents accounting for 4.5 per cent (2579) of

those recorded.

The data shows that not only are a shockingly high number of family violence offences being committed and recorded, but the same perpetrators are able to offend repeatedly in a short timeframe.

Offenders are likely targeting and harassing the same victims, overwhelmingly women and children, while the number of incidents given the likelihood of other incidents not being reported due to a lack of trust in effective action, fears for their own safety or lack of access to support.

Assistant Commissioner Callaway said Victoria Police arrest about 80 family violence offenders a day.

“It’s a balance and certainly there is a very strong emphasis on victims, survivors and their rights to be safe, certainly from the police perspective that is the most important that we are here to preserve,” she said.

“But it is a very blunt instrument to simply just lock everyone up who commits a family violence incident, we need to find ways to rehabilitate perpetrators, we need to find ways where people can repair their family dynamics.”

According to Crime Statistics Agency data, of the 94,170 ‘family incidents’ recorded in 2023:

· A child was present for 34,014 incidents

· An intervention order (IVO) was applied for in 14,167 cases and a Family Violence Safety Notice (FVSN) was issued in 11,552 cases, meaning neither was applied or issued in 68,579 incidents

· Criminal charges were laid in 22,715 cases, no charges were laid in 19,935 cases, 6009 were deemed unsolved and 45,511 resulted in no criminal incident.

Ms Sinn said there is also often ongoing risk regardless of charges or arrests made with examples as recent as last week of further family violence occurring and tragically, of people being killed, following charges or incarceration.

“Local, integrated support services are essential to support all people impacted by family violence. Though it is important that police and justice systems respond to this endemic by holding people accountable, charges or arrests are rarely the end of the story,” she said.

“People in our community who experience family violence, the majority of whom are women and children, are left with life-long trauma and recovery that requires support so they can thrive and this includes long-term support for children across their changing needs, and housing supports,”

“Increasingly, we are seeing people who are experiencing family violence present to a range of our services. EACH provides integrated services that are tailored to the individual needs of each family we support.”

EACH’s FamilyViolence Program is free and available by appointment Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, as well as a limited number of opportunities for after-hours appointments, for anyone who has experienced or is experiencing family violence. EACH’s Family Violence counsellors can assist with family violence support for those suffering from or who have suffered from physical, sexual, financial, emotional and cyber abuse including stalking and or other controlling behaviours.

Ms Sinn said it’s crucial that communityintegrated support services receive increased funding to provide the necessary resources and support to meet the growing demand.

“Addressing family violence requires a comprehensive approach that involves improving timely response and providing better recovery support for those impacted,” she said.

Other services that can support people impacted by family violence:

1800RESPECT, National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service: 1800 737 732

Safe Steps, for women and children who are victims of family violence: 1800 015 188 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Men’s Referral Service, for men using violence: 1300 766 491

Rainbow Door, for specialist advice to LGBTIQ+ people and their friends and families: phone: 1800 729 367 or text 0480 017 246

The Orange Door: orangedoor.vic.gov.au

IN BRIEF

Cyclist collision

Police are seeking a driver of a yellow Peugeot sedan who may be able to assist with a cyclist collision.

On Wednesday 17 April a male was riding his bicycle on Mount Dandenong Rd from Croydon towards Kilsyth at around 8.30am.

As the male rode between Bennison Street and Parrs Road, a yellow Peugeot sedan has been involved in a collision with the cyclist causing injuries.

The motorist stopped and assisted the rider, before leaving the scene without exchanging details with the rider. Police are seeking to speak to the driver of the vehicle involved to assist in the investigation.

If you have any information that may assist police, please contact Senior Constable Knight at Mooroolbark Police Station on 9725 9999.

Edward Road closure

Road reconstruction works are expected to begin along Edward Road in Chirnside Park as of late April, early May continuing throughout the month.

This construction project will rehabilitate and strengthen the road between Paynes Road and Coldstream West Road.

Works were scheduled to commence on Monday 29 April but recent signage within the area advise the road will be closed from Monday 6 May to 31 May, with both day and evening works to be undertaken during this time.

During construction, this section of Edward Road will be closed to through traffic and will only be accessible by local residents, business and visitors who require access to properties in the vicinity of the works.

This project is part of Yarra Ranges Council’s 2023-2024 Capital Expenditure Program.

LXRP construction blitz

Construction blitzes at Dublin Road, Ringwood East and Coolstore Road, Croydon will start from Friday 24 May, with crews working around the clock to remove both level crossings and build the new Ringwood East and Croydon stations.

To enable these works to take place safely, buses will replace trains on sections of the Lilydale Line from 24 May until early July, when the new Ringwood East Station opens, followed by the new Croydon Station later that month.

Dublin Road will close to traffic at the level crossing from 24 May until mid June, with detours in place to assist vehicles and pedestrians to cross the rail line during the works.

In Croydon, Coolstore Road has closed at the level crossing to allow crews to install the giant beams that will form the new road bridge.

Safe burning

EPA Victoria is warning the community that what they toss into the flames while burning off this autumn could be costly for the environment and their hip pocket.

EPA South Metropolitan regional manager, Viranga Abeywickrema, says many waste items create toxic smoke and residue as they burn.

“Burning household, garden or farm waste like packaging, treated wood or particle board, old tyres or chemical containers sends smoke and other residue into the atmosphere, waterways and soil,” Mr Abeywickrema said.

There’s a handy publication dealing with farm waste disposal and recycling on the EPA website at epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/publications/iwrg641-1

By Callum Ludwig

Rising family violence incidents are prompting protests and rallies calling for action. Picture: UNSPLASH

Petition pleads for park

By Mikayla Van Loon

Living across from a playspace in Chirnside Park was an attraction for one couple when they moved to the area but were disappointed to hear of the play equipment’s retirement.

The Yarra Ranges Council playspace plan 2019 to 2029 listed Roseman Reserve’s playspace as retired.

Tracey Damwood submitted a valid 161-signature petition to the council to reinstate the playspace either by upgrade or replacement.

“My husband and I have lived across the road from this reserve for over 35 years and this was one of the reasons we settled in the area,” she said.

“We knew looking into the future we would have a family and grandchildren and the park was a great asset. In the last four years we now have three grandchildren and they love visiting Nanny and Poppy and going over to the park.”

Ms Damwood said she worked to restore the playground the last time it was in need of an upgrade, a process that took three years with the council.

Claiming to have only found out about the retirement of the playground via signage that was put up, Ms Damwood said many residents in the local area were unaware.

“We all feel this decision has been made without our knowledge and we are not happy and want this decision overturned.

“I have walked around the suburbs and spoken and collected over 160 signatures and none of the residents knew anything about the park being retired until the sign went up in the reserve.”

With more housing in the area, Ms Damwood said parks and playgrounds are more essential than ever, not only for children to play but for “community spirit” as a meeting place for residents and families.

“In December 2023, the community got

together for a Christmas party in the reserve, keeping the community spirit alive and well,” she said.

“The existing residents around the area are subdividing and more young families are moving in with no backyards for park equipment or swings.

“We need our parks and playgrounds to stay … our parks are for our future generations.”

The current play equipment, Ms Damwood said, has rusted and does need upgrading but would attract more people if there were more things to do.

Councillor Richard Higgins posed a question to the executive officers about looking at potential upgrades to the playground rather than decommissioning it.

“So the playspace plan is subject to regular reviews, so we can flag this to be part of that. There has been some additional work that’s been done at the park, around rocks, landscaping and paths to enhance the park,” Phil Murton said.

“But from a playspace perspective, given the community interest and the passage of time since the last review, it’s probably prudent to look at the current usage and what the future might be going forward.”

Mr Murton also confirmed there were no immediate plans to remove the play equipment and maintenance would continue to occur to ensure it was up to safe standards.

The playspace plan, Mr Murton said, was initially consulted on in 2017 and the decision to retire Roseman Reserve was because of a

nearby playspace being built.

“As we’ve seen since Covid and the value of smaller parks and pocket parks in our community … it’s probably prudent for us to review some of those decisions around our smaller parks and look at what the future may need to be for them.”

The motion to approve the petition for further review was moved unanimously, with Cr Higgins thanking the petitioners for their work.

“The people who have organised the petitions, it’s a great way for our council to actually get some feedback and understanding of what’s happened and I know it takes a lot of work, but it’s a good reflection of what’s happening out there, so thank you very much for their efforts.”

Drawing the line on green wedge comms infrastructure

By Mikayla Van Loon

Despite the growing need for improved telecommunications coverage across the Yarra Ranges, councillors refused a permit application for Chirnside Park’s green wedge.

The application by Indara for a monopole to be built at 8 Meadow Fair Way was denied on Tuesday 23 April, with Cr Richard Higgins submitting an alternative recommendation and said the green wedge was “a very important area that we maintain”.

Speaking on behalf of a collective of 37 objectors, Jeff Snow said “please consider that this is people’s homes”.

“We are talking about places we have lived in and nurtured for many years,” he said.

Mainly opposed to the “significant visual impact”, Mr Snow showed a range of images showing the view from people’s backyards, front yards and driveways.

“We believe that this structure does not conform to the intent of the Green Wedge A zone guidelines, the intent being to protect the scenic landscapes, to ensure the siting and design of new buildings complements the setting and reinforces the rural landscape

“To maintain the appearance of uninterrupted forest and backdrop to views and to recognise and protect the amenity of existing rural residential areas and to protect the visual impact of views from adjoining roads.

“In our opinion, this tower meets none of these aspirations. Its height is 38 metres to the top of the equipment and that is more than twice the existing surrounding canopy.”

Indara put forward the proposal to be a co-located tower, meaning it could service all customers, with the three main providers using the location “to cater for local demands on the mobile network which continue to increase exponentially”.

A representative from Indara, a Mr Evans, said the Chirnside Park population equated to 12,000 people, 9000 adults, with “mobile penetration of about 98 to 99 per cent”.

“We wouldn’t be willing to invest in an area and to build a couple of facilities if there

wasn’t demand for that,” he said.

He also referred to a recently overturned decision at VCAT for a telecommunications tower to be erected on Queens Road in Silvan, to improve safety in an emergency.

“We’re really conscious of the need for resilient telecommunication services during extreme weather and other events,” he said.

“It’s a key objective of the Yarra Ranges’ advocacy program seeking to attract investment from neutral host companies like Indara. This facility will have a battery backup. It will also use underground power which will contribute to resilience during these events.”

Putting forward the refusal of the permit, Cr Higgins said “it’s not often I actually speak against getting a telecommunication tower.

“In 2012 the council put forward and

rightly so put in place Yarra Ranges Council telecommunications facilities paper and in that the policy objectives one of them is … to reduce the visual impact of telecommunications facilities,” he said.

“And ensure that the type, scale, design and sitting of the telecommunications is not detrimental to the landscape.”

Cr Higgins said, given recent approvals for Paynes Road and the Chirnside Park Country Club telecommunications towers, he believed there were better locations to provide better coverage to the urban area.

The alternative recommendation was supported by all councillors, despite the common need for better communication facilities in the whole shire.

“I’m torn on this one … I’m mindful of the

need for telecommunications…I support the alternative recommendation,” Cr Andrew Fullagar said.

“I’m going to do something that I’ve never done before and that is actually support the refusal of this application. I’m a huge advocate of telecommunications coverage. I think it’s really critical for us across our municipality,” Cr Fiona McAlister said.

“I think the piece for me that’s missing is the compelling reason, the demand, the need.”

These moments of support from the councillors were met with applause and cheers from the gallery, where numerous residents from the Meadow Fair Way area sat.

The refusal of the tower was supported unanimously.

Picture: PETER HACK CONSULTING

The Roseman Road playground had been approved for retirement by Yarra Ranges Council in the 2019-2029 playspace plan.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

A return to council basics

By Mikayla van Loon

Yarra Ranges Council has released its draft budget for the 2024-25 year flagging a number of projects, with drainage, park upgrades and trail rehabilitation presenting as the most funded for the urban area.

Topping the list includes the $2.1 million budgeted for the Chirnside Urban Park playspace at Belsay Reserve, the $4.2 million for the Pinks Reserve upgrades and the $2.9 million for Mount Evelyn’s Morrison Reserve playspace renewal.

A roundabout at the intersection of Edward Road and Paynes Road has seen $768,000 allotted to the Chirnside Park connection toWonga Park and Yering.

Lilydale has been cited for $550,000 to be spent on drainage upgrade works to address flooding and erosion issues, adding to the total $3.5 million allocated each year for the next two years across the shire.

Across a six year plan, $16 million has been allocated to drainage upgrade works, as well as the foundational work required, which was noted as being a substantial increase from previous year’s budgets.

Mayor Sophie Todorov said after consultations with the community and having heard the petitions being brought to council since December, drainage was a key item on the list.

Whether the money put towards drainage at this point in time was enough, she said “the short answer is it’s not enough”.

“We know we need more and until we complete that Stormwater Management Plan, identify the hotspot flooding and the mapping, we don’t know what the end result and figure will be,” she said.

“I would anticipate we would be looking at growing funds needed to undertake all those works once we get the mapping done.”

“We’ve just got decades of old drainage infrastructure that needs to be upgraded over time. So it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take this kind of conservative investment over a long period of time,” he said.

“I imagine there’ll be plenty of people who sort of say, actually my road or my area isn’t on the list for the next couple of years. That’s probably true.

“There’s only so many dollars that have to be prioritised in terms of what we can do quickly and now and then the rest has to come over time.”

Roads in the urban area set for drainage

Corporate services director Andrew Hilson agreed “it’s probably never going to be enough” but it would have to be a smart investment over time.

Yarra Ranges Council draft budget is released

Yarra Ranges Council released its draft budget for 2024-25 for community consultation at the Tuesday 23 April council meeting.

The council’s draft budget has to go out to the public for feedback each year before being adopted prior to the end of this financial year. Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar spoke to the motion and recommended the community take it up and read it.

“In my opinion, it’s a noticeable improvement in clarity of language to ensure that the overall picture is clear and readily readable and captured, and without the need for a deep dive into the figures, especially the opening number of pages, which read quite well on their own,” he said.

“Despite the deficit, I think residents can be confident that we remain in a strong financial position, if you look at our balance sheet and our cash flow perspectives, it’s all looking well so on that basis, I’m very supportive of this budget.”

The council’s draft budget indicates a total revenue of $253.6 million and expenditure of $235.8 million, resulting in a total $18.8 million surplus but will operate at an underlying deficit of $3.5 million with the funding related to the Council’s Capital Works Program excluded. Yarra Ranges Council estimates this will only be for the short term as their future financial projections are expected to return to positive. Council estimates it will spend $68.3 million through the Capital Works Program, of which $25.1 million will be rates funded, $1.6 million from contributions from various sporting clubs or other community groups and the rest through borrowings and external grants. Another significant point to notice was the adoption of a rate rise increase of 2.75 per cent, the cap for council rate rises this year set by the Essential Services Commission, which Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Sophie Todorov said was not a decision made lightly.

“The biggest one (decision) for us initially

was considering the adoption of the 2.75 per cent proposed rate cap at the onset of all of this, understanding that we are operating in very tight fiscal circumstances,” she said.

“We’re all impacted by the cost of living pressures and also by increasing material costs as well and many other factors as well, and we still, despite this, need to focus on our essential services and the delivery of all those essential things that our 160,000 residents need and appreciate.”

Councils across the state are finding ways to deliver key projects with reduced support as State and Federal Government funding has been reduced at the local government level. Speaking to the Star Mail, Yarra Ranges Council’s director of corporate services Andrew Hilson said that it all comes down to the local level at a pinch point.

“If councils need grant funding from other levels of government, and that slows down because local governments are generally much smaller when you’re not accessing grants it makes an enormous difference,“ he said. Yarra Ranges Council estimates the reduction in funding from other levels of government to be about 32 per cent, not including the about $100 million stripped from the Roads for Community program by the Federal government. Mr Hilson said the overall budget recommending a deficit for the next year might not sound great on the surface, but is quite appropriate given all of the pressure points on Council’s finances.

“If there are councils that are making enormous surpluses, you’d have to scratch your head and think about that, because that makes it worse,“ he said.

“It’s reflecting the story of all the pressure points that there are, with limited revenue opportunities, the cost pressures, the demands on assets and all of that stuff, so not surprisingly, that’s projecting a deficit for next year and in fact for the next couple of years, maybe two or three and to return to a small surplus in the third year.“

works include Belle Vue Lilydale ($200,000), Carmen Reserve - Lilydale ($200,000), Fernhill Road Mount Evelyn ($445,000), Nimblefoot Way/Delta Close Lilydale ($150,000), North Avenue Mount Evelyn ($415,000), Wilsons Lane Lilydale Stage 1 ($50,000) and $263,000 for general drainage rehabilitation.

With the council now responsible for street litter bin collection, a service passed on from the State Government, as well as the “120 plus services”, Mayor Todorov said while the headline projects are important, the required duties of the council need to be prioritised this year.

“We’d be the first ones to put our hands up to say we don’t need the rate cap this year to be applied to rates, to residents but unfortunately, we can’t because we’ve got all those on-

going asset maintenance upgrades, renewals, and then we’re looking at infrastructure in the wider community,” she said.

“Then we’re looking at drainage issues and solutions and everything else delivering our services. The cost of living in general, the cost of construction materials going up by 30 to 40 per cent, all of that factored into it. Sealing of the roads is three times what it would have been 12 months ago for example.”

To view and submit feedback during the community consultation go to, shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-budget-2024-25

Printed versions of the budgets will also be available at the Community Links.

The consultation period is until Sunday 19 May.

The intersection of Paynes Road and Edward Road has been cited for a roundabout to improve safety. 363822 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Callum Ludwig and Mikayla van Loon

Modernised base unveiled

By

Getting ready to turn out to a fire by putting on protective clothing and boots in a cramped store room sized area is a reality Chirnside Park CFA’s members don’t have to face anymore.

After nearly a decade of operation and significant growth the home base was upgraded to suit the needs of the evolving brigade.

With over 40 active members, the recent extension project has reached completion catering to the expansion in members, with better training spaces, a larger turn out room, separate bathrooms and dedicated safety rooms for washing equipment.

Captain Ben Cash said the extension and upgrades were well overdue for the size of the brigade, Chirnside Park’s population and the number of jobs it responds to each year.

“Since we became our own brigade in 2015, we haven’t had any significant upgrades to the actual station so we were missing key facilities,” he said.

“There’s been a big investment that has brought us up to being a really strong functioning brigade, which is what we needed.”

When Star Mail spoke to Mr Cash in 2021 about the need for an extension, he said one of the main additions required were female toilets.

“We have a dedicated female toilet which we never had. It should be a basic step forward for gender equity but to get it, it was still something we had to fight for,” he said.

The bathrooms have also included a gender neutral toilet and shower, which Mr Cash said would not only support diversity within the brigade but also the health and safety of members.

“If we have to decontaminate from an asbestos job, they can walk straight through [from the truck bay to the] shower, and they’re also encouraged to keep clothing in the car so

they can get dressed into something fresh,” he said.

“That way they’re not taking anything into their cars and their homes. We want to stop any contamination from leaving the station.

“That’s really important for their safety as well as their family’s safety. That’s what we really care about is what’s happening back at home as well.”

A specialised breathing apparatus room, equipped with storage for the canisters, as well as washing facilities for the masks would improve hygiene and organisation of the essential firefighting equipment.

Mr Cash said it was even the smaller items like a hot water unit rather than a kettle that would make a huge difference to the ease of

operations, especially “when you’ve been out at a job in the rain all night and don’t have to worry about a kettle when trying to make a hot drink”.

That boost in morale and pride for the volunteers, Mr Cash said, was just as important as the new facilities themselves.

But more than that, the extension provided a multi purpose meeting and training space, something that was lacking previously.

“Having that size meeting room where we get comfortable and we don’t have to have desks in the corner but with dedicated office space, that’s the real winner out of all of this. That dedicated training space and meeting space is just a game changer for the brigade,” Mr Cash said.

The office spaces were designed to cater to members who usually work from home, who can now work from the station improving response times.

“What that will do is during the daytime, where all brigades struggle, we can have people here on site, who can get that truck at the door really quickly. That’s the name of the game.

“We want to get that truck on the road and out to where it’s needed so that’s an amazing addition. If we can have two people working from the station, already, that’s half a crew. We’ve got another person who lives across the road, that’s three already within a minute.

“So they can go off like that with three people in the truck. If there’s another person coming, even better, they can have the truck out the front ready to go.”

The entire project, Mr Cash estimates, was in the realm of $500,000, of which the brigade contributed $85,000 with the rest from the CFA’s infrastructure budget.

Mr Cash said, however, without local business and community support that would not have been possible.

Having previously struggled to take on more members because of space constraints, Mr Cash said the brigade was pleased to get back into recruitment to keep that pipeline of skills going.

“We’re wide open to taking members at the moment. We’ve got half a dozen training at the moment.

“So we’ve got a wave coming through and we’re about to start another push for the next wave. If we can get another 10 people to join, that will put us in a really strong position.”

An official community open day is set for later in the year with details to be confirmed. To inquire about volunteering, visit cfa.vic.gov. au/volunteers-careers/volunteer-with-cfa/ apply-to-volunteer

We’re removing level crossings on the Lilydale Line

As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re removing 110 dangerous and congested level crossings, with 75 already gone.

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions

Road disruptions: Closed roads

Mikayla van Loon

Chirnside Park CFA captain Ben Cash said the upgrades have made it a ‘strong functioning brigade’ suitable for the members.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Farms face snap checks

By Dongyun Kwon

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has been conducting surprise inspections of agriculture businesses in the outer Melbourne regions of Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley to check workers are getting the right pay.

Fair Work Inspectors have been on the ground visiting about 20 agriculture businesses, such as farms, vineyards and labour hire operators, for just over a week.

Acting FWO Michael Campbell said continuing to boost compliance among agriculture sector employers remained a priority for the agency.

“Where our intelligence says there is a high risk of non-compliance with workplace laws, we proactively conduct audits to ensure workers are receiving their lawful entitlements,” Mr Campbell said.

“The agriculture sector commonly employs vulnerable workers such as backpackers and other migrants, who may have limited English skills, be unaware of their rights, or be unwilling to speak up. Visa holders should remember they have the same workplace rights as all other workers.

“We have been working constructively with agriculture employers and employees in the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley regions to check compliance rates. This includes assisting employers understand their legal responsibilities, such as proper record-keeping – the bedrock of compliance – and the minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers.”

Peninsula Employsure content and training head Ryan Price said the inspections are a recurring theme, with the Ombudsman’s campaign in the industry dating back to December 2021.

“For a surprise inspection, it’s not all that surprising, unfortunately. The Ombudsman does seem to target rural and regional businesses from time to time, particularly those in

agriculture and horticulture,” he said.

“The rationale seems to be that these businesses have high proportions of migrant or overseas workers on visas, with inspections arising from concerns that these populations may be taken advantage of due to language barriers and isolation.

“However, the main breaches seem to relate to record-keeping and payslip laws and regulations.”

Inspectors spoke with growers, labour hire operators, managers and employees on the ground, and requested employment records and payslips that allow them to check compliance with workplace laws.

Mr Price said there are many misconceptions about payslips and records and what does and doesn’t need to be recorded.

“This is covered in the Fair Work Regula-

tions, which lays out specific rules that employers need to follow,” he said.

“People are often caught out by a few things including the requirement to make and keep pay slips and records for up to seven years.

“Many employers assume that they can dispose of records within a reasonable timeframe after employment ends, but this isn’t the case.”

A court can order penalties of up to $18,780 per contravention for an individual and $93,900 per contravention for small businesses.

Companies that are not small businesses could face penalties of up to $469,500 per contravention for certain breaches.

Maximum penalties are 10 times higher if a court determines breaches were serious contraventions under the Fair Work Act.

Mr Price said the constant changing of the relevant law confuses people.

“The Fair Work Act has been through three major rounds of updates in the last two years. This has included things like the outlawing of pay secrecy and the introduction of the new Right to Disconnect,” he said.

“It has been unlawful to enter new contracts that prevent employees from discussing their pay with others since the introduction of the secure jobs, better pay amendments in December 2022. If you are relying on old or outdated contracts to create new ones, you could potentially be breaching the Fair Work Act without knowing it every time you issue a new one.

“The Right to Disconnect has been a source of much controversy and confusion over the last few months, and many people have the wrong end of the stick. The new Right to Disconnect allows employees to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside of their working hours unless it would be unreasonable to do so.

“It’s unclear exactly how this will be interpreted by the Fair Work Commission and the

courts but what we do know is that factors like the employee’s pay, their position, their level of responsibility, the urgency of the issue, or any extra benefits for being on call will be relevant. For example, calling an employee outside of their working hours because of an emergency on a property that they are responsible for is likely to be classified as reasonable and unlikely to find you in breach of the Act.”

Investigations continue and results will be published at a later date.

Mr Price shared actionable tips for employers on how they can achieve compliance.

“First, never set and forget. Don’t assume that an agreement, contract, or employment relationship you entered into is still compliant six or 12 months down the track. Employment relationships, just like personal ones, require maintenance,” he said.

“Second, get to know your Award. you can seek professional advice, from an organisation like Peninsula Employsure, or speak to the FWO to get help identifying which Award is most applicable to your business. I’d also advise visiting the Fair Work Commission’s website to familiarise yourself with the Award and make certain it matches your business operations.

“Third, keep detailed records. It’s hard to establish compliance or defend yourself and your business against allegations if you don’t have records, which is also a requirement under the Fair Work Act and Fair Work Regulations.”

Employers and employees can visit fairwork.gov.au or call the FairWork Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace.

A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.

Issues can also be reported online anonymously, including in languages other than English.

RyanPrice. Picture:SUPPLIED

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Mount Evelyn says thanks

By Mikayla van Loon

Despite the forecast rain, the township of Mount Evelyn turned out in droves to the Anzac Day dawn service, where nothing could dampen the spirit, commemoration or respect shown by the thousands who attended.

The sound of the bagpipes ringing out over the silent streets of the hillside town triggered the beginning of the service at 5.45am, led by Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble.

“It has been 109 years since the landing at Anzac Cove Gallipoli. The feats of our troops and our dear friends New Zealand forged our names into the history books,” he said.

“These two unknown and unproven nations of Australia and New Zealand will forever be known for their great deeds on this day 109 years ago.”

Reflecting on what was said to be “the war to end all wars”, Mr Crymble said Gallipoli presented an immense challenge to Australia, arguably one of the most damaging but the entirety of the war proved …

“To many the belief is this was our greatest challenge during the Great War, at the Western Front, we learned there was far worse,” he said.

“Today we pause and pay respect to all our servicemen and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation.

“Further, we acknowledge and respect all those who have served our nation in our defence both in war and peace at home and abroad. We thank them for their service and continued protection they provide. The Anzac legacy remains and is carried out by current serving troops.”

While Anzac Day remembers the diggers and troops who fought during World War I, the evolvement over time has led to the remembrance of all those who have served in wars since 1914.

“It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the East Timor

campaign, commencing in 1999. An Australian led military force of more than 20 countries came to the aid of East Timor, who had elected to gain independence from their invaders, Indonesia.

“Initially a tense and volatile situation from Indonesia and pro Indonesian militia forces which could have developed into a full blown confrontation.

“Later this operation would become a monitoring and peacekeeping force. Many of our troops served in both war and peacetime operations in this country over 14 years, only leaving East Timor in 2013.”

The Anzac Requiem, read by Mount Evelyn CFA member Geoff Dawson, tells of sacrifices made across decades, continents and conflicts.

“We remember those who still sleep where they were left — amid the holly scrub in the valleys and on the ridges of Gallipoli — on the rocky and terraced hills of Palestine — and in the lovely cemeteries of France,” it reads.

“We remember those who lie in unknown resting places in almost every land, and those gallant men whose grave is the unending sea.

“We think of those of our women’s services who gave their lives in our own and foreign lands and at sea, and of those who proved to be, in much more than name, the sisters of our fighting men.

“We think of those gallant men who died in Korea, Malaya andVietnam, assisting to defend the Commonwealth, and other countries of the FreeWorld, against a common enemy.”

Floral tributes were laid by Mount Evelyn’s football, netball and cricket clubs, Mooroolbark College, Yarra Hills Secondary College, Mount Evelyn History Group, St John Ambulance and many more from the community. The service was completed by the sound of kookaburras laughing on cue as the dawn began to break. The march of veterans, their families, scouts and members of the community led attendees back to the RSL clubrooms for breakfast.

Standing in formation, the march was prepared as the crowd cheered and clapped as they passed. 403636

Mount Evelyn RSL vice president Chris McAleer called the honour roll. 403636

Standing in formation, the march was prepared as the crowd cheered and clapped as they passed. 403636

The crowd was in its thousands despite the forecasted rain. 403636

Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble led the dawn service. 403636

Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Piper Iain Townsley played the bagpipes to open the service at 5.45am and as the tributes were laid.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Mount Evelyn CFA member Geoff Dawson read the Anzac Requiem. 403636

As the service finished, the crowd turned their attention to the formation of the march to the RSL. 403636

Veteran and Veterans for Fishing secretary Callan Moon laid a wreath at the cenotaph. 403636

Robyn Farrell sung both the New Zealand and Australian national anthems. 403636

We will remember them

By Mikayla van Loon

Gathering on the grounds of Mooroolbark’s Hookey Park at the foot of the war memorial, stories of local men and women and those from distant places were told in tribute to the Anzacs.

The midday service on the 109th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing commemorated the gallant men and women who served and continue to serve Australia.

Tributes to two local men in particular were shared with the gathered community members who came in their hundreds.

Discharged Royal Australian Engineer serviceman Adam Gatherum did not speak of his own contribution to the army but that of his grandfather, Bob Gatherum.

“Granddad’s full name was Robert James Gatherum, aka Bob… He was born on 16 October 1919…He enlisted in the British army on the 19th of April 1939 and he was discharged afterWorldWar II ended in February 1946 after seven years of service,” Adam said.

Starting his time in the army as a photographer, Bob was also training to join the artillery which happened in October 1943.

“On the 6th of June 1944, the US, the British and the Canadian forces landed in Normandy. Granddad’s unit landed at Juno Beach.”

From written memories, Bob documented the smells and reality of war, like not showering for weeks at a time and “how we run desperately through a field with known mines to seek support from a nearby army unit, only to be advised they are under attack as well”.

Witnessing moments like that of the surrender of villages in Germany, Adam said his grandfather “wished to have his camera to document his part in history”.

“Reluctantly transferred” to the Military Police to finish out his service, Bob helped ensure curfews were observed, undertook traffic control and battlefield clearance of ammunition.

Adam said his grandfather was “proud to be a Normandy veteran” and never held any malice.

“His quote was, ‘it’s only with the passage of time I’ve found it easier to cope with more vivid memories of all the suffering we saw and experienced so many years ago.

“They also made me more conscious of and thankful for the freedom we enjoy here in our most fortunate land’.

“He was a man who always looked for the good in people, and he found it. He happily devoted his life to serving his family, his community and the country.”

Remembering another important figure in the Lilydale, Kilsyth and Mooroolbark communities, historian Anthony McAleer OAM spoke of the recent passing of former Lilydale RSL president Eric Dosser.

The tribute talked of his over 15 years of service as president and the years prior as the official bugler.

Anthony said he would be remembered for advancing the Lilydale RSL to its current state and building a family friendly community at the sub-branch, among his achievements in keeping the veteran legacy alive.

“Eric passed away a few weeks ago under tragic circumstances and we send our condolences to his friends and family,” he said.

Casey MP Aaron Violi reflected on the 80th

anniversary year of D-Day, often recognised as

“a turning point of the Second World War”.

“This year, we remember the 6000 ships and 10,000 aircraft that converged. On the beaches of Normandy in northern France,” he said.

“In those skies were 1800 Australian airmen of the Royal Air Force, and a further 1000 flying with the RAAF. Others served with the Navy and British Army, including my grandfather.”

For Yarra Ranges Council mayor Sophie Todorov, remembering those who did not return but also the lives they gave up to serve Australia was important to recognise.

“Each person who took up arms and took

part was a person with a family, with friends, a history, and a community back home. They were all meant to be a part of them in return. They had hopes and dreams, things they had already achieved and things they still wanted to do,” she said.

“[An] extremely high cost that has been paid on behalf of us who came after. This is why we gather every year whether we take a quiet moment of silence at home, whether we stand for the ode at our RSLs at 6pm or we gather for Dawn and daytime services in this community.”

Mayor Todorov also briefly spoke of the on-

going reality of war and said “I look forward to the day we

can all hold our hearts and hands in peace”.

The Mooroolbark Anzac Day service, for the last 10 years, has been organised by Marion Stott, president of the town’s history group.

In the final moments of the commemorations, Ms Stott announced she would be stepping down from organising, hoping the next generation would take up the legacy that has been created.

“This is going to the next generation, it must be handed on,” she said.

Manchester Primary School students. 403746

Vietnam veteran Geoff Earney. 403746

Mooroolbark CFA lieutenants Ash Bowen and Aidan Tringas. 403746

Mount Evelyn RSL member and former Citizens Military Services personnel Peter Patterson. 403746

Yarra Ranges Councillors Richard Higgins and Sophie Todorov. 403746

Bugler Tom Steele played the Last Post. 403746

Mooroolbark Umbrella Group’s Matt Goodes. 403746

Greg Earney led the service at Hookey Park. 403746

Anthony McAleer, Margaret Tull, Adam Gatherum and Marion Stott place the coloured wreaths of remembrance. 403746 Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Peter Giddings laid a wreath in tribute to national service members, nurses and World War I service people. 403746

SENIORS LIVING

Vibrant retirement living

In the heart of Lilydale, where the lush Yarra Valley meets the Dandenong Ranges, stands Lilydale Valley Views – not just a retirement village, but a thriving community where residents relish every moment of their golden years. For the past 15 years, we have meticulously crafted an environment that goes beyond providing accommodation; it’s a place where the essence of retirement living is fully embraced.

Our village boasts an array of accommodation options, from stunning homes with valley views to cosy terrace living.With 139 homes, including semi-attached 2/3 bedroom units, each designed to ensure a family-like atmosphere, we prioritise creating a space that fits the unique preferences of every resident. What sets Lilydale Valley Views apart is the commitment to offering a comprehensive retirement experience. Picture a heated indoor swimming pool and spa, providing residents with an oasis for relaxation and exercise. Imagine weekly Tai Chi and dancersize sessions, tailored to keep both the body and mind active and engaged. Our village bus takes the hassle out of shopping, offering a convenient door-to-door service, freeing residents from the need to drive and park.

One of the key pillars of our community is the vibrant social committee. This dedicated group organises a plethora of indoor and outdoor activities, ensuring residents always have opportunities for connection and enjoyment. From outings to social events, our calendar is brimming with activities that cater to diverse interests, creating an enriching experience for everyone. Yet, the true magic lies in the residents themselves. A wonderful group of people with a wide range of interests, they form the beating heart of our community. The warmth and genuine sense of camaraderie that have flourished over the years are truly heartwarming. Newcomers quickly find themselves embraced by the community, invited to various

BreathtakingviewsawaitresidentsatLilydaleValleyViews.

activities and social occasions, allowing them to tailor their level of engagement. At Lilydale ValleyViews, we recognise the importance of social connections for overall health and wellbeing as we age. Our environment is curated to facilitate an active and connected lifestyle, fostering a sense of community that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the village.

Centrally located near essential amenities, including medical practitioners, supermarkets, and the train station – all within walking distance – Lilydale Valley Views provides a seam-

Pictures:SUPPLIED

less blend of convenience and tranquillity. The nearby Warburton Trail offers residents the opportunity for scenic walks or bike rides, while a thriving veggie/flower garden on-site adds to the communal spirit. As a testament to our commitment to excellence, we are proud to have built a retirement village that has evolved into a close-knit community. Lilydale Valley Views is not merely a place to live; it’s a place where people flourish, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and cherished moments.

In celebration of our journey and the joy of

Enjoysomequitetimewithabookfromthe extensivelibrarycollection.

Meetandminglewithfriendsinthecommunity centre.

vibrant retirement living, we invite you to explore Lilydale Valley Views. Come and witness firsthand the beauty of terrace living, stunning views, and the warm embrace of a community that defines the essence of retirement living.

For more information, contact Lilydale Valley Views at 471 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, email manager@lilydalevalleyviews.com.au, or call 03 9735 5944 to speak with Rosemary Seymour our manager. Our doors are open from 9am to 4.30pm, welcoming you to a new chapter of vibrant retirement living.

Be part of a vibrant Community and

enjoy the Facilities

An escape from Ambon

By Mikayla van Loon

The remarkable but untold story of Brearley Roberts Mackieson, father of Lilydale RSL members Bill and Don Mackieson, has been immortalised in a plaque donated by the subbranch.

Born 1 May 1913, Brearley Mackieson grew up in the small East Gippsland town of Buchan and from his mid-teens was working in cattle transport.

“When he was 15 years old, he used to drive cattle from Jindabyne all the way to Bairnsdale by himself,” Don said.

Not realising it at the time but that experience would set him up for what he was about to endure as a man in his late 20s.

On 12 June 1940, Brearley had heard of the invasion danger Australia was facing during World War II and decided to enlist in the Australian Army.

Part of the 18th draft in Sale, Brearley was sent to Caulfield and then onto Shepparton where he was assigned to 2/21st Battalion.

From there the troops took the longest route march ever attempted by the Australian Army, marching 120 miles from Trawool to Bonegilla.

He was deployed from Bonegilla to Darwin, after one final farewell in Buchan, on 22 March 1941, arriving in the northern capital on 8 April 1941.

In December of that year, the Battalion was sent to the pacific island of Ambon, landing in what he described as “the beautiful and sunny” island on 13 December, seven days after the Japanese declared war.

TheGullForce,astheywereknown,camped under thatched roof huts and “every tree [was] laden with coconuts”, Brearley documented.

Under the command of Lt Col W Scott DSA - aWorldWar I veteran - a request of more reinforcements was approved, with 30 extra troops joining the Battalion in Ambon, of which Brearley said in notes, only 12 had ever shot a rifle before.

With only 20 automatic weapons, the Australians were unprepared for what was coming.

At around 2am in early January, a Japanese air raid, bombing the airstrip and “strafing the huts” triggered the beginning of a bombardment.

“Our troops make for their slit trenches, a queer thrill running through them as they experience their first encounter in real war,” Brearley wrote.

A week goes by before the Japanese strike again during daylight, with 26 bombers and 12 fighters flying over - all the Australians had were two allied planes, both which came down in flames.

By the end of January 1942, a Japanese invasion was imminent. It came on the 30th of the month, with 51 ships and some 23,000 troops heading for Ambon.

The near defenceless 1400 Australian troops were “ill fated” but put up a fight using an American donated browning machine gun deterring one Japanese destroyer, which then hit a mine, sinking the ship.

A well-directed order from Captain Phillip Miskin to hide in the shadows until Japanese

troops were ashore and unaware of the waiting gunners resulted in a small Australian victory but five days of no food or water led to the general surrender to the enemy.

Nearly 300 troops, where Brearley was part of C Company, were dispersed to defend Laha airfield from the some 6000 Japanese. After days of bombing and fighting, the flag of surrender had gone up.

Brearley, however, alongside three others made an escape plan.

Frank Ogilvy, Jim Drummy, Harry Ault and Brearley travelled up a dry creek bed through the jungle. Brearley developed malaria fever and dysentery that would plague him all the way home.

Reaching the town of Ambon, the villagers instructed these soldiers to take a canoe and head for the island of Ceram - 14 miles north of Ambon.

Setting out after dusk, the unthinkable of the tide changing and sending them straight back to Ambon was a risk but by 2am the waiting was over and the four Australians were able to make their break for the new island.

Having to pretend they were fishermen as Japanese crews patrolled the ocean, watching as Japanese planes flew overhead on 19 February to bomb Darwin, fearing their safety from both the Japanese and head hunting tribes and not sleeping or eating for days were just some

Lilydale Rotary Club’s cook up for Anzac Day

For the second year, Lilydale’s Rotary Club was on hand to supply breakfast to the dawn service attendees and RSL members as they looked to warm up back at the Anderson Street clubrooms.

It followed yet another beautiful dawn service at the Lilydale cenotaph, seeing thousands choosing to commemorate the day on Main Street, with emergency services, school students and community members laying wreaths in tribute.

Project Lead Barb Lawrence said it was a honour for the Club members to volunteer their time to help raise money for returned servicemen and women.

“Whilst the sausages are ‘gold coin donation’ it was really heart warming to receive generous donations in memory of loved ones from local community members,” Barb said.

The Rotary Club of Lilydale will continue its partnership with Lilydale RSL in 2025 which is 110 years since the landings at Gallipoli.

Rotary Club of Lilydale members, Marg, Gerry, Cheryl, Barb and Des (photographer) cooking sausages while other club members attended the dawn service and laid a wreath.

of Brearley’s memories.

On the other hand, he told of how villagers were often accommodating, offering clothing, food and beds.

Island hopping for three and a half months, stealing food when they could, eating live fish and going without water, Brearley and the three men landed in Australia at Karumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria, met with loaded rifles from their countrymen until identification was confirmed.

Meeting his son Bob for the first time on arrival home, Brearley was then hospitalised with malaria fever, which happened on many occasions.

Of the 1396 Australians who fought in Ambon, 600 were killed in action and another 500 died in prisoner of war camps, seeing only 305 return to Australia after the war.

The casualty rate is said to be one of the highest, with Brearley stating it was roughly 20 per cent more than the losses recorded in the Light Horse Brigade charge.

Bill said it was his father’s understanding of the night sky from his time moving cattle through Victoria and New South Wales that helped lead them home.

“When travelling by boat under the stars he knew which way to go,” he said.

“He was a real Snowy River cattleman.”

Despite his malaria, Brearley was once

again deployed, this time to the 2/4th Battalion in New Guinea but the illness stayed with him and he was eventually discharged at the end of the war on 18 October 1945, landing in Brisbane the day peace was declared.

Brearley Roberts Mackieson’s plaque, Bill said, was to return to his home town’s avenue of honour in Buchan South.

“It’s all these trees and seats along each side and this will be screwed onto one of the seats, where his cousin is on one part of the seat and he will be on the other,” Bill said.

“We’re ever so grateful to the RSL.”

Picture: SUPPLIED

Bill Mackieson, Lilydale RSL president Bill Dobson and Don Mackieson with the plaque and certificate of appreciation. 399181

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Brearley Roberts Mackieson’s name will feature on the Buchan South avenue of honour thanks to the donated plaque by Lilydale RSL. 399181

Forest

By Dongyun Kwon

The Great Forest National Park (GFNP) encouraged the local community to get involved in the public consultation to protect Central Highlands State Forests.

The consultation was instigated by Engage Victoria on a proposal to link more than 500,000 hectares of Victorian forests and conservation reserves, some badly damaged by fire and logging, into one vast, enclosed and protected national park, the GFNP.

There was an urgent push for public support to conserve the Central Highlands State Forests, home to the world’s tallest flowering plant, the Mountain Ash, and one of Australia’s most endangered mammals, the Leadbeater’s Possum.

GFNP creative and business director Sarah Rees said the community’s voice was important to conserve nature although the government has already announced a ban on logging.

“We are asking Victorians to help us shape the government’s decision so that we can not only safeguard the habitats of endangered species and protect these critical forests but also secure the water supply for the five million people of Melbourne, lower the risk of catastrophic bushfires and boost tourism and employment for local areas,” she said.

“What can happen to landscape is that it can be repurposed for other things such as logging perhaps by a different name or a lack of proper investment into new opportunities around recreation ecotourism.

“It may not get funding to be restored. There’s a very big debt left from long-term logging in these forests, so there are all these unknowns in just ending logging.”

The GFNP was seeking to establish a tenure with joint management with First Nations groups that encourages investment for recreation, restoration and conservation to reha-

bilitate wild species such as Greater Gliders, possums and owls.

Forest conservation expert professor David Lindenmayer said if the forests are not logged, Mountain Ash can sequester carbon, help modulate the climate and act as giant storage banks to absorb excess carbon for about 550 years.

“While the recent logging ban from the Victorian Government is a huge victory, we know that a turn in government or future policy change can quickly reopen the land at risk of logging,“ he said.

“We’re seeing the devastating result of this

happening in Tasmania right now.”

Establishing the GFNP has the potential to add more than $70 million to the local economy annually, attracting an extra 400,000 visitors to the area each year and creating an additional 750 full-time jobs.

“People love national parks. They come to visit national parks and want to do things and spend money, and it will improve the economy for regions,” Ms Rees said.

“The park will employ more people with better, longer-lasting jobs than those in wood production, with workforce opportunities in tourism, firefighting, invasive species manage-

ment and forest restoration.

“What’s important from my perspective as a local is that it’ll bring more jobs for women and young people, and this is vital to regional areas in order to keep our families here and not split them up by having people moving into the city for job opportunities.”

Two surveys were open for submission, asking the public about the area, what is important to them about it, the experiences they’ve had and how it could be improved for the future.

The Engage Victoria’s public consultation closed on Monday 29 April.

CentralHighlandsStateForests.

Picture:SARAHREESLogging.

Picture:SUPPLIED

GreaterGlider. Picture:JUSTINCALLY

Sky high for bucket list

By Mikayla Van Loon

The opportunity to tick off a dream bucket list item wasn’t something Dale Macalister considered possible.

But when the 76-year-old Mercy Place Montrose resident was selected as the recipient of the Mercy Health Foundation’s Imagine Fund, it allowed him to take flight in a de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth.

Setting off into the air on Tuesday 23 April, with family and friends watching from the ground at Lilydale Airport, Mr Macalister said he didn’t feel nervous or scared, just exhilarated.

“I wasn’t really scared, I was in good hands,” he said.

“It was an amazing opportunity.”

Growing up, Mr Macalister heard the stories of his father, a World War II Royal British Air Force pilot who flew Supermarine Spitfires and this evolved into the dream of one day doing something similar.

“It’s always been a dream,” he said.

“He talked about it and as a kid you imagine things and want to do what your dad did.”

Mr Macalister said as someone who has worked in factories, built model planes and who has an affinity for hot rod cars, he’s always liked anything mechanical.

Still, not having “been in anything that small before”, Mr Macalister said “it’s hard to compare to anything else because you’re at the front of the plane not the back”.

“And I didn’t actually feel in control but you feel as if you are at the same time.”

That job was instead left to pilot Damian Nott, who regularly does the Tiger Moth joy flights, treating people to acrobatics in the air.

Mr Nott said once they reached 4000 feet it was a dream flight, with some wind causing turbulence at around 2000 feet, making the take off and landing a bit bumpy.

This didn’t bother Mr Macalister though.

“The best was when he rolled over and your stomach comes up to your mouth and the earth disappears up into the sky and then back down again,” he said.

“The turbulence wasn’t as bad as doing flips.”

Once in the air, Mr Macalister said “it was as clear as a bell” although he “found it hard to identify things” but he did manage to spot the golf course.

Witnessing the moment from the ground was Mr Macalister’s older sister Alison, who lives in New Zealand.

When she arrived, Ms Macalister said it was the first thing he told her.

“To see this and to see how happy he is [is wonderful],” she said.

Seeing that “he was confident” Ms Macalister said she didn’t feel nervous, “the only time I felt a little bit of worry was when the propeller wouldn’t start”.

Ms Macalister said the memories her brother was able to create and the connection he was able to have to his “parents, grandparents, great uncles [who] were all in the air force or

navy at some stage” was a beautiful part of the flight.

For Mercy Place Montrose’s lifestyle coordinator Dee Halligan, making memories for the residents is one of the most important things she can do.

“It’s all about triggering memories and that’s worth everything,” she said.

Being able to submit an application to access the Imagine Fund each year, Ms Halligan chose Mr Macalister’s story after hearing the connection of his father to the Spitfires.

“They pick the best story or the most interesting one or the one that’s going to have the biggest impact on the resident and Dale’s was it and then it’s all hands on deck to make that happen,” she said.

Mr Macalister said that completed his bucket list “but Dee might pull something out of me at some stage” and he might be off doing something else exciting.

Mr Macalister’s family was so proud of him.

403967

Mercy Place Montrose Lifestyle Coordinator Dee Halligan helped plan and execute the flight for Mr Macalister under the Imagine Fund. 403967

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth piloted by Damian Nott. 403967

Mercy Place Montrose resident Dale Macalister after his Tiger Moth flight. 403967

Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Mr Macalister was supported by fellow residents and staff from Mercy Place, as well as his family.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Mr Macalister’s daughters Nicola Macalister and Jo Fraser, and sister Alison Macalister. 403967

Local talent shone

One hundred years ago country towns in Victoria relied mainly on visiting concert artists and circuses troupes for entertainment, but they also organised their own.

On Friday 21 April 1924, a typical concert, presented by Yarra Glen Presbyterian Sunday School, was held in theVictoria Hall. This large community hall was located on the southern side of the current United Service station. The night was fine and there was a large attendance.

Miss Smedley, the superintendent of the Sunday school coached the children and Ms. J. Ellis, was the accompanist.

Many of the children listed below stayed in the district, most married and their children and grandchildren may still live locally or visit from time to time.

The programme was as follows:

· song, The Seasons, Marjorie Allen (leader) Spring, Rosie Jell Summer, Freda MacKenzie Autumn, Reg. Nicholas Winter;

· recitation, At the Party, Mary Brudenell; song, The Grocer’s Young Man, junior boys

Write better

Rated M

Part 1: 3/5, Part 2: 3.5/5

Best described as bootleg StarWars, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films are exciting and beautiful but shallow and poorlywritten action epics. Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious woman with a dark past on a remote farming world, must gather a band of warriors to defend her village from the tyrannical Imperium.

Rebel Moon, Part 1: A Child of Fire features stunningly imaginative visuals, painterly cinematography, an elegant score by Tom Holkenborg and several thrilling action sequences.

Boutella is a fierce yet sensitive lead, and Ed Skrein is a compelling villain of prim, barely-controlled rage as Admiral Noble. Unfortunately, the slow, erratic pacing carries little urgency, and the film is full of clunky dialogue, smothering exposition and thinly-sketched characters.

Snyder pitched Rebel Moon as a Star Wars movie or game a couple of times, and so the Star Wars influences are blatantly obvious; the action also suffers from gratuitous slow-mo, which is a hallmark of Snyder’s work.

Rebel Moon, Part 2: The Scargiver feels like Seven Samurai in space, as Kora’s warriors and the village prepare to fight Admiral Noble and his forces.

The Scargiver has much the same technical virtues and storytelling and slow-mo shortcomings as the first film, and takes nearly an hour to get going, but it’s more cohesive; the bulk of The Scargiver is one massive, enthralling war sequence.

Even though we barely know the main characters across two movies, each hero still gets a brutal chance to shine in battle.

A Child of Fire’s climax emerges from a well-executed twist, and The Scargiver effectively splits its focus between increasingly-devastating skirmishes on the ground and Kora’s subterfuge aboard Noble’s ship.

Action-packed and viscerally-satisfying but dramatically hollow (as Snyder films often are), both Rebel Moon films are available to stream on Netflix.

Looking back

Helen Mann

(Albert Jell, Jack Cooper, Percy Ah Yet, Tom and Andrew Bell);

· recitation, Biddy’s Chicks, Mary Walker; song, Ten Little Dicky-Birds, junior girls, (Agnes Ah Yet, Eileen Le Kong, Myrtle Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Jean White, Marjorie White, Ivy Jell, Dorothy, Mary and Alma Walker); dialogue, The Mission of The Flowers, Mona Smith (student of Nature), Ora Lawrey (the Rose), Dorothy Ellis (the Lily), Joy Brudenell (Snowdrop), Jean Jewson (Forget-me-not); song, The Three Grey Geese, Mona Smith, Eileen Le Kong, Dorothy Ellis; dialogue, Sen-

CARTOON

na’s Dream, junior boys and girls; recitation, Grandma’s Letter, Dorothy Walker; song, At the Farmer’s Gate, the boys of the school; song, Six Little Marks from School, Dorothy Walker, Ede Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Agnes Ah Yet, Gwen Nicholas; dialogue, Keeping House, Jack Lithgow, Les Weller, Roy Mills, Eric Mills, Reg. Nicholas, Albert Jell, Tom Bell, Jack Cooper;

· duet, Hear Us We Pray, Ede Ellis and Gwen Nicholas; recitation, Fifty-Four, Ora Lawrey; song, Joe the Railway Porter, senior boys; · dialogue, The Rainbow, junior girls, Mona Smith, Dorothy Walker, Dorothy Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Joy Brudenell,Winnie Jell, Ede Ellis; · monologue, The Golden Rule, Mona Smith, Marjorie Allan, Freda MacKenzie, Rosie Jell, Joy Brudenell; song, The United Kingdom, by the Sunday school, Mona Smith and Les. Weller (England), Gwen Nicholas and Roy Mills (Ireland), Dorothy Ellis and Jack Lithgow (Scotland), Joy Brudenell and Reg Nicholas (Wales) Alma Walker (Australia), Winnie Jell (Brittania).

The “BookTok generation”

In last week’s article, we explored the “Discovering a Good Read” report from Australia Reads, which identifies the reasons given by teenagers for their withdrawal from reading.

Some of these are particularly noteworthy, such as “reading is not fun”, “it’s hard to find anything good to read”, and “there are not many books about people like me”.

Based on this report, Australia Reads recommends ways to support teenagers in reading for pleasure. One of them is “meet teens where they are”.

Specifically, the popularity of BookTok, Bookstagram and BookTube shows “the incredible power of social media to support reading behaviour, through aiding with book discovery and forming online communities”.

According to the Australia Reads Research Review in 2022, 68 per cent of teen readers say that BookTok has inspired them to read a book that they would otherwise have never considered.

The “Discovering a Good Read” report also reveals social media ranks as the top passive leisure pursuit for teenagers, with their preferred platforms being Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Australia Reads further cites a recent research by the Publishers Association in the UK, titled “The BookTok Generation: How social media is transforming Gen Z reading habits”.

Among the research’s over 2000 respondents aged 16-25, “almost two-thirds (59 per cent) say that BookTok or book influencers have helped them discover a passion for reading”.

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

The research finds that BookTok helps Gen Z-ers connect with their peers and create communities based on what they are reading. Even better, the platform has a positive impact on brick-and-mortar bookstores, with “nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents visiting a physical bookshop to buy a book they have seen on BookTok”.

In Australia, publishers, booksellers and authors are already harnessing the power of the platform to engage and inspire readers.

As explained by researchers from the “Teen Reading in the Digital Era” project at Deakin University:

“By showcasing teenagers who love books and are proud of their reading habits, BookTok inspires other young people to enjoy reading. And it creates trends that influence the types of books they read, sometimes in unexpected ways.”

“To foster a strong reading culture among teens, it’s essential to align initiatives with their digital habits and busy schedules,” the report concluded.

The Great Gatsby play at 1812 Kemp’s curtain call

The 1812 Theatre

The Great Gatsby

Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan.

Nick Carroway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into their world of obsession, greed and danger.

The breathtaking glamour and Decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage.

· Season: May 16 - June 8.

· Bookings: 9758 394

The Basin Theatre

Comedy at The Basin

In The Basin’s quest to bring you the best in performing arts they are having a series of special comedy nights.

These events have been very popular with the Company’s patrons in the past and the Company is sure they will be a sell-pot.

Join The Basin Theatre for a night of hilarity with The Best of the Fest.

Audiences will enjoy a selection of professional comedians straight from the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival in an event not to be missed.

Your night will be guided by our hilarious MC who will introduce the three comedians for a night of laughs that will warm you to the core.

Drinks and snacks are available at the bar which will open from 7pm.

· Season: Saturday May 11.

Burrinja Theatre

Forever Young - The songs of Bob Dylon

Continuing a tradition that began at the Caravan Club’s original location in Oakleigh in 2011 for Bob’s 70th Leica and Caravan are upping the ante to bring their beloved Bob Dylan Birthday Bash to St Kilda’s iconic Palais Theatre and selected suburbs and regional venues in May.

It’s a tradition that has seen some of the biggest and brightest in Australian music – including Vika and Linda, Joe Camilleri, Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers –perform songs that are enmeshed in the very fabric od their musical lives and to wish Bob a good one.

· Season: Saturday May 25 at 7.30pm

Broad - Geraldine Quinn

Bold dames, bejewelled tales, camo glamour meets ageing grace in this cabaret of self-discovery.

Multi-award winning rock cabaret artist Geraldine Quinn (Spick Specks, Upper Middle Bogan, The Weekly) returns with her first original show in four long years - BROAD.

Quinn grew up idolising fabulous, bold, brassy (mostly ginger) older women.

Now she’s become one.

So Quinn makes her overdue return to the cabaret stage to release everyone’s inner DGAF Dame Whether you want to unlock the Auntie Mame inside you, polish your brassiness or if (like Quinn) your knees just aren’t working anymore and you need to be near someone who understands.

All are welcome in The Broad Church.

· Season: Friday May 31 at 7.30pm in the Lyre room

Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre History Group

Rebel Moon

Starring Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein and Michiel Huisman

Preparing for winter

It appears that every man’s insomnia is as different from his neighbour’s as are their daytime hopes and aspirations by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

As the days shorten and the nights become longer and the chill of autumn creeps in, many are finding the gloomy autumn mornings hard to wake up and get out of bed to face the day.

The shorter days can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm which regulates our sleepwake cycles, and less sunlight can lead to an increase in melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep, making people feel sleepier.

And as the weather cools our bodies adjust to the lower temperatures by wanting to conserve energy and this can make us fatigued and lethargic but then when come bedtime we may find ourselves tossing, turning and wide awake.

We know that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning and other vital functions. And that inadequate sleep can lead to a wide range of disorders, such as hypertension, obesity and type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, impaired immune functioning, and more.

Sleep problems are extremely common. At any given time around 10 per cent of people have at least mild insomnia. Millions of adults (and increasingly children)are currently suffering in silence with undiagnosed sleep disorders that are having a profound and escalating impact on health, the economy and society,

We are told that healthy adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night. Babies, young children, and teens need even more sleep to enable their growth and development.

But if we look back on previous generations waking in the midst of a long winter night is a form of sleep that would have been entirely normal before homes had electricity.

Nights were divided into a first and second sleep, with a “watch” in between, during which people would pray, reflect, make love or indulge in quiet conversation with family.

It was an intimate time, so private and mundane that it barely merited a mention.

There is also a cultural side to ‘sleep health,’ raising uncomfortable questions of equity and power. Seeing sleep purely as a personal responsibility fails to recognise it as a wider social issue and one of inequity.

For many it’s not about getting a comfortable supportive bed, the right warm blankets or doona, the soothing lights and candles and the right well balanced diet of whole grains, proteins and healthy fats.

Shift workers from truck drivers to medical workers have long lasting sleep problems.

Also those who in the present climate of rental and mortgage stress face possible eviction with nowhere to go and may find themselves couch surfing, sleeping in their car or on the streets.

If you’re sleeping rough without the comfort of a bed or blankets and are concerned about safety, it is unlikely you will sleep well, if at all.

Writer Dionne Brand’s poetry considers the difficulty of sleeping when disasters are affecting others.

In her book Thirsty, she writes: if it is late at night and quiet… you can hear someone’s life falling apart

Most people can sleep through a siren. I can’t…

Even at a great distance you sense its mortal discoveries.”

The speaker in this poem lies awake because people in distant places are being killed by bombs and guns.

Sleep is central in early Western myths, Medieval and Renaissance fairy tales, and modern and contemporary fiction.

Poets, playwrights, and storytellers have spun yarns regarding characters who sleep, can’t sleep, cause others to not sleep, or suffer from sleep disorders.

These are explored in many of Shakespeare’s plays as in Macbeth where guilt-ridden Macbeth mourns the loss of innocent sleep:

WOORILLA WORDS

Sleep that soothes away all our worries.

Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds.

Sleep, the main course in life’s feast, and the most nourishing.

Writers and artists have also delved into religious themes surrounding this universal human experience such as the parallel between sleep and death.

Emily Dickinson’s short poem seemingly about sleep is really about death: the long sleep.

A long — long Sleep — A famous — Sleep — That makes no show for Morn — By Stretch of Limb — or stir of Lid — An independent One — Was ever idleness like This?

Upon a Bank of Stone

To bask the Centuries away — Nor once look up — for Noon?

It seems that how well we sleep depends on our circumstances.

There will be times when sleep will elude us, other times when sleep is impossible because of our circumstances There may of course be individual reasons why sleep becomes a problem and may need medical

help, but it is also undoubtedly important to recognize the social reasons: stress of all types, overwork, financial and personal relationship problems, inadequate housing, threat of homelessness, worry about the state of the world and more. And that is why sleep disorders cannot be isolated from the wider social context.

In Insomnia, Billy Collins (USA Poet Laureate 2001-2003) explores the restless and solitary experience of sleeplessness that all insomniacs feel.

You can sense the speaker’ frustration as he lies in bed, his mind full of thoughts and memories that are keeping him awake while the world outside seems to be in deep slumber.

Insomnia

By Billy Collins

Even though the house is deeply silent and the room, with no moon, is perfectly dark, even though the body is a sack of exhaustion inert on the bed, someone inside me will not get off his tricycle, will not stop tracing the same tight circle on the same green threadbare carpet. It makes no difference whether I lie staring at the ceiling or pace the living-room floor, he keeps on making his furious rounds, little pedaler in his frenzy, my own worst enemy, my oldest friend.

What is there to do but close my eyes and watch him circling the night, schoolboy in an ill-fitting jacket, leaning forward, his cap on backwards, wringing the handlebars, maintaining a certain speed?

Does anything exist at this hour in this nest of dark rooms but the spectacle of him and the hope that before dawn I can lift out some curious detail that will carry me off to sleep— the watch that encircles his pale wrist, the expandable band, the tiny hands that keep pointing this way and that.

IMMACULATE FAMILY HOME PROPERTY

IMMACULATE FAMILY HOME

THIS fantastic 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom home is move in ready. Come and enjoy the fantastic lifestyle Gembrook has to offer, walk to the main street with the IGA, cafes, restaurants and Puffing Billy Station.

Situated on approx. ½ an acre, this great property offers views to Redwood Park. The driveway is asphalted for year around convenience and there is a DLUG. Be welcomed with the manicured front garden and picturesque porch before discovering spacious living.

There is a master bedroom with a bay window, walk in wardrobe and ensuite, and an office located to the front of the home. The house then opens to a sitting area and then flows onto the open plan kitchen/dining area. The kitchen offers a gas cooktop and electric oven, dishwasher and walk in pantry. Enjoy the warm summers with meals in the

covered outdoor entertaining area or unwind in the spa. Further conveniences include gas ducted heating, and ducted vacuum. Enjoy pottering in the garden with established vegetable gardens and garden shed, or relish hosting summer evenings in the rotunda.

This property has handy dual access allowing easy access to stroll to town along the walking track from the rear of the property.

This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today.

Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

ELEVATED ELEGANCE ON 2600M2

NESTLED proudly atop the high side of the road, this fully renovated brick home offers an exquisite blend of hills living and modern convenience. Boasting a private outlook, this property epitomizes comfort and style.

Comprising four spacious bedrooms, three of which feature walk-in robes, while the master bedroom, thoughtfully zoned away from the guest rooms, presents a beautifully updated ensuite with a luxurious bath. The main bathroom is adorned with floor-to-ceiling tiles and an oversize shower, reflecting the home’s commitment to both elegance and functionality.

The heart of the home lies within its meticulously designed kitchen, adorned with stone benchtops, a 900mm stainless steel oven and cooktop, integrated dishwasher, and ample storage space, creating an inviting space for culinary adventures.

Two distinct living areas offer versatility and comfort. The first, adjacent to the kitchen, features a cozy woodfire, fostering warmth and ambiance, while the main

lounge exudes sophistication with floorto-ceiling windows, a gas log fire, and a dedicated dining area.

Boasting gas ducted heating, evaporative cooling, and stunning wormy chestnut flooring throughout, this residence ensures comfort and luxury throughout the seasons.

Stepping outside, a versatile and expansive decked entertaining area awaits, surrounded by lawns and established garden, providing the ideal setting for outdoor gatherings or tranquil relaxation.

Accompanied by a double carport under the roofline and an additional double garage with a double carport, this property caters to all practical needs with ease.

Situated in a prestigious pocket of Emerald, mere minutes from both the center of Emerald and Cockatoo, this property offers unparalleled convenience without compromising on tranquility. Experience the epitome of Hills living with this exceptional property. ●

An unrivalled location on the corner of Station Street and Rossiter Road in the heart of Koo Wee Rup. The site of 118m2, offers the unique opportunity to occupy one premises, while receiving an income from the other with an established tenancy in place.

The site benefits from the following features:

• Established tenant in place paying $1,030 + GST, and outgoings per month on a lease to February 2025, with a 3-year option to renew

• Suitable for immediate owner occupation in the other premises

• Prominent corner location

• Rear shared car park

275 Rossiter Road, Koo Wee Rup

Area: 118m² | Category: Retail

LOCATION - DESIGN - BACKYARD

LET’S paint the picture for you: Four bedrooms with robes. 2 bathrooms including ensuite. 2 living areas. All the essentials.

Contemporary design with no renovating required.

Big backyard and walking distance to town. Double garage.

Designed with a family in mind, this home offers 4 bedrooms with robes, 2 bathrooms (including ensuite to master), kitchen/meals, 2 living rooms, and a spacious laundry. The home is covered by builder’s warranty. Heating and cooling:

· 2 x split systems

· Jindara wood heater

· Ceiling fans in bedrooms

Features include:

· Walk-in and built-in robes

· Ensuite with double vanity

· 9 ft Ceilings

· Mesh-wire fly screen doors

· Double glazed windows

· Gas continuous flow hot water service

· Walk-in linen press

Externally the home provides double lock-up remote-controlled garage and is Colorbond fenced. More importantly, the backyard has been tastefully landscaped and provides heaps of room to play and entertain.

This property is walking distance to Bollygum Park and Kinglake’s main street, providing shops and essential services. It is the ideal investment or family home.

To secure this popular property, text 73WHITTLESEA to 0448 820 022 or call us today to arrange your inspection. ●

MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE WITH INTEGRITY

Integrity Real Estate is a family-owned real estate agency servicing the Yarra Valley, Kinglake Ranges and surrounds. Our team draws on over 70 years real estate experience to provide premium property services, with unmatched personal service that only a family company can provide.

FOR SALE

$1,800,000-$1,850,000

469 Caveat-Dropmore Road, Caveat 150 Watsons Road, Kinglake West $1,240,000 101 Airlie Road, Healesville

Shop 201C Maroondah Highway, Healesville info@integrityrealestate.com.au

integrityrealestate.com.au

6 Alan Grove, Woori Yallock

37 Victoria Road, Kinglake

3 Monaro Way, Whittlesea

SUN FILLED FAMILY HOME OPPORTUNITY

THIS expansive family home presents a fantastic opportunity! This home offers 4 bedrooms, 2 living areas, an open plan kitchen and dining area, a study and a double carport.

The home sprawls over split level living and offers gas ducted heating throughout. The loungeroom has its own entry and 2 bedrooms and a study to the rear of the home. The kitchen is a beautiful space flooded with light and has plenty of space for a dining table. There is another bedroom and the family bathroom adjoining the kitchen/dining area.

Then continue downstairs to the stunning loungeroom with woodfire heater, plenty of storage, and views out to the greenery. The master bedroom with floor to ceiling glass windows, walk in wardrobe, and an ensuite flow from the loungeroom. There is a lovely decking from the loungeroom that has private views over Wrights Forest.

This stunning property is located moments from Emerald Park Lake and just over 5mins drive to the heart of Emerald township.

This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today.

Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

44DevonAvenue,Cockatoo $1,050,000 -$1,150,000

Lovely 4BedroomHome,ClosetoCockatoowithGreatAmericanBarn!

Beautifullymaintained 4bedroom,2 bathroomhome.Thehomehasductedheating &ispositioned tothefrontofthisflatparklikefullyfencedblockwithclearedlawnsamongstestablishedtrees. Featuring:leadlightfeaturefrontdoor,splitlevelliving, 2bedroomswithBIR,Mastersuitewithensuite, WIR& ceilingfan,familybathroomwith adualvanity,shower &bath, &a 4thbedroom/studywith ceilingfan.Thereis agranddiningroomthatisopenplanwiththekitchen &hasviewsouttothe expansivedeck.Thereis asecondlargeloungeroomwith acosywoodfire &splitsystemAC.The deckisgorgeous&floodedwithsunlight.TotherearoftheblockisaninsulatedAmericanbarn, with 1bayrollerdoor,a pedestriandoor,concretefloor,power,lights&amezzanine.Thereisalsoa handytapnexttothebarn,assortedfruittrees,a shedwithpower, &6 solarpanelswiththehome.

SamanthaScott M 0438680032

2AvonRoad,Avonsleigh

$1,300,000 -$1,420,000

GorgeousFlatAcrewithDualAccommodationintheHeartofAvonsleigh! Themainhomeoffersperiodcharmwithpolishedfloorboards,dadopaneling,brickfireplace, insetwoodheater,900mmgasstove,farmsink,ductedgasheating& splitsystemAC.Thereare 3/4bedroomsinthemainresidence.Themasterbedroomhasa WIR, &ensuite.Thefurther2/3 bedroomsareservicedby afamilybathroom.Theseconddwellinghasanopenplankitchen& living space.Thekitchenhasstonebenchtops,cornerpantry, &SSdishwasher.Thereisa masterbedroom with aceilingfan &BIR.Thereis aEuropeanlaundry &a bathroomwithwalkinshower.Externallyis adoublecarport,a shed,& then adoublegaragewitha singlecarport.Thereisa largefullylined Americanbarn(7m*11m)withrollerdoor,insulatedroof,mezzanine,concretefloor,power& lights. Thereisalso1.6kWofsolar.

BethanySullivan M 0438844968

AaronDay M 0407365994

39MainStreet,Gembrook

$780,000 -$850,000

Opportunity,ViewsandIdealLocationAwaitWithThisCharmingCottage! ThismixedzoningpropertylocatedontheGembrookMainStreetisdirectlyoppositetheGembrook PrimarySchool &offersviewstotheWarburtonRanges.Renovatethe2 bedroom,1 bathroomminers cottagewithwelcomingfrontverandah,ordemolish& buildyourdreamhomeorbusiness(STCA)on this1051sqmallotment.Situatedbehind amaintainedhedge,therearetwodriveways,allowingfor plentyofoff-streetparking.Thehomeitselfhas acosyfrontverandah& leadlightfeaturefrontdoor. Enterthehometodiscoverthefrontloungeroomwithopenwoodfire.Thereis amasterbedroom andthenflowthroughtothekitchenwithfreestandingwoodfireandelectricstove/oven.Then discover asecondbedroom.Totherearofthehomeisa generouslaundry,bathroomwith ashower overbath,andmudroom/secondsittingarea.Externallythereisa shedinthefullyfencedrearyard.

KarenPeele M 0419430950

9SeaviewStreet,Emerald $1,050,000 -$1,150,000 BethanySullivan

NestledinEmeraldisthisDelightful &SpaciousHomeonapprox.3.5acres! Thishomeis adelightwithit’scirculardriveway &grandlobbywith abifurcatedstaircase.This homehasa formaldiningroom,& expansivekitchenwithnaturalgraniteisland &semi-integrated dishwasher,1200mmDoubleFalconOven&awalkinpantry.Thereisa bedroomnearthefrontof thehomewitha WIR& BIR.Thereisalsoa familybathroomwith acornerspabath& shower.On thisflooris acosyloungeroom,witha woodfire &a splitsystemACenjoyingviewsouttothewrap aroundverandah.Downstairsisa kidsrumpusroom &storagearea.Upstairsare 3largebedrooms(2 withBIRs).Themasterbedroomhasa WIR& ensuite.Thishomehasductedheating,a semi-fenced paddock,a gardenshed,establishedgardens,andlovelynaturalbushareaincluding aseasonal creek!

“GLENEAGLES” - AN ENDEARING ICON

INTRODUCING “Gleneagles,” a distinguished architectural gem from the 1920s characterized by its authentic Arts & Crafts design elements, including wood paneling and leadlight windows.

Previously showcased in Home Beautiful magazine during the 1930s, this residence has retained its grandeur while seamlessly incorporating modern amenities and delightful surprises.

Offering an enchanting living environment, the Master suite occupies the first floor, featuring a luxurious ensuite and a spacious retreat with a striking stone fireplace that opens onto the alfresco area, perfect for leisurely mornings bathed in sunlight.

On the upper level, discover three additional bedrooms alongside a family room with balcony access, providing serene views of the established landscaped gardens.

The renovated kitchen, equipped with a 5-burner Falcon stove and adorned with caesarstone benchtop and fine detailed tiles, Travertine flooring, generous storage space which flows seamlessly into the dining room with charming feature windows.

The home is further enhanced by the warmth of mains gas hydronic heating, evaporative cooling, and the ambiance of three open fireplaces (featuring stones from the original Emerald quarry) and complemented by polished Baltic floors and lofty ceilings.

The picturesque outdoor lifestyle is embraced with an elevated deck overlooking the solar-heated pool and golf course. Additionally, a separate studio, thoughtfully renovated to complement the main dwelling, and a self-contained cottage offer versatile accommodation options for extended family or guests. Parking is ample with a double lock-up garage and a double carport.

Set upon expansive 1-acre grounds and adorned with established, tranquil gardens, the property provides views of the adjacent golf course - a true sanctuary.

Opportunities to acquire such historically significant residences are rare indeed. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

11 MayviewRoad

3 A 2 B 2 D

5 A 3 B 4 D

2 A 1 B 4 D

A 2 B

GREAT VIEWS WITH SPACE AND PRIVACY

PERCHED above and overlooking the picturesque valley and mountain views this neat family home is just the place to be. Boasting 3 good sized bedrooms, fresh modern, open plan kitchen with ample bench and cupboard space, the spacious light filled lounge/living area with large windows is perfectly situated to take full advantage and admire the ever changing views.

Outside offers ample space with established gardens, workshop and storage area and easy access with plenty of space for cars, trailers and caravans. Ideally situated on a huge block of just over 900 sqm there’s plenty of room to enjoy and explore, a neat family home in a picturesque location with great space for everyone to enjoy. ●

8GreenwoodDrive,LaunchingPlace

GreatValueIn aGreatLocation

$595,000-$650,000

Offeringgreatvaluein apopularandsoughtafterarea,thisneatandmuchlovedfamilyhome issuretoplease.A superbfirsthome,treechangeorlifestylechangeboasting 3bedroomswitha spaciouslounge/livingareawithanopenfireplaceplusa goodsizekitchenwithamplebenchand cupboardspaceandseparatemealsarea.Outsideoffersloadsofspaceforthewholefamilyto enjoysituatedona bigblockofapprox830sqm.Thereisplentyofroomforthekidsandpetstorun aroundandenjoy,a greatpropertyfamilyownedandlovedforover40yearsandideallylocated just ashortstrolltoschools,shopsandtransport. Agreatplacetocallhome.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Inspection:

ByAppointment

6BellbirdAvenue,LaunchingPlace

FamilyLivingwithViewsandSpace

$680,000-$720,000

Nestledina popularandsoughtafterlocationthismuchlovedfamilyhomehasloadstooffer, situatedon ahugeblockofapprox.1780sqm.Thehomeoffers 3bedroomsincluding asemiensuiteinthemainbedroomandfreshmainbathroom,goodsizekitchenwithplentyofbenchand cupboardspace.A separatemeals/diningareaoffersextraroomplusthefamily/loungeareaisthe idealspottoadmirethecolourfulscenery,unwindandenjoythepicturesqueYarraValleyviews fromtherearverandah.Anexpansiverearyardwithplentyofspacetospreadoutandexplore, greataccessforcars,boats,trailersandcaravanswithconvenientseparateaccesstotherearand sideyard.A doublelockupgarageandestablishedgardenscompletethisidealfamilyhomeina desirablesemirurallocationandjusta shortstrolltolocalschools,shopsandtransport.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Inspection:

ByAppointment

3 A 2 B 2 C

7LittleYarraRoad,YarraJunction

$1,100,000-$1,200,000

Location,Location,Location!- Almost 2AcresintheHeartofTown

Brilliantlypositioned,thishugefamilyhomemakesyoufeellikeyouarein acountryretreatyet, convenientlylocatedintheheartoftown.4 spaciousbedrooms, 2bathrooms,multiplelivingzones andgreatoptionsformulti-generationallivingorworkfromhomespaces.A privatemeandering driveway,spaciouspaddocksandgardenareasleadinguptotheresidence. Ahugewalk-inutility room &multiplelinencupboards,thekitchenhasimmaculatebenchtops,cupboardsandbreakfast bar.Downstairsprovideslargelivingspaceswitha cellar,potentialrumpus/gamesroomswiththe convenienceofa toilet& shower.Gloriousoriginalcondition,oozingretrocharacterthatyouwilljust lovewithloadsofroomtospreadout. Ararechancetoacquirenearly 2acresofland(approx.7396 sq.m)withhandysidelaneaccessanda hugehomethatenjoysprivacyandseclusion.

SamanthaPrice M 0438795190

Inspection: Sat11:00-11:30am

MichaelRobinson M 0418505635

Brickhomeona bigblock,hugefamilylivingspace

$595,000-$650,000

3bedrooms, 2livingareasplus alargeoutdoorentertainingBBQareaallsituatedon ahugeblock approx.1183sq.minsize.Nestledin alovelyneighbourhood,whereyouareclosetothelocalbakery fora coffeeora walkalongtheYarrarivertrail,thishomerepresentsexcellentvalueformoneyand anopportunitytorenovateandimprove.Thebrickhomeissolidjustneedingsomeupdatingto addyourownhomelytouch.Boasting aspaciouslayoutcateringtovariousneeds,twolivingareas includinga familyroomatoneendofthehousecompletewithanopenfire,convenienceiskey withinternalgarageaccessanda quietnothroughroad.Situatedonthehighsideoftheroadwith windowstoframethepicturesquemountainscenery,ensuringeveryglanceismetwithinspiring views.BringyourTLCandcreativitytotransformthishomeinto agorgeousWarburtonGem!

8HenriStreet,Warburton

FLEXIBLE FAMILY HOME WITH OFFICE

THIS idyllic property with a vast variety of bonus features will surpass expectations with its scale and versatility. Featuring a generous family home and 2 unique outbuildings that can be styled to suit your requirements, this 2,319sqm (approx.) property is perfect for growing families, multi-generational living, and those who work from home.

Through the front electric gates and along the circular drive, this single-storey brick home with double carport takes centre stage. The adaptable interior can be configured with 2 or 3 living areas with the open concept kitchen and covered alfresco at its heart. Equally efficient is the option to enjoy a 4 or 5 bedroom layout, including a primary bedroom that features an abundance of storage and a stylish rain shower ensuite. However you choose to use the spaces, there is plenty of room to grow into.

In addition, within the lovely landscape there is a generous 2-room Studio/home office with powder room and split system heating/cooling for year-round useability. Add to this a large workshop/rumpus with cinema projector and adjoining woodshed, and this property will tick every item on your wish list. Plan your viewing today.

· Fully fenced 2,319sqm (approx.) property circular drive, hen house, fruit trees, raised veggie beds, and double carport.

· Versatile family home with dual living areas, including family room with wood fire, and a superb open plan kitchen with stone benchtops, gas range, and timber floors.

· Beautiful main bedroom with dual robes and rain shower ensuite.

· Freestanding 2-room bungalow with powder room and split system heating/cooling.

· Workshop/rumpus with TV, projector, wood fire, and wood shed.

· Cost-saving solar power.

· Easy access to bus transport and Monbulk Main Road amenities. ●

1MistyGullyRoad,MENZIESCREEK $290,000askingprice MISTYGULLY–7(APPROX)ACRESWITHVIEWS

Tuckedawayattheendof aprivateaccessroad,linedwith acanopyofRedwoods, Rhododendrons,AzaleasandCamellias,this7-acre approxsanctuaryoffersnotonlyquiet seclusionbutalsoviewsthatstretchfromCardiniaReservoirandouttowards Westernport Bay.Hostto a100yearoldchestnutgroveandnativespeciesofeucalyptusandtree ferns,thispropertyoffers asoughtafterlocationtobuildyourarchitecturallyinspiredhome (STCA).

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

FORSALE

11BeilbyClose,UPPERFERNTREEGULLY $770,000 -$845,000 CHARMINGHOME,LEVELGARDENS,LARGEGARAGE!

Whetheryou’restartingyourpropertyjourneyorscalingdowntosingle-levelliving,this propertyhasplentyoffabulousfeaturesonoffer. Boasting alovely,level745sqm(approx.) allotmentwithhobbyist-havenoversizedoublegarage,buyerswillbeenamouredwiththe lifestyleonofferhere.

RachelEastwood

M 0401117761| E rachel@chandlerandco.com.au

DanielSteen M 0434979142| E daniel@chandlerandco.com.au

A 2 B 4 C

9JacksonsHillRoad,MENZIESCREEK $1,270,000 -$1,380,000 CONTACTAGENTFORINSPECTIONTIMES

Builtwithqualityandcraftsmanshipasa mainpriority,thisbeautifullykeptandwellmaintainedpropertyboasts aversatilefloorplan,allowingfor avarietyoflivingorwork purposes.Burstingwithnaturallightandwithstunningviewsthattakeinthenearbygreen valleysand reachouttoPortPhillipBayandalsotheYou Yangs

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

GlennChandler M 0418410689| E glenn@chandlerandco.com.au

97546888

40BartleyRoadBELGRAVEHEIGHTS $1,230,000-$1,295,000 LUXURYHOMEWITHIMMENSEVERSATILITY

Simplycollectthekeysandmovestraightintothisfreshlyrenovatedandfabulouslyversatile residenceon alushnearquarter-acre allotment. Withhighlightsincludinga swimmingpool withseamlessglassbalustrade,afamily-friendlylandscapewithdoublecarportanddouble garage,plus alowerlevelstudio/salonsuitableasa4thbedroomorwork-from-homespace withstylishpowder room,thisuniquepropertyhasitall.

BradConder M 0422636115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

PUZZLES

183

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Metal disc under nut (6)

4 Supress (8)

9 Cover story (5)

10 Lasting (9) 11 Intending (coll) (5)

12 Pointless (9)

13 Coffee (8)

15 Peels (6)

16 Tabooed (6)

18 Scale of colour (8)

23 Without trust or belief (9)

24 Long-barrelled firearm (5)

26 Point above focus of an earthquake (9) 27 Senseless (5)

28 Japanese game company (9)

29 Natural aptitude or skill (6)

DOWN

1 Argue noisily and angrily (7)

2 Twig offshoot (5)

3 Territory ruled by an Islamic monarch (7)

5 Tantrum (6)

6 Bucking (7)

7 Grenade-wielding soldier (9)

8 Landed properties (7)

10 Pieces (5)

14 Divide into parts (9)

16 Ten plus five (7)

Excel (7)

Adhesive mixture (5)

Mediterranean island (7)

Most shy or submissive (7)

Impassioned (6)

25 SOS light (5)

DECODER WORDFIT

9-LETTER WORD

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

Dual milestones for Brit

By Mikayla Van Loon

A love of footy has driven Croydon North MLOC player Brit Grech to reach two major milestones in the game.

On Saturday 20 April the key forward not only played her 200th senior game but kicked her 400th goal, scoring four in the opening round of the women’s season.

The emotions were at a peak before, during and after the game and Brit said “there was so much pressure on me” but the elation has stuck with her.

“I’m literally on a high still, it’s been a week,” she said.

Unsure whether she was going to continue playing this season, the formerVFL player said the opportunity to reach 200 games was something she couldn’t turn down.

“It wasn’t until late last year when someone said, ‘Brit, you’re nearly at 200 games’ and I was like ‘Do I stop playing again? Or do I start?’,” she said.

“I just kept pushing and I wanted to play 200 games. And then again, I looked at the statistics and I was like ‘I’m nearly at 400 career goals’. So that was it. It’s the 200th milestone, so I’m pretty proud of myself there.”

Starting her career at 14 years old, Brit played at Diamond Creek in the open age competition, meaning she was up against people in their 30s.

“I absolutely fell in love with the game,” she said.

At the time it was recognised by her coaches and herself that her “skill set was almost too much for that level”.

“Then Diamond Creek turned into a VFL side so we were playing in the top division. We were getting smashed at first and then we started winning games and winning grand finals.

“In 2012, we won a grand final, which is really exciting and that pushed me to keep going.”

Taking a break from footy, Brit got a call from Essendon Football Club to train with the

VFL side but shin splints which turned into stress fractures dampened her ability to play.

Fast forward to 2022, Brit was asked to fill in for Croydon North MLOC, where she played five games and won the league best and fairest.

“I’ve never looked back. I’ve really enjoyed my time there. The girls are amazing. They’re really accepting and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more invested in what I was doing so I enjoyed it a whole lot more,” she said.

Not taking it too seriously and just enjoying the game, Brit said has been the best thing for her footy.

Heading out in the first round, the nerves crept in and it took a quarter for her to find her

mojo.

“Going into the game, I was so nervous. I needed to kick four goals to get the 400. The first quarter, I ran out and was just too nervous. The ball was flat. I was complaining to the umpire that the ball was flat, like ‘how am I gonna play?’

“And then came the second quarter, I kicked a goal and I’m like,‘all right, I’m on’.The nerves dropped. I can focus now.”

Getting her fourth goal in stylish fashion, Brit said she “picked up the ball and just snapped it out of nowhere and got the goal”.

“I was overwhelmed, straightaway dropped to the ground. The tears were rolling out. I have never in my entire career, in 200 games cried in a game besides losing the grand final at Marvel Stadium. That’s the only time I’ve ever cried and that is over 15 years.

“It means so much to me and the girls got around me like a queen and the girls are absolutely amazing. It’s just so nice to feel wanted.

“At Diamond Creek, I was just another number but this club, they just put me on a pedestal and I absolutely love that. They just make me feel so confident. They carried me off. It’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

Brit said she hoped her ability to reach 200 senior games and 400 goals would inspire the next generation to “shoot for the stars” and “if you put your mind to it, you can do anything”.

Yarra Ranges Athletics in successful start to XCR24

By Jamie Strudley

There was plenty of excitement amongst the Yarra Ranges Athletics team on Saturday.

The opening round of Athletics Victorias’ XCR season at a sun baked Jells Park saw 11 teams entered in the annual cross country relays. With over 300 teams entered from around Victoria the atmosphere was full of anticipation for the tough parkland course at Jells Park.

YRA’s teams did not disappoint with one first, two second and two third placings including a bronze medal for our Under 20 Women’s team led by Brigette and Briar recording fast times, both inside the top 10 fastest times on the day.

The Open Women teams were competing in Divisions 2, 4 and 5. Some solid runs from all four women, led by Olivia Twining with the 15th fastest time women’s 6km on the day, saw YRA finish in second place behind last year’s relegated Essendon team. A great team effort continued with a hard fought second place in Division 4 showing our team depth is looking good for the season.

The Open Men’s teams were competing in Division 2, 6 and 7. The Div 2 team was in the fight for the win until the end, eventually finishing third behind the two relegated teams from last season, St Stephens (now Sandringham) and Frankston. Some outstanding runs from Harry Norman, Tynan Mims and James Laven (all sub 19 minute runs). Our team depth was on display with our Division 6 team winning by over six minutes.

Great to see our juniors joining in the fun as we welcomed many of our little athletics club members taking the opportunity to join in the fun of XCR in the Under 14 and Under 16 age groups.

Club results from round 1 are:

Female Open Div 2 - 4 x 6km 2nd 1.36.10.

· Olivia Twining: 22:48, Grace Muller: 24:02, Madeline Laven: 24:40, Katrina Winger: 24:40.

Female Open Div 4 - 3 x 6km 2nd 1.19.47

· Rebecca Gilmore: 24:24, Bonnie Morris: 29:37, Georgia Laven: 25:46

Female Open Div 4 - 3 x 6km 6th 1.44.00

· (Rori Jones: 27:28, Elisabeth Coffey: 33:53, Erica Purcell: 42:39) 1:44:00;

Female 20 3 x 3km – 3rd 34.07

· Briar Keyser: 11:06, Brigitte Rice: 10:59, Zoe Clarke: 12:02

Female 14 3 x 3km – 7th 41.10

· Lily Clarke: 13:18, Brienna Coffey: 13:43, Adele Ellis: 14:09

Male Open Div 2 6 x 6km – 3rd 1.57.07

· Harry Norman: 18:26, Tynan Mims: 18:42, Reuben Johnson: 20:20, Sam Arnold: 21:48, Max Savill-Bentley: 19:12, James Laven: 18:39

Male Open Div 6 4 x 6km - 1st 1.28.36

· Luke Hunter: 22:31, Angus Norman: 21:29, Daniel Groves: 21:17, Matthew Morrison: 23:19

Male Open Div 7 4 x 6km – 6th 1.51.56

· Trent Ashton: 24:38, Liam Russell: 24:58, Bryan Ackerly: 28:26, Craig Hewitson: 33:54

Male 16 Team 1 3 x 3km – 7th 33.00

· Ryder Holland: 11:01, Mitchell Pointon: 10:15, Blake Saloyedoff: 11:44)3x3km:

Male 16 Team 2 3 x 3km – 17th 24.57

· Finn Rossthorn: 12:47, Ilikimi Tove: 12:10

Ash Rooke was back in action competing at the Australian University Track and Field Championships in the Gold Coast. Ash competed in the 100m and 200m events finishing with times of 13.16 and 27.22 respectively. An excellent end to another fantastic season from Ash.

YRA’s Saturday morning cross country season continued with round 2 at the challenging Margaret Lewis Reserve in Coldstream. Another fantastic turnout of eager athletes and parents made for a fun morning of cross country in the sun. Results for lasts

weeks event at Lilydale Lake are:

500m

Kylan Milne 3.11; Tarlee Lewis 3.36; Sophie Ashton 3.36

1000m

Ivy Ingle 5.55; Tiago Ferrando-Stenhouse

6.18; Elliott Dawson 6.19; Eve Chivers 6.55; Taylor Cox 8.04; Aaron Zuo 8.34; Thea Christian 8.46; Emily Moore 8.57; Willliam Hastewell 9.00

1500m

RileyYorke 6.27; Brock Peel 6.55; Lucas Pawly 6.55; Milly Hall 7.13; Victoria James 7.13; Levi Jones-Palazzolo 7.19;Willow Neal 7.31; Harper Neal 7.39; Natalie Ramirez 7.42; Fletcher Norman 8.10; Iola MacKay 8.12; Indi Budin 8.15; Tillie Sommers 8.17; Delia Coffey 8.22; Imogen McMillan 8.25; Georgia Cooke 8.26; Tahlia Dawson 8.53; Winter Anderson-Bonsor 8.59; LL Luca 9.04; Spencer Norman 9.06; Cody Buckland 9.22; Micah Friend 9.48; Tilly Hikisz 10.06; Amber Miller 10.06; Byron Stark 12.36

2000m

Archie Budin 8.51; Ilikimi Tove 9.24; Xander Sommers 9.42; Pippa Congreve 9.50; Lexi Aders 10.02; Hugo Gibbs 10.14; Caitlyn McKerlie 10.15; Leah Gobetti 10.50; Dominic Nealon 10.53; Jonty Friend 11.00; Isla Haisma 11.29; Tess Hewatt 11.32; Hugh Richardson 11.48; Kirsten Mcerlie 11.53; Alice Sabo 11.59; Zuri Dawson 12.04; Eamon MacKay 12.19; Olivia Cox 12.42; Meadow Anderson-Bonsor 12.43; Jake Buckland 12.49; HollyYorke 13.13; Arizona Peel 13.13; Belle Gompertz 13.26; Isabella Martin 13.36

3000m

James Crome-Smith 11.40; Ryder Holland 11.59; Hamish Mcerlie 12.36; Finn Rossthorn 12.36; Daniel Gibbs 12.50; Michael Clarke 12.51; Zac McMillan 13.37; Mackenzie Graham 15.3; Bryan Ackerly 15.56; Tori Kincaid 16.26; Glenn Mcmillan 16.45; Lily Clarke 17.33; Adele Ellis 17.33; Elise Hall 17.50; Amelia Eldridge 19.18; Tim Anderson-Bonsor 20.14; Acacia Anderson-Bonsor 20.15

This coming Saturday will be at Elizabeth Bridge, Kilsyth. Warm up at 8.45am with the first event starting at 9am. Anyone able to help with course set up (from 7.30am), timing, recording or pack up please contact the club on info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au or let us know on Saturday.

Beau McKinnon represented Victoria and Yarra Ranges Athletics at the Little Athletics Australia Track and Field Championships in Adelaide over the weekend. Beau competed in the 1500m walk finishing sixth in a season best 8.12.90.

Cross country training for all club members is onTuesday evenings from 5.30pm and Thursdays from 5.30pm at the Victoria Road Primary School gym. Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability.

Go to lavic.com.au or athsvic.org.au or email info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au for information about events and registration. Cross Country is here!

For information on training, how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit the website at yarrarangesathletics.org. au or check us out on Facebook. Run, Jump, Throw…too easy!

AdeleEllis. Picture:SUPPLIED

DanielGroves.EricaPurcell.

Barkerettes’ spree

By Peter Stephenson

Another home game for Barkerettes (third) saw them host Albert Park (10th) for the first time in 11 years, in round 2 of Women’s State 3 East.

The sides had contrasting fortunes in round 1, with Barkers downing Collingwood 3-2, but Parkers losing 1-6 to Monash.

In team news, Amy D’Ortenzio and Kaity Farrance (playing her first game for over a year) replaced Miranda Jackson and Eleanor Ridley, while Matilda Steele was set to debut off the bench.

Barkers wasted no time asserting themselves. The ball was played out to HannahTurnbull on the left. She played the ball inside, it was passed to Alizah Jones, who put an incisive ball through for Emily Stokes, who hit the ball firsttime into the bottom corner for the opening goal – 1-0 Barkers after only 33 seconds.

On eight minutes, keeper Ashleigh Fraraccio cleared the ball to midfield, from where a teammate helped it on for D’Ortenzio to chase. She took the ball to within shooting range before lifting it over a static Paula Lizardo in goal, to make it 2-0. The visitors almost replied immediately, but Fraraccio saved low from a close-range shot. On the half hour, a bullet of a pass had the sting taken out of it by a Parkers’ defender, before Kelly Butera had a shot saved. Little did we know what she was warming up for.

Before the break, Stokes had hit the post twice in a dominant half for Barkers, who could have doubled their score by now. Halftime: Mooroolbark 2-0 Albert Park.

The second half saw Barkers’ superiority reflected in the scoreline as the goals rained

in. First, a D’Ortenzio shot hit the inside of the post and rolled along the line but not in. Five minutes in, Anita Caro Salve beat one player on the right and crossed for D’Ortenzio. She laid the ball back for Butera, who chipped a beauty into the top corner for 3-0.

Seven minutes later, Parkers had a defensive throw-in on the right. Butera seized on the ball and hit a lofted shot from an acute angle for 4-0 – she was just chipping them into the net as casually as a top-class golfer and Lizardo could only watch and admire.

As the game moved into its final 20 minutes Barkers had a throw in their own half. It was played down the left wing, and a defender played it into the path of Stokes. She cut in and slotted the ball past the onrushing Lizardo for 5-0.

Three minutes later, Parkers just stood back and watched as Butera had all the time in the

world to pick her spot. After a patient Barkers build-up, bang, another 25-yarder and it was 6-0. Within 45 seconds, Butera had robbed the defence as they dithered and hit a slow shot into the bottom corner for 7-0 and Butera’s fourth.

The last five minutes saw D’Ortenzio add to her monumental career tally. First a cross from the left found her unmarked and she simply passed the ball into the net for number eight. Then another ball in from the left, she shot, the keeper blocked, and the defence was so tardy that D’Ortenzio got up off the ground for another go and this time made no mistake to complete her hat-trick. Full-time: Mooroolbark 9-0 Albert Park.

What can you say? You can only beat what’s put in front of you and Barkers were clinical. Barkerettes are now second behind only Monash City Villarreal on goal difference.

A round of hard fought losses in croquet

By John Thomson

On Monday 22 April the Lilydale Division 1 Level Play team travelled to the bayside suburb of Sandringham.

A cool but pleasant morning with a slight on shore breeze greeted the Lilydale team of Murray Howlett and Craig McCracken.

The first game as always is the doubles. Lilydale was first to hit off and set up well in front of the first hoop but did not make the most of their chances and Sandringham won the first hoop and then also the second which put Lilydale on the back foot early. Once Sandringham had established their lead they were able to maintain and build on this and won the game 7 hoops to lilydale 3 hoops.

In the first singles Murray Howlett was playing. This time Lilydale got off to a good start and was able to turn the tables on Sandringham and win the game 7 hoops to Sandringham’s 4 hoops.

In the second singles Craig McCracken was playing. This game was extremely tight with both players going hoop for hoop, and both players at different times not being able to take an advantage in the game. At the 12th hoop the scores were six hoops each, so the 13th hoop had to be played to decide a winner. This hoop was hard fought, then the Sandringham player made the most of his opportunity and ran the hoop to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops.

At the lunch break the scores were Sandringham 2 games 18 hoops to Lilydale 1 game 16 hoops. Sandringham were up by one game and two hoops, and with two singles games to come the final score was in doubt.

In Craig’s first singles match the game was tight going hoop for hoop and at the 12th hoop the scores were again six hoops a piece. It was off to the 13th hoop to decide the winner. Both players set up reasonably well, but again it was the Sandringham player who made the most of his opportunity and won the hoop. Sandringham 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops.With one singles to come, Sandringham had now won the day, so it was only now by how much.

Murray Howlett played in the last singles. Murray took an early lead in this game and did not let his opponent settle into the game. Lilydale went on to win 7 games to Sandringham 3 games.

The final score for the day was Sandringham 3 games 28 hoops to Lilydale 2 games 29 hoops.

In Division 2 Level Play, Lilydale were at home to the Sandringham level two side.

The Lilydale team consisted of Alan Jones, Kerri McCracken and Mick Crawley.

In the doubles, the players hit off with the court covered with a heavy dew. Playing for Lilydale were Kerri McCracken and Mick Crawley. Lilydale hit off first and got off to a good start. Lilydale kept the pressure on their opponents during the game and had a comfortable win 7 hoops to Sandringham 3 hoops.

Inthefirstofthesingles,AlanJoneswasplaying. Sandringham started well and had a small break. Alan fought back but the early break was just a bit too much and the Sandringham player won 7 hoops to Lilydale 5 hoops.

In the next singles it was Mick Crawley to play. This game was the reverse of the first singles with Lilydale getting a small break and being able to hold it to the end. Lilydale 7 hoops to Sandringham 5 hoops.

At the Lunch break the scores were Lilydale 2 games 19 hoops to Sandringham 1 game 15 hoops.

With only 1 game and 4 hoops separating the sides the final score could go either way.

In the first singles after lunch Alan Jones played. This game was a game of mistakes by both players, so it was going to come down to who could make the least amount of mistakes. It was in the end the Sandringham player who prevailed and won 7 hoops to Lilydale 5 hoops.

The overall score now was 2 games a piece and Lilydale on 24 hoops and Sandringham on 22 hoops, so it would be the last singles game that would decide the day.

Kerri McCracken was playing. Kerri started well and was on top early but then her Sandringham opponent started to work her way back into the game and eventually got in front and went on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops.

Barkers stumble

By Peter Stephenson

A sunnyWJ Turner Reserve in Noble Park North was the venue as Barkers (fifth) visited Greater Dandenong (sixth) in round 5 of State 2 South-East.

Dandy are the former Richmond, whom we last played in 1992, and today was also our first visit to this venue since 2008. Danny Aye and Dan Higgins were replaced by Taylan Hakki and Brett Tronconi, while Maxim Solovyev was set to join the 200 games club, and Geordie Scott was playing his 50th.

Barkers had an early attack snuffed out before it all went horribly wrong after 83 seconds. Mohammad Sani found himself unmarked at the edge of the box and hit a beauty in the top corner to keeper Mark Naumowicz’s left for 1-0 Dandy. Then on nine minutes it got worse for Barkers. Sani outpaced the defence and was in a race for the ball with Naumowicz. The keeper won and caught the ball, but outside the area –free kick to Dandy.

The kick was slammed into the Barkers’ wall, but the linesman had spotted a handball. Penalty was the harsh decision, and Sani placed the ball to Naumowicz’s left and just inside the post for 2-0 Dandy. Shellshocked Barkers won a corner on 14 minutes on the right. John-Paul Cooper’s kick was met with a glancing header from Scott which was deflected wide, and the next corner was cleared to Ross Clark, who hit the loose ball wide.

This win gave Sandringham the win for the day. The final scores, Sandringham 3 games 29 hoops to Lilydale 2 games 28 hoops.

The Thursday Handicap Team travelled to Sandringham. The team consisted of Craig McCracken, Mick Crawley, Kerri McCracken and Colleen Howlett.

In the first singles Craig McCracken was playing. Because of the handicap system the Sandringham player was starting two hoops in front and Craig was starting one hoop behind as well. This was a huge mountain to climb for Craig and the Sandringham player went on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 2 hoops.

In the first of the doubles Mick Crawley and Kerri McCracken were playing. Neither team had an advantage in this game. Lilydale started well and built up a small lead and were able to maintain this lead until the end. Lilydale 7 hoops to Sandringham 5 hoops.

In the next singles Mick Crawley was playing. Mick was giving away one hoop to his opponent. Mick struggled in this game and could not get his usual game going, the Sandringham player went on to have a comfortable win 7 hoops to Lilydale 1 hoop.

In the next doubles Colleen Howlett and Craig McCracken teamed up. Lilydale were starting one hoop behind again. The Sandringham pair started well, while Lilydale were struggling to make up ground. Sandringham 7 hoops to Lilydale 3 hoops.

At the break it was Sandringham 3 games 26 hoops to Lilydale 1 game 13 hoops. With two games to play Lilydale had a bit of work to do if they wanted to win the day.

In the first game after the break, Kerri McCracken was playing and this time it was the Sandringham player who was starting one hoop behind. Kerri Started well and although the Sandringham player was playing well Kerri was able to hold her nerve and went on to win 7 hoops to Sandringham 5 hoops. All Lilydale could do now was even up the score on games but they were well down on hoops.

The last game was a doubles and Colleen Howlett and Mick Crawley teamed up. Colleen and Mick were starting one hoop behind their opponents. Lilydale had soon made up for that one hoop and were controlling the match. Once Lilydale managed to get their heads in front there was no stopping them and they went on to win 7 hoops to Sandringham 4 hoops.

The final score for the day. Sandringham 3 games 35 hoops Lilydale 3 games 27 hoops.

Although Lilydale didn’t win it was a good fight back by them in the end.

Further Barker corners were punched clear under pressure by home keeper Andrew Mensah, while at the other end, Barkers were struggling to cope with the pace of Sani. On 25 minutes Sani hit a volley over the bar as Dandy continued to threaten. Barkers then had a couple of chances as Hakki fed JP.Cooper, who hit a shot at Mensah. Then Scott was released on the right and crossed for Hakki, who hit a first-time shot wide. HT: Dandy 2-0 Barkers.

Within 35 seconds of the restart, Barkers released Scott, whose shot was held by Mensah. Then Scott initiated a nice move which put JP.Cooper free, but Mensah bravely dived at his feet. Scott seemed to be fighting a lonely battle up front against a massed defence. Meanwhile, Solovyev came on to become the eighth Barker to play 200 games.

On the hour, Scott was fouled at the edge of the box and won a free kick. Ben Cooper drove the ball into the wall, and Ray Markley hit the rebound wide. All of which was in vain, as Barkers were now further punished by a flash of brilliance. Jalil Nabizadah had the ball about 40 yards out and spotting Naumowicz off his line, hit a superb long shot into the net for 3-0 Dandy. If you see a better goal this year, good luck to you.

The game had slipped away from Barkers, but they pulled one back with 13 minutes left. A long ball came to Scott, who slipped a neat little ball to Clark, who found the bottom corner of the net to make it 3- 1 Dandy. Three minutes later B.Cooper hit a long ball towards goal and Mensah and ball were barged into the net. Unfortunately, the ref remembered that this wasn’t the 1957 cup final and gave a foul on the keeper instead of a goal to Barkers.

The icing on the Dandy cake came on full time, as Sani beat three men on the right and crossed for Macka Hancox, who hit a screamer beyond Naumowicz into the net. There was just time for Barkers’ Jerome Valadon to shoot over before the ref put Barkers out of their misery. FT: Dandy 4-1 Barkers.

You could blame the pitch, but Barkers were off their best today, and were undone by some excellent finishing. Barkers sink back to mid-table and a gap is slowly opening up to the top sides.

Murray Howlett was able to win his singles game against Sandringham in a tough round of croquet.

309068 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

The Barkerettes had a spectacular win over Albert Park scoring 9-0. Picture: SUPPLIED

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