Gippsland Times Tuesday 27 February 2024

Times

MAFFRA SPECTATOR

FIRE AT THE HUB

AROUND MAFFRA

Stefan Bradley

STAGE3 of the PrincesHighway East Upgrade is approaching another major milestone, with Melbournebound traffic set to be switched under the Kilmanyrail bridge next month.

transport and other infrastructure projects.

began in 2010, and Stage 3in2021.

Major Road Projects Victoria Senior ProjectManager, Allison Heskey,told the Gippsland Times that highway traffic will be moved to alaneunder theKilmany rail bridge, which will be the first time that vehicles have gone under the new bridge.

She has been heavily involved in the Princes HighwayEastUpgrade, including its July 2023 milestone of the building of the Kilmany rail bridge and its offline construction, which required a27-metre rail-bridge slide.

When the Princes Highway East Upgrade is complete, therewill be two lanes in each direction instead of one.

Stage 3isthe final stage and is expected to be completed this year, ending aproject over adecade in the making Come March,there will still be disruption near the working areas, as traffic is moved to different lanes. This willallow the final kilometres of work to be completed faster.

The construction is part of the Big BuildInitiative set up by the state government, which aims to improve Victoria’s road and transport network. The total cost of the Big Build is expected to be $100 billion.

CRICKET ACTION

“That is apretty exciting milestone for us and allowsustoget into the last few 100 metres of our project, digging out our eastbound carriageway ready for full completion in the middle of the year,” Ms Heskey said. ALongford-local, Ms Heskey’s experience as an engineer in the construction industry spansmore than30years and includes working across awide variety of major

The $513 million project, funded 80 per cent by the federal government and 20 per cent from the state, adds 43 kilometres of new duallanes to the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale.

It is estimated that up to 15,000 motorists use thisstretch of road daily.

The first two stagesare already complete, with 31 kilometres of new lanes on the Princes Highway and 22 intersections upgraded.Stage 1

Stage 3will finish the work on the final 12 kilometres of aconsistent two-lane highway, and deliver a range of safety improvements for locals, day-trippers and holidaymakers travelling to the snowfields and Gippsland lakes.

“Safety was one of the main drivers of theproject, especially at the intersections. Pre-upgrade crash statisticsshowed high numbers of serious crashes,” Ms Heskey said.

“It was also for more resilience to congestion andhelping freight get in andout of the rural areas more easily.”

Ms Heskey has also previously worked on the Mount Hotham Airport and the foundations of Docklands Stadium projects. She saysthereare brilliant opportunities out there for womenand girls who are interested in pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

“I’m proudofmytimeinthe construction industry -working across awidevarietyofinfrastructure projects and now leadingthe way as an MRPV Senior Project Manager with our team

Reckless road to Net Zeroand your wallet

Comment

JohnCameron

SOME believe

The reality is that the transition involves immense cost and extreme complexity.

In 2021 we were told that it wouldcost $78 billion to rewire the grid for renewables and that the average annual household electricity bill would fall by $275. Power bills did not fall, but went up by 25 per cent.

trade stacked against us as we increaseour imports of expensive complex manufactured components for the transition to renewables.

Australia’s electricity costs are now well above world parity, such that Australia is no longer an internationally competitive manufacturer.

totalitariancountries overseas, who manufacture much of our imported renewable components using fossil fuels, including increased imports of fossil fuelsfrom Russia.

The costoftransforming the gridby2030isnow estimated to be $1500 billion (not $78 billion) and the full cost to 2060 is up to $9000billion (Net Zero Australia 2023).

The transition cost of $9000 billionover 37 years requires spending $243 billion per year.

That represents 36 per cent of the entire federal government budgeted expenditure of $684 billion for 2023/24. It equates to the annual federal government spend on social security and welfare of $250 billion and more than twice the annual government expenditure of $107 billion on health. Huge subsidies will be involved and we will have to forego opportunities to fix our failing health, social housing, emergency services, and education systems.

The current recklesstransition is delivering economics of underdevelopment -a nation of ‘price taking’ commodity producerswith the terms of

Up to 12 million hectares of landmay be required for new transmission lines,wind turbines and utility solar panels, equivalent to 77 per cent of private land in Victoria, with loss of economies of scale in farming and asignificant degrading of the environment.

Governments havelockedinthe transition timeline without completing sufficient strategic analysis to ensurethat your hard earned tax dollars are invested optimally, and without huge ‘opportunity costs’ -suchasunderspendingon health, social housing, education, emergency services, rural roads and defence.

Australia is undertaking agigantic socioeconomic, environmental and geopolitical experimentona scale that is unprecedented, with many unknowns, uncertain outcomes, and considerable risks.

Australia’sreckless transition to net zero is exporting jobs to manufacturing industries powered by fossil fuels in undemocratic, or corrupt or

Peer reviewed science shows that planets move in elliptical paths around the Sun and move proportionallyfaster in theirorbits whentheyare closer to the Sun, and this is critical to understanding climate change over geological time.

Also, ice cores show that the earth’s temperature of the present interglacial period is more than two degrees centigrade cooler than prior interglacial periods over the last 420,000 years.

Aboutthe author: John Cameron(Dip Hort. Burnley, MBA Monash, and tertiary units in economics, mathematics andstatistics)isa forestry and business consultant previously holdingpositions in general management, corporate development and research in forestry and forest products. Former roles include Chairman of Private Forestry Gippsland, Chairman Southern Tree BreedingAssociation, Chairman Australian Research GrouponForest Genetics, Board Member CRC for Forestry Hobart &CRC forPulp and Paper Science Monash.

Cost-of-living crisis crunching pet owners

AS TeamLeader for RSPCA Victoria’sInspectorate South-Eastregion,myteam of sixInspectors and I share 85 years of experience investigating reports of animal cruelty.

Inspectors Maree, Kath, Michelle, Maria,Bonnie, Amanda, and Iare often on the road around Melbourne’s inner-east, down to the Mornington Peninsula, and all of Gippsland to the New South Wales border.

Out on the road, we’re seeing firsthand how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting pet owners and their ability to provide basic care for their pets, such as enough food, and access to weather-proof housing.

We’realsoseeingpeople unable to providecrucial veterinary care and basic preventative medicines like flea and worming treatments.

We’re extremely grateful to the community for their ongoing vigilance reporting animal cruelty.

Over the last six months,wereceived 1,288

reports and tip-offs about animal cruelty in the South-East and 269 animals were seized or surrendered into our care.

It’s estimated caringfor theseanimals costs RSPCA Victoria at least $460,000.

Last financial year 508 animals came into our care,and sadly it seems we’re likely to repeatthis total again by the end of June.

As we enter what is historically the busiest time of year, we urge everyone in the South-Eastto remain vigilant for animal cruelty in our area and to report it to RSPCA Victoria by calling (03) 92242222oronline at www.rspcavic.org/cruelty-report

The community support we see every day keeps us goingand makes each day just alittlebit better.

At the end of the day, RSPCA Inspectors are here to help and thankfully, many of the animals we encounter every day have loving owners who want to do the best they can for their pets. Together, let’s end animal cruelty.

Stuart Marchesani

RSPCA Inspectorate Team Leader(SouthEast Region)

No space for waste

AS ataxpayer,ratepayer and local wholoves

Gippsland and surrounds -thereisonly one downside.

Every time Iwalk out my front door to do atidy up .amIexpected to put green waste in my bin? What do Idowith household rubbish that week? Should Ibeborrowing neighbours and squashing down waste?

Probably not! Other towns have had access for 20 years.

Get with the times Wellington Shire.

Hayden Nichol Sale

VIPsvisit Sale Botanic Gardens

SALE BotanicGardens recently welcomed a number of gardening VIPs, who were in town to share their knowledge and experience with Wellington Shire Council parks staff.

Victorianrepresentatives from the Botanic Gardens of Australiaand NZ (BGANZ) visited for atour of the Gardens and aplanning session at Nakunbalook Environmental and Cultural Education Centre.

Theexecutive committee included representatives from theRoyal BotanicGardensVictoria, the National Trust of Victoria and the Botanic Gardens in Glen Eira City and Geelong. As well as ageneral tour, the team also developed action plans for some of the Gardens’ specialised collections, including theWoodyMeadow Collection -aUniversity of Melbourne research project around species that regenerate after being cut down to 40cm annually-and the ‘Care for the Rare’ project.

ABGANZ-funded project establishedin2020, Care for the Rare is acollection of threatened plant

species indigenous to Wellington Shire, such as the Wellington Mint Bush.

Similar to azoo, the collection retains the species for future conservation should climate change affect the only known populations.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Ian Bye, took part in the tour, and assisted in planting aBanksia canei in the collection.

The speciesisnamed after passionate Maffra nurseryman BillCane, whodiscovered and introduced the plant to cultivation, and who has adedicated Living Collection in his name nearby in the Gardens.

“By being able to discuss challenges and ask questions of BGANZ’s executive team, our staff are better equipped to deliver high quality botanic gardens for the Wellington community to enjoy,” Cr Bye said.

For nearly 20 years, BGANZ, as the peakbotanic gardens industry body, has actively supported Sale Botanic Gardens, assisting its Living Collections

development and plant records, as well as through master planning.

BGANZ advocates for funding, such as DECCA’s Growing Victoria’s Botanic Gardens grant program, whichinrecent years has allowed the construction of the Maple Pavilion and stagetwo of the Garden for Life at Sale.

Being part of the BGANZ network means Sale BotanicGardens staff can connect withothermembers to exchange information about conservation, plant sciences and social and cultural heritage programs, and gives Wellington access to best practice standards throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The decision for BGANZ to visitSaleBotanic Gardens is significant, given Sale is home to the only Botanic Gardens east of Berwick, and is comparable to those in major regional centres.

One of 41 BGANZregisteredsites in Victoria and gazettedasaBotanic Gardens more than 160 yearsago, Sale Botanic Gardens is considered

Traralgon bypass “highest priority”

FEDERAL Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has challenged the federal government to commit funding to finalise the planning and design for the proposed Traralgon bypass.

Mr Chester told federal Parliament the bypass was the “highest priority transport infrastructure project east of Melbourne” and money should be allocated in this year’s state and federal budgets to accelerate the project.

“Withthe duplication works between Traralgon and Sale set to conclude, the next major project on the Princes Highway should be the Traralgon bypass,” Mr Chester said.

“I was able to secure 80 per cent of the funding for the duplicationworksfrom the previous federal government and we need to keep improving our transport links for the benefit of locals and visitors.

“The bypass is strongly supported by Latrobe City and WellingtonShire because it offers road safety and productivity benefits to the transport sector.

“I have written to the FederalMinister for Infrastructure and Transport, CatherineKing andurged hertocommit funding for planning and design to keep the pressure on the state

government which has ultimate responsibility for the highway.

“Local residents, business owners and the broader Gippsland community needed greater certainty around the project which would create jobs in construction, reduce congestion in Traralgon, improve road safety, support the visitor economy and boost productivity.”

Mr Chester said he was working with his State Parliamentary colleagues to gather support for the Traralgon bypass and would seekfeedback from interested locals.

“Member for Morwell, Martin Cameronand Memberfor Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien will be working with me in the coming months as we seek the funding for the planning and design work,” Mr Chester said.

“This project has been spoken about for over 30 years, some work has already been done around potential routes, but it’s cometoa standstill because the state government has over-committed to infrastructure projects in Melbourne.

“Although the state government owns the road, the majorityofthe funding for aproject of this scope

would come from the federal government and we need to get some numbers in front of Treasury as soon as possible to progress the bypass.”

Mr Cameron saidthe Latrobe Valley community needed to be fully consulted on any plans for the bypass.

“We will be seeking feedback from local residents and passing thatontoall levels of government to ensure any concerns can be managed,”Mr Cameron said.

“Investing in better transport infrastructure is good for our community and we need to get this project moving after decades of delays.

“With Gippsland and Latrobe Valley heavily impactedbytransition in the energy sector and cuts to the timber industry, there is agreater relianceonthe visitor economy and growth in the agriculturalindustry which are dependent on the highway.

“The local transport sector has also indicated significant productivity and safety benefits would flow fromaTraralgon bypass.”

one of regionalVictoria’s preeminent publicgardens and one of Wellington’s major tourism drawcards. Botanic Gardens play acrucialrole in plant conservation, research, education and wellbeing worldwide.

BotanicGardens of Australia andNZ’s executive committee visited SaleBotanic Gardens last weektoprovideadvice and map out action plans forits Living Collections. Pictured(from left)are Royal Botanic GardensVictoriaManagerofHorticultureatCranbourneJohnArnott, Sale BotanicGardens’ Curator Tony King, WellingtonShireCouncil Mayor IanBye, Wellington Shire Council OpenSpace Planning Officer Liam Cole, Glen Eira City Council Coordinator of Open Space MaintenanceJessvan der Werff, Wellington ShireCouncil Horticulturalist Lucy Brilman, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Executive Manager of Gardens Justin Buckley, andGeelong BotanicGardens Coordinator Kellee Reissinger

Burning burglary at Amos Hub

StefanBradley

WELLINGTON Crime InvestigationUnit detectives are investigating, following afire in Sale at the former Sale HighSchool at 55 Raymond Street.

Victoria Police say officerswere toldunknown offender/s broke the window at the property sometime between 12.15pm on Saturday, February 17 and 11am on Tuesday, February 20.

It is alleged acurtain hanging near the window was set alight before it quickly fell to the ground and self-extinguished.

No-one was injured during the incident and the property sustained minor damage.

Until Friday, January 16, the building known as the Derek AmosCommunity Hub was managed by Dr Cameron ‘Jamie’ Hogan, from Jamie Hogan Advocate and Lobbyist. Dr Hogan has since moved to aFoster Street premise. The Raymond St property is currently owned by the state government.

“Either Saturday or Sunday night (February 17 and 18), someone has broken the front window of my personal office and set the building on fire. Fortunately we moved to new premises at the end of December 2023," Dr Hogan said.

Dr Hogan said therewas no personal damage as everything had been moved, but he believes the fire would havebeen worse if any property had been inside.

He believes the only reason the whole building didn't go up in flames was its concrete structure. Michael Davis, the Jamie Hogan Advocate and Lobbyistpractice manager, saidhefirst noticed the damage when he came into the building on Tuesday morning around 10.30am. He then contacted Dr Hogan, the police and the Department of Education.

“Police asked us if we had any idea of who it was and we said no,” Mr Davis said.

The same buildinghad been broken into just over ayear ago, as reported by the Gippsland Times in January 2023.

Property had been damaged and $100 was allegedly stolen during this incident, which was believed to have occurred between 5.30pm on Monday, January 2and 11am Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

SalePolice launched an investigation at the time, but there remains no updates at this time.

Police told the Gippsland Times there does not appear to be alinkbetween that burglary and this recent fire incident.

However, Dr Hogan and Mr Davis told the Gippsland Times that both incidents had led them to invest in videosurveillance at their newbuilding at Foster St and their personal residences.

The investigation into the fire remains ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with

dashcam footage is urgedtocontact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au When asked for comment, WellingtonShire Council referred to the Department of Education (for astate government response).

The Department of Educationisexpected to provideacomment after this issue’s print deadline More to come in Friday’s issue.

Further along the Princes Hwyupgrade

Dr Cameron ‘Jamie’ Hogan (right) and Michael Davis observethe firedamageatDerek Amos CommunityHub.

Stefan Bradley The

Service to Cobains

Stefan Bradley

YEARSofservice to the Cobains branch of The Country Women’sAssociation of Victoriawas recognised when members got together at their recent February meeting.

State Vice President, Viv Speight and President of the North Gippsland CWA Group, Lesley Stergiopoulos had been invited to present badges and certificates acknowledging the years of service given to the association by the current members of Cobains branch.

Cobains branch member and former Group President, LoisNeumannsaidall 13 members were given abadge andall hadbeen apart of the branch for at least two years.

“We were askedbythe Country Women’s Association of Victoria to acknowledge the years of service to the association,” Ms Neumann said. While some have always belonged to this branch, over the years others have been members elsewhere in Victoria and this was taken into account when determining the years of service they have given. One member received a50-year badge, and another a40-year badge. Six members have each served for 30 years, and others were presented with

badges to recognise 25, 20 and 10 years of service.

“Almosteverybody had no idea how long they’ve been amember for. One member thought she was amember for 10 years.Turns outithad beenover 30 years,” Ms Neumann said.

“Time really gets away from you.”

Altogether, the current 13 members of the Cobains branch have servedThe CountryWomen’s Association of Victoria for 370 years.

The first CWA branch in the area was in Sale. The Cobains branch has been around for nearly 93 years, with the North Gippsland CWA Group not far behind at 90 years.

Ms Neumann herself has been amember for about 27 years.

“It’s been agreat waytomeet people …and I’ve been able to go to Melbourne to see how the other CWAs around the state operate,” she said.

“You can do whatever youwant under the CWAs banner.”

Cobains branch treasurer Shayne Sukroo agreed.

“The CWA is avery good friendship group,” she said.

Cobains CWA branch meets in the Sale CWA Clubroom, in Macarthur Street in Sale, at 10.30am on the first Wednesday of each month (except January).

Project Compassion launched

CATHOLIC BishopofSale, Greg Bennet,joined students, teachers, and guests from school and parish communities to mark the start of Lent and to officially launch this year’s Project Compassion appeal in the Diocese of Sale.

Each year during the season of Lent, Project Compassionbrings together thousands of Australianschools and parishes to stand in solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable communities to help end poverty,promotejustice and uphold dignity.

The theme of Project Compassion2024is

For All Future Generations, and reinforces the message that what we do today can havean impact for future generations.

Over the six weeks of Lent, parishes and Catholic schools are encouraged to donate and host fundraisers in the name of Project Compassion. Money raisedwill support Caritas Australia’s work in assisting vulnerable and needy communities in Australia and overseas. Student leaders from six Catholic secondary colleges and four Catholic primary schools in the Diocese of Sale joined the launch.

Each received aCaritascandle to take back to their schools, presented by Bishop Greg Bennet and Caritas Australia’s Nicole Dobrohotoff.

After the launch, Bishop Greg joined students, staff and guests forthe traditional Shrove Tuesday pancakes.

Students in schoolsacross the Diocesealsogot into the spirit of Project Compassion, holding pancake stalls in their schools to fundraise and mark Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday when the period of Lent begins.

The Lenten season is observed as aperiod of reflection and self-discipline, commemorating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Those wanting to support Project Compassion can download resourcesorjoin aMission in Action Webinar to learn more about Caritas Australia’s development programs at caritas. org.au/project-compassion

To donate, look out for Project Compassion donation boxes in schoolsand parishes,visit the Caritas website, or call 1800 024 413 toll free.

Major contract awarded to support victims of violence

QUANTUM Support Services has been appointed to play akey role in GippslandPrimary Health Network’s national pilot project to support victims of family, domestic and sexual violence.

Gippsland PHN was one of only six Primary Health Networks nationally to receive the federal government funding of $10.6 million to pilot the ‘Supporting Recovery’project with the Baw Baw and Latrobe regions experiencing some of the highest rates of family, domestic and sexual violence in Victoria.

Quantum Support Services will be the local care coordination team for Latrobe City and Baw Baw Shire until June 30, 2026.

It will significantly expand existing case management and care coordination in the family domestic and sexual violence sector and empower victimsurvivorstobeinvolvedinthe development of their own Supporting Recovery care plans.

The Gippsland project will see anew model of care trialled to improve coordination and access to trauma-informed recovery services for victimsurvivors of family domestic and sexual violence.

Gippsland PHN Chief Executive, Amanda Proposch said the funding was an endorsement of the critical need to support alocal systemunder increasing pressure.

“There is currently avery high demand for family violence case managementservices, with limited

therapeutic and recovery services available to victim-survivors,” Ms Proposch said.

“We are very pleased to have Quantum ready to start work on asignificant part of our project.

“The program is based on the recovery and healing domain of theNational Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. It aims to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation and support victim survivors to be safe and healthy to be able to recover from trauma and the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural, and economic impacts of violence.”

As part of the pilot, GippslandPHN also released apublic Request for Tender on Monday, February 12, 2024 to deliver trauma-informed mental health therapeutic services.

These will be delivered in Latrobe and Baw Baw to victim-survivors of family domestic and sexual violence who are experiencing mental health challenges.

Youcan find out more or apply at https://gphn. org.au/procurement-andtendering/commissioningopportunities/ The tender closes at 5pm on Friday 1March 2024

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, family,domestic, or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.

If you are concerned aboutyourbehaviouror use of violence, you can call the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au.

Membersofthe Cobains branch of The Country Women’s AssociationofVictoria were recognised for theiryears of service to the CWA.

Photo: Contributed

CatholicBishop of Sale, Greg Bennet(centre) launches the annual Caritas Project Compassion appeal in theDioceseofSale. The Bishop wasjoined by Director of Catholic Education in theDioceseofSale, Paul Velten, and CaritasAustraliaCommunications Manager,Nicole Dobrohotoff, along with student leaders from local Catholic primary schools.

Photo: Contributed

Fundraising with aflightsimulator

HAVE you ever wondered what it would be liketofly aplane?

Well,tomorrow (Wednesday, February 28) theRoyal Flying Doctor Service is making its way to Rosedale to partner for aday with Rosedale Lions Club Op-Shop from 10am to 4pm.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is bringing aflight simulator so that people can see what it is like to fly a plane.

"We have the simulator and the Victoria Ambulance coming with their van or trailer to give information. We also have SES -they have got atrailer, but I’m not sure about the fire brigade yet. It would be nice if they could come. We haveacommunitytrailer withsomepamphlets," said Rosedale Lions Club member, Dawn Molden.

Ms Molden told the Gippsland Times that there will be afew stalls, abarbeque, afew trailers and afood van

at the event. Stalls involved include awooden and brass gun stall formed by materials gathered at the op-shop, a fibreglass and plaster mushroom maker and aspinning wheelthat will put money towards the Royal FlyingDoctor Foundation.

During the day, people can still donate to the cause while trying out the simulator and other trailers coming along. After the day, people can donate online at flyingdoctor. org.au/donate/

Ms Molden said The Rosedale Lions Club wasone of the plane’s only local visits.

"Once it leaves here, Ithink it will go back to Melbourne. Ithink it is spectacular that we managed to score it after speaking to one person at an event by myself, and he was with the Flying Doctors," she said.

"I’m quite excited because it might be the last thing that we do as 'big stuff'. It’s been six months in the making to get it here."

For more information, visit the Lions Club of Rosedale's Facebook page.

From the sky,tothe ground,the Royal Flying DoctorService is allaround.

LOCAL businessesare encouraged by the Wellington Shire Council to think about the role they could playinenergytransition or supporting defence.

Wellington Shire's Economic Development Officer for Defence and Renewable Energy, Kirsten Power, is supporting local businesses to get the mostout of $40 billion in planned renewable energy investmentacross the region,aswell as recent and ongoing development at RAAF Base, East Sale.

By engagingwith Council’s newly-appointed officer, local businesses can benefit from supplychain inclusion and employment.

As avaluableinformationpoint, the role includes helping employers navigate accreditations, amend business plansand liaise with authorities and agencies to direct people to relevant programs.

Ms Power participates in state government forums, holding meaningful,two-way engagement as avoice for Wellington’s future and local businesses.

She is also involvedinorganising the Gippsland New Energy Conference, which anually brings togethermore than 1000 people to discuss the future of clean energy in Gippsland.

Businesses are encouraged to contact Ms Power at kirstenp@wellington.vic.gov.autoindicate their interest.

Appointed in 2023, the role aims to show Council’s commitment to renewable and the new energy transition throughout Wellington Shire and broader Gippsland.

In 2021, the Wellington community identified climate change as their number one council plan priority, and Council has wasted no time supportingrenewable energy investment and transition. More detail about Council’s key renewable energy priorities can be found at wellington.vic.gov.au/ renewableplanning

Kirsten Power is the WellingtonShire’s

Renewable Energy and Defence Officer

Photo: Contributed

Katrina Brandon

Photo: Contributed

Mardi Grasinouter space

THE Rotary Club of Maffra Mardi Gras is a family-oriented, alcohol-free event, rising from the medieval tradition of feasting before Lent. The term Mardi Gras literally means ‘Fat Tuesday’ and refers to eating fatty foods to put on weight before fasting for 40 days. The tradition developed into afestive parade and continues still in many towns in Europe and South America.

This year’s Mardi Gras has the theme of ‘OUTER SPACE’ and will take place in the main street of Maffra, Johnson Street, from 4pm to 8pm on Saturday, March 16. The street will be closed off for the afternoon and evening. From 4pm there will be musical entertainment, food and craft stalls and lotsofkid’s activities. This year, therewillbea

 THE St Vincent de Paul’s monthly garage sale will be held on Saturday, March 2, at the Jack Kelly Sheds on 28 Laura Street, Maffra from 9am until 10.30am.

 THE Rotary Club of Maffra Community Market will be starting up again on Sunday, March 3, at the Island Reserve on McMahon Drive, behind Woolworths. The Rotary will host abarbeque, and there is potential that coffee and food vans will attend. Otherwise, there are many new stalls and all the old favourites.

 THE Maffra Neighbourhood House will be running the following courses in March:

• How to use aCricut machine to make personalised gifts.Two sessions willbeheld

little train and jumping castles, magic workshops and arcade games. The Free Kids Corner is back, behind Southern Rural Water,with face painting, apetting zoo and floorgames. There are lots of food stalls, including favourites such as Big Bear Donuts, the Travelling Squid, Slinky Spuds and theBerry Dairy.

Floats, walking groups and vehiclesare welcome to join in the parade, but please register your interest and send in completed forms ahead of the event. This enables the MC to read out the information as the parade passes the main stage. For the forms, contact maffrasecretary@rotary9820.org.au

The Community Bank, Maffra and District, has again been extremely generous withcashprizes

on Wednesday, March 6and Wednesday, March 13 from 7pm to 9pm. Full cost is $50 to attend both sessions, and bookings are essential.

• AFloral Watercolour workshop to create a loose representation of botanicalswill be held on Wednesday, March 6from1pm to 3pm.The cost is $50 with all materials supplied.

• Money MattersFinancial Wellbeing for Women is ashort course for women to help develop an awareness of personalfinancesand gain control over their spending habits. The course will run for three Fridays, beginning on Friday, March 8at9.30am until 12.30pm. This is afunded course and has alow fee of $10 per person to attend the three sessions.

• To make bookings for these courses or for more information, contact Maffra Neighbourhood House on 0422 335 155.

 THE annual World Day of Prayer service will be held on Friday, March 1at2pm in St Mary’s Catholic Church on the corner of Church Street and McMillan Street, Maffra. This years’ service is especially poignant as it was developed by the women of Palestine.

 THE North Gippsland Country Women’s Association is seeking expressions of interest from stall holders to be part of their 2024 Craft Exhibition to be held on Saturday, April 27. Stall cost is $20. Contact Jenny on 0422 941 326 to book astall.

for the floats and walking groupsthat bestembody the theme of outer space. They are offering $3000 for the overall bestfloat, withsecond and third prizes,and $1000for the best schoolfloat, with second and third prizes. Also on offer are the Joan Laws and Liz Shepherd Trophies, and the Arthur Watts Business Trophy.

The club is alsovery gratefulfor sponsorship from the WellingtonShire Council, as well as manylocal businesses. See the Maffra Mardi Gras Facebook page for afull list. The presentation to the two Fundraising

Entrants, from the Maffra Cricket and Maffra Football-Netball Clubs,will take place on the main stage in the street after the parade, at about 7.30pm. The winning floats will also receive their awards.

The 2024 Mardi Gras promises to be as big and exciting as last year’s, so come along and be part of the fun! There is no entry fee, it’s acommunity event run for the Wellington Shire community by the Rotary Club of Maffra. Dress up in your stars or spacesuits, there will again be spot prizes of vouchers for the best costumes.

Wellington ShireCouncil Mayor Ian Byeatthe Mardi Gras launch earlier thismonth.

Photo: Contributed

Photo:Erika Allen

Big ideastochange the world

BenMcArthur

LOCAL business leaders, government representatives, not-for-profit staffand health employees met at the GippslandRegionalSportsComplexlast

Friday to hear local Year 9studentsfrom three schools discuss ideas to improve the community.

The event was organised by the non-profit Crazy Ideas Council (CIC) and took place over two days with students from Sale College, Maffra Secondary College and Sale Catholic College.

The event began on Thursdayand centred on ideas and presentations on Friday at 1.30pm. The students were then split up into two rooms.

There was ahighnervousness among the students, with almost all having shaky knees, pale faces and weak voices.

The ideas from Room 2stemmed from the more mundane, practical achievements to ideas that, if successful, would revolutionise the world.

After each presentation, local representatives talked about how these ideas could be practically implemented in the community, and some representatives committed to assistance.

Practical lessons taught in school

"THINK backtowhenyou wereinYear 9, and you had no idea how to go about this huge thing called adult life," beganastudentfrom SaleCatholic College.

"You don'tknow how to manage money. You can't change atyre, you don't know how to own ahome, or even use adishwasher!"

The solution? Have aday of practical classes in local schools taught by community members who teach Year 9and 10 students, with five workshops on managing the necessary aspectsofadult life, such as cleaning and taxes.

Expanding heatpads

ACCORDING to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about half of Australia's population is women and therefore, half of Australians will receive period pains in their life. The girls at Sale Catholic College would like to see localschools support period pains by supplying easily accessible heat packs.

Butthey also see afuture in anotherinnovation, an expandable heat pack that "when it's cold, fits in the pocket" and will be clean after azap in the microwave.

The helpful hotel

HOMELESSNESS is something that the Sale Catholic College students believe could disappear

if the government committed to building afree hotel designed and run by people who are homeless.

That includes building, cleaning, maintenance, and cooking; all of it done by its residents who are completely free to live in as long as the residents do their share.

However, the group sees amore practical initiative in volunteerscreatingcare packages in abackpackcontaining essential items such as toothbrushes and blankets to be distributed to Victoria's homeless.

The “Magic" Tablet

THE world's becoming fatter, obesity is on the rise and food addiction is more andmore common.Our primal brains are still designed to sleep and eat berries, and so it is ludicrously under-equipped for the constant manipulations (advertising) of unhealthy corporations trying to get your money regardless of social outcomes.

And seeminglynothingcan be done; anyone addicted to the sugary goodness of aPepsi Max or the salt in KFC chicken will never find respite when it's around every corner, on every billboard and TV screen.

But what if there is asolution? And aradical one. Imagine if there was amagic tablet where a saladtasted thesameasthe 40 grams of fatinthe McDonald's BTSmeal.

Well, soon we won't have to imagine it anymore; the students at SaleCollegeare hardatwork. The downers of the feedback council tried to downplay their ambitionstoaset of elaborate cookbooks, but thankfully, it doesn't appear to have worked.

Virtual reality gender stereotype experience

"WHAT is aboy's favourite colour?"

"Blue!" says the old guard.

"Where does awoman belong?"

"In the kitchen!"

The students at Maffra Secondary College and one from Sale Catholic College believe society has aproblem with stereotypes and would like to see the world free of this.

They envision anew Virtual Reality (VR) program with amultiple-choice ending where someone can play agame in the position of someone in the workforce who is exposed to stereotyping.

Another idea (to use astereotype) was true to the generation that created it. It involves using TikTok, where two different stereotypestalkabout their life experience.

Invisible Train Lines for Tables

THIS reporter remembers being in high school, and the most commoncomplainthewould hear from the teachers went like this:

"The problemwith schools nowadays comes from the carpet;itstays still and don't do nothing. What it needs is to be productive! The carpet 'oughtta' have invisible train lines that move all the tables and chairs, and it should just be connected to a big red button."

Well, Mrs Ryan, you were born 40 years too early! Because two kidsatSaleCatholic College and Sale College are working hard at this.

But in the meantime, the studentswould like

their school to try an experimental program with different classroom layouts and at the end of the month, there willbeademocratic votetochoose the best one.

Psychologist messaging App

MENTAL Health is aproblem that's talked about everywhere, and two Maffra Secondary College students see afuture in developing an app targeting children and teenagers whocan freely message aperson who, on the other end, is aqualified psychologist.

But at alocal level, the students would like to see aprogram run in school that aims to get people with similar mental health experiences in contact with each other and talk about their experienceswhere they canboth give and receive advice.

AI-powered plastic-eating mechanical fish

NOW, this one's adoozy, and it will only cost $50. Plastic litter pollutes our oceans and kills our marine life,but four teenagers from Maffra Secondary College haveasolution. Theybelieve the best idea is to build amechanical fish whose sole purpose is to eat plastic. The insides will then melt the plastic, and with a"magicalscience" (sic), the plastic will turn into energy to help the fish. It comes equipped with adrilltocrush any rock,customisablelighting, and speakers and is connected to an app to see from the fish's POV. The design is currently at the idea stage,but even AlbertEinstein never got past that stage, only ever creating "theories".

Year 9studentsfromthree schools enjoyed theexcursion. Photos: Ben McArthur

The excursion took placeatthe Gippsland Regional Sports Complex.

Ringing in 20 years of

LIFEFMGippsland willmark20years on air with a20thbirthday celebration in March.

The event willbeonheldSaturday, March 23 from 6pm at the Traralgon Golf Club (Princes Highway, Traralgon).

The evening willincludedinner, music, laughter and memories of 20 years of Life FM.

Life FM Gippsland,aChristiancommunity radio station, first went to air in the early hours of October 29, 2003,onthe 103.9 FM frequency, on which it still broadcasts.

Twodecades later, 103.9Life FM Gippsland is stillgoing strong, broadcasting positive, uplifting music and messages of hope across the region, as well as locally-produced programs.

Stationmanager DavidBraithwaite said there was alot to celebrate.

“While Life FM first went to air in 2003, efforts

to get us on the air go back to 1999 with the work and vision of inaugural chief executive Deb Bye andagroup of dedicated volunteers, who had a desire to give the Christian community aplace in Gippsland radio,” David said.

“We want to celebrate those who made Life FM whatitistoday: avibrant communityradio station broadcasting apositive message, and to introduce the newgenerationofpresenters, producers and volunteerswho will take the vision of Life FM into the future.

“Anyone who has played apartinLife FM’s success, including valued listeners and sponsors, are invited to attend our 20th birthday event, which promises to be an unforgettable evening.”

The nightwill include music from recognised local artists Chico Johnson, Natalie Ambrose and David Eime,aswell as presentations from former LifeFM

Medieval Market marvel returnstoStratford

ON Sunday, May 5, the Medieval Market and Faire Day returns to Stratford in 2024. After ahugely successful day in 2023, the fun returns to the new site adjacent to the Stratford train station including the ArtCOLT (community of lost trades) and the Village Green alongside the kindergarten.

Faire Day-goers can join in the fun of the children’s games run by Groundwork Youth Theatre, craft their own sword and see other lost trade

demonstrations. There willbelocal stalls,Stratford Historical Society’s famous Avonshire Teas, street performers and exhibitions.

The Shakespeare on the River festival is currently looking for stall holders to join the day.

The FaireDay and Market is agreat opportunity for local businesses and individuals to have their products displayed and getinvolved in an excellent community festival.

Photos:Contributed

If youare an artist, food vendororentertainer and would like to know more, please contact Faire Day coordinator, Aynslie Watson, on 0405 633 456 or email shakespearefaireday@gmail.com

Applications must be received by Monday, April 22, 2024. Find the application forms at stratfordshakespeare.com.au

Life FM

personalities Deb Bye and Randell Green, whose voices would be familiar to long-time listeners of Life FM.

“You’ll hear stories about how Life FM came to be and of our journey over the past two decades,” David said.

“You'll also have the opportunity to mingle with the current Life FM team and other like-minded individuals who share apassion forgreat music.”

Tickets to Life FM’s 20th Birthday Celebration cost$25 each, andare availablefromtinyurl. com/3w3er92a

For more information, phone 5143 0355 during business hours or email gippsland@lifefm.com.au

For catering purposes, RSVP by March 2. The event is supported by Latrobe City Council.

Life FM will celebrate its 20th year with an event in Traralgon next month. Picturedis founding Life FM Chief Executive, Deb Bye. Photo: Contributed

Therewill be street performers and exhibitions throughout the day.

for the Medieval Market and FaireDay

GatheratGlenmaggie Wines

THE new Glenmaggie Wines Cellar Door has enjoyed its first holiday period open to the public after opening at the start of December 2023.

Tony, Fleurand their son Jack Dawkinshave been dreaming about this new venture for years, and now after much hard work, it is reality. The stunning venue was built by Tony and Jack, and Fleurhas directed and crafted the interior design, while contributing to the building and layout as well.

Gippsland’snewest cellar door is exciting guests with its ambienceand vast Gippsland views, and its well-known, exceptional wines, and new offerings of fresh, seasonal meals that celebrate all things local are getting rave reviews.

In fact, most of the fruit, vegetables and herbs used in the GlenmaggieWines kitchen are sourced either from the vineyard’sown producegarden,or the vegetablefarmoverlooked by thecellar door.

Both the cellar doorbuilding andits menu have been designed with community, gatherings, sharing and the warmth of belonging in mind.

The roast sweet potato salad, lentil salad, slowroasted lamb andcrispy porkbelly are stars -asare thesharedcheeseand charcuterie platters. Dessert lovers will have ahard time deciding between the freshness of the lemon tart, rich chocolate melts, decadent pears in red wine and the wholesome ricotta cake. Tony’s smoked trout pate and housemade hummus are also creating delight.

Whether seated inside or out on the veranda or decking, guests will overlook the neighbouringvegetable farm, which wasonce part of the Glenmaggie Wines property. The homestead that can be seen is where Tony grew up with his parents and three brothers.

The vines overlooked by guests were planted by Tony and Fleur in 1995. The couple are the only vineyardowners in WellingtonShire who both grow and make the wines for their label.

Tony and Fleur have astrong commitment to sustainability and wherever possible, they have purchasedpre-loved furniture and fittings,and

also hand-builtkey furniture,including the servery and tables. Even the serving platters were hand made by Jack from leftover timber.

“The fact that we’ve built it all ourselves is quite special really,” Fleur said.

“It’s been quiteajourney, with challengesand highs. But we’ve created something magical together and we’re really looking forward to sharing it with everyone,” Tony added.

“We planted the vines and started the vineyard because of our shared passion for wine. And now

we can share our passionfor fresh,local food thatis prepared slowly, with real loveand care put into it.

The new Glenmaggie Wines Cellar Door is open fortastingsand cheese platters on Fridays from 11am to 3pm, and for full service on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm (except December 23 and 24). Bookings are encouraged to avoid disappointment by going to the bookings tab at glenmaggiewines.com or 0437 357 050.

But Glenmaggie Wines will always find room if you just turn up.

Guests enjoy aselection of wines andplatters at Glenmaggie WinesCellar Door.

FleurDawkins talkstoguestsonthe veranda at the Glenmaggie Wines Cellar Door Photos: Contributed

Owners, growers, winemakers andcellar door builders Fleur andTony Dawkins areloving the abilitytosharetheir passion for exceptional wines, and local seasonalproduce with like-minded guests.

ONE POINTERS

with Muzza

1. Complete the saying. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something...?

2. What does the Statue of Liberty hold in its right hand?

3. Glenn Maxwell plays cricket for which Big Bash team?

4. Which car company makes the Corolla?

TWO POINTERS

5. What part of the eye is commonly transplanted?

6. Which precious gem does Australia produce approximately

7.

Crossword Puzzle No.8575

15.

Locals to rock Boolarra Folk Festival

BenMcArthurand

Katrina Brandon

THE Boolarra Folk Festival, afree event, will take place from Friday, March 1toSaturday, March 2and will feature musicians in various genres from rock to blues. Many performers will be of local talent and the event will feature market stalls, localarts and crafts, merchandise and food stalls.

This year is the Boolarra Folk Festival's 21stbirthdayand will be held at Railway Park and Centennial Park. Below is some information about some of the local talent participating in the festival.

Ally Row

'ALLY Row' is arelatively new folk/ pop band whose name combines the two members, Yarram locals Allison and Rowan. The duo, whowill be headlining the festival, said that their professional career began when the COVID state border closures trapped them in Queensland.

"We didn't succeed in the beginning becausethe first lockdownhappened two months after we met, so in that period, we were writing music, comingupwith ideas and melodies," Rowan told the Gippsland Times

"Then,whenthat lockdown ended,we left (Victoria) and went to Queensland, but the border shut soon after, and for nine months,wewere trapped in Queensland. But for us, that also meant

that other acts couldn't perform. Isaw an ad for the (2021)Tablelands Folk Festival, and we messaged them and found that the border closures cancelled some of their acts, so we askedifwe could perform, and they gaveusthis prime-time spot," Allison continued.

"We were so nervoustobeona proper stage, but we got good responses, and looking back, it was then where Ifirst thought that If we keep practising and working, we could be successful."

Even after the borders opened again, the pairspent threeyears withouta home, living what Allison described as "the van life but without avan."

"At the start, we lived in arooftop tent on the car and busked for petrol money, and then later,IfoundFacebook community house sitting groups where I'd just post saying, "Hey, we're musicians and here's our dog wouldyou be interested in having us park on your land" we would offer services in exchange for the place, mostly gardening work'" she said.

"It wasoften older people who couldn't garden anymore that responded, and in away, we became their grandchildren, celebrating Christmas and birthdays with them. It was an exciting environment to be part of becausewewere travelling so much.

"I often forget how muchwe've done in the last three years, and then we get a message from someone we met at that period, ‘I don't know if you remember me, but’. Of course, Iremember them, Inever forget because those people are the ones that kept us alive and able to have these experiences."

Paul Buchman's Voodoo Preachers

RIGHT around Stratford, Maffra and Moe, the Paul Buchman's Voodoo Preachers are sharing the blues with the Boolarra Folk Festival for the first time.

The band formed in 2020 after years of being in different bands and thought that now was the time. The band is strictly bluesmusiconly but are sharing the idea of fast-paced blues being back into action.

"Many peoplehave amisconception that blues is slowand miserable, which is not the case. Ialsowrite some slow blues, but my stuff mostly comes along quickly," Paul said.

He toldthe Gippsland Times that slow bluesbecame really popular reallyearly, meaningfast-paced blues got left behind and unheard of.

"Apart from our gigs, people like our more up-tempo stuff becausethey can dance to it.Likeblues clubs,they appreciate the fasterpace, but they also appreciate the slower and more contemporary blues. It’s amixture," he said.

Mr Buchman draws his inspiration from the things that he has seen throughout the years and the band has been popular on the blues charts across the world and that he is excited to finally be apartofthe festival.

Stephen McCulloch

STEPHENMcCullochisa singer/songwriter skilled in many instruments and

all genres such as folk, country and rock.

Mr McCulloch said he enjoys playing songs that speak to the everyday human and engaging in positive messaging. His songs explore the joy and pain of being human with an honesty that is immediate,engaging, andoften uplifting. "One of the singles Ireleased last year was called'Grit', andIwrote it to thank everyone that helped the country get through COVID, such as the firefighters and healthcare workers," he said.

"This song will alsobeperformedat the (Boolarra) Folk Festival, and I'm excited to play."

Mr McCulloch got national exposure in 2015 when he performed on The Voice,and Delta Goodrem said he had a"beautiful voice".

Since then has been performing at other music festivals across the country, including Woodford, The National and Maldon Folk festivals.

The Boolarra Music Festivalispartof his music launch for his original song, 'Welcome the Healing'.

Todd Cook and the Rufous Whistlers

COMING from East Gippsland is Todd Cook and the Rufous Whistlers, aband inspired by, youguessed it, thenative Gippsland bird Rufous Whistlers.

"After the (2019/2020) fires, there was abirdinthe backyard of our place, and everything was looking pretty grim, but that bird was there and was proudly singing out beautiful

Yarram, and will be headliningthe Boolarra Folk Festival on SaturdayMarch 2, scheduled for 6pm

songs over the devastation," he said.

In Boolarra, the band will play folk musicabout Australian people, landscapesand even the country'sfirst cricket team (called ‘Johnny Mullagh’).

"That song was abig project back in 2018 when it was the 150th anniversary of the cricket team; it was just a massiveprojectthat was verybig and fun,"hesaid.

"We were in West Victoria about 10 years ago now, and after, we had abig celebrationwithsome greatmusicians.

"We're looking forward to playing it at what will be abeautiful community event."

The BoolarraFolk Festival is almost

Ally Rowisa local band from

Davidson Brothers in town

want to start asuccessful and non-corny family group, he would say it is essential that all the band members have ahistory of friendship rather than family bonds.

"I was around six when my brother and Istarted

violin, and although we were competitive against each other, we also developed similar interests after playing together, and then we formed a group," he said.

"I guess (how we formed) is similar to how most music groups begin; we just have similar musical interests."

LachlanDavidson and his brother, Hamish, are part of Australia's bluegrass scene but also use folkand countryelements. These songs are played with less mainstream instruments, and Lachlan believes the brothers swiftly embraced the banjo and fiddle due to the pair's upbringing in Yinnar.

"OurGrandma is Scottish, and when we grew up,there were many Scottish immigrants in our area, and she introducedthe familytomanyof them.And many of those peoplehad amusical background playing the accordion, so those instruments were part of our life," he said.

"We grewuparound music, Imean,evenour parents met playing the bagpipes! We went to many functions, festivals and street parades with them

"Then our family gathered, and we'd have ajam session. No matter our skill level, we would always be encouraged to try something new, which was also very good for learning the instruments. And then there was folk music at Tyers (Hall), which was amelting pot of all types of music, and it had big acts from all over the world, including bluegrass bands."

From there, the pair listened and learned from bluegrass musicians likeRicky Skaggs, Trev Warner and even Dolly Parton.That was all before the age of 12 when his parents organised athree-month world trip that took the family to bluegrass music festivals worldwide.

"My parents had abig interest in it (bluegrass), so we spent amonth travelling around Scotland, Ireland,and Americafor six weeks following bluegrass music festivals and groups," he said.

"We saw some of the biggest bluegrass events, and we still stay in contact withsomeofthe people we met on that trip."

After this trip, the pair began competing in music competitions.

"Dad would take us to Melbourne for many musical opportunities, jam sessions,workshops and lessons.They took us to festivalsand gave us every opportunity after thetrip to perform, includinginTamworth, where we hadn't been before. Thosecompetitions had cash prizes and let us travel interstate, which sparked more interest in us. We playedour music as buskers on the street and stages."

Lachlan said the band's most significant initial growth came from busking.

"Inbusking,you get alot of exposure opportunities because people wouldmeet you they may give you acard, which led to playing at parties and or competitions, school concerts, there were alot of opportunities, and it got to the point where people contacted us more and more and started chasing us for work until we recorded out first album in 1998. Iwas 13 at the time."

TheDavidsonBrothers will perform at the Sale MusicFestival on Sunday, March 10.

Amber Lawrence to perform

Ben McArthur

AMBER Lawrence, an award-winning country artist who has won over sixGolden Guitar Awards and been nominated twice for the ARIA awards, saysher songwritingreceives the mostsuccess when she writes music for herself.

"Because you never know if your song will connect, and you can never tell that what's going to happen, when you write asong. But if you do your best work and put that forward, sometimes it's the right time, right place," she said.

"One of my songs thatgot the best reception was called 'Superhero', which was just amessage peoplewanted to hear at that time, and then another songcalled 'Our Backyard', won three Golden Guitars, and that was the same thing of it being released at the right time. Ididn't write that song thinking Iwould win some awards for this song. Iwrote it for myself.

“But it connected with people.Totry and create something with awards in mind does not work. It's all about being in the moment and releasing the lucky song that pops into your head at the right time."

Ms Lawrence said she firstgot into songwriting at 22-years-old when her guitar teacher encouraged her to write asong.

"I waslearningguitarbecause Icould sing, but he also told me to write asong; at first, Iprotested, but then Iwrote one, and Iliked it,which led to playing that song to people and getting feedback."

Ms Lawrence kept releasing music after that, and she said she likes to use new albums to sing

about new topics and expand her songwriting abilities. She also stated that one of the highest points in her careercamewhenshe performed to an audience,and they could sing along withher.

"There's nothing better thananaudiencesinging along and screaming out your songs and lyrics.

“Now, I'm not like Taylor Swift and playing to stadium-sized audiences, but it's an incredible feeling when people sing my lyrics back to me no matter how big or small the shows are," she said.

Amber Lawrencewillperform at the Sale Music Festival on Sunday, March 10.

Ben McArthur

IF Lachlan Davidsonofthe Australian duoDavidson Brothers could speak to aspiring musicians who

Amber Lawrence picturedperforming at Sale Country MusicFestival in 2022 will be performing at the Sale Music Festival next month. Photo: Contributed

The Davidson Brothers will be performing at the Sale Music Festival Photo: Contributed

l f l l

Luxury and lifestyle living

WELCOME to 9Millicent Court, where agents say luxury meets lifestyle on an expansive 3953 square metre parcel of land. The modern façade of this residence is paired with landscaped front gardens.

This property has four bedrooms, with the master suite featuring awalk-in robe, adouble vanity,alarge shower,and a separate toilet.

The remaining three bedrooms feature either walk-in or built-in robes for additional storage and are conveniently serviced by acentral family bathroom and separate powder room.

For potential buyers who seek a dedicated workspace or an additional bedroom, the front-facing home office provides asolution, agents believe.

Agents say that at the heart of the home is the kitchen, adorned with stone benchtops, aglass splashback, abutler’spantry for additional storage, and appliances.

This home has an open plan layout of the light-filled family and dining areas, creating acentral hubfor both daily living and entertaining for future owners.

Briefdetails fdetails

Property: Large modern home.

Address: 9Millicent Court, Sale

Price: $1,295,000.

Contact: Tony Kiss, Wellington Real Estate, 0419 526 637

Designed for comfort, according to agents, the residence offers two additional living zones, including atheatre room with surround sound and asecond space that could be used as aformal lounge, rumpus room, or kids retreat.

The property also has central heating and cooling, ceiling fans, ducted vacuum, security system and a3.8KW solar system.

Potential buyers step onto the northfacing alfresco, with an outdoor kitchen featuring abuilt-in barbecue, sink, and fridge. The property also has an 8.2m x 4m pool, complemented by an electric heat pump for year-round comfort. In colder months, agents say future owners can enjoy the undercover spa.

Agents say the yard remains ahighlight of the property,featuring established lawns and gardens giving privacy.The property’slandscaping provides potential buyers with the space for family gatherings, recreational activities, or simply unwinding.

Beyond the gardens, this property offers afully fenced,secure yard with rear access to a16m x9mshed. The shed comes with power,lighting, and dual roller doors, one of which is high clearance, providing space for storage and workshop needs, agents say.A double garage connected to the home offers convenient and secure parking.

Agents say that 9Millicent Court epitomises luxury living with its design, premium finishes, and an array of amenities catering to relaxation and functionality

Thursday, February 22

Just Keep Farming

“Thetheme for the dinner was ‘Just Keep Farming’,”GAgG General Manager, Jen Smith said.

“Agriculture in Australia has thrownussomehigh highs and some low lows. Withsomuch market pressureand some of the strangestseasonal conditions in 50 years,aswell as acolossal increaseininput costs,it’sbeenachallengingyear

“But work at the Gippsland Research Farm will continue into soils, pastures, grains, fodder crops and livestocktobetter understand farming in our region and improve productivity in our own systems.”

Ms Smith encouragedinterested people to check outall the demonstrations and trialresultsonthe

GAgG website under the publications tab

Before the dinner, alivestock and fodder field day took place, including paddock walk discussions withfiveindustry guestspeakers looking at lucerne varieties and management; lamb performance on single and multispecies crops; sorghum varieties and prussicacid management; as well as grazing brassica varieties and mixed crops and their feed value.

GAgG Chief Executive, Trevor Caithness, said it was agreat turnout of producers from Central and EastGippsland,witha lotofchatteraboutthe variousprojects and demonstrations being run at theGippslandResearch Farm.

“There wasalot of interest in the Nexus Project, which is lookingatweight gainsoflambs being runonamono-species crop like ryegrass, and a multi-species crop,” he said.

“Themulti-species cropisshowing better weight gainsinthe lambsand the project overseer, Alister Micallef, is seeing ahealthier appearance in that mob too.”

Mr Caithness saidthere wasalso interestinthe demonstrations utilising summerrainfallwith sorghum andbrassicacrops

“It was probably the firstyear we’ve had sorghums and the presenters talkedabout howitcould have beenusedfor silage or for grazing,” he said.

“They also presented alot of ideas related to the healthconcernsfor stock,inregard to prussic acid which canoccur.”

Mr Caithness said the lucernevarietytrialswere also ahighlight

“It was good to seehow well they had established and the high-quality feed they presented for a

possible Februarygrazing,” he said.

The afternoon finished off with amachinery demonstration on the paddock where the Growing MoreTopsoilProject is situated.

“There are threedifferent plotsthat have had substantialquantities of compost, limes and gypsumsetc and asubstantial amount of clayhas been broughttothe surface in an efforttoincrease the amount of topsoil,” he said.

“Peoplewerequiteamazed at how the clay that was clearly visible six months ago is now hardly visibleatall.

“It’s weathered and brokendowninto the topsoil. There’salso beenagoodincrease in soil structure within the plots.”

Farmersurged to have their say

VICTORIANS can now have their say on proposedchanges to the state’s planningregulations for animal production.

The changes will exist as anew clause in the Victoria Planning Provisions and applytoall planning schemes in Victoria.

The clause providesguidelines for the location, design and management of new and expanded animal production facilities such as pig and poultry farms, intensive dairy farms and feedlots, but does not applytograzing animal production.

AgricultureVictoria Executive Director

Sarah-Jane McCormack said the proposal aims to provide primary producers with clearer and more consistent planning requirements.

"The proposed changes have been designed to provide atransparent and enforceable clause that sets best-practice benchmarks for developmentsand provides certainty for investment in the animal production industry," Ms McCormack said.

"The clause aims to reduce the regulatory burden for animal production, while continuing to protect the health of communities and the environment."

The clause consolidates planning requirements

for all animal production into asinglelocation within the Victoria Planning Provisions.

The Engage Victoria public consultation will givecommunityand industry the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the draft clause and its application.

More than 240 industry, local government and communitystakeholders providedinput into the content and development of the proposedclause and technical guidelines.

This consultation will allow interested parties the opportunitytohave their say on the draft clause.

"Agriculture Victoria has been working with localgovernment, the communityand the agriculture sector to improve planning processes for animal industries," Ms McCormack said.

"We hope to hear from abroad range of Victorians to ensure this proposal provides the best possibleoutcome for industry and the wider community."

Consultation is now open for submissions on the new land use planningregulations for animal production on the Engage Victoria websiteuntil April 22.

DESPITE acrazy week of storms and outages, about 60 farmers still attended the annual Gippsland Agricultural Group (GAgG)results dinner last on

This year the program includedafield day prior to the dinner

Photo: Contributed Gippsland Agricultural GroupGeneral Manager, Jen Smith

Photo:Zoe Askew

The annual Gippsland Agricultural Group’s results dinner attracted plentyofinterest. Photo: Contributed

ARRCHcalls for proactive approachin thedisaster recovery of regional areas

THE Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH) has developed amodel to establish apermanent trauma-informed workforce in Community Health acrossrural andregional Victoria to support disaster recovery response at the local level.

ARRCHwill submit aprospectustothe state government and says the model will overcome the negative consequences of the current reactive approach to disaster recovery. ARRCH is made up of 11 of Victoria’s independent community health services based in rural and regional Victoria.

Between them, ARRCH member agencies provide awide range of health and wellbeing services across 85 per cent of rural and regionalVictoriawith a focus on reducing health inequity in rural Victoria.

Over the past 10 years, these services have supported community recovery from more than 130 disaster events,includinglastweek’scatastrophic fires in The Grampians and storms in Gippsland. Eight of the 11 ARRCHmember agencieshave individuallyprovided recovery responseto10or more events over the past decade.

ARRCH executive member and chief executive of Grampians Community Health (GCH), GregLittle, said that, under the current reactive approach to disaster recovery, the community recovery starts from scratch every time.

Mr Little said this meant the expertise of the experienced disaster recoveryworkforce was lost as

funding for these positions was typically short-term, and recovery care and support can be fragmented, delayed, or non-existent whilst agencies scramble to find staff and determine aplan of action.

“The delay between activation of alocal response, and the clarification of roles, expectations and funding, can lead to duplicationofeffort, additional confusion, and frustration, and people and programs with no local knowledge or local connections are parachuted into an area for ashort time, and then disappear,” he said.

“While this impacts on support services, unfortunately, the people most harmed by the current reactive model are the people who have been impacted by the disaster.”

Community Recovery and Resilience would establishapermanent trauma-informed workforce across rural and regional Victoria to support disasterrecovery at the local level, strengthen community resilience and preparedness between disasters, and address the compounding trauma that accumulates with each disaster.

The ARRCH model would provide case management services to disaster-impacted people, conduct resilience building training andsupporttocommunities, providedisasterpreparedness or readiness information to residents and key personnel, and trauma-informed practicetraining to organisations and businesses engaging with disaster impacted individuals and families.

Mr Little said GCH would always be therefor the community, but diverting people to vitalemergency responses like last week’s fires at The Grampians affects other functions of theorganisation. “We will alwaysbetheretodothat for ashort time, as we are with our Pomonal and Dadswell’s Bridge communities, but it’s not sustainable: Community Recovery and Resilience would make it sustainable.”

Gippsland Lakes Complete Health has 15 staff in an emergency recovery support program funded in response to the 2019-20 bushfires and local flood anddroughtevents. However, the fundingisdue to end on June 30 and the chief executive, Anne-Maree Kaser, said the focus was on recovery, not resilience development.

“We see the value of doing this work in between disasters and know this is aresource that should be in all ARRCH members across rural and regional Victoria,” Ms Kaser said. “We spring into action during and after disasters, but we need resources to do the critical work between these incidents to help people to planand to build community resilience so we’re better prepared. “You can’t be doing planning work when you’re in the middle of aresponding to adisaster.”

The proposed Community Recovery and Resilience program would provide and maintain localised recovery responses when disasters occur, support impacted communitiesfor as long as needed, immediately respondtoboth large and

Best quality Australian hayinnineyears

AUSTRALIAN farmers have made their best quality hay for adecade, with feed and visual tests easily outstripping the previous season. Tests by Feed Central have shown overall sugars are up 10 per cent, hay bale weights are up 16 per cent, and 58 per cent of hay has been graded FCAA or FCA compared to just16per cent the previous year.

Feed CentralGrower Services Manager,Stephen Page, said it had been the best year for hay production he’d seen in his nine years with the company. Mr Page released the details alongside Quality Services Operations Manager, Kimberley Detmers, in Feed Central’s latest Hay Matters podcast.

“In the nine years I’ve been with Feed Central, thisyear has been the best year Ihaveseen across eastern Australiaand into SouthAustralia,” Mr Page said.

“Overall,the whole regionhas produced hay that is phenomenal in quality.”

Mr Pagesaid58per cent of hay inspected had been graded FCAA or FCA this year compared to only 16 per cent in 2022-23. Feed Central has four visual grades FCAA, FCA, FCB, FCC.

“The previous season was extremely wet and people were still baling into the new year; this year most were finished before Christmas.”

Cereal hay bales were up 16 per cent in average weight due to the higher nutritional value.

“This is goodbecause the more weight in the bales you get more tonnes in the shed,better freight rates and it means less work,” Mr Page said.

Ms Detmers, who runs Feed Central’s feed test lab, said there had been abig increase in the number of growers getting their hay tested compared to the same time last year.

“There’sstrong interest to differentiate their productinthe market place,”she said. “We’ve seen growing demand year-on-year for feed testing.”

Across cereals and legumes there has been a consistent decrease in the percentage of fibres this year which Ms Detmers attributes to more sugars and proteins boosting nutrient quality.

“Last seasonwestruggled alot with rain-affected product. This year we had quite adry, early start to the season due to hot conditionsacross the country,” she said.

“Generally speaking, earlier harvested means higher quality. This year there’s more immature product with more flower and that is translating to higher sugars and proteins across the board.

“Overall,sugarsupabout 10 percent which is quiteremarkable and really speaks to the quality of hay.”

smalllocal disasters as they occur, andsupport Emergency Recovery Victoria and local government to ensure acoordinated response that drawsonlocal community knowledge and effectively mobilises local capability.

Between disasters it would build recovery and resilience capability, support local cross-sector preparedness and resilience networks, upskill staff in community health and other local organisations to enable surge workforce capacity, and build trust in local communities so people know who to turn to during recovery.

“It would ensure that vital local disaster recovery capability and knowledge is not lost, but is embedded into the service sector,” Ms Kaser said.

“For some people, the recovery is more traumatic than the actual disaster.”

monthly BAS preparation and lodgment to ATO.

● Support to the FM for month end reporting and year end Audit.

● Support contracting activities, within finance discipline, including: -Review and endorse Survey &Quote activities for the Commercial Team

-Review and approve financial elements of administrative PTS Services Contract Change Proposals (CCPs), routine Survey and Quote (S&Q) procedures.

Applicants must be able to hold an Australian

Government Baseline security clearance.

Employment may be contingent on satisfactory background screening.

Further information is available through queries sent to recruitpiltsa.au@pilatusaircraft.com

Applications may be sent to the same e-mail address or submitted on www.seek.com.au but must be received no later than COB 1st March 2024.

1000 SALE 1000

NutrienGreenwood Annual AutumnStore Cattle Sale

Dental Assistant/Receptionist

Full time position

We are increasing our time in Gippsland

therefore we are expanding our support team.

We are dental specialists and we operate in Sale, Traralgon and Bairnsdale so travelling to different locations is an important part of this position.

We are looking for an enthusiastic person who is happy to work as part of ateam. The main duties are assistance for oral surgery and orthodontic procedures, laboratory work, organising stocks of supplies and reception duties.

No experience is necessary as atraineeship will be offered to the right applicant. Alternatively an experienced dental nurse with aCertificate III in dental assisting would be welcome in this position.

To apply please email your resume with a covering letter in your own handwriting addressing why you would like this position to bhookey1@hookey.com.au

GLaWAC is growing

The Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) represents the Traditional Owners of much of Gippsland, the Gunaikurnai people. If you're looking to use your skills in amore purposeful and rewarding way, come and join our team.

Facilities &Assets Manager

GP1667894

The Facilities and Assets Manager role is responsible for overseeing and managing the physical assets, facilities, and infrastructure of GLaWAC.

The successful candidate will:

● Ensure that these assets are well-maintained, efficient, safe, and aligned with GLaWAC's goals and operational needs

● Effectively manage budgets, coordinate maintenance and repair activities, and implementing sustainable practices. People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage areencouraged to apply.

Applications Close: Thursday 29th February

Finance Manager

We're seeking aFinance Manager to oversee the management of day-to-day financial operations including accounts receivables, accountspayable, payroll,budgeting, reconciliations, financial analysis and reporting, cash flow management, as well as ensuring financial compliance.

The successful candidate will:

● Lead and manage the finance team to achieve organisational goals

● Manage financial processes to ensure compliance with financial regulations, standards and within organisational timeframes

● Conduct detailed financial analyses to influence strategic decisions including preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports.

Applications close: Thursday 29th February

Aboriginal Business Development Officer

The Aboriginal Business Development Officer provides key administrative support in the delivery of projects for GLaWAC's Economic Development team. The position provides effective and efficient administrative support relating to project management, financial processes and business services.

The Aboriginal Business Development Officer will provide exceptional customer service and administrative support to the Economic Development team and all internal and external stakeholders.

The successful candidate will:

● Support the Renewable Energy program to achieve outcomes aligned to renewable energy transition.

● Support the promotion of First Nations engagement to enable self-determination

● Work with Gunaikurnai community to build understanding, participation and relationships to enable strong engagement and participation.

GLaWAC considers that being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is occupational requirement for this under s28 of the Equal Opportunity (Vic.)

Applications close: Thursday 14th

For more information visit www.gunaikurnai.org or contact Mardi Edwards at jobs@glawac.com.au

More Situations Vacant advertising on next page

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● Payroll.

● Data entry.

Registrations, transfers etc.

● Using Nova Pentana Solutions DMS.

● Receipt and allocation of payments to debtor accounts.

● Input finance applications.

● Word Processing.

● BAS Lodgements.

● Assist Service Department with bookings.

Selection Criteria:

● Experience in an Administrative role would be preferred.

● Proficiency with MS Office suite is beneficial.

● Previous employment in the Automotive industry would be of great benefit.

● Overtime may be occasionally required to cover Administrative Leave.

Applicants are requested to provide resume and covering letter to: Wilmour Motors Pty Ltd

Email: admin@wilmourmotors.com.au

Applications will be received up until C.O.B Wednesday March 21st 2024.

This school community promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.

Teaching Position: Yr1/2 Classroom Teacher

FIXED TERM JOB SHARE TEACHING POSITION -(0.5FTE)

Alternating days: Week A-2 days; Week B3 days, i.e. 5days per fortnight.

Applications are invited from suitably experienced persons for the above position.

Starting date is to be negotiated, preferably April 15th, 2024, i.e. the start of Term 2, 2024 or sooner and ending January 27th, 2025. This role is aposition under the Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited Schools and Secretariat Agreement 2022.

The successful applicants will have a demonstrated commitment to Catholic education and to the safety and wellbeing of children. They will possess the skills and abilities to provide students with arich and rewarding educational experience and will embrace acollegial, team-based approach to teaching and learning. The successful teaching applicant will hold current Victorian Institute of Teaching Registration. For further information regarding this position please email reception@sttsale.catholic.edu.au

Acover letter and resume can be forwarded to Mrs Anita Little Email: principal@sttsale.catholic.edu.au

Applications close Friday, March 8th at 4.00pm.

Please note that the interview process may begin prior to the closing date. If asuitable applicant is found, the role may close early. We would encourage applications to be received as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

For all classifieds please email classifieds@gippslandtimes.com.au

CONCEPT VISION

2013 model, 19'6'', full annexe, shower, en-suite, washing machine, 3way fridge, QS bed, Hayman Reese towing over-ride, elec. brakes, microwave, reversin gc amera, $38,000. 0408 472 540.

JAYCO 18ft poptop, been in storage for 4yrs, Waeco 3-way fridge (replaced 2018), 240v freezer, microwave, 4burner stove, full size oven with grill, diesel heater (installed 2019), tyres replaced 2021, 2 gas bottles set up, awning with attachable walls, caravan storage cover included, registered till December 2024 $13,000. Phone 0417 505 740.

MAY, Brian William 23/4/1944 -21/2/2024

Passed away in Maffra.

Loved husband of Kris (dec.).

Loving dad to Brian and Garry.

LAYCOCK (nee Roberts).

The funeral service for Mrs MargaretOlwen

Deaths •

BERRYMAN, John Edwin of Newry. 6/9/1937 -22/2/2024

Maffra Gymnastic Club Inc. Assistant Kinder Gym Coach Maffra Gymnastics Club Inc is acommunity based, not for profit organisation. We are a dynamic, innovative, and family friendly club offering an exciting opportunity for someone to join the team as Assistant to the Kinder Gym Coach.

The MGC Kinder Gym is one of our most popular classes and focuses on providing afun, parentinvolved program for ages 2-5 years. The class encourages children to develop physically, socially &cognitively, by incorporating amix of structured group activities, including songs, and free time exploring the circuits. The successful applicant will possess the following:

● An enthusiasm for working with young children in the field of sport and recreation.

● Excellent organisational, communication and time management skills.

● Ability towork as part of adiverse team.

● Hold avalid WWCC or the ability to obtain one.

● Hold avalid Driver's Licence.

Experience and /orqualifications in the gymnastics field would be advantageous but not necessary. All training will be provided with opportunities to develop skills and acquire formal qualifications available. The option to work towards intermediate or advanced coaching skills and become involved in higher levels at the club is also on offer to theright candidate.

This is acasual part-time position Tuesday and Friday 8:45am -12:15pm, however there is other work available with Kindergarten and School Groups at various times throughout the year.

To apply please email the Manager operations @maffragymnastics.org.au Please include letter of application and resume. All applications must include the contact details of at least two referees.

Applications Close THURSDAY 29th February.

Askusabout our MOTORING DEAL!

Passed away peacefully at the Heyfield Hospital. Dearly loved and devoted husband of Dorothy for 57 years. Loved father of Darren and Michelle, Peter and Gael, Owen and Sharon. Adored Pop of Andrew and Rhiannon, Samantha and Nathan, Curtis and Kane and Quinn, Coby and Miller and extended family. Life will no longer be the same without you in it. Forever Loved Rest In Peace

BERRYMAN, John Edwin. 6/9/1937 -22/2/2024

QUEST RV off-road, 2014, all electric, diesel heater, dble bed, m/wave, fully equipped awning, 3-way fridge, 11 months reg. $15,000 neg. 0408 038 112.

ROSA BUS

Mitsubishi 2003, 470,000 kms, six speed gearbox 4 cyl turbo, Intercooled diesel engine, Independent front end, Disc brakes, Power steering, Aircon, Speed limited tow bar. Beautiful bus to drive, was aschool bus, then motor home but now is emptyRego until April 2024. $22,000 XV20YC PH: 0438 438 569

Loving son of Dolina (Doll) and Ron Berryman (both dec.) of Yarram. Brother of Euan (dec.) and sister-in-law Pat. Loved uncle of Neville, Colin (dec.), Geoff and their families.

Lovingly Remembered

BERRYMAN, John Edwin. Loved Dad of Darren and Michelle. Fond Pop of Andrew, Rhiannon and family, Samantha and Tyler, Nathan and Molly. We extend our deepest sympathy to Dorothy, and thank you for taking us down the farm track. May you ride into the sunset.

DROPPERT, Corrie. Respected member of the Sale Bridge Club. Condolences to the family.

Grandpop to Christopher and Catherine. Aloving uncle to Melissa and Jarrah.

Reunited with Mum

Funerals •

BERRYMAN.

The funeral of Mr John Edwin Berryman is appointed to leave Our Chapel, 5Queen St Maffra after aservice commencing at 11am on THURSDAY (February 29, 2024) for the Maffra Mo numental Lawn Cemetery.

Please visit our website for the livestream of John's service.

FERGUSON. (Milner nee Smith). The funeral service to celebrate the life of Mrs Nola Alice Ferguson will be held at Duart Homestead, 20 McLean St Maffra TOMORROW (Wednesday February 28, 2024) commencing at 1pm.

Aprivate cremation will follow.

Please visit our website for the livestream of Nola's service.

Funeral Directors

Laycock will be held at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, Cunninghame Street Sale at 1pm on THURSDAY (February 29, 2024) followed by aprivate burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cancer Council.

MAY. The funeral service for Mr Brian William May will be held at Delbridge Funeral Chapel, Marley Street Sale at 11am on Friday (March 1, 2024) followed by burial at the Sale Monumental Lawn Cemetery.

SUMNER.

The funeral service for Mr Glen Stewart Sumner will be held at Delbridge Funeral Chapel, Marley Street Sale at 11am TODAY (Tuesday February 27, 2024) followed by burial at the Sale Lawn Cemetery.

In Memoriam •

BJORKSTEN, Marion Joy. 1937 -2022

Much loved wife of Laurie. Loved mother to Wendy, Neil, Dianne, Peter, Kerrie and Chris. Nana to eight. Loved and remembered always.

THOMAS, Brett. 1/3/17

Seven years, still miss you every day. Please don't stay away. Compassionately, Mum and Dad

•

Alife well lived, the world is alesser place with her passing.

Thrilling week of WGTA tennis

ErikaAllen

WELLINGTON Gippsland Tennis Association (WGTA) finals loomed closer as Round14unfolded over the weekend, treating tennis enthusiasts to athrillingmix of upsets and closely contested matches.

In Senior Section 1, the clash between Sale Dahlsens and Maffra Community Sports Club (Maffra CSC) was anail-biter.

Two doubles matches were played in three sets, proving the teams were evenlymatched throughout the day.

Despite the challenges posed by the bouncy en tout cas at StephensenPark,Maffraemerged triumphant.

Sen and MiaGoold showcased their best form against seasoned opponents Tim Dunnett and Jo Rule in achallenging mixed doubles match. The intense contest went the distance,concluding with an 11-9 super tiebreaker in Maffra's favour.

Sale secured their sole victory of the day in the women's doubles, where the formidable duo of KayleneRunciman and Jo Rule proved their partnership was perfect,clinching atriumphant 6-3, 6-4, 10-4 win over Maffra and putting Sale on the scoreboard.

In Senior Section 2, Stratford extended their

winningstreak against Heyfield, securing a comfortable 6-3 victory.

Thedynamic duo of Mark Kennedy and David Auldset thetone for Stratford,narrowly defeating Adam Leenders and Michael Smith in an 8-6 set.

Anna Norris, who is always aconsistent and reliable teammate, joined forces with Emma Nowak, prevailing in ahard-fought set against Heyfield's Cayla Silvester and Leesa Danks.

In Junior Section 1, Bairnsdaleismaking aname for itself as the giant killers after delivering another shock upset against top-ranked Sale Intersport.

Theylook likethe Section 1in-form teamcoming intothe finalscountdown havingalsodefeated second-placed Maffra last round.

Bairnsdale dominated in singles, losing only one of the four matchups.

Campbell Scottsecureda6-3 victory against Andre Wasserman, while Angus Tanner triumphed over Jay Davies with a6-1 score. The most resounding win came fromBellaPrice, who heldIntersport's Sam Crouch to none.

Thedoubles were acloser call. Priceand Tanner teamed up against Intersport'sCrouch and Davies, emerging victorious in ahard-fought match with ascoreline of 7-5. Intersport clinched one of their three sets won of the day in another close doubles match, 7-5.

In Junior Section 2, the highly anticipated clash

between table-toppers Sale Dawson Street Food and second-placed Briagolong-Stratford delivered an unexpected upset. Sale succumbed three setstofive Briagolong-Stratford, havingwon only two of their last five matches, faced the challenge of reasserting theirdominance and reminding everyonewhy they are ranked in the top two.

Butmoreimportantly,this win willrenewthe team's confidence heading into the semi-finals in two weeks.

Briagolong-Stratford will play third-ranked Sale Ideal Hearing this coming Saturday.

ROUND 14 RESULTS

 SENIORS

Section 1: Maffra CSC 3def Sale Dahlsens 1, Sale KFC vMaffraWellington Real Estate (no scoresupplied), Maffra Gippsland Real Estate -BYE.

Section 2: Stratford6def Heyfield 3, Maffra All Round Landscapes 7def Sale Findex2,Sale Central Storage 7def Maffra O’Briens 2, Longford- BYE.

Section3: Maffra Stobies 7def MaffraWilmours 2, Stratford5def Briagolong 4, Heyfield-Longford5def Sale Glencoe Lime 4.

 JUNIORS

Section1: Maffra 4def Sale Sambuilt 4, Bairnsdale 5def Sale Intersport 3, Sale Khayaam vLongford-Sale (no scoresupplied).

Section 2: Longford4def Maffra 4, Briagolong-Stratford5 def Sale Dawson Street Food 3, Sale IdealHearing -BYE.

Section3: Bairnsdale Rafters8Longford0,SaleRiviera

Signs 8def Bairnsdale Alcott 0, Maffra 7def Maffra 1, Heyfield -BYE.

Section 4: Bairnsdale Laver 5def Maffra 3, Sale Gippsland Mortgage Solutions 8def Sale John Elliman

Real Estate 0, Sale Ashwood Homes 5 def Stratford 3, Sale Phillipsons vBairnsdale Seven Sundays (no score supplied), Sale WG&M -BYE.

Section 5: SaleGraze Family Bistro5def Bairnsdale 1, Sale Gippsland Custom Pools vSale Highgrove Bathrooms (no scoresupplied), Briagolong -BYE.

Section 6: SaleSpecsavers6def Maffra Volleys 0, Heyfield 4def Maffra Aces 2, Bairnsdale Hewitt 6def Stratford0(via forfeit).

Section 7: Sale Mansi on Raymond 4def Nambrok 2, Bairnsdale 4def Longford1,Maffra -BYE.

Nambrok history markedwithrevitalisation

TENNIS was played at Nambrok from the early 1920s and the firstcourt was grass-built on the north side of the Nambrok Hall.

There was only one team fielded for anumberof years until the Soldier Settlers became part of the community in the early 1950s.

Around 1957, the Bowman family donated wool to the club for members to bale. This increased Nambrok Tennis Club funds by 120 pounds and together with fundraising from afilm night and aChristmashamper, as well as from the hall committee who contributed 100 pounds towards the project, two new courts were built in 1959 on the present site.

This saw two teams (A and BGrade)entered into the Heyfield and District Tennis Association (HDTA).

The courts were opened on October 4, 1959 by Councillor AlisterJones. President of the club was Ted Bowman and Marj Mason was secretary/ treasurer. Subs (member subscription) was five shillings.

The clubgrewinthe 1960s, with agrant received fromthe RosedaleShire in 1964,and underthe leadership of Ron Pietersen, athird court was built.

Fundraisingincluded Saturday night dances, street stalls, tournaments and car trials.

Three senior teams and two junior teams were entered in the HDTA, which later became SaleHeyfield Tennis Association (SHTA).

Two umpire stands were built by Norm Northway. Tennis balls were $8.60 adozen. Forty children had professionaltennis coaching in theschool holidays with Bob Leviston from Yinnar. Subs were $4 for gentlemen, $3 for ladies and 50 cents for juniors. Ball money was 40 cents per week.

The NambrokAReserve team won premierships in 1968 and 1969.Playerswere Ray Northway, Roger Bond, Laurie Williams, Marj Mason,Laura Baker and Mary Lees.Marj Masonwas madea life member in 1969.

In the 1970s,under the leadershipofRob A’Hearne and Roger Bond, asheltershed was erected at the club but afternoon tea was held in the supper room of the hall.

Up to three senior teams and two junior teams were competing; subs were $10 for seniors and $3 for juniors.

In 1978, the AReserve side won the Grand Final. Ian Kendell led the club in the 1980s. Fundraising became significant,with street stalls,

fashion parades, afootballers day, catering for clearingsales, country andwestern nights, discos, trips to Oaks Day, bush dancing, dress upsand raffles.

In 1984, the club purchased abungalow from the Sale Caravan Park in York Street. This was moved and renovated with two large windows putinthe front. Aconcrete area was built and apergola with shadecloth was attached. The area became very well used for the next 10 years.

Nambrok won senior and junior premierships in 1981,1986, 1987 and 1988. Kendell was made a life member in 1987.

In the 1990s, the numberofSaturday teams continued to increase, and the biggest changes took place with afourth court added. All courts were synpaved, lights were added and the relocation of the clubroom saw inclusion of toiletsand averanda.

Juniormembership increased with Lyn Bradley and Jan Munckton coordinating the nine teams.

All this went hand-in-hand with the inclusion of two teams in the Ladies Mid-Week competition in 1991 -Annette Field and Barb Yates were the instigators.

The interest just continued to increase and by the end of the 1990s the club had 10 ladies teams competing.

In 1993, Jan Munckton was made life member.

By the 1997-98 season the club had five senior and nine junior teams with Section 5seniors and Section 4, 5, and 9winning premierships.

Also in 1997, Sportand Recreation Victoria informed the club they had been successful in obtaining a$13,000 grant, enabling them to relocate the clubrooms to the northsideofthe courts at Nambrok Recreation Reserve.

Renovation included extensionstoinclude anew kitchen, toilets, averanda, disabled ramp and an undercover sandpit.

The clubroom wascompleted under the watchful eye of Jim DeVisser, who co-ordinated the project

from start to finish. More than 500 voluntary hours by club members hadmade it possible. It was opened by Marj Mason in July 1998 with a huge crowd attending. By this stage, membership had grown to 167.

In the 2000s, the club continued to be the hub of socialactivities, with TwilightTennis on Thursdays for men and Wednesdays for ladies.

This created an outletfor busy farmerstoget together for achatand abeer, as well as agame of tennis.

Fundraising continued with bus trips to Melbourne,Rodney Vincent Night, catering at the Murray Goulburn Harvest Festival and raffles. Many of the juniors from the 90s moved on and less were available.

In the 2010s, theladies mid-week comp continued but with only two teams.

The seniorscouldn’t fieldateamand junior numbers reduced, so by 2017 there were no seniors in the Saturday competition.

Still, there was astrongcontingency of men and women playing twilight tennis each week and supporting the club through fundraising with aclearing sale, sausage sizzle, raffles and fundraiser at the greyhounds. Twilight tennissubs were $10 per week which included ball money, ameal and one beer. The clubrooms werepainted by theNambrok Rec Reserve Committee and junior coaching was offered in the school holidays.

Come the 2020s, two junior teams were entered into the Wellington Gippsland TennisAssociation.

Wellington Shire were looking at upgrading the Nambrok Recreation Reserve by establishing a multi-use facility for netball and tennis.

With the onset of COVID-19 in 2021, play was suspended at times.

There was still one team of juniorsplaying Saturday comp and coaching for 20 children during the school holidays.

In 2022/23 therewas two ladies teams,one junior team and 18 children joinedupfor six weeks of tennis coaching.

Last year was abig year for the club,with the building of the multi-use facility.

The original facility was transformed into an open flexipavearea that consistsoftwo vast netball courts or four tennis courts at acost of $780,000 from combined funding from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Wellington Shire, local clubs, sponsors and grants.

Photo:

Nambrok Recreation Reserve’snew courts after flexipave. Photo: Wellington ShireCouncil

Huge turnout for MaffraTriathlon

ErikaAllen

ROADS were closed as triathletes of all ages and skill levels made asplash at the annualMaffra Triathlon on Sunday.

The chill of the morning gave way to asunlit day, providing ideal conditions for participants to swim, ride, and run their hearts out.

This is the fifth year that the Riviera Triathlon Club has hosted the event at the Maffra Lawn Tennis Club.

Event organiser, Matt McQuillen said the event is getting bigger and bigger every year, attracting serious triathletes and many kids.

“We have about 220 participants in total and probably three quarters of those are kids,” McQuillen said.

“The main thing is to come and have fun and for the kids its all about participation, its not arace as such -that’s what we try to promote.”

Ninety children conquered the modified kids' courses in the junior categories, suggesting a promising nextgenerationoftriathletes. Those interested in pursuing the sport were encouraged to join aclub or take up swimming lessons.

After completing their events, kidsenjoyed icy poles on the sidelines while cheering for their parents in the senior divisions.

The solo division attracted dedicated athletesand relay teams seeking afun challenge.

Bairnsdale's Arki Vardy showed his strong athletic pedigree by seizing an early lead in the solo Men's Opendivision,emerging as the frontrunner after the first swim leg.

Harry Whitford, competing in the Under 18 male category, closely trailed him, and they exited the bike interchange neck-and-neck.

Ben Osmond posted astrongbikeleg, using the seven-kilometre ride to his advantage as he took the lead into the run.

Vardy picked up the pace and shadowed Osmond into the 1500-metremarkofthe run leg,but at the second swim, Vardy surged ahead, securing a commanding lead that went unchallenged for the rest of the race.

Whitford displayed composure and determination, maintaining his lead in the Under 18 men's.

Young gun Dempsey Podmore triumphed in the Under 16 male division.

In the Open Women’s, Mia Whitford posted astrong swim leg, placing her at acomfortable advantage.

Similarly to the men's competition, Whitford faced aformidable challenger in Molly Irvine, who seized the leadand demonstrated her strength in both running and cycling sections of the race.

In the Over50women’sdivision,Liz Kenny took out the title.

It was acompetitive race in the Over 50 men’s thatsaw Dale Ingletontriumph, while Matt Currie placed second, and Jeff Francis third.

Wellington Shire Councillor, Carmel Ripper presented medals on theday and embraced the sporting spirit by riding into Maffra on her E-Bike.

Cr Ripper commendedthe RivieraTriathlon

Club and Maffra LawnTennis Clubonthe event's success, giving special recognition to the dedicated volunteers who ensured the day ran seamlessly.

MAFFRATRIATHLON 2024 RESULTS

Open Men’s: Arki Vardy(winner), Ben Osmond (second), Simon Whitford(third).

Open Women’s:Molly Irvine (winner), Mia Whitford (second), Emma Lazzaro(third).

Over 50 Men’s:Dale Ingleton (winner), Matt Currie (second), Jeff Francis (third).

Over 50 Women’s:Liz Kenny (winner).

Under 18 Boys:Harry Whitford(winner), Odi Vardy (second), Charlie De Fazio (third).

Under 16 Boys: DempseyPodmore(winner).

Players wanted fornew season

MAFFRAHockeyClubispreparing for the 2024 season.

The new season beginsinApril,with training starting Thursday, March 14. This season, the East Gippsland Hockey Association competition has made changes to the age grading, resulting in the junior competition being Under 10, U12, U14, U16 and U18. There willalsobeawomen’s competitionand

an open men’s competition in 2024.

Maffra welcomes new players in all competitions.

The club is looking to increasethe number of men players.

If you would like to give hockey atry, or you are aformer player looking to come back into the game, youcan get in touch with theMaffra Hockey Club via maffrahockeyclub@gmail.com

SCOREBOARD

Sale Golf Club

Saturday, February 24:

Men's MedleyAmbrose:M Durrant/J Collins/J Howsen 55nett; second: SHarrap/KFlint/G Bennett57.67cb; third: PMcNaughton/M Brickle/N Board57.67; fourth: Mark Benfield, Matt Benfield, DGall 58.5.

Scratch winners: SFren/P Knight/P Cousins 62.

DTL:GSchaper/A Patten/L Wain 58.67,J Hargreaves/K McDonald/F McDonald 59, C Markovic/B Shingles/J Norris 59.34, JBall/T Potter/L McKeever 60.

NTP:3rd HSilby,6th PHildebrand, 11th RGough, 14th DGaskill. Progressive NTP 3rd: HSilby2660.

Maffra Golf Club

Saturday, February 24:

Men's MedleyPar:

AGrade:COliver5.BGrade: RToma: 3. CGrade: FRobbins 5.

DTL:GMcQuillen 5, BMoyle 2, DCameron 1, M Nicholls 1, THumphryis 1, PAnderson 0, CMerlo 0, PPerry 0, ITempleton 0, RYann 0. NTP:2nd GBrayshaw,7th BMoyle,11th B McDonald.

Sale Bridge Club

Thursday,February 15:

1CCheyne/S Baldwin; 2LRobinson/J Sherrin; 3 CHolman/ISherrin.

Monday, February 19: NS 1DLove/M Castle, CJenkins/L Bjorksten, 3J Foster/H Porter.E/W 1R &H Gault, D&VBrahan, 3B&RCastles.

Wednesday, February 21: 1RGault/R Ziffer; 2LNedelko/L Bjorksten; 3C VanLier/J Page.

More than200 participants, including 90 children, competedinthis year’s Maffra Triathlon.

The Over50men’smedalpresentation saw Jeff Francis (third), Dale Ingleton (first) andMatt Currie(second) on thepodium.

MollyIrvine(middle) triumphed in the Open Women’s division,while Mia Whitford(left) was runner-up andEmma Lazzaro(right) came third. Photos: ErikaAllen

Maffra HockeyClub is calling on prospective players to join for the new season.

Photo: Contributed

Local exports back in action Battle of the Birds in the boxing ring

TomHayes

FOOTY season is back.

Well, not entirely, but thosewho have waited since the end of September last year finally have something to watch.

Two weeks of AFL preseason have gotten underway,with practice matches giving fans a small glimpse of what they may expect from their clubs in 2024.

In the first week of practice matches, anumber of locals tooktothe stage for the first timethis year, while there were also some notable absentees.

FOR afixture that would usually see a local player on bothsides,there were nonein Collingwoodand North Melbourne’s preseason match.

Collingwood decided to restthe legs of Sale veteran Scott Pendlebury, and he wasn’t the only one who missed out, as the Magpies looked to inject their youth and new recruits.

North Melbourne also rested Sale’s Charlie Comben, who is returning fromahorrificleg injury. The tall might be able to fill the void left by Ben

McKay this season, after he left the Kangaroos’ defence to join Essendon.

The Kangaroos dispatched the Magpies by about six goals, although Collingwood were without a handful of big names.

IN Brisbane’s hit-out with Gold Coast, Yarram’s Josh Dunkley revealed his new skinhead look as he stepped onto the field for the first time this season.

Dunkley was notable in the Lions midfield, but was perhaps overshadowed by medium forwardturned midfielderCam Rayner,who steppedup in the absence of dual Brownlow MedallistLachie Neale.

Dunkley was able to drift forward and kick a goal,something that Raynerwasn’t able to do, but nonetheless, the Lions will only see this as a positive for this time of the year.

AFTER managing just threegamesfor the Crows last year, Maffra's Sam Berry was finally back in action against Port Adelaide.

Berry suffered adifficult 2023 with injury, but the Crow seemingly got through the simulation unscathed.

Astonishingly, after four quarters, the two South Australiansidescouldn'tbeseparated, with their

practice matchending in a14.9 (93)-all draw

MAFFRA'S Max Knobel had his firstrun on the park as aDocker, completing ruck duties alongside Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson.

Hoping to play againsthis Mafframate, Coby Burgiel, it wasn't meant to be as Burgiel missed out once again for the Eagles.

It appears it will get worse before it gets better for WestCoast, as their injury-ravaged list continues to be taking abeating.

Knobel, last year admitted he is happy to play the long game to earn an AFL debut, and with the likesofDarcyand Jackson in the squad it won't be easy.

But, at least after this simulation the Dockers will have abetter idea of whatthey're working with.

Fremantle put the Eagles away by nearly nine goals at the weekend, but the scoreline could've read alot better for West Coast if they kicked straight, scoring 5.16 (46) for the afternoon.

The final week of preseason matches will be played this week.

The AFL season begins on Thursday, March 7.

Missen the bestofthe bunch in NTFL

WOODSIDE’S heart and soul DanielMissen has put in theideal preseason, winningaleague best and fairest in the Northern Territory.

Like many Gippslanders before him, Missen made the move north this summer to play a season in the topend during the Northern Territory's dry season.

Playing for the Palmerston Magpiesinthe NorthernTerritory FootballLeague, Missen took out the PremierReserves league best and fairest.

The utility played 11 games in the reserves, and was listed in the best for his club 10 times. His consistency was rewarded with senior selection three times.

Unfortunately, Palmerstonhad atorrid season in both grades, finishing last in the seniors and seventh of nine teams in the reserves.

TheNTFL is into the second week of its finals campaign, with the season to finish March 16.

Missen has been amainstay at the Wildcats, and was co-captain of the senior team that made last year's North Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final.

Woodside footballers Daniel Missen, Jez Morgan andJoh FytheinDarwinrecently playing for PalmerstonMagpies. Missen hasplayedthe full season up north, winning aleague bestand fairestinthe Northern Territory FootballLeague.

Photos: Contributed

SALE Football-Netball Club senior football playing-coach, Jack Johnstone and Maffra FNC senior captain, Daniel Bedggood are set to glove up, in an exhibition bout put on by Wildfighter.

Thepairwill go toe-to-toe at the Gippsland RegionalSportsComplex, in whatis anticipated to add another chapter to the Sale-Maffra rivalry.

Whiletechnical boxing might not be in alocal footballers repertoire, the ultra-competitive nature of Johnstone and Bedggoodmeans they are unlikely to take abackward step once they set foot inside the ring.

Adding spice to the contest is the fact the two are premiership teammatesatthe Eagles. Johnstone left Maffra to join the Magpies as senior coach in 2021.

Both are accustomed to big hits on the football field, with Bedggood playing centre half forward and Johnstone as ahard-nosed midfielder.

The pair will be competing for the newly-instigated 'Gippsland LeagueLight Heavyweight Title', with atrophy struck up for what Wildfighter hopeswill become an annual tradition.

The winner of the fightcouldgive their side an early psychological edge for the Gippsland Leagueseason, as the two clubs playeach other in the opening round on April 6.

Bedggood versus Johnstone will take place Saturday, March 23.

The pair are holding apress conference tomorrow at GRSC from 10am, in anticipation for the weigh-in before the fight.

Tickets to Wildfighterare on sale now, visit wildfighter.com.au for details.

Rosedale hasalso hadafew players plying their trade in theNorthern Territory over summer.Pictured alongside Woodside’s Daniel Missen, Joh Fythe and Jez Morgan are Blues Will Logan, RileyAtlee, Spencer Fox and Oscar Smith.

Target Time No.0199

Maffra’s SamBerrygot through his return game unscathed as the Crowsdrewwith thePower in apreseason hit-out

Yarram’s Josh Dunkleysportsafresh look in Brisbane’sfirst preseason match against GoldCoast Photos:AFL Photos

Nothing set in stone just yet

Liam Durkin

SOMETHING must have disturbedold Mother Cricket at the weekend.

Just when you thought the last couple of rounds in the Sale-MaffraCricket Association had little meaning or consequence, along came last Saturday. Results from Round 13 well and truly snapped the competition off its axis, setting up amad dash to the finish line over the next two weekends.

While most of the final four appeared all but set this time last week, there are now anumberof hypotheticals on the cards.

IncredibleresultswereachievedbySale,Yarram and Boisdale-Briagolong, which could all have ramifications when the final ladder is sorted.

Just how tight margins can be in atournament style competition were perhaps best summed up by Stratford.

The Redbacks stand to be the greatest loser from the weekend, missing awin by one wicketthat would have put them within two points of securing ahome final, to now be playing for their season in the last round.

WATCH out for Briag next season.

The Saints reeled in Bundalaguah’s imposing total of 284 on Saturday -and quiteeasily too it must be said

Taking to their home deck, Boisdale-Briagolong

smashedthe required runs with nearly nine overs left in the day, and for the loss of only four wickets.

South African superstar Kev Renecke once again showed why he was so highly touted in the offseason.

The big-hittertook full advantage of areportedly flat deck, whacking127 at the top of the order, scorching 15 balls into the fence.

Joininginthe action was Adrian Burgiel, who made atypically crash-and-bash style 78 not out. The veteran slammed six balls over the fence, as well as 11 into it.

Others to get among the runs were Mason Annear and skipper Dylan Bolton.

Annear made themostofhis opportunity at first drop, getting to 38, whileBolton was out in the middle as the winning runs were hit.

The skipper ended on 25 not out, in what was some good reward for aman whohas put alot into trying to resurrectfortunes out in the Briag bush.

While the Saints will missfinals, the work of Bolton andcolooks to have set the club on the right path forward.

Getting Burgiel back as playing-coach, and Renecke as an international have been key assets, as has returning young locals such as Annear and Ed Phelan-Penson.

From the outset, Burgiel was under no illusions the challenge of taking on aBoisdale-Briagolong side that had finished on the bottom of the ladder

last season was going to be achallenge, but was bullish all the same about the side’s chances of finishing midtable, maybe scrapping into the top four.

With one game to go, it looks like the Saints will finisharound this mark(sixth),meaning things could be on track for next season.

Such aposition is afar cry from only six months ago, when therewas sometalkinlocal cricket circles about whether or not Boisdale-Briagolong were even going to get ateam on the park.

Beating top-two side Bundalaguah is BoisdaleBriagolong’s best win for the season, but it shouldn’t be forgotten the Saints only lost to reigning premier Collegians by two runs.

Hadthatresult gone theirway, they wouldbe playing for aspotinthe finals this coming round.

Off spinner Johandre Barnard had some success with the ball for Bundalaguah, taking 2/91.

ROSEDALE-KILMANY climbed off the bottom of the ladder.

The Warriors got the desired result against Longford.

Travelling to Stephenson Park, the visitor’s struck at regular intervals to see their opponents rolled for 130 chasing 226.

Having Brad Scott available on Day 2benefited RK greatly,and the seamer gave littleaway in his eightovers that returned figures of 1/14.

Bundyclinchone day silverware

LiamDurkin

BUNDALAGUAH got an early taste of premiership glory, winning the Sale-Maffra CricketAssociation One Day Final on Sunday.

The Bulls secured the Fischer Cup after edging out Stratford in athrilling white ball final.

The finalcame downtothe last overatColin Wrigglesworth Oval, with the home side scraping through to chase 170 with four balls to spare.

Stratford gotaway to aflyer after beingasked to have ahit. Despite losing an early wicket, left handers and the two Jacks, Rietschel and Tatterson, batted with ease in the first 10 overs.

The pair showed expert placement, and awillingness to take the game on, hitting over the top while the field was up.

Rietschel looked well and trulyset, getting to 36 off 38 balls, only to walk past one off Johandre Barnard and into the handsofwicket-keeper Nathan French, who gratefully accepted the invitation to stump his ex-teammate.

Frenchhad earlier thrown downthe stumps from fine leg, no mean feat for akeeper sprinting some 80 metres with pads on.

Tatterson fell ashort time after Rietschel for 44 aftergoing fora reversepaddle, only to pick out Hayden Wrigglesworth at short fine.

WithBarnard injected into the game on awicket that was turning, the off spinner got the game back on the Bulls’ terms.

He dismissed both Channings,Lachlan and Ben, and probably would have had Bohdi Walker second ball if mid off had been up.

As it was, Walker was able to get off the mark, and his innings carried even more importance as the Redbacks needed someone to bat through.

Walker did amightyjob, and ended with 60 off 63 balls.

The left hander smashed six fours and one six to be last man out in the penultimate over.

Barnard proved ahandful, taking 4/29 off eight, while Lachlan Wrigglesworth grabbed 2/8 and Steve Spoljaric 2/28.

With bowling arguably the Redback’s strength, it set up an intriguing run chase.

Bundalaguah openers Jason Langshaw and JamesReadgave their side the perfect start, putting on 57 for the first wicket.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, both men fell either side of each other without adding arun,and when Hayden Wrigglesworth was dismissed second ball, the score was suddenly 3/57.

Spoljaric and Toby O’Reilly then went about

rescuing the innings, andwere able to take the score into triple figures.

Spoljaric played adefiant hand, combining with the lower order, chewing away at the

However, Stratford kept taking wickets, whenthe dangerousJakeWynd wasdismissed withoutscoring, the game was left precariously placed at 6/140.

Rohan Diamond however was the main thorn in Longford’s side.

If he doesn’t do it with the bat, he can do it with the ball, and Diamond broke the game open with 3/29.

He was well supported by Dylan Rowley,who took 2/28.

Brett McMaster did his best for the Lizards, making apatient 40 off 85 balls (with two sixes), but unfortunately for Longford, their cardwas plagued with six batsmen making single figures.

Ahighlight came when Kirrily Brucetook the last wicket of the first innings.

Bruce became the first female to play first grade cricket for the Warriors afortnight ago, and now has an AGrade wicket to her name.

Rosedale-Kilmany batted again for nineovers, finishing on 3/27.

Nick Walker had some joy for Longford, taking 3/10.

MAFFRA had the bye.

The Eagles, perhaps controversially, used their first grade bye to strengthen theirseconds, who now have ahome final all but secured.

Chris Lawrence, who is in the top five on the SMCA first grade batting aggregate, suited up for the Maffra’sSecond XI, and proceeded to make 135 against Stratford.

The dismissal of Spoljaric for 49 left the game open at 7/145, and with time running out, the Bulls needed someone to find some boundaries.

That theydid in the form of Sam Bedggood, who played calmly to remain unbeaten on 17, as the winning runs were hit right at the depth.

Rietschel took4/31 off eight overs withthree maidens, and Tatterson 2/21 off the same number, taking the same number of maidens.

Bundalaguah won the Fischer Cupon

Sunday, making them One Day Champions for season 2023/24 in Sale-Maffra

Carman and Glover to the rescue

Liam Durkin

EVERYnumber11has one great innings in them.

Sale foundanunlikelyhero at the weekend, with last man in Lachlan Carman steering the Swans to amemorable win against Stratford.

Withthe Swans seemingly gonefor all moneyat 9/67 chasing 132, Carman defied everything that is ordinarily expected of atailender.

Combining with number six Hayden Glover, the pair nudged, noodled and eventually knocked off the required total, amid scenes of absolute disbelief at Sale Oval.

That Carman did most of the scoring as well only added to what unfolded.

That Stratford bowler Jack Tatterson took 8/63 went against every data point usually associated with ateam winning agame of cricket.

Eight-fa in alosing side. Are you kidding?

Tatterson looked likehewas goingtotakeall 10 at one stage.Healready hadfiveunderhis belt by thetime Day2started, and struck the first three wickets to fall when play resumed.

The medium pacer took his first two wickets back-to-back, and when he trapped key Sale bat

Nathan Massey lbw with aballthat reportedly kept low, the Redback openers may well have been thinkingitwas time to think aboutbattingagain.

They could have been excused for thinking along theselines, as the the scoreboard at thatstage was 8/66.

Bohdi Walker stopped apossible Tatterson 10, cleaning up Michael O’Brien to leave the Swans still 65 runs short when Carman walked to the middle to join Glover.

With the odds seemingly stacked against them, the pair showed great tenacity in the face of nearcertain defeat.

While theyweren’t prepared to go downswinging, they wereatleastprepared to not go downwithout afight.

After all, there was too much at stake to go down swinging -Saleneeded to win to secure the minor premiership.

Slowly but surely,Carmanand Glover got to work ticking down the runs.

The pair only had three bowlerstonegotiate, as Stratford used Walker, Tatterson and Jack Rietschel exclusively.

Aided by awicket that had flattened out, Carman and Glover had no troubledefending,which meant scoringeventuallyfreed up as the Redback’sattack tired.

HaydenGlover sawSaletoanincrediblevictory overStratfordatthe weekend. Needing 65 to win with one wicket in hand,Glover andnumber 11 LachlanCarman guided the Swans over theline. Photo:Tom Parry(File)

Such an outcome might have meant things levelledout forboth sides. As well as Massey, it is understood there was adegree of good fortune as much as good bowling aligned with some of the previous dismissals.

As the required runs became lower and lower, tensions rose to boiling point.

Getting it down to single figures, Glover went for glory, but only managed to sky the ball toward long off.

The ball hung in the air, but crashed to the earth and fell between three fielders.

With that went the game, and Stratford’s hopes

of gaining ahome final.

Therewasn’t to be another chance, and by the time Carmanwas dismissed, Sale had won on first innings, and had alead of nine runs.

Carman walked off to round applause for his 96-ball epic that yielded 37 of the best runs he is ever likely to make.

Amazingly,Glover faced one ball less, and made 47 not out.

Having taken three wickets on Day 1, the left hander played akey role in seeing the Swans over the line.

Tatterson’s effort could not go unnoticed, with

1-0-4-0, LMowat 0.5-0-6-1

LONGFORDV ROSEDALE-KILMANY at StephensonPark RK

MFloyd lbwDRowley ......................................9

BMcMasterstC Freshwater bK Bruce 40

AHeywood bDRowley

COsborne

Sam

DRowley17-3-28-2, BReid 6-1-16-0, BScott 8-1-14-1,R

Diamond 8-2-29-3, William Smith-Norris 3-1-8-0

SMCA Ladder

ONE ROUND TO PLAY

Sale -48points

Bundalaguah -42

Yarram -36

Stratford -34

Collegians -34

Boisdale-Briaglong -28

Maffra -22

Rosedale-Kilmany -18

Longford-18

STATEOFPLAY

Stratfordplays Collegians next round. Winner plays finals.

Yarram playsRosedale-Kilmany. Yarram can secureahome final with an outright Bundalaguah has the bye.

Sale hasminor premiership sewn up

his 8/63 coming from 29 overs with eight maidens.

The Redback’swere forced to bat out6.5 overs in their second innings.

Lachlan Channing slapped 26 off 19 balls, in what afairly pointless exercise.

Sale showed its carefree attitude toward the second dig, evengivingwicket keeperDan Padula atrundle

TheSwans arenow mathematically assured of finishing on top of the ladder. Sale is sixpointsclear of Bundalaguah, who havethe bye in thelastround.

Finishing on top will not only give Sale ahome final, but semi-final immunity should wet weather intervene.

Conversely, Stratford, who had not lost agame since early November (albeit with washouts and byes in that same time), now need to win their last game of the regular season against Collegians just to play finals.

TOP TRI

Maffra Triathlon Open Men’s place getters Simon Whitford (third), Ben Osmond (second) and Arki Vardy(first) are all smiles after completing Sunday’s gruelling challenge.

Flanking the trio is Wellington ShireCouncillor,Carmel Ripper, who presented the medals. STORY-PAGE28

Photo: ErikaAllen

Collegians crushed under Scott epic

LiamDurkin

WHAT aremarkable cricketer.

An innings for the ages from Anthony Scott propelled Yarram to victory overCollegiansin Round 13 of the Sale-Maffra Cricket Association.

Chasing 160, with their season on the line, and opposed to the quickest bowler in the competition in Nathan Whitford, Scott put 10 teammates on hisshoulders as he plundered the ball to all parts of College Oval on Saturday.

Scott ended up on 194, out of atotal of 9/272.

That’s more than 70 per cent of Yarram’s score.

The next highest score after Scott was 23.

Resuming with the score 1/58, the hard-hitting opener picked up where he left off on Day 1. Scott had already looked ominous, getting to 51 off just 56 balls, but no one in their right mind could have predicted what was to follow.

As he was finding little output fromothers in the

top order,Scott decided there wasonlyone person who could see the Pelicans overthe line -and that was him.

He reached his century,and kept batting.

He then reached 150, and just kept batting.

Having gone past the required total, Scott had a double ton in his sights, and was on the verge of creating history,onlytofallsix runs short.

One look at the scorecardhighlighted his dominance andsavagery.

His 194 consisted of 134 in boundariesalone.

He hit an astonishing 26 fours (equating to 104 runs), andfive sixes duringhis 189 ball stay.

Add to this the fact Scott has been playinginjured, and there is surely acase to rate this innings as one of the greatest ever seen in the SMCA.

The Pelicans got the percentages in their favour, with batsmen working around Scott, getting him on strike and seeing off balls themselves.

Most batsmen throughout the card got through

20-40 balls, which allowed Scott to find the rope.

On aday of amazement, perhaps the most mesmeric statistic came in the partnership between Scott and Jack Collins,who has gainedareputation for solid stone-walling in recent times.

The pair put on 73 for the seventh wicket -and Collins made aduck.

That Yarram managed to add another 25 runs onceScott was dismissed was also noteworthy given the circumstances.

Collegians found themselves hapless, but not necessarily hopeless in the Scott storm.

Interestingly, none of their bowlers (apart from Nathan Giove who went at 10.75), returned alarmingly high economy rates.

Kristian Veal ended with tidy figures of 2/26, while Mark Nicholls nabbed 4/22 off 6.1 overs.

The rest wentbetween four and six,and given thenumberofboundaries Scott hit, there was still agreat number of dotballs bowled.

In the wash-up, an element that possibly went unnoticedwas just how much this win was needed for Yarram, who hadn’t actually won agame since Round8-the week before Christmas.

Beating Collegians jumped the Pelicans from fifth to third, and in aremarkable turn of events, they are now agood chance of securing ahome semi. Yarram plays seventh-placed Rosedale-Kilmamy in the last round, and will finish the regular season second on the ladder if they can take 10 points from an outright.

As fate would have it, Scott’s brother Brad plays for the Warriors, and Anthonyhimself played most of his cricket there before work took him to Yarram.

Adding to Saturday’s victory was the fact the Pelicans scores since their last win had been 78, 122 and 81 -and that 122 was aloss to bottom side Longford. Cricket just doesn’t make sense sometimes.

More SMCA-Page31