Latrobe Valley Express Wednesday 14 January 2026

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WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY, 2026

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Fire fury Local authorities are helping battle a number of blazes across the state, including the Dargo/Alpine National Park (pictured). Fortunately, the Latrobe Valley has been spared (so far), but a State of Disaster is currently in force at nearby regions. By KATRINA BRANDON

LATROBE Valley residents braved extreme temperatures last week, as much of the state battled horrendous bushfires. Temperatures climbed into the 40s last Wednesday, while thick smoke from bushfires across Victoria choked the air on Friday. Fortunately, no bushfires were recorded for the Latrobe Valley. Local crews spent the weekend tending to fires around Dargo. A State of Disaster has been declared by the Premier until early next month for 18 LGAs, including the Wellington Shire, which borders Latrobe City at places like Rosedale and Heyfield. A Total Fire Ban was in place from last Wednesday to Sunday, with temperatures in Latrobe reaching a high of 43 degrees on Friday, damaging winds, and conditions that exacerbated the danger. A storm also swept through the area. The State Control Centre released a statement on Friday morning, saying

the Friday fire danger will be the worst across Victoria since the Black Summer in 2019/20. Catastrophic and Extreme Fire conditions have been forecast across the state. Around Gippsland, multiple towns also lost power and mobile networking due to the severity of the winds from Friday afternoon into Sunday. Multiple structures fires were also seen over the past few days, including a house fire on Churchill Road, Morwell on Thursday (January 8). On Thursday, a false alarm was raised on the Vic Emergency app, showing a “bushfire” along Boola Boola Rd in the Yallourn North area, which was soon removed from the app. While it was a false alarm, the situation served as a reminder that fires can occur anywhere and at any time under extreme conditions. Two major fires, caused by dry lightning, were seen throughout the state, including a massive fire in the northern Victorian town of Longwood. It was large enough to create its own weather system and deemed

'catastrophic' and 'unpredictable'. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) is warning people to be prepared to leave when conditions reach extreme levels before they become catastrophic, and to limit travel unless they are evacuating an affected zone. Hitting a bit closer to home, a fire was seen at Lake Barracoota in Mallacoota. Residents were asked to stay informed as Forest Fire Management Victoria worked to bring it under control. Another bushfire was seen on the outskirts of Briagalong, reaching 0.04 hectares on Thursday, and another north of Talbotville/Dargo area continued to burn throughout the week, growing to five hectares by the end of Thursday. Around 6.40pm on Friday, people in the Black Snake Creek, Blomford, Budgee Budgee, Castleburn, Dargo, Gibbs and surrounding areas were told to leave immediately as fire conditions continued to get worse. Burning embers from multiple bushfires north of Wonnangatta in the Alpine National Park travelled up to 20 kilometres, rapidly starting

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numerous new fires around the area. CFA crews from the Wellington area made their way up to help in the Talbotville/Dargo bushfire. Authorities closed public land areas, such as public camping zones, to ensure safety, and that if something was to happen “out in the bush”, people would not find themselves in dangerous conditions on roads unknown or unfamiliar to them. With summer in full swing, authorities urge people to stay vigilant and keep up to date with warnings and conditions in their areas, monitor fires and daily weather updates via apps such as BoM, and plan for potential hazards. Under hot conditions, they also urge people to check on their neighbours and, if they are without air conditioning or other cooling methods at home, to seek shelter at nearby shopping centres. They also advise staying in touch with loved ones and listening to emergency broadcasting stations. More - Pages: 4-5

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Royal Commission has been called PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese finally yielded to public pressure, announcing a Federal Royal Commission into the Bondi terror attack. The Prime Minister had come under fire after repeatedly staving off announcing a Royal Commission, despite an avalanche of calls from some of the nation's leading figures. NewsCorp ran a number of full page adverts in its recent publications demanding action, while more than 60 of Australia's most prominent athletes countersigned an open letter to the PM. The government has asked Former High Court Justice the Hon Virginia Bell AC to serve as Commissioner. Ms Bell has the deep experience and expertise to conduct her inquiry in such a way that meaningfully examines the impact of antisemitism on the daily life of Jewish Australians – and works to promote social cohesion. The government has asked Commissioner Bell to report before the end of the year, and to ensure this inquiry does not prejudice any future criminal proceedings. The Royal Commission will cover four key areas, as set out in the Letters Patent. 1. Tackling antisemitism by investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society, and its key drivers in Australia, including ideologically and religiously motivated extremism and radicalisation; 2. Making recommendations that will assist law enforcement, border control, immigration and security agencies to tackle antisemitism, including through improvements to guidance and training within law enforcement, border control,

immigration, and security agencies to respond to antisemitic conduct. 3. Examining the circumstances surrounding the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack on December 14, 2025, and; 4. Making any other recommendations arising out of the inquiry for strengthening social cohesion in Australia and countering the spread of ideologically and religiously motivated extremism in Australia. To ensure this is a truly national Royal Commission, all states and territories will be asked

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TRARALGON Police impounded a vehicle after a driver allegedly attempted to evade officers by dangerously overtaking a truck on the wrong side of the road. Police later located the vehicle on Bank Street, Traralgon. The driver, a 40-year-old man, was found to be driving while disqualified, in breach of alcohol interlock conditions, and with incorrect number plates affixed to the vehicle. The car was impounded for 30 days, and the driver is expected to be summoned to court at a later date.

prevalence and nature of antisemitism and how to address it, the circumstances behind the Bondi attack, strengthening social cohesion and countering ideologically and religiously motivated extremism. "The Commission welcomes the announcement of the Royal Commission. We look forward to engaging with the Royal Commission and supporting its important work to help prevent future tragedies and to promote a safer, more inclusive Australia for all."

Chester backs ‘law-abiding’ gun owners By DAVID BRAITHWAITE

Task ahead: The Hon Virginia Bell AC will oversee the Royal Commission.

Photographs supplied

Enough is enough: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for a Royal Commission into last year’s Bondi terror attack.

Police Beat

to join the Commission looking at what happened. When Parliament returns, the government will also introduce new laws to criminalise hate speech and hate preachers, as well as deliver tougher gun laws. The news has been welcomed the Australian Human Rights Commission. "This devastating event deeply affected the victims, their families, the Jewish community, first responders and the broader Australian public," the Commission said in a statement. "The Royal Commission will inquire into the

MEMBER for Gippsland Darren Chester has warned the federal government's proposed changes to firearms laws will unfairly target rural and regional Australians, while failing to address the causes of the Bondi terrorist attack. Mr Chester accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of using gun law reform as a distraction from the government’s failure to act decisively on the growing threat of anti-Semitism and Islamic extremism in Australia. “The horrific terrorist attack at Bondi, which claimed the lives of 15 innocent JewishAustralians and left dozens more injured, has rightly been condemned around the world,” Mr Chester said. “It is a stain on our national soul, and my thoughts remain with the families whose lives have been changed forever.” Mr Chester said Australians expected strong leadership focused on preventing extremist violence, not rushed and ill-conceived policy changes that penalised people who have done nothing wrong. “Instead of confronting the hard issues around extremism, social cohesion and national security, the Prime Minister appears to be pursuing a knee-jerk response that unfairly targets lawabiding firearm owners, particularly in regional and rural communities like Gippsland,” he said. “Australia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. Farmers, hunters, and sporting shooters who comply with rigorous licensing requirements should not be punished because the government failed to act on repeated warnings about rising anti-Semitic threats.” In the wake of the Bondi attack last month, the federal government announced the establishment of a national gun buyback scheme to purchase surplus, newly-banned and illegal firearms. Australia’s gun laws were last substantially reformed following 1996 Port Arthur tragedy, with the current government saying the Bondi attack highlighted the need to finish the job the Howard government started on gun reform. The government will introduce legislation to support scheme funding, and meet the costs on a 50:50 basis, with the states and territories. The government proposed that states and

Yinnar left without "dough"

ARRIVING at work last on Tuesday, January 6, Yinnar Bakery, Coffee Shop & Grocery store found a massive hole in its front wall, where the town's public ATM machine was meant to be. At 1.39am, thieves jumped at the chance to take the ATM machine from the front window, doing major damage to the structural pillar support for the front of the building. Taking to Facebook, the bakery notified locals via the community group, letting them know that "the theft of the ATM machine left them with no dough".

territories be responsible for the collection, processing and payment to individuals for surrendered firearms. The Australian Federal Police will be responsible for the destruction of surrendered firearms. The government proposed for states and territories to agree to ambitious new gun law reforms no later than March, and for reforms to be legislated no later than July 1. The national gun buyback will support the delivery of the National Cabinet commitment to limit the number of firearms to be held by any one individual; limit open-ended firearms licencing and the types of guns that are legal; make Australian citizenship a condition of holding a firearm license; accelerate work on setting up the National Firearms Register, and allow additional use of criminal intelligence to underpin firearms licencing. “This national buyback scheme will help get guns off our streets, and help keep all Australians safe,” Prime Minister Albanese said. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said, a generation after the previous reforms, it was time to update gun laws "to keep our country safe". “We have to address the motivation and the method of these crimes. No one can justify why this household had so many firearms,” Mr Burke said. Mr Chester said firearms were used legitimately across Gippsland for pest control, farming, sport, and hunting, and these activities had nothing to do with the extremist violence seen at Bondi. “It wasn’t farmers or sporting shooters who carried out this terrorist attack,” he said. “This was an act of violent extremism, and the government’s focus should be on strengthening counter-terrorism measures, enforcing existing laws, and implementing the findings of its own Anti-Semitism Envoy, not taking rights away from law-abiding gun owners.” Mr Chester said the Liberal-National Coalition remained open to sensible, evidencebased reforms that closed genuine loopholes, but would not support measures that stripped rights from responsible firearm owners without any consultation.

Crime scene: Police taped off the area around the Yinnar Bakery as investigations into the ATM theft started. Photograph: Katrina Brandon

Church St stabbing

POLICE are investigating a stabbing that occurred in Morwell on Sunday, January 5. Officers were called to Church Street about 4pm following reports of an altercation between two men. A 35-year-old man sustained non-life-threatening injuries and later presented to a nearby medical centre. The offender fled the scene in a vehicle and remains outstanding. Investigations are ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam or CCTV footage, or any information, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at: www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Scene: Yinnar residents were left without an ATM, after thieves allegedly stole the machine from the town’s main street. Photograph: Katrina Brandon

Page 2 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Dough gone: Staff arrived to see the front section of the business severely damaged.

Photograph supplied

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Oversized load travelling through AN oversized load will make its way from Glen Waverly to Hazelwood North this Sunday (January 18) through to Monday (January 19). Drivers travelling between Melbourne and parts of Gippsland are being warned that there will be traffic disruptions over several nights, as two 55-metre-long loads make their way to the local area. There will be significant disruptions to traffic along the route at times, particularly when the loads travel on the wrong side of the road, resulting in rolling lane and intersection closures. The Department of Transport and Planning ask motorists to be patient when encountering the loads in transit, and to follow the direction of traffic controllers escorting the loads. There will be no designated viewing opportunities available, so they are asking the community to stay well clear for their own safety when the loads are in transit and when parked. Stopping on the freeway to view the loads is illegal, while drivers who fail to follow the direction of traffic management will delay this complex

operation and may put themselves and others at risk. Penalties may be enforced by Victoria Police and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The loads travel at speeds of up to 60km/h. When travelling over specific bridges or around corners, the loads will slow to around 5km/h. Due to their 4.5-metre width, these loads will take up the entire width of some roads, however there will be limited opportunities to pass under supervision of the specialist support crew. Traffic management officers and load escorts will accompany the load for the entire journey, making sure that roads are safe during and after the move. They will help to manoeuvre the vehicle safely around corners, temporarily removing signs and lights, placing steel supports over existing drainage, and will then put everything back in place once the load has passed through. Transport Victoria provides real-time traffic conditions and the latest public transport information at: transport.vic.gov.au

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Welcome relief NDIS contact for Churchill By PEACE IJIYERA

IT has been a long time coming, but Churchill will finally be getting new public toilets. Announced via Latrobe City Council's Facebook page, plans were finalised late last year, with construction expected to begin next month and finish around April 2026. There will be two DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant unisex toilets built by James G Morrison. The toilets will be located at Georgina Place near the Churchill Town Hall. Construction of the toilets has been made possible by the Council Support Program, which works to support regional councils to invest in projects that will benefit the community long term. Latrobe City Council was awarded $5 million dollars for the upgrades to sporting facilities, streetscapes, improved volunteer and sports participation, accessibility and inclusion programs and increased support for Aboriginal owned businesses. Latrobe City Mayor, Sharon Gibson welcomed the news. "We are delighted to inform the Churchill

Digital discrimination MEMBER for Gippsland East and Shadow Minister for Disability, Ageing, Carers and Volunteers, Tim Bull says the state government's push to move services exclusively online is unfairly disadvantaging seniors and other vulnerable Victorians. As government departments increasingly remove in-person services, paper forms and alternative payment options, many older Victorians are being left unable to access rebates, licences and concessions they are entitled to. “In a world where everything is being pushed online, the government has forgotten that not everyone can safely or confidently operate in the digital space,” Mr Bull said. “For many seniors, this is not a matter of convenience. It is a complete barrier to accessing essential services and support.” Examples include the state government’s Power Saving Bonus, which requires eligible pensioners, veterans and healthcare card holders to apply online or miss out entirely. Victorian Seniors Cards applications, CFA Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund tax

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READERS have reported trouble navigating the NDIS website: engage.ndis.gov.au The link was detailed in an Express story from the December 30, 2025 issue ('NDIS cuts affecting Gippslanders). The website works using a search engine such as Google Chrome. For further information, you can reach NDIS by using the website's contact form. The form can be accessed via: https://engage.ndis.gov.au/surveys/ secure_form/survey/contact-us-form

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exemptions, the Victorian Veterans Card and Game Management Authority licence testing all require online access and, in some cases, a personal email address. “If you do not have a computer, reliable internet or an email address, the government’s message is simple. Bad luck. You miss out,” Mr Bull said. “This is digital discrimination, plain and simple.” The push online is also placing seniors at greater risk of fraud. National data consistently shows older Australians are among the most financially impacted by scams, with people aged over 55 accounting for a disproportionate share of reported losses and being significantly more likely to lose money once targeted. “We know seniors are more vulnerable to online scams and fraud, yet Labor continues to force them onto platforms they do not trust or understand,” Mr Bull said. “This government must stop designing services only for the tech savvy, and restore safe, accessible, non-digital alternatives for those who need them.” Mr Bull has called on the state government to reinstate in-person and paper-based alternatives across essential services to ensure no Victorian is disadvantaged.

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community that the arrangements for the accessible public toilet facility on Georgina Place have progressed," she said. "I would like to thank the community for their advocacy and support for the project. The delivery of this essential community infrastructure could also not have occurred without the support from the past and present councillors." Locals are relieved and are looking forward to the new addition, with one commenter on Facebook cheekily writing, "good news, we've held for too long".

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 3

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Smoke clouds region in heatwaves From Page 1

FOLLOWING the week of scorching heat, today (Wednesday, January 14) through to Thursday (January 15) is the start of possible storm coverage, bringing an estimate of 30mm of rain and thunderstorms. On Monday (January 12) and Tuesday (January 13) the temperature hit a high of 29 degrees. While the 29 degrees isn't the "dire" weather like the previous week, the fire danger is still quite serious, as conditions around Gippsland are extremely dry, and fires are still around. Wednesday's expected storm follows through to Thursday (January 15), with showers expected to ease within the following days. With temperatures still being dry, authorities continue to warn people that lightning can cause fires. Call Triple Zero if you see flames or smouldering patches, but not if it is just smoke. For more information, go to: emergency.vic.org.au Comment - Page 16

Damage: A fire broke out at a house on Churchill Road, Morwell last Thursday.

Photograph: Katrina Brandon

Mother nature: Smoke from the Longwood fires in central Victoria blowing into Sale last Friday afternoon.

Photograph: David Braithwaite

Fires make delivering news dangerous NO better place to report than on the ground. Express journalists and staff had a few close encounters with the fires ravaging parts of the state. Express Print, based in Morwell, prints The Colac Herald, which faces the daunting task of being couriered driving toward fires in the Otways. Pages were delayed by Colac's out-of-control Carlisle River fire advancing north-east toward the town, which had begun threatening Gellibrand last Saturday afternoon. The Express' council reporter Aidan Knight spent most of last week visiting family in Dezi Freeman's homeland, at the base of Mt Buffalo State Park, near Porepunkah. "I left the Latrobe Valley for the Great Alpine highway on Wednesday (January 7), and it was an odd feeling to see the heatmaps of all the fires pop up where I'd passed through on my journey, near Bairnsdale and Dargo - only a day later," he said. "By Saturday we were boxed in all sides, safe enough to sleep at night, but on edge enough to all conceptualise which direction we'd go, and what we'd grab on our way out if we were required to evacuate. "To our west was a huge red zone stretching from the edges of Wangaratta down to Alexandra, as far towards the bay as Echuca and Seymour. If we turned the other way, Colac and Corryong

were fighting flames in the Burrowa National Park almost to Mt Bogong, while Dargo remained in a similar state the entire time."Smoke didn't roll in around Mt Buffalo until 3am Sunday morning, while back home, areas like Churchill were snowing with ash. "My journey home on the Sunday changed three times before I attempted it," Aidan said. "Thankfully the firefighting effort pushed back the perimeter enough for the Hume (Freeway) to reopen. I had to take backroads from Longwood, to avoid standstill traffic in Avenel, where drivers reported a median strip on fire. By deadline on Monday, the mentioned backroad was inaccessible, as more and more roads were closed for safety from ongoing, and growing blazes." The second half of the Express' Reel Talk segment, Blake Metcalf-Holt, had been in Canberra the last week. Road closures forced him to take a completely different route home, adding an extra hour to the near eight-hour trip. Express editor Liam Durkin meanwhile was preparing contingencies in place, in the event he would be two men down. Fortunately, he was advised by Aidan and Blake that they had both got home safe by Sunday evening. Liam played cricket in Trafalgar last Saturday, where power was lost around 2pm. The power also went out at his parents' farm in Thorpdale.

Page 4 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

They were able to shower at their son's house in Moe that night. Most Trafalgar businesses were forced to close, as hardly any had generators. New Express cadet Peace Ijiyera reported the town's IGA was closed during the outage. Peace certainly won't forget her first week on the job. She started last Wednesday, when temperatures topped 40 degrees, before the Morwell air was choked in smoke from fires in the west. Liam was driving through the Warragul region around 2pm last Friday, when a huge dust storm swept through. Last Wednesday, he figured it would be best to complete a gym session late at night to escape the heat - and it was still 33 degrees when he finished at 10pm. Back at the Express office, newshound Katrina Brandon had her finger on the pulse. "There was a constant watch on VicEmergency, ensuring there wasn't a fire nearby. With warnings popping up around the state, getting ready to go out and be on the ground to cover the incident felt overwhelming," she said. "The worst feeling was being unable to help those in the fire areas, except for sharing and broadcasting all the information the authorities were sending out for updates."

Back road: Freestone Creek Road, Briagolong was blocked by police last Saturday.

Photograph: David Braithwaite

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Leave early if in danger CFA is reminding residents that leaving early is the safest option during extreme fire danger periods. CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said knowing what trigger point you will leave at is an important part of your bushfire plan. “Leaving early means leaving the area before a fire starts, not when you can see flames or smoke,” he said. “On Extreme and Catastrophic days, leaving the night before or early in the morning is the safest option, and now is the time for families to sit down and understand what their bushfire plan will be. “Organise before you leave where you will go to avoid panic or being trapped. “This could be to stay with family or friends in a low-risk area, a shopping complex or central business district of a large regional or urban centre, or other community buildings, such as libraries in low-risk areas. “It is also important to call family and friends and let them know where you are going. “Bushfires can start quickly and threaten lives and homes within minutes, don’t wait for an official warning to take action.” Make sure you have a route planned before you leave, along with an alternate route in case roads are blocked or if there is congestion.

Disaster relief fund Preparation is key: CFA is urging people to know the fire danger ratings.

Photograph supplied

Mr Heffernan said fires are unpredictable and plans can fail, so a back-up plan is essential and can save your life if you are caught in a fire. “If you do not have a car to leave in, think about your public transport options or seek help from a neighbour,” Mr Heffernan said. “If you do have a car, practice packing it with all the essentials so you can leave quickly and efficiently and be sure to fill your car with fuel on high fire danger days. “To minimise damage to your home, if you have time before you leave, close all doors and windows, move doormats and outdoor furniture away from the house, block downpipes and fill gutters with water, and leave the front gate open. “If time permits, move stock or large animals to large paddocks with short grass.” It’s important you check with police and fire authorities before returning home to ensure it is safe for you to do so. Victorians should always stay informed through more than two sources of information, and download the VicEmergency App for the most up-to-date warnings in their local area. You can find more information on leaving early on the CFA website at: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ plan-prepare/before-and-during-a-fire/leave-early

Mental health support AS communities across Victoria battle devasting bushfires and extreme heat, Beyond Blue reminds anyone impacted that free mental health support is available. Beyond Blue's Clinical Spokesperson, Dr Luke Martin said extreme weather events and natural disasters could impact every aspect of people's lives, including mental health. "There's significant fear and anxiety for those whose homes and safety are at risk, and even if you aren't in a fire zone, repeated exposure to distressing images, concern for loved ones, or memories of past disasters can make this a difficult and unsettling time," Dr Martin said. "It is normal to experience intense emotions, but you don't have to go it alone. "Victoria is currently the centre of the bushfire crisis, but with a severe heatwave moving across the continent, we want all Australians to remember that it is never too soon to pick

up the phone if you need someone to talk to. "We also want to acknowledge all the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers who are working so hard to contain bushfires and keep communities safe. Remember, your mental health also matters and if you need us, we're here for you too." Bushfires currently raging through the state are among the worst since the Black Summer of 2019/20. That summer's bushfires severely impacted residents in East Gippsland regions. Many locals frequent these areas during holiday times, and current events may be triggering unfortunate flashbacks. Beyond Blue Support Service is free and available 24/7 on 1300 224 636 Web chat and email support at: www. beyondblue.org.au/support

Approximately 36 Acres

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• Stylish kitchen with ample bench space, high-quality appliances, and excellent storage- ideal for entertainers • Four generous bedrooms, including a massive master suite with walk-in robe and ensuite • Formal dining /lounge room that is warm, inviting and perfect for relaxing with family and friends • Additional features include solid fuel heating RC/AC, higher ceilings, and verandas surrounding the home • Immaculate self-contained 1 bedroom second dwelling with kitchen/ living area, bathroom, modern facilities, and RC/AC • Undulating acreage with good fencing, a dam with reliable water supply, and quality stock yards. Large open-bay machinery shed and a double lock-up shed with concrete floor and power

$1,600,000

Kellie Thomas

E: kellie.thomas@nh.com.au M: 0438 647 449

Approximately 2.9 Acres

A 'Recovery Support Program' has been setup as "one single point of help so people who’ve lost so much don’t have to deal with government red tape", as stated in a media release. A total of $5 million in funding aims to ensure case support workers will be available for affected Victorians to help them navigate matters like housing, legal and financial support and practical help like accessing payments and grants. A further $2 million will establish a recovery hotline, providing access to general information and help navigate recovery services like the emergency accommodation. The existing Personal Hardship Assistance Program payments have been activated for those who’ve had to evacuate their homes and need immediate things like food and medicine. Assistance under the program includes a oneoff payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child, up to a maximum of $2380 per eligible family. More support will come as further impact assessments are done when it is safe to do so. For more information on relief and recovery, visit the VicEmergency website. “The federal government is working hand-inhand with the Victorian government to provide immediate support for communities impacted by the devastating bushfires,” Mr Albanese said.

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228 Fullertons Road, Mirboo North 3

moments like this. It allows us to get funds directly into the hands of affected farmers quickly, without the red tape. “Those wishing to lend a helping hand can donate to the VFF’s Disaster Relief Fund. Donations are 100 per cent tax deductible and go directly to those impacted by the fires, with every dollar donated going towards helping farming families get back on their feet.” The VFF Disaster Relief Fund is a registered charity, and money raised will provide grants to farmers who have suffered loss, supporting the replacement of fencing, infrastructure, fodder and equipment, as well as meeting basic household needs. Donations can be made online at: www.vff. org.au/donations or by cheque made out to ‘VFF Disaster Relief Fund’ to the Victorian Farmers Federation, 24 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced an initial $19.5 million support package for bushfire affected Victorians - jointly funded under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). “People heeded the warnings and acted to protect themselves and their loved ones - at great cost. We’re standing with them on what will be a long path of recovery,” Ms Allan said. “From emergency accommodation to mental health help or fodder for livestock - we're ensuring no one is left behind in this recovery effort.” The two leaders said there had been huge losses of livestock, crops and other agricultural businesses across Victoria, and have established a $10 million emergency support program to help distribute fodder to farmers who need it. For those without a roof over their head, $1.5 million will go towards emergency accommodation options for people who have nowhere else to go and have had to seek shelter in hotels, serviced apartments and other temporary places. To address and reduce the trauma that so many have been through with these fires, $1 million will fund experts in disaster recovery mental health support to provide group counselling sessions so communities can better support one another and navigate their recovery together.

FOR SALE

150 Dawsons Road, Wooreen

for

Govt pledges $19.5 mil support package

We make it possible

Leongatha FOR SALE

THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has activated its Disaster Relief Fund to provide immediate, farmer-led support to producers impacted by the catastrophic bushfires burning across Victoria. With a State of Disaster declared across 18 local government areas, including Wellington Shire, more than 300,000 hectares burnt, and farmers reporting devastating losses of livestock, homes, equipment and fodder, the VFF is calling on all Australians to support the recovery by donating and lending a helping hand to the fund. VFF vice president Peter Star, who has been on the ground leading a CFA strike team responding to the Walwa fire in Victoria’s north-west, said the impacts being felt by farming communities are enormous. “I’ve seen first hand the devastation these fires are causing to farming families across Victoria,” he said. “Farmers have lost everything, from homes, sheds, fencing, livestock, and the fodder they need to keep their animals alive. The scale of what we’re dealing with is devastating and we’re still in the middle of it. “The VFF Disaster Relief Fund exists precisely

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65 Findlay Road, Mardan 4

Approximately 41.81 Acres

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• A fully appointed blackwood kitchen, gas cooktop and oven, with a bay window capturing the gorgeous garden views

• 3 bedrooms, 2 with built in robes, two living areas with an adjoining dining room

• 3 bedrooms, including master suite with walk-in robe and ensuite

• A renovated kitchen offering generous bench space, cupboard and drawer space, electric oven, rangehood, dishwasher and large pantry

• Renovated kitchen with quality appliances, functional walk-in pantry and a huge breakfast bar • Dining area opening onto a lovely undercover alfresco space overlooking the salt water/chlorinated pool • Light-filled north-facing living area with wood heating, supported by ducted heating and cooling • Excellent shedding, additional studio and workshop, and undercover double carport with direct access into the home

$1,250,000

Kellie Thomas

E: kellie.thomas@nh.com.au M: 0438 647 449

2

• Lovely bathroom with separate shower and bath, and a generous laundry/mud room. • An extended north facing veranda. The home has a cosy solid wood fire heater and RC/AC • The acreage is subdivided into 5 paddocks that offer excellent undulating pasture and good fencing, shelter belts, water troughs, heater tank, and an amazing spring fed dam offering excellent water security

$1,280,000

Kellie Thomas

E: kellie.thomas@nh.com.au M: 0438 647 449 The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 5

Jeffrey s

news

Chester ‘transparent’ about travel claim

MONTHLY GARDEN TIPS

By DAVID BRAITHWAITE

Clean-Up in the Latrobe Valley

Garden Clean-Up: Reduce Snake Activity

A clean, open garden is one of the best ways to reduce snake activity around your home. Keep lawns regularly mowed, especially around sheds, fences and boundary lines Whipper snip along fence lines, under trees and around garden beds Rake up fallen leaves, grass clippings and garden debris Clear clutter and store items neatly off the ground Snakes are attracted to long grass and sheltered areas, particularly during hot weather. Keeping your garden tidy removes places for them to hide.

My Hot Tip

Never leave sheet metal lying flat on the ground during summer. Sheets, off-cuts and stacked metal are prime hiding spots for snakes looking for shade. If You See a Snake Stay calm - don t panic or make sudden movements Back away slowly Keep your distance Don t provoke the snake If a snake remains in a high-risk area, contact a licensed snake catcher who can safely relocate it. Local snake catcher contacts: Richard Copeland (Latrobe City): 0498 107 918 Richard also recommends keeping a snake bite first aid kit easily accessible at home, especially during the warmer months.

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MEMBER for Gippsland Darren Chester is one of more than 50 federal MPs named in a newspaper report as using taxpayer-funded travel quotas to help pay off mortgages on their Canberra homes. Federal MPs receive a $322 nightly travel allowance to cover accommodation, food and incidentals during parliamentary sitting weeks. MPs not based in Canberra can claim the amount even if they stay at a home they own, allowing them to redirect the funds to a mortgage. Analysis by the Herald Sun revealed 56 MPs and Senators have disclosed owning a home in the ACT or neighbouring Queanbeyan, New South Wales, either by themselves, through their spouse, or jointly-owned with their partner. With 66 sitting days currently scheduled for 2026, a politician could claim a total of $21,252, or up to $31,878 factoring in the night before a sitting week starts and days off during a sitting fortnight. Mr Chester is one 20 MPs who own a home in the Kingston area, close to Parliament House, the Herald Sun reported. According to the Herald Sun, the average cost of an apartment in the area is $655,000, with the government's MoneySmart mortgage calculator estimating loan repayments at $3255 a month or $39,000 a year. Travel allowance rates are set by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority. Unlike other cities, there is not a split rate for commercial and non-commercial arrangements for MPs staying in Canberra. A politician can claim up to $499 if they stay at an interstate city hotel or motel, or $173 if using a private residence, like the home of a family member or friend. In statement to the Express, Mr Chester said all his travel claims are on the public record. “The vast majority of MPs, Senators and staff don’t live in Canberra, so they need to find accommodation for sitting weeks, or when they are required in federal Parliament for official duties," Mr Chester said. “Like many other employees in the private or public sector who travel frequently for work, an allowance is provided for overnight stays. “By way of background, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority sets the rate of travel allowance for Federal MPs and staff when they are required to stay away from home in any city, including Canberra." Mr Chester said he preferred the system used by the Victorian Parliament, where state MPs who live more than 80 kilometres from Melbourne can

Summer Bushfire Preparedness

Being prepared before hot, windy days arrive makes a big difference. Focus on the basics around your home and garden. Check smoke alarms are installed and working Clean gutters of leaves and twigs Repair damaged or missing roof tiles Seal gaps around doors, windows and external walls Keep lawns short and gardens well maintained Cut back trees and shrubs overhanging buildings Clear fallen leaves and debris around the property Make sure hoses can reach all sides of the house Staying Informed The best way to keep up to date with bushfire conditions is to listen to your local radio station and use the VicEmergency app. Always check alerts, follow official advice and take warnings seriously.

Water Smarter with Drip Irrigation

Efficient watering helps plants cope during hot weather and reduces water waste. Delivers water directly to plant roots Reduces evaporation Keeps soil moisture consistent Ideal for garden beds, veggie patches, hedges and pots Mulch Yes, Again If you read these tips regularly, you probably saw this coming mulch. I do mention it a lot, but for good reason. Helps keep soil cooler Locks moisture into the soil Suppresses weeds Improves soil health over time A bit of regular maintenance over summer goes a long way. Keep things tidy, stay prepared,and enjoy your garden safely through the season. Happy Gardening!

Jeffrey Hitchins

What our garden centre offers: w Plants & Flowers w Vegetable Seedlings w Garden Soils and Mulches w Garden Advice w Water Features w Variety of Pots

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Call 5127 2155 Page 6 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

choose to access a Parliamentary Accommodation Sitting Allowance of more than $25,000 per year to rent or buy a city property. “But that option is not available for federal MPs and Senators who must register each night they stay in Canberra to receive any travel allowance," Mr Chester said. "In federal Parliament, MPs can decide whether to permanently rent, book hotel rooms each sitting week, or purchase a property for the nights they stay in Canberra. "Regardless of the choice they make, everyone receives the same nightly travel allowance of $322, and there is no additional cost to taxpayers if a MP chooses to buy or permanently rent a property. “I take my reporting responsibilities seriously, and all travel claims are declared in the interests of transparency and remain on the public record. “When I first entered Parliament in 2008, I stayed in hotels in Canberra for several years until I moved into a one-bedroom granny flat as a rental, for about six years. “As recorded in my register of interests, I purchased a property in partnership with a fellow MP in 2016, and when he left Parliament, I bought his share of the unit in Kingston. The mortgage is with Westpac Bank, which is also recorded in my register of interests. “The rate of remuneration and travel allowance for MPs is set independently, and it is not up to me or any other MP to decide how much we are paid when we are away from home for parliamentary duties. “However, if we are going to attract and retain people with the skills to make laws, advocate for the interests of our diverse communities and administer portfolios as ministers in our democracy, I’ve always believed our elected representatives need to be reasonably compensated.” Independent Senator David Bocock, who represents the ACT and cannot collect the allowance during sitting weeks, said rates needed to "be in line with community expectations". Senator Pocock told the Herald Sun he wanted to see an independent review, and consider if it is more appropriate to pay a non-commercial rate for a travel allowances when politicians are staying in Canberra with friends, relatives or a property they own. One of the MPs who owns a home in the ACT told the same newspaper politicians who had homes in Canberra were mainly members of safe seats. That MP said, in most cases, the allowance did not cover the mortgage, and "quite frightfully should just be for lodging".

Community grants open

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Hi, I m Jeff from TM&H Mitre 10, Moe. After 50 years in hardware, gardening has become a real passion of mine. Summer in Gippsland brings warmer days and more time outdoors. It s also the season where keeping your garden tidy isn t just about how it looks - it s about safety, water efficiency and being prepared during the hotter months.

news@lvexpress.com.au

THE Gippsland Community Foundation (GCF) will open the seventh round of East Gippsland Community Bushfire Disaster Relief Grants on February 1, continuing its commitment to supporting communities impacted by the 2019/20 Black Summer fires. The funding has been made possible through public donations to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, ensuring donor generosity continues to create local impact. Community groups from across Gippsland are eligible to apply, provided the primary beneficiaries are communities impacted by the Black Summer fires. Grant applications will be assessed against GCF’s four strategic pillars: better communities; future generations; climate resilience, and inclusion, access and equity. Community organisations that have previously received funding and have outstanding acquittals are asked to reach the foundation before applying to the February 2026 round. GCF is a community-owned, locally governed, notfor-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening

the whole of Gippsland. By keeping resources in the region, GCF empowers communities to lead their own change and supports projects that deliver long-term recovery and resilience. As the only community foundation serving all of Gippsland, GCF is guided by local voices, keeps every dollar raised in the region, and focuses on strengthening communities rather than individuals. Independent and community-led, the foundation connects donors, partners and local organisations to create lasting, collective impact. GCF chief executive Michelle Dowsett said donations came from people across Australia who wanted to stand with East Gippsland communities. “This funding ensures that generosity continues to be translated into community-led projects that reflect local priorities and create lasting benefit,” she said. Applications for the round will be open from February 1 to 28. For more more information, visit: www.gippslandcf.org.au

Wraparound health support

WOMEN and children leaving family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) will receive wraparound health care through a federal government pilot program launched in Gippsland. In Australia, one in four women has experienced family or domestic violence, and one in five has experienced sexual violence from the age of 15. The Supporting Outreach Healthcare for VictimSurvivors of FDSV pilot program in Gippsland will boost healthcare in women’s crisis accommodation and related services. The pilot program is designed to reduce barriers to care by improving coordination across health and social services. Gippsland Primary Health Network (PHN) has commissioned Gippsland Lakes Complete Health (GLCH) to embed a team of nurses, allied health professionals and social workers into GLCH’s Family Violence Service to address primary health needs.

The Gippsland PHN has received $967,200 over two years to deliver the pilot. In addition to providing direct health support for victim-survivors, the program will strengthen the capacity of local health providers through training, consultation and partnership. As part of the government’s $6 million investment, five more pilot programs will operate through the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN; Central and Eastern Sydney PHN; South Eastern NSW PHN; Northern Queensland PHN; and Western Queensland PHN. Each pilot will implement a place-based model of care tailored to the needs of local communities. The National Plan recognises the importance of all people experiencing FDSV being able to access support and services.

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Investment needed now, not in 20 years CLAIMS from the Allan Labor government that it’s “supporting the Latrobe Valley” by reinvesting revenue from bulk water entitlements when rehabilitation of the Loy Yang mine begins - at least 20 years from now - are insulting and tone deaf, according to Nationals Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron. Mr Cameron said the announcement was nothing but smoke and mirrors from a government that has completely neglected the Latrobe Valley in all talks about Victoria’s energy transition. “Rehabilitation of Loy Yang is at least 20 years away, but the accelerated closure of our coal-fired power stations begins in just two years - we need investment now, not in 20 years,” Mr Cameron said. “Hazelwood shut in 2017, Yallourn will shut in 2028, Loy Yang A will shut in 2032, and Loy Yang B will follow later that decade, yet there is no urgency from Labor to establish new industries in the Valley. “Jobs have already been lost at Yallourn and Loy Yang as the power stations restructure and

prepare for closure, and the pain is being felt now right across the Latrobe Valley. “There are no local replacement jobs on the horizon for this workforce that has powered the state for more than a century. “Labor is hell-bent on ripping out the industrial heart of our region all without a single policy or plan to replace the thousands of jobs, and without a single policy or plan for our future after coal. “For this government to claim it’s 'supporting'the Latrobe Valley on any front is a complete slap in the face to every power station worker and resident it has neglected for the last 11 years. “Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage Victoria’s energy transition, and it’s Latrobe Valley residents who are paying the price.” The state government has announced the State Electricity Commission will back the Delburn Wind Farm - a project expected to bring more than 300 jobs to the region. Plans are also in place to transform Yallourn W into a low-carbon emissions hub supplying data centres.

Hitting out: Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron says the state government’s energy transition leaves a lot to be desired.

TENNIS anyone? The state Liberal merry-go-round circus continues, with the party's deputy leader Sam Groth stepping down. Mr Groth informed party leader Jess Wilson that he would not continue in politics beyond the 2026 election. The decision is sure to be another blow to the party's chances of winning November's state election. In a statement, Mr Groth made numerous references to party room infighting - the same that ultimately saw Traralgon's John Pesutto disposed of as leader two years ago. "The public pressure placed on my family in recent months has been significant and realising that some of it came from within my own party

has been difficult to ignore," he said. "Coming to that realisation has forced some very personal reflection. "I entered public life to serve my community, to represent the Mornington Peninsula, and to stand up for what I believe is in the best interests of Victorians. I have always tried to approach this job with honesty, hard work and a clear focus on the people who put their trust in me. "But when you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to put those interests first. That is not the standard I came into public life to accept, and it is not the kind of politics Victorians deserve. "This has been an extremely challenging period for my family. We took on this role for the right reasons, to contribute to our community and try to make a positive difference. That

purpose has never changed, but the environment around it has." Mr Groth is a newcomer to politics, having entered Parliament at the 2022 election. Still yet to turn 40, he was seen as someone capable of bringing youthful enthusiasm to the equation, while there is little doubt his tennis profile also attracted voters. He held a highest ATP singles ranking of 53, and also famously holds the world record for the fastest serve - an insane 263 kilometres an hour. He played a number of ITF Futures events at Traralgon Tennis Association during his career. His short time in politics was not without some controversy, after reports emerged he borrowed a chauffeur-driven car to get home from last year's Australian Open.

! #" ! ! !

Photograph supplied

Double fault, Groth to quit state politics By LIAM DURKIN

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Don't

be Puzzled

about the best way to advertiseyyour buusiness or serrvices? Going: Former tennis professional and deputy leader of the state Liberals, Sam Groth, has announced he won’t be re-contesting at this year’s state election. Photograph supplied

The Latrobe Valley Express can help you make all the pieces fit!

Contact your usual Express rep or phone the office to speak to one of our friendly staff on 5135 4444.

NO STAMP DUTY NO LAND TAX The Range Retirement Village is a retirement living community in Moe, boasting a live-in Manager and high-quality residential villas set inside a gated community. The Range offers elegant new and refurbished two and three-bedroom independent living villas, set in attractive and well-manicured surrounds. Each villa features an open-plan living area, wellappointed kitchen, private courtyard garden and single or double garage.

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Plan your social life with your new community. You will have the flexibility and freedom to embrace life with a social calendar that includes, billiards, indoor bowls, craft, movie nights, trivia, bingo, cards and many more social activities and make use of our community bus to get around our local area.

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12 Range Way, Moe Sales and Inspections Phone: 1800 531 956 www.therangeretirementvillage.com.au The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 7

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Learning r i the h language l g

Quartet: Yoruba Language School committ ttee t member Funmi Olusa, Latrobe City Mayor Sharon Gibson, Ethnic Communities Council Victoria Chair, Abiola Akinbiyi and YLSA principal, Bosede Adetifa. By PEACE IJIYERA

FOR many Yoruba Nigerian youths born and raised in the diaspora, it can be difficult to connect with their roots. The Yoruba Language School Australia Ltd (YLSA) has made it easier through online language lessons that promote education around language and culture. Established in 2014 by Traralgon local Bosede Adetifa, the lessons are held online via Zoom every Saturday, and are split into beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. Yoruba is just one out of the more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria, a country in West Africa. More than just a language, Yoruba carries a long and rich history of art, culture, food and music. Ms Adetifa, the principal of the school, said she felt inspired to create these classes because she feared that Yoruba youth were losing an important part of themselves. “The Yoruba Language School inspiration came with me understanding that we are gradually losing our language because we (the parents) are not speaking it to our children," she said. Over the nearly 12 years of operation, the

school has seen more than 100 students enrol into the school, with 10 students graduating last December. Student, David Falano, said that he found the language lessons "helpful" in improving his "language skills, confidence and comprehension." Last year, under the Amplify grant program, (formerly known as FReezA), YLSA was awarded $45,000 over three years (2025-2027) to plan and host creative and cultural events across Victoria for youths aged 12 to 25. Backed by the state government, the grant goes towards empowering youths and encouraging them to showcase their talents through creativity, and build the skills necessary to become leaders and confident in the community. Ms Adetifa says that it “feels great” to have received this support. She explained that she feels fortunate to have received this funding, as YLSA was “the only school that was approved” for the program. The rest being councils and community organisations. “[We are] small, but mighty," she said. In 2025, year one of the program, the YLSA planning committee successfully planned and executed three events across Victoria. The first was a talent hunt and cultural

Painting like Picasso: Nigerian youths show their artwork at one of the YLSA events.

Photographs supplied

training event held at Kernot Hall, Morwell. The event saw youths showcase their gifts and talents through spoken word, art, music and dance. Dignitaries, including the then deputy, now Mayor of Latrobe City, Sharon Gibson, was in attendance. During the event, an interactive workshop presented by Lydia Tesema gave the audience a chance to reflect and learn about their inner compass. Performer Amarantha Robinson, took the audience on a magical historical journey, telling the story of Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of love. Following this event was a fashion and art show held in Shepparton. Youths were able to tap into their inner Picasso and unleash their creativity through paintings and different art forms. As much as the event was to showcase art and fashion, it was also an opportunity to learn some valuable life skills. Mental health first aid training was provided by mental health practitioners, creating a healthy conversation around a normally stigmatised topic within the Nigerian community. The last event was held in Ballarat just after

Christmas - a gala and awards night. This event highlighted the achievements of the year and recognised students who had successfully graduated from the language school in 2024 and 2025. One of the graduates was Mr Falano, who had been doing the lessons for the past three years. "It felt nice to graduate. It made me feel responsible and proud," he said. This year will see YLSA host three more events across Victoria. The first is a cooking competition where youths will compete for the title of head chef, exploring Nigerian and African cuisine. The second event will be an audio and visual experience, giving youths the opportunity to showcase the art of storytelling through short films, spoken word, media and poetry, before closing out the year with a ball night in December. “The wider community can support by being there for us and providing us [with] the space for us to be able to thrive, encouraging and cheering us on," Ms Adetifa said. Whether you are Yoruba or not, Nigerian or not, even a youth or not, these events are inclusive and open to everyone in the community to enjoy.

Use water wisely during extreme heat events GIPPSLAND Water is reminding customers to use water wisely as the region heats up. The company's acting managing director, Chris Wood said the organisation was well prepared for the conditions, but demand for water can rise sharply. “We monitor weather forecasts across the service area and keep storages full ahead of summer,” Mr Wood said. “But high demand during a heatwave period can put pressure on our systems, and power interruptions or extreme temperatures can add further challenges.

“We have contingencies and plans ready to keep water treatment plants operating if mains power fails, so customers can continue to receive water. “While we plan for these conditions, customers can help us keep our drinking water supply stable by following permanent water saving rules.” Customers can prepare for hot weather by following the permanent water saving rules and reporting leaks or main breaks by calling 1800 057 057. Permanent water saving rules include: -Only use a hand-held hose if it is fitted with a trigger nozzle and is leak-free;

Assist: Gippsland Water has a range of options available to help customers suffering financial hardship. Photographs supplied Page 8 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

-Use a watering can to water gardens and only use sprinklers between 6pm and 10am; -Only operate water features if the water is reticulated, and; -Don’t use water to clean hard surfaces like driveways or decking. If services are interrupted, customers will be notified via SMS, social media and on the website. For tips on how to use water wisely and information on permanent water saving rules, visit: www. gippswater.com.au/reduceyouruse

HELP is also available for water bills after the festive season. The organisation’s Customer Care team can help set up a flexible payment plan and explore what financial assistance options are available for those who need extra support. They can also assist customers to apply for government utility relief grants and connect them with financial counsellors and other assistance programs. To find out more about what Gippsland Water’s Customer Care team can do for you, or to request a call, visit: www.gippswater.com.au/customercare

Ration: Customers are reminded to use water wisely during heatwave conditions.

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Be aware of scammerss

Stta alert:: Online sc Stay scams are e reportedly e ly on the rise. Photograph: hoto a iStock

MARY

ALDRED

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MONASH Scan to contact me

03 5614 3600 mary.aldred.mp@aph.gov.au MEMBER for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien is urging Gippslanders to remain vigilant amid increasing reports of emails and text messages falsely claiming to be from government agencies. Mr O’Brien said many Gippslanders had raised concerns about suspicious messages appearing to come from organisations such as Service Victoria, myGov, Australia Post, the ATO and various other government departments and organisations. “These types of scams are becoming more sophisticated, with messages often looking genuine and using official logos or language to trick people into clicking links or sharing personal information,” Mr O’Brien said. “It is incredibly important that we take a moment to pause and verify any unexpected email or text message before responding. “Government agencies will never threaten you, demand immediate payment or ask for sensitive personal details via text or email.” Mr O’Brien said that Service Victoria has launched a simple online tool to help check whether a message is legitimate. “The Scam Safe Check tool is a handy resource that asks you to answer a few brief questions to help determine if it’s a scam," he said. “This is a practical way for people to protect themselves and avoid falling victim to fraudsters who are using fear and confusion to target households.” The Scam Safe Check tool is available at the Service Victoria website at: service.vic.gov.au/ scam-safe-check. Mr O’Brien encouraged anyone who receives a suspicious message to report it. “If you think you’ve been targeted by a scam, report it to Scamwatch," he said. “Reporting helps authorities track emerging scam trends and warn others.” Mr O’Brien also urged residents to share warnings with family and friends. “Awareness is key. Talking to older relatives, young people and neighbours about scam tactics can help keep the whole community safe.”

Failed exams

CONFIRMATION has come through that last year's General Achievement Test (GAT) contained two errors. The GAT is a compulsory exam undertaken by VCE students to support the quality assurance of VCE assessments and demonstrate student literacy and numeracy standards. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), informed Victorian schools of two errors in the 2025 GAT materials - an incorrect date and a faulty hyperlink to a website intended to provide further information. This latest admission followed three consecutive years of botched VCE exam periods, including the catastrophic 2024 exams, which saw 65 exam papers compromised, placing tens of thousands of students at a disadvantage through no fault of their own.  ELSEWHERE, the federal government has announced a National Planning Level of 295,000 for 2026.This is 25,000 places higher than 2025, to support the government’s commitment to managed growth and a sustainable international education sector. A Ministerial Direction will continue to be used into 2026 across both the higher education and VET sectors to support a managed system for international students. No active provider will receive a 2026 allocation lower than its 2025 allocation. Publicly funded universities will be able to apply for additional growth places for 2026. To support strategic priorities, the federal government will work with publicly funded universities to grow international student places where institutions demonstrate:  Increased engagement with Southeast Asia, and;  Provision of student accommodation to ensure safe and accessible housing for both domestic and international students. Publicly funded universities were invited to submit applications for additional places.

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 9

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Take a Break Proudly bought to you by the participating LOCAL businesses below...

BRAIN STRAIN EL WITH CATWEASEL

ONE POINTERS 1. What is the name of the band who originally performed the song ‘Take on Me’? 2. Which popular TV show featured the house of Stark? 3. In ‘The Big Bang Theory’, where did Penny originally work? 4. True or false. Ostriches bury their heads in the sand when scared? TWO POINTERS 5. Which Australian city won both the 2025 AFL and NRL grand finals? 6. What luxury brand is known for its iconic interlocking ‘C’ logo? 7. How many ghosts chase Pac-Man at the start of each game? 8. Which children’s series features a wardrobe leading to a magical world? THREE POINTER 9. Simone Biles is famous for her skill in what sport? 10. What does BMW stand for in English? 11. Which is the odd one out? Peter Parker, Dianna Prince, Bruce Banner, Reed Richards? 12. A majority of adults have how many permanent teeth? FOUR POINTER 13. Who wrote ‘The Hunger Games’ series? 14. Which fruit’s name means “seedy apple” in Latin? FIVE POINTER 15. Name the authors of these children’s books. 1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar 3. Charlotte’s Web 4. The Lorax 5. The Tale of Peter Rabbit One point for each correct answer.

How did you fare?

37: Top of the class; 30-36: Outstanding; 21-29: Well done; 15-20: Solid effort; 9-14: Room for improvement; 0-8: Hit the books.

Jooftkhee week

What kind of coat is best put on wet? A coat of paint

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Crossword Puzzle No. 8672 ACROSS 2 Lairs 5 Passenger vessel 8 Employed 9 Partly open 10 Exploit 11 Angry 12 Lustre 14 Subtle emanation 16 Encourages 17 Story 20 Prepared for publication 22 Cross, as lines 25 Silk unit 27 Symbol 28 Wealth 32 Otherwise 34 Regions 35 Fashion 36 Venture 37 Indigenous Indian 38 Brilliance of success 39 Bestow 40 Final

DOWN 1 Recess 2 Postpone 3 Toothless 4 Devil 5 Impartial 6 Eccentric 7 Disconcert 12 Scraps 13 Comforting 15 Puts into service 18 Make musical 19 Extracts 21 Announces 23 Skittle 24 Love god 26 One or the other 29 Foot lever 30 Build 31 Waterway 33 Fasting period

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Target Time No. 0301 How to play... Using the 9 letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may be used only once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in ‘s’.

L K U G N N C K I

Sudoku No. 0297 How to play... Solution page 35 Fill the grid so that evry row and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9.

Solution page 35

Target: Average - 8, Good -11 Excellent -14+

Answers: 1: A-ha; 2: Game of Thrones; 3: The Cheesecake Factory; 4: False; 5: Brisbane; 6: Chanel; 7: 4; 8: The Chronicles of Narnia; 9: Gymnastics; 10: Bavarian Motor Works; 11: Dianna Prince. The rest are alliterations PP, BB, RR; 12: 32; 13: Suzanne Collins; 14: Pomegranate; 15: -1. Roald Dahl -2. Eric Carle -3. E.B. White -4. Dr Seuss -5. Beatrix Potter

Take some

time out over the holidays... try some

puzzles! GP1688011

Page 10 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

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Getting more AGL has community young people at heart behind the wheel BERRY Street was the recipient of EnergyAustralia's community grants program. The grant will fund 100 driving lessons through the TAC L2P (Learner Driver Mentor) Program to help disadvantaged young people in Latrobe City gain their driver's licence. The grant supports at least 45 young people who lack access to a supervising driver or vehicle, providing them with the supervised driving experience needed to obtain their probationary licence. The L2P Program pairs learner drivers with volunteer mentors for professional driving lessons, building essential skills and confidence behind the wheel. For many young people in regional communities, a driver's licence is critical for accessing employment, education, and training opportunities. The program not only helps participants gain independence, but also contributes to safer roads through quality driver education. "We're proud to support this vital program that creates real pathways to independence for young people in our community," Head of Yallourn, James Stevenson said. "Access to transport can be the difference between

opportunity and isolation, especially in regional areas. This initiative builds both individual capability and community resilience." Rebecca Thomas, L2P Coordinator at Berry Street welcomed the support. "This funding will change lives. Many of the young people we work with face significant barriers to getting their licence - whether that's financial disadvantage, family circumstances, or lack of access to a vehicle," she said. "The L2P Program gives them professional support and the 120 hours of supervised driving they need. We're incredibly grateful to EnergyAustralia for recognising the importance of this work and helping us reach more young people who need it most." The EnergyAustralia Community Grants Program supports local initiatives that strengthen communities and create positive social impact across the Latrobe Valley region. Since 2016, the community grants program has directly supported more than 70 local organisations in the Latrobe Valley, providing over $500,000 in funding.

AGL Loy Yang has awarded more than $20,000 in community grants to seven local organisations, each delivering projects that support the Latrobe Valley community. This round of funding reflects AGL’s ongoing commitment to making a positive difference in the communities it operates, with grants supporting initiatives across youth development, disability inclusion, food security, sport, and wellbeing. AGL Loy Yang General Manager, Christo van Niekerk said grants were an important part of AGL's community footprint. “Through our September round of community grants, AGL Loy Yang is proud to support projects that deliver real benefits across our community," he said. "By awarding over $20,000 to seven local organisations, we’re helping initiatives that promote youth development, inclusion, food security, sport, and wellbeing. These grants reflect our ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in the Latrobe Valley and supporting the communities where we live and work.” Recipients were: A Better Life for Foster Kids ($5000), Reclink Australia ($1750), West End Junior Football Club Girls Team ($1500), Moe Amateur Swimming Club ($1534), Glengarry Community Garden ($2500), Thrive Food Hub ($2592), Your Own Way (YOW) ($5000), Berry Street Foster Kids and Families Christmas Party ($1500).  ADDITONALLY, AGL supported the Salvation Army's Christmas appeal last year. AGL brought together employees and contractors working on-sire during the planned Unit 2 outage project. The collective efforts assisted local families across the Latrobe Valley during the holiday season. As part of the initiative, AGL employees participated in a volunteering day, helping prepare hampers and gifts for distribution. In addition to volunteering, AGL Loy Yang donated $50,000 worth of food hampers and gift cards to the Latrobe Valley Salvation Army, helping ensure that local families could enjoy a festive meal and receive much-needed support at Christmas.

‘‘

By awarding over $20,000 to seven local organisations, we’re helping initiatives that promote youth development, inclusion, food security, sport, and wellbeing. These grants reflect our ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in the Latrobe Valley and supporting the communities where we live and work. Christo van Niekerk AGL Loy Yang General Manager Service Stream, a key contractor on the outage project, participated in on-site fundraising efforts, raising more than $2500. This initiative was bolstered by workers on site from AGL and other site contractors. Their contributions helped ensure the success of this community initiative. Gifts were also donated on site, with two Christmas Wishing Trees placed in the station and mine to collect contributions from employees and contractors. Mr van Niekerk said AGL was proud to support The Salvation Army. “Partnering with The Salvation Army allows us to provide direct support to families in our region," he said. Latrobe Valley Salvation Army Team Leader Graham Kennedy added: “The support from AGL Loy Yang makes a significant difference to our Christmas Appeal. These contributions help us reach more families and provide essential items during a time that can be challenging for many.”

Crucial: Berry Street L2P Coordinator, Rebecca Thomas says funding for the L2P program will see more people get their driver’s licence. Photograph supplied

Simple salt swap can reduce stroke risk

latest international guidance from the World Health Organization, the European Society of Cardiology, and the American Heart Association, and has the potential to save thousands of Australian lives,” Dr Murphy said. High blood pressure affects around one in three Australian adults and remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability nationwide. Excess sodium and insufficient potassium intake are key dietary drivers. Despite the strong evidence supporting the benefits of potassium-enriched salt, it is inconsistently recommended by clinicians and rarely used by patients. “This is due mostly to clinicians and patients being unaware of the availability, effectiveness and acceptability of potassium-enriched salt and we want to change that,” Dr Murphy said. It is hoped the taskforce’s position, published in the National Journal of Hypertension, paves the way for the recommendations to be adopted more widely and marks an important step forward in the national effort to prevent and control hypertension. The National Hypertension Taskforce was founded by the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA) and Hypertension Australia, with significant support from Stroke Foundation and Heart Foundation as co-founding members. The Taskforce aims to increase the number of Australians with their blood pressure both treated and controlled effectively from 32 per cent to 70 per cent by 2030.

Spirit: AGL helped out The Salvation Army with distributions last Christmas.

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AUSSIES are being urged to shake things up in the kitchen and at the dinner table by making a simple swap that could reduce their risk of high blood pressure (hypertension); the leading cause of preventable death in Australia. A new paper by Australia’s National Hypertension Taskforce recommends substituting regular salt, which is high in sodium, with potassium-enriched salt, saying the switch can significantly reduce high blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart attacks, particularly for people already living with hypertension. National Hypertension Taskforce member and Stroke Foundation Chief Executive, Dr Lisa Murphy, says this small change can make a big difference. “Your traditional Sunday roast or summer barbecue will still taste the same but will be better for your health," she said. "Research shows us that high sodium consumption is linked to hypertension, so replacing sodium with potassium, an important mineral found in fruit and vegetables, is a simple but effective way to reduce your risk. And to make life easier, you can find potassium-enriched salt at your local supermarket.” A recent global modelling study on the health effects of switching from regular salt to potassium-enriched salt by The George Institute of Global Health found replacing regular salt with potassium-enriched salt in Australia alone could prevent around 500 stroke deaths and 2000 stroke events each year. “This recommendation aligns with the

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 11

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Reel Talk alk

Films coming this year

DID you ever think you'd see another iteration of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe? Well, you might, if this goes well. Greta Gerwig, the visionary female director behind the box office smash Barbie (2023), will not only introduce audiences to previously un-adapted stories within the series, but also completely flip them on their head. Meryl Streep is confirmed to be acting as Aslan the lion, in what the director has described as a "rock and roll reimagining", which will feature a soundtrack of Pink Floyd and The Doors. The film is to be shot for IMAX, and will eventually make it's way to Netflix after screening in cinemas, a platform that very rarely possesses IMAX content.

WITH December’s festive overload now in the rear view mirror, Reel Talk turns its attention to the awkward cinematic limbo of early January - that strange period where no one knows what day it is, leftovers are still in the fridge, and the idea of starting “something new” feels both exciting and exhausting. And Blake is on leave. Without preparing anything for our film fanatic readers before he departed. Typical. So, in this solo edition, Aidan Knight curates a shortlist of upcoming films announced for release in 2026, circling the calendar on the titles most anticipated or intriguing to the Reel Talk team. Some are big swings, others are quieter prospects, but all represent reasons to be optimistic about heading back to the cinema or local video store, and several of which will likely receive a published critique before the year is out. If you're a fan of Split (2016), starring James McAvoy, or just people talking to themselves in general, you'll enjoy this Blake-less edition of the Express' most informal contribution to the newsroom.

THE ADVENTURES OF CLIFF BOOTH (TBC)

MARTY SUPREME - JANUARY 2026

COYOTE VS ACME - AUGUST 2026

HATE sports but enjoy the one section of Forest Gump where he plays table tennis in the Olympics? Imagine that was a whole movie, and you've got Marty Supreme. The titular protagonist is an incredibly driven ping pong prodigy, whose intense fixation on being the world's best puts him between several rocks and hard places - and even a questionable relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow. Loosely based off a real player of the same name, it stars the equally intrepid Timothee Chalamet (Dune, Wonka) alongside Fran Drescher and Tyler The Creator. Chalamet has made waves for the film ahead of it's release, with one of the most intense marketing approaches from any movie star in decades - ranging from blimps and clothing lines being worn by a variety of prominent musicians, to advertising skits and branded Wheeties boxes. This deliberately blurs the line the actor and his character, with several appearances and videos showing Chalamet remaining in his period-appropriate fashion and attitude reminiscent of 1950s hustler culture rather than standard press-tour polish. If nothing else, Marty Supreme may go down as the rare film marketed with more commitment than most New Year’s resolutions, while giving most attention table tennis has received since your dad’s garage tournament in 1998.

THE ODYSSEY - JULY 2026

THE iconic Roadrunner antagonist, Wile E. Coyote, receives his own dedicated outing in one of the most troubled Warner Bros. productions to date. Like the production company itself, Coyote vs Acme spent a lot of time up in the air, after being shelved following its completion in November 2023, for the sake of a tax write-off. This was met with backlash, and petitions to release it, and even though many film distributors put in a bid, WB didn't accept any offers until acquired in March 2025 by Ketchup Entertainment, which released the last animated Looney Tunes movie in 2024. Now confirmed for an August 2026 release, the movie follows a comedic lawsuit by Coyote against the company behind every failed product that backfired in his attempt to catch his feathered foe.

NARNIA: THE MAGICIAN'S NEPHEW - NOVEMBER 2026

WAS Gladiator too short for your liking? Oppenheimer too boring? Audiences can combine the best of both worlds in Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey. An ancient tale of epic proportions, that likely needs no introduction, is repping one of the best directors for long-form cinema, and an all-star cast that has everybody excited. Matt Damon is the titular Greek hero returning home from the Trojan War, fighting a variety of monsters and mystics along the way. His son is played by Tom Holland, the latest Spiderman, while Anne Hathaway fights off the advances of new suitors as Odysseus' wife. Also featured are Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlie Theron, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth and Elliot Page. Although the story has influenced (both directly and indirectly) an unmentionable number of films over the ages, only three thus far are full-length screen adaptations of the huge story, the last of which was released in 1997. It is widely considered 'bigger than Ben-Hur' - too massive a project to attempt. This is exactly why Nolan is the perfect man for the job, after wowing the world with his masterful, no-holds-barred approach to the equally lengthy Oppenheimer, which won him seven Academy Awards and left a mark on cinema history forever. The British filmmaker is also a stickler for historical accuracy, so any ancient civilisation nerds will likely be in for a treat with this one. Page 12 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

EVER wondered what would happen if Tarantino made spinoff movies? Well, keep dreaming, because Kill 2 was actually filmed at the same time as the first. However, if you're open to the idea of another director taking the reins of the infamous QT, one of the most celebrated film figures of our time, to tell the ongoing story of one of his favourite characters? Ok, well, now you're in luck. Last April, Netflix purchased a Tarantino script titled The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth, which tells the tale of the DiCaprio character's stunt double (Brad Pitt), from QT's last film, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. The film supposedly picks up where the original left off, and Netflix attached a whopping budget of $200 million to it, after securing David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en, Alien 3) in the director's chair. A release month has yet to be announced, while Netflix has not changed its schedule for 2026. Little is known about this mysterious film, although its script is assumed to have been an early contender for Tarantino's final directorial role (the cinema purist set out early in his career never to make more than 10 films - so as to avoid becoming "out-of-touch"). Tarantino later explained his decision not to direct the film himself, saying that while he loved the script, it felt too familiar. If Fincher delivers on QT's screenwriting, this could give fans the tie-over they crave until the fabled 10th film emerges, or it could taint both of their careers for some time if not. UNTIL then, the calendar is circled, expectations are cautiously high, and Blake’s leave close to culmination. Reel Talk will be back in full swing next week - excited for a year of cinema, and maybe even looking a little different.

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New year, same purpose

MOE and District Cancer Council Volunteer Group looks forward to another year of raising money for research in the fight against cancer. The group's current project is Stomach Cancer Research. Next meeting will be held Monday, January 19 from 1.30pm at the Moe RSL (a week early due to public holidays). Join for a cuppa and a chat. All welcome. For more information, phone volunteer group contact Diane on 0438 517 470 or Linda (0427 671 780). Cancer Council Supporters Hot Line: 1300 65 65 85 Cancer Council Help Line: 13 11 20 Quit Line: 13 78 48 Visit: wwwcancervic.org.au / or visit Moe Facebook page.

Track maintenance

JOIN Friends of Tyers Park for track maintenance on Wednesday, January 21 to maintain the Wirilda track.Meet at Tyers Community Hall carpark at 9am. Bring lunch, water, sun protection and wear sturdy footwear.

Dance lessons

DANCE your way through 2026 with Latrobe Valley Dance Promotions Inc. Head on an adventure, one step at a time, to learn or brush up on new vogue/old time sequence dances at the Morwell Girl Guide Hall (18 Margaret Street), 7pm to 10pm recommencing Thursday, February 5. Waltz through life into better health and make new friends. Admission is $5 per person. Wear comfortable footwear. Phone Len on 0439 683 834 or Lynda (0428 489 041). Email: latrobevalleydancepromotioninc@gmail.com Follow Latrobe Valley Dance Promotions Inc on Facebook.

Community Corner with Liam Durkin

Jade Hurley coming to Morwell AUSTRALIAN country music sensation Jade Hurley, a talented singer-songwriter and pianist, famous for hit singles How I Lied (1965), Down in the Riverina (1974), and Another Saturday Night (1982), will perform at the Morwell Club Inc on Saturday, February 7. Jade gained fame on popular Aussie shows like Bandstand and The Mike Walsh Show, where his lively piano skills and knack for connecting with the audience through humour and charisma stole the spotlight. Joining Jade is Rodney Vincent, known for his unique mix of country, comedy, classic hits, rock and roll, and storytelling. Together, they're set to create an unforgettable night. Catch them live at the Morwell Club Inc. on Saturday, February 7, at 8pm. Tickets are $39 per person. Show starts at 8pm For bookings, call Hilary on 0439 980 226. This is an all ages event.

Brilliant bridge

TRARALGON Bridge Club results: Monday, January 5: 1st Barbara Brabets and Anne Moloney (66 per cent); 2nd Don Tylee and Robin Hecker (64.5). Tuesday, January 6: N/S 1st Kaye Douglas and Roshni Chand (66.92); 2nd Rob Graham and Glenis Lohr (51.25). E/W 1st Marion Taylor and Kerry Mills (61.21); 2nd Peter Lonie and Carol Cheyne (59.43). Thursday, January 8: N/S 1st Greg

Nicholson and Kaye Douglas (65); 2nd Fred Kaminski and Heather Henley (62.5). E/W 1st Kevin and Marion Taylor (61.67); 2nd Don Tylee and Robin Hecker (55.42). Give Helen a call on 0438 164 528 if you would like to play or learn more about bridge. New club members are always welcome. Beginners lessons starting in February.

Relaxation

MOE Meditation Group commences its activities for 2026 on Wednesday, February 4. The group meets every Wednesday in the Narracan Mechanics’ Institute Hall located at

the Gippsland Heritage Park (Old Gippstown Moe), from 8.30am.For more information, email: clem@asia. com or phone 0427 262 064.

You can be a part of Community Corner IF you are a community group and have any news items you need publicised, feel free to email us at news@ lvexpress.com.au You can address correspondence to the editor, Liam Durkin. Please write 'Community Corner' in the subject line and nothing else. Deadline is Friday 9am to appear in the following Wednesday issue.

World Day of Prayer planning CHURCHES of Morwell are hosting an ecumenical planning meeting on Tuesday, February 3 at 1.30pm in preparation for World Day of Prayer. The meeting will take place at St Luke's Morwell Uniting Church (279 Princes Drive Morwell). Enquiries can be made to 5134 2699 or 0434 799 921. Alternatively, email: morwellunitingchurch@gmail.com

Coming to town: Aussie rocker Jade Hurley will perform in Morwell next month.

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g n i t a r women in dairy Celeb

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Mic: Allison Potter, Becky Dickinson, Carly Einsiedel and Anna Thompson speaking during a panel discussion at the Women in Dairy annual luncheon, held at All Occasions Wedding and Functions Gippsland, Traralgon. Photographs: Katrina Brandon

a producer in South Gippsland who called to discuss the next step. “He said, ‘I am on the federal compensation committee. We have a large fund, and we love what you are doing and we're worried there's not enough, and we agree that they're not being supported and trained,” she said. Providing ongoing support, the producer asked whether she could run her practice in Victoria and roll out larger projects. Over the years, Becky told the audience that mental health has been a major factor and she has worked to address it through strategies and tools of how she sees herself, her confidence and trusting her gut instinct to know that she was heading in the right direction, as well as talking to others. “I listen a lot to others. I love talking to people, but I love listening to people's feedback and advice, hearing others and what they have to say as to where you fit somewhere, or how you're doing something," she said. “People’s input helps me to shape and feel like I can find my own path.”

Carly Einsiedel

Anna Thompson

By y KATRINA BRAN BRANDON

INDIVIDUAL NDIVIDUAL and d collective ll ti innovation i ti is i spread d throughout Gippsland. At the 2025 Women in Dairy Discussion Group (WID) end-of-year luncheon, about 200 people gathered at the All Occasions Wedding and Functions Gippsland in Traralgon to celebrate innovation and pathways created by individuals. 'Trailblazers in gumboots; Women who drive change' was the theme of the event, which featured a session led by MCE leadership facilitator and author Cynthia Mahoney; a panel led by WID co-founder Allison Potter, founder of Veterinary Support Services Becky Dickinson, Alex Scott salesperson Carly Einsiedel, and Senior Research Scientist Anna Thompson. To launch the event, Ms Mahoney opened with a positive-mindset activity for attendees. Ms Mahoney is a leadership facilitator who coaches, has written a book (before ChatGPT), and has worked in agricultural science, serving as a rural and network coordinator. Previously, she worked with the Department of Agriculture for 17 years and left 14 years ago to start her own business. Highlighting the importance of a positive mindset in dairy, Ms Mahoney noted that positivity from a managerial perspective extends throughout the production chain, leading to better outcomes. “Evidence shows, all the neuroscience, all the science, shows that if we are happy and healthy, we perform at our best,” she said. “For anyone who is managing employees or working in a team or leading people or even just leading yourself, it's really important that you think about what makes them happy and healthy, and prioritise that. If you've got teams, think about what will make them happy and healthy, because then you'll get more out of them.” To make the event more interactive, Ms Mahoney led a positivity activity in which attendees spoke with people around them about something fun they had done that week, something they are grateful for, a woman who has inspired them, and why. Confused by the activity, Ms Mahoney explained to the group that it is a “simple hack to use on your brain”. “What you've just done then is you've changed the chemistry of your brain, and it's like you've given it some fertiliser,” she explained. “This powers you to feel better within yourself, and also, though, not only to change your own state, but also to affect the people around you. “We notice threats, and we notice negative stuff, and so through our day, we experience the same amount of positive to negative emotions. However, because our brains are wired this way, we notice three times as many negative emotions as positive ones. That's just what our brains program to focus on. “If we can just be more conscious of what we're paying attention to, we can change not only our experience of life, but because emotions are infectious, we can actually infect other people.” With the room’s atmosphere now positive, Ms Mahoney highlighted the recent achievement of the panel facilitator, Allison Potter. Striving for excellence, Gippsland’s Allison Potter, a beef farmer and former dairy farmer, head of farm services at Bulla Dairy Foods, and mother of three boys, has won the World Championship for one of her Speckle Park cows, where she travelled to Canada to pick up and celebrate the award. Moving away from her achievement, Ms Potter introduced Ms Einsiedel, Ms Dickinson and Ms Thompson.

GROWING up, Carly Einsiedel was “hell bent” on being a jockey. With a change in plans, she was fortunate to receive a Garden of Dairy Foundation Scholarship, which paved the way for her first career as an agronomist. After additional study at the London Agricultural College, where she received a scholarship, she entered her career in agronomy. After leaving her home in London, Carly spent two years as an agronomist and enjoyed her time on the farm. “I really enjoyed getting out on farms alongside farmers,” she told the crowd. “It was what I was passionate about at the time, but I did miss the livestock aspect.” Two years ago, Carly was offered a position at Alex Scott as a stock agent, which she said was a massive change for her. Now, she has delved into auctioneering, which she said she never thought she would be confident enough to perform. Stepping up to the mic for the first time was quite daunting. Carly told the crowd that her first sale was at a clearing sale, where her boss determined she was ready after she shadowed her colleagues. Up she went, holding onto the railing. Halfway through, she called it quits. “I was so nervous,” she said. “I think I got halfway through the run and called it quits, thinking it was not for me. I got around the corner and thought, ‘come on, got to give this a go, got through the next run’.” Reflecting on the challenges that led to where she is today, Carly noted that taking on a career as an agronomist and then a stock agent was one of the moments that put intense pressure on her, but it was undoubtedly for the better. “I look back on that, and it now seems silly. I remember at the time that was a big step, certainly for the first time I auctioneered at a cattle sale, that was massive,” she told the group. “Diamonds are made under pressure, so we gave it a go. It just kind of went on from there.” Under pressure, negative self-talk can often build up. During the panel, Carly said that, in an industry all about connections, it was pretty easy to be down on herself, but continuing to stick with it has got her where she is today. “My advice to my younger self would be not to be scared of failure,” she said. “You find at the stage now where I'm expanding and hoping to start taking off clients, that's a part of my job that I absolutely love, is getting on-farm alongside clients and getting to work with them and getting to work with them and their cattle and their operations. “You work alongside your clients so much that you kind of adapt into their personal lives too. I think that's pretty special, being able to get up and about every morning and do that.”

music studies, she worked with a dairy farmer’s son, who invited Becky to visit his farm and interact with the cattle. This experience boosted her drive in the industry. “I fell in love with being on the farm,” she said. “I had a dream of being a cat and dog vet … I decided that I was going to come to Australia, where I landed my first job as a dairy vet down the road in Warragul.” Now, 20 years later, she continues to work in Warragul but has “gone and done all sorts of things” and has maintained a mixed practice. During the panel, Ms Potter highlighted the bravery each woman showed in getting where they were, even when they could have easily pivoted away from each challenge. To answer Ms Potter’s question, Becky replied by questioning whether it was really bravery or a lack of impulse control. “I am the least brave person,” she said. “I know what I am and what I do, I see myself as somebody with a lack of impulsivity control. I am very stubborn, and maybe that’s what led me to brave these decisions. So you might say brave, I might say sometimes quite impulsive?” Looking back at her experience, Becky mentioned going back to get her degree would probably be the one that set things in motion the most. With the motion on the way, so were the challenges. During her residency, Becky injured her back, which she believed would end her career. “I couldn’t really see how this pathway was going to go for me. How would I be able to continue my life doing what I had set out to do? “I guess it was the stubbornness there to find pathways that I could remain a dairy vet, which would have to be modified. I couldn’t do the same work that I did before.” Becky stepped back to be a mother of three boys, something seen as a “profession break” to help her find her next step and redirect her path. After a few years away from veterinary medicine, she decided to return to dairy veterinary medicine, which she said was challenging with the children in tow on the mission to find a job. “That was really hard,” she said. “Having not done it for quite a while, and that was really hard with three kids, because I could not get a job, despite having lots of experience. “This is where I decided to go into business: with zero business activity, knowledge, training, skills, anything as when … I think there's a big gap that graduates are not supported well enough in large animal practices, which is why they don’t stay. It’s very intimidating, demanding work, and there is no support. So I thought, ‘Why not train graduates?’” As the clinic took off, Becky was reached by

STARTING with on-farm experience on a nearby farm, Anna Thompson was introduced to the industry through a different channel. While working on a small farm with pigs and sheep, her neighbouring farmers allowed her to sit in the shed with the animals. As a small farm, Anna said she enjoyed the role despite limited work, and that her love for the industry began there. “I carried on working in farms, particularly in dairy production,” she told the WID crowd. “I was working as a candidate on a farm down the road from us.” Unfortunately, when she applied to vet school, she was rejected. “I didn’t get into vet school, but I decided to go do agriculture … I realised that I wanted to combine my love of farming and science as well,” she said. “I’ve always been more drawn to the science subjects, and I realised during agricultural college that I really did love the agricultural science aspect.” After she finished university, Anna worked at a research farm in the UK, which prompted her to pursue a PhD in agricultural science. Anna later pursued her PhD, moving from the UK to Australia to find “something different”. Now, Anna has worked at the Ellinbank Research Farm for seven years. Following Ms Potter's discussion of pivotal moments and bravery, Anna noted that her decision to return for her PhD was one of many difficult choices. She said that during her PhD, it was quite challenging because she devoted three years to studying rather than working. During that time, Anna lived on the farm and said she never really got away from it. She decided to pursue additional study time, which was challenging. Another challenge that Anna highlighted was moving to Australia, not just because of the move, but in partnership. “Having never visited before, my poor partner, who is still my partner now, we met three months before I was due to leave for Australia. And we thought, 'oh, this isn't going to work', but bless him, he stayed the course and actually ended up moving here too,” she told attendees. “I think coming here was probably the other big one, and maybe something just more recently, it kind of reached a point in my career where I was able to step up from being on a science team to leading my own science projects.” Anna hopes that some of the projects she is currently working on have real-world impacts, and help producers make positive changes in their farming.

Becky Dickinson

Key to success: Leadership facilitator and author Cynthia Mahoney spoke on the importance of positive mindsets.

ACROSS the other side of the career spectrum, Becky Dickinson saw herself in the music world, only to shift to a dream in veterinary sciences. Encouraged to pursue her musical talents, Becky was told she wasn’t academically strong enough, prompting her to study music at university. “I went to uni to study music, and very rapidly realised that everyone else around me there had a passion for this, that I love music, and I really still enjoy it, but this was that they were just something else, and I didn't fit there,” she told the group. “I looked back at being a vet, but at this point, I had done all the wrong subjects.” Returning to university, she worked as a veterinary nurse for a year to improve her chances of admission. Becky came from city life in the UK. During her

Page 14 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Insights: Anna Thompson, Carly Einsiedel, Allison Potter and Becky Dickinson spoke about their roles in the dairy industry.

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 15

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Forest Fire Victoria (FFV) are ill-prepared COMMENT BY JOHN CAMERON

THE Chief Fire Officer (Latrobe Valley Express, 07/01/26) calls on the public to prepare for the current fire season and states that Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) are prepared. As evidence of FFMV’s preparation, Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman cites 1800 personnel, 1000 plant including fire trucks, dozers and graders and support from an aerial fleet of firebombing aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft. Sounds good, but similar resources were available yet unable to prevent wildfire burning 1.5 million hectares in 2019/20, 200,000 hectares in 2023/24 and 230,000 ha in 2024/25 in Victoria. The public should follow the Chief Fire Officers advice and prepare, because FFMV Victoria are unprepared for this fire season because of many shortcomings, with the most crucial being insufficient fuel reduction. Over the last decade FFMV has fuel reduced only 1.5 per cent of the forest each year against a Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission target of five per cent. About 80 per cent of Victoria’s forests now carry 20 to 40 tonnes per hectare of dead leaves, twigs and bark on and near the forest floor. When dry, this fuel is the key determinant of fire intensity, rate of spread, spotting potential and difficulty of wildfire suppression. The fine fuel is the ‘accelerant of the forest’ and has the heat energy of 7000 to 14,000 litres per hectare of petrol. The objective should be to keep fires small, which requires strategic fuel reduction of sufficient scale, coupe size and location so that fuel reduced areas are close to points of ignition as well as communities and infrastructure. Unfortunately, a failure to follow this was demonstrated with fatal results in East Gippsland following lightning strikes in November 2019 in old fuels a long way from the prescribed burns which were located at the community ‘interface’. Over the next few months, 1.5million hectares was burnt in Victoria. Risk is a function of the probability of an event and the consequences of that event. In Victoria, the probability of wildfires starting is high (we ( e ha havee hundreds h ndreds each summer) s mmer) and the conse-

quences of severe wildfires are death, destruction and damages totalling billions. Recent wildfires have not been unprecedented and the risk of future wildfires can be predicted. On extreme fire days following a severe drought, we have had megafires at an average of one every eight years - 11 ‘megafires’ in 86 years of over 240,000 ha in size (1939, 1944, 1965, 1969, 1983, 1985, 2003, 2006/07, 2009, 2014 and 2019/20). Depending on the location of these wildfires, hundreds of houses and many lives are lost on average once every 17 years - five disastrous wildfires over the last 86 years killed 323 people (71 in 1939, 32 in 1944, 22 in 1969, 47 in 1983 and 173 in 2009). The consequences of severe wildfires are known loss of life and homes, billions in damages and recovery and considerable environmental damage. The feasibility of mitigating severe wildfires is also known and the cost of mitigation (e.g. fuel reduction) is affordable and costs a fraction of the cost of wildfire losses. The WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and its predecessors have successfully implemented a fuel reduction program in the south west forests of WA for more than 60 years. They have had substantially lower per capita wildfire deaths, homes destroyed and economic loss. Yet effective fire mitigation is not being implemented in Victoria. On the balance of probabilities, a disastrous wildfire is eminent, because of insufficient fuel reduction. We also have on the former firegrounds of megafires in 2003, 2006/07, 2009 and 2019/20, the conversion of substantial areas of tall forests into more fire prone scrublands. On an extreme fire danger day, all of the FFMV resources will be unable to suppress intense fires burning in old heavy fuels or the wildfire induced scrublands and a catastrophe awaits. In the event of such a bushfire catastrophe, the state government and Forest Fire Management Victoria will struggle to mount a defence against criminal negligence and a class action for damages. There is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the government and FFMV

. f er Chris Hardman Offfic Victoria’s Chief Fire s: ion cis de ial uc Cr

File photograph

has exposed the state to unacceptable risk and should have mounted a more effective bushfire mitigation program centred around substantially more fuel reduction. The performance of the government agency responsible for fire control on public land, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) has been assessed against 21 critical fire control metrics. The damning evidence is as follows:  The overall forest fire risk has not improved, but has deteriorated rather than improved and is worse than prior to the megafires of 1983, 2003, 2006/07, 2009 and 2019/20;  The overall forest condition has not improved - substantial areas of old-growth forests have been destroyed and tall forests have been transformed into scrublands;  The total fire in the landscape (wildfire plus prescribed fire) has doubled over the last 60 years, whereas in the south west forests of WA it has halved;  The proportion of wildfire as a percentage of total fire has averaged 66 per cent over the last decade against an achievable best practise target of 30 per cent wildfire (and 70 per cent low intensity prescribed fire);  The wildfire area over the last decade was 2.15 million hectares against an achievable best practise target of less than one million hectares; i.e. less than 100,000 ha per year;  Preparation for the 2025/26 fire season has failed, with 350 tankers removed from service for up to two months at the start of the fire season;  Fuel reduction coupe size of 336ha over the last two years is way below best practise of 1000 ha;  Average fuel reduction area of only 113,000ha pa or 1.5 per cent of the forest over the last decade is well below the 375,000 ha or five per cent recommended by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission following the 2009 bushfires;  FFMV has completed only 67 per cent of its planned fuel reduction and only 26 per cent of its priority planned fuel reduction, which is below their own targets and well below best practise;  FFMV has failed to meet its own ‘risky’ fuel

driven risk target for several years in five districts (Latrobe, Yarra, Metro, Midland and Ovens), which has exposed large population centres including metro Melbourne, critical water supplies and power generation to unacceptable risk;  FFMV has delivered a forest with only nine per cent of the area with fuels less than six-years-old against best practise of at least 45 per cent of the forest with fuels less than six-years-old;  FFMV failed to meet best practise fire detection in 2019/20 with some ignitions not detected until more than 15 hours after ignition;  FFMV failed to meet best practise initial attack in 2019/20 with two of the fires not attacked until the second and third day after ignition, they went on to burn 980,000 hectares;  FFMV failure to meet best practise suppression was demonstrated in 2019/20. Fires that started on November 21 were not suppressed despite the Forest Fire Danger Index being less than 30 for 18 days;  FFMV fails to contain enough wildfires to public land. Many bushfires starting on public land are only finally suppressed on private land with the assistance of the volunteer driven CFA;  FFMV fails to meet its own budgetary targets, with expenditure $1.33 billion or 33 per cent over budget for the last decade;  Fuel reduction costs averaging $1694 over the last three years are at least three times above best practise and the overhead component of 76 per cent demonstrates gross inefficiency, and;  Ministerial and management accountability is lacking, but the narrative is always well spun.

About the author:

John Cameron is a forestry consultant who has consulted on bushfire risk, who previously managed a large forestry company, was a member of a CFA forest industry brigade d and dh holds ld an MBA from f M Monash. h

In n the know: Traralgo n forestry expert Jo hn Cameron.

File photograph

Poor performance: It was revealed Forest Fire Management Victoria failed to meet best practise fire detection during the 2019/20 black summer. Some ignitions were not detected for 15 hours. Photograph supplied

Page 16 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Traralgon speed limits being ignored MOST people will have heard of 'Choose your own adventure' books but may not be aware of something along the same lines in Traralgon. It's called (my description) 'Choose your own speed when driving in the town'. Far too many people ignore the 60 kmph limit on the main connecting roads, 40 kmph in the school zones during school times and the permanent 40 kmph limit in the CBD. The highway section from just before the Breed Street lights to just before the lights at Liddiard Road is meant to be 60 kmph, but very few drivers follow this limit. I have come to the conclusion that because there are no consequences for clearly going over the speed limit, then it comes down to choosing your own speed, if you have no regard for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists or other road users. Greg Jessep Traralgon

We were all there once

IT'S heart-breaking to read that Gippsland Women’s Health considers increased local access to medical abortion to be encouraging, and wants yet more access (Latrobe Valley Express, 07/01, Page 6). Every abortion results in the death of one of our youngest little Gippslanders (half of them women), and is a tragedy for all concerned. It would make better sense for Gippsland Women’s Health to be looking at ways to increase support for pregnant women and mothers in difficulty, rather than just make sure they have access to getting rid of their unwanted children quickly and easily. Another article (on Page 7) notes that Latrobe Community Health Service’s ‘sexual health nurse’ says that ultrasounds are unnecessary prior to medical abortion. They want to make abortions even quicker and easier, and potentially with less-informed consent. Abortion is the one thing taken over by healthcare (even though it’s not care of health, but intentional death of a purely innocent growing human being) where the less informed consent is, the better for those who make money out of it. Even the nurse referring to the gestational age of the pregnancy, instead of the gestational age of the baby, is deceiving. As if a pregnancy can exist without a child growing in the womb. We were all there once, protected in our mother’s womb, and lucky for us, she allowed us to live. Why can’t we afford the same rights to all? Women deserve better than abortion. Janet Kingman Morwell

Catch 22: While a Traralgon bypass has been long called for, it could come at a cost to local business. Photograph supplied

Top baby names

THE annual league table of popular names always prompts interest, especially to experienced teachers who see trends come and go. (LVE 07/01). As head teacher at Traralgon South Primary School in the early 1990s, of the 65 female students, 13 of them, one in five, were called either Emma or Jessica. In a small sixth grade class at St Paul's Anglican Grammar School in 2013, there as three Isabellas. I observe now Isabella just sneaks in at Number 20. But alas. Emma and Jessica are nowhere to be seen. Ian Whitehead Traralgon

Strange way to keep women healthy and safe in Gippsland

GIPPSLAND Women’s Health (GWH) has released its 2025 Healthy Women, Healthy Gippsland report (LVE, 07/01), once again highlighting the statistics, lived experiences and costs of family violence in Gippsland. GWH chief executive Ms Kate Graham tells us this report will serve as a foundational tool to guide their work providing the evidence base to

support Gippsland leaders in ensuring all females are healthy and safe. Then to my surprise in another breath, Ms Graham finds it encouraging to see an increase in access to medical abortion. Abortion is not health care if you’re killing a living baby in the womb. Mother and child are not safe. In my book, health care should be that - care. Care for the mother and care for the baby. Medical science has progressed so much that there is no medical emergency that requires a termination of a baby. A mother and her baby can be saved. Why not care for and encourage women to give up their ‘unwanted’ baby for adoption? The mother doesn’t have to suffer the mental anguish of killing her baby which may come the following day or 10 years on; there will always be a reminder of what took place - something like this can never be forgotten. The mother could live a good life knowing she saved a life. That’s keeping women healthy and safe in Gippsland, after all it could be a female that is getting terminated, such contradictions! Josie Vitale Morwell

Take back our borders

IT'S not the gun laws that are causing the problem in this country, it's the people Albo is letting in. We call Australia home. Mick Perkins Yallourn North

Unintended consequences

IN regards to Brian Cosgriff ('Engineering escapade', LVE Opinion, 23/12) around why Traralgon needs a bypass within 12 months. Traffic has increased due to tourism and a bypass would affect business. NF Nanos Traralgon

The emperor has no clothes

PM Anthony 'the Appeaser' Albanese's flippant recent comment concerning the Bondi massacre when he said "love is more powerful than hate" proves beyond all reasonable doubt that he is unfit to lead this nation. This pusillanimous pretender is nothing more than a slogan-peddler, and his insincere platitudes ring hollow. Thus, his utter lack of moral authenticity during this crisis has been exposed for all to see. Joseph Lis Morwell

Farmers suffering at hands of big supermarkets

Spud season: Concerns remain for vegetable growers being ripped off at the farmgate by big supermarkets. POTATO farmers are currently earning $500 a tonne - around $200 short of making it worth their while. “That really needs to be $700 a tonne to continue,” potato and cattle farmer Trevor Hall said. He said profitability is the main issue for farmers. “On the vegetable side of things, the vegetable industry in Australia is going to struggle because our input, machinery and labour costs are so dear. “But a lot of the smaller vegetable growers will take the impact and so we will bear the brunt, meaning conditions in 2026 will only get worse.” Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said farmers would still hurt in 2026 at the hands of big supermarkets, after Labor had failed to act and fully implement its Australian Competition and Consumer Commission price inquiry report. This is despite Labor saying before the election,

it would firstly implement the ACCC recommendations, but it is now almost 300 days since the report and hardly any recommendations have been implemented. Prior to the election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised; “We will, if we are elected, implement firstly the ACCC’s supermarket inquiry recommendations. That’s about improving transparency.” Mr Littleproud said farmers are continuing to have margins squeezed, and with 40 per cent of vegetable farmers considering leaving the industry, this is of great concern to Australia’s farmers and food security. “Action should have been taken by now,” Mr Littleproud said. “Recommendations to assist balance supermarket buying power relate to providing information about

Photograph: Liam Durkin

supply forecasts, harmonisation of accreditation and auditing requirements, and transparency in weekly processes, wholesale fresh produce prices or volumes, rebates suppliers pay to supermarkets and how supplier funding contributions to their inhouse retails media services are used. “The large supermarkets are the market, which means suppliers still have little bargaining power and can still be treated unfairly in 2026. “This will have enormous implications in 2026, because fresh food suppliers are particularly vulnerable in negotiations with large supermarkets. “In addition, training of farmers and suppliers to understand their rights under the mandatory food and grocery code of conduct and to build their capacity to negotiate with supermarkets won’t begin until at least February, nine months since Labor promised to implement it.

State election year BETTER lay out the ground rules from the start. This year being a state election year, this paper will obviously be inundated with letters as November 28 draws closer. As it was with last year’s federal election, I again wish to make it absolutely clear there is a difference between editorial and paid advertising. If candidates wish to heighten their campaigns further, they are permitted to do so out of their own pocket. Any advertising containing editorial will be clearly marked as such, and not provided by Express journalists. Letters to the Editor will continue as normal, however I will be using my discretion to eliminate any I feel crossover as attempts to undermine or derail the campaigns of parties involved. There was issues regarding letters being sent in from fake names last year, which will again be carefully policed. I am not oblivious either to the groundswell of opposition many Gippslanders currently have towards Labor, nor frustrations from people feeling as though the Liberals are a weak opposition given the never-ending changes to leadership. Every year in news is busy, but none more so than when a state election is due. In my view, a state election is the one that has the biggest impact on local residents (even more so than council and even federal) as major decisions made by the Premier's team usually directly affect many industries critical to Gippsland's prosperity. Rational debate is critical in the election process. Let's remember the rational part. Liam DURKIN LVE Editor

Have your say THE Latrobe b Valley ll Express welcomes l letters to the editor. Preference will be given to brief, concise letters which address local issues. The editor Liam Durkin, reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and clarity, and may refuse to publish any letter without explanation. The Express does not publish letters from anonymous contributors. Letters must include a phone number, email address and the author’s hometown for purposes of substantiating authenticity. Readers are entitled to a right of reply to a letter directed at them. While healthy debate is encouraged, the editor will stamp out any that cross the line to defamation. The views expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Latrobe Valley Express management or staff. Readers should be equally aware that facts presented in letters are selected to support a person’s point of view. As such, statistics can quite often be fabricated depending on the pool of data used or people involved in surveys. The letters section is designed to allow people to have their say, and not be hijacked for political agendas. Letters regarding religion will not be published. Email letters to news@lvexpress.com.au and include ‘Letter to the Editor’ in the subject line. Deadline for letters is Thursday 3pm.

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 17

HOROSCOPES

news

news@lvexpress.com.au

by Joanne Madeline Moore

January 12 -- May January 18, 2026 May 20 26, 2024 Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) This week’s stars are all about finding your true path and following your destiny. Draw inspiration from birthday great, entertainer Eartha Kitt: “The river is constantly turning and bending, and you never know where it’s going to go and where you’ll wind up. Following the bend in the river and staying on your own path means that you are on the right track. Don’t let anyone deter you from that.” On the weekend, take an old idea and spin it into something new.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) There’s no denying that 2026 will be full of changes and uncertainties, but don’t let the worries and ‘what-ifs’ drain your life of spontaneity and enjoyment. The Sun and Uranus encourage you to take a giant leap of faith into the future, as you think creatively and love compassionately. Inspiration for the week is from civil rights leader Martin Luther King (who was born on January 15, 1929): “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) This week, no less than five planets (the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter) are jumping through your financial zones. Which could result in a massive spending spree on your part – particularly at the ongoing New Year Sales. Remember – if you buy something you don’t need, it’s not a bargain! When it comes to a work project, the more thorough you are, the better the final result will be. Slow and steady (not a Gemini speciality) wins the race.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) It’s another week when five planets highlight the delicate balancing act between being a strong, autonomous individual and having close, nurturing relationships. (It’s a Crab tendency to underdo your independent side and overdo your needy, clingy side.) Uranus also encourages you to plan future adventures and dream exciting dreams. So your motto for the week comes from birthdayy great, entertainer Eartha Kitt: “I don’t chase dreams – I catch them.”

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Have you been feeling like a lazy Lion or a procrastinating Cat? This week Saturn and Uranus encourage you to restructure your diet and exercise program, plus reinvent your daily work routine. Time to eat more nutritiously, exercise more regularly and collaborate with colleagues more often. If you tick these boxes, then you’ll improve (and transform) your health and career in 2026. The weekend is wonderful for finishing a project and/or going on an adventure.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22) Are some of your platonic relationships running on autopilot? Have you been too busy to catch up with close friends? With five planets powering through your peer group zones, it’s all about friendships this week, Virgo – how to find them, nurture them and keep them. So it’s the perfect time to do something special with your best mates – organise a lunch, see a movie, go to a concert or plan a weekend away (preferably in a beautiful natural environment).

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22) With the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars still visiting your home zone, expect big domestic changes in 2026 (you could renovate, buy, sell or move). Don’t be in too much of a rush … make sure you do all the research and planning that’s required. As polymath (and birthday great) Benjamin Franklin observed: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” The weekend favours a quick catch-up with a friend or a spontaneous adventure with a relative.

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are all visiting your local and interstate travel zone s, so many Scorpios will take off on a business trip or overdue holiday. With Pluto (your ruler) transiting through Aquarius until 2044, many Scorpios will undergo a major transformation where you gradually become more autonomous and authentic. It’s time to morph into the real you! Your motto is from birthday great Eartha Kitt: “The price we pay for being ourselves is worth it.”

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Five planets spotlight financial matters and self-esteem issues, so you could make a large purchase, sign a contract, redo your budget or draw up a new savings plan. Confidence is high as you celebrate your strengths and give yourself a pat on the back. Courtesy of the Sun/ Uranus trine, the weekend is wonderful for upending your usual routine and going on an exciting adventure or making the most of an unusual opportunity that comes your way. Experiment and explore!

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) It’s your week to shine, turn on the charm and get things done! The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are all visiting Capricorn, and Lady Luck is calling. So make sure you are ready, willing and able to capitalise on good fortune when it comes along. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. On the weekend, the Sun/Saturn link is fabulous for turning abstract pipedreams into achievable, doable projjects (wiithh thhe hellp off someone speciiall in your locall neighbourhood).

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) With five planets visiting your humanitarian and helping zones for most of the week, the focus is on assisting those around you. So your motto comes from Capricorn birthday great, Muhammad Ali: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Then the pace picks up on the weekend, when Venus transits into your sign and the Sun/Uranus connection livens up your social life in unexpected ways. Prepare to be at your quirky Aquarian best!

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Your involvement with a group, class, club or organisation has other people looking to you for a helping hand. Use your networking skills to drum up support, and don’t be afraid to ask others for assistance when you need it. With four planets in Capricorn, things are moving slowly and you’ll have to be extra patient. Your weekly motto is from birthday great Martin Luther King: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” COPYRIGHT Joanne Madeline Moore 2G025668

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Elected: Mirboo North Secondary College captains for 2026, Grace Schill, Lily Smith, Fletcher Petty and Ruby McNamara. Photographs supplied

Mirboo North student leaders locked and loaded MIRBOO North Secondary College captains are ready for 2026. Grace Schill, Lily Smith, Fletcher Petty and Ruby McNamara will lead the school after the election process. Late last year, the student leadership group, known as 'VOS' (Voice of Students), was pleased to hold an Inclusion Day in the week of International Day of People With a Disability. Students prepared a video by interviewing their peers and teachers asking them what inclusion meant to them and shared many great stories about how important it is to include others.The VOS team also organised lunchtime activities with

the help of the school nurse Emma, and many local organisations that support people with a disability were present. In the afternoon, a whole school assembly was held, with guest speaker Amanda from Thriving with Neurodiversity addressing the community. MNSC student leader Alice Williams spoke to students, and called on them to recognise that everyone is equal and for all to be included and a part of the school community. Alice and the VOS team called on staff and students to work “everyday towards a more accepting and helpful environment,” and to work together to achieve this goal.

Lodge donates to band

FOUR local Masonic Lodges joined for a combined Christmas meeting last month. The meeting was held at Latrobe Valley Masonic Centre, with entertainment provided by the City of Traralgon Band. A donation of $4000 raised by Freemasons Foundation Victoria, Argyle, Concordia, Morwell, and Traralgon Lodges was presented to the band. Tracey Olivier from the Traralgon City Band said the money would go towards the purchase of a timpani drum kit, which the band would use

when playing at different events over time. The emcee on the night, Stuart Hill, kept the carol singing and the entertainment going for the 75 members and partners. The ladies, who put on a magnificent supper, were thanked for their assistance throughout the year. Later in the evening, Santa arrived and gave everybody a nice bag of lollies. Well done Santa. The Masonic Lodges are always looking for new members.

Wicks St, Yinnar WICKS Street, Yinnar is named after one of Yinnar’s early settlers, Henry Wicks. Henry Wicks was born in Sussex, England in 1831. He married Louisa Honnisett in 1852. Henry and Louisa came to Australia in 1855 on the ship, Ravenscraig and arrived in Geelong in June 1855 (according to the Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923). Like many others, they went to the Ballarat goldfields but eventually moved back to Melbourne, where Henry managed an estate at Maribyrnong. Later, Henry selected 540 acres of land at Yinnar. In 1885, Henry sold some of that land for town allotments and later more land together with George Firmin so that the railway siding could be established. Henry and Louisa had five children: Henry Jr,

Charles, Edmund, Gladys and Priscilla. As well as running his farm, Henry played an important role in developing the township of Yinnar. With the need to have a school to educate the pioneer’s children, Henry provided the land for the Yinnar State School No. 2419, which opened in September 1881. In 1885, the Yinnar Hotel was built and owned by Henry. It was an establishment of 12 rooms, five stalls and accommodation. On his death in 1908 he bequeathed the hotel to his daughter, Priscilla. This hotel was later destroyed by fire in 1914 and Priscilla rebuilt the hotel, which is the now standing hotel. Information and photo provided by Yinnar and District Historical Society and Museum.

This week my stars are telling me thatt I’m goiing to purchase a fan ntastic barg gain

YOU BEAUTY!

To advertise your bargains, products or services in this column or for information, simply phone Jenny Mann on 5135 4412 today. Page 18 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Previous life: The hotel on Main Street, Yinnar in the early 1900s before it was destroyed by fire.

Photograph supplied

The Guide ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ABC TV, Friday, 7.30pm

LOVE IT OR LIST IT AUSTRALIA 10, Saturday, 7.40pm

Everyone’s favourite scallywag is back – Tristan (Callum Woodhouse) returns from his service with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in Cairo, bringing a smile to everyone’s face at Skeldale House. Everyone, that is, except Carmody (James Anthony-Rose). The magnetic Tristan doesn’t see eye to eye with his straitlaced replacement on their first meeting, a situation exacerbated by fact that Carmody has made himself at home in his bedroom. While the reason for Tristan’s discharge isn’t yet clear, there are hints that the vet’s cheery demeanour masks the true extent of what he witnessed at war, the impact of which is set to be explored in future episodes.

PICK OF THE WEEK

Sixteen years after Karen and her husband Darrel started the renovations on their charming Queenslander, she’s officially had enough. The couple have raised a family in their Tarragindi home over the past two decades, but life got in the way of finishing several major construction projects. Karen is ready to sell, but Darrel doesn’t want to abandon all the hard work that has gone into creating their dream home. That’s where real estate experts Neale Whitaker and Andrew Winter come in. While Whitaker reckons the final leg of their reno is a simple undertaking, Winter suggests similar local properties that come without a to-do list. It’s a tempting prospect for the battle-scarred Karen.

I’M A CELEBRITY… G T ME OUT OF HERE! GE 1 , Sunday, 7pm 10

Fresh off winningg the US version F of Dancing with the Stars, Robert of Irwin waltzes back onto our screens to co-host the 12th season of this homegrown reality competition alongside Julia Morris (pictureed g with Irwin). While the Dancingg training regimee is no doubt gruelling for its contestants, it’ss nothing compared to o the challenges that await the campmatees once they enter thee South African junglle. There’s sure to be plenty of stomach hchurning tucker trrials and terrifying tassks, plus the return o thee infamous a ous of Viper Room. After e weeks ee of speculation,, Sunday’s premierre reveals the (mostly) familiar faces taking part this year.

HOME AND AWAY Seven, Monday, 7pm

From miraculous resurrections to secret evil twins, outlandish soap opera plotlines can often be accused of veering off the rails in a bid to deliver maximum drama. The creative minds behind this enduring series put a literal spin on that narrative by shockingly sending a passenger train packed with beloved characters off its tracks in last year’s high-stakes cliffhanger. In Monday’s season return, with several fan favourites in peril, rescue operations are in full swing to save those trapped in the precarious wreckage. Police sergeant David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) frantically tries to bring order to the chaos, while a desperate Tane (Ethan Browne, pictured) takes matters into his own hands.

Wednesday, January 14 ABC TV (2)

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra Summer. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Learning To Love. (2023, G, R) Ina Barrón, Philip Boyd, Caroline Skye. 2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 [VIC] Tipping Point Australia. (PG, R) 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG, R) 5.30 [VIC] WIN News.

6.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 7.00 Bold. (PG, R) 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Entertainment Tonight. 10.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGa, R) 11.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00 10 News: Lunchtime. 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 2.30 The Finish Line. 3.30 Lingo. (R) 4.30 The Bold And The Beautiful. (PG) 5.00 10 News.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Hard Quiz. (PG) 8.30 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (Return, Ml) A satirical news program. 9.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) Hosted by Adam Hills. 9.30 Changing Ends. (PG) 10.20 Classic Countdown Extras. (PG, R) 10.35 ABC Late News. 10.50 The Jetty. (MA15+, R) 11.50 Grand Designs: The Streets. (R) 12.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.25 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) 2.25 Close To Me. (Mals, R) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.35 Michael Palin: Into Iraq. (PGa, R) 8.30 The Jury: Murder Trial UK. The jury are presented with some CCTV evidence. 9.25 Crime. (MA15+) Lennox wrestles with the consequences of his actions. 10.25 Great British Railway Journeys. (PG, R) 11.00 Face To Face. (Mals) 11.50 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (Malv) 1.35 The Eco Show. (R) 2.35 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (PG, R) 4.05 My Unique B&B. (R) 4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Match 35. Hobart Hurricanes v Brisbane Heat. 10.30 Big Bash League Post-Match. Post-match coverage of the game between the Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat. 11.00 Air Crash Investigations: Power Play. (PGa, R) Documents the 2011 crash of PNG Flight 1600 in Papua New Guinea’s remote Madang Province. 12.00 Wolfe. (Premiere, MA15+anv) A body is found at a meat processing plant. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Tennis. 1 Point Slam. 10.00 American Crime Story. (Madlsv) Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey search for the Mark Fuhrman tapes and Judge Ito decides if they are admissible. 12.15 Tipping Point. (PG, R) Hosted by Ben Shephard. 1.05 Fishing Australia. (R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.30 Gogglebox Australia. (PGals, R) Opinionated viewers discuss TV shows. 9.00 Elsbeth. (Mas, R) While investigating the death of a wealthy real estate developer, Elsbeth is led to the last person to see him alive. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 10.30 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert. 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Home In WA. 6.30

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Danger Man. 7.00

Creflo Dollar Ministries. 7.30 Thunderbirds. 8.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 10.30 Pointless. 11.30 Tennis. Adelaide International. Day 3. 6pm Tennis. Adelaide International. Night 3. From Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, Adelaide. 11.00 Midsomer Murders. A bartender is murdered, and DCI Barnaby and Sgt Scott’s search for a motive leads them to a web of secret business dealings. 1am Creflo Dollar Ministries. 1.30 Harry Wild. 2.30 Mrs Sidhu Investigates. 4.30 Danger Man. 5.30 Find My Country House Canada.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am GCBC.

6.30 Everyday Gourmet. 7.00 Ridiculousness. 8.00 Taskmaster Australia. 9.00 My Market Kitchen. 9.30 Bold. 10.00 Family Feud. 10.30 Ridiculousness. 11.30 Deal Or No Deal. Noon The Inspired Unemployed: The List. 1.00 Ridiculousness. 2.00 Stephen Colbert. 3.00 Becker. 3.30 Frasier. 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Frasier. 5.00 Becker. 5.30 Frasier. 6.30 Friends. 8.00 The Big Bang Theory. (PG, R) 10.00 Becker. 10.30 Frasier. 11.30 Ridiculousness. 12.30am Shopping. 2.30 Bold. 3.30 Stephen Colbert. 4.30 Shopping.

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 9.40

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Hook, Line And

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping.

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Australia’s Favourite Tree. (R) 11.10 All Creatures Great And Small. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Miniseries: The Cry. (Mal, R) 1.55 Restoration Australia. (PG, R) 2.55 Would I Lie To You? (R) 3.25 Nigella At My Table. (R) 3.55 Grand Designs: The Streets. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

Programs. 4.30pm Mojo Swoptops. 4.40 Vida The Vet. 4.55 Bluey. 5.00 Peppa Pig. 5.10 Big Lizard. 5.20 Millie Magnificent. 5.30 Fireman Sam. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 5.55 Octonauts. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.30 Steven Universe. 8.50 Adventure Time. 9.15 Teen Titans Go! 9.35 We Bare Bears. 9.50 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 10.10 My Adventures With Superman. 10.35 Late Programs.

The World According To Grandpa. 9.50 Chums. 10.00 Africa’s Hidden Kingdoms. 10.50 NITV News: Summer Yarns. 11.00 A Wing And A Prayer. Noon Piri’s Tiki Tour. 12.30 Unleash The Beast. 1.30 Off Country. 2.00 Strait To The Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Spartakus. 3.25 Cities Of Gold. 4.25 Little J And Big Cuz. 4.35 Motown Magic. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Black As. 5.30 News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 NITV News: Summer Yarns. 6.40 Africa’s Hidden Kingdoms. 7.30 Our Medicine. 8.40 Earth Oven. (Premiere) 9.25 MOVIE: Poetic Justice. (1993, MA15+) 11.20 Late Programs.

6.00 DW English News. 6.30 Al Jazeera News. 7.00 BBC News At Six. 7.30 France 24 English News. 8.00 DD India News Hour. 9.00 Rediscover Victoria: Ocean Views. (PG, R) 10.30 Tennis. Kooyong Classic. Day 2. 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 9. Highlights.

WorldWatch. 8.10 NHK Newsline. 8.40 CBC The National. 9.30 BBC News At Six. 10.00 Mastermind Aust. Noon DW The Day. 12.40 Stone Cold Takes On America. 1.30 If You Are The One. 3.30 BBC News At Ten. 4.00 France 24. 4.30 PBS NewsHour. 5.30 Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams Tour. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.30 Genius Game. 9.40 The UnXplained Mysteries Of The Universe. 10.30 The Handmaid’s Tale. 11.30 MOVIE: Ninja Assassin. (2009, MA15+) 1.20am Tales From The Territories. 2.10 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera Newshour.

6am The Crow’s Egg. (2014, PGa, Tamil) 7.10 The Movie Show. 7.45 Castle In The Sky. (1986) 10.10 Princess Mononoke. (1997, PG, Japanese) 12.30pm The Exchange. (2021, Mals) 2.15 Finding Altamira. (2016, PGa) 4.00 Discovering Film. 4.55 The Secret Garden. (2020, PGa) 6.45 Mary And Max. (2009, PG) 8.30 Reality. (2023, Ma) 10.05 Haywire. (2011, Mlv) 11.50 Lamb. (2021, MA15+v, Icelandic) 1.50am Jules. (2023) 3.25 Let Me Introduce You To Sofia. (2018, Mal, Italian) 5.15 The Movie Show. 5.50 The Secret Garden. (2020, PGa)

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 MOVIE: Love, Romance And Chocolate. (2019, PGa) Lacey Chabert. 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. Hosted by Larry Emdur.

Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s Practice. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Medical Emergency. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon Better Homes And Gardens. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Sydney Weekender. 2.30 The Master. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Million Dollar Minute. 4.30 Better Homes And Gardens. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 Inspector George Gently. 10.45 Young Elizabeth. 11.45 Bargain Hunt. 12.45am Room For Improvement. 1.30 Home In WA. 2.00 Harry’s Practice. 2.30 Million Dollar Minute. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 Late Programs.

Sinker. 7.00 Oz Fish TV. 7.30 Creek To Coast. 8.00 A Football Life. 9.00 America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions. 10.00 Aussie Adventure Bike Show. 10.30 American Restoration. 11.00 Storage Wars. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.00 Outback Truckers. 3.00 Billy The Exterminator. 4.30 American Restoration. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.30 The Force: Behind The Line. 9.30 Caught On Dashcam. 10.30 World’s Wildest Police Videos. 11.30 Live PD Presents: PD Cam. Midnight Late Programs.

7.30 The Actually Really Very Difficult Show. 8.00 Ready Vet Go: The Vet Paramedics. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.00 Bewitched. 10.30 Jeannie. 11.00 The Summit. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 5.30 Jeannie. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Doctor Dolittle. (1998, PG) 10.15 Seinfeld. 11.15 The 100. 12.10am The Vampire Diaries. 2.00 Love After Lockup. 3.30 I Love VIP Pets. 4.00 Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures. 4.30 Hop. 4.50 Booba. 5.10 LEGO City Adventures. 5.30 Bubble’s Hotel.

TEN (10, 5)

8.00 Reel Action. (PGl, R) 9.00 The Living Room. (PG, R) 10.00 JAG. (PGls, R) 12.00 Days Of Our Lives. (PGalv) 12.45 The Young And The Restless. (PGasv) 1.30 The Dog House. (PGa, R) 2.30 JAG. (PGv, R) 4.30 The Living Room. (PG, R) 5.30 JAG. (PGv, R) 7.30 NCIS. (Mv, R) 10.20 Matlock. (PGadl, R) 12.15am Shopping.

CONSUMER ADVICE (P) Pre-school (C) Children (PG) Parental Guidance Recommended (M) Mature Audiences (MA15+) Mature Audiences Only (AV15+) Extreme Adult Violence (R) Repeat (a) Adult themes (d) Drug references (h) Horror (s) Sex references (l) Language (m) Medical procedures (n) Nudity (v) Violence.

MEL/VIC

The Latrobe Valley Express, TV Guide Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 19

Thursday, January 15 ABC (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 10.30 The Weekly. (Ml, R) 11.10 Changing Ends. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Miss Austen. (R) 2.00 Restoration Aust. (PG, R) 2.55 Would I Lie To You? (PG, R) 3.25 Nigella At My Table. (R) 3.55 Grand Designs: The Streets. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.00 DW English News. 6.30 Al Jazeera News. 7.00 BBC News At Six. 7.30 France 24 English News. 8.00 DD India News Hour. 9.00 Rediscover Victoria. (R) 10.30 Tennis. Kooyong Classic. Day 3. 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 10. Highlights.

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra Summer. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Love s Fast Lane. (2023, PGa, R) Grace Patterson, Tom Gipson. 2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 [VIC] Tipping Point Australia. (PG, R) 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG, R) 5.30 [VIC] WIN News.

6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. 10.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (R) 11.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00 News. 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 2.30 The Finish Line. 3.30 Lingo. (R) 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30. Presented by Michael Rowland. 8.00 Grand Designs Transformations: Teneriffe Tree House and Dubbo Garden. Two houses are transformed. 9.00 Amanda & Alan s Italian Job. (PG) Amanda Holden and Alan Carr design the kitchen. 9.30 Goolagong. (M, R) Evonne Goolagong Cawley is driven away from tennis. 10.40 ABC Late News. 10.55 Grand Designs: The Streets. (R) 11.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 12.30 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.25 Close To Me. (Madl, R) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.35 Toronto Airport Uncovered. At Toronto Airport, problems unfold behind the scenes. 8.25 Robson Green: World s Most Amazing Walks. Robson Green explores Austria s Wachau Valley. 9.20 In Flight. Jo s forced to hide heroin at the airport. 10.15 Great British Railway Journeys: Felixstowe To Norwich. (PGa, R) 10.50 Before We Die. (Mlv, R) 11.45 Outlander. (MA15+av, R) 2.05 The Eco Show. (R) 3.00 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (R) 3.55 My Unique B&B. (R) 4.30 Bamay. (PG, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Match 36. Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers. 10.30 Seven s Cricket: The Spin. An expert panel examines all the big news and issues with a deep dive into the world of cricket. 11.15 Boyzone: Life, Death And Boybands: When The Going Gets Tough. (Mal, R) Fame brings tabloids, pressure and strain. 12.15 MOVIE: A Criminal Affair. (2021, Mav, R) Two students fall for a research subject. Savvy Shay, Jacob Taylor. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Tennis. Australian Open. Exhibition match. Carlos Alcaraz v Alex De Minaur. 10.00 A+E After Dark. (Mlm, R) Police bring in an abusive male. 11.00 Chicago Med. (Ma) The hospital is thrown into a crisis. 12.00 First On Scene. (Mav, R) 12.30 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.30 Attenborough s Parenthood. (PGa) Looks at how every habitat has challenges. 8.30 The Graham Norton Show. (PGs) Graham Norton is joined by Keira Knightley, Malala Yousafzai, Aimee Lou Wood and Chris McCausland. 9.40 Law & Order: SVU. (Msv, R) Benson hopes the discovery of a hidden camera will help when the team investigates an attack on a group of law students. 10.40 10 s Late News. 11.10 10 News+. (R) 11.40 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 6.05pm PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.30 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.10 Secret Life Of The Tasmanian Devils. 10.00 The Wonderful World Of Puppies. 10.40 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am WorldWatch. 10.00 Mastermind Aust. Noon WorldWatch. 12.30 Fashionista. 12.40 Mastermind Aust. 1.40 Devoured. 2.30 Insight. 3.30 WorldWatch. 5.30 Freddie Flintoff s Field Of Dreams Tour. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Genius Game. 9.30 The UnXplained Mysteries. 10.20 Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 2pm Strait To The Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Black As. 5.30 Going Places. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 NITV News: Summer Yarns. 6.40 Africa s Hidden Kingdoms. 7.29 NITV Weather. 7.30 Going Places. 8.30 Reservation Dogs. 9.50 MOVIE: Action Jackson. (1988, M) 11.30 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Jules. (2023) 11.35 Under The Stars Of Paris. (2020, Mal, French) 1.15pm The Crow s Egg. (2014, PGa, Tamil) 2.55 The Great Dictator. (1940, PG) 5.10 Vai. (2019, PG) 6.50 BMX Bandits. (1983, PGalv) 8.30 Moving On. (2022, Malsv) 10.05 5 To 7. (2014, Mals) 11.55 Late Programs.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 MOVIE: Sweet As Maple Syrup. (2022, PGa) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

TEN (10, 5)

Programs. 1pm Escape To The Country. 2.00 Home In WA. 2.30 Young Elizabeth. 3.30 Harry s Practice. 4.00 Million Dollar Minute. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Danger Man. 7.00

7.30 Thunderbirds. 8.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 10.30 Pointless. 11.30 Tennis. Adelaide International. Day 4. 6pm Tennis. Adelaide International. Night 4. 11.00 Poirot. 1am 1.30 Major Crimes. 2.30 Mrs Sidhu Investigates. 4.30 Danger Man. 5.30 Find My Country House Canada.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am Morning Programs. 9.30 Bold. 10.00 Family Feud. 10.30 Ridiculousness. 11.30 Deal Or No Deal. Noon The Inspired Unemployed: The List. 1.00 Ridiculousness. 2.00 Stephen Colbert. 3.00 Becker. 3.30 Frasier. 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Frasier. 5.00 Becker. 5.30 Frasier. 6.30 Friends. 8.00 Big Bang. 9.30 Becker. 10.00 Frasier. 11.00 Late Programs.

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Caught On Dashcam. 1.30 Highway Patrol. 2.30 The Force: BTL. 3.30 Full Custom Garage. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 American Pickers. 8.30 MOVIE: The Last Of The Mohicans. (1992, M) 10.55 Late Programs.

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 8.00 Reel Action. 9.00 Living Room. 10.00 JAG. Noon Days Of Our Lives. 12.45 The Young And The Restless. 1.30 The Dog Academy. 2.30 JAG. 4.30 Living Room. 5.30 JAG. (PGv, R) 7.30 NCIS. (M, R) 10.20 Matlock. (PGa, R) 12.15am Shopping.

Australia s Lightest ONLY 2.5KG 1 Scooter

2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Doctor Dolittle 2. (2001, PG) 10.15 Seinfeld. 11.15 The 100. 12.10am The Vampire Diaries. 2.00 Love After Lockup. 3.30 I Love VIP Pets. 4.00 Late Programs.

Mobility And More Moe 32 George Street, Moe

Phone: 51 272099

Friday, January 16 ABC TV (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Solar System. (R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now. (R) 1.50 Goolagong. (M, R) 2.55 Would I Lie To You? (R) 3.25 Nigella s Cook, Eat, Repeat. (R) 3.55 Grand Designs: The Streets. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Britain s Most Expensive Houses. (PGl, R) 2.55 Going Places. (R) 3.25 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Jeopardy! 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 11. Highlights.

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra Summer. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: A Missed Connection. (2023, PGa, R) Meggan Kaiser, Alex Trumble. 2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 [VIC] Tipping Point Australia. (PG, R) 5.30 [VIC] WIN News.

6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. 10.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGa, R) 11.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00 News. 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 2.30 The Finish Line. (R) 3.30 Lingo. (R) 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 All Creatures Great And Small. Tristan and Carmody go on a quest to Pumphrey Manor. 8.15 Art Detectives. (M) A producer is murdered in a recording studio. 9.05 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Presenter Tom Gleeson grills four self-declared experts in a comedic quiz show. 9.35 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (Ml, R) A satirical news program. 10.05 A Life In Ten Pictures: Muhammad Ali. (PG, R) 10.55 ABC Late News. 11.15 Silent Witness. (Final, Ma, R) 1.00 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PGadhlnsv)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 The Great House Revival: Lough Key. Architects restore a 1870s stone building. 9.30 Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South. (R) A diver makes the discovery of a lifetime. 10.25 Great British Railway Journeys: Brandon To Cambridge. (R) 11.00 Sisi. (Mav, R) 11.55 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+ans, R) 1.45 Silent Road. (Mav, R) 3.50 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (PG, R) 4.20 My Unique B&B. (PG, R) 4.55 Destination Flavour Scandinavia Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Match 37. Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder. (PG) Meg Lanning discusses her cricketing career, including why she chose to walk away at the peak of her talents. 11.00 MOVIE: Wild Things. (1998, MA15+lsv, R) A high school counsellor is accused of assault. Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon. 1.15 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Presented by Greg Grainger. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted by Simon Reeve. 5.00 NBC Today.

6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 MOVIE: The Mighty Ducks. (1992, G, R) A lawyer coaches an ice-hockey team. Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland. 9.35 MOVIE: D2: The Mighty Ducks. (1994, G, R) An ice-hockey team competes in the world championships. Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson. 11.35 Law & Order: Organized Crime. (MA15+av, R) 12.25 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.15 My Way. (R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.30 Selling Houses Australia. (R) A woman tries to sell her mother s retro home. 8.40 Love It Or List It Australia. (R) A Greek couple, whose post-war Preston home is dated, dark and dreary, look for a fresh start. 9.50 The Graham Norton Show. (Mv, R) Guests include Renée Zellweger. 11.00 10 s Late News. 11.30 10 News+. (R) 12.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 6.40pm Hey Duggee. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Do Not Watch This Show. 7.40 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.05 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.30 My Adventures With Superman. 8.50 Robot Wars. 9.50 TKO: Total Knock Out. 10.35 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am WorldWatch. 10.00 Mastermind Aust. Noon WorldWatch. 12.30 Dark Side Of Comedy. 1.25 WWE Legends. 2.20 The Swiping Game. 2.40 Mastermind Aust. 3.40 WorldWatch. 5.40 If You Are The One. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Man With A Penis On His Arm. 9.30 Sex Tape Germany. 10.25 Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning Programs. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Home In WA. 2.30 Weekender. 3.00 The Great Australian Doorstep. 3.30 Harry s Practice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country. 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. 8.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Danger Man. 7.00 7.30 Thunderbirds. 8.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 10.30 Pointless. 11.30 Tennis. Adelaide International. Day 5. 6pm Antiques Roadshow. 7.00 Tennis. Adelaide 11.00 New Tricks. Midnight MOVIE: Tango & Cash. (1989, M) 2.00 Late Programs.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am Morning Programs. 9.30 Bold. 10.00 Family Feud. 10.30 Ridiculousness. 11.30 Deal Or No Deal. Noon Ridiculousness. 2.00 Stephen Colbert. 3.00 Becker. 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Frasier. 5.00 Becker. 5.30 Frasier. 6.30 Friends. 7.30 MOVIE: How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. (2003, PG) 9.30 Becker. 10.00 Frasier. 11.00 Late Programs.

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Light From The Shadows. 2.00 Strait To The Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Black As. 5.30 Living Black. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Africa s Hidden Kingdoms. 7.29 NITV Weather. 7.30 MOVIE: Stand By Me. (1986, M) 9.05 First Nations Bedtime Stories. 9.10 MOVIE: Get Hard. (2015, MA15+) 11.05 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 8.00 Reel Action. 9.00 Living Room. 10.00 JAG. Noon Days Of Our Lives. 12.45 The Young And The Restless. 1.30 The Dog Academy. 2.30 JAG. 4.30 All 4 Adventure. 5.30 JAG. (PG, R) 7.30 NCIS. (Msv, R) 10.20 Matlock. (PGav, R) 12.15am Shopping.

6am Morning Programs. 9.15 BMX Bandits. (1983, PGalv) 10.55 Reality. (2023, Ma) 12.25pm Moving On. (2022, Malsv) 2.00 The Secret Garden. (2020, PGa) 3.55 Discovering Film. 4.50 Anton Chekhov 1890. (2015, PGasv, French) 6.40 Weekend At Bernie s. (1989, PGadlsv) 8.30 Django Unchained. (2012, MA15+av) 11.45 Late Programs.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 MOVIE: The Secret Sauce. (2021, PGa) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies: Celebrity Specials. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

Programs. 1.30pm American Resto. 2.00 American Pickers. 3.00 Timbersports. Aust C ship Pt 2. 3.30 Full Custom Garage. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Road Wars. 8.30 MOVIE: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. (2019, M) 11.15 Late Programs.

Page 20 — The Latrobe Valley Express, TV Guide Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: Mirror Mirror. (2012, PG) 9.35 MOVIE: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. (2013, MA15+) 11.20 Psychic Kids. 12.20am The Vampire Diaries. 2.00 Love After Lockup. 3.30 I Love VIP Pets. 4.00 Late Programs.

TEN (10, 5)

Saturday, January 17 6am Morning Programs. 9.00 Rage. (PG) 10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer. (PGadhlnsv) 12.00 News. 12.30 Call The Midwife. (M, R) 1.30 Art Detectives. (Mv, R) 2.15 All Creatures Great And Small. (R) 3.10 Extraordinary Escapes. (PG, R) 4.00 Human. (PG, R) 5.00 The ABC Of... (PGl, R) 5.30 Dr Karl s How Things Work. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Going Places. (R) 3.00 Cycling. Westbridge Funds Road National Championships. Women s Elite and Under-23 Road Race. Highlights. 4.00 Sailing. Sail Grand Prix Perth. Day 1. 5.30 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 12. Highlights.

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Today Extra Summer. (PG) 12.00 Our State On A Plate. (Final, PG) 12.30 Find My Beach House Australia. (R) 1.30 Ready Vet Go: The Vet Paramedics. (PGam, R) 2.00 MOVIE: Practical Magic. (1998, PGhv, R) 4.00 Taronga: Who s Who In The Zoo. (PG, R) 5.00 News. 5.30 Find My Country House Aust. (PG, R)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 My Market Kitchen. (R) 10.30 GCBC. (R) 11.00 Airport 24/7. (PGad, R) 12.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 12.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 1.00 Cook With Luke. (R) 1.30 The Yes Experiment. (PG) 2.00 The Dog Academy. (PGa) 3.00 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGal, R) 4.00 All 4 Adventure. (Final, l) 5.00 News.

6.00 Back Roads: The Great Australian Pubs Special. (PG, R) Hosted by Heather Ewart. 6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Hosted by Tom Gleeson. 7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day. 7.30 Call The Midwife. (PG) Rosalind needs all her skill as a midwife when a disabled baby is delivered at the maternity home. 8.30 Vera. (Ma, R) DCI Vera Stanhope investigates murder cases in England s Northumberland county. 10.00 Goolagong. (M, R) Evonne Goolagong Cawley is driven away from tennis. 11.00 The Jetty. (MA15+l, R) Ember agrees to share information with a crime podcaster. 12.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Secrets Of Britain s Historic Houses: The Nude In The Attic. A revealing statue is restored. 8.40 Swiss Alpine Rail Journeys: The Luxurious Glacier Express. (R) Looks at the Glacier Express, which has been the pinnacle of luxury rail travel for nearly a century. 9.40 The Secret DNA Of Us: Bairnsdale. (PG, R) Marc Fennell visits Bairnsdale. 10.50 Scottish Islands With Ben Fogle: Isles Of Wind Orkney. (PG, R) 11.55 House Of Promises. (Mans, R) 3.25 The Lost Camps Of The Third Reich. (PGa, R) 4.25 Bamay. (R) 5.15 Euronews. (Premiere) 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Border Security: Australia s Front Line. (PG, R) A passenger makes an alarming claim. 7.30 MOVIE: A Knight s Tale. (2001, Mav, R) A squire assumes the identity of his master after the knight suffers an untimely demise. Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell. 10.15 MOVIE: Green Zone. (2010, Malv, R) A rogue military

6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 AO26: Opening Ceremony. The opening of the Australian Open tournament. 10.30 MOVIE: Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story. (2024, Mal, R) The story of Jelena Dokic. Jelena Dokic. 12.40 Find My Beach House Australia. (R) 1.05 Ready Vet Go: The Vet Paramedics. (PGam, R) 1.35 Our State On A Plate. (Final, PG, R) 2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PG) 2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands Summer Series. (PG, R)

6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Mark Coles Smith. 7.40 Love It Or List It Australia. (PGa) A woman has been living in her house for 20 years and is ready to move, while her husband is desperate to stay. 8.50 Location, Location, Location Australia. (R) Real estate experts Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie look at properties in Melbourne. 9.50 Ambulance UK. (Madl, R) Crewmates help an elderly patient at the local boatyard who has

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Andy And The Band. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Hard Quiz Kids. 8.00 Chopped Jnr. (Final) 8.40 Shaun Tan s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 9.05 Mr Bean: The Animated Series. 9.25 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.10 Abbott Elementary. 10.30 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am WorldWatch. 10.00 Mastermind Aust. Noon The Rap Game UK. 3.00 WorldWatch. 5.00 Planet A. 5.45 Mastermind Aust. 6.45 The Mysterious Havana Syndrome. 7.35 Abandoned Americana. (Return) 8.30 Plastic People: Crisis Of Microplastics. 10.05 Dark Side Of The 90s. 11.00 Dakar: Race Against The Desert. 12.35am Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Helping Hands Summer Series. 10.30 Explore. 10.40 Edgar Wallace Mysteries. Noon Avengers. 1.00 Tennis. Adelaide International. Day 6. Finals. 6.00 Tennis. Adelaide International. Night 6. Finals. 8.00 Death In Paradise. 9.00 MOVIE: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. (2008, M) 11.25 Late Programs.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am GCBC. 7.00 Bold. 9.30 The Neighborhood. 10.00 Frasier. 11.00 Farm To Fork. 11.30 Deal Or No Deal. Noon Stephen Colbert. 2.00 Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers. 3.00 Friends. 6.30 Big Bang. 10.00 Frasier. 11.00 The Neighborhood. 12.30am South Park. 1.00 Shopping. 1.30 South Park. 3.00 Shopping.

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 11.40 Land Of The Little Kings. 1.10pm Africa s Hidden Kingdoms. 2.00 Living Black. 2.30 The Grey Line. 3.00 Mowanjum 2024. 4.50 The Mountain Of Sgaana. 5.00 Unsettled. 6.00 The Barber. 6.30 NITV News: Summer Yarns. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.30 MOVIE: The Shining. (1980, MA15+) 10.55 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 The 4WD Adventure Show. 11.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 1. Willunga to Willunga. 137.4km. 4pm Desert Collectors. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Pawn Stars. 7.00 Storage Wars. 7.30 MOVIE: The Rock. (1996, M) 10.20 MOVIE: Mercury Rising. (1998, M) 12.40am Late Programs.

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 9.00 I Fish. 9.30 The Dog Academy. 10.30 JAG. 4.30pm Soccer. A-League Men. Round 13. Western Sydney Wanderers v Newcastle Jets. 7.00 Football Tonight. 7.35 Soccer. A-League Men. Round 13. Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory. 10.00 NCIS. 12.50am NCIS: Origins. 1.45 Shopping.

6am The Movie Show. 6.15 Weekend At Bernie s. (1989, PGadlsv) 8.05 The Great Dictator. (1940, PG) 10.25 5 To 7. (2014, Mals) 12.15pm Southpaw. (2015, Malsv) 2.30 Vai. (2019, PG) 4.15 BMX Bandits. (1983, PGalv) 5.55 Hook. (1991, PG) 8.30 The Great Escaper. (2023, Mal) 10.20 Original Sin. (2001, MA15+sv) 12.25am Late Programs.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 Air Crash Investigations: The Accident Files: Lethal Choices. (PGa, R) 1.00 Horse Racing. Magic Millions Raceday.

Matt Damon, Brendan Gleeson. 12.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 1. Highlights. 1.30 Harry s Practice. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 It s Academic. (R) 5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)

Programs. 11.00 Sean s Kitchen. Noon Medical Emergency. 12.30 This Rugged Coast. 1.30 Wildlife ER. 2.30 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Bondi Vet. 6.00 Horse Racing. Magic Millions Raceday. 7.00 Dog Patrol. 7.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 8.30 Lewis. 10.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Late Programs.

2.45pm LEGO Masters. 4.30 Basketball. WNBL. Southside Melbourne Flyers v Adelaide. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes. (2023, M) 10.35 MOVIE: Power Rangers. (2017, M) 12.55am Love During Lockup. 2.25 MOVIE: Roadkill. (2022, MA15+) 4.20 Late Programs.

g n i h t beats o N

More Aussies access and connect to diverse content daily by reading, surpassing listening or watching...

a good read!

TEN (10, 5)

11.00 Elsbeth. (Mas, R) Elsbeth investigates the death of a real estate developer. 12.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.

News sources

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een news eard news

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ABC (2)

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Sunday, January 18 ABC TV (2)

6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Maggie Beer s Big Mission. (R) 1.25 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.25 Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now. (PG, R) 3.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 4.00 Poh s On The Road. (R) 4.30 Amanda & Alan s Italian Job. (PG, R) 5.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 12.30 PBS Washington Week. 12.55 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 1.00 Speedweek. (R) 3.00 Cycling. Road National Championships. Elite Men s Road Race. Highlights. 4.00 Sailing. Sail Grand Prix Perth. Day 2. 5.30 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 13. Highlights.

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Hello SA. (PG, R) 6.30 A Current Affair. (R) 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Featuring highlights, interviews and opinions. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 1. 4.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Afternoon 1.

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 GCBC. (R) 11.00 Well Traveller. (PG, R) 11.30 Pooches At Play. (R) 12.00 The Dog Academy. (PGa) 1.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 1.30 Lingo. (R) 2.30 Basketball. NBL. Round 17. Adelaide 36ers v South East Melbourne Phoenix. 4.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 5.00 News.

6.00 Grand Designs Transformations: Teneriffe Tree House and Dubbo Garden. (R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now. (Final) Presented by Lisa Millar. 8.15 Goolagong. (Final, PG) Evonne Goolagong Cawley competes at Wimbledon. 9.10 The Jetty. (Ml) Ember tries to protect her family. 10.10 Call The Midwife. (PG, R) 11.20 MOVIE: Irresistible. (2006, Malsv, R) 1.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 1.55 Smother. (Mal, R) 4.30 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.00 Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales. (Final, PG, R)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Once Upon A Time In Space: America First. (Premiere) Looks at the US space program. 9.30 Pompeii: The Last Mysteries Revealed. (Ma, R) Follows archaeologists in Pompeii. 10.25 Putin And The West: The Next Chapter: Invasion. (PGa, R) 11.35 Watergate High Crimes In The White House. (Mas, R) 1.15 Building The Impossible. (PG, R) 2.10 The World According To Kim Jong Un. (Mav, R) 3.10 The Eco Show. (Ml, R) 4.10 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 PBS Science Technology Health Show.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Match 40. Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers. 10.30 Big Bash League Post-Match. Post-match coverage of the game. 11.00 7NEWS Spotlight. Looks at the disappearance of Ray and Jennie Kehlet. 12.00 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 2. Highlights. 1.00 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Hosted by Greg Grainger. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News Sunday. 7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 1. From Melbourne Park. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Late Night 1. 12.00 The First 48: Child s Play/ Bad Intentions. (Mav, R) A teenager is shot dead. 1.00 Next Stop. A look at holiday destinations. 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) Sonny and Skippy visit Luna Park. 4.30 GolfBarons. (PG, R) The team roadtests the Mizuno ST220 drivers. 5.00 Today Early News. A look at the latest news, sport and weather. 5.30 Today.

6.30 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 7.00 I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! (Return) Julia Morris and Robert Irwin welcome a new group of celebrities. 9.00 NCIS: Sydney. (Return, Mv) NCIS will do whatever it takes to crack the case of a rogue assassin on the run during NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson s

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 5.55pm Octonauts. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Andy And The Band. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun Tan s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 7.50 MOVIE: Spy Kids 2: The Island Of Lost Dreams. (2002, PG) 9.35 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.15 Merlin. 11.00 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am WorldWatch. 10.30 Mastermind Aust. Noon Fashionista. 12.10 Mastermind Aust. 1.40 Jeopardy! 3.45 Heroines. 4.15 WorldWatch. 5.45 Icons Unearthed: The Lord Of The Rings. 6.40 Abandoned Engineering. 8.30 Mutiny In Heaven: The Birthday Party. 10.25 The Grudge. (Premiere) 11.55 Who Is The Zodiac Killer? 12.45am Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Home In WA. 10.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 2. 4pm The Amazing Homemakers. 5.00 Secrets Of Beautiful Gardens. 6.00 Escape To The Country. 7.00 Vicar Of Dibley. 8.30 Vera. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Skippy. 6.30 Amazing Facts With Doug Batchelor. 7.00 Leading The Way. 7.30 In Touch. 8.00 Beyond Today. 8.30 The Incredible Journey. 9.00 Turning Point. 9.30 TV Shop. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 1. 6pm Tennis. Australian Open. Night 1. 11.00 Late Programs.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am Deal Or No Deal. 8.00 Frasier. 11.00 The Neighborhood. 11.30 Stephen Colbert. 2.30pm Deal Or No Deal. 3.00 Friends. 6.30 The Big Bang Theory. (PG, R) 9.35 Frasier. (PGa, R) 10.30 The Neighborhood. (PGa, R) 11.30 South Park. 12.30am Shopping. 2.00 South Park. 3.00 Shopping.

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Froth. 3.00 Soh Presents: Generations And Dynasties. 4.40 Stompem Ground 2022: Midnight Oil. 6.30 NITV News: Summer Yarns. 6.40 Africa s Hidden Kingdoms. 7.30 The Idea Of Australia. 8.30 Troy Cassar-Daley: A Journey Between The Fires. 10.10 MOVIE: Sweet As. (2022, M) 11.40 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 8.00 Tough Tested. 9.00 What s Up Down Under. 9.30 Camper Deals. 10.00 Navigating The World. Noon The Dog Academy. 1.00 JAG. 5.00 I Fish. 5.30 JAG. (PGlv, R) 7.30 NCIS. (M, R) 10.20 Matlock. (PGlv, R) 12.15am Shopping.

6am Morning Programs. 10.25 Alcarràs. (2022, Ml, Spanish, Catalan, English) 12.35pm The Son. (2022, Mal) 2.50 The Assassin. (2015, PGv, Mandarin) 4.45 Weekend At Bernie s. (1989, PGadlsv) 6.30 Moonstruck. (1987, PGa) 8.30 The Promised Land. (2023, MA15+lv, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German) 10.55 Late Programs.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 NFL. NFL Playoffs. Divisional Playoff Round. 3.30 Golf. 2025 Cathedral Invitational. H lights. 4.30 Cows For Cambodia. (Return, PGa) 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia s Front Line. (PG, R)

Programs. Noon The Fishing Show By AFN: Best Of. 1.00 Fishing Addiction. 2.00 Tackling Australia. 2.30 Pawn Stars. 3.30 Storage Wars. 4.00 Deep Water Salvage. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Border Security: Int. 7.00 Border Security. 8.30 MOVIE: The Bourne Supremacy. (2004, M) 10.40 Late Programs.

3.10pm Snackmasters. 4.40 LEGO Masters. 6.00 Tennis. Aust Open. Arvo 1. 7.00 Seinfeld. 7.30 MOVIE: The Batman. (2022, M) 11.05 Gotham. 12.50am Arrow. 2.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 3.25 Big Rigs Of Oz. 3.55 Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. Grand Prix At Road America. Replay. 4.50 Wild Manes. 5.10 Late Programs.

TEN (10, 5)

10.00 NCIS: Origins. (Mav, R) Gibbs starts his career at Camp Pendleton. 11.00 Law & Order: SVU. (Ma, R) Benson tries to help the Flynn family. 12.00 10 News+. (R) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)

The Latrobe Valley Express, TV Guide Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 21

Monday, January 19 ABC (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Vera. (Ma, R) 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Killer Whale: Australia s Megapod. (PG, R) 2.00 Restoration Aust. (PG, R) 2.55 Would I Lie To You? (R) 3.25 Nigella s Cook, Eat, Repeat. (R) 3.55 Grand Designs: The Streets. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 12.10 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS International Affairs Show. 1.30 Al Jazeera News Hour. 2.00 Gods Of Tennis. (Ml, R) 3.00 Going Places. (R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.45 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Ocean Wreck Investigation. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Today. The latest in news and current affairs. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Featuring highlights, interviews and opinions. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 2. From Melbourne Park. 4.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Afternoon 2. From Melbourne Park.

6.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 6.30 Bold. (PG, R) 7.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! (R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00 News. 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 2.30 The Finish Line. 3.30 Lingo. (R) 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Hosted by Tom Gleeson. 7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day. 7.30 7.30. Presented by David Speers. 8.00 The Great Art Fraud. (M) Looks at fraudster Inigo Philbrick. 9.00 MOVIE: The Secret Of Me. (2025, M) In 1995, a Louisiana college student discovers a disturbing truth about herself through a textbook. Jim Ambrose, Cheryl Chase. 10.50 Dr Karl s How Things Work: Pies. (R) 11.25 Grand Designs: The Streets. (PG, R) 12.10 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.25 Smother. (Mal, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Dolly Parton: Here I Am. Charts the life and music of Dolly Parton. 9.15 Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends Of Pop. (PG, R) The story of English record production trio Stock Aitken Waterman. 10.35 SBS World News Late. (Return) 11.05 Like Water For Chocolate. (MA15+v) 11.55 Clean Sweep. (Madlsv, R) 1.50 Pagan Peak. (MA15+av, R) 3.40 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (PG, R) 4.10 My Unique B&B. (R) 4.45 Destination Flavour Scandinavia Bitesize. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) David leads a rescue operation. 7.30 The 1% Club UK: Rollover. (Premiere, PGa) Hosted by Lee Mack. 8.30 Tik Tok: Top 100. (Mal, R) Celebrates the top 100 viral TikTok clips, including hilarious, shocking and spectacular moments. 10.30 Kylie Vs Bee Gees. (PG, R) A look at Kylie Minogue and The Bee Gees. 11.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 3. Highlights. 12.30 Girlfriends Guide To Divorce. (MA15+s) 1.30 Travel Oz. (PG, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News. 7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 2. From Melbourne Park. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Late Night 2. 12.00 Chicago Med. (MA15+mv, R) Charles tries to mend his relationship with Ripley. 1.00 First On Scene. (MA15+, R) Documents stories behind the headlines. 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) Home shopping. 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) Skippy and Sonny become trapped. 4.30 GolfBarons. (PG, R) A panel of experts discusses golf. 5.00 Today Early News. A look at the latest news, sport and weather. 5.30 Today.

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.30 I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! The celebrities continue to compete in a test of survival in the jungle for the chance to claim the title. 9.00 Matlock. (Return, PGadl) Matty questions the paternity of the man

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 5.40pm Kangaroo Beach. 5.55 Octonauts. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.30 TKO: Total Knock Out. 9.10 The Crystal Maze. 9.55 Merlin. 10.40 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Morning Programs. 8.40 DW Euromaxx. 9.30 WorldWatch. 10.30 Mastermind. Noon WorldWatch. 12.30 Rex In Rome. 3.55 WorldWatch. 5.50 Lost Gold Of The Aztecs. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.30 News. (Return) 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 James May And The Dull Men. (Premiere) 9.25 Under The Banner Of Heaven. 10.40 Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 1.40pm Stompem Ground 2022: Karajarri Dancers. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Black As. 5.30 The 77 Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 News. 6.40 Africa s Hidden Kingdoms. 7.30 The Idea Of Australia. 8.30 The Colleano Heart. 10.00 MOVIE: Bran Nue Dae. (2009, PG) 11.25 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 10.05 The Great Escaper. (2023, Mal) 11.55 Ali. (2001, Mlsv) 2.50pm The Movie Show. 3.25 Discovering Film. 4.25 Born To Dance. (2015, PGa) 6.15 Capricorn One. (1977, PGalv) 8.30 The Zone Of Interest. (2023, German, Polish, Yiddish) 10.25 The Fence. (2022, Mdlv) 12.10am Late Programs.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (Return, PG) 12.00 Seven s National News At Noon. (Return) 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. (Return) 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGa, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

TEN (10, 5)

10.00 10 s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 10.30 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert. 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

Programs. 9.00 Medical Emergency. 9.30 NBC Today. 10.30 Better Homes. 11.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women s. Stage 3. 4pm Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Doc Martin. 8.30 Endeavour. 10.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Danger Man. 7.00

7.30 Thunderbirds. 8.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 9.30 Newstyle Direct. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 2. 6pm Tennis. Australian Open. Night 2. 11.00 The Chelsea Detective. 1am 1.30 Recipes For Love And Murder. 2.30 Late Programs.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am Morning Programs. 8.00 Taskmaster Australia. 9.00 My Market Kitchen. 9.30 Bold. 10.00 Family Feud. 10.30 Ridiculousness. 11.30 Becker. Noon Stephen Colbert. 1.00 Ridiculousness. 2.00 Friends. 3.30 Becker. 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Frasier. 5.30 Big Bang. 6.30 Friends. 8.00 Big Bang. 10.00 Becker. 10.30 Frasier. 11.00 Late Programs.

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning Programs. 10.30 NFL. NFL Playoffs. Divisional Playoff Round. 2pm NFL Tailgate. 3.00 Motor Racing. NDRC Top Doorslammer. Replay. 4.00 Counting Cars. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 9.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 10.30 The Mightiest. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 8.00 Reel Action. 8.30 Everyday Gourmet. 9.00 Living Room. 10.00 JAG. Noon Days Of Our Lives. 12.45 The Young And The Restless. 1.30 The Dog Academy. 2.30 JAG. 4.30 Living Room. 5.30 JAG. 7.30 NCIS. 8.30 FBI: Most Wanted. (Mv, R) 10.20 The Ex-Wife. 11.15 The Real CSI: Miami. 12.15am Shopping.

2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.00 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Tennis. Aust Open. Arvo 2. 7.00 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.40 MOVIE: The Hangover Part III. (2013, MA15+) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.55 The 100. 12.50am The Vampire Diaries. 2.30 Love After Lockup. 4.00 Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures. 4.30 Hop. 4.50 Late Programs.

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Tuesday, January 20 ABC TV (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 The Great Art Fraud. (M, R) 10.55 Human. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Call The Midwife. (PGa, R) 2.00 Restoration Aust. (R) 2.55 Would I Lie To You? (PG, R) 3.25 Nigella s Cook, Eat, Repeat. (R) 4.00 Grand Designs: The Streets. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.35 Antiques Roadshow. (PG, R)

6am Morning Programs. 10.50 Mountain Vets. (Ma, R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Gods Of Tennis. (Ml, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PGl, R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.45 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Ocean Wreck Investigation. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

SBS (3)

SEVEN (7, 6)

NINE (9, 8)

6.00 Today. The latest in news and current affairs. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Featuring highlights, interviews and opinions. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 3. From Melbourne Park. 4.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Afternoon 3. From Melbourne Park.

6am Morning Programs. 7.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. 10.30 I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! (R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00 News. 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) 2.30 The Finish Line. 3.30 Lingo. (R) 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Dr Karl s How Things Work: Guitars. 8.30 Becoming Human: Last Human Standing. (PG) Looks at the fate of Neanderthals. 9.30 Grand Designs Transformations: Teneriffe Tree House and Dubbo Garden. (R) Two houses are transformed. 10.35 ABC Late News. 10.50 The Whiteley Art Scandal. (PG, R) 11.45 Grand Designs: The Streets. (PG, R) 12.35 Long Lost Family. (Final, PG, R) 1.20 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mlv, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? Mark Coles Smith. (Malv, R) 8.35 Portillo s 200 Years Of The Railways. (Premiere) Hosted by Michael Portillo. 9.45 Aerial Australia. (PG, R) Looks at the far south of Australia. 10.35 SBS World News Late. 11.05 Exit. (MA15+ads) 12.00 Dopesick. (MA15+ads, R) 2.25 The Eco Show. (PG, R) 3.25 My Name Is Reeva: I Was Murdered By Oscar Pistorius. (Malv, R) 4.20 My Unique B&B. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) Multiple lives hang in the balance. Tane faces a life-and-death race against the clock. 7.30 Cricket. Big Bash

11.30 Lopez Vs. Lopez. (PGal) Mayan and Quinten receive news. 12.00 MOVIE: A Date With Danger. (2021, Mav, R) A single mother s best friend goes missing. Lara Jean Chorostecki, Jamie Spilchuk. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News. 7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 3. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Late Night 3. 12.00 Chicago Med. (MA15+mv, R) Zola takes matters into her own hands. 1.00 Next Stop. Takes a look at desirable travel destinations. 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Destination WA. (R) Nikki shares some essential camping tech. 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) Skippy befriends an artist. 4.30 GolfBarons. (PG, R) A panel of experts talks about golf. 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (a, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.30 I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin. 9.00 Matlock. (PGad) While the team is tasked with protecting a witness, Matty and Olympia square off over the Wellbrexa document. 10.00 10 s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 10.30 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children s Programs. 5.55pm Octonauts. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.30 Hippo Watch With Steve Backshall. 9.15 Planet Weird. 10.05 Merlin. 10.50 Late Programs.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am WorldWatch. 10.30 Mastermind Aust. Noon WorldWatch. 12.30 Homicide. 2.20 Mastermind Aust. 3.20 Kars & Stars. 3.45 News. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Lost Gold Of The Aztecs. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 James May And The Dull Men. 9.25 Under The Banner Of Heaven. 10.35 Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning Programs. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 3.30 Harry s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.45 Judge John Deed. 10.45 Late Programs.

9GEM (92, 81) 6am Danger Man. 7.00

7.30 Thunderbirds. 8.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 9.30 Newstyle Direct. 10.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. 11.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 3. 6pm Tennis. Australian Open. Night 3. 11.00 Agatha Christie s Marple. 1am 1.30 Recipes For Love And Murder. 2.30 Late Programs.

10 COMEDY (11, 52) 6am Morning Programs. 8.00 The Inspired Unemployed: The List. 9.00 My Market Kitchen. 9.30 Bold. 10.00 Family Feud. 10.30 Ridiculousness. 11.30 Becker. Noon Stephen Colbert. 1.00 Big Bang. 2.00 Friends. 3.30 Becker. 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Frasier. 5.30 Big Bang. 6.30 Friends. 8.00 Big Bang. 10.00 Becker. 10.30 Frasier. 11.00 Late Programs.

NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 2pm Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Black As. 5.30 Indian Country Today News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 News. 6.40 Arabian Inferno. 7.30 Big Backyard Quiz. 8.30 MOVIE: Finke: There And Back. (2018, M) 10.10 MOVIE: The Last Wave. (1977, PG) Midnight Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (73, 64) 6am Morning

9GO! (93, 82) 6am Morning Programs.

10 DRAMA (12, 53) 6am Shopping. 8.00 Reel Action. 9.00 Living Room. 10.00 JAG. Noon Days Of Our Lives. 12.45 The Young And The Restless. 1.30 The Dog Academy. 2.30 JAG. 4.30 Living Room. 5.30 JAG. 7.30 NCIS. 8.30 FBI: International. (Mv, R) 10.20 The Ex-Wife. 11.15 The Real CSI: Miami. 12.15am Shopping.

6am Morning Programs. 8.40 The Assassin. (2015, PGv, Mandarin) 10.40 The Tender Bar. (2021, Mals) 12.40pm November. (2022, Malv, French) 2.40 Capricorn One. (1977, PGalv) 4.55 The Last Wave. (1977, PGaln) 6.55 Where The Money Is. (2000, PGasv) 8.30 The Taste Of Things. (2023, French) 11.05 Late Programs.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGa, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

11.00 Big Bash League Post-Game.

Programs. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 3.30 Full Custom Garage. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.00 Big Bash League Pre-Game. 7.30 Outback Truckers. 9.30 Railroad Australia. 10.30 Ice Road Truckers. 11.30 Late Programs.

Page 22 — The Latrobe Valley Express, TV Guide Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

2.50pm Nanny. 3.20 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Tennis. Aust Open. Arvo 3. 7.00 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 TBA. 11.00 Seinfeld. Midnight The 100. 12.55 The Vampire Diaries. 2.35 Love During Lockup. 4.00 Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures. 4.30 Hop. 4.50 Booba. 5.10 LEGO City Adventures. 5.30 Bubble s Hotel.

TEN (10, 5)

schools

www.lvexpress.com.au

Rewarding boarding experiences

EXPRESS editor Liam Durkin completed his entire secondary education at boarding school. The Thorpdale local was sent to Assumption College Kilmore, a Marist school under the same umbrella as Lavalla Catholic College, Marist Sion Warragul and Catholic College Sale. He was in the minority as far as boarders went, with most joining in Year 11 for the start of their VCE. (A lot of schools in northern Victoria/NSW stop at Year 10). Boarding was mainly seen as a practical option for him, given both parents worked long and irregular hours on the farm. There was also the benefits of structured study times (even if he did spend most of them playing Stick Cricket), which couldn’t be interrupted whenever child labour was needed to either move irrigation pipes or round up stock. A number of day students (or ‘day rats’ as they were called) became boarders in Year 12 solely to focus on study. So, here is Liam Durkin’s snapshot of his experience at boarding school. For context, he finished school nearly 15 years ago, so many elements have more than likely changed since that time.

Day-to-day living

MY boarding school was divided into separate dormitories depending on age (and gender of course). When I started, Years 7 to 10 were in the junior dorm, while Year 11 and 12 had their own. Living standards were reasonable but modest, with room for some 30-odd boys to make up each dorm. Each room had a single bed, desk, office chair, lockable cupboard, shelves and a trundle. If you could imagine a hall with partitions separating each living area - that is what it was like. Boarders were assigned chores on a weekly rotating basis to help maintain the upkeep of the dormitory. The ‘boardo’, wasn’t open during the school day.

Prefect: Gippsland Grammar Boarding Captain, Lucy Hodges. “My favourite part of boarding has been spending time with my friends. I would recommend boarding to anyone.” Gippsland Grammar Principal Dr Paul Walton said boarding had been at the heart of the school’s

Photograph supplied

community for more than a century, welcoming students from across Gippsland and beyond. “This initiative recognises the long-term commitment families make and ensures that boarding remains accessible and rewarding for students who

Why boarding school? Boarders had access to an infirmary on-campus, with the local doctor available weekday mornings. There was a few boarders who racked up some solid frequent flyer points in the infirmary.

Study

A 5.30pm curfew was in place to be back in the dorm in time for first study. The first designated study period was for an hour before dinner, and then a second period from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Being at the school, there was the advantage of having after hours access to the library, and even teachers keen to bank some OT. After second study, things started to wind down, with lights generally out around 10pm. Phones had to be handed in, but most people just handed in fake ones.

particular mould was in for a pretty torrid time unfortunately. There was a social hierarchy that existed, and as you got older, you ascended higher. When I first walked in, it was a case of ‘respect your elders’; if you didn’t, you would cop whatever whacks you received on the chin - literally. In my early days, the Year 10s would belt us with weights and textbooks inside pillow cases. All this said, it was very communal a lot of the time, and most boarders were happy to share items such as clothes, phone chargers and sporting gear.

Homesickness

ON weekends, competitive sport for premiership points was played against other schools. Boarders were permitted leave provided it had been arranged and signed off, with the only stipulation you had to be back in time for church on a Sunday night. You didn’t have to be a genius to work out what fate awaited a group of girls who sheepishly rolled in half-an-hour late one time, all still in their dresses from the night before.

ARGUABLY the most contentious aspect of boarding school is the thought of homesickness. Personally, I never suffered it in my six years, but it was always one of those things that some people handled better than others. I can only recall three instances of people running away, and they all returned within a week. To help the settling-in period, we weren’t allowed any leave in the first six weeks of first term. From memory, the message we were given was that homesickness was normal, but by the same token, going home was actually the worst thing you could do because that would just compound the issue.

Behaviour

Controversies

Activities

FOR the boys, there was very much a footy club culture in the dorm. Being a country school, and living with 30 fairly sporty blokes, anyone who didn’t fit a

NATURALLY, being around so many different personalities on a daily basis, tensions did occasionally boil over. One of the hardest parts about boarding school

TUESDAY 13 JANUARY Travis Gange turns 10 Dominic Riseley turns 10 Scarlett Sum Yee Chan turns 11 Jack Nicholas turns 10

THURSDAY 15 JANUARY Harrison McPhie turns 12 To join the Express Exx Birt rthday t Club please post full details (including postal address and phone contact)t)) to 21 George St Morw rwell w 3840 or email reception@lvexpress.com.au *Eligible for children 11 years and under

choose to complete their journey with us through to Year 12,” Dr Walton said. “It’s such a great opportunity for families regardless of the distance they live from our school.” Gippsland Grammar boarders live at Blackwood House, a 50-bed, purpose-designed boarding facility located a short walk from the Garnsey Campus, Sale ovals. Students enjoy twin-share ensuite accommodation, evening study and tutoring support, and a balanced routine that prioritises study, rest and recreation. A full-time chef prepares three home-cooked meals each day, along with snacks and a special birthday cake for every student on their special day. Boarding staff also transport students to part-time work, community activities and sporting commitments outside of school hours. Gippsland Grammar offers a range of boarding options to suit different family needs, including full-time boarding and more flexible arrangements for students who may travel long distances or have changing commitments. This flexibility allows families to combine the benefits of boarding with home life, while ensuring students receive consistent academic and pastoral support. For more information about enrolling as a boarder, phone Gippsland Grammar's Enrolments team on 5143 6388 or email: admissions@gippslandgrammar.au

was that everything aligned with the day school, so any misdemeanours committed in the dorm carried over. For example, if an assignment wasn’t completed, the dorm had grounds to suspend you from Saturday sport. I copped one such after using the dorm as an indoor cricket centre. Being more closely aligned with the school, you were also privy to a lot more politics, and closer to the rumour mill surrounding what teachers were supposedly getting up to. I have little doubt this is what sparked my interest in journalism. I always wanted to know what was happening behind the scenes. Theft was unfortunately rife at times, and more often than not it was money that went missing. Unbelievably, one boy was expelled after he was found to have a 1.5 metre high pile of stolen clothes in his cupboard. Not to be outdone, during the next term break the expelled student came up against an old boarding mate in local football - who noticed the pair of boots he was wearing were the ones he had stolen from him!

Advice

BOARDING can be challenging, and it certainly isn’t for everyone. If you think you or your child can mentally cope with spending an extended period of time away from home - boarding school can work. If not - don’t even bother because it will end in disaster. Boarding schools are probably a lot more politically correct now compared to when I attended, so it is likely there is more focus on mental health and wellbeing. That certainly wasn’t the case in my time - it was pretty much sink or swim. I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t the most committed student, but I did reasonably well in my VCE, getting an ATAR in the mid-70s. I doubt I would have received that result if I’d stayed at home because I wouldn’t have had the self-discipline to study without the structure that existed at boarding school.

FRIDAY 16 JANUARY Amali Drayton turns 12

SATURDAY 17 JANUARY Evie Johnson turns 10

SUNDAY 18 JANUARY Joshua Tobin turns 7 Azlan Ahmed turns 6

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ONLY the best go to boarding school. Gippsland Grammar students and families are set to reap the rewards of a new board-approved initiative designed to support boarding families during the current challenging economic climate. From 2026, the regional independent school will introduce ‘Rewarding Boarding’; a long-term incentive offering families a year of free boarding. Families who commit to a full six-year boarding pathway from Year 7 to Year 12 will have their Year 12 boarding fees fully waived. As Gippsland Grammar’s Board describes it: “Pay for five, receive one free.” Boarding at Gippsland Grammar is said to offer students a supportive and enriching environment in which to thrive academically, socially and personally. The close-knit boarding community fosters independence, resilience and lifelong friendships, ensuring every student feels at home while achieving their personal best at school. The school’s 2025 boarding captain Lucy Hodges, from Lakes Entrance, loved her boarding experience. As a successful rower who medalled at the National Rowing Championships, Lucy was also awarded school colours and a principal’s award for her accomplishments during the endof-year celebrations. “Boarding at Blackwood House enabled me to actively participate in rowing season,” Lucy said. “Boarding also allowed me to study effectively and receive tutoring support.

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 23

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or email:

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 25

Classifieieds 51354455 classif ieds@lvexpress.com.au

How to place your classified in our

For Sale

•

BUDGET BLINDS Lenny 0418 514 132

BOOK SALE WEDNESDAY AtGIANT St Paul's Cathedral Hall, 153 PUBLICATION Delbridge Cunninghame St Sale Ev-

Phone:

ALL CLASSIFICATIONS BEFORE 3PM MONDAY

In person:

Latrobe Valley Express 21George St, Morwell Nextra Lotto Moe 1-3 Moore St, Moe PLEASE NOTE:| that ad payment is required prior to publication unless a full account is held with the Latrobe Valley Express.

Email:

classifieds@ lvexpress.com.au PLEASE NOTE: Confirm your email if you have not received a confirmation email from us, emails ARE NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE and we don’t always receive them

Mail:

Latrobe Valley Express, “Attention Classifieds’’ 21 George Street, Morwell 3840

ery day from 1st until 21st Jan. 9am-4pm. Sundays from 10.30am. 1000's of sorted books.

HAY TARPS UV STABLE Strong. Economical. Waterproof. In stock. PHONE

Credit Card:

When placing your advertisement over the phone or via email you charge it to your Mastercard or Visa

5135 4455

NOTICE TO ALL LIFE, FINANCIAL SERVICE & AFFILIATE MEMBERS. GENERAL MEETING 2026 NOTIFICATION You are hereby notified that the General Meeting will be held in the Function Room on THURSDAY 29th JANUARY 2026 commencing at 5.30pm with light refreshments following meeting. We trust you will attend as part of your responsibility to the successful running of the venue. Only financial members may vote. Social members may attend as observers. All Agenda items should be submitted to the Secretary no later than (7) days prior to the GM (COB 22th JANUARY 2026). Sue Hall Secretary RSL Moe Sub-Branch

Personals

•

GENT 70. Very well presented. Calm, caring, nature. NS, LSD. Own home, transport. Love to meet a lady 65-75. Height and weight not important. Beautify your garden. Bulk Disability okay too. Possible quantity available, $30m3, friendship or relationship. $50 delivery. 0412 613 Phone 0420 301 187. 443 or 1800 468 733.

Landscaping Mulch PLANTS FOR SALE

Tall Bearded Iris, Bare Root Rhizomes, over 200 varieties. Visit website: irisendeavours.com

NEWSPRINT REEL ENDS Price: $6 each or 2 for $11 (GST incl). Available at the

Latrobe Valley Express Office

21 George Street Morwell

Enquiries: 5135 4444

Garage Sales

•

MOE 31 Alexander Ave. Sat and Sun, 9am - 3pm. Ex sports store new old stock, clothes, shoes, massive amount of random items, too much to list.

Adult Services

•

Notice to ADVERTISERS and RESPONDENTS

Voicemail introductions advertisements and voice messages may only be submitted by persons 18 years and older. When making contact with people for the first time, it is advisable to meet in a public place and let a member of your family or a trusted friend know where you will be. We would advise readers and advertisers to exercise caution in giving out personal details. This will be respected by genuine respondents.

Public Notices

• Moe Self Storage

various sizes from $85 p.c.m. Contact Strzelecki 8:30am - 1:00pm. Sat and Realty on 5127 1333. Sun. Moving house. Wood working tools, ladders, church pew raw pine. Batwing awning, cabinets, side boards, camping Toners Lane, Morwell gear, tents, milk crates, linen, assorted household Hosted by goods. Horse gear. Double Valley branch of bed with mattress. Casio Latrobe Gippsland Historical Keyboard. Automobile Club

Morwell Swap Meet

Sunday, 1 February

LOCAL PEOPLE BUY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS ARE A TRUSTED SOURCE MOTORING PACKAGE

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Public Notices

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM-5PM

Home Maintenance

• MOE RSL SUB-BRANCH Inc. Responsibility ELECTRICIAN

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Increase your media coverage and enquire about our

EXPRESS CLASSIFIEDS

•

1300 656 211 ABC TARPS

Newsagents: TYERS 5 Bradys Road.

Most Newsagents act as our agents and will accept your advertisements up until the same deadlines as above

Meetings

Gates and catering open at 6am. Public entry $5 Stall holders $10 Children U16 free Enquiries Bill 0407 839 039

FAST FACTS 82% of consumers report they trust print ads.

Page 26 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

CASH IN HAND!

USE ALL THE MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE ARAGE HOST A GA SALE TODA AY

•

PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD

Please check your ad on the first day and bring any errors to the attention of the Classifieds Department immediately. The Latrobe Valley Express makes every effort to avoid errors. We regret that we cannot be responsible for any errors beyond the first day if you fail to bring it to our attention. No allowances can be made for errors not materially affecting the effectiveness of the ad. Position cannot will not be guaranteed. All claims for adjustment of credit must be made within seven days after billing date. We reserve the right to revise or restrict any ad we deem objectionable and to change the classification when necessary to conform to the policy of this newspaper. In the event an ad is omitted from publication, we assume no liability for such omission.

CALL 5135 4455

GARDENING DONE Pruning, planting, weeding, small jobs through to large jobs, shed clean ups, rubbish removal, etc. Reasonable rates, pens. disc. Under NDIS the cost of services may be covered by your Care Provider. Reliable and efficient. Police check. Fully insured. 18 yrs exp. Chauncy The Gardener. ABN 17268203656. Call Richard 0401 345 345.

GTM CARPENTRY Pergolas, Decking, Bathrooms Reno's, all carpentry work. Glenn 0403 360 584

J.C CONCRETING

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Home maintenance

Public Notices

•

General maintenance and repairs, fencing repairs, timber and Colorbond pressure washing, gutter cleaning, brickwork repairs, tile repairs, rubbish removal, mowing and much more. Free quote 0418 581 631 - John

MINING & ENERGY UNION NATIONAL OFFICE NOTICE TO MEMBERS In accordance with the Rules of the Organisation, an election will be held for the following position: GENERAL SECRETARY The position will be voted on by the total membership of the Union.

Situations Vacant

Nominations must be in writing and comply with the registered rules of the MEU. Nominations will be accepted at any time from 19 January 2026 and must reach my office, postal or email address not later than 11:00am (AEDT) on 9 February 2026.

•

Situations Vacant

QUALIFIED SPRAY PAINTER & APPRENTICE SPRAY PAINTER We are looking for both a qualified Spray Painter and an apprentice spray painter to come and work in our Restoration Shop in Traralgon. Fulltime, Monday to Thursday, working predominantly on restorations with some smash work. Must have the skills, the right attitude and passion to work on people’s pride and joy.

The ballot will close at 5:00pm (AEDT) on 23 March 2026. Nomination forms are available from the National Office, the District Branch Office, or Lodges of the Organisation. A copy of the Union rules can be found at www.meu.org.au.

ADDRESS FOR LODGEMENT OF NOMINATIONS BY POST BY EMAIL National Returning Officer nationalreturningofficer GPO Box 477 meu.org.au Sydney NSW 2001

Ph Dave 5176 5957 OR email

Lorraine Usher National Returning Officer 5 January 2026 Telephone No: (02) 9267 1035

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IT REALLY WORKS!

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MORWELL R L OFFICE HOURS

RECEPTION T will l be CLOSED O MONDAY 26 6 January n

The CLASSIFIEDS CLA ASSIFIEDS phone line w will ill be OPEN betw between ween 9 9am am - 12 noon

NEWS STORIES ca can an be e directed diirected to the Newsroom on 5 5135 13 35 4 4429 429 9

email: new ws@lvexpress.com.au

•

% % % % % % % %

Dave’s Panel Worx

If a ballot is necessary, voting material will be posted to Local Returning Officers and where applicable directly to members who are receiving a postal vote, from 2 March 2026. Members should notify the Organisation of any changes of address.

BY HAND National Returning Officer Mining and Energy Union Level 11, 215-217 Clarence St SYDNEY NSW 2000

Specialising in all domestic work. REC.4188. Phone Peter 0438 177 153 or Carol 0438 998 849.

Sheds, driveways, footpaths, crossovers etc. Phone Justin 0409479737

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Journalist

Marine

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•

COUTA BOAT.

Timber (Carvel Kauri). 7.3m Built at Rosebud in 1936. 1985 twin Oetter Diesel 14HP. Copper sheathed bottom. Hull in first class condition. Moored at Nungurner. $6,000. Ph 0408 038 155

The Warragul and Drouin Gazette is an award winning and highly respected regional media business. It’s paid weekly newspaper has a 127-year history and is the heartbeat of the Baw Baw Shire and West Gippsland community. The Gazette is seeking a part-time journalist four days a week based in Warragul. A full-time position would be available for the right applicant. Candidates should have a passion for regional journalism and be able to work well in a small newsroom. InDesign/layout experience is an advantage but not essential. A driver’s licence is essential. Applications to the editor – Yvette Brand via email to editorial@warragulgazette.com.au

EXPRESS

Applications should include a cover letter. Applications close Wednesday, January 28. GP1688869

Deaths

DELIVERERS

WANTED TRARALGON and MOE

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Please note: Children must be 11 years or over as we will need to apply for a government Child Employment Permit. Children younger than 11 cannot or will not be accepted. Adult deliverers also welcome e

•

MOTORING

SPECIAL

EXPRESS

Motor Mart

OUR MOTORING PACKAGE CAN WORK FOR YOU

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Minimum 6 lines $60 without a photo or $74 with a colour photo Total of 4 consecutive editions in the Latrobe Valley Express and 4 editions of the Gippsland Times paper

THEY DO SELL! DRIVE YOUR DOLLAR FURTHER

CAIRNES Leon Anthony 14/12/1946 - 31/12/2025 Adoring Husband of Sue Proud and loving Father to Mark and Sally-Ann Loved Father in-law to Susan and Joel Dearly loved Pop to Jemma, Harry and Lydia, Maya, Elora, Rayden and great granddaughters Emersyn and Zarli. The skies will light up tonight in honour of your life. Now at peace. Heartfelt thanks to the staff at Ashleigh House and Central Gippsland Health Medical Ward for the wonderful care provided to Leon. GUY Rosalie (Ros) 1 April 1938 - 9 January 2026 Loved and Loving wife of John for 49 years. Forever in my heart.

Cars and Caravans are in demand

5135 4455

Responsibility Caravans PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD

Please check your ad on the first day and bring any errors to the attention of the Classifieds Department immediately. The Latrobe Valley Express makes every effort to avoid errors We regret that we cannot be responsible for any errors beyond the first day if you fail to bring it to our attention. No allowances can be made for errors not materially affecting the effectiveness of the ad. Position cannot will not be guaranteed. All claims for adjustment of credit must be made within seven days after billing date. We reserve the right to revise or restrict any ad we deem objectionable and to change the classification when necessary to conform to the policy of this newspaper. In the event an ad is omitted from publication, we assume no liability for such omission.

•

BERRY, Ernest Aged 86. Ernie passed away peacefully at Latrobe Regional Health on 11/1/2026. Loving husband of Sybil (dec.) for 64 years. Loving father and fatherin-law to Sandra and Mark, Pauline and Chris. Grandfather to Steven and Donna, Alan (dec.), Alison, Jessica (dec.), Ben and Elena. Greatgrandfather to Jemma, William, Isabella, Ryan, Tyson, Hayden, Shayla and Cynthia. Reunited with his beloved Sybil.

Would you like to deliver the Latrobe Valley Express newspaper to individual homes on Tuesday and /or Wednesday afternoons in Traralgon and Moe. Please apply to: The Circulation Manager 0456 000 541

Cars

Personals

•

2016 Jayco 15 ft Outback Starcraft Pop Top. Lovely condition, 1 owner, 2 beds, TV, solar panel, 2 water tanks, microwave 3 way fridge, stove (gas and electric), BBQ. Yarragon $26,000 o.n.o 0419 156 016

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FAST FACTS 82% of consumers report they trust print ads.

INGLE Rachel Maree 26/3/1998 - 1/1/2026 Passed away unexpectedly aged 27 years. Loving daughter of Matt and Jill. Adored sister of Tyler and Jacob. Cherished partner of Dylan. A wonderful daughter, sister, partner and friend to so many. JOHNSTON/E Allan Oswald Brian (AJ). Passed away at L/V Hospital, Traralgon. Vic. Sunday 21st December 2025. 22 Sept 1955 - 21 Dec 2025. Age, 70 Yrs. Allan 5th Son of, Keith O R Johnston (Dec)/ Caroline T (HOGAN.) JOHNSTON. (Dec). Brother to, Keith, (Dec) Arch (Dec), Bruce (Dec) Will, (Liv). Father to, Brittany Lee. Service to be held at the L.D.S Chapel Moe. Vic. Then to rest at Moe Memorial Park Cemetery. Moe. Vic. ALLAN, (AJ), Now Busking in, LORD thy GOD'S Choir.

Deaths

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JONAS (nee Crowley) Margaret Beryl Died after a short illness on January 2 2026 at Crown Gardens in Batemans Bay at the age of 94. Margaret was the beloved wife of Walter (Peter) (dec.). Loving mother and mother-in-law to Peter and Barb, Ray and Vicki, Kaye and Rod (dec.) and Barry, Lorraine and Greg. Much loved Nanna and Great Nanna to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Companion and friend to Les and Bob. Friend to many. A service will be held to celebrate Margaret's life at the Broulee Memorial Gardens Chapel, 195 Broulee Road, Broulee NSW on Thursday 22 January 2026 at 2pm. All are warmly invited to attend. Margaret was much loved and will be sorely missed by all who knew her. Rest in peace Mum. To stream Margaret's service please go to, oneroomstreaming.com JONAS (nee Crowley) Margaret Beryl Dearly loved Mum and Mother-in-law of Lorraine and Greg Beyer. Adored Nanna of Daniel and Tayla and Hayley and Sam. Besotted GNan to Lenny and Levi. Forever in our hearts. Rest in peace. LAWLER (Blair) Isobel Passed away peacefully at Margery Cole Aged Care Traralgon, 6 January 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Aged 82 Years Dearly loved and loving wife of James. Much loved mother and mother-in-law of Rob, Belinda and Scott, Adrian and Karen, Nicolas and David. Adored grandma to Libby, Lauren, Courtney, Caitlin, Brittany, Thomas, Lachlan, Shannon, Isabella, Ashleigh and their partners. Great-grandma (Izzy) to Scarlett, Nash, Arlo, River, Margot, Goldie, Joss, and Pearl. God has you in his keeping. We have you in our hearts. LAWLER Isobel In loving memory of our sister-in-law, Isobel. Una and Arthur Fisher. Loved aunty to Angela, Graeme, Chris and their families. Remembered always with love.

MELHUISH Merle Veronica With great sadness we announce the passing of Merle Veronica Melhuish on 1/1/2026. Merle passed away peacefully, held in God's grace. Merle was a person of strong faith and was devoted to the Lord; she lived with kindness towards others and had a great love for her family. Her trust and faith in the Lord shaped her life and brought comfort to those around her. A devoted mother to her four children, Phillip, Laurence, Caroline and Rhonda, her 13 grandchildren and 21 greatgrandchildren. Merle is now at peace, reunited with her beloved husband Richard and welcomed into eternal rest. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4 Forever loved. Forever in God's care.

Deaths

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PARRISH George Albert Passed away peacefully at Baw Baw Views, Moe on January 9, 2026. In his 102nd year. Dearly loved husband of Kath. Much loved Dad of Gregory (dec) and Leesa. A long life well lived. Rest In Peace. PLUNKETT (Carroll) Marie (Mary) 12/8/1938 - 7/1/2026 Our much-loved Mum, Nan and friend. You were our rock, our 'go to' no matter how big or small. You were our constant. Our biggest supporter and encourager. Our keeper of all secrets and our biggest advisor. You are our everything. Our first thought when something new comes along, we are just lost. Rest easy Mum. We will try so hard to do as you asked and 'be strong'. So very loved, now and for all tomorrows. Andrina, Tim, Megan (dec.) Isabella, Isla and Zac.

PLUNKETT Marie 12/8/1938 - 7/1/2026 I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new. I thought of you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, and often speak your name. All I have is memories, and your picture in a frame. You are my special keepsake, from which I will never part. God has you In his keeping, I have you in my heart. You'll be in our hearts forever more. David, Carol, Madison and Breanna

Deaths

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THOMAS Gladys Much loved sister and sister-in-law of Kevin and Esta Snell (both dec.). Most loved and loving aunty of Tony and Yvonne, Jeanette and Graeme, Mark and Robyne, Mandy, Mandice and Michael and their families. A warm and generous soul who will be greatly missed. Reunited with Uncle George and Luke. TURNER (nee Sellens) June Patricia Born 15 July 1926 Passed away 4 January 2026 991/2 years old at Inverloch, formerly of Morwell and Morwell Bridge. Loved wife of Trevor (dec.). Loving mother and mother-in-law of Dennis and Jean, Nevelle (dec.) and Jenny. Nanny Junie of Dion and Feona, Michelle and Andrew, Brooke and Rob, Helen and Mark, Stuart and Krystal, Allison and Glenn. Great-Grandmother of thirteen. Thank you to the wonderful staff at Inverloch Coast Care (Seahaven) for the kind care given to June over the 21/2 years she was there. Mum, you are going to be missed every day. Hope you're enjoying endless cups of tea, chocolates and potato chips. Loved and remembered every day. - Dennis and Jean Nan, AKA The Chief and our Queen Junie. Thank you for every story and every hug. Forever grateful for you and love you more than words can say. Miss you terribly, thank you for being you. - Michelle and Andrew VERNON Alan 1936 - 2026 Passed away aged 89 years. Loving father of Russell, Fran, Debra, Rob, Diane, Scott and Families. Adored Pa and Great-Pa. Sadly missed, our hearts are broken.

RIGGALL Joan Margaret Passed away peacefully at O'Mara House Aged Care Traralgon, 3 January 2026. Aged 92 years. Beloved daughter of George and Sarah Riggall (both dec.). Sister to Mary, Norn (dec.), and Fran.

Funerals

STOREY Margaret Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal. My heart is breaking and missing a part that can never be replaced. Your loving daughter Marleen, your son in law Alex and adored Granny to John, Kate and Carl. STOREY, Margaret My Dearest mum, my heart is broken knowing you aren't here. I will love and miss you every day forever. Thanks for being the best mum ever. I love you. From your loving daughter Lisa.

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GUY The Funeral Service to celebrate the life of Rosalie Guy will take place at St Luke's Uniting Church, Princes Dr, Morwell on MONDAY (19 January 2026) commencing at 11am. Afterwards, Ros will be laid to rest within the Hazelwood Cemetery, Brodribb Rd, Hazelwood. The church ceremony will be livestreamed, please see: harwoodfunerals.com.au for digital link.

•

BERRY The Funeral Service and Committal for Cremation for Mr. Ernest Berry will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 260 Princes Highway Traralgon on MONDAY (19 January 2026) commencing at 11.00 am.

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

CAIRNES The funeral service for Mr Leon Anthony Cairnes will be held in our Geoff Rossetti Memorial Chapel, 1390 Maffra Road, Sale (next to Sale Cemetery) on WEDNESDAY (14 Jan 2026), commencing at 1pm. For those unable to attend, a livestream will take place please refer to our website for details. A Private Cremation will follow

Funerals

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STOREY Margaret The Funeral Service to Celebrate the Life of Mrs Margaret Storey will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services, 437A Princes Drive Morwell on FRIDAY (16 January 2026) commencing at 10:30am. At the conclusion of the service, the Funeral will leave for the Hazelwood Cemetery for burial.

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

INGLE The Funeral Service and Committal for Cremation to Celebrate the life of Rachel Ingle will be held at Kernot Hall, 1 Monash Way Morwell, TUESDAY (20 January 2026) commencing at 11am.

TURNER Requiem Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Mrs. June Patricia Turner will be offered at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Scarborough Street, Inverloch THURSDAY WEEK (22 January 2026) commencing at 11am. At the conclusion of Mass the funeral will leave for the Inverloch Cemetery. June's service will be livestreamed, go to: handleyandanderson funerals.com.au

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

LAWLER The Funeral Service for Mrs. Isobel Lawler will be held at St. James Anglican Church, 100 Grey Street Traralgon, FRIDAY (16 January 2026) commencing at 11am. The Funeral will leave at the conclusion of the service for the Gippsland Memorial Park Cemetery, Traralgon. Isobel's service will also be livestreamed. To view the livestream, please visit: latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au suddenly and click on livestreaming.

PLUNKETT (nee Carroll) Marie We on this earth carry heavy hearts. Your kindness and gentle nature will live on. Many cuppa's will be waiting for you. With much love Karleen and Craig.

STOREY Margaret Elizabeth 20/11/1942 - 6/01/2026 Passed away peacefully at LRH surrounded by her loving family on January 6, 2026. Aged 83 years. Loved and loving wife of James (dec). Loved mother of Neil, Marleen and Lisa. Loved mother-in-law of Tracey and Alex. Loved Granny of John, Kate, Callum, Tristian. Forever in our hearts.

Funerals

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

PARRISH The Graveside Committal Service for Mr George Parrish will be held at the Warragul Cemetery, Victoria Street Warragul, on TUESDAY (20 January 2026) at 1pm. This will be followed by a Memorial Service to celebrate George's life at the Nielsen Funeral Chapel, Korumburra Rd Warragul, at 2pm. The Memorial Service will also be livestreamed to view George's Service please visit: nielsenfunerals.com.au

PLUNKETT Marie The funeral for Marie Plunkett, will be held in St Kierans Catholic Church, Moe FRIDAY (16 January 2026) at 11am, followed by an interment in the Moe Cemetery.

In Memoriam

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GRASSENS Jan (John) 12/9/1933 - 12/1/2020. I will remember and honour you always. The light you left here will never burn out. Love always, Beth Xx ♥♥ LOVISON David Steven Passed away on 15/1/2025. One year has passed and there is not a day I do not miss you. Your loving wife, Margaret. Dad, keep your guiding light on us all. Brian and Jane. Our precious pa, we miss you so much. Love Will, Tanji, Ava, Isaac, Ellie and Myles. LOVISON David Passed away peacefully 15/1/2025 Dad/Pa, One year has passed since you made your peace and left us to be our guiding Shepard from above, yet your love remains with us every day. We miss you deeply and will continue to carry you in our hearts always. Love Scott, Jen, Brylie, Charlise, Shayla, and Millie OLDIS John Davis Love is patient and kind. There is no limit to it's faith, it's hope and it's endurance. Love will never end. We carry your memories in our heart. Loving and missing you always my darling. Ann and sons, Paul and Craig. PEEL George Michael 12/1/2019 aged 83. PEEL Steven Thomas 16/01/1987 aged 24. Lovingly remembered, Susie XXX

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RIGGALL Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul for Joan Margaret Riggall will be held at St Michael's Catholic Church, Kay St, Traralgon on THURSDAY (15 January 2026) commencing at 2pm. The funeral will leave at the conclusion of the Mass for the Gippsland Memorial Park, Cemetery Drive Traralgon

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 27

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CAMM Keith 12/01/1926 Happy 100th heavenly Birthday, Dad. Your always in our heart's and thoughts. Missing you today, but celebrating the amazing man you were. The love you gave is a gift that never fades. Happy Birthday in heaven. Love you forever. Geoff, Jill, Graham and Paul XO Dad, your Birthday is a bittersweet reminder of the joy you brought. Sending my love on the breeze hoping it find's you in heaven. Though the year's have passed, I still feel your hand in mine. Happy 100th Birthday to my hero, and best mate. You were the backbone of our family. I honour your memory and treasure the laughter and lesson's you left behind. Forever in my heart. Paul XO

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Hoonnnooouuurr yoouuurr llov oovve ve d onneeess anndd shaarrree tthhheeeiiirr ssttoorrryy When you lose someone close to you, it can be hard to put your thougghts and feelinggs into words A personal messaage in the Latrobe Valleyy Express can say so much All notices placed inn print also goo in our digital edition

For friienddly advice on how to place a meessage contact Honour your loved d ones... Share their story The Classified Department 5135 4455

Page 28 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

The Classifi fied i Department

5135 4455

Where will your message reach? reach?

Delivered

FREE

to ho omes and businesses

including roadside mailbox delivery in many rural areas. Available for free from outlets in smaller towns. Latrob t be Valleyy Express Distribution area

Facts:

Total audited circulation 32,600 copies Published Wednesday

• “There is continued strong demand (and passion) for the printed product in rural and regional Australia.” • “Audiences overwhelmingly view a printed copy of their newspaper as an essential service for their community.”

Media innovation and the civic future of Australia’s country press AN AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL LINKAGE PROJECT GP1688473

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 29

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Templetons successful at Sale meet HORSE RACING By DAVID BRAITHWAITE

MOE trainers Paul and Tracey Templeton enjoyed success at Sale last week. The pair won the Race 2, a 1717m maiden, with Epeiric, ridden by Fred Kersley. The three-year-old filly won by a length-and-a-half. Private Jumbo, also trained by Templetons, set the pace in Race 7, the 1717m benchmark 62 Rising Stars, but Lim's Smythe, ridden by Nadia Daniels, came charging down the straight to win by a length. It was the first win for the five-year-old gelding, trained by Dan Meagher, since coming from Singapore, and first since August 2024. The weather was hot for last Thursday's meeting, and so was the run of Yes Yoshi.On debut, the three-year-old gelding, ridden by Teo Nugent for trainer Charlotte Littlefield, set a new 1100-metre track record in winning a maiden race. It was the second of Nugent's three winning rides and the first of back-to-back wins for Littlefield. Highland Diva, trained at Sale by Susie Wells, led early, but Yes Yoshi sprinted away in the home straight to beat the local horse by two and three-quarter lengths. Yes Yoshi's winning time of 1:02.07 minutes bettered the previous Sale track record of 1:02.55min by Don’t Tell Tom in 2002. The Greenwattle track began the day rated a Soft 5, but the warm weather and the wind saw the track firm and was a Good 3 by the recordproducing fourth race. Thursday's meeting was the Sale Turf Club's annual Kids Day Out, with free entry for all patrons, as well as free giveaways and games for the kids. Moe Racing Club will hold a similar meeting on Sunday, January 25.

Victor: In Her Stride, ridden by 2023 Moe Cup-winning jockey, Craig Newitt wins ahead Sunset Beauty at Sale Turf Club last Thursday. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos The hot weather saw most people in attendance making the most of the air-conditioned dining and bar areas, as well as the shade. The conditions were in stark contrast to the previous two meetings at Sale - the Sale Cup and Christmas meetings - which were marred by heavy rain. The event was moved earlier to accommodate the

twilight meet at Sandown, which pushed back a day because of Wednesday's even hotter weather (touching 40 degrees). Races took place at half-hour intervals. Nugent brought up his first win in Race 3, a 1400m maiden, on board Heironaut, trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman. The three-year-old gelding, on its debut, led all

the way to win by a length and three quarters. Elite Pete, trained at Sale by Sharyn Trolove, got third place in a photo finish - it was the second time the four-year-old gelding has finished in that position. Nugent's treble came in Race 6, a 1200m benchmark 62 handicap. Three-year-old filly Torsheen, trained by Shane Nichols and Hayden Black, won by three-quarters of a length from Gracious Diva, trained by Wells. A race after Yes Yoshi's victory, Littlefield trained her second winner in a 1000m benchmark 62 handicap - Yes We Are, with Brad Rawiller in the saddle. The four-year-old gelding has either won or placed second in his five starts. Juice Box, trained at Sale by Bec Kelly, led in the home straight, but was passed by Yes We Are, who won by two lengths. Another Sale-trained horse, The Cruiser, for Trolove, pipped Juice Box for third place. Another jockey who had a good day was Craig Newitt, who rode the winners of the first and last races. Newitt began the meet with victory on Gold Lable Patch, trained by Ken and Kasey Keys, in the 2220m maiden. At the back of the field heading into the home straight, the four-year-old gelding finished well to win by half-a-length. The day ended with Newitt riding In Her Stride to victory in a 1400m benchmark 62 handicap. The seven-year-old gelding, trained by John Salantiri, was back in action after winning at Terang last month. In Her Stride battled Sunset Beauty in the straight, with the former getting up by half-a-head. Sunset Beauty is trained by Traralgon-based Troy Kilgower, who prepares his horses at Sale.

Siddle plays 100th BBL game CRICKET BBL BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

MORWELL cricketer Peter Siddle played his 100th BBL game last week. The former Australian international brought up the milestone at the MCG, and took a wicket with his first ball playing for the Melbourne Stars. While the Stars fell to the Sydney Sixers, Siddle managed respectable figures of 1/12, trapping Moises Henriques in front. Batting first, the Stars were skittled for 128, which the Sixers chased with 17 balls remaining last Thursday (January 8). The Stars rebounded from a three-game blip, defeating city rivals Melbourne Renegades last Saturday night (January 10). In the second Melbourne derby in less than a week, the Stars won by eight wickets at Marvel Stadium, after succumbing in the final over to the same team to begin the new year. Siddle, the previous highest wicket-taker in the BBL, wasn't as integral in the Stars' bowling attack, as Marcus Stoinis took 3/33 and Haris Rauf 2/31. Siddle still nabbed the most important wicket,

ousting Renegades opener Josh Brown late, who made a team-best 80. The Stars comfortably chased the 167 needed, losing only two wickets during their innings, as Sam Harper led the charge with 84 not out. At the time of writing, the Stars have two matches remaining in the regular season, facing Adelaide Strikers yesterday (Tuesday, January 13 result was after the Express went to print) at the MCG and finishing with the hot Perth Scorchers on Saturday at Optus Stadium. The Stars sat third-place on the BBL ladder after their win over the Renegades, with a win-loss record of 5-3, meaning that bar a cataclysmic fall, Melbourne will be represented in finals. Siddle's Big Bash careers includes stints at Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades.

Milestone man: Melbourne Stars posted this image to its social media to congratulate Morwell’s Peter Siddle on his 100th BBL game.

Image supplied

Dangerfield special guest, racing set to resume in Traralgon GREYHOUND RACING By MOLLY HAINES, DAVID BRAITHWAITE AND LIAM DURKIN

WITHOUT A Trace etched her name into Sale folklore, delivering a breath-taking performance to claim the Group 1 Sale Cup. She shattered the 640-metre track record in the process, stopping the clock at an electrifying 36.06 seconds. The brilliant stayer lowered the previous benchmark – set by Canya All Class – by two full lengths, producing a performance that left seasoned racegoers in awe. Trained by Peter Presutto at Devon Meadows, Without A Trace showed all the hallmarks of a champion, settling into her rhythm before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to overwhelm her rivals and claim the $75,000 winners' purse on Saturday, January 3. Ascend Geranium, trained at Metung by Harley Whelan, set the tempo early but finished third behind Texas President. From just 26 career starts, Without A Trace has already amassed more than $400,000 in prizemoney, a testament to her consistency, durability and elite staying prowess. A big crowd enjoyed the festivities, which had a beach party theme, with Melbourne DJ Chloe Wilson providing the tunes and AFL Brownlow

medallist Patrick Dangerfield signing autographs and taking photos with punters. Dangerfield was interviewed by Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League Publicity Officer and former Traralgon FNC star Rob Popplestone. On the whole, the weather was kind, with rain falling before the first race before returning for the later races. Dennison trainer Ron Winter claimed second in the final heat with Awe Peanut. Greyhound racing is set to resume at Traralgon later this year, following a massive overhaul of the track and lure system. The club’s Glenview Park facility has faced a litany of issues since reopening in 2021, with its supposed state-of-the-art ‘J Curve’ track plagued by misfortune. While the track was designed to improve greyhound safety, problems with the lure system forced Greyhound Racing Victoria to suspend racing at Traralgon in July 2024. According to industry insiders, the lure system has led to dogs becoming startled, as it seemingly disappears from their eye sight near the finish line. The Express understands the system, and design of the track, were implemented against the will of local trainers, and even some senior greyhound officials. Compounding the problem has the fact Sale Greyhound Racing Club was administrating the

Page 30 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Traralgon club while these issues were being worked through. Traralgon GRC had previously entered voluntary administration in July 2023. There is renewed optimism however, with prominent local sporting identity Nick Leechino

coming in as Traralgon GRC manager. It is expected Traralgon will host 100 trials before racing officially starts back up again.

Correction

FOOTBALL

Two great men: Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield being interviewed by Traralgon football great Rob Popplestone.

Photograph: Liam Durkin

GOT my Pauls mixed up. Last week's issue incorrectly stated Paul Abbott was from Churchill ('Fitzroy's final season, 30 years on'). The former Hawthorn and Fitzroy player was in fact from Morwell. The author had him confused with Churchill's Paul Dear, who also played for Hawthorn. The Prime Minister's press conference referenced in the story 'Pendlebury wants Royal Commission' also took place on December 30, 2025, not January 30. The author, Liam Durkin, apologises for any confusion.

valleysport

Trafalgar pro-am coming next month GOLF

TRAFALGAR Golf Club is preparing for its pro-am. Professionals will compete for a share in $15,000 worth of prize money, while amateurs will experience the thrill of playing a full 18-rounds with a professional golfer. There are also great amateur prizes up for grabs in the morning and afternoon fields. Current champion Ben Murphy shot 64 in 2024. Trafalgar first held a pro-am in 1992, going all the way up to 2013 before a 10-year break. Since resuming, the event has been the biggest on the club's calendar. All players with a Golf Australia handicap are

able to enter what is generally a very strong field. For more information, visit: https://www.trafalgargolf.com.au/2025/09/19/2026-pro-am/ The Trafalgar Golf Club pro-am will be held Thursday, February 5. Trafalgar is regarded as one of the best courses in country Victoria, and a hidden gem on the local circuit. It has been rated as one of the top 10 public access courses in Victoria by golf journalist and SEN radio presenter, Mark Allen. The club is located around five kilometres north of the Trafalgar township,

Picturesque: Trafalgar Golf Club is considered one of the best public access courses in the state (14th pictured).

Coming: Trafalgar Golf Club will host its pro-am next month. Photographs supplied

Nervous wait for Melbourne White knocked out in Euro

BASKETBALL WNBL BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

BASKETBALL BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

TRARALGON'S Jade Melbourne could soon return to the WNBL finals for the first time since 2022. Even better, she'd be captain of a finals side for the first time in her career as she returns to the court for the Univerisity of Canberra Capitals. Melbourne required surgery on a finger injury sustained against Perth Lynx on December 23, with the Traralgon star to be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. At worse, that could see her return just in time for finals action if her side can hold up its run of play. Despite losing their captain for significant time, the Capitals sit outside of the top four by way of percentage only, and with less than a month remaining in the regular season, they're right in the thick of it. Winners of five of their last eight games dating back to the start of December, the Capitals are playing some of their best basketball in the last handful of years. Despite being one of the more successful WNBL franchises, winning nine championships since entering the top women's competition in 1986 as the Canberra Capitals, the last two seasons have seen them finish bottom of the ladder in each. Melbourne arrived at the Capitals as an 18-yearold for the 2020 COVID-stricken season, where her new team was coming off back-to-back flags. Before her injury, Melbourne was averaging 11 points, six assists (second-best in the league), five rebounds, and nearly two steals per game.  AS for fellow Latrobe Valley export, Moe's Jaz Shelley, her Geelong Venom squad have fallen dramatically.

Patiently waiting: Traralgon’s Jade Melbourne and her UC Capitals sit just outside NBL finals contention with less than a month left in the regular season. Photograph supplied After decent start, Geelong went on a horror run of nine straight losses, not saluting for the entirety of December. The Venom finally broke the drought on January 6, defeating Townsville Fire at Townsville Entertainment Centre, 88 to 71, with Shelley scoring 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and three steals. The Moe star has gone up a level in her second season, averaging 13 points, four assists, four rebounds, and currently leads the league in steals with 2.4 per game. Both Latrobe Valley representatives in the WNBL captain their sides, with Shelley serving as co-captain for Geelong with Alex Sharp.

HIGH intensity postseason basketball is an entirely different beast to regular play. Traralgon's Jack White and his Turkish squad in Mersin MSK were swept in the first round of the knockout stages of the Basketball Champions League. After dominating in the group stage of the FIBA European competition with four wins from six games against some of the best teams across the land, Mersin MSK couldn't persevere when it mattered most. Entering the new year, they fell in two straight games to French team Le Mans Sarthe, eliminating the Turkish side from contention and the chance to automatically qualify for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup. While Mersin MSK was blown out in convincing fashion in both play-in contests against Le Mans, the Traralgon star continued his excellent play during the tournament, with double digit points in each game along with fine defensive strands and unselfish performances. White averaged 11 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal per game during the Basketball Champions League. Now returning to the Turkish Super League, White and his team will hope to finish off that season with the same level of success that saw them narrowly miss out on the Round of 16 in a premier competition. Remarkably, Mersin MSK sit fourth-bottom on the domestic ladder and are at risk of relegation with just four wins and 11 losses, meaning they had more victories in the group stage of the champions league at the time than in standard Turkish play.

Good going: Traralgon’s Jack White is continuing his great efforts with Turkish basketball club Mersin MSK, recently competing in the Basketball Champions League.

Photograph supplied

In an average of 27 minutes of action, White is one of the shining lights for Mersin MSK with nine points and five rebounds per game.

SCOREBOARD ATHLETICS

GOLF

GIPPSLAND

CHURCHILL AND MONASH

Round 9 of Gippsland Athletics Club track and field season was held Tuesday 6th January 2026. ROUND 9 RESULTS: RECORD U/14 Women’s Hammer: Brooklynn Wyatt 41.82m (39.36m previous record, Brooklynn Wyatt Dec 2025) 800M Women: U/14 – Brooklynn Wyatt 3:22.18 Men: U/16 – Liam McCandless 2:52.04; Masters – Rob Knowles 2:57.28 HAMMER Women: U/14 – Brooklynn Wyatt 41.82; U/20 – Darcy Knowles 12.43; Masters – Brandy Forget 26.39, Edwina Knowles 25.04, Fiona Saltmarsh 17.51 Men: U/16 – Liam McCandless 15.62; Masters – Simon Van Baalen 39.94, Wayne Seear 26.83 TRIPLE JUMP Women: U/14 –Brooklynn Wyatt 7.97, Morgan Knowles 6.44 Men: U/14 – Taj Makepeace 9.33; U/16 – Liam McCandless NJ; Masters – Aaron Makepeace 8.28, Simon Van Baalen 7.20 SHOT PUT Women: U/14 – Brooklyn Wyatt 7.98, Morgan Knowles 3.76; U/20 – Darcy Knowles 5.45; Open – Fiona Saltmarsh 6.79, Edwina Knowles 6.03; Masters – Fiona Saltmarsh 7.56, Edwina Knowles 7.27, Brandy Forget 7.13 Men: U/14 – Taj Makepeace 6.55; U/16 – Liam McCandless 5.46; Open – Simon Van Baalen 10.08; Masters – Simon Van Baalen 11.52, Aaron Makepeace 6.83, Wayne Seear 6.59, Rob Knowles 5.91 100M Women: U/14 – Brooklyn Wyatt 14.44, Morgan Knowles 17.91 Men: U/14 – Taj Makepeace 13.65; U/16 – Liam McCandless 12.44; Masters – Aaron Makepeace 14.57, Rob Knowles 15.03, Wayne Seear 17.28, Simon Van Baalen 18.23

Stableford – 3rd December 2026 A Grade Winner: J. Cahill 36 pts B Grade Winner: W. McGrath 40 pts C Grade Winner: G. Dingwall 38 pts D Grade Winner: C. Gardiner 38 pts D.T.L: 1. C. Wilson 38, 2. R. Abel 38, 3. Adam West 38, 4. D. cluderay 38, 5. G. Blizzard 37, 6. K. Del Piccolo 37, 7. R. Sands 37, 8. G. Sanders 36, 9. A. Sharrock 36, 10. M. Soppe 36, 11. M. Hutchinson 35 c/b N.T.P: 3rd B. Downie (Propin), 5th C. Sterrick, 12th C. Wilson, 14th G. Blizzard Birdies: 12th C. Wilson, K. Barnes Target Hole: R. Dent Women’s Monthly Medal (Stroke) – 6th December 2026 Monthly Medal Winner: S. Caldwell 68 Nett Scratch Winner: S. Caldwell 89 Putts: S. Caldwell 25 D.T.L: C. Stevens 70 Nett N.T.P: 3rd L. Brent, 5th S. Caldwell, 12th C. Carder, 14th K. Del Piccolo TRAFALGAR

Wednesday Women's results 7/1/26 Stableford Due to the hot weather only 9 holes was played. Winner: Alison Bailey (12) with 24 points Runner-Up: Bev Keily (11) with 18 points c/b NTP: 5th June Tickell DTL: June Tickell and Anne Outhred with 18 points Tuesday: 06/01/26 - Stableford Players ; 32, Women 6, Men 26 Winner: Craig Scanlan (22)c/b Runner Up: Max Taylor (22) DTL's: Mick Bennett (21) Rob DeVries (21) Geoff Griffin (21) June Tickell (21) Rob Cusworth/Warner (21) Charlie Hooker (20) Steve Gould (20) NTP: Max Taylor (5th) Lucky Card: Steve Lawrence Thursday 08/01/26 - Stroke M/Medal Players: 35, Women 9, Men 26

Ladies Winner: Sue Williams (31 Scratch Winner: Karen MacGregor (44) Runner Up: Bev Keily (33) DTL: Sue DeVries (35) Heather Savige (35) Lorna Risol (35) Par 3's Comp: Karen McGregor NTP: 13th Karen MacGregor Lucky Card: Cheryl Toyne Mens Winner: Charlie Hooker (31) c/b Scratch Winner: Harold McNair (41) Runner Up: Chris Barfoot (31) DTL: Ivan Grant (32) Laurie Snowball (32) Glenn Doolan (33) Andy Kiss (33) Geoff Thomas (33) Franc Kiss (33) Steve Gould (33) Par 3's Comp: Chris Barfoot, Mick Bennett NTP:13th Steve Klemke Lucky Card: Graeme Grant Friday January 9th, Open Men’s & Ladies Stableford A Grade Winner: Jack Marshall 40 pts Runner Up: Stu Marriott 38 pts C/B DTL's: Glenn Doolan 38, Jim Connan 37, John Dodorico 37, Karen MacGregor 36, Rob Cusworth-Warner 35 Birdies: 2nd: Glenn Rees 5th: Glenn Doolan Saturday January 10th, Open 4BBB Stableford Men’s Winner: Max Taylor & Jim O’Brian 44 pts C/B Women’s Winner: Alison Bailey & Maria Brien Williams 47 pts DTL’s: Chris Brydon & Craig Scanlan 44, Christine Payne & Cheryl Deppeler 44, Adrian Jones & Uwe Tomski 44, Denis Dyke & Luke Batten 43, Dirk Meyer & Russ Grant 43, Paris Christian & Aaron Larkman 43, Graeme Grant & Ron Pyke 43, Peter Rhodes and Rob Saunders 43 C/B Eagle: 7th: Warwick Griggs NTP’s: 2nd: Tony Bickley 5th: Tim Cross – Maria Brien Williams 11th: Russ Grant 13th: Mark Hiriart 15th: Laurie Snowball YALLOURN

Ladies Thursday 1-1-26 12 Hole Summer Comp Week 2 winner 1 Div: Lola Carter 26 pts Thursday 8-1-26

Week 3 winner Div 1 (0-30): Lyn McAlister 24 pts Div 2 (31-54): Loretta Booth 23 pts on c/b Sue Riches. 9 Hole Stableford Tuesday 30-12-25 Winner: Donna Brown 24 pts Tuesday 6-1-26 winner Div 1: Sue Caldow 21 pts Div 2: Maureen Bishop 20 pts MOE

Sunday, 04 January 2026 OPEN Sunday 9 hole Stableford Grade A Winners: Davy, Kerri (29) 16 Sunday, 04 January 2026 OPEN Sunday Mixed Stableford Grade A Winners: Porto, Chris (8) 40 Grade B Winners: Bates, Linda (22) 36 Place Getters: Heller, Evan 38 Duncan, Jack 37 Close, Grant 36 C/B Wednesday, 07 January 2026 WOMEN'S WEDNESDAY 9 HOLE Stableford Grade A Winners: Bates, Linda (11) 23 C/B Grade B Winners: Lee, Judy (20) 19 C/B Place Getters: Savige, Karyn 23 Nearest to Pin: 4th Judy Lee Thursday, 08 January 2026 OPEN Mixed Stableford Grade A Winners: Wilson, Lee (3) 40 Grade B Winners: Braden, William (10) 41 Grade C Winners: Duncan, Jack (18) 42 Grade D Winners: Panozzo, Gavan (20) 39 Place Getters: White, Rodney 40 Jenkins, Andrew 38 C/B Bassman, Jeffrey 38 C/B Doak, Shaun 38 C/B Fife, Mark 38 Coffin, Phillip 38 C/B Taylor, Amy 38 C/B Griggs, Daryl 38 C/B Mcphail, Trevor 38 Soppe, Matthew 37 C/B Cropley, Mike 37 C/B Nyko, Steve 37 Shaw, Karen 36 Hayes, Albert 35 C/B WOODALL, John 35 C/B Meyer, Dirk 35 C/B Corkran, Rob 35 C/B Great Score: Kyle Attard (Birdie) @ 14 Craig Dunstan (Birdie) @ 14 John Soppe (Birdie) @ 14 Anton Devent (Birdie) @ 4 Jack Duncan (Birdie) @ 14 Kai McDonald (Birdie) @ 8 Cody Menzies (Birdie) @ 14 Steve Nyko (Birdie) @ 4 Daryl Griggs (Birdie) @ 4 Luke Van Der Meulen (Birdie) @ 8 Wayne Yeomans (Birdie) @ 14 Rob

Corkran (Birdie) @ 4 John WOODALL (Birdie) @ 14 Nearest to Pin: 8th Luke Van Der Meulen 14th Kyle Attard Saturday, 10 January 2026 WOMEN'S SATURDAY OPEN Stableford Grade A Winners: Elliot, Christine (27) 35 Place Getters: Taylor, Amy 32 C/B Saturday, 10 January 2026 MENS 4BBB Stableford Overall Winners: David Halkett & Philip Blunt 47 Ken Beath & Manny Borg 44 C/B Place Getters: Simon Stephens & Jack Scullin 44 Graeme Brien & Bruce Savige 43 Kevin Ayton & Bernard Howard 42 C/ BJames O'mara & Daniel McLaughlin 42 C/B Robert Wilson & Martin Weir 42 Great Score: Robert Wilson (Birdie) @ 4 David Halkett (Birdie) @ 8 Aaron Bassman (Birdie) @ 4 Ross Somerville (Birdie) @ 8 Ted Wolski (Birdie) @ 14 Nearest to Pin: 4th James O'mara 8th Nick Skicko 14th Tony Johnson MIRBOO NORTH

Tuesday 6th January Stableford. A Grade:W Gervasi (14) 42pts, B Grade: D Elwood (16) 43pts, C Grade: Cayden Gunn (23) 41pts DTL: M Thompson 42, T Whitelaw 41, J Butler, N Rutledge 40, A Liebe 39, N Casboult, J Smeriglio 38, NTP: 4th S Mills, 6th G Forrester, 13th J Smeriglio, 16th M Payne. Birdies: 4th, A Liebe, J Williams, S Mills, 6th W Gervasi, G Forrester, 13th J Smeriglio, 16th C Gunn. Saturday 10th January, Stableford. A Grade: S Mills (9) 40pts B Grade: S Beitz, (15) 39pts, C Grade: P Cummaudo (30) 41pts DTL: D Felmingham 40, D Woodall, S Evison 39, N Casboult, A Liebe 38, NTP: 4th (Boolarra Pub Voucher) R Felmingham, 6th S Mills, 13th M.N. Pub Voucher) S Woodall, 16th G Renwick. Birdies: 4th R Felmingham, 13th R Felmingham, S Woodall, 16th G Renwick, Eagles: R Felmingham 11th

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Premier A thrillers on CLV return

CRICKET CLV PREMIER A BY LIAM DURKIN

LOCAL cricket returned after the Christmas break at the weekend. Players battled high winds and smoke from nearby bushfires out on the field. Round 9 matches of Cricket Latrobe Valley were played as one dayers, as all concerned got back into the swing of things. Another good innovation saw Centrals and Glengarry play a double header at Apex Park. The day started with Premier B at 9am, before moving into the Premier C twilight match from 3pm. Premier A returned some very competitive matches - one decided in the last over, and another by one wicket.  GOOD teams find away. Ex Students got up by one wicket against Churchill in a Terry Hunter Oval thriller - but not after one of the most astonishing knocks from a player in a losing cause. Chasing 195, the Sharks took it to the 48th over, requiring the years of experience from Adam Brady and Michael Stockdale to see them through. Ryan Ayres had earlier played the innings of his time at the Cobras, making an unbeaten 105. Such was the magnificence, the next highest score was 24 (any danger boys). He also came in when the score was 2/9, and was out in the middle when it read 4/13. Ben Kearns and John Keighran provided support down the order, needing to rein in their usually attacking nature to do the team thing and get Ayres on strike. He single-handedly gave Churchill a decent total,

up against an attack led by Jimmy Pryde, who took 4/33. The total appeared insignificant when the Sharks got to 1/138, thanks to a 101-run second wicket partnership between Daniel Trease and Matt Dyke. Both men registered half-centuries, before the match took a dramatic turn from the most unlikely of sources. Cobras top-order bat Ric Velardi was introduced into the attack, and ended up ripping through the middle order, taking up after Matt Harvey dismissed Trease and Dyke with his left arm orthodox. Velardi snared three consecutive wickets to all of a sudden leave the game precariously placed at 7/174. A run out thereafter only added to the mayhem, and when Ex Students veteran Andy Matthews was trapped by Cobras equivalent Chris Williams, the Sharks still needed nine to win with one wicket in hand. Going for broke, the Cobras were denied victory after a no ball was hit to the boundary. Velardi took 4/28 off his six overs, while Harvey and Williams returned identical figures of 2/21.  IMPERIALS kept its winning form up. Glengarry was the team's latest scalp, after winning by five wickets at Catterick Crescent. The margin did not reflect the closeness of the game however, as the match was not decided until the last over. The return of Nat Freitag had immediate affect for the Magpies as far as run-scoring went, with the superstar left hander making an unbeaten 57. He was however more subdued than usual, striking at 60, likely because of a lengthy layoff following injury. Frank Marks played in a similar fashion, scoring

CRICKET CLV

JEERALANG-BOOLARRA Cricket Club will host a Pink Stumps Day this Saturday (January 17). Pink Stumps days are held by community cricket clubs to raise money for the McGrath Foundation in the fight against breast cancer. The club held a very successful first ever Pink Stumps Day last year, raising $9569. Jeeralang-Boolarra players will wear pink hats, while the games will feature pink stumps. Matches start from 11.30am at Boolarra Recreation Reserve. There will be two matches happening at once on the reserve's two ovals. A high tea will be held in the clubrooms from 12pm to 2pm with lots of delicious food for a $10

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The Centrals spearhead was the best of the bowlers with 4/39, in a card that saw all six bowlers used take wickets. Tarkyn Shankland was next best with 2/26. The Lions looks set for victory at 1/55, yet Toongabbie's big guns then swung the match. Skipper Tim Dunn took the decisive wicket of Jaxon Murdoch for 32, before Shippen and Amal Athulathmudali joined in. Centrals fell in a heap, losing 3/6, the result of which meant the middle to lower order was left with too much to do. Dunn collected 3/17, Brady Hood 2/18 and Shippen 2/20 off his 10 overs with two maidens.  MORWELL was methodical in its chase against Moe. The Tigers chased 165 in 38.3 overs at Keegan Street, losing just three wickets in the process. The visitors had a less than ideal start, with the top four batsmen struggling to get going. Moe captain Matt Hibbs was forced to rebuild, and made a patient 49 off 95 rocks. He found a willing ally in youngster Brodyn Blandford, who hung around for a defiant 33 off 70 - sure to give his confidence the world of good against a quality attack. Morwell's new ball bowlers Tim Ford and Brendan Brincat got the ball talking, and ended with three wickets each. Tigers skipper Blair Clymo picked up 2/16 and was then out in the middle as the winning runs were hit. The Morwell top order did the opposite to Moe, with Kris Fortuin (37), Mark Cukier (50) and Blake Mills (46 off 32) all contributing significantly. Ben McCartney had some success for the Lions, nabbing 2/22.

T20 final Friday night

Pink Panthers support McGrath Foundation

CRICKET CLV

donation. Everyone is welcome and all money raised will go directly to the McGrath Foundation. Don’t forget your hats, sunscreen and to dress up in pink to show your support to all the fighters and survivors. Anyone wishing to donate to this worthy cause can visit: https://www.pinkisthecolour.com. au/s/8894/9956 For further details, email: jeeralangboolarracc@ gmail.com

THE semi-finals of the Cricket Latrobe Valley twenty20 competition were played on Tuesday night (January 13). Results were not known at time of press (the Express is printed on Monday nights). The final will be played this Friday (January 16) under lights at Terry Hunter Oval, Traralgon from 6.10pm. Senior women's cricket recommences this Thursday (January 15), while juniors go back in line with Term 1 at the end of the month.

Cause: Jeeralang-Boolarra Cricket Club will host a Pink Stumps Day this Saturday to help raise money for the McGrath Foundation.

Photograph supplied

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62 off 80, taking off from Cam Graham who opened with 31 off 57. Wickets proved hard to take at Catterick for both sides. Dilshan Thilakarathne bobbed up with 3/29 for Imperials. The home side saw double-figure scores from the entire top six, and breathed a sigh of relief when the total was eventually reached. Lewis Blake top-scored with 65, followed by Thilakarathne (40 not out) and Leighton Shuttleworth (31). Freitag bowled eight overs, in further encouraging signs for his recovery. Graham completed a decent all-round game, taking 3/43. The game will likely provide the competition with a couple of references: that Glengarry is every chance to come home with a wet sail as finals approach, and that Imps might have been lucky to scamper over the line.  TOONGABBIE secured its first win of the Premier A season. The Rams won by 37 runs against Centrals, meaning the Lions remain as the only winless side in 2025/26. Batting first at Roger Ries Oval after being sent in, the home team recovered from 3/23 to post 197. Toongabbie legend Tom Shippen rescued the innings, along with Kyle O'Reilly, putting on 51 for the fourth wicket. Shippen reached his half-century, while O'Reilly played a busy hand of 35 off 38 balls. This paved the way for Jason Veneman to come in at eight, although he was certainly not taking the mickey, scoring an unbeaten 30. Tyron Gamage threatened to capitulate the Rams' innings after taking two wickets with the new ball.

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY PREMIER A ROUND 9 EX STUDENTS V CHURCHILL at Terry Hunter Oval CHURCHILL BATTING B Kelly b J Pryde .................................................................................................6 A Ceeney run out A Matthews......................................................................1 R Velardi lbw A Brady .......................................................................................2 R Ayres not out ..............................................................................................105 M Harvey b J Pryde ...........................................................................................1 B Kearns c M Stockdale b F Graham ........................................................ 24 J Keighran c D Trease b Z Bastin................................................................ 23 R Harvey lbw J Pryde..................................................................................... 17 J Higham c M Stockdale b J Pryde...............................................................6 S Warr run out ....................................................................................................0 C Williams not out .............................................................................................0 Sundries (4b 0lb 4w 1nb)..................................................................................9 TOTAL (50 overs) ........................................................................................ 9/194

EX STUDENTS BOWLING F Graham 4-0-16-1, A Matthews 10-0-59-0, J Pryde 10-0-33-4, J Robertson 10-1-25-0, M Stockdale 3-0-19-0, Z Bastin 5-0-17-1, A Brady 8-2-21-1

EX STUDENTS BATTING M Dyke b M Harvey........................................................................................ 52 J Zappulla b C Williams................................................................................. 18 D Trease c R Velardi b M Harvey ................................................................ 61 R Battista c J Keighran b R Velardi................................................................4 M Stockdale not out ...................................................................................... 22 J Robertson c J Higham b R Velardi.......................................................... 17 Z Bastin c R Ayres b R Velardi.........................................................................3 J Pryde c B Kelly b R Velardi............................................................................0 F Graham run out .............................................................................................0 A Matthews lbw C Williams............................................................................4 A Brady not out ..................................................................................................3 Sundries (3b 4lb 6w 2nb).............................................................................. 15

TOTAL (47.1 overs)..................................................................................... 9/199

CHURCHILL BOWLING S Warr 9-0-41-0, M Harvey 9-1-21-2, C Williams 8-2-21-2, J Keighran 4-0-32-0, J Higham 3-0-22-0, R Ayres 5-2-13-0, R Harvey 3-0-14-0, R Velardi 6-0-28-4

IMPERIALS V GLENGARRY at Catterick Crescent GLENGARRY BATTING S Marks run out L Blake, L Shuttleworth ................................................ 14 C Graham c L Blake b A Johnstone........................................................... 31 N Freitag not out............................................................................................. 57 F Marks c L Shuttleworth b D Thilakarathne......................................... 62 B Marks lbw D Thilakarathne.........................................................................6 B Mayberry b D Thilakarathne ......................................................................0 A Wright b T Mann ............................................................................................9 J Cochrane not out............................................................................................0 Sundries (0b 2lb 12w 2nb) ............................................................................ 16 TOTAL (50 overs) ........................................................................................ 6/195

IMPERIALS BOWLING T Donoghue 5-0-29-0, S Aitken 9.5-2-29-0, D Thompson 1.1-0-13-0, D Thilakarathne 4-0-29-3, A Johnstone 10-1-49-1, C Pilling 10-2-220, T Mann 10-3-22-1

TOONGABBIE V CENTRALS at Roger Ries Oval TOONGABBIE BATTING R Wheildon c J Donovan b M Fenech.........................................................4 A Athulathmudali c C Whitehead b T Gamage .................................... 12 G Munasinghe c J Murdoch b T Gamage..................................................5 K O’Reilly b J Donovan.................................................................................. 35 T Shippen c B Williamson b T Shankland ............................................... 53 T Dunn b B Williamson ....................................................................................8 b Hood b T Shankland .................................................................................. 13 J Veneman not out......................................................................................... 30 H Broad b C Whitehead ...................................................................................3 J Wall c J Donovan b T Gamage................................................................. 10 N Farley b T Gamage ........................................................................................4 Sundries (1b 3lb 16w 0nb) ............................................................................ 20 TOTAL (48.4 overs)..........................................................................................197

A Philip lbw B Brincat ................................................................................... 14 K Micallef b B Brincat .......................................................................................7 M Hibbs c&b B Clymo .................................................................................. 49 N Kane b R Whelpdale ................................................................................. 20 B Blandford c J Mason b T Ford ................................................................. 33 R Mahajan run out: D Day, J Campbell.......................................................1 R Colgrave c unknown b T Ford ................................................................ 14 B McCartney c&b B Clymo ............................................................................2

M Fenech 10-3-31-1, J Donovan 10-0-50-1, B Williamson 5-1-20-1, T Shankland 6-0-26-2, T Gamage 9.4-1-39-4, C Whitehead 8-1-27-1

Sundries (12w 0nb 7lb 1b) ............................................................................ 20

CENTRALS BATTING

GLENGARRY BOWLING

TOONGABBIE BOWLING

Page 32 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

C Robinson lbw T Ford ....................................................................................0

Aiden Savige not out .......................................................................................0

R Morley c B Marks b C Graham ................................................................ 16 L Shuttleworth c F Marks b N Freitag ...................................................... 31 B Chapman b B Mayberry............................................................................ 21 L Blake lbw C Graham ................................................................................... 65 D Thilakarathne not out ............................................................................... 40 T Mann c T Duncan b C Graham................................................................ 15 A Johnstone not out.........................................................................................3 Sundries (3b 1lb 2w 0nb)..................................................................................6 TOTAL (49.1 overs)..................................................................................... 5/197 G Waack-Hawkins 5-0-10-0, T Duncan 4-0-12-0, C Graham 8-0-43-3, N Freitag 8-0-30-1, F Marks 6-0-29-0, S Marks 10-1-33-0, B Mayberry 8.1-2-36-1

MOE 1ST INNINGS BATTING C Grant b B Brincat ...........................................................................................5

CENTRALS BOWLING

H Berry c unknown b N Farley ......................................................................8 J Murdoch c H Broad b T Dunn.................................................................. 32 L Speairs c T Dunn b b Hood ...................................................................... 24 T Shankland c G Munasinghe b T Shippen...............................................1 B Hourigan b T Shippen ..................................................................................3 S Rajapakse b A Athulathmudali..................................................................8 T Gamage c G Munasinghe b b Hood........................................................2 B Williamson b T Dunn.................................................................................. 20 C Whitehead run out .................................................................................... 18 J Donovan not out ............................................................................................9 M Fenech c&b T Dunn................................................................................... 11 Sundries (1b 9lb 13w 1nb) ............................................................................ 24 TOTAL (48.1 overs)..........................................................................................160

IMPERIALS BATTING

MORWELL V MOE at Keegan Street

G Munasinghe 7-1-19-0, T Dunn 8.1-1-17-3, J Wall 8-0-37-0, N Farley 4-0-30-1, b Hood 6-1-18-2, T Shippen 10-2-20-2, A Athulathmudali 5-1-9-1

TOTAL (48.3 Overs).........................................................................................165

MORWELL BOWLING T Ford 8.3-2-19-3, B Brincat 10-2-37-3, D Day 6-0-31-0, M Cukier 101-26-0, R Whelpdale 10-0-28-1, B Clymo 4-0-16-2

MORWELL BATTING K Fortuin c K Micallef b B McCartney ...................................................... 37 M Cukier c N Kane b B McCartney............................................................ 50 B Mills c M Hibbs b R Colgrave .................................................................. 46 B Clymo not out .............................................................................................. 12 J Campbell not out............................................................................................6 Sundries (4w 0nb 5lb 8b)............................................................................... 17 TOTAL (38.3 Overs).................................................................................... 3/168

MOE BOWLING C Grant 8-2-31-0, R Colgrave 8-0-56-1, R Mahajan 7-2-22-0, A Savige 4-1-14-0, A Philip 4-1-10-0, B McCartney 7.3-1-22-2

valleysport

King Keenan does it all CRICKET CLV A GRADE BY LIAM DURKIN

SOME major talking points, team-wise and individual, came out of Round 9 in Cricket Latrobe Valley A Grade. The competition played a round of one dayers on resumption from the Christmas break.  TRARALGON WEST raised a number of eyebrows after defeating equal top-side Rovers. Chasing only 104, the Eagles won with four wickets in the shed at Duncan Cameron. The visitors bowled very well, hardly allowing Rovers to get the run rate moving. Liam Little made 29 opening the batting, yet most of his teammates returned scores in single figures. Things were looking dire for Rovers at 5/42, and ultimately, they just had to try and get to triple figures. Ben Fleming bowled an economical spell of 3/16 off 10, as did Alfie Peck, who took 2/27 off the same amount. The Eagles got the required runs without too much hassle, at one stage being 2/60. Kane Scott and Little took a pair of wickets each for Rovers.  HONESTY is the best policy - even though it can sometimes cost you. A terrific act of sportsmanship from Latrobe captain Steven Freshwater saw him recall Willow Grove batsman Ben Edebohls at the weekend. Edebohls had been given out lbw, yet the Sharks skipper, feeling the wrong decision had been made, graciously allowed his opposite number to take his guard again. Edebohls was on 30 at the time, and went on to score a match-winning 88 not out for the Wolves. Willow Grove closed at 9/181at Moe Racecourse,

and then bowled Latrobe out for 145. Anthony Wilkes helped Edebohls with 26 at the top of the order up against Rob Webber, who took 2/26. Sharks youngster Liam Duncan had his comingof-age moment, taking 5/30 with his off spin. His uncle, Michael Duncan, is best mates with former Australian quick Peter Siddle, who would have surely delighted in hearing about another Latrobe cricketer taking a bag of wickets. The Latrobe response was in danger early at 2/16, before Rhys Noble (35) got things around parity. The Sharks however were always a partnership short, and Freshwater (38 not out) was out in the middle when the last wicket fell with the score 145. Darcy Walsh continued his wicket-taking ways, grabbing 4/32 with his leg breaks. He bowled in tandem with his brother Logan, who took one of the biggest wickets in Gippsland, that of Anthony Bloomfield. Dylan van der Stoep (2/13) also had a major say in the result, dismissing Webber cheaply.  THAT'S why they recruited him. A whirlwind innings from Keenan Hughes propelled Raiders to a commanding victory over CATS. The big-hitting allrounder smoked 115 off just 80 balls after coming in at number seven. He hit seven sixes and 10 fours, showing absolute disregard for the fact CATS had a former Test bowler in its line-up. His performance was such that Raiders did not even bat its entire 50 over allotment at John Black Oval, as the visitors registered 254 in 46.3 overs. Hughes' innings was made even more special given Raiders were in deep trouble at 5/38. Hughes and Tom Robertson however got together for one of the more astonishing middle order partnerships imaginable, putting on 180 for the sixth wicket. Robertson took something of a back seat to the

Hughes onslaught, but still made 71 off 91 balls himself. Equally amazingly, a lot of the CATS bowlers still returned reasonable figures. Sam Gissara took 4/58, Josh Moore 3/45 and Dane Fawcett 3/47 with two maidens. With his confidence sky-high, Hughes then took the first two wickets with the new ball, before coming back to walk off with 4/29. Fittingly, he took the last wicket, that of Callum Stewart, who went down swinging with 34 off 28. Not to be outdone, Hughes also caught Tinashe Panyangara, the one player on CATS' team who could have potentially played a similar innings to Hughes. Other wicket-takers for Raiders were Harvey Rogers-Collen (3/35) and Robertson (2/15).  GORMANDALE scored a much-needed victory. The Tigers of Traralgon defeated the Tigers of Mirboo North by four wickets at Stoddart Oval after posting 6/194. Batting first, Cal Polo and Nick Scammell put on a near-century opening stand to put their side in a promising position. Polo made 47 and Scammell 38, before Patrick Brooks came in down the order and blasted 40 red off just 23 balls. Wickets were shared in the Mirboo North camp. Dale Banks (2/20), Darien Matthews (2/25) and Max Woodall (2/45) all chipped in. Linc Chila played his best innings in the top grade, scoring 54 off 60 deliveries opening the batting. His effort was in vain however, as the rest of the order struggled to either convert or get started. Mirboo North was bowled out for 140 in less than 40 overs, thanks to the work of Gormandale bowlers Buddhima Dissanayake (3/31) and Scammell (2/6).

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY - LOWER GRADE SCORES Saturday, January 10 Premier B (Round 13) Centrals 5/177 (A Hurley 89*, D Rode 32, M Cochrane 2/22) def Glengarry 109 (Himesh Rajapakse 4/28, C Pollard 2/14), JeeralangBoolarra 0/132 (G Smith 107*) def Ex Students 130 (D Churchill 32, R Voss 32, H Hewawasam 2/18, L Smith 2/24), Churchill 9/177 (L Urand 68, C Davis 3/48, D Taylor 2/4) def Thorpdale 120 (B Marks 3/19, S Tobin 3/30), Morwell 7/157 (J Pullen 49, R Semmler 39*, D Farmer 3/21, H Edwards 2/15, A Savige 2/20) def Moe 7/155 (A Savige 31, M Whitney 29, R Gray 2/24), CATS 2/113 (D Wilson 62*) def Toongabbie (B Grieve 38, E Pass 4/34, J Bellingham 3/5). B Grade (Round 13) Willow Grove 5/184 (P Grima 64*, A James 41, L Francis 38*, D Ganegodage 2/18) def Gormandale 8/159 (F White 41, C Bull 28, B Fulham 26, P Grima

3/17, S Dawson 2/21), Raiders 0/148 (R Sidhu 108*, K Hutchinson 27*) def Rovers 9/147 (G Greenway 34*, S Sbaglia 29, H Rai 2/4, J Varghese 2/25, P Mills 2/26), Traralgon West 7/146 (S Bermingham 41, B Bright 32, L Phillips 30*, H Donoghue 2/17, H Dunstan 2/17) def Imperials 127 (B Bright 3/15, B Lever-Makin 3/16, L Phillips 2/24), Latrobe 8/198 (B Wilson 38*, S Gedara 29*, G Hebbard 28, R Hughes 4/36) def Mirboo North 195 (G Walker 46, J Calafiore 38, R Duncan 3/39, B Aitken 2/2). Premier C (Round 10) Mirboo Nth 6/153 (C Boyer 44, G Vanderzalm 39*, J Churchill 3/25) def Ex Students 148 (H Canny 67, T Kosterman 35, C Boyer 2/20, J Hutton 2/27, G Shaw 2/28), Imperials 6/229 (A Ashlin 83*, A Spowart 65, C Meers 29, A Domaille 2/54) def Toongabbie 201 ( M Stoddart 102, B Wall 34, D Andjelkovic 32, J Jones 3/58, E Martin 2/15, J Shankland 2/31, A Smith 2/35), Rawson 3/121 (B Jarvis 34*, R Whitney 2/18) def Moe 120 (P Cake 63,

M Metcalfe 4/19, L Watson 3/12), Glengarry 3/113 (R Burke 28) def Centrals 111 (T Poursanidis 60, S Bonacci 3/22, J Mowat 2/14, D Roulston 2/24), Morwell vs Churchill (no scores entered, very unMorwell like that). C Grade (Round 10) CATS 6/146 (S Mustoe 63, C Beaver 29, L Wilson 27*, S Wernham 2/25, H Smith 2/49) def Latrobe 143 (N Brewer 64, A Bremner 31, T Hagley 3/20, R Hendrix 3/21, C Beaver 3/34), Jeeralang-Boolarra 9/119 (N Spark 30, A Parker 29, A Joseph 2/12, T Griffiths 2/29) def Traralgon West 92 (A Mohan 28, J Maggs 3/33, O Stanton 2/1, A Parker 2/14), Gormandale 3/123 (M Smallwood 43*, N Nikodemski 29) def Rovers 116 (D Brain 26, J Ainsworth 5/21, N Nikodemski 2/24), Imperials 4/122 (L Sykes 64*, N McIntosh 3/12) def Willow Grove 121 (N McIntosh 46, L Sykes 3/18, M Higgingbottom 3/32, M Boothey 2/6), Raiders - bye.

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY

HONOUR BOARD 2025/26

CENTURIES Ryan Ayres (Churchill) ...................105* Keenan Hughes (Raiders) ...............115 Glen Smith (Jeeralang-Boolarra) ..107* Rupinder Sidhu (Raiders) ..............108* Matt Stoddart (Toongabbie) ............ 102 Matt Dyke (Ex Students) ..................118 David Pryde (Ex Students) ............100* Dale Fleming (CATS) ...................... 107 Evan Sheekey (Moe) ...................... 107 Rob Semmler (Morwell) .................. 109 Declan Wilson (CATS) ................... 112* Paul Henry (Glengarry) .................136* Lee Stockdale (Ex Students) .........100* Donald Mcdougall (Latrobe) ..........144* Darren Brain (Rovers) ....................138* Jamie Kendall (Gormandale) ........109* Mark Smallwood (Gormandale) ....105* FIVE WICKETS Liam Duncan (Latrobe) .................. 5/30 Jake Ainsworth (Gormandale) ....... 5/21 Matilda Freeman (Morwell) .............. 5/9 Todd Mann (Imperials) ................... 5/58 Dane Fawcett (CATS) .................... 6/35 Simon Duff (Rovers) ...................... 6/22 Alfie Peck (Traralgon West) ........... 5/96 Keenan Hughes (Raiders) ............. 5/43 Arun Antony (Latrobe) ................... 5/31 Keenan Hughes (Raiders) ............. 7/26 Yohan Soyza (Gormandale) .......... 5/50 Robert Webber (Latrobe) ............... 5/41 Gayashan Munasinghe (Toon) ...... 5/51 Charlie Pilling (Imperials) .............. 5/21 Andrew Winter (Glengarry) ............ 5/21 Jie Armstrong (Gormandale) ......... 5/30 Sonny Darby (Raiders) .................. 5/10 Jake Zappulla (Ex Students) ..........8/11 Kade Hebbard (Latrobe) ................ 5/22 Craig Boswell (Moe) ...................... 6/30 Shevan Fernando (Toongabbie) ...... 5/5 Shane Breddels (Rovers/Gormy) .. 5/10 Lee Stockdale (Ex Students) ......... 7/14 Ben Edebohls (Willow Grove) ........6/11 Ben Fleming (Traralgon West) ......... 5/3 Matt Stoaddart (Toongabbie) ..........5/11 Jagbir Dhillon (Raiders) ................. 5/20 Waseem Mohammed (Latrobe) .... 5/24 Darren Brain (Rovers) .................... 7/15 Angus Murdoch (Moe) ..................... 5/3 Cooper Stanton (Mirboo North/JB) 5/11 Josh Pearson (Toongabbie) ........... 5/16 Connor Hughes (Traralgon West) . 6/21 Xavier Hurley (Toongabbie) ............. 5/7

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY A GRADE ROUND 9 CATS V RAIDERS at John Black Oval RAIDERS BATTING G Cheshire c B Hagley b J Moore .................................................................8 H McColl b J Moore........................................................................................ 14 L Maynard c T Panyangara b D Fawcett.....................................................6 T Robertson c N Harrup b S Gissara ......................................................... 71 H Rogers-Collen b D Fawcett ........................................................................0 T Hood c P McGill b J Moore..........................................................................7 K Hughes c E Porigneaux b D Fawcett ..................................................115 T Griffiths b S Gissara..................................................................................... 19 A Silva c J Keyhoe b S Gissara........................................................................1 T Hutchinson c N Harrup b S Gissara..........................................................1 F Mahoney not out ...........................................................................................0 Sundries (1b 0lb 10w 1nb) ............................................................................12 TOTAL (46.3 overs)..........................................................................................254

CATS BOWLING D Fawcett 10-2-47-3, J Moore 10-1-45-3, T Panyangara 10-0-65-0, S Gissara 7.3-0-58-4, C Stewart 7-1-27-0, P McGill 1-0-1-0, B Hagley 1-0-10-0

CATS BATTING J Keyhoe c L Maynard b K Hughes ........................................................... 11 P McGill b K Hughes ...................................................................................... 15 N Harrup c H Rogers-Collen b T Robertson........................................... 10 E Porigneaux st T Griffiths b H Rogers-Collen .........................................3 T Panyangara c K Hughes b H Rogers-Collen..........................................3 L Pass c&b H Rogers-Collen ...........................................................................1 B Hagley c A Silva b T Robertson .................................................................7 S Gissara c T Griffiths b K Hughes ............................................................. 24 C Stewart c H McColl b K Hughes ............................................................. 34 D Fawcett b F Mahoney...................................................................................0 J Moore not out..................................................................................................0 Sundries (0b 1lb 15w 0nb) ............................................................................16

TOTAL 124 (36.5 overs)

RAIDERS BOWLING F Mahoney 3-0-10-1, H McColl 5-1-18-0, T Robertson 5-0-15-2, G Cheshire 4-1-16-0, K Hughes 9.5-0-29-4, H Rogers-Collen 10-035-3

LATROBE V WILLOW GROVE at Joe Tabuteau Reserve, Racecourse #1 WILLOW GROVE BATTING A Wilkes c I Terrick b R Webber .................................................................. 26 B Edebohls not out ........................................................................................ 88 H Phoenix c A Duncan b R Webber.............................................................0 L Payton c L Duncan b R Noble.................................................................. 24 D Walsh c A Bloomfield b L Duncan............................................................7 T Norton c J Bloomfield b L Duncan...........................................................2 D van der Stoep c E Hopper b S Freshwater ............................................9 J Hammond b L Duncan .................................................................................3 L Tumino c&b L Duncan ..................................................................................1 L Walsh b L Duncan...........................................................................................0 R Fiddelaers not out .........................................................................................1 Sundries (0b 10lb 8w 2nb) ............................................................................20 TOTAL (50 overs) ........................................................................................ 9/181

LATROBE BOWLING R Webber 8-2-26-2, L Duncan 10-0-30-5, S Freshwater 10-1-24-1, E Hopper 10-0-43-0, J Bloomfield 5-0-20-0, R Noble 7-1-26-1

LATROBE BATTING E Hopper c L Payton b B Edebohls ........................................................... 21 R Chokununga b L Payton..............................................................................2 R Webber c H Phoenix b D van der Stoep.................................................6 R Noble c T Norton b D Walsh .................................................................... 35 A Bloomfield c H Phoenix b L Walsh........................................................ 17 J Coltman b D Walsh.........................................................................................1 J Bloomfield st H Phoenix b D Walsh..........................................................5 S Freshwater not out ..................................................................................... 38 M Zomer c T Norton b D Walsh.....................................................................4 I Terrick lbw J Hammond ................................................................................4 L Duncan lbw D van der Stoep.....................................................................3

Sundries (0b 0lb 9w 0nb)................................................................................. 9 TOTAL (44.2 overs)..........................................................................................145

WILLOW GROVE BOWLING L Payton 4-0-9-1, R Fiddelaers 5-0-17-0, L Walsh 6-0-12-1, B Edebohls 5-0-12-1, J Hammond 3-0-15-1, D van der Stoep 7.2-013-2, D Walsh 10-0-32-4, L Tumino 4-0-35-0

ROVERS V TRARALGON WEST at Duncan Cameron ROVERS BATTING L Little lbw B Fleming.................................................................................... 28 T Pearce run out B Fleming............................................................................1 E Williams c S Treasure b A Peck................................................................ 11 D Williams c J Monacella b A Peck...............................................................4 W Coad run out H Kimpton, L Bermingham............................................9 K Scott b C Hughes ...........................................................................................4 S Duff c A Peck b B Fleming ...........................................................................1 N Singh c A Peck b B Fleming .................................................................... 10 A Rathbone c N/A b L Bermingham ........................................................ 18 M Leslie c B Fleming b R Falla........................................................................4 C Boyes not out..................................................................................................0 Sundries (2b 7lb 5w 0nb)...............................................................................14 TOTAL (45.4 overs)..........................................................................................104

TRARALGON WEST BOWLING L Bermingham 3-1-2-1, A Peck 10-3-27-2, B Fleming 10-3-16-3, H Kimpton 10-3-17-0, C Hughes 10-4-18-1, R Falla 2.4-0-15-1

TRARALGON WEST BATTING M Griffiths lbw L Little......................................................................................7 H Kimpton b E Williams ................................................................................ 24 C Glynn c&b S Duff......................................................................................... 19 J Monacella c E Williams b L Little ...............................................................8 A Peck b K Scott .............................................................................................. 11 C Hughes c unknown b K Scott................................................................. 21 R Wilkie not out..................................................................................................2 S Treasure not out .............................................................................................1 Sundries (0b 0lb 11w 1nb) ............................................................................12 TOTAL (35.2 overs)..................................................................................... 6/105

ROVERS BOWLING S Duff 10-2-16-1, L Little 10-1-26-2, K Scott 4.1-0-21-2, M Leslie 4-024-0, N Singh 1-0-2-0, E Williams 6-2-16-1

GORMANDALE V MIRBOO NORTH at Stoddart Oval GORMANDALE BATTING C Polo c M Woodall b D Mathews............................................................. 47 N Scammell c B Heath b D Banks.............................................................. 38 C Bettsworth lbw D Banks..............................................................................1 N Soyza not out............................................................................................... 23 Y Soyza b D Mathews.......................................................................................2 C Peavey c L Chila b M Woodall....................................................................3 D Norton b M Woodall.................................................................................. 12 P Brooks not out ............................................................................................. 40 Sundries (3b 2lb 20w 3nb) ............................................................................28 TOTAL (50 overs) ........................................................................................ 6/194

MIRBOO NORTH BOWLING F Ingram 7-1-20-0, D Mathews 10-4-25-2, G Fairbairn 6-0-44-0, W Lawrey 7-2-35-0, M Woodall 10-2-45-2, D Banks 10-1-20-2

MIRBOO NORTH BATTING F Ingram c Y Soyza b B Dissanayake ...........................................................5 L Chila c N Soyza b B Dissanayake............................................................ 54 B Heath c Y Soyza b C White ..........................................................................0 Z Hollis b B Dissanayake............................................................................... 15 N Thillekarathna c N Scammell b Y Soyza.................................................3 G Fairbairn c C Bettsworth b N Scammell.............................................. 20 D Mathews c C Polo b N Soyza .....................................................................2 C Anders b S Ganiga.........................................................................................5 M Woodall run out N Soyza ........................................................................ 13 D Banks b N Scammell.....................................................................................0 W Lawrey not out ..............................................................................................0 Sundries (0b 0lb 19w 3nb) ............................................................................22 TOTAL (38.1 overs)..........................................................................................140

GORMANDALE BOWLING B Dissanayake 10-2-31-3, C Peavey 3-0-25-0, Y Soyza 6-3-4-1, S Ganiga 6-0-21-1, N Scammell 2.1-0-6-2, C White 7-0-38-1, N Soyza 4-0-15-1

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 33

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Glory for Corey, part two BOWLS CLASSIC SINGLES BY LIAM DURKIN

TWO time. Corey Wedlock won his second Newborough Bowling Club Classic Singles, after defeating sixtime champion Barrie Lester in a hotly competitive final 25-23. Hot also accurately described much of the tournament, which was one of the warmest on record. Day 3 (Wednesday, January 7) saw temperatures top 40 degrees. Play started early to allow games to go ahead, before the decision was made to stop around midday. Wedlock seemed to have last Thursday's final under control for the most part. He led by as much as 10 shots, before Lester staged a mighty comeback. Lester had never lost a Newborough Singles, and gave Wedlock a huge scare late in the piece. With the score reading 18-24, Lester got the equation back to 21-24, and then further to 23-24, closer and closer to the magical 25 shots needed. Wedlock was clearly frustrated at letting the opportunity slip, but held his nerve enough to take victory. The winner admitted that while there was a few heart-in-mouth moments, he was never fearing the worst. "To be 24-16 up and feel in total control and then to face game wasn't a nice feeling," he said.

"Got a bit lucky, I was probably a little bit heavy but I was lucky enough to land the bowl, I didn't want to be short, to be in that position was a bit rough to face game, but that's how it goes sometimes." Needing to mow down such a huge deficit, Wedlock noticed a shift in momentum from Lester. "As soon as he got that three to go 24-21, as soon as anyone is on the springboard to victory you never know what can happen," he said. "He was playing a pretty aggressive style of game. I don't think too much changed, just sometimes a little bit of shift in momentum in sport is hard to get back "Barrie has been around for a long time, very experienced, always hard to sometimes get that last one (shot) in singles. "Credit to him, I thought I outplayed him on the draw but he kept hitting, kept killing and starting again, forcing me to keep doing it." Wedlock was greeted by well-wishes on the edge of the green, including from best mate Gary Kelly, who he lost to in last year's final. Kelly lost to Lester 25-15 in this year's semifinal, while Wedlock held off 2023 champion Colin Veenendaal in an equally pulsating semi to the final, 25-24. As they say, getting there is often the hardest part, and Wedlock showed just how cutthroat knockout tournaments can be. Just one extra false draw in either match may have been enough to see the eventual champion eliminated.

The history books however will say he won the 2026 classic, adding to his triumph from two years ago. Wedlock wished to pay tribute to Newborough Bowling Club for organising another fantastic event. "I absolutely love coming here. It's my third time, all the people here, the volunteers, the bar staff, catering staff, everyone that marks, it's a great little country club," he said. "The greenkeepers put a lot of work in. With these hot days, making sure they are in good knick, overall very good. "Battled through the first two games (in the heat), I wouldn't have liked to have played that third game, it nearly got up to 41 degrees. I think it was the right decision by Newborough to postpone and make three games today (on Thursday)." Wedlock, Kelly and Lester gave back to the club, marking games featuring local players testing themselves against some of the best. Such is the regard of the Newborough Classic Singles, a waiting list exists for players wanting to get on. That list is only set to increase next year when the tournament celebrates its 30 anniversary. The MCC waiting list might be easier to get through at this rate. Presentations were made in the clubrooms. Speeches were had from Latrobe City Mayor Sharon Gibson, and Energy Australia representative Nicholas King. Council and the energy company have committed

Worth the trip: Tomislav Ristic and Ron Dalton travelled from Ringwood to compete. to backing the event for the foreseeable future. The Newborough Classic Singles is a world (yes world) recognised bowls event. Speaking of world, Wedlock will now turn his attention to hopefully getting a guernsey to represent Australia at this year's Commonwealth Games. The Queenslander won't have to travel far for the Commonwealth Games ... oh wait.

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– Two time: Newborough Bowling Club Classic Singles champion for 2026, Corey Wedlock.

Concentration: Corey Wedlock in action during the final.

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On stage: Moe’s John ‘Banger’ Harvey flew the flag for his club.

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Good game: Corey Wedlock and Barrie Lester shake hands after the final. Page 34 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

Bowls community: The Newborough Classic Singles welcomed players from across the region.

Photographs: Liam Durkin

valleysport

Bowls stars in town BOWLS CLASSIC SINGLES BY LIAM DURKIN

LIKE father, like sons. While Newborough Bowling Club hosted champion bowlers Barrie Lester, Corey Wedlock and Gary Kelly for a sportsman's night during the Classic Singles, it was the speech by Newborough Bowling Club stalwart John Wasiukiewicz that stole the show. The informal evening, held the night after the second day’s play, saw the microphone go from table to table for people to ask questions of the internationally acclaimed bowlers. When the man known as 'Washa' however got the microphone in his hand, there was no stopping him. He went on to describe in Abe Simpson-like detail every facet regarding the history of the event, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. Emcee and club coach Sammy Atkinson initially showed a great deal of patience, but after about 10 minutes, had to make a number of attempts to regain the mic. Washa seemed undeterred, adding further

anecdotes until finally relinquishing - a moment that elicited a standing ovation from Kelly. Some more serious matters saw Lester explain the finer points of the sport, including training drills people can do in their own time. He explained his favourite drill is 'leapfrog', where players set out cones and then must land each bowl next to each set, working their way up and down. Lester, a six-time winner of the Newborough singles, recommended at least an hour a week at solid practice. He also said practising in narrower rinks was a good way to reduce the margin for error. Wedlock, a Commonwealth Games bowler, revealed he will often bowl with his opposite hand in order to get a better angle. Newborough Bowling Club members and their guests were appreciative to have internationally recognised bowlers in their clubrooms. Many stood for photographs after the event, where further stories were shared under a strict time limit. A trivia round was also held. Did you know Shakespeare was a bowl’s club member? You do now.

No stopping him: The Frank Pickle of Newborough Bowling Club, John Wasiukiewicz, just kept talking. Showing a great deal of patience is Newborough Bowling Club coach, Sammy Atkinson.

Stars: Barrie Lester, Sammy Atkinson, Newborough Bowling Club President Wayne Arnold, Gary Kelly and Corey Wedlock.

Great showing at regional champs BOWLS By MICHAEL HOLROYD

STRZELECKI Bowls Region participated in the State Regional Sides Competition in Ballarat over the weekend. Competing in the silver division, both the men's and ladies teams finished second in their divisions, each having two wins. In the men's Division, Strzelecki had a narrow one shot win over Mornington Peninsula in Game 1, the score reading 45 to 44. Vincent McIlwain and his rink of Nick Turnbull, Wayne Barnes and Nathan Cook won 15-12. Anthony Collier and his rink of David Barry, Alex Muirhead and John Hall won 15-14, and James Sculling and his rink of Matt Coutts, Michael Yacoub and Matt Ferrari lost 15-18. In the second game, Bendigo Campaspe (the eventual winners) were too strong, winning 52-34, with McIlwain the only winning rink 15-13. In the third game, the locals had a 14 shot

victory against West Coast, with McIlwain leading the way 26-9 to consolidate second position in the group. The ladies faced the eventual winners Northern Gateway in the first game and were defeated 60-31. In the second game against Wimmera, Strzelecki won 58-32, with Henny Suttie and her rink of Bev Tyers, Angela Hackett and Jenny Miller winning 23-8. Debbie Kennedy and her rink of Jill White, Pat Fraser-Aurisch and Joelene Laukens won 20-12, and Sheryl Atkinson and her rink of Lisa Arnold, Maureen Taylor and Jo-Anne Michaels drew 12-all. In the third game, Strzelecki defeated MurrayMallee 39-34, with Suttie drawing 11-all, Kennedy winning 21 9 and Atkinson winning 15-14. It was an excellent tournament following last Friday's play cancelled due to the excessive heat. This was Strzelecki's best overall performance in recent years. Club pennant resumes this weekend.

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 35

valleysport

Moe to hold Indigenous Round CRICKET CLV BY LIAM DURKIN

MOE Cricket Club will hold an Indigenous Round this weekend. The Lions will wear specially designed one day shirts across all senior grades in Cricket Latrobe Valley. The fixture has worked out perfectly, with all Moe teams playing at home this weekend. Premier A are at Burrage Reserve, Newborough, while Premier B and Premier C teams play on opposite ovals at Moe Racecourse. A smoking ceremony and welcome to country is scheduled to be performed before play. The initiative has come about through Moe

Indigenous cricketers Jarryd Atkinson and Troy Oakley, who helped design the shirts alongside Jarryd's brother Daniel. "The main design is the bird on the back, that represents all the Indigenous people around Gippsland," Jarryd explained. It is understood Moe is the first country cricket club in Gippsland, possibly Victoria, to hold a club-led Indigenous Round. The Lions will look to make it an annual fixture, while Jarryd said it "would be great" if Indigenous Round became a league-wide event. He said he was happy to help other clubs design their own shirts as well. "There's a lot (of Indigenous players), no one knows about, it's (Indigenous Round) about honouring them around the league," he said.

Australian fast bowler Scott Boland has been a flag bearer for Indigenous cricketers in recent years, while at local level, a number of Gippslanders have played at the Imparja Cup - the National Indigenous Cricket Championships. Sale-Maffra allrounder Bohdi Walker has been one of the leading Indigenous players in Gippsland, and always proudly wears a dotted helmet featuring Aboriginal artwork when out in the middle. Moe Cricket Club received great support from energy project Marinus Link in getting their Indigenous shirts made. Indigenous Round ceremonies are expected to take place from around 10.30am at venues this Saturday (January 17). More cricket - Pages 32-33

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Quick singles

with Liam Durkin

Incredible

EVERY club has an old gun who just continues to churn out runs. They're the type that have played for so long, they just about know what is going to happen before it does. Jeeralang-Boolarra veteran Glen Smith compiled an incredible innings at the weekend. The man described 'as old as the hills' that surround the Boolarra township, made 107 not out in Premier B. He didn't nudge his way to a ton either, getting there off 105 balls. It wasn't against a pedestrian attack either, with Rob Voss and Daniel Churchill sending them down for Ex Students. Smith hit five sixes and 11 fours, as the Panthers chased the total none down. Tim Dowe (a blast from the past) had the best seat in the house - at the other end the whole time.

Can you play this weekend?

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SOMETIMES just getting a team on the park is victory in itself. Wedding season has collided with spud season at Thorpdale. The Blues' team on PlayHQ from the weekend saw no less than five players with an asterisks, and another handful that were footy players. For those unaware, an asterisks means a genuine fill-in, one not even registered on the system. Thorpdale Football-Netball Club senior coach, Daniel Taylor, who was only playing socially this season, suddenly found himself captaining the side out of sheer necessity. On any other week he probably could have got his brother and former Mirboo North A Grade all-rounder, Josh 'Ubby' Taylor to play had he not been unavailable. The Thorpdale Cricket Club President reportedly gave his bag to the footy boys and just said "make sure it all goes back".

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Leader: Jarryd Atkinson wearing the Moe Cricket Club Indigenous shirt he helped design.

Local cricket, 16th century style CRICKET WDCA BY LIAM DURKIN

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Design: Moe Cricket Club’s Indigenous shirts, to be worn this weekend. Photographs supplied

Contingency: Trafalgar Cricket Club players were still able to enjoy a post-match beer at the weekend, even though power was cut to the clubroom fridges. Photograph: Liam Durkin Page 36 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

VICTORIA'S wild weather played havoc at local sports fields across the weekend. Trafalgar Cricket Club returned to the dark ages, playing without electricity for the second half of its one day match. The Ships, taking on Western Park in the Warragul District Cricket Association, saw the power go off at Trafalgar Recreation Reserve just after 2pm. Once power was cut, the electronic scoreboard, live scoring and live streaming instantly went blank. Wind gusts were so strong, fielders could not hear the person standing little more than five metres away, while batsmen also struggled with calling. Umpire John Tomkins reported it being the windiest game he'd ever been involved in playing or umpiring. Contingencies saw the old manual scoreboard brought out - in what is surely the oldest piece of equipment in Trafalgar Cricket Club's possession. Fortunately, the power went out just before afternoon tea, meaning the party pies and sausage rolls were saved. Post-game was reverted to a cashless society as the EFTPOS machine was down, although players were still able to transfer money via internet banking. Western Park (who had former Traralgon cricket great Greg Munro in the line-up), to their credit, still made sure to purchase a round. The Ships avoided an unmitigated disaster by using a Powerade esky to put beers on ice. Thick smoke from the Longwood bushfire the day before the match evoked some memories of the

TOONGABBIE'S Matthew Stoddart lived every grade cricketer's dream at the weekend. Stoddard scored a ton in a losing team, making 102 out of a total of 201 in Premier C. While his team lost to Imperials, a player making a ton in a losing team is usually seen as the epitome of alfa male dominance. It's just a quirky cricket thing when you are able to go back to the sheds when everyone else has failed and say "any danger boys". From the same game, it was good to see Ash Spowart among the runs with 65 for Imps. Hopefully cricket offered a good distraction for him after his Christmas from hell when an axe-wielding maniac broke into his house.

No escape

CAN police use FrogBox as evidence? Some astonishing footage surfaced over the weekend from a game in Victorian Sub District Cricket. The single camera used to live stream the game picked up a street fight in the background at Noble Park. The fight erupted during a drinks break between Noble Park and Yarraville, and shows two men going toe-to-toe bareknuckled (timestamp 4hrs 54mins). FrogBox sure has captured some wild scenes in recent years. infamous 'smoked off' game from season 2013/14. In that Saturday/Sunday match, played during the Hazelwood Mine Fire, the Ships and Latrobe split the points on Day 2, after it became clear player safety had taken a battering. Trafalgar had posted a competitive 215 at Peter Siddle Oval, yet players from both sides started convulsing, and only worsened the next day. Where the controversy arose however was the fact the match at Morwell Recreation Reserve - located directly opposite the fire - went ahead. Such was the calamity, one of the captains considered declaring his team's second innings at 0/0 to escape the danger. Speaking to some highly regarded cricket officials at the time, many labelled it the most disgraceful disregard for player safety they'd ever seen.

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Junior International In the presence of greatness is here to stay TENNIS By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

TENNIS TRARALGON JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL BY LIAM DURKIN

ONE big sigh of relief. For the next five years at least. Latrobe City Council has reaffirmed its partnership with Tennis Australia to host the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International until at least 2031. This followed a period of uncertainty late last year, when news filtered through Traralgon was at risk of losing the event unless major backing came in. “Traralgon is home to the best courts in regional Victoria, but the changerooms, bathrooms, and treatment facilities are well below the level expected for the best players in the world," Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron

Leaders: Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester and Traralgon Tennis Association Manager, Susie Grumley.

Photograph supplied

SOME of the biggest names in tennis have set foot on the Traralgon courts. One of them did so last year - when inspiring Australian Dylan Alcott visited the region. While his visit was separate to any junior international past or present, it spoke further to the sheer calibre of players Traralgon Tennis Association attracts. Express reporter Blake Metcalf-Holt was on the scene, and penned the following last October: IT’S not every day a 23-time grand slam winner ventures into the region. Traralgon Tennis Association hosted Australian sporting legend, Dylan Alcott for a fun and wholesome meet-and-greet, giving locals the chance to mingle with the charismatic retired athlete. More than 100 people gathered at the Traralgon tennis show courts to hear from the former wheelchair tennis and basketball player, talking about his career on the global stage and those he’s crossed paths with along the way. It also gave Alcott the opportunity to converse with and encourage those from within the local disability community that were in attendance. Alcott, who is the only man to achieve the grand slam (winning all four major championships) in quad singles, addressed the crowd and detailed signature moments during his time on the tennis court. He also talked about meeting Queen Elizabeth II after being named Australian of the Year in 2022, and how he got to be in the room with two of the biggest tennis stars in the world during a pivotal moment. After winning Wimbledon for the first time in 2019, Alcott divulged sitting back in the locker rooms, with trophy in hand, while Roger

said in a media release issued last November. Tennis Australia has agreed in principle to extend hosting rights to Traralgon for another five years, on the understanding that plans are in place to upgrade facilities to comply with international tennis. Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, welcomed news the Traralgon Junior International wouldn't be going anywhere. "The championships have become a highlight of Gippsland's sporting calendar, delivering major benefits for the local economy, showcasing Traralgon as a premier destination for international events, and inspiring the next generation of young tennis players," he said when visiting the complex just before Christmas. "Some of the biggest names in world tennis have competed on these courts over the years. "Well done to everyone involved, especially the club officials and volunteers, it’s a huge win for the region." Statistically, the event spans 14 days, features more than 150 elite junior tennis players, and injects an estimated $3 million in economic benefits to the Latrobe Valley. It goes longer and is clearly budgeted better than the Gippsland Commonwealth Games were for this year. Latrobe City Mayor, Sharon Gibson said she was proud to see the tournament continue its legacy in Traralgon. “The event not only showcases brilliant junior tennis talent but also shows Latrobe City’s reputation as a premier destination for international sporting events,” she said. “Our long-term partnership with Tennis Australia also delivers significant benefits to the local community. We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches and families from across the world to our region.”

Inspiring: Dylan Alcott alongside locals Claire, Penny, Liam, Nathaniel and James on the Traralgon show court last year.

File photograph

Federer and Rafael Nadal prepared for their semi-final. Alcott would later praise the local tennis complex for its accessibility and its rich history from the Traralgon Junior International, where Federer famously won as a 16-year-old before his professional career blossomed. Alcott also took time to remind the young people listening, specifically those with a disability, that they are valued and must embrace everything they are. The heartfelt message was also capped by Alcott, highlighting how inclusive of a community Latrobe Valley has – a place he’s visited since his youth. “I started playing basketball when I was 14, 15 (years old), and we had a basketball tournament in Traralgon every year, wheelchair basketball, so I’ve got fond memories down here,” he said. Despite all the trophies and medals he’s won (a three-time Paralympic gold medallist), Alcott was ever gracious with his time and offered an experience that will be cherished by many forever.

Play where the stars play

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 37

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Region ready to welcome future stars

TENNIS TRARALGON JR INTERNATIONAL BY LIAM DURKIN

THE flags from across the globe are up, there are people exiting local hotels with tennis bags in hand, and the lines at various cafes across town are out the door. Some quick-thinking locals also helped repair the drinks fridge before the big day. That can only mean one thing - the Traralgon Junior International is back. Tennis’ future stars have descended on little old Traralgon, ready to battle it out for the titles, and to take home a famous Akubra. Over the next week, spectators will witness players that may well go on to win Grand Slams, and become household names across the globe. To those unaware, the Traralgon Junior International is, in the words of Ron Burgundy, “kind of a big deal”. Players the calibre of Nick Kyrgios, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and even Roger Federer have played at the tournament. Federer won the boys singles title in 1998. Who knows, perhaps he even still has his Akubra? Current women's world No 2 Iga Swiatek (Poland) won at Traralgon in 2017, while Mirra Andreeva (No 9) made the 2023 singles and doubles final, and went on to defeat current world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open. Sabalenka famously sports a Tiger tattoo to symbolise strength - the same kind that will be

Star: Rei Sakamoto of Japan, won the Traralgon Junior International in 2024, and went on to win the Junior Australian Open.

Stepping stone: Mirra Andreeva made the 2023 singles and doubles final at Traralgon, and went on to defeat current world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open.

demonstrated in spades across the Traralgon tournament from January 14 to 22. They don’t just let anybody play at Traralgon either. In the words of former world men's No 6, Gilles Simon: “I didn’t play in Traralgon as a junior, I wasn’t good enough”, he told the Express. So you see, the Traralgon Junior International is known the world over. And it will stay in Traralgon for the next five years, after Latrobe City reaffirmed its commitment to hosting. The news was welcomed by Francis Soyer, Head of Competitive Play and Professional

Events at governing body, Tennis Australia. “We are grateful to be able to host this inspiring annual event for another five-year period,” he said. “By the end of the next agreement, we will be close to a 40-year association with the event in Traralgon and there are not many tournaments on the World Tennis Junior Tour calendar that can promote that length of commitment in supporting the future generation of international tennis stars.” Traralgon Tennis Association President, Cameron Herbert thanked Tennis Australia and Latrobe City for its patronage.

File photograph

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to the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon International. Good luck, play well and most of all... enjoy yourself! 18A Peterkin Street, Traralgon. Vic. 3844

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Boys

w Yannick Theodor Alexandrescou (France) COMES into the tournament ranked No 2 in ITF Junior Rankings (as at January 5, 2026). Boasting a 77 per cent win rate, the Frenchman looms as the player to beat on the Traralgon courts. While statistically his preference is clay (82 per cent win rate), he has 10 wins from 15 starts on the hard stuff. Last played on a hard surface in October at the Chinese Junior Masters. w Luis Guto Muguel (Brazil) TRAVELLING all the way from Brazil, the 16-year-old will be out to mix it with players a couple years older. Ranked five in the world, he has shown his adaptability to different surfaces, striking at more than 70 per cent on grass, clay and truer conditions. He does however look like a clay specialist (26 wins and only seven losses), but that being said, should come to Traralgon full of

Photograph supplied

Players to watch confidence after winning the J500 in Mexico last month. The event is one level below a Junior Grand Slam, and Miguel became the first Brazilian to win such an event in an decade. w Daniel Jovanovski (Australia) FLYING the Aussie flag, and just missing the 6-7 ranking on the main draw list (that 'distinction' going to Latvia's Rihards Neimanis), Jovanovski comes to Traralgon fresh. He hasn't played a major tournament since September - a promising J500 in Japan. The 17-year-old had a productive 2025, winning two J200s (one a regional championship) and a J60, all in his home country. He would dearly love to get 2026 rolling by adding a Traralgon championship to his collection.

“Securing the event for a further five years helps propel our exciting plans for the redevelopment of our clubhouse and player facilities, solidifying the ongoing legacy of this wonderful world class event in Traralgon," he said. Cultures are set to collide in Traralgon, and spectators could see some wholesome content, especially if players from different countries compete in doubles. A lot of the time, players competing in doubles don’t even speak the same language, but through tennis, have an instant tool for communication. (You do always feel guilty talking to international tennis players, most of whom have English as their second language, when you have only ever bothered to learn one yourself). Regardless, while not everyone might be speaking the same language in a verbal sense at the Traralgon Junior International, a racquet and a ball is all that is needed to bring any number of people together. While sport is often just seen as a means of separating winners from losers, its true power surely comes from its ability to unite. (Note: As an international event, the tournament must navigate international politics. Therefore, flags from Russia and Belarus are not permitted to be displayed. Players from these countries compete without a flag next to their name or any reference to their country).

Girls

w Alena Kovackova (Czech Republic) RANKED No 7 in ITF juniors, the 17-year-old Czech is already building a sizeable career. She was a part of the first Czech ITF World Junior Tennis title, and is familiar with Australian conditions, having played here just last year. While her preferred surface is clay, the right hander has only ever lost twice on hard surfaces. Amazingly, she started playing tennis at age three - the same age Mozart began playing piano. w Ruien Zhang (China) THE top-ranked Asian player in the girls (No 12), Zhang comes to Traralgon after winning two titles on clay last year. Granted that is her preferred surface, she did win a J300 dealing with the bounce of the hard court in her country's capital Beijing in 2024. Zhang is back for another tilt at Traralgon, after bowing out in the first round last time. Oddly enough, all her opponents last year were Australian.

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Page 38 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

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Before reaching fame: Eugenie Bouchard TENNIS TRARALGON JR INTERNATIONAL

FAN-FAVOURITE Eugenie Bouchard was another prominent player to feature at the Traralgon Junior International. The Canadian won the doubles final of the 2011 tournament alongside singles winner Monica Puig. Not many years later, she was one of the most followed athletes on social media. The 2014 Wimbledon finalist famously/ infamously went on a Twitter date with a fan after a Super Bowl bet in 2017. Although only 31, Bouchard retired from professional tennis last July. Her time in Traralgon was briefly described in the Thursday, January 20, 2011 issue of the Express. (Note what's old is new, with the tournament at risk even more than 10 years ago).

Spaniard downs Aussie to take title BY DAMEN FRANCIS

COMPLETE with an authentic Australian Akubra and a mighty grin, Spain's Andres Artunedo Martinavarr lifted the Traralgon International boys' singles trophy yesterday, after defeating Australia's Luke Saville in the final 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. The unseeded 17-year-old followed in the

footsteps of such established world tennis stars as Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet by winning at Traralgon. It was Andres first ever group one International Tennis Federation title and he did his best to describe his feelings. "I didn't start so good but after I play well and win," Andres said. "I am very happy, I had a very good tournament and I go to Melbourne with confidence." Andres will now head to the city to compete in the Australian Open Junior Championships, the first junior grand slam event of 2011. Despite being disappointed with the result Luke remained optimistic about his preparation for the season ahead. "I had five good wins here it was just unfortunate I couldn't get one more today," Luke said. "I'm feeling good going into next week's Australian Open Junior Championships and I would like to do well and play in the rest of the junior slams this year." Earlier Puerto Rico's Monica Puig claimed the girls' title with a straight sets win over Russia's Yulia Putintseva before teaming up with Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in the girls' doubles final against Korean pair Su Jeong Jang and So-Ra Lee. The number three seed took out the singles final with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. In the boys' doubles final number one seeded pair George Morgan of Great Britain and Croatia's Mate Pavic took on Australian duo Ben

Wagland and Andrew Whittington. The future of the Traralgon International was assured at Tuesday night's Evening with the Stars dinner with the announcement of $400,000 worth of coalition government funding to resurface the courts at Traralgon. Club coach Graham Charlton said it was a great result for all parties, with the tournament still the only junior group one International Tennis Federation event held in a regional centre anywhere in the world. "It's a major tournament for us and they (Tennis Australia) want us to keep it, the players love it here, it's so easy to get around and they can't believe we let them have access to the courts to practice on for free," Charlton said. "We've got the money now and we've done preliminary plans, so the next step is to speak with Tennis Australia for the contract. "We were 100 per cent going to lose it so this has secured the future of the tournament." The upgraded courts will be a plexicushion surface to bring them in line with those at Melbourne Park and with international competition standards. Star: Eugenie Bouchard, who only retired last year, played at Traralgon in her younger years. The Canadian became one of the most popular players on the world circuit, and most followed on social media. Photograph supplied

AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International PAST WINNERS BOYS SINGLES

1993: Lars Rehmann (Germany) 1994: Nicolas Escude (France) 1995: Fredrik Johnson (Sweden) 1996: Martin Lee (Great Britain) 1997: Wesley Whitehouse (South Africa) 1998: Roger Federer (Switzerland) 1999: Kristian Pless (Denmark) 2000: Joachim Johansson (Sweden) 2001: Todd Reid (Australia) 2002: Richard Gasquet (France) 2003: Mathieu Montcourt (France) 2004: Mischa Zverev (Germany) 2005: Carsten Ball (USA) 2006: Antonio Veic (Croatia) 2007: Roman Jebavy (Czech Republic) 2008: Jared Easton (Australia)

2009: Julien Obry (France) 2010: Justin Eleveld (Netherlands) 2011: Andres Artuendo Martinavarro (Spain) 2012: Filip Peliwo (Canada) 2013: Nick Kyrgios (Australia) 2014: Alexander Zverev (Germany) 2015: Seong-chan Hong (South Korea) 2016: Ulises Blanch (USA) 2017: Corentin Moutet (France) 2018: Hugo Gaston (France) 2019: Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic) 2020: Arthur Cazaux (France) 2021: Abandoned 2022: Mili Poljicak (Croatia) 2023: Federico Cina (Italy) 2024: Rei Sakamoto (Japan) 2025: Henry Bernet (Switzerland)

GIRLS SINGLES

1993: Ludmila Richterova (Czech Republic) 1994: Trudi Musgrove (Australia) 1995: Reka Vidats (Hungary) 1996: Karolina Jagieniak (France) 1997: Bryanne Stewart (Australia) 1998: Jelena Dokic (Australia) 1999: Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 2000: Jaslyn Hewitt (Australia) 2001: Marion Bartoli (France) 2002: Hanna Nooni (Sweden) 2003: Nadja Pavic (Croatia) 2004: Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) 2005: Magdelena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 2006: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 2007: Jasmina Tinjic (Croatia)

S C H N ITZ TR AR A L G O N 81– 83 Franklinralgon Street Traralgon

2008: Cindy Chala (France) 2009: Ksenia Kirillova (Russia) 2010: Timea Babos (Hungary) 2011: Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) 2012: Krista Hardebeck (USA) 2013: Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) 2014: Varvara Flink (Russia) 2015: Katherine Sebov (Canada) 2016: Vera Lapko (Belarus) 2017: Iga Swiatek (Poland) 2018: En-shou Liang (Taiwan) 2019: Clara Tauson (Denmark) 2020: Polina Kudermetova (Russia) 2021: Abandoned 2022: Sofia Costoulas (Belgium) 2023: Melissa Ercan (Turkey) 2024: Emerson Jones (Australia) 2025: Jeline Vandromme (Belgium)

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026 — Page 39

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Page 40 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 14 January, 2026

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