Alpine Division 270324

TRAINING CAFE TO CLOSE AFTER TEN YEARS, WORK PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE

BRIGHT’S Dumu Balcony Cafe will close next month after 10 years of training young people from the Northern Territory, but the program co-founder and former cafe owner says the work readiness program will continue.

For years the cafe has hosted young people from Wadeye, in the Northern Territory, in 10-week stints to teach them hospitality skills, customer service, and prepare them for work, but according to Ms Crawley the owners of the space will be selling the property.

However, she said the work readiness program will partner with local businesses, developing programs based on the interests of

BY BRODIE EVERIST beverist@ nemedia.com.au

the cohort with trainees to live in Myrtleford. She said they already have work experience programs outside the cafe, and they have had partnerships with businesses in the past.

“We’ll look at what they’re interested in and then structure a program based on what their needs are,” she said.

“I’ve had some really great partnerships in the past with Bright Laundry, Espire Clothing, the post office, hairdressers.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to expand those into Myrtleford and the rest of the alpine area.”

Ms Crawley said the trainees learn a wide range of skills during the ten-week program, including time management, language and literacy, and they manage living away from home.

“It’s also about setting up bank accounts and identification and everything that you need to be able to go out and get a job,” she said.

Ms Crawley said she set up the cafe with co-founder Marni Witts and partnered with the Thamarrurr Youth Indigenous Corporation so they could run the program.

Around a year ago ownership

of the cafe was handed to the corporation.

Ms Crawley said their recent $10 community lunches, using donated produce, have been a success.

“Regular customers have been wonderful and they’ve developed some incredible relationships,” she said.

“I feel like we’re really going out on a bit of a high at the moment.

“We also had a great relationship with the landlord that allowed us to be able to do what we could do in that space.”

The Bright Food Co-op, which is also housed in the cafe, will be moving to Bright P-12 College.

The cafe will officially close on April 12.

SEASON

HOSPO HEROES: (From left) Dumu Balcony Cafe staff members Pene Cook, Ann Nguyen and Simone Dole (middle right) with trainees Kurt Bunduck and Peter Dumoo last Thursday.

PHOTO: Brodie Everist

Myrtleford event attracts attendees from all around y Rainbow running

AROUND 300 attended the 2024 Alpine Colour Fun Run in Myrtleford last Saturday, where runners and walkers were squirted and dusted with coloured powders as they made their way around the 3km track at the Myrtleford Recreation Reserve.

The free community event, run by Alpine Shire Council Youth Team and funded by FReeZA, encourages fun and physical activity with five colour stations along the course.

“I think the day turned out fantastic,” Alpine Shire youth development officer Lara May said.

“The feedback we had from

BY BRODIE EVERIST beverist@ nemedia.com.au

all of the guests and runners was awesome, so I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”

The run started at 10am beside the AW Richardson Pavilion, but not before some stretches and warm-ups at the starting line.

Live music was provided by DJ Lessi and acoustic musician Ascha Bright.

Meanwhile, in the pavilion Al’s Skate Co, from Albury, was holding free skating workshops.

“Every year the colour fun run focuses on the awareness of mental health,” Ms May said.

“Al’s Skate Co has a nonprofit called Drop In and Take Off and that is essentially around skateboarding and how positive it can be on your mental health.

“It’s always lots of fun with him around.”

The Myrtleford Times spoke with attendees from Harrietville,

WHOROULY

Club secretary Filomena Harrington said the funds raised will go towards ongoing projects including Cord Blood Research.

“This is a cause Inner Wheel Australia has been supporting since 2000 and we are happy to continue supporting,” she said.

“There will be lots of great items for sale including furniture, books, household items, jams, toys and much more.

“We’ll have six homes and garages open as well as five stalls booked in Church Street.

“Please collect a map from the Whorouly Library Hall for a gold coin donation.”

The garage sale will be held on Saturday, March 30 from 8am to 1pm.

Wangaratta and even Thurgoona.

Sarah and Daphne Hoving had driven more than an hour from Thurgoona to attend the run.

They have even attended a colour fun run in Sydney, but said the Myrtleford event was good because it was free.

“It was fun and people should come along next year,” Daphne said.

Last Saturday’s run was the fifth iteration of the event, which switches between towns each year.

Ms May said they plan to hold the next colour run in Mount Beauty.

FLAMBOYANT FASHION: (From left) Ivy Buckley, Gypsie Rowling and Grace Buckley were showing off their colourful shirts after the fun run in Myrtleford last weekend. PHOTO: Brodie Everist

Garage sale funding cancer fight

By BRODIE EVERIST

ORGANISERS for Bright’s Biggest Morning Tea are back, this time with a garage sale next week to raise funds for the Cancer Council.

Held at 61 Gavan Street, the garage sale will run from 9am-2pm, where members of the committee will sell a range of items including second hand furniture, two small chainsaws, an electric mulcher and assorted bric-a-brac.

Items have been donated by committee members and members of the public.

The Cancer Council is a leading charity that funds cancer research,

cancer prevention and support for those affected by the disease.

Members of the Biggest Morning Tea committee said many of them had friends or family afflicted by cancer.

Committee spokesperson Lory Torriero said around two weeks ago he and his wife attended the funeral of a young mother who was a cancer victim.

“Research is the only thing that can help to do something about cancer,” he said.

“The way it is now is not good enough.”

Committee member Tony Strachan said prices at the sale will be

reasonable, as “everything must go”.

In fact, a quality lawnmower planned for the sale has already been sold, according to Mr Torrierio, and will soon be going to a new home on the Mornington Peninsula.

EFTPOS payments are available thanks to the Bright Lions, who have kindly lent their EFTPOS machine.

The committee’s annual Biggest Morning tea will be held on May 23 at the Bright Senior Citizens Centre, featuring guest speaker Laura Nish, a Myrtleford-based breast care nurse.

STUDENTS EMBRACE HOSPITALITY LESSONS

By FAY MASON

STUDENTS from Mount Beauty Secondary College played a pivotal role in the success of the Falls Creek Long Lunch this year.

Their hard work, energy and willingness to help was highly commended by all the volunteers they worked alongside and most certainly the guests they served.

Not only did this team set up the tables and serve the delicious food, but under the guidance of the wonderful chefs from Ory’s Falls Creek, they quickly learnt how to plate up meals for well over 200 guests.

Maintaining a high standard of presentation displayed by Ory’s team, this proved to be a terrific opportunity and experience which they happily embraced.

The positive feedback and appreciation the students received is something they can be proud of personally, and as a representative of the college.

HOSPITALITY

Man saved by AED on Buffalo

By BRODIE EVERIST

A MAN was kept alive by the use of a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED) when he suffered a heart attack near Lake Catani on Sunday, according to Myrtleford SES controller David Coates.

Mr Coates said the Myrtleford SES were called to the incident around 11:30am, where SES members used a single-wheeled stretcher, known as a mule, to bring the man from a walking track to an ambulance.

The man, estimated to be in his 60s, was then taken to an air ambulance.

Mr Coates said police blocked traffic to ensure the incident was handled smoothly.

According to Mr Coates, members of the public used the AED at the Lake Catani campground to keep the man alive until paramedics arrived.

Battery number yet to be determined: Mint

By BRODIE EVERIST

THE total number of batteries for the Dederang Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) proposal is yet to be determined, according to Mint Renewables’ head of development Kim van Hattum.

Speaking on Alpine FM last week, Ms van Hattum said the battery number will be influenced by their selection of battery manufacturer, but they anticipate the overall footprint of the BESS will be around 4 hectares.

“They’re roughly the size of a shipping container, but the actual dimensions of the particular makes and models available do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and that will also impact the number of modules or packs that would be required,” she said.

She estimated that if they use Tesla Mega Packs, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries manufactured by Tesla Energy, the site would take around 110 of the largescale batteries.

Ms van Hattum was featured in a pre-recorded interview last Wednesday on ‘The Pale Blue Dot’, a show on renewable energy and environmental issues presented by Mount Beauty locals.

After the interview, the show featured a live interview with Sharon McEvoy, a Dederang anti-battery campaigner and spokesperson for the Friends of the Kiewa and Alpine Valley Group Inc.

Ms McEvoy said, when combined with the 5.4 hectare Trina Solar BESS proposal nearby, their estimates suggest close to 500 batteries will be used.

Ms Van Hattum said they expect the project will consist of lithium-ion batteries, which can undergo a chemical reaction known as thermal runaway and catch fire.

A 2021 fire engulfing two Tesla batteries at the Victorian Big Battery site near Geelong took four days to control, according to the ABC.

“Like the community, we have a lot of interest in both the safety aspect, the fire risk and the environmental impacts and see that as probably the major consideration in relation to the design of the BESS.

“We’re at currently undertaking detailed environmental assessments, and risk assessments and impacts to make sure that the BESS design is suitable and there’s appropriate mitigation measures built into the project.

She said they have a fire and hazard risk specialist doing a detailed assessment of the fire and hazard risk at the site, they are working with water specialists and civil engineering designers, and they have engaged with the CFA.

“In the very unlikely event that a fire did occur, we can make sure that we understand what that would potentially involve, what would potentially happen to the water that was running off from the site,” she said.

According to Ms van Hattum, the landowner leasing the proposed battery site had been approached by numerous developers, but they chose to work with Mint Renewables.

The site is adjacent to the Dederang Terminal Station, and the company says they will use underground or

overhead powerlines to connect the BESS.

“Typically what we see with battery proposals is that they are often proposed to be co-located with existing electricity infrastructure, and that’s often done to try and minimise the impact and minimise the amount of additional electricity infrastructure that has to go in,” Ms van Hattum said.

According to Ms van Hattum, the company has not been contacted by VicGrid, a State Government body coordinating the planning and development of renewable energy zones and transmission infrastructure.

She said the project will be difficult to see from public land, due to the terminal station, but they are conscious of a visual impact when seen from private land.

“While we can’t complete-

ly screen it from view, we’re currently looking at ways, with visual amenity specialists, that it can be mitigated,” she said.

In her interview, Ms McEvoy raised a number of concerns around the project, including fire risk and a lack of transparency from government, Mint Renewables and other bodies.

“Our concern is not just if the BESS catches fire, it’s about if there’s a bushfire and there’s embers floating around,” she said.

She doubted the capacity of the company to reduce the visual impact of the site.

“We work on our farm every day and you cannot take away that visual impact in the place where we were,” Ms McEvoy said.

“[For] the people who live in Speers Lane, you would have to put a roof over it.”

CHARITY CHAMPIONS: Bright’s Biggest Morning Tea committee members (from left) Lory Torriero, Noeline Gilmour, Norma Torriero, Kath Healy and Gwen Rolland.

PHOTO: Brodie Everist

HIGHPOINT: Mount Beauty Secondary College students (standing from left) Tayla, Roberto, Baylin, Zoe, Jasmine, Xander, Connor, Annika, (front) Shelby, Lexi, and Isobel who played a key role in the long lunch at Falls Creek.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - Page 3

Bright U3a supports cyclists’ cancer battle

By BRODIE EVERIST

THE Bright U3a hosted around 30 charity cyclists for an afternoon tea last Thursday at the Senior Citizens Centre, supporting the team’s efforts to defeat rare forms of ovarian cancer.

The riders had spent five days in Bright, cycling across the region to raise funds for the research into rare ovarian cancers at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research.

Split into two groups of 15, one group of cyclists (calling themselves the Derailleurs) tackled rail trails, visiting the Buckland Valley, Harrietville, Myrtleford and Wandiligong, aiming for 50kms travelled each day.

The other group made road trips, riding up Mount Buffalo, to Stanley and other landmarks, aiming for 500kms each day.

The afternoon tea included speeches from Tash Armour, chairperson/founder of charity Rare Ovarian Cancers Inc, and Claire Reaburn who was diagnosed with Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumour (JGCT) around 12 years ago, and is the oldest person known to have the cancer.

“It tends to strike females under the age of 30 and as young as 11 months,” Mrs Reaburn said at the afternoon tea.

“At the age of 52, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumour - very rare, in fact, they doubted it.

“I’ve had numerous drugs, new drugs – up to two or three times and often double dose, and I’ve also had about seven surgeries.”

Ms Armour’s daughter was diagnosed with JGCT in 2016.

“Ovarian cancer is highly underfunded for research, so you can only imagine that rare ovar-

ian cancers receive little to no research or government funding,” she said.

She said that breast cancer and ovarian cancer survival rates were the same in the early 2000s, but since then survival rates for breast cancer have risen to 92 per cent, while survival rates for ovarian cancer remain almost the same.

“I think a lot of it comes down to awareness, which leads to more donations, more funding, more research, more awareness, and that snowballs on,” she said.

“We need that equality as well, so that rare ovarian cancer is actually included in the research.

“We often get left behind be-

cause it is rare – they’ve got lower numbers in patient samples.”

The Ride for Research team had previously held a fundraising ride in 2022, riding from Canberra to Melbourne, but Mrs Reaburn’s husband, Peter, said basing their efforts at Bright was preferable.

“We learned the lesson of not going to nine different placeslet’s base ourselves in beautiful Bright, which everyone tells us is a hub for cycling,” he said.

“We’ve just been blessed with beautiful weather.”

For more information and details of how to donate go to https://www.rocinc.org.au/ridefor-research.

FOGO implementation under review at council meeting

By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE

A VARIETY of recent and ongoing services and projects were on the agenda at last night’s Alpine Shire Council meeting, including an implementation review of the FOGO Kerbside Collection Service.

Several contracts were to be awarded, including Dinner Plain Snowmaking Project bore water supply, the design and construction of a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the Ovens River next to the Nimmo Road Bridge, and the Ablett Pavilion Upgrade.

The draft Fair Access Policy was to be reviewed by councillors as well as the audit and task committee meeting minutes from February, with the reappointment of the independent audit and risk committee member another agenda item on the table.

We’ll have full coverage of last night’s meeting - held after we’d gone to press – in next week’s edition.

Sat: 7:00pm Sat: 4:45pm

RAISING AWARENESS: Tash Armour, chairperson/founder of charity Rare Ovarian Cancers Inc spoke at the afternoon tea.

RIDING FOR RESEARCH: Just some of the cyclists the Bright U3a hosted for an afternoon tea last Thursday at the Senior Citizens Centre, in support of their efforts to fund research into rare forms of ovarian cancer.

PHOTO: Brodie Everist

A call to honour Australia’s recent history and heritage

MR Butler’s view regarding citizenship ceremonies (‘Moving the ceremony was common sense’ Myrtleford Times/ Alpine Observer, March 6) is, unfortunately, shared by too many people, but it is one that can be understood because, in general, discussions regarding the significance of January 26, 1788 focus too loudly and often on its negative aspects with the overwhelmingly significant positive aspects ignored.

The fact is that all peoples in Australia should give heartfelt thanks that it was the British, at the height of their then superior world powers, who alone colonised this land.

Had they not, this continent would then have been open to the interests of the several European powers also hungry for colonial conquests during the 18th and 19th centuries, and more than one of them would likely by now be in possession of substantial portions of it.

It is naive in the extreme for anyone to believe that this land and its first peoples would have been left untouched.

Unsympathetic disruption to the first people’s lives and

RAD RIDING: Harrietville Primary School students got involved in Ride2School Day last Friday, starting the day with a 2km ride from Howards Bridge into the village. PHOTO: Samantha Pellegrini

cultures was inevitable.

The adverse consequences of multiple occupation are many.

It can be argued with high probability that Australian would have become a land sorely divided.

Divided by arbitrary and disputed land boundaries, by language, by incompatible secular and religious laws, by opposing political systems, by enduring historical grievances, and by all the other ills that are evident elsewhere.

Life in such an Australia would be poisoned by fears, imported hatreds, conflicting political goals and the neverending risk of armed wars and

insurrections occurring upon its soil.

Had the first peoples then survived to any degree at all, their lifestyles and cultures would, arguably, have suffered even more greatly.

Instead, thanks to the British systems entrenched since 1788, and in spite of happenings which, seen with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, might have been better handled, Australians today have freedoms, opportunities, good laws, fair and stable government, and other benefits which, taken together are unique in a troubled world, are widely envied, and are prime

reason why many of foreign birth come here.

For these reasons Australia Day is the appropriate day for citizenship ceremonies.

We should be proud of our Australian lifestyle, have due respect for it, and honour its origins.

It is a pity, to put it mildly, that increasing numbers of councillors elected to represent us see fit to join in the denigration of Australia Day.

To do so is to exhibit an inadequate understanding of the alternative and less-savoury histories Australia could have had.

One may also suspect that many who oppose Australia Day have private agendas rather than ones founded on a genuine wish to make the future Australia a better place for one and all.

For ourselves and our children and their children, let us be united in building on what we so fortunately now have.

The past certainly has its lessons and, yes, we should learn from them, but it is far better to look forward to with hope and common determination than look backwards with a negative, chip-on-shoulder, mentality.

Australia has, with reason, been called the ‘lucky country’ –let’s keep it that way.

Keith Ashfold, Wandiligong

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Email: edit.timesobserver@nemedia.com.au

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Brigades out for Good Friday

By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE

THE sound of rattling coins will echo across the Alpine Shire this week as local CFA brigades head out to collect donations for this year’s Good Friday Appeal.

Bright CFA captain Brad Drennan said the crew will be collecting at all the caravan parks as well as in the main streets; Anderson Street and Ireland Street.

“Local businesses have had coin deposits throughout town for a few weeks and they were all picked up last week,” he said.

“Last year was a big year for us in raising donations but it does seem quiet already so I’m not sure how this year will go, it’s hard to tell.

“The holiday season has been a bit quieter than most years so

we’re hoping we get a good year and good turnout for the appeal.

“We’ll be pretty active with firefighters out in trucks from around 9am at the caravan parks and we hit those twice a day.

Mount Beauty CFA Brigade captain Russell Bowring said he hopes to see the local community and anyone passing through donate to the cause.

“I’m sure most people have been involved with the Royal Children’s Hospital in some way, shape or form so it makes sense to give back,” he said.

“We’ll have a few of our crew going door to door along Simmonds Creek Road and a collection point at the visitor information centre from 7am.

“Anyone who’d like to donate will quickly divert off the main

road to a bypass road where our crew will collect donations.

Myrtleford Brigade will also be hitting the usual spots, according to captain Gloria Pizzolitto.

“We’ll meet at the station in the morning and do a briefing with the team first,” she said.

“Then we’ll get the trucks out and do the coin rattles around town then back home by lunchtime.”

Registration and sign in for all volunteers is between 8:15 to 8:30am at the fire station.

Children must be accompanied and supervised at all times by an adult while collecting coins.

Members will be heading out at 9am to collect donations around the town.

Veteran nurse historic unveiling to be a family affair

By BRODIE EVERIST

BRIGHT RSL vice president Judy Moore had been researching World War II nurse Monica McMahon for over a year when the nurse’s great-nephew visited the RSL for the first time with his family members.

Upon being told of the man’s grandfather, Ben McMahon, Ms Moore asked him if he was related to the veteran nurse.

“I said ‘don’t tell me you’re related to Monica McMahon?”, and he just burst into tears,” Ms Moore said.

That stroke of good luck means members of Monica McMahon’s family will be attending the unveiling of a photograph of the World War II nurse on Good Friday, the first of two tributes to be displayed at the RSL in recognition of women’s involvement in war.

“That’s when we thought, well, perfect time to do this,” she said.

Born in Bright in 1904, Helena Elizabeth Monica McMahon (always known as Monica) grew up on a farm near Smoko.

According to Ms Moore’s research, at 27 she began her nurse training in Melbourne, but transferred to Wangaratta Base Hospital to finish her general training.

She joined the Austral-

Talking with the family further, Ms Moore found out the man is a site holder at a local caravan park and his father would be travelling to Bright for Easter.

ian Army Nursing Service in (AANS) in 1941, where she was appointed as matron of the Puckapunyal Military Hospital.

She went on to be the matron of another 13 military hospitals and also worked in Japan after the war, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before she was discharged in 1949.

As reported in the Myrtleford Times/Alpine Observer last year, the Bright RSL received $1328 from the State

Government’s Victoria Remembers Program to help fund framed photographs of Monica McMahon and World War I nurse Florence Maud Howitt.

Ms Moore said the photographs will help recognise the efforts of women in war in their currently male-dominated photo gallery.

“There are no other photo of any woman in this RSL, except Queen Elizabeth,” she said.

“Women’s contribution to

the war has just been overlooked.

“There were women who made enormous sacrifices and endured terrible things.”

Members of the public are welcome to see the unveiling, which will take place during the RSL’s ‘Happy Hour’ from 4:30-6:30pm on March 29, with all proceeds going to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The photograph of Florence Maud Howitt is expected to be unveiled on the weekend before ANZAC Day.

GOOD FRIDAY: Mount Beauty CFA volunteers including (from left) Noah

Tanzen, Zoe Gray, Baylin Ford and Annika Keeble will join brigades across the Alpine Shire collecting donations.

PHOTO: Fay Mason

THE recent hot weather may have tried its best to prevent growers from seeing results in their orchards, but according to local farms, fruit quality across the region remains excellent.

Snowline Fruit’s Henry Hilton said the season was a little tricky but his orchards avoided the wind and hail storms reported in other parts of the state.

“We had to deal with frosts at the start in late October but it’s been quite reasonable here,” he said.

“We’ve had rain almost every fortnight which is unusual but great for tree growth and fruit growth as we’ve seen a very good size in apples; really they’re on the verge of being too big.”

in fact, some of his Honeycrisp apples were so big he sent four into the Myrtleford Times/Alpine Observer office to demonstrate their size.

One was a whopping 615 grams.

Mr Hilton said apple volumes are good and the quality is excellent.

“Currently we’ve picked Honeycrisp and Royal Gala and now we’re waiting for Red Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady to get to right size

LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE LAndersonByrne@ nemedia.com.au

to pick, they come later,” he said.

“This season is two to three weeks earlier than last year, probably because it warmed up quickly so plant growth got underway pretty well.

“The biggest thing is the cost of production is killing us; everything is up substantially and all these things compound on us heavily because you can’t keep putting apples up beyond the point where people won’t buy them.

“To cover costs we need more money than what we’re getting as the cost increase outweighs returns.”

Wandiligong grower Don Nightingale, of Nightingale Bros Alpine Produce, said their Kanzi apples were slightly affected by hot weather, but apple quality and quantity is otherwise good.

“So far we’ve picked about a total of 5000 bins of Royal Gala, Kanzi and Red Delicious, with Jazz and Granny Smith finished this week be-

harvests escape heat

fore we get to Fuji, Pink Lady and Envy,” he said.

“We’ve been fortunate this season and we’ve got a good team working with us.”

Last week Nightingale Bros were harvesting their first chestnut variety.

“Again, the hot weather for a start wasn’t good for the crop as it makes harvest-

ing trickier,” Mr Nightingale said.

“It’s important to get them off the ground quickly as they dry out faster.

“We just finished harvesting our Bouche variety so there’s lots more to come but so far the nuts are a good quality and good size thanks to the summer rains.”

Chestnuts Australia Inc. president Brian Casey said growers were optimistic about this season.

“What I’m hearing from other growers is nuts were sent to market as early as late February and by early March there was reasonably high volume,” he said.

Mr Casey said the warmer weather has been unconducive to chestnut eating, so demand hasn’t been as strong.

“Sales have still gone quite well at this stage but around Easter will be the beginning

of the peak of harvest,” he said.

“The weather still looks quite warm and dry but we’re expecting an increase in demand around Easter which is good as there will be plenty of nuts.

“The dry conditions may see a slightly smaller crop but growers are optimistic.

“Quality is okay at this stage, growers are happy with what they’re producing.

“We’ll see how it all goes after Easter with colder weather and near the end of harvest.”

work, always a great show, that will be open throughout the Easter weekend.

ON Saturday the local Mount Beauty market will be held in Hydro Park with special Easter treats, Alpine FM will be broadcasting, with the usual variety of stalls operating.

From the market it’s a short walk to the secondary college where the local Rotary Club is holding a car boot sale from 9am until 1pm. There will be a barbecue, face painting, Easter egg hunt starting at 11am and a raffle draw at noon.

If you want to book a space for your car to sell your goods, call Sue Randall on 0419 570 085.

LAST Saturday night the debutante ball for Upper Kiewa Valley youth was held at the Mount Beauty Community Centre.

Organised by the team from The Mount Beauty Swimming Club, this annual event is a fundraiser for the club. The community centre was decked out in fairy lights and special colour effects and was looking great, only to be outdone by the debutantes themselves who had gone to so much effort to look very glamorous.

There were many family and friends at the event, a special DJ was hired for the night, playing “Nutbush“ that got everyone on their feet dancing.

Happy Easter to everyone, stay safe on the roads, enjoy lots of treats hot cross buns and chocolate.

Disaster expert visits Mt Beauty, Falls Creek

NEW Zealand-based disaster expert Elizabeth McNaughton presented workshops in Mount Beauty and Falls Creek earlier this month as part of a tour through Victoria.

Ms McNaughton first facilitated ‘A Calamitous Lunch’ at a Falls Creek restaurant on March 17, using games and other tools to build community connection and disaster recovery.

Falls Creek Recovery Hub community liaison officer Lisa Logan said it was fortuitous that Ms McNaughton accepted the invite to the event, and that the disaster expert “emanates genuine care, warmth and positivity”.

“Networking with those operating in disaster recovery is a powerful experience,” she said.

“Everyone understands how difficult, confrontational, and heart-

breaking it can be for the communities they work with, but it also can be heartening, positive and rewarding, especially when the community is able to come back from disaster stronger, more connected, and therefore more resilient.

“Having had extensive firsthand experience in her homeland, New Zealand, and around the Asia-Pacific region while working closely with numerous governments, emergency management and relief organisations lead Elizabeth to develop ways of teaching that ‘disasters can be fun’ rather than being confrontational and heartbreaking.

“She also shows how incredibly empowering it is for people to learn how to navigate disasters together.”

The next day Ms McNaughton hosted a workshop at the Mount

PEOPLE AROUND TOWN

MT BEAUTY

Michael Ahearn

How long have you lived here?

I arrived 12 years ago after coming from Canberra; in that time I went back to Canberra for a year.

What do you like about living in the area?

My family is here and being a single parent I have their support. It’s a family-friendly environment. I like the ability to keep fit hiking, cycling in such beautiful surroundings; the area is a wonderful scenic location.

Would you like to see any changes?

Being on several committees that stage events, I would like to see more community interest in these events, plus I would like to see longer trading hours for all cafes and shops.

What do you do, your hobbies and interests?

I am the Alpine FM station manager, as mentioned I am a member of the following committees: The David Vigo Youth Music Scholarship, Alpine FM, The Mount Beauty Writers Festival. My passion is music, composing, playing and recording music.

I like to spend as much time as possible with my son Lucien. I love watching horror movies.

Where would you take visitors to showcase the area?

I would take them on a BBQ near the pondage to take in the amazing surroundings and listen to the quietness.

Beauty Neighbourhood Centre, provided with support from the Alpine Shire and state and federal Governments.

Attendee Sharon Hicks said it was an “amazing session from a deeply experienced facilitator”.

“I’ve been doing recovery work for more than 15 years and never had an experience so joyful and insightful as this,” she said.

Ms McNaughton is the CEO of ‘Disastrous’, a New-Zealand-based coaching and training company that aims to equip communities with the skills to navigate disasters.

According to the company, Ms McNaughton has led multimillion-dollar recovery programs for New Zealand Red Cross and worked for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kerrie Koop

How long have you lived in the area?

26 years.

What do you do for a living?

I make noofies, which are little figurines. I used to have a shop across the road, but I opened up here two weeks ago. I used to have a whole shop of just noofies. I still make them but now just fairy versions, not all the animals which I used to make.

Can you tell me a bit more about noofies?

They’re little handmade figurines I’ve been making for about the last 30 years. They’re made of polymer clay. I make them here behind the counter and then I cook them in the toaster oven out of the back. Half an hour later, I pop them out on the shelf.

What do you like about the area?

I love the atmosphere. The energy that this area puts out is amazing

compared to the city. There’s nothing wrong with the city, but this area’s definitely got something special. I just love its uniqueness.

Where would you take visitors to showcase the area?

I would take them to secret little fairy forests that I know.

Is there anything you would change about the area?

I wouldn’t change anything about the area, but I would open up people’s eyes to the beauty around.

Do you have any ambitions for the future?

Because I’ve only just opened this shop, I really want to make this a haven, a little sanctuary people can come into and not be in the real world for a little while. From the noofie point of view, I’m in the process of making kits so people can make their own which gives them a creative outlet.

WHOROULY

Linda Wilson

How long have you lived in the area?

All my life.

What do you do for a living?

I work in the pharmacy.

How did you get into that?

I left school and walked in as a junior.

What are your hobbies or interests?

Where do I start? I like crafting, gardening, walking, bushwalking, exercising and shopping.

What do you like about the area?

The lifestyle. It’s quiet, relaxing, beautiful, the people are lovely, the tourists are nice. We’re very lucky.

Where would you take visitors to showcase the area?

I’d take them on the Mosaic Trail and to Mount Buffalo, there’s beautiful walks up there. There’s lots of wineries and eateries. The sky’s the limit.

Is there anything you would change about the area?

We need another Target, particularly, or something that caters for all ages. Target was fantastic for Myrtleford. It did really well in the old days. It’s a shame it closed because it means I have to go out of town to buy the essentials.

Do you have any ambitions for the future?

To win Tattslotto.

QUALIFIED MECHANIC

(third from left) with

at the Mount Beauty workshop last week.

BRIGHT

You don’t need all the safety gear, until you do.

You might think putting on the safety gear will take longer than doing the job.

It could be that you’ve done it a thousand times before. But that doesn’t reduce the risk. You may not come back in one piece.

Check you’ve got the right safety gear for the job, visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/safety-gear-farm

It’s never you, until it is. Scan

Alpine

Accountants

BRIGHT ACCOUNTING

Certified Practising Accountants – C.P.A.

Accounting for small businesses and individuals.

4-1a Camp Street, Bright

Phone: 5755 5105

E enquiries@brightaccounting.com.au

BELMORES CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

(formerly CRM Business Advisers)

Certified Practising Accountants

Myrtleford, 1-7 Albert Street

Phone: 5752 2288

Bright, 3 Ireland Street

Phone: 5755 1327

www.belmores.com.au

PAYNTER & ASSOCIATES

Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors

25 Clyde Street Myrtleford

Phone: 5751 1995

Email admin@paynterassoc.com.au

www.paynterandassociates.com.au

Clinical Massage

MYOTHERAPY, MUSCLE

HEALTH & FITNESS

Dennis Kersting Dip. RM CM.

Myrtleford - 18 Rayner Street

Phone: 0427 440 744

Hearing Services

JO ROSS-JACKSON HEARING CENTRES

Now at 29 Clyde Street Myrtleford

Plus Standish Street Surgery & Bright Allied Health

For appointments call 5752 2817

Insurance Brokers

OVENS VALLEY INSURANCE BROKERS

Myrtleford, 47 Clyde Street

Phone: 5752 1151

Bright, 104 Gavan St

Phone: 5715 9705

Email: info@ovib.com.au

Solicitors

DICK & WILLIAMS

Solicitors & Attorneys Vic & NSW

Myrtleford, 5B Clyde Street.

Phone: 5752 2363.

Email: email@dwlawalbury.com.au

TONER & MAY LEGAL

BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS

86 Standish Street, Myrtleford.

Phone: 03 5752 1493

2A Camp Street, Bright,

Phone: 03 5750 1819

Email: amanda@tonerandmaylegal.com.au or jess@tonerandmaylegal.com.au

Promote your service here!

Phone Jenny on 57313305 or email jking@nemedia.com.au

Angling challenge keeps fish records on the hook

By BRODIE EVERIST

ANGLERS were heading to their favourite fishing spots, and discovering new ones, during the fourth Ovens River Challenge last weekend, where keen fishers were recording their catches to help keep an eye on fish numbers.

The ‘catch, measure and release’ event ran over three days from March 22-24 with headquarters at the Nimmo Bridge recreation area by Buffalo River Road.

Supported by Native Fish Australia (NFA), Victorian Inland Fisheries Alliance (VIFA) and Australian Trout Federation (ATF), the challenge encouraged anglers to head out into the tributaries of the Ovens River and record their fishing for research purposes.

President of the Australian Trout Foundation Terry George said they had more than 80 anglers registered for the event.

He said it was important to record fish numbers, especially endangered species like Macquarie Perch, because they help fisheries determine what areas may need restocking.

Regarding the number of fish caught during the challenge, Mr George said he will be meeting with other event organisers to release a joint statement in the near future.

According to Mr George, the ATF have been involved in several local river restoration projects that improve biodiversity and fish numbers, including the

‘Mayfly Rise’ project at Bright. This project involved the strategic placement of large boulders and logs along a half–kilometre stretch of the Ovens River to create deeper sections and increase water variability, providing shelter for fish and insect species.

Mr George said they are going to extend that project with more logs and boulders, and some tree planting.

“It really works,” he said.

“It increases the abundance of fish by up to 80 per cent – it’s unbelievable.”

Benalla resident Graeme Wilson was one of the many anglers who took part in the challenge, trying spots at Bright, Myrtleford and towards Wangaratta, but he didn’t have much success.

“We went up to Bright and had a look, we could see the fish in the water there,” he said.

“We were flicking lures at them but couldn’t catch them.”

Despite bait fishing all weekend, he only managed to catch one small trout cod near the Snow Road bridge.

His brother did better, he said, catching some trout cod and Murray cod.

Mr Wilson said he often comes to the river to fish, enjoying it for the scenery and clear water.

“It’s nice around the mountains - I’ve seen plenty of crayfish,” he said.

More than 100 projects championed in Haines budget submission

By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE

INDEPENDENT Member for Indi Helen Haines has shown her support for more than 100 projects across the Victorian Alpine Resorts ahead of the Federal Government’s May budget, requesting the implementation of a 10 Year Visitor Economy Development Plan.

In her submission, Dr Haines labels the Victorian Alpine Resorts as iconic tourism attractions and a key economic driver in the region.

“The resorts contribute $2.5 billion in economic output, employing over 10,100 people and attracting over 1.3 million visitors in 2019,” she said.

“Visitation generates nine per cent of all regional visitor economy jobs and visitor spend in Victoria, and 28 per cent of all tourist visitors to the High Country.

“There is strong latent demand for Alpine experiences in Victoria.

“The resorts have the potential to increase the number of annual visitors from 1.1 million to 1.9 million during the snow season, and from 0. 2 million to 0.9 million during the green season. “However, low public

sector investment has limited the ability of the resorts to realise this potential and achieve the vision of a year-round visitor economy.

“There are over 100 projects across the six resorts available for public sector investment which will deliver record levels of future growth.

“The resorts require a total of $439 million in public and $298 million in private funding over 10 years to implement this game-changing investment.”

The strategic projects span four key investment areas:

Vibrant, accessible, and diverse alpine villages;

Infrastructure to enable sustainable growth; Compelling and quality winter experiences for all visitors;

Motivating green season products and experiences.

The submission before government claims the impact of this investment, combined with the current economic contribution of the resorts as of 2019, will double the economic contribution of the Resorts to Victoria by 2031.

“A total of 2.7 million visitors across the resorts will generate $4.8 billion in direct and indirect expenditure, 20,400 ongo-

ing annual jobs and $2.1 billion GSP,” Dr Haines said.

“Alpine Resorts Victoria (ARV) Asset Upgrade and Renewal ARV is requesting $10.8m to invest in these State Government assets to effectively halt asset degradation and enable the delivery of high performing operations capable of meeting current and future resort demand.

“Critical investment is required if these major assets are to remain operational, and the resorts that rely on them continue to open and service mountain communities of visitors, residents and staff.

“The proposed investment would support a package of 13 works across the areas of: water and energy supply; water and waste water treatment and geotechnical stability; resurfacing works; and public access and safety with a total project cost of $10,800.

The listed priority projects include:

Mt Hotham Mt Hotham Business, Visitor and Community Centre; Hotham Heaven Walk and Trails Upgrade; Falls Creek Emergency Response Village Road Connections;

Falls Creek Alpine Community Sports and Events Hub; Falls Creek MTB Park Network Expansion; Mt Buller Central Village Precinct – the Hub; Building Mt Buller capacity, accessibility and visitation.

Dr Haines’ budget submission also includes funding requests for five local government projects in the Alpine Shire - the Alpine Better Places Harrietville and Tawonga projects, the Kiewa River Trail extension, upgrades to McNamara Reserve, and a feasibility study for a Mount Beauty sport and recreation precinct, at a total cost of $16.5 million.

She also requests the Federal Government fund the development and building of the residential aged care component of the Bright District Hospital Health Precinct Development.

According to a statement from Dr Haines’ office, her funding proposals have been created in partnership with local councils, regional development groups and community stakeholders such as Albury Wodonga Health, Alpine Resorts Victoria, Tourism North East and TAFE.

 GETTING TOGETHER: (From left) Australian Trout Foundation president Terry George with Paul Berner and Tim Curmi from Native Fish Australia at the event’s registration point at the Nimmo Bridge Reserve.

 LINE IN: Benalla resident Graeme Wilson was trying his luck on Saturday morning near the Nimmo Bridge.

A family oasis on five acres

EMBRACE the pleasure of country living with this remarkable property boasting a spacious three-bedroom home plus a versatile open study or potential fourth bedroom, all set on a stunning 2.02-hec-

Discover a sanctuary where modern comforts blend seamlessly with rural charm, offering a lifestyle of tranquillity and convenience.

The bedrooms include built-in robes and ceiling fans, ensuring ample storage and comfort for the entire family.

The master bedroom also features a new ensuite.

Enjoy the convenience of a purposespace for remote work or study with a lovely bay window outlook and external

access perfect for client meetings.

This large room could also be easily converted into a fourth bedroom.

The kitchen showcases Blackwood cabinetry and is equipped with quality appliances and a large pantry, perfect for culinary enthusiasts.

This space connects to the open-plan through to the large family room.

Through sliding doors there is an additional formal lounge room with a feature combustion wood heater, providing ample spaces for family living and entertaining.

There are also a number of split systems throughout the home to provide convenient climate control year-round.

An 8kw solar system covers a large portion of electricity usage, supplemented by

and sustainability.

Step outside to a paved, all-weather entertaining area overlooking the in-ground pool and established gardens, creating the perfect backdrop for outdoor gatherings and relaxation.

Additional features include two large machinery sheds, a double carport, plus an insulated and air-conditioned bungalow/games room with an additional storage room.

A small cluster of wine grape vines adds a touch of charm and potential for hobby winemaking.

Enjoy the serenity of country living while being just a short distance from essential amenities and recreational attractions.

It’s only a 20-minute drive to Wangaratta or Myrtleford, and close to the gourmet

Wangaratta branch

76 Reid Street

Open weekdays

9am to 5pm (closed 1pm to 1:45pm)

1300 004 863

Glenrowan 2/34 Gladstone Street

95m2

Affordable Commercial Freehold

For Sale $259,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L25321697

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Danial Siperki M 0400 027 473

Harcourts Wangaratta

413m2 4

Prime

View

Whitfield 4882 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd

1000m22 11

Opportunity in Whitfield Township

For Sale $595,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L26165874

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Hugh Amery M 0487 777 311

Harcourts Wangaratta

New

Wangaratta 2/1 Gray

Street

130m22 11

Central Investing

For Sale $330,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L19418912

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Paul Reid M 0417 537 520

Harcourts Wangaratta

Oxley Lot 2 Shadforth Street

1012m2

Build your dream home in Oxley Township

For Sale $400,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L26645822

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Hugh Amery M 0487 777 311

Harcourts Wangaratta

Wangaratta 62 Phillipson Street

719m23 22

Charming & Renovated

For Sale $629,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L19191160

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Danial Siperki M 0400 027 473

Harcourts Wangaratta

Wangaratta 86 Templeton Street

571m23 11

Heritage Charm in the Perfect Location

For Sale $1,025,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L19191872

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Danial Siperki M 0400 027 473

Harcourts Wangaratta

Tarrawingee Lot 1, 36 Pryse Road

4012m2

Lifestyle block in Tarrawingee township

For Sale $335,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L26387973

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Hugh Amery M 0487 777 311

Harcourts Wangaratta

Oxley 1/79 Ely Street 1012m2

Build your dream home in Oxley Township

For Sale $400,000 View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L25539718

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Hugh Amery M 0487 777 311

Harcourts Wangaratta

Wangaratta 73 Vincent Road

1037m23 12

Charming restoration with period features

For Sale $590,000-$620,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L19190455

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Paul Reid M 0417 537 520

Harcourts Wangaratta

Springhurst 644 McMahons Road 25.89Ac4 22

Amazing Family Lifestyle Property

For Sale $1,100,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L19194462

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Paul Reid M 0417 537 520

Harcourts Wangaratta

Wangaratta

603m23

Value

Danial Siperki M 0400 027 473

Harcourts

Glenrowan 220 Old Hume Highway

5.6Ac

Premium Lifestyle Opportunity

For Sale $450,000-$495,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L26723008

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Paul Reid M 0417 537 520

Harcourts Wangaratta

Greta South 00 Wangaratta-Kilfeera Rd

91 Acres

“Flynn’s” Hayshed, Dams. Sealed Access

For Sale $840,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L24899880

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Joe McKenzie M 0423 655 179

Harcourts Wangaratta

Hansonville 00 Delaneys Lane

110 Acres4 21

Hansonville Grazing at its Best, Trees, Yards, Dams

For Sale $1,425,000

View by appointment, wangaratta.nutrienharcourts.com.au/L26518933

Nutrien Harcourts Wangaratta

Paul Reid M 0417 537 520

Harcourts Wangaratta

Suzuki loosens grip on S-Cross costs

By DEREK OGDEN, Marque Motoring

IT’S been a long and lonely road for the SX4 since it landed Down Under in the mid-noughties.

For a start, the compact SUV created about the same enthusiasm as pair of sensible shoes, and after a decade, had a name change.

It’s now the S-Cross.

With all-wheel drive models first up, Suzuki has come to the party with a couple of S-Cross front-wheel drives at up to $5000 less than their AWD siblings.

All are powered by the same 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine, mated with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Up against the likes of the Kia Seltos, Mitsubishi ASX and Nissan Qashqai, prices start from $37,490 for the entry-level S-Cross GL 1.4 litre FWD and top out with the GLX Prestige AllGrip 4WD at $44,490.

On test was the GLX Plus FWD at $39,990.

Like all present-day Suzuki cars the S-Cross is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and five-year capped-price service scheme, the latter at 12 months or 10,000 kilometre intervals.

STYLING

Compared to the bland SX4, the compact S-Cross is rather dapper.

Up front there’s a hint of edginess with a two-storey grille dominated by the stylised Suzuki ‘S’ leaving little doubt as to the car’s pedigree.

An aggressive piano black diamond lattice grille and LED headlights have the SUV standing tall, while square wheel arches wrapping polished alloy and silver highlights on the bumpers make for a more robust profile than before.

Body coloured power folding and heated exterior mirrors, and door handles contrast with 17-inch polished alloy wheels giving the SUV ground clearance of 175 mm.

INTERIOR

The convenience of tilt and telescopic column with leather bound steering wheel is joined by the quality and comfort of leather accented seats - front heated, driver’s height adjustable and rear 60:40 split.

Dual zone climate control air-con even includes a pollen filter.

Storage consists of a deep centre console box, with padded lid doubling as an arm rest, two cup holders, front and rear and a couple of front and rear bottle slots.

Leg room for the averagebuild occupant is good.

The boot has room for 430 litres of cargo with the rear seat backs up and 1230 litres with seat backs folded. A space saver spare can be found under the floor.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

The engine is unchanged, with the 1.4 litre Boosterjet turbocharged four-cylinder engine being mated with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.

AllGrip has been left behind, with the GLX Plus putting power to ground via the front wheels only.

SAFETY

The new S-Cross has an ANCAP rating in waiting.

Featured are autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop / start in heavy traffic; lane departure warning and mitigation, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, electronic stability program.

There’s also weaving alert, warning the driver if he or she lets the vehicle go wandering.

Also on hand are blind spot monitor; front and rear parking sensors; hill hold control on moving off on inclines; rear cross-traffic alert and dual sensor brake support.

A camera and sensor warns and brakes for pedestrians.

Front and rear parking sensors cap off the active safety systems.

Front, side and curtain airbags are standard and there are two ISOFIX child seat, plus three child seat tether anchorages in the rear.

DRIVING

Keyless entry and start provide easy access for the driver.

The carry-over powertrain is already well sorted and provides smooth takeoff

The S-Cross is spritely on the move thanks to the turbo and overtaking can be performed with confidence.

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts add a further level of driver input without dialling up too much excitement.

The maker claims fuel consumption of 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres, against 6.2 for the AWD, in the combined urban / highway cycle.

On test, figures of 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres came up in the suburbs and 4.4 litres per 100 kilometres at motorway speeds.

The driver is aided by an instrument cluster, comprising two analogue gauges with a digital trip computer between, which includes a speedo.

Dual-zone climate control adjustment is within easy reach on the centre stack.

The S-Cross is rated at 1500kg, braked, and 600kg, unbraked, for towing.

AllGrip 4WD drive modes, found only in upper range models, is worth a mention.

Dialled up through a knob on the centre console behind the gearshift, Auto

AT A GLANCE

MODEL RANGE:

S-CROSS GL 1.4L FWD $37,490

S-CROSS GLX PLUS 1.4L FWD $39,990

S-CROSS GL ALLGRIP 1.4L 4WD $40,990

S-CROSS GLX PLUS ALLGRIP 1.4L 4WD $43,490

S-CROSS GLX PRESTIGE ALLGRIP 1.4L 4WD $44,490

NOTE: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Suzuki dealer for drive-away prices.

mode switches between front-wheel and all-wheel drive when conditions demand; Sport sends more torque to the rear and improved engine response; Snow enhances traction on slippery surfaces, maximum torque to rear wheels to get out of such as sand or snow.

The Lock button delivers 50:50 front / rear distribution.

On test, the front-wheel drive GLX Plus provided good road manners on the bitumen in both wet and dry conditions.

However, AllGrip has its attractions for those wanting to go in for a little offroad ‘adventure’.

SUMMARY

A saving of $1000 is not a lot to gain by forgoing fourwheel drive. However, Suzuki insists the front-wheel drive car ‘now looks right’.

How right only time, and sales, will tell.

RATINGS

Looks: 7/10

Performance: 7/10

Safety: 8/10

Thirst: 7/10

Practicality: 7/10

Comfort: 6/10

Tech: 7/10

Value: 4/10

ENGINE:

Capacity: 1.373 litres

Configuration: Four cylinders inline

Maximum Power: 103 kW @ 5500 rpm

Maximum Torque: 220 Nm @ 1500-4000 rpm

Fuel Type: Unleaded petrol 95RON Combined Fuel Cycle (ADR 81/02): 5.9 L/100km

Emissions: CO2 145 g/km

DRIVELINE: Six-speed torque converter automatic, front-wheel drive.

FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE: The Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip SUVs have been joined by cost cutting two-wheel drive versions

NOMINATIONS – NOW OPEN

Nominations for Community Member for the Bright Senior Citizens Centre Community Asset Committee are now open. For more information, or to request a nomination form, please contact Property and Contracts Coordinator on 03 5755 0555 or info@alpineshire.vic.gov.au

Nominations close 11.59pm Wednesday, 3 April 2024.

Howitt Lane and Howitt Park car park will be closed from 6am - 3pm Saturday, 30 March to allow for the safe staging of the Easter Rotary Market. We encourage patrons to walk or cycle.

EASTER FACILITY CLOSURES

The operating hours of Council facilities will be varied over the upcoming Easter long weekend. The following facilities will be closed:

Easter Saturday, Sunday and Easter

Monday

Saturday, Sunday and Monday

All Transfer Stations (including

Mount Beauty and Bright Visitor Information Centre’s will be open as normal. Myrtleford Visitor Information Centre will be open Easter Sunday and Monday only. Myrtleford, Mount Beauty and Porepunkah Transfer Stations will be open as normal Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Kerbside waste and recycling collection services will operate as normal also.

MYRTLE STREET SERVICE LANE REHABILITATION

A section of Myrtle Street Service Lane

April to carry out reconstruction works. Access to all businesses within the service lane will be maintained.

KIEWA VALLEY RESEALING WORKS

Road resealing works will be carried out in Friday, 12 April. Works in the Mount Beauty township will be carried out over three days during the school holiday period to Avenue and Tennis Court Avenue. Detours will be in place.

GARAGE SALE

GOOD FRIDAY 8.30am start 235 Mummery Road, Myrtleford Antiques, new cable cross country skiis, ski gear and snowboards, general household and shed items. POULTRY

CHECK OUT OUR NORTH EAST JOBS in today's Regional Extra for more employment opportunities. Published every Wednesday in your Wangaratta Chronicle, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Myrtleford Times and Alpine Observer

POSITION VACANT

Applications are invited for the position of Secretary/Treasurer to the Myrtleford Cemetery Trust. Roles and duties, conditions of employment and remuneration and application form can be obtained by contacting the Secretary.

Helmsman style Saturday, April 6, 10am-11am, Myrtleford Showgrounds

All enquiries to Nick 0408 447 222 or alpinepoultryclub @gmail.com or follow on Facebook

2010 NT Pajero Platinum

3.2 L turbo diesel, 253,400km, reg Dec ‘24 (ZQJ384), bull bar, driving lights, redarc brake controller, UHF, aux 120 AH AGM battery, BC DC charger, rear suspension airbags, full service and m aintenance history, $17,000.

Winner:

All enquiries to the Secretary at Myrtleford Cemetery Trust on myrtlefordcemetery24@gmail.com or on 0473 535 502

Authentic Italian festival returns

By LEAH ANDERSONBYRNE

MYRTLEFORD’S La Fiera

Italian Festival is getting ready to again fill the piazza with quality, authentic Italian produce, food, wine and entertainment in May with the 15th instalment of the iconic local event.

Volunteer committee member John Costenaro said the two main events; La Festa and Il Mercato are business as usual on the Saturday and Sunday and will remain popular with visitors.

“La Festa is all about authentic Italian food and wine, and a traditional mass starts the day as it would in Italy festivals,” he said.

“The Great Alpine Road is closed for the day and then it’s about eating, drinking, dancing and having fun the Italian way.

“In terms of food, taking centre stage are our three

Circoli (clubs); Trentini, Vicentini and Trevisani, which showcase their region’s cuisine.

“We also have Bastoni Pizzeria with pizza, and owner Sergio introduces us to Sicilian specialities, other food vendors and not forgetting roasted chestnuts.

“Alpine Valleys Wineries also showcase the region’s wines, with a

tilt to Italian varieties.

“All stallholders will yet again have biodegradable food packaging as we always focus on sustainability.

“Entertainment is on all day in the Piazza with MC Jame Lotta and a range of Italian singers, bands and groups.

“The little ones aren’t forgotten with all-day entertainment with

balloons, magic shows and more at the Bendigo Bank’s Children’s Hub.”

The Sunday market will be hosted by the Myrtleford Farmer’s Market with an Italian takeover.

“Salamis, coffees, cannoli, frittole (Italian donuts) and even Vin Brûlée (mulled wine) and of course Italian entertainment,” Mr Costenaro continued.

“Besides the two main events, the town has lots more to keep all the visitors and locals busy.

“An evening with Patrizia Simone celebrating all things Umbrian and Italian, Spritz O’clock at Bastoni Pizzeria, Italian themed lunches at Michelini Wines and Gapsted Wines, “Italian Movie Night, Italian historical exhibit at the Old School Museum and even

a soccer match competing for the La Fiera Cup.

“More details will be on our program coming out this week.

“We also encourage anyone to volunteer on the day and give back to the community, we’re all volunteers on the committee.

“If you’re able to volunteer contact us through our website or Facebook page.”

In past years the festival has seen more than 5000 enjoy the event over the course of the entire weekend.

La Fiera thanked its sponsors; Michelini Wines, Bendigo Bank, Alpine Shire and Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce.

La Fiera will be held on May 18-19, 2024 with tickets on sale from Monday, April 1.

For more information go to https://lafiera.com.au/ or check out the Facebook page La Fiera Italian Festival Myrtleford.

CIRCOLO TRENTINI: Circolo Trentini making polenta the traditional way. ROAMING PERFORMER: Accordion player Bruno Spiller.

PLENTY FOR EVERYONE: Patrizia Simone with her food from Trentini stall. PHOTOS: George Photo

Funk devotees to take Wandi stage

By BRODIE EVERIST

TRENT Sterling can remember exactly when he received inspiration for The Seven Ups.

He was driving near Essendon Station in his early twenties when he heard Nigerian afrobeat musician Fela Kuti on PBS.

“I’d never heard anything like it,” the bandleader said.

“I was at music school at the time and went to uni the next day and said to my friend ‘we’ve got to play this music, we have to learn how to play Afrobeat and get an afrobeat band together’.”

Fourteen years and five albums later the seven-piece instrumental group are bringing their brand of instrumental soul/funk to the Wandi Nut Fest for the first time in late April.

The band has played at some of the biggest music festivals in Australia, including Meredith Music Festival, Womadelaide, Strawberry Fields, Rainbow Serpent, Falls Festival and White Night.

They have also opened for US soul stars Charles Bradley and The Budos Band, and well-known Australian group The Bamboos.

Recently the group has played at the Port Fairy Folk Festival as part of a wider tour for the release of their latest album ‘A Free Blowing Wind’.

According to Sterling, who writes the band’s songs, the LP blends psychedelic and rock influences that he attributes to the psych rock and Krautrock tracks he was listening to at the time of writing.

“With each album, I can pinpoint what I was listening to at that particular point in time,” Sterling said.

Right now, the band is moving in a synth-based and electronic direction, again partly inspired by his varied music tastes – on his current playlist is Arizonan band Trees Speak and the Austrian funk, krautrock, cumbia, and afrobeat band Takeshi’s Cashew.

“It’s really opened up the band’s sound, but it’s also been a

challenge because it’s a lot more gear,” Sterling said of their latest electronic equipment.

“There’s a lot of buttons to press and presets to remember and little changes that can make a big difference.”

Their last four albums have been released on Northside Records, whose store on Melbourne’s Gertrude Street is, quite probably, the heart of the Melbourne soul scene that has generated big names like Saskwatch, Emma

Donovan and The Putbacks, and Hiatus Kaiyote.

“The scene’s really diversified a lot over the last decade,” Sterling said.

“When we started, everyone was wanting to sound like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.

“But I feel like recently it’s kind of opened up a bit; it’s kind of hard to really pigeonhole where the sound is going.”

It’s going to be a busy April for The Seven Ups with three

weekly gigs at a Thornbury venue, followed by a performance in Heathcote, before they play in Wandiligong the next day – but it’s nothing new for the band, according to Sterling.

“We spent a lot of time together, on the road especially,” he said.

“[We] play the gig together and then hang out together and then go to bed, usually in the same room, wake up and have breakfast together.”

They haven’t played in Wandiligong before, but have performed at Beechworth festival The High Country Hop, and at the well-known live music venue Tanswells Hotel.

“We’re pretty excited to get invited to come up,” Sterling said.

“We don’t get to play that many regional gigs and like I said, we haven’t really played in the area so we’re looking forward to checking it out.”

The Wandi Nut Fest runs over the weekend of April 27-28 at Alpine Park, Wandiligong.

Tickets are on sale now.

Community bowls wraps up at Bright

LAST Wednesday saw the finals take place in Bright Bowls Club’s Community Bowls competition, a culmination of eight weeks of fun and social bowling.

This year the competition consisted of 20 teams divided into two groups, ‘Mountains’ and ‘Valleys’, with each consisting of 10 teams, and games were played on Wednesday evenings at 7pm.

Each team can consist of up to four alternating players, but only three can play at any time.

On the final week of the competition, the top two teams from each group played off in the finals.

The top two teams in the Mountains section had 48 points, therefore the points for and against had to be taken into consideration, with the result being the Bright Lions finished just ahead of The Golden Girls.

Bright Lions played top team from the Valleys section Punka Golf Association for the top two overall, while second place team in the Mountains, The Golden Girls, played Wandi Wombats for third and fourth overall places.

Congratulations go to the overall winners Bright Li-

ons team with skip Graham Badrock, Steve Jenvey, and Colin Dudley, who scored nine shots ahead of the Punka Golf Association team of Shaun Paul, Chris Davey and Jason Filipi.

Graham Badrock from Bright Lions accepted the perpetual cup and individual players of his team received a memorial cup and donated

their $400 prize money to Lions Club Australia Biggest BBQ for cancer research.

There was an exciting finish between The Golden Girls and Wandi Wombats with an extra end having to be played due to a draw.

Wandi Wombats (Cindy Heafield, Ken Grummich and Howard Kovesy) scored the highest on that final

end therefore were third, while Golden Girls with Kath Simpson, Libby Barker, Lauren Velecki came fourth.

During the season, a brief talk was given by Robert Taylor, a past member and Club Champion of the Bright Bowling Club in 1994, on the history of the game in the area.

Taylor said this annual

community bowls competition had been bringing the community together for 30 years, and was introduced by president Arthur Hangan and his committee at the time, he emphasised all sponsorship monetary and other donations from local business helped run this event.

The Bright Bowls Club

would like to thank the following local business for their generous sponsorship of all prize money, the many weekly raffle prizes and barbecue supplies.

The club would also like to send out a huge thankyou to Katarina Hughes from the Porepunkah Op Shop for funding to purchase three sets of Aero bowls, very colourful small size bowls to accommodate younger and more senior members of our community, including the very popular Bright P12 College program.

Junior MTB Race Series ends with a bang

By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE

THE 2023/34 Junior MTB

Race Series finished up in grand style over the weekend, with all the stops pulled out for a five stage full Gravity Enduro at Mystic MTB Park.

Against the backdrop of the GE Series hive of activity, more than 100 junior riders showed their stuff in the most ambitious race setup

ever attempted in the Junior MTB Series.

Series director Nathan Fenton said it was a fantastic effort to see so many juniors take to the trails and get the real ‘race day’ experience.

“This race closed out a season which has broken all previous records, with representation from 188 kids, 10 clubs, from as far as East Gippsland, Mansfield and

the You Yangs, and 100 plus riders in five of the six races,” he said.

“Personally, I’ve had this series really close to my heart since filling the vacant position as series director five years ago.

“Back then this was a ragtag group of grassroot races in Bright for 30 to 40 kids and over the years we’ve grown to have 100 plus rid-

ers in races at Albury, Beechworth, Mount Beauty, Yackandandah, Falls Creek and Dinner Plain.Â

“This year we had a contingent of 12 riders who came all the way from Mansfield to participate at each race.

“This was my final race and the decision to step back was a hard one to make, but one I’ve made with a comfortable knowledge that the

series is in the best shape possible to continue to be so important to the region.

“What we have now I think has become a bit of a benchmark for how to bring together clubs and encourage kids of all ages and abilities into competitive mountain biking through competition.

“There were proud club moments galore, with series champion wins from Nash

Treloar, Zoe Caswell and Tilly Gray, and a third successive win in the Inter-Club Championship, taking home the trophy once again.

“Take a bow everyone, you’ve all earned it.

“Thanks goes from the club to the Junior MTB Series committee and their tireless work to bring it together, particularly Martin Kudlik and Gill Hilton.”

NEW BOWLS: Carol Elliot with the Bright Bowls Club’s new set of Aero bowls, which cater to older and younger players alike.

CHAMPIONS: Bright Lions (from left) Colin Dudley, Graeme Badrock and Steve Jenvey took out the community bowls competition last week.

Savoy women progressing well

DESPITE the 6-3 scoreline from the weekend, senior women’s co-coach Tom Scott said the group is on the right track.

The Savoy women were downed by Boomers soundly, but the squad more than tested many aspects of the Boomers’ game plan, beating the keeper three times and making the more experienced outfit work hard for every possession.

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

Scott said the side was coming along well, improving with every match.

“Even though we did lose, I don’t think the scoreline reflected our game, I think in the first half, we came out really strongly, scoring the first goal,” he said.

“We really put their defence on the backfoot, we had a couple of quick opportunities.

“The second half was a good positive, if you look at the two scorelines, we only went down 3-2 in that second half, so there are good signs there.

“Our first win won’t be far away, it’ll come when it comes.

“The girls can see they’re

putting in all this hard work and the reward is there.

“It is a really exciting time now, because we’re in this position they can see they can play football, they can score.

“Now it’s about that next step, we’ve got our first goal, so the next step is getting our first point.”

With no games scheduled for the Easter weekend, the team will turn their atten-

tion to Wednesday night’s FA Cup clash with Melrose FC.

Scott said the time off would hopefully let injured and sick players find their feet and make a return to the side.

“We’ve got a couple of people struggling with injuries at the moment and the flu, so over the Easter break it’ll just be important for them to be as fit as they can, and we head into that Melrose week with

some confidence,” he said.

“I think it’s another good opportunity to show our skill, and we head into (Albury) United and Twin City.

“There are a couple of big games coming up over the next few weeks, but I think we can really try and find a good, positive patch of play.”

The division two women were successful in their clash with Boomers, walking away winners 1-0.

DOMESTIC BASKETBALL FINALS FOUGHT OUT

THE season of Myrtleford and district basketball came to an end on Saturday, with juniors and seniors trying their hardest in the grand finals.

U12 Boys: The Barkleys 48 def The Durants 26. Best on Court: Bowie Cartwright. MVP: Nate Michelini. MVP runner up: Theo Gray.

U13 Girls: Raptors 26 def Owls 25. Best on Court: Grace Ely. MVP: Phoebe Creswell, Grace Ely. MVP runners up: Lexi Piazza. U14 Boys. The Shaqs 52 def U12s Rep Team 37. Best on Court: Xavier Millar.

MVP: Blake Parolin. MVP runner up: Nash Durling. U16 Boys: Warriors 36 def Hawks 26: Best on Court: Lachlan Russell. MVP: Lachlan Russell. MVP runner up: Sebastian Sylwestrzak. U17 Girls: Boomers 29 def Fire 28. Best on Court: Lily Boyer. MVP: Daeja Murtagh. MVP runner up: Shayla Power. U18 Boys: Knicks 53 def 76ERS 50. MVP: Nikolai Nannipieri. MVP runner up: Bailey Rob, Oliver Gianello.

A Res Women: Ball Hogz 31 def Bright 25. Best on

Court: Sophie Morey. MVP: Jane Archer. MVP runner up: Marni Witts.

A Res Men: Buffalo Bandits 45 def Shockers 31. Best on Court: Will Doodewaard. MVP: Will Doodewaard. MVP runner up: Ashton McPherson. A Grade Women: Myrtleford Hotel 34 def Railway Tigers 28. Best on Court: Skylah McPherson. MVP: Skylah McPherson. MVP runner up: Chloe Pasquinelli. A Grade Men: Grizzlies 47 def Knights 44. Best on Court: Charlie Crisp. MVP: Charlie Crisp. MVP runner up: Brody Bouker.

Under 18 Boys champions: Knicks.

Under 16 Boys champions: Warriors.

Under 12 Boys champions: The Barkleys.

IN CONTROL: Zahra Hazeldine dribbles the ball in the A grade women’s grand final between Railway Tigers and Myrtleford Hotel. PHOTO: Brodie Everist

Under 13 Girls MVPs Phoebe Creswell and Grace Ely.

Netballers prepared for strong season on the court

MYRTLEFORD will look to push for finals in all five netball grades this season, with an incredible crop of talent at every level.

The Saints played finals in four grades last season, and will look to further boost their way up the ladder.

Olivia La Spina will continue on as A grade coach, and said preseason this time around was a much more settled affair.

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

“I’ve really loved we’ve been able to build on what we were working on last year,” she said.

“I felt last year with me being new to the club, we were learning a lot of our structures and philosophy from scratch, whereas now I’ve been able to just run training sessions building on what we did last year rather than explaining it all from the start.

“Our ball movement in the past couple of weeks

when we’ve been playing intra-clubs or practice matches has been so quick and fast, and I don’t think it was like that at this time last year because we were all getting to know each other.

“Now I think everyone’s on the same page, we’re able to go out and really know what we’re doing, and it’s paying dividends.”

The Saints will be without last year’s best and fairest winner Sophie Hanrahan, who has returned to Corowa Rutherglen, but have picked

up a pair of gun players from Geelong, Maddy Martin and Daisy O’Kane.

“The girls have been up four or five times, they play their own netball down there so it’s not like they’re not playing netball,” La Spina said.

“We’re so excited to have them come and play, they’ll slot in so beautifully with us.

“The biggest thing is they’ve been down to Myrtleford and have gelled with the girls socially – it hasn’t just been training and going home, we’ve

been to events and a couple of wineries, so that social connection has been created.

“It’s really important for the club and making sure we have a good culture with the recruits coming in.”

Up against the Hoppers in round one, La Spina said a number of players would stand up and really make an impact.

“North Albury and us are probably on very similar pages in terms of what our A grade sides look like, a mixture of new and up-and-

coming talent, and more experienced heads,” she said.

“Playing North Albury is a really good test for us round one, they were rising up the ladder towards the end of last year.

“We’ve had girls returning to the club, Tara Breen and Shanae Gribbin who are past A grade players of the club, they’ve come in and it creates so much depth for us.

“All the grades are looking very healthy, we definitely want to go one better than last year.”

READY TO GO: (from left) B grade coach Tina Way, A grade coach Olivia La Spina, and C grade coach Rhiannon McPherson.

We’ve been working really hard on aerobically being able to run out four quarters.

- SENIOR COACH, CRAIG MILLAR

THE footy season is finally here, and the Myrtleford Saints are eager to get stuck in.

After a less than stellar 2023 saw the senior squad record only a solitary win, the Saints have been hard at work on the track and in the gym, doing whatever they can to boost their chances this year.

Senior coach Craig Millar said the players had taken up the challenge to improve their game.

“We had some really honest conversations in the middle part and latter part of last year, we spoke about standards and what it takes to play at the level, and not

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

just play but perform at Ovens and Murray level,” he said.

“Effectively two or three weeks after the last game, we already had a dozen players back training in the gym and working on the areas that, when we had our exit interviews with them at the end of 2023, they’ve got to work on.

“I’ve been really pleased with the appetite to want to get better across the whole group.

“Our numbers have been

really good at training, and I feel like we’ve set ourselves up to give ourselves every opportunity this year.”

The Saints have recruited well over the off season, luring gun players Frazer Dale and Lachie MurphyDale to their home club, as well as fresh faces from across the country.

While these players will definitely leave a mark on the season, Millar said he was looking forward to further developing the Saints’ young up and coming players.

“The young players coming through like (Ashton) McPherson, (Lachie) Miotto, Cy Banks,

Josh Muraca, Tommy Sparks – they’re not even 20 years of age yet, and that’s really exciting for us,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that core group of young players will step up.

“(Matt) Munro coming back, the two Dale boys (Frazer and Lachie), it’s really exciting for us not only to get three really good players, but they’ve played at the cub before, they know the culture of the place and slotted back in beautifully.

“They’ll complement Mitch Dalbosco, Brody Ricardi, Ryley Forrest and those guys, that’ll be a big help.

“We top up with Jaxson

East and Zac Pethybridge, Bowen Calogero, Disel Batey, those guys have been the icing on the cake in terms of the type of players we want to bring into the club, who can use the ball well and have good leg speed.”

The Saints host North Albury on Easter Sunday, with a bumper crowd expected at McNamara Reserve to watch Myrtleford launch their season.

“Our Easter game is arguably our biggest game for the year - we’ve performed well in those, we haven’t always won them but we’ve performed quite

well, and we really need to dial things up from our practice match form to round one,” Millar said.

“We’ve been working really hard on aerobically being able to run out four quarters.

“Individually, there will be some improvements, but collectively we’ll be a bit more of a consistent team.

“North Albury beat us twice last year by narrow margins but still got us twice, so we feel like we’ve got a lot of improvement to do before round one, but we feel like we’re putting ourselves into a good position to get our season off to a great start.”

Young guns gear up for thirds season

THE next generation of star senior Saints are set for a massive season in the thirds competition, with coaches emphasising the importance of working as a team to deliver the wins.

Myrtleford’s thirds squad will be headed up once again by Steve Masin, who will be joined by Rory Hazeldine as an assistant coach.

Masin said while it was always a task for the Saints to field a thirds squad, based purely on Myrtleford’s relatively small population size compared to other O&M clubs, he was confident in the list he’d assembled.

“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” he said.

“Obviously we’re always battling in our area to get numbers just because of the demographic, but we’ve been able to secure some boys from Bright, Beechworth and even Wangaratta.

“It means we’ve got a good squad now, and we’re looking forward to the season.

“One thing we offer as a point of difference is that

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

we train with our senior group.

“That means our under 18 players are exposed to the same game plan, they’re exposed to the same coaching, and they get quite comfortable around the senior players at a young age, and that’s where we think they make the transition to senior football really well.”

Last season saw the Saints record only a handful of wins, but Masin said the talent and game plan were in place to really push some of the bigger sides this season.

“Our main focus is really around playing well as a team,” he said.

“Our pool of players is lower, so we’re not just relying on and we can’t just rely on individual ability to make us win games.

“We’ve got to really sharpen up on our teamwork and make sure that everybody’s

contributing to get our wins on the board.

“Jack Hazeldine, he had a great season last year and he’s been training really well - with a year of experience under his belt, he was even less than bottom age last year, so with the experience of a season last year, he’ll be going well.

“Harry Stripeikis falls into that same category, and Lachie Barber from Wangaratta, and another one is Ollie Neil from Beechworth, they should all be good.”

The thirds have the unique honour of commencing the club’s efforts on the footy field this Sunday, taking to the ground to kickstart proceedings at 10am in front of an expected massive Easter crowd at Myrtleford.

“Easter’s always a really big game for the club, lots of supporters come and get behind us at the start of the season,” Masin said.

“It’s exciting for the boys to play in front of such a big crowd, and we’re really looking forward to the day.”

LEADING THE WAY: Steve Masin (left) and Rory Hazeldine will coach the up and coming thirds squad for the 2024 season. PHOTO: Brodie Everist

Saints set up for massive success in 2024

MYRTLEFORD Football Netball

Club co-president Luke Chapman is looking forward to another brilliant year at the club.

Leading the way alongside Rob Miotto once again, the club’s co-president is confident all grades of footy and netball will be competitive, with sides filled with home grown stars and people new to the area.

“There’s a real buzz around the town about things, which is really good,” he said.

“Things are pretty positive around the club with the football and netball side of things.

“It’s been a big preseason for both football and netball, we have a lot of new faces in the football side, which is exciting.

“A lot of these fellas are from the local area as well, and people who aren’t from the local area have moved down like Jaxson East and Zac Pethybridge, and Lachlan Plummer from Tasmania.

“A local footy club’s all about community.

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

“It gets a bit of excitement around town, makes some new friendships with people too in football and outside of football.”

Chapman said he expects a massive Easter Sunday crowd for the opening round clash against North Albury at McNamara Reserve.

“Easter Sunday doesn’t get much bigger for Myrtleford - we’ve had some big games over the years and this one won’t be any different,” he said.

“We expect a big crowd, North Albury are going well so I expect those supporters will travel as well, they’re up and about at this time of the year.

“They improved significantly last year, just missed out on a final.

“There’s no doubt we can knock them off, if we play well, get a bit of an extra step from our crowd.

“It should be a good day.”

MEN IN CHARGE: Co-presidents Luke Chapman (left) and Rob Miotto are expecting a massive crowd for the club’s first home game of the year this Sunday.

Saints kicking goals for mental wellbeing

THE NECC Mental Wellbeing Round will kick start the #bekindtoyourmind week in Myrtleford from April 13 -19.

Myrtleford Football Netball Club are excited to announce that St Kilda Club Best & Fairest and 203game veteran Steven Baker will be the keynote speaker at the #bekindtoyourmind luncheon on Saturday, April 13 at 11:30am at the Ablett Pavilion.

MFNC wellbeing team chair John Pryor said Baker was the ideal speaker.

“Steve is the founder of GRIT, he travels the country sharing stories of battling adversity on and off the field,” Pryor said.

“He talks frankly about losing loved ones and shares strategies on how he battled depression that anyone can implement, and he encourages others to speak up about mental health and preventing suicide.”

COME TOGETHER FOR MENTAL HEALTH:

Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing.

“All three schools are looking forward to this week,” Myrtleford P-12 principal Zlatko Pear said.

“We are very excited to have Chelsea Frawley as our keynote speaker.

“Chelsea’s presentation will include her lived experiences and she will share strategies on building mental fitness.”

With support of Alpine Health, NESAY and the Alpine Shire, there will be plenty of engaging activities for students, parents, carers, and teachers across the week, including a community session delivered by one of Australia’s highest profile child and adolescent psychologists Dr Michael Carr-Gregg on Wednesday, April 17.

NECC managing director Glenn Clarke said he was proud to be on board the initiative for another year.

“Recent tragedies across our area brings home the importance of continuing

Baker will also present the #be kind to your mind Trophy to either the Myrtleford Football Netball Club or the Yarrawonga Football Netball Club, based on whichever club wins the most games across football and netball during their round 3 clash at McNamara Reserve.

the work in building understanding of mental health,” he said.

“Anything our organisation can do to support the work of community groups like the Myrtleford Football Netball Club in addressing this issue, is important.

“I call out to other businesses and organisations to join us in supporting this important work.”

For the second year a program supporting positive mental wellbeing will continue across the week April 13 – 19, supported by local schools.

This will be the third year that Myrtleford P-12 College, Marian College and St Mary’s Primary School have partnered with the club in the Mental Wellbeing Week. Students and teachers at the schools will head from speaker Chalsea Frawley, community manager of the

Tickets for the luncheon on Saturday, April 13 can be purchased from the club on (03) 5752 1134 for $55 or via the TidyHQ link: http://thq. fyi/se/pfCEeFc.

This includes a 2-course lunch and Steven Baker’s presentation, drinks at bar prices.

Mental health advocate Mitch McPherson (far right) with (from left) Myrtleford P12 College principal Zlatko Pear, Marian College student wellbeing leader Megan Fullwood, managing director of North East Civil Construction Glenn Clarke and MFNC vice president John Pryor at the MFNC mental health luncheon last year.

START THE SEASON: UBFNC president Gerard Gray.

UBFNC ready to tackle 2024 season

AFTER months of preparation, Bright’s first round of the 2024 Ovens and King season is just around the corner.

The always-popular Easter fixture against Bright is one of the big ones for the club, with president Gerard Gray predicting a massive crowd at Pioneer Park this Saturday.

“It always is our biggest weekend of the year - talk about starting

off with a bang,” he said.

“The logistics to get ready for Easter are a little bit eye-watering, but we’ve had a couple of extra meetings to make sure we’re on track, divvying up roles, volunteer rosters getting filled in.

“It looks like the weather’s going to be unreal, Tarrawingee always brings it as far as good quality football, and their netballers are always in the top three or four in the competition,

they run a great program out there.

“We typically get about 1000 paid patrons through the gate - you’ve got life members, club members and kids through as well, so around 1500 by the time it’s all done and dusted.

“It’s always pretty amazing when you see the grandstand, the pavilion pretty full, the hill full on a nice autumn day.”

Gray said the club was

in an incredible position heading into the season, with volunteers and sponsors from in and around Bright getting right behind the blue and white.

“Sponsorship has been amazing, there was a lot of work going on in the background with us catching up with sponsors, sponsors catching up with us, sponsors reaching out and new sponsors wanting to jump on board - that in

itself is incredible,” he said.

“When you’ve got that level of commitment, it’s pretty inspiring.

“The netball girls going through their paces are looking really sharp, the boys are pretty solid on the track.

“We’ve been through a couple of preseason games as well, blown the cobwebs off

“We’ll have to be at our absolute best – that doesn’t

matter if it’s the volunteers at the gate, or whether it’s on the court or the field.

“From a club point of view, I do feel like we’re prepped and ready to go for Saturday.”

Bright hosts Tarrawingee this Saturday at Pioneer Park, with netball commencing at 9.30am and football from 10.30am, when the under 17s take on Dederang-Mount Beauty in a curtain raiser match.

Revamped Bright to shake up competition

WITH a vastly altered A grade squad and some fresh faces, Bright’s netballers will be eager to get stuck into the 2024 season.

Last year’s wooden spooners are focusing on having fun with their new look side, with players changing grades, moving up from juniors, or playing their first season at Pioneer Park.

New A grade co-coach Kate Buckley said the new side had generated quite a buzz around the club.

“We’ve got a few new faces to a few different teams, and it’s

pretty much a whole new outlook for the A grade team this year,” she said.

“It’s been a really good preseason, we’ve had some really good numbers on the court each week at training.

“We’ve got a brand new face at the club this year, Ash Grimes, she’s a diverse midcourt player and she’s also a goaler.

“It’ll be good to have that third option in the goal ring, she’s an incredibly athletic, very switched on netballer.

“A few of our midcourters have stuck around but have

played in different teams; we’ve got Georgie Matters, Monique Martin and Ash Farmer all playing through the midcourt and rotating through there.

“The talent in those girls is amazing, they work so hard, they’ll be very handy.”

After a few lean years on the ladder, Buckley said she was looking forward to enjoying the year alongside some great people.

“We just want to have a positive playing experience,” she said.

“Obviously, a few wins on the

board would be handy, but with a few of us returning to netball, we want to get back into how things run and enjoy ourselves.

“My co-coach Janis Madden is an incredibly experienced coach, umpire and ex-player who is a great asset to the club, team and myself – I’m grateful to be able to work alongside her.

“We’re excited, we’re nervous but we’re ready – round one will be a great test to see where we’re sitting for the year.”

Bright takes on Tarrawingee at home in round one.

It’s been a really good preseason, we’ve had some really good numbers on the court each week at training.

- A GRADE CO-COACH, KATE BUCKLEY

SEASON START: Kristi Hackett and Bright’s netballers face Tarrawingee in round one.

PHOTO: Charlotte Kilner

Mountain Men push for the flag

AFTER coming so close to the premiership last season, Bright’s senior footballers won’t let the cup slip through their fingers a second time.

Practically since last September, the Mountain Men have been hard at work improving their fitness and ability to punish teams late in the match.

With a largely unchanged list which struck fear into teams across the competition, Bright has recruited well, slotting in former O&M stars from Myrtleford like Declan Bren and Tyler Thomason into an already powerful line-up.

Coach Paul Harrison said every single player had improved their fitness, and the players had pushed each other to improve.

“Our boys have put in a heap of work, we’ve been going since the middle of November, plus all of the extras they’ve been doing themselves,” he said.

“I think across the lines, we’ve definitely strengthened each line with bringing in certain players.

“I think the key improvement for us is definitely our fitness, able to run out games a lot better.

“The boys’ preparation themselves outside of training, it’s well and truly sunk in that the opportunity is there to get our hands on a premiership, and they certainly are hungry not to miss out on it.”

Harrison said competition for senior spots would be incredibly competitive.

“Probably all of the players we’ve brought in can easily step into our senior side,” he said.

We’ve definitely added a lot of quality, there’s no doubting that, but sometimes they’ve got to fit into the system as well.

- COACH, PAUL HARRISON

“The likes of Declan Bren who in our practice match was unbelievably good – his presence around the ball, his pressure, he’s so quick.

“You’ve got Luke Quirk, Jai Dykstra, even Michael Hastie down back who’s moved to town, we didn’t know a lot about him but he’s stepped into our program and knows how to play his role perfectly through that back half.

“We’ve definitely added a lot of quality, there’s no doubting that, but sometimes they’ve got to fit into the system as well.

“We play a pretty teamoriented style, so you’ve got to really fit in and play your role – I don’t want anyone trying to be a superstar.

“If everyone can play their role, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Bright host Tarrawingee in round one, before taking on rivals Milawa in the second round.

SAFE HANDS: Cooper Thomason is sure to be an asset for the Mountain Men up forward this season.

PHOTO: Nathan de Vries

Whorouly Lions building into contenders

WHOROULY’S fortunes on the footy field have been hit and miss over the past few years, but some changes around the group and some players coming into their own means the Lions are ready for the hunt.

Livewire forward/utility player Lachy Moore has stepped up to the senior coaching role, and his players have doubled down on putting their best efforts forward on game day.

Assisted by a strong coaching staff, Moore and the Lions are angling to make a legitimate play to move up the ladder.

“The boys have been travelling really well over the preseason, we’ve all noticed a bit more of a buyin from everyone, doing a little bit extra,” Moore said.

“There’s been some incredible efforts from some of the boys, that sort of extra buy-in from the players has

really started to lift some standards that we’ve been trying to work on for a few years now.

“I have every desire to win and make an impact where we can, and the boys are well on track.

“I just really want to push the positivity, and as much as I hate to say it, get that brand where we can enjoy coming to football, enjoying coming here and playing for one another.

“At the end of the day, that’s going to bring the results we want...we want blokes, even in losses, to try and be positive and not walk out hating football.”

While Whorouly did lose a trio of senior players to O&M side Myrtleford, they’ve recruited well, with new faces like Eddie Woolford and Zac Bladon complementing a strong list.

“Big Eddie Woolford has demanded a spot round one,

he’s going to show a real aggression at the football that we’re going to love,” Moore said.

“There are other boys like Zac Bladon, who’s really interested in making an impact, so it’s going to be very interesting to see how they adapt.

“Andy (Newton) is one to watch this season, he’s been super impressive on the track.

“We’re really excited to have Ollie Dixon re-sign, he’s putting on size, he’s putting on smarts, and really looking to take on the game.

“We have Darcy O’Shannessy coming back again, we put him from the forward line to the back line and he’s really become a staple of this team.”

The Lions will sit out round one with the bye, before taking on Benalla All Blacks at Friendlies Oval to begin their season.

Lions courting netball success

WHOROULY will have to wait a week to make their 2024 season debut with the bye in round one, but the Lions are eager to begin their flag campaign.

After an exceptionally promising 2023 season, which ended prematurely in an elimination final, the Lions have bolstered their list and look to be more attacking on the court.

On top of retaining most of their list, and strengthening it, works on Whorouly’s new courts are completed, set to give the Lions top notch training and game facilities.

A/B grade coach Kelly Cousins said the girls had embraced preseason with intensity.

“The girls are feeling

pretty good, we’ve had three practice matches, so we’ve got a bit of match sim under our belt,” she said.

“We finally got onto our courts, and that was really good, having a full court back under our use, it’s really helped.

“The list is looking good, we’re working on our combinations - we’re just testing combinations trying to get the right fit but it’s shaping up well, I’m happy.”

The Lions will be without key shooter Katie Ivone, but have brought back Katelin Anesbury, who is gelling well with established shooters Sarah Primerano and Tayla Allen.

“My focus is on our attacking end and building really solid connections

between our attackers to set us up for the season ahead,” Cousins said.

“It’s a bit of a gap, but at this stage we’ve had a couple of players who have played with us before like Katelin Anesbury, she’s come back and training really well - she’s fitted nicely in with Tayla Allen and Sarah Primerano.

“We naturally lend ourselves to a really good defensive squad, both in A and B grade.

“Our defensive pressure is great, I’ve been really impressed with what we’ve been putting out defensively, just have to work on our attack end.”

The Lions begin their season in round two against Benalla All Blacks.

SHOOTER: Sarah Primerano is sure to have an impact in Whorouly’s attacking end.

PHOTO: Nathan de Vries

LEADER: Andy Newton is set for a massive season with the Lions in 2024.

PHOTO: Nathan de Vries

Bombers looking to bounce back

By DANIEL SAVILLE

THE loss of key personnel has not quelled the enthusiasm that has been evident on the training track for months on end as DederangMount Beauty embark on an exciting footballing journey in 2024.

In what could have been a disaster for the club, the start of the preseason was clouded with uncertainty following the departures of former coach Damien Jones (Wodonga) and star players Jordan Harrington (Lockhart), Cody Hewat and Josh Kable (Holbrook).

The Bombers are now only two weeks away from launching into a season that has been lifted significantly by the appointments of popular club stalwarts Jaydn Chalmers and Tom McGhee as senior co-coaches late last year, whose positive outlook has attracted a swag of local and travelling talent back to the club, resulting in more numbers than seen in recent memory.

McGhee has been thrilled with the amount of new and returning players who will wear the red and black this year.

“It’s been a really positive preseason with lots of new faces on the track - numbers have been great with consistently around 25 players at each session,” he said.

“Jaydn and I have been trying to create a fun environment where the reserves players are just as important to our club’s success as the senior team.

“We will be focusing a lot on blokes enjoying their footy first and foremost through both the seniors and reserves, and hopefully playing with a sense of freedom will result in some wins along the way.”

Dederang-Mount Beauty’s recent practice match against Upper Murray outfit Bullioh at Sandy Creek gave the coaching duo many reasons to smile ahead of their first league game in just over a week.

“The game was a culmination of our hard work over pre-season and it

was a great chance for us to see our new players in action,” McGhee said.

“We had nearly 20 blokes on the bench which was quite a funny sight, but it was a good hit out where everyone got a decent run at it, and it gave Jaydn and myself a chance to see positionally who could fit in where.”

It was a difficult task for McGhee to narrow it down to a few of many who have impressed at training but highlighted midfielder Matt Paddle and half-back William Webb as players to watch for the Bombers.

“Matt was a standout in our practice match - he is a bull on the inside in the midfield and has pace to burn when given the chance to run,” McGhee said.

“Webby returns after a year away from the club but has a bit of swagger about him - he has a great football brain and look out for him to take a couple of hangers.”

The Bombers start their season on the road against Tallangatta next Saturday, April 6.

READY TO RISE: Senior co-coach Tom McGhee says the effort from the Bombers on the track is exceptional.

DMB to shoot for the stars

By DANIEL SAVILLE

AS they edge closer to another netball campaign, Dederang-Mount Beauty’s A grade netball side has a point to prove in their continued pursuit of finals action.

The usual feeling of hope and optimism at the beginning of the season has been replaced by an expectation to perform and a steely determination to trump last season’s finals near-miss, and this has been front of mind for A grade coach Alex Dyde.

“We only missed out on finals by a few points last year and it came down to the final two rounds,” Dyde said.

“This year, with our new and returning players, we have only grown in skill and strength, and we are going in confident that we can crack that top five.

“It will be no easy feat with 12 teams in the league, but we

know we are determined and unwavering to achieve the goal of playing finals this season.”

The significant on-court loss of defensive pillar Danielle Beer will be offset by the return of past players Tessa Walsh and Stacey Browne, along with Keely Bullivant (Albury Tigers), Maddi Deery (Wodonga Raiders) and Paige Tuohey (South Bendigo), who Dyde says will make a big difference to a new-look starting seven.

“Tessa, who won our club best and fairest in 2022, is a strong and versatile player who’s performing as if she never stepped off the court,” Dyde said.

“Maddi and Keely are quiet achievers – both consistent, calm and very skilled.

“Paige, who will be important to our shooting end, is an experienced player and she has impressed from the first session that she attended.”

If pre-season standards and results are any indication of what the future may hold for the Bombers, then they are more than capable of reaching their lofty expectations.

“Pre-season numbers have been great and everyone has continued to improve their fitness and skills moving into round one,” Dyde added.

“All three senior sides have played four games at the Albury Netball Association pre-season competition against a combination of O&M, Tallangatta league and Hume league teams, and the A Grade side have confidently won all games by decent margins.

“We have high hopes for all grades to perform well this year.”

After a rest over the upcoming Easter long weekend, Tallangatta will be the season’s first of many oncourt challenges next Saturday afternoon.

HIGH HOPES: Alex Dyde and the Bombers will be chasing a finals berth in the 2024 season.

Great Alpine Classic contested SPORT

THE Great Alpine Classic last week brought a massive crowd to the region’s golf courses, with Myrtleford and Bright hosting events.

Saturday, March 23

RBI Plumbing Stableford AMCR 71 AWCR 74

A grade winner: David Clark (15) 45 pts. A grade runner up: Craig Shewell (15) 38 pts. B grade winner: Gerard Black (16) 38 pts. B grade runner up: Paul Cowman (20) 36 pts c/b.

Ball winners: D Rossato

37, Z Cunneen 36, P McIlroy 36, J Galvan 36, A Roseby 35, B Caldwell 35 c/b.

Foodworks NTPs - 1st:

Sarah Deas, 4th 2nd shot: Stephen Piddington, 8th: David Clark, 14th: Paul Green, 16th: Damien Rossato.

Matthews Cleaning award - Russell Thompson 21 pts.

Raffle winner: John Costello.

Wednesday, March 20

Coles Stableford AMCR 71

A grade winner: Brian Caldwell (20) 39 pts. A grade runner up: Jade Galvan (9) 36 pts c/b.

Ball winners: A Loftus 36, P Stewart 34, D Clark 34, A Rockliff 33 c/b.

Foodworks NTPs - 1st: John Costello, 4th 2nd shot: Jade Galvan, 14th: Jade Galvan, 16th: Chris Rowney.

Tuesday, March 19

Coles - Stableford - AWCR 74

A grade winner: Judy Bynon (21) 37pts. A grade runner up: Jan Roseby (15)

36 pts.

Ball winners: Jan Harper 34pts, Kerry Chapman 33pts c/b.

Foodworks NTPs - 1st: Jan Harper 2nd 4th shot: Kerry Newton, 14th: Judy Bynon.

Nine hole winner: Carol Ames (53) 23pts. Nine hole runner up: Denise O’Donohue (41) 18pts.

The Great Alpine Classic 2024, March 18-21

Myrtleford results, Monday, March 18.

Men’s A grade winner: Paul Pelzer (13) 37 pts, Centenary Park. Men’s A grade runner up: Chris Thornton (15) 34 pts, Ocean Grove. Men’s B grade winner: Bruce Keenan (23) 37 pts, Yarra View. Men’s B grade runner up: Ray Borschmann (20) 33 pts, Bright.

Ladies’ A grade winner: Helen Emery (19) 38 pts, Kyabram Valley. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Colleen Armstrong (19) 37 pts, Rich River.

Ladies’ B grade winner: Janice Johnstone (23) 38 pts, Kyabram Valley. Ladies’ B grade runner up: Rhonda Pelzer (23) 37 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade winner: Jeanette Wheeler (33) 41 pts, Ocean Grove. Ladies’

WINNER: Judy Bynon took out the competition last Tuesday.

C grade runner up: Louise Rolfe (30) 32 pts c/b, Rich River.

NTPs - 1st: Janice Johnstone and Daryl Henderson, 8th: Kerrie James, 14th: Susan Wood and Daryl Henderson, 16th: Peter Bray. Bright results, Tuesday, March 19

Men’s A grade winner: Robert Toal (2) 38 pts, Thurgoona. Men’s A grade runner up: Leigh Muldoon (12) 33 pts, Barwon Valley. Men’s B grade winner: Nick Aloizos (20) 35 pts, Bright. Men’s B grade runner up: Jack Nose-

da (20) 32 pts c/b, Sandhurst.

Ladies’ A grade winner: Joanne McDonald (20) 40 pts, Randwick. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Linda Wadden (17) 37 pts c/b, Gisbourne. Ladies’ B grade winner: Jo Cohen (23) 35 pts, Sorrento. Ladies’ B grade runner up: Catherine Kelly (22) 32 pts, Rich River.

Ladies’ C grade winner: Faye Wiseman (45) 45 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade runner up: Debra Powell (30) 38 pts c/b, Centenary Park.

NTPs - 3rd: Yvonne Everitt and John Spencer, 8th: Jennifer Romeo and Robert Toal, 11th: Sue Mitchelhill and Arthur Delavay, 16th: Karen Slater and Craig Lowther.

Myrtleford results, Thursday, March 21

Men’s A grade winner: Craig Lowther (11) 34 pts c/b, Barwon Valley. Men’s A grade runner up: Bradley Monkcom (11) 34 pts, Northern. Men’s B grade winner: Laurie Fitzsimmons (20) 33 pts, Lonsdale. Men’s B grade runner up: John Spencer (20) 33 pts, Centenary Park.

Ladies’ A grade winner: Linda Wadden (18) 37 pts, Gisbourne. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Lisa Hyne (18) 36 pts c/b, Clubarham. Ladies’ B grade winner: Majella

O’Connor (23) 34 pts, Lonsdale. Ladies’ B grade runner up: Jo Cohen (23) 33 pts c/b, Sorrento. Ladies’ C grade winner: Faye Wiseman (45) 37 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade runner up: Barbara McCarty (31) 35 pts c/b, Rochester.

NTPs - 1st: Anne Burgess and Craig Lowther, 8th: Julie Leahy, 14th: Karen Slater and John Allen, 16th: Yvonne Everitt and Craig Lowther.

Bright results, Thursday, March 21

Men’s A grade winner: Dylan Pool (1) 38 pts, Beechworth. Men’s A grade runner up: Max Disher (10) 31 pts, Phillip Island. Men’s B grade winner: Wayne Kupke (21) 36 pts, Eildon. Men’s B grade runner up: Owen Trumper (17) 33 pts, Phillip Island.

Ladies’ A grade winner: Leanne Busch (16) 33 pts, Kyabram Valley. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Jan Livingston (18) 32 pts, Ballarat. Ladies’ B grade winner: Janise Cossins (26) 34 pts, Ballarat. Ladies’ B grade runner up: Jane Cook (26) 32 pts c/b, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade winner: Gail Gillespie (34) 34 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade runner up: Frances Bentley (32) 30 pts c/b, Bright.

NTPs - 3rd: Jan Livingston and Oscar Pretto, 6th:

Colleen Armstrong and Rob Hutchinson, 11th: Jane Cook and Doug McKnight, 16th: Denise Ferrier and Craig Lowther.

Great Alpine Classic overall results

Men’s A grade winner: Robert Toal 105 pts, Thurgoona. Men’s A grade runner up: Paul Pelzer 103 pts, Centenary Park. Men’s A grade third: Dylan Pool 102 pts, Beechworth. Men’s B grade winner: Ian Harbourd 107 pts, Jubilee. Men’s B grade runner up: Owen Trumper 99 pts, Phillip Island. Men’s B grade third place: Bruce Keenan 98 pts, Yarra View.

Ladies’ A grade winner: Linda Wadden 110 pts, Gisbourne. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Jan Boulton 107 pts, Northern. Ladies’ A grade runner up: Helen Emery 103 pts, Kyabram Valley. Ladies’ A grade third place: Jo Cohen 102 pts, Sorrento. Ladies’ B grade runner up: Janise Cossins 102 pts, Ballarat. Ladies’ B grade third place: Jane Cook 99 pts c/b, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade winner: Faye Wiseman 112 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade runner up: Jan Cheers 105 pts, Centenary Park. Ladies’ C grade runner up: Debra Powell 99 pts, Centenary Park.

FOOTRACE: Will Keenan tears after the ball in the Div 1 Men’s 4-3 win over Boomers at Glen Park on Sunday.

HEAD TO HEAD: Brayden Gasperotti goes one on one with a Boomer player. PHOTOS: Janet Watt PASSING: Tom La Spina drives the ball forward.

Port

Brisbane

Carlton

Fremantle

St Kilda

Port Adelaide

Western Bulldogs Western

Sydney

Bright Community Bank® Branch

Brisbane

Carlton

Fremantle St Kilda

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs Western

Sydney

Geelong

Last

Brisbane

Carlton

Fremantle St Kilda Kilda

Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Western Sydney Geelong

FOOTY TIPSTER LADDER

TIPSTER TOTAL:

Gerard Gray ..................................17

Rebecca Healy

Round 1

Friday 29th March

Wodonga Raiders v Lavington Raiders v Wangaratta v Wang Rovers v Rovers

Saturday 30th March

Corowa Rutherglen v Albur y Corowa v Albury

Sunday 31st March

Myrtleford v Nth Albur y v Nth Albury

Yarrawonga v Wodonga v

Round 1

Friday 29th March

Bonnie Doon v Benalla v Moyhu v Greta v Greta

Saturday 30th March 30th March

Bright v Tarrawingee v King Valley v Milawa v Milawa

BYE- Whorouly, Nth Wangaratta, BYE- Nth Goorambat

Round 1

Friday 29th March

Wahgunyah v Rutherglen v

Saturday 6th April 6th

Beechworth v Chiltern Beechworth v Barnawartha v Mitta United v Tallangatta v Dederang Mt Beauty v Mt Thurgoona v Wodonga v Kiewa v Yackandandah v

Thursday, Mar 28

Brisbane vs Collingwood Brisbane vs.

Friday, Mar 29

Nth Melbourne vs Carlton vs.

Fremantle vs Adelaide vs.

Saturday, Mar 30

Essendon vs St Kilda vs.

Port Adelaide vs Melbourne vs.

Sunday, Mar 31

Western Bulldogs vs West Coast Western vs. West Coast

Richmond vs Sydney Richmond vs.

Monday, Apr 1

Hawthorn vs Geelong Hawthorn vs.

A close call for Savoy

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MYRTLEFORD will head into the Easter break undefeated after sneaking a 4-3 win over Boomers on Sunday.

Playing at Glen Park, Savoy had control of the game from the starting whistle, but failed to convert on their many chances to put the match away early.

A pair of goals came in the second half to put Savoy ahead, but it all changed when Brayden Gasperotti received a second yellow card and was sent off

Momentum swung Boomers’ way and they surged, scoring three quick goals to put Savoy up against the wall, but when Myrtleford soon equalised.

With precious little time remaining, Nagus Henry found the winner, and Savoy held on to remain undefeated.

Coach Jayden Vescio said it was a rollercoaster of a match.

“It was an interesting game, with ebbs and flows,” he said.

“We started really, really well, we just couldn’t find the back of the net in the first half, and we started the second half really well, we scored two goals which was good.

“Brayden Gasperotti got a second yellow card, he got sent off after maybe 60 minutes, so we were down to 10 men with half an hour to play at 2-0 up.

“They made a couple of changes, and I probably didn’t get it right tactically, they scored three goals in 10 minutes, and we suddenly found ourselves from coasting 2-0 up to losing 2-3 with 10 men.

BY NATHAN DE VRIES ndevries@ nemedia.com.au

“It was a crazy game, a game we dominated for the first 65 minutes, they dominated for 10 or so minutes, and we found a way with 10 men.

“To score two goals with 10 men was pretty good, to get those points away to Boomers, which is a pretty tricky place to get points, it was really pleasing.”

Myrtleford will enter the Easter break with a flawless 2-0 record, sitting third on the ladder by goal difference, and face top team Albury United when they return.

“Once the draw came out I had a big emphasis on being 2-0 at the break and still being alive in the cup, and we’ve managed to do that,” Vescio said.

“We’ll reset now, everyone will go away with their families for Easter, and will come back ready to have a crack at United.

“We’re really looking forward to that opportunity, it’s a grand final rematch, they’ve been the benchmark for the last couple of seasons.

“We somewhat get a free crack at them, nice and early in the season, so we’ll rest our bodies and get ready for that one.”

The reserves also picked up a handy 3-1 win in their clash with Boomers, while the thirds scratched out a hard-fought 1-1 draw.

■ Photos page 34