Ferntree Gully
Belgrave
Mail Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires
5 Tuesday, 20 May, 2014
Help for homeless
6
A Mail Newspaper Group publication
Arts deeper message
18-19
Sports of all sorts
Phone: 9751 9300 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
■ After 40 years in the job, this policeman still ponders unsolved killings...
Murder mysteries By MELISSA MEEHAN TWO unsolved murders stick in the mind of Leading Senior Constable Dignis Kamoen’s when he looks back on his long career. Forty years in a job is a long time. But the deaths of Cuckoo restaurant owner Willie Koeppen and former local newspaper advertising manager Nanette Ellis will always stick in his mind - especially because their murderers have yet to be brought to justice. Last week Leading Sen Const Kamoen celebrated 40 years service in Victoria Police, and 33 years at Belgrave Police Station. Formerly based at Ferntree Gully, Leading Sen Const Kamoen moved to the Belgrave station in 1981 because he and his wife decided that night shifts weren’t for him.
“Belgrave was close, and didn’t have a night shift at the time, so it seemed like a good fit,” he said. “Six months later, I was back on night shift.” When asked why he stayed at Belgrave for so long - when others had come and gone to other stations, his answer was simple. “I was brought up here,” he said. “I like the scenery and everything - it’s home.” He said there were many memories of his time on the force, including two weeks in Queensland for a court case after he found a woman wanted for a shooting. She was found by local police hiding in the hills. “I got a trip to Queensland once,” he said. “There was an armed robbery in Queensland, and there was a person shot dead - but we found her hiding out in Monbulk.
“So I was able to go up for two weeks for the hearings.” But it wasn’t all interstate trips for him. He recalls a cold and dreary night in the 1980s when a father and son had come into the station. “It was obvious that the kid had broken into the place, he didn’t say that, but he said he had been in a property and seen a body wrapped in plastic,” he said. “So we went to the property, and sure enough we found the body of a woman perfectly preserved in plastic - apparently the daughter couldn’t let go of her mother. “All jobs weren’t like that - but that sticks in your memory as a bit weird and different.” He has no plans to retire yet, so he has more time to create many other memories.
Leading Senior Constable Dignis Kamoen, middle, celebrated his time at the force with Sergrant Doug Berglund and Superintendent Graeme Arthur. 120628 Picture: MELISSA MEEHAN
At the frontier of good food
Holly Desmond with owners of new Tecoma eating spot Cafe 1551 Erin and Jessica. 120635 Picture: MELISSA MEEHAN
THEY may not have won the Jamie Oliver Pop Up Kitchen competition but they cooked up a lot of interest. The Hills Food Frontier (THFF) is a community inspired good food project which is focused on inspring the people of the Dandenong Ranges to cook, share and learn about good food. Holly Desmond, Laura Spirt and Shakti McLaren joined forces to head the project. “We want to increase promotion of projects and businesses that provide good food options and strengthen good food activities in the hills,” Ms Desmond said. “The Hills Food Frontier believes that good food is nutritious, wholesome, affordable and, where possible, grown ethically by local farmers and producers. “This ‘Frontier’ is an imaginary line that is drawn around the hills community that ensures that local good food is well promoted to locals and tourists, readily available and sustainable.” For more information readers can go to the Facebook page called The Hills Food Frontier and leave their ideas. - MELISSA MEEHAN
BORONIA MALL CLINIC
RRP per 908g tub Shop 1/107 Station St, Ferntree Gully Tel: 1135140-CA21-14
9758 0990
www.jenniferannescakes.com.au
Licensed & BYO Wine Autumn Special Sun-Mon Buy One Set Menu Dish and Get the 2nd at Half Price Before and after movie snacks also available. 3/1563 Burwood Highway, Tecoma (Next to Big Al’s Pizza)
Closed Tuesdays
(03) 9752 6789 www.lemiraaj.com.au
1st Indian Restaurant in the Hills Serving Just Good Food! Dine In & Take Away
Phone: 9762 8533 “All new patients welcome” Appointments available
Ph 9754 8388 www.saffroncottage.com.au Shop 2/1567 Burwood Highway, Tecoma 3160 Closed Mondays, Lunch Friday 12 - 2.30 pm
MON, TUE, THUR, FRI 9.00am – 5.00pm WEDNESDAYS from 9.00am – 6.00pm
1136199-CG21-14
17.50
“We’re Here To Make a Difference” Shop 28, Dorset Square, Boronia Vic 3155
Fully Licensed
1130002-DJ18-14
$