Mail - Upper Yarra Star Mail - 12th January 2021

Upper Yarra

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

Mail

SES theft anger

Looking back at 2020

School holiday fun

Sporting year in review

PAGE 3

PAGES 4-7, 9-10

PAGE 11

SPORT Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808 12477081-JW03-21

A Star News Group Publication

Covid’s front line Mail PEOPLE OF THE YEAR

2020 This is for the front line workers.

In our hospitals, clinics and testing stations, health care workers risked their wellbeing to care for others during Covid-19’s deadly first and second waves.

The unstinting nurses, doctors, surgeons, cleaners, counsellors, specialists, receptionists and the myriad of health care workers at Eastern Health are the Star Mail People of the Year.

In this special edition we look back at what made news in 2020 dominated, naturally, by Victoria’s battle to suppress the Coronavirus through what was a grim winter.

We also look back at other newsmakers, as well as the sporting events and images that made news in 2020.

For an insight into the battle waged by health workers on the front line turn to pages 4 and 5.

Eastern Health team members Lia Weston-Edward, Di Dekker, Ruth Herdman, Diane Taylor, and Karina Bagnoux celebrating hitting zero active cases.

Pictures: JED LANYON

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So even if your symptoms are mild, or you’ve been tested before, every test helps.

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

Thieves target SES

By Taylah Eastwell

Michael Young, Bree Woolf, Judy Witnish and Bjoern Boenig. 203960 With rain and thunderstorms forecast in coming days and the festive period notorious for road accidents, the theft has reduced the capacity of volunteers to provide appropriate road rescue response during a vital time of year.

“We got called out to a car accident on Sunday night and that second set of cutters would of made things a heck of a lot easier.

The crooks also stole two chainsaws, a small hydraulic pump for the cutters and a hose.

Upper Yarra Deputy Unit Controller Cam

Search for owners of war medals

McDonald said the SES volunteers have been left devastated.

“After the year we’ve all had, it’s just a really frustrating way to end the year. Hopefully someone realises this is pretty specialist equipment and doesn’t have much broader use and they just return it,” he said.

The VICSES Upper Yarra Unit have responded to a total of 342 requests for assistance in the past 12 months.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Queensland Fruit Fly found at Silvan Council is asking residents to be on the lookout for the Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) in coming months and help prevent its spread, after a detection of the fly in Silvan this month.

The Queensland Fruit Fly is a horticultural pest, which lays eggs in fruit and vegetables. The damaged fruit and veggies rot inside while the eggs mature into larvae, making the produce inedible and unsaleable.

QFF was detected in the Yarra Valley in February 2018, in January 2019 and March 2020. Containment and eradication treatments were then put in place by private landowners.

Yarra Ranges Council was notified of a recent detection of the QFF in early January this year.

Residents in the immediate surrounding area are being notified in writing and provided with information on how to prevent the pest spreading.

The QFF is active in fruiting season, though populations increase in spring when temperatures rise above 16 degrees. They can remain active in autumn and winter in warmer weather.

Council and Agribusiness Yarra Valley will

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General Enquiries Tel: 5957 3700 Email: enquiries@mailcommunity.com.au Distribution Enquiries Tel: 1300 654 910 Advertising Group Advertising Manager – Tracey Aitken Email: advertising@mailcommunity.com.au Editorial Editor – Garry Howe Email: editor@mailcommunity.com.au Classifieds Advertising Phone: 1300 666 808 Email: sales@networkclassifieds.com.au Deadlines: Display Advertising: 4PM Wednesday Trades: 4PM Thursday Classifieds: 4PM Friday Sports Results: 9AM Monday Managing Director: Paul Thomas

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Police are hopeful they will be able to reunite a rightful veteran or their family with a number of war medals located during an arrest last month.

Officers arrested a man in Melbourne in December 2019 for property related matters and discovered two stolen war medals in his possession.

The silver medal is a British First World War Medal with service number ‘53697’ and name ‘T.K Chesters’ engraved on the bottom.

The gold medal is a 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal issued by the states of Jersey.

Police have conducted extensive searches to reunite the sentimental property with its owner but have been unsuccessful so far.

Investigators have today released images of the medals in the hope someone may recognise them and come forward with relevant documentation.

Anyone with information or who may know the owner of the medals is urged to contact Greensborough Police Station on 8432 0200.

Greyhound death A greyhound was euthanised at the Healesville track on Friday 8 January after sustaining a fractured humerus and elbow bones in the catching pen following a race.

Greyhound, Notorious Jiggs, finished second in Race 10 but became the seventh death for a greyhound in the first eight days of 2021.

The incident has seen groups pressure Greyhound Racing Victoria on the safety of the sport.

More to come.

Ring found Healesville Police are seeking the owner for a silver ladies dress ring located on 5 January in the undercover barbecue area of Queens Park, opposite the kindergarten.

The claimant will be required to describe the stone setting in detail.

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work with the landowners to contain and eradicate any QFF. Fruit fly populations can increase in number quickly, and the damage to fruit can extend into neighbouring properties, or even across the region.

Residents with fruit trees can prune their trees to a reachable height, harvest fruit quickly and keep an eye out, as the fruit fly looks for ripe fruit to breed.

Good ways of preventing the spread of the Queensland Fruit Fly are: Pruning fruit trees in gardens to a man-

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ageable size. Smaller fruit trees are easier to implement fruit fly controls on and are more manageable for home gardeners.

Infestation can occur when fruit on high branches are left unharvested. The best time of year to prune fruit trees is in late winter and early spring, when trees are generally dormant.

Picking fruit before it falls from the tree.

Damaged and fallen fruit can become a refuge for fruit fly maggots. Dispose of all fallen or damaged fruit properly to minimize the risk of spreading QFF. If you have fruit grown in areas where QFF exists and are returning to the area, leave it behind, eat it all or cook it before bringing it into the Yarra Valley to protect the area.

Install QFF traps if you are in the Yarra Valley, and monitor each week for flies.

Apply fruit fly bait on trees and leaves if you’ve had a detection in your area. The bait will kill flies.

Infested fruit or vegetables can be microwaved to kill maggots. Alternatively, fruit and vegetables can be frozen for two days to kill off maggots and larvae before they are disposed of.

QFF traps and bait are available at garden centres or online.

·

The Queensland Fruit Fly has been detected in Silvan recently.

Six people in their twenties have been injured in a crash in Millgrove on Sunday 3 January.

According to Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol investigators, it is believed a white Toyota Tarago was travelling south-west on Dee Road when the driver veered off the road and struck a tree about 10.30pm.

The driver and front seat passenger were trapped for some time before being airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition, one with upper body injuries and the other with lower body injuries.

Two other male passengers with minor injuries were taken to Maroondah Hospital via road ambulance, while a man and a woman were taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition with upper body injuries.

The exact cause of the crash is yet to be determined and the investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

The Star Mail is published by Paul Thomas for Star News Group Pty Ltd ABN 98 238 557 339. All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible. Distribution numbers, areas and coverage are estimates only. For terms and conditions please visit www.mailcommunity.com.au Print Post Number PP33445700014.

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A heartless robbery at Upper Yarra SES has stripped the local unit of over $20,000 worth of critical lifesaving equipment during a peak period for road accident callouts.

Upper Yarra SES Unit Controller Michael Young said a member went down to the Wesburn facility on Wednesday 30 January when he noticed things were not quite right inside the unit.

“He had a bit of a look around and saw we’d been broken into,” Mr Young explained.

It is understood the unit’s alarm system had a fault and was in the process of being replaced. The robbery is believed to have occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The thieves stole a set of road rescue hydraulic cutters that the SES unit had purchased through community fundraising. Often referred to as the ‘Jaws of Life’, the cutters are a vital piece of equipment used to free trapped passengers from vehicles after an accident.

“What they are going to use them for, I’ve not no idea. I found it very odd that that’s what they took,” Mr Young said.

The theft of one of only two sets of road rescue hydraulics from the unit means emergency crews can now only respond to one person at a time if multiple people are trapped in a road accident.

“It just makes you sick. I’ve been a member for 24 years and it feels like someone’s broken into my home,” Mr Young said.

Six injured in Millgrove crash

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2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS ...

NEWSMAKERS

Health heroes take a bow

By Jed Lanyon and Taylah Eastwell Karen Pieters - Nurse Unit Manager Operating Theatre - Healesville Hospital

Ms Pieters’ operating theatre at Healesville Hospital was shut down in March when elective surgeries were halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Pieters and her staff had their roles change drastically as they were allocated to help support Covid testing at GP clinics, popup sites and outbreak locations in Kilsyth and Wantirna.

“All of the operating staff were just incredible, I haven’t heard one grizzle from them after we’ve had to put on so many hats. One of the values of Eastern Health has been our adaptability, I’m so proud of my staff and myself.”

Ms Pieters, a Mount Evelyn resident, said part of her new role was alleviating the fears and anxiety of nervous patients. She said her staff were trained in analysing people to see how they were coping.

“Patients would come into the testing clinics and they’d be absolutely petrified. It’s like a pregnancy, they’ve only heard the horror stories. They’ve heard, ‘this is going to be shoved up your nose and into your brain’ and stories that just weren’t correct.

“They’d walk out often happy and laughing and there’d be lollipops given out to the children.

“Some days you’d just go home and be balling your eyes out. You’ve got these sad and lonely patients who haven’t seen anybody, and you see they’re so excited to be getting a Covid test because they haven’t seen anybody.”

Ms Pieters held concerns for patients who were receiving treatments for other serious conditions and illnesses but feared they would contract the virus.

“They were scared to go to hospital and they were scared to have their procedures done. They said, ‘I feel as if I should wait until Covid-19 finishes’ but your potential illness or cancer may not wait for that.”

Victoria’s efforts in suppressing the second wave of the coronavirus meant that Ms Pieters and her staff could return to the operating theatre once again.

“We started operating in October, we’re pleased to come back and do what we’re all employed to do.”

Ms Pieters admitted that she would be in a high-risk category if she contracted the coronavirus.

“If I got Covid, the chances of me dying would be reasonably high. But you go into nursing because that’s what you choose to go into. It’s the same as when you go into the navy and board a ship.

“You have to believe in the equipment and policies and the process has been terrific.”

Craig Hamilton - Nurse Unit Manager, Dialysis Unit at Healesville Hospital

Craig Hamilton’s unit helps provide dialysis treatment for renal patients experiencing kidney issues.

Mr Hamilton, from Wonga Park, said it is “impressive” to see a Dialysis Unit located out in Healesville.

“It’s relatively exceptional to have a service like this provided in country Victoria. Not all country towns have a dialysis unit and some patients might be travelling an hour and a half to receive their dialysis in a centre.”

If it weren’t for the Healesville Dialysis Unit, local patients would be travelling to Maroondah Hospital three times a week.

As the dialysis is essential for a patients survival, the work of Mr Hamilton and his staff didn’t change all too much throughout the pandemic. But as patients requiring dialysis are likely to be imuno-compromised, it was vital that Eastern Health created a CovidSafe environment to prevent any transmission of the virus among patients.

Screening patients and identifying those who were sick was crucial for the Dialysis Unit

to successfully carry out their work in a safe manner.

“The process around a patient attending for dialysis changed somewhat. We go through an important process when a patient enters a hospital, their temperature is taken and they are asked if they are well enough to enter the hospital.

Mr Hamilton explained that the Dialysis Unit had become separated from other functions of the hospital to ensure the safety of patients.

“It was important for us to ensure these patients don’t mix in with the population or with other patients who have kidney failure.

“We always have a safe environment, but now we have a CovidSafe specific environment that has been created to essentially protect the patients and the staff from the likelihood of contracting Covid-19.”

As renal patients are in the high risk category for contracting the virus, Mr Hamilton said his patients didn’t take the threat of the coronavirus lightly. He said patients would still be adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols as the threat of contracting the virus poses a greater risk.

But due to these same initiatives, Mr Hamilton noted some patients had been in better health, having not encountered common viruses as the flu over the winter.

“The patient group has been the wellest I’ve seen as they haven’t picked up the usual respiratory infections as you would over winter.”

“They’ve all been pretty conservative, they haven’t gone out to the shops, they’ve had food delivered and they stay away from everyone.

It’s pretty impressive they’re able to do all that and they’re all quite sensible and wanting to make sure they are safe.”

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2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS ...

Working on the frontlines of the fight to suppress the virus comes with risks, and for Mr Hamilton, he was forced to isolate and get tested in a period where he was experiencing mild cold symptoms. Thankfully he tested negative.

When asked what he has learned from this year, Mr Hamilton said that “life is precious”.

“We’re lucky here in Australia in terms of our healthcare, we have an excellent system.

But with diseases there is always the risk associated with it spreading, like this virus. I’ve taken away how fortunate we are to be in such an excellent health system that supports us all beyond the walls of the hospital.”

Sharon Young - Administration and Social Support Group Worker - Aboriginal Health Team

Sharon Young is an administration assistant and social support group worker in the Aboriginal Health Team at Healesville Hospital.

Ms Young would typically undertake administration duties as well as take elders out on trips, but this changed drastically when Covid restrictions came into effect.

“Like everyone they were stuck at home. A lot of the clients say the outings are their saviour or the thing they look forward to, some live alone, it helps them greatly so I’m sure they were disappointed but they understood,” she said.

“For me, it just meant I had extra time in the office to help out and catch up on things I don’t normally get to do,” she said.

Ms Young, a Healesville resident, said her role moved from the office to home once the work from home direction was announced.

“I enjoy it and hope it might be something that happens moving forward. The challenge was just getting the computer side of things working at the start but once it got going it was good.

When the second wave hit, Ms Young was glad to be a Healesville resident away from city crowds.

“I thought he (Daniel Andrews) was on the right track. We just had to close it down and it looks like it worked. I felt lucky we live in the lovely little town of Healesville where we were away from everyone,” she said.

For Ms Young, the highlight of the year has been how every single person at Eastern Health has been acknowledged for their contribution over the difficult year.

“I know we need admin to function, but the clinicians and the nurses are the real heroes.

It’s good everyone gets recognition, from the cleaners to the cooks. The managers and CEO’s of Eastern Health have been sending emails throughout the time and thanking everyone, it just shows we are all in it together and have to keep moving forward,” she said.

Michelle Fleming - Associate Program Director, Specialty Medicine and Ambulatory Care.

“I support my teams to make sure they’ve got what they need to see their patients every day, while looking at new opportunities and looking at new services and then supporting my teams to deliver the services to our clients.”

Ms Fleming stressed the importance of healthcare workers, who would ordinarily be caring for others, to ensure they are taking care of themselves as well in such a difficult period.

“It is so incredibly important to look after ourselves in health,” she said. “If we don’t look after ourselves we won’t be able to be at work and won’t be able to look after the community, so it’s important to put ourselves first.”

She said it’s important to eat well and that sometimes all it takes is having an afternoon off or catching up with a friend to help keep the balance right.

“You have to ask yourself, do I need rest?

Am I overdoing it? If you’re not putting yourself first, you’re putting yourself at risk and therefore the community at risk.”

Ms Fleming said the Covid-19 pandemic “sped things up” in terms of changes that have been made at Eastern Health. One example would be the increased use of telehealth, which sees health staff communicating via video to patients in the comfort of their homes.

In a post-Covid world, Ms Fleming thinks telehealth will be here to stay.

“One of my colleagues did some research and found around a third of patients thought telehealth was either as good as or preferred over face-to-face appointments,” she said.

“It’s easier for access as patients aren’t worrying about parking. They are in their home environment so they are more comfortable.

And for a GP to see someone in their home environment is helpful too to see their furniture or other things in their house.”

Ms Fleming said the teamwork established within the walls of Eastern Health had been a welcomed boost and spoke highly of the work of staff members at Ferntree Gully’s Angliss Hospital.

“It’s a fantastic team down there at the Angliss ... That team really pulled together quickly and everyone on site was so supportive.

“There have been a few good things to come out of Covid-19. Seeing the team work and watching them pull together has been great, they’ve been very resilient.

“The cross organisation partnerships, where one benefits the other, we’re seeing theatre and district nursing crossing over, where previously we would never have that connection between staff groups.

Ms Fleming also had praise for the Yarra Ranges community for doing their bit to stop the spread.

“I’m so pleased with what everyone in the community has done to get to this point.

They’re the ones who’ve allowed this change in case numbers to happen by staying home and wearing masks in public. That’s what really has made the difference.”

But Ms Fleming stressed the importance of remaining vigilant when it comes to the coronavirus.

“It’s been a really hard road to travel and now it’s so precious that we wouldn’t want to lose it. It’s so important we keep careful and keep up our distancing and hygiene practices.

“We don’t want to go where we were a few months ago, we want to still get around and catch up with our friends.”

Josette O’Donnell - Senior Health Promotion Officer

NEWSMAKERS

vulnerable populations. She said over 10,000 masks were distributed in a six month period.

Her work saw her assist in supporting mobile testing clinics to visit caravan parks in remote areas such as Dixon’s Creek and Toolangi.

“We wanted to make sure there were no additional barriers for people to get tested,” she said.

“Basically, I work in the field of prevention.

I work to try and support our community in schools and sporting clubs to become environments that promote health.

A couple priorities we’ve had in the last few years is to promote a healthy and active living and to make sure you’re getting exercise and not too much screen time.

Another aspect of Ms O’Donnell’s work is helping in the prevention of violence against women.

“That one has really been tested in the pandemic,” she said.

“It’s been stressful staying in the house for longer periods of time and working from home, I think has placed a strain on that environment particularly when the pandemic was at its height.”

In the Yarra Ranges, Eastern Health works in partnership with EDVOS, a specialist family violence service in the eastern metropolitan region.

“We led an eastern region campaign to promote gentleness and respect at home in lockdown.

“I think we just had to do things differently and we still are across the state. There’s been a lot of research and questions about how you think the pandemic has affected or impacted our relationships.

“In a sense, it might feel like we went backwards in a few priority areas, but at the same time there’s been so many things we’ve learned from the pandemic.

“One of the things that has humbled me is seeing the volunteer efforts of the community.

I remember in winter, local footballers had started distributing firewood because there had been a shortage.

“You really see how our community in the Yarra Valley look after each other in a disaster, much like Black Saturday. It had quite an impact on me and made me notice how special the Yarra Valley is.”

Like many, Ms O’Donnell juggled work, while helping her two children with remote learning for two terms, completing what she calls “maths with mummy at breakfast”.

“I don’t think they think I’m the best teacher,” she joked. “But I think that was a challenging environment. I’ve got several roles, here (Eastern Health) is to support the community and the other is to support my own family.

“It has amazed me how Eastern Health staff have dealt with the pandemic, we all have our own personal situations and families and we needed to work to support the community.”

Christine Wittkopp - Nurse Unit Manager at Healesville Hospital Healesville Hospital nurse unit manager Christine Wittkop explained the role that Healesville Hospital played in the eastern metropolitan area in helping to keep other hospitals functioning efficiently.

“We identified our role through the covid

pandemic and that was to facilitate transfers out of acute hospitals to make sure beds were available and to make sure beds were available in those acute hospitals.

The role of Healesville Hospital helping recovering patients meant that other hospitals in the region such as Maroondah Hospital or Box Hill Hospital were able to take on more patients to keep the system in balance.

“We remained a Covid free site here at Healesville, but we did have patients who had been infected with Covid-19, and once they tested negative, they were able to finish up their hospital stay with us supported by nursing staff and treated by the allied health team until they were ready to get home.

“They may go in for a surgery and then get to the point where they don’t have to stay at one of those other sites.”

The Covid-19 pandemic meant that there were less at-home services available for patients meaning it took longer for them to get home as hospital staff had to ensure they were more independent than what they would usually expect them to be.

Ms Wittkopp gave the example of elderly couple Vic and Jean who were diagnosed with Covid-19 and spent time in Maroondah Hospital. Vic had been recovering from a broken hip at the time too, but once he was cleared of the virus, he was transferred to Healesville Hospital for the remainder of his recovery.

“He is the perfect example of the type of patients we’ve been getting out here. They have their acute episode elsewhere and then they come to us when they are well enough to not require ongoing medical treatment, because an acute hospital can obviously provide much more medical support.

“While we may not be seeing and dealing with Covid-19 patients like the other hospitals, we’re still supporting our community through it all and being flexible to playing whatever roles we have to play.

Ms Wittkopp reflected on some of the challenges of 2020.

“I think it was just keeping up the morale of staff and even patients. Everyone’s just dealing with the same impact that this has had on their normal life. We’ve had people working from home or have had their holidays cancelled like everyone else in the community.

“It makes you proud as a unit manager that staff have responded when they need to.

Whether it’s doing extra shifts or going to get swabbed when we’re feeling unwell, everyone was willing to stay up to the mark just to get through it all.”

Continued page 10

Your voice for the Yarra Valley Cindy MCLEISH MP STATE MEMBER FOR EILDON Shop 10, 38-40 Bell Street, Yarra Glen | PO Box 128, Yarra Glen 3775

Michelle Fleming’s role is to lead the community health, Aboriginal health, GP clinic and sexual assault services at Eastern Health across the Yarra Ranges. mailcommunity.com.au

As a senior health promotion officer at Eastern Health, Josette O’Donnell has a strong connection to the Yarra Ranges community in promoting health and wellbeing.

Ms O’Donnell’s work saw her work with local schools and sporting clubs to promote wellbeing as well as distributing face masks to

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2020 - THE YEAR IN PICTURES

A Yarra Junction cafe closed during Stage 4 restrictions.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Supermarket shelves were emptied quickly at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Picture: ROMY STEPHENS

David Syme’s masked statue sitting outside Chirnside Park Shopping Centre.

First Constable Adam O’Donahue checking drivers as they pass through the police checkpoint in Coldstream.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Belgrave’s Cameo Cinema with a message on the first day of the second lockdown in Victoria.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Empty streets and footpaths will be a lasting memory of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Picture: JED LANYON

Head Chocolatier Thomas Wiernick with Yarra Valley Chocolaterie owners Leanne and Ian Neeland.

Picture: ROB CAREW

Yarra Glen’s Balgownie Estate went up in flames in June.

Picture: ROMY STEPHENS

Norm Orr with his granddaughter Isla and the Orr family mural in Wandin.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

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MAIL 7

OPINION

Summer this year is warm and humid, perfect for Queensland Fruit Fly, a pest native to the tropics. You may come across Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) in other parts of NSW and VIC, but hopefully never in the Yarra Valley. We have an early detection network, if we know it has been imported to our region, we can act to eradicate it. We want to keep the Yarra Valley Fruit Fly Free. Last week we detected QFF in Silvan, so all Silvan residents need to be alert for signs of QFF. Our summer “harvest season” is focused on stone fruit now. There may be excess fruit left hanging on the tree or lying around on the ground. This ripe fruit scent is highly attractive to QFF, and the fruit left hanging can support another generation of QFF, that in turn builds up QFF numbers. The QFF can overwinter into next spring as adults. Acting now to eradicate QFF is the best way to ensure QFF does not make it to the next ripe crop or even into next season. Harvest all fruit. Pick up all fruit. Leave nothing for QFF to breed in. Treat any suspicious fruit.

Queensland Fruit Fly larvae found inside a peach. This fruit was treated by freezing for about a week until it was frozen solid, then sealed and binned.

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Report suspect Queensland Fruit Fly to the Yarra Valley QFF Coordinator on (text) 0490 381 999 or qff@agribusiness-yarravalley.com—if possible send a photo too.

12463275-SG03-20

Place a sample of the fruit and the larvae in a sealed bag for testing.

TREAT all INFESTED fruit and vegetables by boiling OR microwaving OR freezing before disposing of it in the rubbish bin in a sealed double bag.

8 MAIL

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

Hopes for a better 2021 Welcome to 2021, everyone.

I hope that you’re reading this fresh from a fantastic Christmas and New Year.

The end of 2020 felt like closing the book on a really tough year, but there’ll be new challenges this year will throw at us, as we continue to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and begin the rollout of a vaccine across the country and continue the recovery.

Supporting our local businesses is critical as the peak tourism period of summer ends and our main streets quieten later this month.

Please remember when you shop with a local business – whether it’s a retail store, a cafe, distillery or winery – you’re not just supporting the owners of that business, you’re helping to keep local families afloat.

Some local businesses have had difficulties finding staff, particularly as movement became restricted during lockdown. One of the many things we’ll be doing at Council is rethinking the support we can offer businesses and how we can better connect young people and people seeking work with our local industries.

Last year Council helped many businesses with footpath dining, business registration fees waived, rates payment delays, expanded economic planning and countless phone calls providing support or pointing owners to places where they could get help or advice.

Last year wasn’t all doom-and-gloom. We’ve heard so many stories about acts of kindness in the Yarra Ranges – the small, heartening acts of support for others and the large-scale efforts people and groups have made to help their communities get through the year as best they can.

From my

desk Fiona McAllister

Mayor of Yarra Ranges I’m proud to say that our Australia Day Award winners – which will be announced later this month – will be acknowledging some of this work. I also know there have been countless acts of generosity, kindness and support that people will never hear about, but will have made the world of difference for the people who have received them. On behalf of the community, thank you to everyone who was disciplined and generous. The Yarra Ranges is a fabulous place to live and work, largely because of the beautiful community spirit that ties us together.

As the summer wears on the bushfire risk increases of course. Its a good time now to pick a cooler day and reduce the ground fuel and trim trees near your house and (re)establish your fire plan for a bad bushfire risk day: make sure the whole family knows the plan.

Remember on a bad bushfire risk day the CFA has limited resources and leave early is usually the best option. Make sure you have the VicEmergency app on your phone to get early warning of local fires.

Thank you in advance to the CFA volunteers on alert and active over summer.

New Year’s resolutions Focal Point

New Year’s resolutions - how long do they last?

I resolved to eat smaller portions, walk more, keep in touch with old friends, and keep up Facebook contact with the many football and netball players at Powelltown where I am chaplain. Then with regard to my voluntary community chaplaincy role, spend more time in pastoral care and prayer for people in our communities who are not well, unemployed or have relationship difficulties coming off the back of a hard 2020.

It’s twelve days into 2021 and I have slipped to just a pass mark in most areas. Now is this a character fault of mine to be poorly disciplined, or a behavioral fault in setting my bar too high?

My son-in-law once said, “You only get hurt from unmet expectations that result from the unreal level at which you set the bar, which you subsequently fail to clear”.

I’m inclined to believe that that could be a cop out which means you only attempt the things in life that you see yourself safely achieving.

Safety first is an excellent principle, but safety and a high bar saw Sir Edmund Hilary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, first to reach the top of Everest in 1953.

Martin Luther King Junior who eventually lost his life in achieving a new level of hard fought freedom for African Americans in the USA, sadly never got to see the fruits of his labor. (The height of his bar cost him his life).

Nelson Mandela after 27 years in three different prisons for fighting for his people finally achieved equal opportunities for them and was subsequently voted in as President of South Africa. (27 years in prison – what a high bar).

On the basis of my last article in 2020 where we were encouraged to think more deeply about the real meaning of Christmas, and who Jesus really was and is, I say that Christians who are devoted to following Him, have a high bar that can only be cleared though faith in Him. The Christian God is not a cosmic superman, but He has promised through Jesus, to help His people achieve many things that they

Graeme Dawson

would normally see as humanly unachievable.

I think of just a few, who when facing a very high bar, cleared it with total faith and trust in God. Gladys Staines comes to mind from a number of years ago when her husband and two boys were burned to death in their car by terrorists in India while on a missionary trip – (that was a painfully high bar for her). Betty Cuthbert, 1956 Melbourne Olympic track champion was another - her combined bars of bankruptcy and multiple sclerosis would have been un-clearable without her personal faith in God. I have a book on my shelves titled ‘Disappointment with God’ by Philip Yancey. Sadly I meet many people, the likes of whom Yancey speaks about, among this paper’s readership.

These people who are often bruised by an unreal understanding of God, and or poor and often misguided teaching, have failed to clear their unrealistically set bars and have blamed God. To me, a parody of that well known song line starts playing in my head, “what’s God got to do with it?

Be gentle on yourselves this New Year. Failure is not final. Forgive yourselves quickly and willingly for those personal failures in trying to clear bars you had set too high, and whatever you do in 2021, try to set realistic goal heights and take personal responsibility for your settings.

I pray that some of the high bars that we have cleared during Covid-19’s trials, will bear fruit in 2021 and you’ve now had great New Year’s celebrations. I pray for a totally different year in 2021, filled with newness of mind, body and spirit.

Many blessings.

Graeme Dawson is a Community Chaplain mailcommunity.com.au

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS …

COVID-19

Covid-19 steals the news Regional or metro?

As Victoria continued to grapple with a second wave of a Covid-19 outbreak, the Yarra Ranges community was thrusted into the harsh lockdowns as residents asked, ‘Why are we metropolitan Melbourne?’. Yarra Ranges Council made a submission to the State Government for the reclassification of smaller townships, but it was ultimately rejected.

Small townships such as Healesville and Warburton on the fringes of the Shire of Yarra Ranges were subjected to the same lockdown rules as the worst impacted Melbourne suburbs despite having little to no cases for months.

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child spoke about the numerous isolated communities in his ward, including Matlock, Powelltown, Reefton, East Warburton.

“The first is our one and only resident up at Matlock ... (who’s) lived up there for a long time,” he said.

“The distance is 100 kilometres from her front gate to the Yarra Junction Woolworths ...

To maintain her five kilometre radius around her residence, that means she cannot commute to Woods Point where her network community is and she is in such an isolated position.”

Vic beats Covid In July, 95 year old Vic Cornell tested positive for coronavirus.

The retired tennis coach from the eastern suburbs was administered to Healesville Hospital, also recovering from a broken hip at the time. But he made a miraculous recovery.

“I’ve recovered from the virus but it’s left its mark,” Vic said.

“It made me very sick and ill ... the virus has left me, but being 95 it’s taken a lot out of me.

“I have my days, some days I’m good and some days I’m not so good.”

When he became unwell, Vic got in touch with his family. They called an ambulance but Vic sent it away, believing he would get better with some sleep.

Three days later, Vic and his 88-year-old partner, Jean, were very unwell and taken to Maroondah Hospital where they both tested positive for Covid-19.

Vic’s son, Russell, said the worst of the virus hit a couple of weeks later.

“We as a family didn’t think he was going to get there because he sounded so fragile and weak,” Russell said.

“He was virtually at the point where he wasn’t going to get out of the hospital alive, and one night he called us to say goodbye.”

Russell said one evening he decided to call in and share Vic’s story with the ABC’s Drive program.

He said the support received from the community of Melbourne as a result helped Vic pull through.

Fight for business survival Numerous Yarra Ranges businesses faced a “challenge for survival” when Stage 4 restrictions came into force.

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Vic Cornell recovers in hospital.

Dramatic changes to workplaces across Melbourne were introduced by midnight on 6 August in a bid to combat the spread of Covid-19.

This included some industries being forced to close, others - such as construction and food production - operating at reduced capacity and essential stores such as supermarkets and pharmacies remaining open.

The new restrictions saw hairdressers close for the first time since the pandemic began and major hardware stores, such as Bunnings and Mitre 10, moved to mostly online services.

Childcare services were also impacted, with only children from workers with a permit allowed to attend childcare.“We’ve been forced into reducing hours for our staff, reduced our opening hours, our turnover has been reduced and what we’re producing has been reduced as well,” said Beechworth Bakery Manager Kylie Bray. “It’s a knock on effect right along and it’s affecting every part of the business.“ Monbulk Mitre 10 owner Julie Murphy said “we’ve had to put off a few casuals for six weeks which is really sad because we employ them from the local community. But we had to cut the staff because our revenue wasn’t what it was.

The owner of Hair for the Hills hair salon in Olinda, Jessica Birch, said “it was very sudden, I didn’t think we were going to go into lockdown but in terms of the business, it will hibernate quite well,” she said.

Ms Birch said that being in a small community provided “amazing” support and gave her confidence that she could return to a busy salon once restrictions were lifted.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Police in Coldstream. 211430 Tough measures to beat the virus In July, the State Government mandated face masks in what became one of the most visible changes the pandemic had on the lives of Yarra Ranges residents. For some people, passing through a Covid-19 checkpoint became a daily routine as police and Australian Defence Force officers set up in Coldstream to verify motorists were travelling for essential reasons.

While the checkpoints were set up to limit unnecessary travel, they became a hotspot for police catching drunk and drug affected drivers and those driving on a suspended license.

Police heard their fair share of excuses from non-essential travellers coming through the Yarra Valley. On one occasion, two Craigieburn men were intercepted in Coldstream having been travelling in a taxi. One of them stated he was out to buy tyres, while the other man was travelling to Gruyere to purchase a vintage car.

Being restricted to a five kilometre radius was a source of frustration to many, but for Healesville resident, Mim Kocher, it became a fitness challenge as she vowed to walk the streets of Healesville every day from April. Mim traversed every street, road and lane in Healesville in rail, hail or shine and was a source of positivity in an otherwise dark time.

Zero cases in the Yarra Ranges The Shire of Yarra Ranges recorded zero active Covid-19 cases on 18 October marking the elimination of the virus from the region in what was a significant local milestone in the long fight to contain the coronavirus outbreak in Victoria.

The Yarra Ranges became the sixth local

Merran Macs wearing a face mask on the first day they were made mandatory by the State Government. government area in metropolitan Melbourne to reach zero active cases, with neighboring councils, Maroondah, Cardinia and Nillumbik all reaching the mark in the outer east. The other two being Kingston and Mornington Peninsula.

Eastern Health’s Clinical Director Ambulatory Care, Dr Penny Gaskell said reaching zero cases was “very exciting” and a “huge achievement” considering active cases in the Yarra Ranges had peaked at 140 on 6-7 July. The region has experienced a total of 251 cases to date, many of which stemmed from the Kirkbrae Presbytarian Homes outbreak in Kilsyth.

“It’s great work by the community for following all the harsh restrictions and for taking care of each other,” Dr Gaskell said.

“Thank you to everybody for sticking with it and doing the best they can, it has to be a community and team effort to beat this thing.”

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Mim’s Map.

mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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MAIL 9

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS ...

NEWSMAKERS

2020’s people and events

By Jed Lanyon Bushfires The year got off to a rocky start as bushfires continued to rage in Eastern Victoria and New South Wales. Thankfully the Yarra Ranges wasn’t impacted directly, but the impact was still felt as many tourist destinations noted visitor numbers declined as travellers, who had concerns about visiting regional areas.

Yarra Ranges residents know all too well about the devastation bushfire season can have and that inspired our community to lend a hand in fundraising efforts to charities and organisations like Zoos Victoria, who continue to play an integral role in the rehabilitation of wildlife from bushfires.

Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre was inundated with injured koalas in January as veterinarians worked to ease their pain and heal their wounds.”We’ve had 16 in total come to us for further burns treatment - the majority of them are burns victims,” said Senior Vet Nurse Sarah Kaiser, speaking to Star Mail last January.

“We’ve had a few with eye issues from the radiant heat, and a few with respiratory issues from smoke” “The worst we’ve seen is Spinach - he’s had all four paws completely burnt and he’s also got burns around his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Some are third degree.”

Across Australia, it is estimated that as many as two billion animals - including critically endangered species - perished in the bushfires.

Wine worries Yarra Valley wineries already had their fair share of issues as vineyards deal with growing feral deer numbers and the threat of grapevine-eating bug, phylloxera. As tourist operates, they too felt the impacts when tourist

Spinach sustained burns to all four paws as well as around his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. numbers dropped from the bushfires and the coronavirus.

Big Mac invasion Healesville residents were excited or angered when they heard the news that McDonald’s were looking to come to town.

In a story broken by Star Mail, McDonald’s Australia submitted an application to amend an approved planning permit to Yarra Ranges Council in May, confirming the global fastfood giant was keen on becoming a tenant at the development on 17 Maroondah Highway, Healesville.

This comes after the highly publicised McDonald’s development in Tecoma.

11 Year old Healesville resident, Kate Bradford was compelled to create a petition seeking Maccas to integrate respectfully into the township.

“Well I didn’t want there to be a Macca’s because I think that it’d really ruin the atmosphere of the town of Healesville,” Kate said.

“I understand that it’s too late to stop it from going ahead. But I thought we don’t have to have the big sign there, so it doesn’t ruin the entrance to Healesville.

Her petition gathered over one thousand

signatures, while a Star Mail poll found 75.5 per cent of readers responded with a ‘No’ vote to Macca’s as over 1000 residents expressed their disapproval of the potential development.

While 24.5 per cent of over 1500 locals polled said they were happy for the fast-food giant to bring their Big Macs to the Yarra Valley.

Not playing ball Yarra Ranges Council became entwined within the Federal Government’s sports rorts scandal after numerous grant applications from the municipality were refused, despite receiving high merit.

An ABC report on 28 January revealed that the Yarra Ranges Council had three sports grant applications refused under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program (CSIG).

These three applications all ranked within the top 50 that scored highest in the scheme but were rejected for funding.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) undertook an audit of the $100 million funding that was awarded to 684 projects under the CSIG and found that over half were awarded to applications not deemed meritorious by Sport Australia.

As a result, former Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie was accused of ignoring Sport Aus-

tralia advice and approving funding in ‘marginal’ or ‘targeted’ seats.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison asked his department to investigate if Bridget McKenzie has breached ministerial standards in her handling of the sports grants program. Ms McKenzie later stood down as Minister.

Big builds at local schools The State Government’s Lilydale and Upper Yarra Education Plan saw the construction of three major projects at public schools which will soon transform education across the Yarra Valley.

Upper Yarra Secondary College is constructing a new science building that will modernise the school’s STEAM education.

Assistant principal Michael Schultz said, “STEAM is a priority of the school, so that is science, technology, engineering, art and maths ... This is something we’re pushing hard with at the school.

“The idea is that this building will have four new science labs, and then it will have three general purpose areas that will be classrooms dedicated to teaching STEAM. “A lot of our buildings are quite old. From my understanding our science labs are the originals. So that makes them 50 years old.”

The project will deliver a sustainable learning hub, new gym and create a town centre for Lilydale Heights College Lilydale Heights College principal Rosina Fotia told Star Mail that students have taken on the theme of sustainability as the school’s identity.

While Lilydale High School will soon open its Zoology Learning Centre, which will permanently house the school’s reptiles, including frogs, lizards, snakes and even a crocodile.

Continued page 18

Health heroes take a bow From page 5 Rose Abrehart - District Nursing Team Healesville Hospital

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Positive purpose

By Jed Lanyon Healesville’s Grand Hotel has fitted out the pub’s exterior with several posters in a bid to lift community spirit.

Pedestrians and drivers passing the iconic hotel can easily spot the signage, which has been created by locals to share messages of support for those doing it tough.

Healesville resident and pub-goer Kersten Gentle said the idea came from her daughter Nikita, who pitched the idea to the business owners of the hotel.

“We recognised how community minded Lisa and Tom are and my daughter said, ‘why don’t we do some posters to brighten up the place as people are walking’ and the response from people has been amazing,” Ms Gentle said.

“This town has gone through a lot in the past and I know that if the community comes together now, we will make sure that everyone gets through this. And that’s what these posters are about; making sure that everyone comes through the other end of this pandemic.”

Business owner Lisa McKay-Campbell invites locals to design their own A2 posters to display across the pub as they enlist the services of Breen Printing to create their positive posters. Relatives of Ms McKay-Campbell, who were in Mallacoota at the time of the recent bushfires were involved in a similar feat paying respects to the nation’s firefighters.

The idea initially started as a home-schooling art class activity but is now open for people of all ages with time to spare in isolation.

“One of the biggest problems with the pandemic is the effect on people’s mental health, so if these posters can put a smile on someone’s face then the Grand is doing a good job ...

To me this is the perfect canvas for our town,” Ms Gentle said.

Ms McKay-Campbell said that some of her

Business owners Tom and Lisa with kids Levi and Maeve. 208350 customers would share that the brief interaction with the hotel’s staff would be the only human contact they receive for the day.

The Grand Hotel is now operating a drivethrough takeaway meal service for locals looking for a restaurant quality meal without having to leave the comfort of their car.

“It’s something that we would never had or-

dinarily done ... It’s the only thing we can really do,” Ms McKay-Campbell said.

“You drive through the bottle shop and they pass it to you through the car window. You can literally come through in your pyjamas.”

As part of their takeaway menu, the hotel has also started cooking regular Sunday roasts for customers.

Picture: STEWART W CHAMBERS Those keen to have their artwork displayed can drop off the poster to the Grand Hotel’s bottle shop or contact: grandcommunityspirit@gmail.com.

To place an order at the Grand Hotel, view the menu at https://healesvillegrandhotel. com.au/ and call 0404 406 172.

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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Distillery joins war against Covid

Tuesday, 12 May, 2020

Rose Abrehart is a member of the District Nursing Team based at Healesville Hospital.

The District Nursing Team, made up of about 10 nurses, is a team of highly skilled nurses with varied areas of expertise that provide home visits across the Yarra Ranges Community.

The nurses provide services including wound care, medication compliance, palliative care and general support and monitoring.

Ms Abrehart, from Mooroolbark, said the nurses travel to visit patients at home in towns spanning from Mt Evelyn, to Poweltown, Reefton to Toolangi and all those in between.

Ms Abrehart said the highlight of her work during this difficult year was that she was “still able to provide the services we normally provide.”

Dressed in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the district nurses were able to continue attending homes to provide necessary support and care during the height of the pandemic.

“We continued home visits because a lot of our clients don’t have other supports, they still had wounds that needed to be dressed,” Ms Abrehart said.

“We were just very cautious of what we

did, we had access to full PPE the whole time which was good. I didn’t feel unsafe because we had some really good protocols at Eastern Health, and where we were there wasn’t a huge population of people that did test positive,” she explained.

Ms Abrehart’s role got a lot larger with the various restrictions and protocols, which involved screening clients over the phone before visiting, conducting in home Covid-screening and sanitising everything she had used inside each client’s home even cleaning the car she travelled in at the end of each day.

“We were really busy because a lot of other services could not provide home visits, so we would pick up the slack for podiatrists and a lot of other home visits that potentially couldn’t visit because of the restrictions. We were in high demand because we still had access to people in their homes.

“My team manager also worked in conjunction with DHHS to monitor people who were Covid positive and under quarantine,” she said.

Ms Abrehart said the clients found it “quite reassuring to have a bit of normality”.

“A lot of clients have been seeing us most of their lives. It was a bit overwhelming us turning up in full PPE, but I think it was more reassuring that we were still able to go and keep them in the loop and keep them less socially isolated,” she said.

The humble Ms Abrehart said she would not describe herself as “on the front line”, but admits she was a first port of call and involved in reassuring people as much as she could.

“We were just providing a service we would normally provide,” she said.

The challenges of working through a pandemic were made easier by the ability to work in a team, according to Ms Abrehart.

“We are connected to the hospital so we’re really lucky to have that connection to allied health and GP clinics, so we could still work with other teams during that time which made things better,” she said. mailcommunity.com.au

THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO GO

There’s so much to do at the zoo like trying to sleep to the sound of the lion’s roar.

Overnight campers are welcome from 1 September to 31 May each season, but a spot does not need to be booked.

Visitors can bring their own gear, set up for a camping trip with a difference and take the opportunity to roam the zoo after hours.

The Mansfield Zoo is open every day from 10am to 6pm (10pm on N.Y.E.) and is closed on Christmas Day only.

For more information, visit www.mansfieldzoo.com.au, the zoo’s Facebook page, facebook.com/mansfieldzoo, or call 5777 3576.

Members of the Meerkat Mob at Mansfield Zoo.

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There’s plenty to see and do at Mansfield Zoo, including meeting all of the animals or camping overnight for those who are game.

Mansfield Zoo is the place to go for animal lovers and a fun family day out, and the meerkats have arrived too.

The zoo features a large menagerie of native animals and animals from around the world including two rare white lions, two tawny lions, monkeys (capuchins, marmosets, rhesus and bonnet), deer, camels, bison, alligator, wombats and plenty more.

Take the opportunity to pat one of the friendly dingoes who walk around with a keeper while the lions are being fed.

Most animals can be fed by hand every day while guests wander the expansive ground.

A small spade is provided to feed the more gregarious animals, like the camels, who will run off with the spade if they can.

There are sambar, fallow deer and kangaroos roaming the grounds, along with guinea fowl and peacocks.

Bring a picnic lunch or use the free barbecues, just keep an eye on the deer as they often try to steal food.

For the more adventurous, there’s nothing

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Enquire for an unforgettable overnight camping experience.

www.mansfieldzoo.com.au 1064 Mansfield Woods Point Road, Mansfield Phone 03 5777 3576 mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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MAIL 11

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 011

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

easy

7 1 9

8 2 5

7 9

3 1 7 4

3 8 1 6

4 5 7 1 8 6 1 3 9 6

2 5 2 6 8 7 medium

1 5 4

9

8

2

Stubborn (10) Unpleasant (7) Consulate (7) Finishes (4) Habitat (11) Wasteful (10) Large bird (7) Infested (7) Nation on the Baltic Sea (7) 23 Book ID (1,1,1,1) 26 Reverb (4) 28 Hotel (3) 6 7 8 11 14 15 18 20 22

ACROSS Achieving (13) Type of fruit (5) Chatty (9) Dry (4) Comprehended (10) Japanese warrior (7) Diverse (6) Pathetic (6) Forest workers (7) Identifying (9) Celebrity (4) Story (9) Pessimist (5) Global (13)

1 9 10 12 13 16 17 19 21 24 25 27 29 30

No. 011

DOWN Element with atomic symbol Ca (7) Possesses (4) Possibly (11) Unwell (3)

2 3 4 5

DECODER

No. 011

3 9 1 4 3 6 1 9 3

8 5 8

QUICK CROSSWORD

6 7 3 9 6

7 2 8 9

7

8 hard

8 3 5

9 2 7 4

1

6 4

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

8

J R 17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

3

16

1 4

15

5

O A F V B MW L Q N K Z X 3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

9-LETTER WORD

3

easy

medium

4 7 1 6 2 3 8 5 9

3 9 7 4 1 5 8 6 2

4 6 2 7 8 3 1 9 5

1 8 5 9 2 6 3 4 7

5 4 8 2 6 7 9 1 3

2 1 3 5 9 8 6 7 4

6 7 9 3 4 1 5 2 8

8 5 1 6 7 2 4 3 9

9 2 6 8 3 4 7 5 1

7 3 4 1 5 9 2 8 6

5 3 9 8 4 7 6 1 2

8 2 6 9 5 1 3 7 4

1 5 8 2 7 9 4 3 6

6 4 2 1 3 5 7 9 8

7 9 3 4 8 6 1 2 5

2 8 5 3 1 4 9 6 7

9 1 7 5 6 8 2 4 3

3 6 4 7 9 2 5 8 1

hard 1 9 5 6 2 3 8 7 4

7 8 2 4 9 5 1 3 6

6 4 3 1 7 8 2 9 5

8 5 7 9 1 6 3 4 2

3 1 9 5 4 2 6 8 7

2 6 4 3 8 7 5 1 9

4 2 6 8 3 9 7 5 1

9 7 8 2 5 1 4 6 3

5 3 1 7 6 4 9 2 8

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once.

No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

P

Today’s Aim: 20 words: Good 30 words: Very good 40 words: Excellent

N

U

H

O

L M

E

G

3 LETTERS ALE APE ARE ARM ART CAT DID EAT ELM ERR FOG GET GIN HES ILL KIT LSD MOB PAL PEN RAM REV TEE TIE TWO WAR 4 LETTERS AIMS ARIA AVOS BASK CHAT CYST EGGS FOES IONS KNEW KNIT LETS NINE PAPA PATE

PUCK TEST WIVE 5 LETTERS ADMIT ADULT ALONE BASIS BASKS BEGUN CROSS DAMPS DREAD DRESS EAVES EDGES EERIE ELOPE ERRED FOAMY

No. 011

GOODO GRAFT HASTE IVORY LEAVE LIARS NEEDS OCEAN OILED PIANO SEDAN SEWED SHAPE SLEDS SMEAR SMILE SMITE SMOTE SOBER SPARE STREW

SUITE SYRUP TACOS TENET UNTIE WHALE YACHT 6 LETTERS LASSES STEEPS 7 LETTERS AERIALS ASTUTER

COWGIRL CRADLED RELYING STEEPER 8 LETTERS OPERATES PREPARES SCANTIER SCRAMMED 10 LETTERS CRITICISED DISGRUNTLE

ghoul, glen, glom, glue, glum, gluon, gulp, helm, help, hole, holm, lemon, loge, lone, long, lope, lough, lounge, loupe, lumen, lump, lung, lunge, melon, mogul, mole, mule, ogle, phenol, phlegm, phloem, plenum, plough, PLOUGHMEN, plug, plum, plume, plunge, pole, pule

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WORDFIT

15-01-21

This week’s crossword proudly sponsored by

The Heritage Family

HERITAGE & HERITAGE FUNERALS Lilydale 9739 7799 Healesville 5962 1600 HERITAGE PIONEERS CHAPEL 1414 Healesville/Koo Wee Rup Road, Woori Yallock 5964 6500 Head Office: 733 Boronia Road, Wantirna 9800 3000 info@ heritagefunerals.com.au www.heritagefunerals.com.au 1157336-CB40-14

12 MAIL

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

mailcommunity.com.au

A MAGNIFICENT HERITAGE HOME - “1915” HERE is a house that has certainly stood the test of time and has now been fully renovated to provide a modern sanctuary in an idyllic location.

Surrounded by expansive lawns and established trees, set on approx. 1082m2 this property boasts stunning mountain views within an easy 10-minute walk to Healesville’s bustling town centre.

The magnificent heritage home offers unrivalled outdoor verandah living and a beautiful light filled interior.

Featuring a spacious kitchen showcasing stone bench tops and stainless-steel appliances, while surrounded by a separate dining area, and a generous lounge complete with an open fireplace.

A traditional central hallway leads to the 3 large bedrooms positioned perfectly at the rear of the home opening out onto the north facing deck with unsurpassed views.

With ample under house storage and double sliding gates providing perfect side access for lifestyle equipment, including caravan, boat etc, this property is a true treasure for a discerning buyer. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 21 Westmount Road, HEALESVILLE Description: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom on 1082m2 Sale: Online Auction Contact: Gary Lucas, 0407 595 113, MARK GUNTHER FIRST NATIONAL REAL ESTATE, 5962 3030

mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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MAIL 13

HOME FOCUS

UNIQUE HOME WITH TIMELESS APPEAL THIS stunning sandstone home offers unique architecture in a serene setting.

Set on well over three quarters of an acre (3642 sqm) of level useable land with easy to maintain gardens all bathed in sunshine, this property is the epitome of Yarra Valley living.

Boasting 5 bedrooms plus study and two huge living areas both with wood heaters and soaring ceilings you’ll be astounded at the workmanship and use of timber, slate and stone throughout.

The kitchen is fully appointed and situated perfectly for family gatherings.

The master bedroom is served by a full

ensuite and walk-in robe whilst all other bedrooms have built in robes.

Entertainers will rejoice at the built-in bar and huge under cover outdoor living area.

For the budget conscience family there is a 5.5KW solar system and the option to use mains or tank water.

For the tradesman we have a sensational shed, approximately 13m x 14m which puts it at almost 180 square metres, high clearance, mezzanine floor and large entry doors. A remarkable opportunity to secure this property located in a no thru road just a 5 minute drive to shops and schools. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 17 Forest Road, WESBURN Description: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 9 garage Price: $790,000 - $860,000 Inspect: Saturday, 11am - 11.30am Contact: Tony Fanfulla, 0419 870 513, BELL REAL ESTATE, YARRA JUNCTION, 5967 1277

Mark Gunther

5962 3030

markgunther.com.au 189 Maroondah Highway, Healesville

We are getting great results!

SOLD BY OPENN NEGOTIATION - ASK US HOW! Openn Negotiation is an online auction platform that has been very successful with multiple bidders for a number of our properties.

14 MAIL

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

Call Mark Gunther or Gary Lucas to find out more about Openn Negotiation and how we can have your property SOLD this way too!

SOLD OVER RESERVE! More Properties WANTED!

CALL NOW!

Agent Mark Gunther 0448 62 3030 Gary Lucas 0407 595 113

mailcommunity.com.au

NEW LISTING

A

FOR SALE 20 Williams Road, Don Valley • • • •

Set on a beautiful large private block Huge formal lounge & dining room with an open fireplace Further living room with a wood heater & split system unit Large timber kitchen has a wall oven & cooktop + a breakfast bar overlooking a further meals area • Bbq area, double lock up garage with concrete floor, shower & toilet • Established garden with large trees and plenty of lawn

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4

FOR SALE $790,000 - $860,000 LAND 3604 Sqm (Approx.)

INSPECT See website for available times

A

FOR SALE 30 Riverview Parade, Launching Place • Open plan living & dining area adjoining kitchen • Rumpus room leading to own private decking with mountain views & theatre room • Open plan living room, bathroom, 2 bedrooms, separate access & undercover entertaining area • 2 wood heaters, split system, salt water swimming pool with decking & covered area, separate spa, solar panels, 3 phase power, 2 double garages & under-house storage

7

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FOR SALE $1,090,000 - $1,190,000 LAND 5872 Sqm (Approx.)

INSPECT See website for available times

Our team wishes you and your family a happy and safe New Year.

2020 finished strong for the real estate market and now is the time to take advantage of both the market and your refreshed outlook for a New Year.

If you are thinking of a move in 2021 and need some help or a strategy please feel free to contact us.

Have a fabulous 2021!

A

FOR SALE 13 Pheasant Parade, Warburton • Spectacular views out to Mount Donna Buang with the Pheasant Creek at the back • Welcoming timber verandah which opens to the country styled kitchen/dining room • Two bedrooms one with BIR, bathroom with separate toilet & under-stair storage • Upstairs finds a bedroom/lounge & study space with cathedral style ceilings & full-length roof storage area

3

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FOR SALE $540,000 - $570,000 LAND 1141 Sqm (Approx.)

INSPECT See website for available times

FOR SALE 70 Wickhams Road, Launching Place • • • • •

Build your dream home (STCA) Located on a made road with power & water connected Mixture of pasture & established trees 3 fenced paddocks, 3 dams & beautiful mountain views Cattle ramp, some shedding & the land would be suitable for stock • For building enquiries call the Shire of Yarra Ranges on 1300 368 333

FOR SALE $875,000 - $920,000 LAND 48 Acres (Approx.)

INSPECT See website for available times

Professionals Yarra Valley Yarra Junction 5967 1800 Warburton 5966 2800 mcmath.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Ashleigh Hall Director

Chris Lord Sales Manager

Marc Barton-Johnson Jean Ting Sales Agent Sales Consultant

Simone Whitehead Sales Consultant

Andrew McMath Lyndal McMath Hall Wendy Adams Melinda Darwall Kristen Johnson Licenced Estate Agent Licenced Estate Agent Licenced Estate Agent Licenced Estate Agent Administration

Teonii Hoy-Fooks Administration

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

Erin Mithen Administration

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MAIL 15

Woori Yallock

$530,000 - $560,000

GREAT VIEWS, GREAT VALUE AND LOCATION Perched above and enjoying fantastic views this property is conveniently positioned just a short stroll to local shops, schools, transport and the walking trail, the home offers 3 bedrooms all with built in robes and a good size open plan kitchen with a separate meals area, sit back relax and admire the great views from the large living/lounge room, outside offers a large deck perfectly positioned to enjoy the ever changing valley views and surrounds it’s the perfect place to call home in the perfect convenient location.

Contact: David Carroll 0419 539 320

Gilderoy - Yarra Valley

$7.9 - $8.5M

LAKE MURATORE - AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY This incredible property, zoned SUZ2 (Special Use Zone 2) MAJOR TOURIST FACILITY, sits on well over 300 acres and home to one of the largest manmade lakes in Victoria. Covering approximately 75 acres of the property and fed by fresh mountain streams, nestled into the foothills of Mt Beenak in the Yarra Valley. Accommodation will be in high demand and this property has the ability to house many with the current 20 Holiday Accommodation units, recreation room, home with 4 bedrooms, double garage and grand livings areas on separate title (both being sold as one sale). There is work to be done to bring the accommodation up to standard, however with a bit of tweaking and a tidy up the great bones will come to life. Being within striking distance to Melbourne, only roughly 75kms away, Inspection is by appointment only .

Contact: Samantha Price 0438 795 190

18 Kent Street Warburton

$495,000 - $540,000

Simple Living in a quiet treed setting Ideal as an investment property all set with tenants, currently in a lease until July 2021. From the moment you step inside, this home has a positive yet warm and inviting feel with soaring ceilings and spacious living.

Compromising of 3 bedrooms with BIR, master having double robes. Stepping into the lounge this living area is generous in size and at the same time having a cosy feel with a crackling wood fire and a split system for all year round comfort. Lovely big windows allow you to take in your serene surrounds and feel like you are truly living the country dream high in the treetops. The kitchen and dining area is a pretty spot to enjoy your meals with doors opening from the dining area onto the veranda creating a gorgeous flow to the decking where you can enjoy your spacious and usable yard complete with mountain views.

Contact: Rebecca Doolan 0401 832 068 Inspection: Sat 11:30am-12:00pm (Photo ID Required)

Michael Robinson 0418 505 635 34 years

Peter Robinson 0419 543 341 35 years

Sam Price 0438 795 190 9 years

Tony Fanfulla 0419 870 513 18 years

bellrealestate.com.au 16 MAIL

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

David Carroll 0419 539 320 15 years

Rebecca Doolan 0401 832 068 4 years

Leah Bannerman 0448 924 266 4 years

Clare Morse Marketing Manager 14 years

5966 2530

3407 Warburton Hwy, Warburton

Jenni Milne Licensed Agent 19 years

Carly James Property Manager

Michelle Karanikich Property Manager

Nicky McDonald Property Management

Julianne Spendlove Administration

5967 1277

2457 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction mailcommunity.com.au

networkclassifieds.com.au Trades & Services

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Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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MAIL 17

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS ...

NEWSMAKERS

2020’s people and events

Sarah with Cerberus the Frilled-neck lizard, Emily with Quinn the Centralian Carpet Python, Jayden with Mr Lacey the Lace Monitor and teacher Marcus Whitby with Lofty the Mary River Turtle.

Picture: ROB CAREW the introduction of FRV was the start of a new chapter for the organisation.

“The delivery of vital emergency services is the number one priority of both organisations and service to the community will not be disrupted by these changes.

Yarra Ranges takeover plot IBAC hearings revealed ex-Casey mayor Sam Aziz had plans with Jim’s Mowing founder Jim Penman to “takeover” Yarra Ranges Council with a like minded group of councillors.

The aim was to install a predominantly Liberal “working majority” - “good people” to replicate the “success” of Casey Council, he told an IBAC inquiry on 16 November.

They would be community servants with skills in business and “good governance”, Mr Aziz said. Mr Aziz said he had been in talks with Mr Penman, Jim’s Group chief executive Tino Grossi as well as members of Mr Aziz’s “political circle” about the “project”.

Trades & Services

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Septic Tanks

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YARRA VALLEY SEPTIC TANK CLEANING • Septic Tanks • Treatment Plants • Grease Traps • EPA Licence • Portable Toilets

5962 4841

C936869-KK25-11

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9735 3700

Mobile 0419 131 958 SERVICING ALL AREAS BOB WALLACE AND SONS Find your Local Professionals in our

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PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE EXISTING MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT HIGH VOLTAGE TOWER, SUNNYSIDE ROAD SEVILLE EAST VIC 3139 INCLUDING 5G 1. The proposed upgrade to the existing facility involves: • Installation of three new 5G antennas to be located on the new mounting frame; • Replacement of existing panel antennas with new panel antennas on the new mounting frame.

Antennas will measure no more than 2.8m in length; 5HFRQÀJXUDWLRQ RI H[LVWLQJ DQG LQVWDOODWLRQ RIQHZ ancillary equipment, including RRUs, GPS antenna, cabling and other items associated with safety and operation of the facility;

2. Vodafone regard the proposed installation as Low Impact Facility under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“The Determination”) based on the description above.

12477276-CG03-21

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CALL:

The Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995 makes it unlawful for an advertiser to show any intention to discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, race, age, marital status, political or religious belief or physical features, disability, lawful sexual activity/sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status or on the basis of being associated with a person with one of the above characteristics, unless covered by an exception under the Act. As Network Classifieds could be legally liable if an unlawful advertisement is printed, Network Classifieds will not accept advertisements that appear to break the law. For more information about discrimination in advertising, contact your legal advisers or the Equal Opportunity Commission.

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goods for those impacted by East Gippsland bushfires.

Before the brigades knew it, they were completely flooded with donations.

“To say it got out of proportion is an understatement,” Coldstream Fire Brigade Captain Sean Bethell said.

The success of the first drive saw them coordinate more collection points at brigades in Lilydale, Gruyere and Belgrave, Ferntree Gully and Upper Ferntree Gully.

Sean said goods from all six brigades were then collated at a Cameron transport factory on Stud Road, Bayswater.

In total, there were about 750 pallets worth of goods and $18,000 in gift voucher donations taken to Wodonga for those impacted by fires to go through and pick what they needed.

Fresh faces at Council A blend of new and old will represent residents throughout the Yarra Ranges over the next four years, with the new cohort of Councillors announced in November.

Out of the nine positions up for grabs, five incumbents were re-elected and four will serve their first term as a Councillor.

The election was record-breaking for the region, with the highest number of female Councillors elected since Yarra Ranges was formed in 1997, that being four.

Meanwhile, the average age of Councillors has reduced by 12 years - from 65 to 53.

The region said goodbye to a handful of former Councillors, with Noel Cliff (23 years of service), Terry Avery (15 years) and Mike Clarke (six years) retiring, and Tony Stevenson (four years) failing to be re-elected after moving wards.

David Eastham, Johanna Skelton, Sophie Todorov and Cathrine Burnett-Wake made up the new councillors that were sworn in.

General Classifieds

3. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Should you require further information or wish to comment, please contact: Jessie Zhao from Nokia Solutions & Networks on 0406 001 832 or at communityrelations. vha@groups.nokia.com by Wednesday 27 January 2021. Further information may also be obtained from www.rfnsa.com.au/3139013.

FULLY INSURED

Counsel assisting IBAC, Michael Tovey, asked if Mr Aziz wanted to export a “model of corruption” from Casey to Yarra Ranges. Mr Aziz, who is under investigation over allegedly corrupt land deals at the Operation Sandon inquiry, dismissed the “ridiculous question”. “There’s no corruption or behaviour traits, as you describe, Mr Tovey, in relation to Casey Council.”

“The achievements we’ve made speaks for it, and I was trying to deliver that model to another council,” Aziz explained.

As it turned out that was a very short-lived aspiration because of the commencement of the IBAC inquiry.

Community digs deep Fire brigade’s across the Yarra Ranges were inundated with gifts during bushfire donation drives at the beginning of the year.

Donations began on 2 January when Coldstream resident Georgia Appleton Tyrrell and Coldstream CFA worked together to collect

12423634-SN31-19

From page 10 Project coordinator Georgia Casey is a former Lilydale High School student, who returned to help create the new zoology learning centre at her old school.

“It’s a bit surreal to be going back to high school after all this time,” Ms Casey said.

“The last time I was there I was worried about going to uni and getting a job. And now I’m back after everything and it’s all just sort of fallen into place.

“I remember the reptile room as a good community for those in it. Marcus Whitby put a lot of time and care into it all, so this latest upgrade is well deserved for him and the school.”

All three projects are expected to be completed in 2021.

CFA merger uncertainty The rollout of the State Government’s Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) sparked concern for the future of volunteer firefighters throughout the eastern region.

Fire Rescue Victoria was launched on 1 July, merging all Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and CFA careers staff, making CFA a community-based solely volunteer firefighter organisation.

CFA District 13 Headquarters Brigade captain Serafina Munns said there had been insufficient consultation with the over 54 fire brigades in the outer eastern region.

“Change was expected, however the lack of input into the future model of CFA as a community based volunteer emergency service is of huge concern. There is so much uncertainty and many unknowns,” she said.

Eildon MP Cindy McLeish slammed the State Government reforms and said a Liberals National government would “restore the CFA as an independent fire authority.”

CFA acting chief officer Garry Cook said

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SPORT

Daniel Gorringe in Powelltown colours.

Olinda Cricket Club’s first ever women’s team with returning coach Keith Rae.

Seville Pony Club each Rachael Edwards.

Sport challenges of 2020

By Jed Lanyon and Taylah Eastwell The local sporting calendar was derailed as the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on Victoria.

While many sports seasons didn’t go ahead or were halted abruptly, there were still many sports stars who shined throughout the year.

Here are some of the best local sports stories to come out of 2020.

Gorringe joins Powelltown Former AFL player Daniel Gorringe signed a two year contract to play for Powelltown Football Netball Club in the AFL Outer East for the next two seasons.

Gorringe played 22 games with the Gold Coast Suns over five seasons before joining Carlton to play four games before retiring in 2017. He was a top ten pick in the 2010 draft but made a bigger name for himself following his football career, most recently appearing as a contestant on reality show, Big Brother.

Powelltown FNC president Geoff Mooney said he’s looking forward to having Gorringe on board at the Demons for the next two years.

“It’s fantastic, we’re only a little town so for someone like Daniel to want to come and play for us, it’s extremely exciting. We couldn’t be any happier.”

At the time of his signing, Gorringe said he was looking forward to joining the Demons and enjoying his footy.

“I just want to have fun but in the back of my mind I want to win a flag. Hopefully I can kick a few goals and enjoy a few tinnies in the clubrooms post game.”

Pony Club coach named the best in the country Seville Pony Club’s Rachael Edwards has taken out the highest honour for a coach after being named as Coach of the Year by Pony Club Victoria and by Pony Club Australia.

Ms Edwards, who has been involved in the sport for over 30 years, said her mind was blown after learning she would be recognised for her efforts at a state level before going on to take out the award on a national scale.

Seville Pony Club made the nomination for Ms Edwards’ dedication to the club and to surrounding clubs in the northern metropolitan zone.

Speaking in the weeks after her big achievement, she said, “I don’t think it has sunk in yet, to be honest. I’m just a normal person who lives in Seville and goes about my daily jobs.

I still don’t think it has actually hit me yet,” Ms Edwards said.

Rett Syndrome Awareness Cup In what may have been one of the only games of footy played locally for the year, the Valley Vicious Rett Syndrome Awareness Cup went ahead in February, showcasing the wonderful sporting characters of the Yarra Ranges for a good cause.

On a night dedicated to banding together as a community with the purpose of fighting and raising funds for the devastating disease that is Rett Syndrome, Lee Lawrence once again drew the crowds out to Healesville Sporting Complex in February.

Lee runs the popular Facebook page ‘Valley Vicious Footy and Netball Banter’, which mailcommunity.com.au

Alycia Olney, Lee Lawrence, Chris Spencer in the Valley Vicious uniforms. he started when his daughter, Gypsy was diagnosed with Rett - a genetic brain disorder found almost exclusively in females and with a prevalence of one in about 15,000 females - all with the aim of raising awareness and raising funds to find a cure.

Infants and children with the disorder cease to acquire new skills and gradually lose previously acquired abilities, such as control of the hands and the ability to vocalize most sounds and words.

Lee said while the disease is cruel and debilitating, Gypsy has never dropped her spirit and continues to smile no matter the circumstances.

History made for cricket club Olinda Cricket Club hit gender barriers for six, with the club’s first ever women’s cricket team taking to the pitch for the first game of the season in November.

The women took to the field against Upwey Tecoma, finishing with 79 runs while their opponents fell 15 runs short on 64.

President of Olinda Cricket Club Matt Burgan said the club had been pushing hard to get more people involved and had a strong response this year from women wanting to play.

“We’ve sort of exploded and I think we are about two years ahead of where I thought we would be. The club was keen to try and get a women’s side up and was optimistic but realistic given the Covid situation, but incredibly people have responded,” Matt said.

Captain of the women’s team, Nikki Burgess said because her son plays cricket, she received

Picture: ROB CAREW

The Rest Syndrome Awareness Cup match. the club’s call-out at the beginning of the season seeking kids and past players to get involved.

“I said yeah, James will be playing but when are you going to get a girls’ team up. Next minute I had a job, the club said it was something they’d always wanted to do,” she said.

“Once people came and had a hit they realised it is really fun. We’ve almost got enough for two teams which is phenomenal,” she said.

“This is a big milestone, it’s been 109 years since the beginning of the club without a women’s team.

With many of the women having never picked up a cricket bat before, the excitement of winning their first game was “electric”, according to Ms Burgess.

“It was a great atmosphere, a lot of positivity and an edge of competition. You get a bunch of mums together and everyone thinks it’s all going to be fun and games, but everyone wants to win.

“We’re normally on the sideline cheering our kids so it’s really nice to walk out the door and say sorry, I’ve got my game on.”

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021

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