Dandenong Star Journal - 9th February 2021

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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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Carpark’s wrong turn

Drum beats again

Home & Garden ideas

Pirates are up for the fight

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Waste fight off

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Greater Dandenong Council has withdrawn its legal fight against a controversial waste-toenergy plant in Dandenong South.

Despite its previously declared ‘strong opposition’, the council settled with the Environment Protection Authority and the plant’s proponent Great Southern Waste Technologies ahead of an appeal hearing at VCAT on 1 February.

The plant is expected to burn 100,000 tonnes a year of municipal household solid waste, commercial and industrial waste to produce 7.9 MW of electricity to the grid.

Councillors endorsed the council’s withdrawal in a recent closed briefing from council officers.

They were advised the council was unlikely to win its appeal against the EPA’s works approval for the project, and faced a potential legal bill of up to $700,000 including GSWT’s costs.

“After extensive work by Council’s environmental experts and lawyers and following a conclave which was held between both parties’ expert consultants and EPA officers, it was established that the proposal meets the required relevant EPA legislation,” city planning director Jody Bosman said.

“Additional conditions requested by council’s lawyers are being added to the EPA Works Approval and have been agreed to in principle by the EPA. “The settlement ends the prospects of Council incurring substantial costs in proceeding to a VCAT hearing and any claims in the absence of such settlement.

“VCAT have now confirmed the settlement in its Orders issued yesterday.”

The project is sited at 80 Ordish Road in

Dandenong’s industrial two zone - the home to the most offensive industries.

However it has drawn ire from residential estates and several schools within five kilometres away.

A “very disappointed” councillor Jim Memeti said residents in Dandenong South and Keysborough South were “sick and tired” of living near “hazardous industries”.

“How many more of these hazardous waste facilities will be built? After this waste to energy facility, what’s next?

“That’s why the state government need to rezone (the area) as quickly as possible.”

In 2020, Cr Memeti successfully moved for the council to campaign for the removal of the industrial two zone.

The council is arguing to cease future hazardous industries in the zone but allow existing heavy industry to continue.

Great Southern Waste Technologies director Bill Keating welcomed the “positive outcome” after an “expensive” legal battle.

“The council had their experts have a look at it.

“It was a case that they were then happy to withdraw from this.”

In the out-of-court settlement, the council bore some of GSWT’s legal costs.

GSWT also agreed to a further “minor” condition as part of the EPA works approval for the plant, Mr Keating said.

He said construction was at least 12 months away until the plant’s detailed design was finalised.

A viable, ongoing supply of waste also needed to be secured prior to works, Mr Keating said.

Continued page 3

Stand tall Dandenong Primary School prep students Alaika and Amelia reach high on their first day of school on 1 February. For more, see page 8 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

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NEWS

Scouts salute their award

By Danielle Kutchel Covid-19 couldn’t stop 2nd Springvale Scouts.

If anything, the pandemic has been beneficial for the group, as more kids and young people have flocked to the organisation in the wake of eased restrictions.

During the pandemic members made the switch to online, using Zoom to participate in their club nights.

Joeys, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers met weekly via virtual means, continuing on with working on a weekly theme, from environmental issues to cooking.

For their persistence and dedication, 2nd Springvale Scouts was named Community Group of the Year at the City of Greater Dandenong’s Australia Day Awards.

But the moment restrictions lifted, they were back out at parks to get on with the more practical and fun activities for which scouting is known.

Tahlia, a Rover with 2nd Springvale Scouts, said it’s not all about badgework though.

“You learn special values in life like leadership and problem solving. The biggest thing you learn is how to be social, because you’ve got to be social in scouts.

“You can do knots if you want to but you don’t have to - it’s not a thing we force on people!” she laughed.

At the other end of the scouting age spectrum, six-year-old Hazel, a Joey, said she was learning special skills that enable her to fulfil the scout’s oath to “help other people”.

“I’ve learned to be kind and caring,” she said.

In 2020 camping was out, thanks to lockdown - so the scouts are now raring to go when camps resume next month.

There are other practical activities to get involved in too, like fundraisers and learning life skills like how to change a tyre, according

to Paige, a Venturer.

“If I hadn’t been in scouts, I wouldn’t have learned that,” she said.

Glenda Mitchell, an assistant group leader with 42 years of scout leading under her belt, said that many of the activities are youth-led, adding to their appeal.

“The youth do all the organising - we’re just there to guide,” she said.

“They’ve opened up the program to what children want to do. They still help people, but we get them out of the hall as much as we can.”

Clearly, the appeal is working; 2nd Springvale Scouts now has more than 100 youth members, many of whom joined after the lockdown.

And Glenda said the skills are just as relevant today as they were when Baden-Powell first founded the scouts over 100 years ago.

Scouts learn to be reliable, dependable, and committed, she said - qualities that are highly sought after amongst employers.

“People know that you’ll know what to do,” she explained.

For Scout member Xavier, having the op-

portunity to act as a mentor for younger members has been rewarding.

He’s pleased to be able to pass on the skills he’s learned from his own leaders, and to look after the younger members.

He described scouts as a “safe place” for people from all sorts of backgrounds.

Ethan, a Cub, likes the fun activities that take place.

“You should join cubs and scouts because it’s very fun and you can go on camps, go climbing and do a lot of fun things,” he said, pointing proudly at his three badges.

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2nd Springvale Scouts ready to go for 2021.

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NEWS

IN BRIEF Car robbery in Plaza parking lot A robber pushing a shopping trolley has violently stolen a man’s car in Dandenong Plaza’s underground car park.

The victim was pushed against a concrete pillar by the trolley-pushing male on the ground-floor of the car park about 4.30pm on Saturday 30 January.

The attacker stole the victim’s car keys and drove off in his black 2015 Holden Calais with registration 1LK4ZJ. He was last seen driving north on Stud Road.

The robber was described as Caucasian, 2025 years old, about 183 centimetres, unshaven and with short brown hair.

He was wearing a grey T-shirt and black tracksuit pants.

Any information to Greater Dandenong CIU on 9767 7487 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

The proposed site for 16 multi-storey dwellings - a bid refused by VCAT in December 2020.

Tribunal quashes triple-storey plan

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Neighbours were described as “ecstatic” after the state’s planning tribunal quashed a proposal for 16 multi-storey dwellings in a Dandenong North alcove.

The “bulky” 15 triple-storey dwellings and a double-storey home at 11 Cardinia Close would have detracted from the neighbourhood’s character, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found on 21 December.

“An evident and significant departure from the existing and identified future character is the three-storey nature of the dwellings,” VCAT senior member Bill Sibonis stated.

“A more tempered design is necessary.”

The applicant Osnad Pty Ltd appealed to VCAT after Greater Dandenong Council rejected its original bid for 20 dwellings.

The council received 116 public objections to the proposal.

Currently on the 4191-square-metre lot, there is a substantial home and tennis court which abut Police Paddocks Reserve.

Greater Dandenong councillor Bob Milkovic told a council meeting on 25 January that the decision was “a win for common sense, a win for residents”.

“I had a call from about half a dozen residents who were absolutely delighted and grateful. They were ecstatic.

“It was so great to see that finally we have reached one of those victories that do not come our way very often with... VCAT.” Mr Milkovic said the area should be rezoned from a General Residential Zone to a lowerdensity Neighbourhood Residential Zone.

A car without number plates is towed away during a police raid in Springvale on 2 February.

Two charged in Springvale raid

“There are quite large lots of land over there.

“It will go a long way to bring it back in line and reduce the amount of housing development proposed on such a block of land when it goes against (neighbourhood) character.”

In the VCAT decision, Mr Sibonis said the proposal would be “aberrant” and “discordant” with the Police Paddocks open space.

Mr Sibonis noted the “unsatisfactory” lack of canopy trees on the site’s boundary as well as insufficient high-quality landscaping.

Some of the proposed dwellings’ private yards lacked access to sunlight, the member stated.

However there was sufficient on-street parking space. The extra 112 traffic movements a day would not cause concern, Mr Sibonis said.

Council quits fight against waste plant From page 1 “The waste material we’re processing has to be assessed, audited and analysed so we know what’s in it. And we can’t do that without knowing where it’s coming from.

“We have to know that before we construct.”

He said it was “in our interest” to process only compliant waste - so to not void the plant equipment’s warranty or create an “emission risk”.

Mr Keating said the community should trust the EPA’s regulation of the project.

“The message is to rely on the EPA and

how it manages these facilities to protect the environment.”

Over the past year, the council has stated it was “strongly opposed” against the plant, describing its fight as “one of the most significant VCAT planning appeals” that the council had pursued.

In a separate legal battle in September 2020, VCAT ruled in favour of a planning permit for the plant despite the council’s opposition.

The council separately appealed against the EPA’s works approval for the project.

It stated at the time that its “team of ex-

Two men have been charged after an alleged stabbing in Springvale last month.

Greater Dandenong CIU detectives raided a home in Balmoral Avenue, Springvale about 11.30 on Tuesday 2 February, seizing firearms and drugs.

A 31-year-old man and a 29-year-old man were arrested and charged with drug and firearms offences.

They were remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 3 February.

A 27-year-old woman was arrested and released without charge.

A man that police are seeking to assist their investigation into a Noble Park aggravated burglary.

perts” were building “as strong a case as it can”.

The team included “experts, lawyers and a barrister to defend Council’s opposition to the Works Approval at the tribunal”.

The EPA stated that it made minor amendments to the works approval’s assessment conditions.

The amended conditions specify agreed methods for future studies.

“EPA believes these changes will reassure Council and the community that possible emissions should pose a low risk to environment and human health.”

Agg burglar flees Noble Park home Police have publicly released an image of a man in relation to an aggravated burglary in Noble Park.

A man allegedly broke into a property in Charnfield Crescent about 4.30pm on 19 January.

He was confronted by a resident and fled the property, according to Victoria Police.

Greater Dandenong CIU detectives are seeking the photographed man to assist their investigation.

Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

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STAR JOURNAL 3

LOOKING BACK

Compiled by Dandenong and District Historical Society

100 years ago 10 February 1921 The Carrum Council’s Bathing Regulation The Carrum council has adopted a new bylaw regulating the matter of dress in public streets. The by-law makes it an offence for persons to promenade the street in bathing costumes with arms and legs exposed and the maximum penalty that can be imposed is £20.

The by-law sets out that persons who disrobe at home and don their bathing costumes must wear kimonos or overcoats as they go to and from the beach. It appears that a flapper rode through Chelsea one evening recently, behind a male friend on a motor cycle but cast convention to the wind by riding astride the machine. The modern style of short skirts does not permit joy riding in this way and there was

no wonder that there was a big display of ankle and hosiery, which created quite a sensation as the cyclist and his companion rode twice through the town. Will the council’s new by-law apply to such incidents?

50 years ago 11 February 1971 Council uproar: Police called Pandemonium reigned in the Dandenong Council chambers on Monday night when an irate ratepayer hurled abuse at councillors.

The meeting was immediately adjoined and Dandenong police called. Because no divisional car was immediately available, the man had left the civic centre when police arrived about 10 minutes later. The man believed to be Dutch and a resident of North Ward was one of three men in the public gal-

lery. He remained silent until about 10pm when he rose apparently to leave. Instead he stood listening to a debate on pollution of Dandenong Creek. When Cr Lois Twohig (North Ward) rose to speak, the man began addressing the meeting in almost incoherent terms. He was advised by the Mayor Cr Arthur Gartley that he was out of order and when the ratepayer continued shouting about “road bottlenecks” the Town Clerk Mr Cal Elliot left the dais to talk to the man whose volume of invective language had now reached a peak.

The Mayor adjourned the meeting and councillors returned to the supper room.

20 years ago 12 February 2001 Gambling clamp Minister for Gaming and State Labor MP

for Dandenong Mr John Pandazopoulos last week announced a cap on the number of poker machines in Greater Dandenong. Under the ruling, no more machines will be allowed in the city which is third in the top five regions identified as being the hardest hit by money lost to the pokies.

5 years ago 8 February 2016 Budget woe Greater Dandenong Council needs to find $3 million in savings in its June budget to comply with the State Governments rate capping policy. Councillors have agreed not to apply for a rate cap variation and so bound the council to a rates rise of no more than 2.5% - equivalent to CPI. Mayor Heang Tak said the council faced a “big shortfall” in its financial plans.

OPINION

Day of fraternity

By Ursula Aruma of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation Pope Francis celebrated the International Day of Human Fraternity on Thursday, 4 February, in a virtual event hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Also participating were the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb; Secretary General António Guterres of the United Nations; and other personalities. This occasion is a new International Observance of the United Nations.

On the same occasion, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, which is inspired by the Human Fraternity Document, is awarded.

The date is no coincidence. On 4 February 2019, during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, the Pope and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

(Cairo), Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. The Pope and the Grand Imam spent almost half a year drafting this document before announcing it together during this historic visit.

‘Human Fraternity’ brings to mind how humans behave toward one another.

Values that provide uplift of humanity and

worldwide peace exist within all persons.

These values are Truth, Love, Peace, Right Conduct and Non-violence. These values can be elicited by parents, teachers and exemplary humans who live with integrity. These values reside in the hearts of each and every person.

This is the meaning of Human Fraternity.

The promotion of Human Fraternity worldwide by the United Nations and religious leaders calls all to remember that there is only one race, the human race. There is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one language, the language of the heart, and there is only One God, and he is everywhere.

He is everywhere in the hearts and minds of all those who follow the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself”.

Ursula Aruma

NEW COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE To continue to keep our state safe, new restrictions are in place.

Fitted face masks must be worn indoors and on public transport.

Visitor numbers to your home are reduced to 15*.

And please practise COVIDSafe behaviours to keep us safe this summer.

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Keep 1.5 metres apart from those you don’t live with.

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Stay home if you feel unwell, and get tested.

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Keep your hands and surfaces clean.

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Check listed exposure sites and follow the health advice provided.

Stay up to date on exposure sites and restrictions by visiting CORONAVIRUS.vic.gov.au For translated information about coronavirus visit CORONAVIRUS.vic.gov.au/translations *Babies under the age of 12 months are not included in this daily limit number.

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NEWS

Covid outbreak hits home

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Covid testing blitz in the South East has followed the infection of a Noble Park man working in tennis hotel quarantine.

In a further setback, a person from Taylors Lakes who worked at a separate quarantine hotel at Melbourne Airport tested positive on 7 February.

Both workers had tested negative at the end of their shifts several days before displaying symptoms and being diagnosed.

The Noble Park man was diagnosed with the contagious B.1.1.7 UK strain of Covid-19 on 3 February after working on hallway duty as residence support staff at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne.

Four tennis people staying for the Australian Open were infected with the same strain.

As of 8 February, there had been no further community transmission from the Grand Hyatt outbreak.

Health authorities last week say it’s unknown how the worker’s infection happened.

The 26-year-old infectee - and CFA volunteer - was described by Premier Daniel Andrews as a “model employee”.

He committed no discernible PPE or protective protocol breaches, and had fully disclosed the sites he’d visited since last working at the hotel.

His 1151 “primary close contacts” linked to his home, workplace, social encounters and 14 “exposure sites” that he visited were ordered to isolate for 14 days.

As of 7 February, 72 per cent have had Covid-19 tests returned. All were so far negative.

His 21 social and household primary contacts all tested negative and continue their fortnight of self-isolation.

The Government has also announced the immediate reintroduction of mask-wearing in all indoor settings and a 15-visitor limit in

Noble Park CFA has been temporarily closed after a volunteer tested positive. households and a pause in the 75 per cent return-to-work cap.

Noble Park CFA fire brigade was temporarily closed after the man had attended a CFA social function at Club Noble on 30 January between 2.36pm-3.30pm.

“In order to avoid all risk, all identified contacts of a confirmed case from Noble Park Fire Brigade are being isolated and tested and buildings are being cleaned,” a CFA spokesperson said.

“Alternative arrangements have been made between neighbouring brigades to ensure community safety and emergency response is not compromised.”

Club Noble is listed as a Tier 1 exposure site between those times, among at least 13 other venues visited by the man in Keysborough,

Brighton, Brandon Park, Springvale, Moorabbin, Clayton South, Melbourne and Heatherton between 29 January-1 February.

Anyone who visited the sites during the high-risk times is being ordered to isolate, get tested and stay isolated for 14 days.

The latest Tier 1 exposure sites are listed at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/case-locations-andoutbreaks-covid-19 Keysborough Mens Shed has closed until further notice as a Covid precaution.

Chairman Geoff Wright said the move was in response to the local high-exposure sites visited by a Noble Park quarantine worker who tested Covid-positive on 3 February.

“The guys from the shed are mainly elderly.

“We heard that the virus was around the

area and to protect all the guys from catching the virus, we have decided to close the shed.”

On 4 February, waiting times of up to three hours were recorded at drive-through testing stations at Springers Leisure Centre in Keysborough and Carroll Lane, Dandenong and a walk-in Monash Health clinic, Cleeland Street in Dandenong.

An extra drive-through station was set up at Jan Wilson Community Centre in Noble Park North.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the Noble Park man’s testing showed a probable “high viral load”.

“For his very close contacts there is a risk that they could potentially become cases.”

For updates, go to www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/ coronavirus

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Living treasures named

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Selba Luka, centre, receives her award from Mayor Angela Long and Deputy Mayor Sophie Tan.

Pictures: HAS MEDIA

Selba (front) and volunteer Veronica in the Afri Aus-Care veggie garden.

The organisation provides cooking classes for vulnerable members of the community. 213664

By Danielle Kutchel A tireless champion for African and CALD communities has been named Greater Dandenong’s Citizen of the Year.

Selba Luka, founder of Afri-Aus Care, received the award at an invite-only event at Springvale City Hall on Tuesday 26 January.

She admitted the award was a total shock, but a welcome one, and dedicated it to the community, staff, volunteers, supporters and

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Born in Malawi, Ms Luka often says her heart is in South Sudan as she works closely with the south-eastern South Sudanese community.

Afri-Aus Care was born of her experiences when she arrived in Australia, where she experienced difficulties and hardship in her first years in the country.

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African women who are new to Australia and need assistance to find employment and learn English. Many of these women are survivors of domestic abuse, and Afri-Aus Care provides mental health support too as they build a new life.

Speaking at the Australia Day ceremony, Ms Luka said she was honoured to have received such a prestigious award.

“May we continue to be united. Dandenong is a great city to be,“ she said.

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It works closely with youth offenders, providing them with a pathway out of these behaviours and into a more positive contribution to society. During the pandemic for example, ex-offenders helped create food hampers and deliver these to the most vulnerable in society.

Afri-Aus Care also works with “the mamas“,

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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF Drug driving mum caught A mum has lost her car after being caught driving under the influence of drugs and speeding in a school zone outside a Springvale primary school on Wednesday morning, 3 February, with two children in the car.

The black Mitsubishi, driven by the 40-yearold woman, was allegedly clocked travelling at 57 kilometres per hour in a 40 zone by members of the Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol at approximately 8.30am.

After pulling the vehicle over on Heatherton Road, police discovered the woman’s driver’s licence was suspended due to previous drug driving offences. A roadside drug test was then conducted on the spot, which returned a positive result for methylamphetamine/MDMA in the woman’s system.

The vehicle was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $878.50 and she will be visiting court at a later date.

Would-be robbers sought Police have released footage of two men after an attempted robbery on a train last year.

A 20-year-old Dandenong man was approached by two men soon after he boarded a city-bound train at Sandown Park railway station about 2.20pm on 18 December.

They allegedly demanded the man’s bag and punched him several times before fleeing empty-handed at Huntingdale station.

One of the men was described as Caucasian, about 20-to-30-years old, medium build and blonde collar-length hair. He wore a black cap, black hooded puffer jacket, black T-shirt, gold chain and light-coloured jeans.

The second man was described as Caucasian, 20-to-30-years old, medium build, with dark hair, a goatee and a moustache. He wore a black cap, long-sleeved black jumper and blue jeans.

Film’s short spray against graffiti A short animation on the ‘true cost’ of graffiti is set to hit local movie screens.

‘Think Before You Tag’ - made in consultation with young people from Greater Dandenong - touches on the long-term impacts, including friendships.

Greater Dandenong mayor Angela Long, who viewed a preview with Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams on 5 February, said the council took graffiti vandalism seriously.

“This animation encourages young people to consider alternative forms of artistic expression,” Cr Long said.

“Graffiti is an eyesore and cleaning it up can be expensive, but the long-term ramifications for people engaging in graffiti can be very serious and is probably the biggest problem.”

The animation will be shared before movie previews at Reading Cinema screenings and Lunar Drive-In. It will also play via Council’s urban screens in Harmony Square and at the new Springvale Community Hub. The animation was funded by a Victorian Government grant.

Greater Dandenong offers free graffiti removal kits for residents and businesses. The kits are available from any customer service centre.

To report graffiti in public spaces for rapid removal, submit a report form on greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au or phone 8571 1000.

Think Before You Tag can be viewed at https://youtu.be/h4DSnMZLUoA

Greater Dandenong mayor Angela Long and Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams at a preview of Think Before You Tag.

A still from Think Before You Tag.

Two men that police wish to speak to in relation to an attempted robbery of a train commuter.

Think Before You Tag is set to hit the big screen.

EVERY TEST HELPS US KEEP CATCHING UP WITH MATES Every test keeps us on top of this virus.

And keeps us doing the things we love.

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

For testing locations visit CORONAVIRUS.vic.gov.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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NEWS

Cr Richard Lim in a near-deserted upper floor of No.8 car park in Springvale. 224778

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

A pillar chipped by cars on one of the tight corners. 27874 Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS

Carpark in a tight corner

By Cam Lucadou-Wells For a decade, it has been central Springvale’s great parking paradox.

A six-deck, 517-space car park at 8 Balmoral Avenue stands more than half empty while drivers hunt for sparse on-street parking.

Newly-elected Greater Dandenong councillor Richard Lim says it’s time to entice shoppers and traders into the car park by fixing its forbidding design.

If the solution can be found, Springvale’s potential as an Asian food and tourist hub could be fully unlocked, he argues.

One design flaw is the uninviting diagonal chicane entrance.

Worst of all are the numerous head-on bingles and scrapes on the tight, blind corners between levels.

Barely the width of two vehicles, the corners are obscured by thick concrete pillars.

The poles are chipped and smudged by years of collisions.

Cars are regularly wedged at the corners for up to 20 minutes, with long traffic queues behind them. In an emergency, the result could be dire, Cr Lim says.

In the car park’s near-empty upper tiers, convoys of high-revving cars are reportedly hooning even in mid-afternoons. It’s also become a hang-out for groups.

Cr Lim, who runs a nearby pharmacy, bought parking permits for his staff. But few use them - many too “scared” to walk into the dark empty car park at night.

Ahead of the 2021-’22 council budget, Cr

NDIS

Lim has called for CCTV, better lights, police patrols and new one-way ramps to bypass the second and third floor’s narrow southern corners.

In the past, an extra one-way ramp was installed on the first floor with successful results.

According to the council, it would cost $1.3 million for ramps on the second and third floors and widening three other corners.

It’s a costly solution for a Covid-struck council but one that could pay for itself, Cr Lim argues.

Currently, the car park raises up to $270,000 a year from casual users. This is despite only 30 per cent occupancy on weekdays and 40 per cent on weekends.

A cheaper and quicker possibility is to use a traffic-light system - about $140,000 per corner.

However, acting engineering director Kevin van Boxtel told a recent council meeting that it was “unlikely to be an appropriate solution”.

“These types of traffic light systems in multideck car parks are typically used in private

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Traffic congestion in the car park after a bingle on 23 December 2020.

car parks that are not open to the public.

“But in a public car park with a high turnover which is what we are trying to achieve at No.8 Balmoral Avenue, Springvale, it is harder to operate a system of that type.”

The ‘No.8’ car park was built by private developers in 2011.

The council contributed to the construction for an extra two levels to create more public parking.

Since then, the council has fixed a litany of faults such as broken-down lifts, ticket machines, boom gates and the first level’s tight corner.

It has tried to entice traders to park on the upper floors with bargain-priced $55 annual permits. But less than 20 traders park there regularly, Cr Lim says.

Councillor Sean O’Reilly says the main brake on Springvale’s growth is traffic and parking congestion.

“It’s a great shopping centre (but) a lot of the time I get an Uber because the parking and traffic is diabolical.”

He said traders were reluctant to pay for parking. A trial of on-street parking ticket machines was abandoned at great cost due to trader opposition.

“The only way to improve the parking situation is to make it easier to park at No.8 car park or remove fees at No.8 car park.”

He agreed that new ramps at No.8 could pay for themselves, but the council’s capital budget was tight due to Covid impacts and ratecapping.

“The business case should be looked at.”

Impressive property set upon 28 acres of rich, productive soil. Serene country living close to town & fwy access. 11 fully fenced paddocks, water supply & a central laneway to all. 3 dams, stockyards, water tank & pump. 2 additional water tanks to the home. Original “country cottage” style home features wraparound veranda, 3 BR with BIR’s and 2 bathrooms. Kitchen offers elec cooking, dishwasher & large bench space. Multipurpose shedding. Flat & fertile land, established trees & gardens. Beautiful lifestyle property. $1,000,000 to $1,100,000 internet id: 22729996 View property and more details at www.sej.com.au

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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 7

NEWS

Aoife, Jorja, Caden and Theo start year 7 at Haileybury College in Keysborough this year.

Riley, Emilia, Aspen and Averpartap were excited to start prep at Haileybury.

New years, new faces After a tumultuous 2020, back to school took on a new normal for students last week.

Except for Prep students who were getting familiar with classrooms and school grounds for the first time.

“It was a fantastic start to the year,” Dandenong Primary School principal Daniel Riley said.

“We welcomed a number of new students and families as well as familiar faces.

“Everyone was excited to be back to teaching and learning.”

Dandenong Primary School student Amooshah on her first day at Prep. 227074

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Dandenong Primary student Ashfaq. 227074

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Dandenong Primary School students Leivahn and Taraz. 227074

Leivahn in the Dandenong Primary library. 227074

Kingston lays back in Dandenong Primary’s playground. 227074

Alaika, of Dandenong Primary, at play. 227074

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NEWS

Refugee pay case

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Greater Dandenong Council is standing by a recycling contractor accused of underpaying refugees on visas nearly $200,000.

Polytrade is being prosecuted in the Federal Court by the Fair Work Ombudsman for allegedly underpaying five workers at Dandenong and Hallam a total of $194,249 over 20 months.

Polytrade Employment Services - which supplied labour to Polytrade - and Polytrade’s husband-and-wife owners Man Sang Chen and Pui Shan Ho are also charged.

Greater Dandenong Council has taken a nation-leading public stance on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers, leading a multi-council Back Your Neighbour campaign against federal welfare cuts.

Its mayors have chaired the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum.

The council indicated that it was sticking with Polytrade’s 10-year contract to receive kerbside recyclables from Greater Dandenong Council.

The contract expires in September 2023.

“Polytrade has formally advised Council that appropriate corrective action has been undertaken and that they are cooperating with all investigations accordingly,” Greater Dandenong business, engineering and major projects director Paul Kearsley said.

Fair Work inspectors allege the five workers - who were employed as waste sorters - were paid a flat rate of $22 per hour between February 2018 and October 2019.

They were allegedly denied the relevant minimum wage rate, loadings for casual, night and shift work and weekend/public holiday penalty rates.

Polytrade has since fully rectified the alleged underpayments, according to the FWO. At the time, the southern Asian refugees spoke limited English and were on protection or bridging visas, the FWO claims.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said the alleged underpaying of visa holders was particularly serious.

“These workers can be vulnerable if they are unaware of their entitlements or reluctant

to complain due to their visa status,” Ms Parker said.

“Migrant workers in Australia must be paid their full lawful entitlements like any other employee in Australia. Anyone with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”

The FWO investigation was sparked by a referral from the Australian Workers Union.

The regulator also alleges workplace breaches relating to minimum engagement periods and advising employees of their terms of engagement.

Other alleged breaches were in superannuation entitlements, record-keeping and issuing pay slips in the required form.

Polytrade and Polytrade Employment Services face potential penalties of up to $63,000 per breach, and Mr Chen and Ms Ho up to $12,600 per contravention.

The FWO is also seeking an order for Polytrade to commission an independent audit of their compliance with workplace laws.

Polytrade was contacted for comment.

Dandenong will get a new pocket park, joining green spaces like this at the existing Dandenong Park.

New pockets of green set to sprout

By Danielle Kutchel Greater Dandenong will soon get a new green space thanks to funding from the State Government.

The so-called ‘pocked park’ will be located at 77 Herbert Street in Dandenong, and will include shade, seating and plants for visitors to enjoy.

It’s one of several new pocket parks set to be created across Melbourne.

The State Government provided $15 million in funding for 13 new pocket parks and five off-leash dog parks across Melbourne’s suburbs.

According to the government, each new pocket park is funded up to $1.3 million.

Local councils were invited to nominate

sites for the new parks, which were assessed by an independent panel.

The parks were selected for funding based on their accessibility by road, public transport or well-linked to bike and walking tracks.

When complete, the pocket parks will include community event areas, landscaping and greenery, improved pedestrian connections, seating, shade, play areas and drinking fountains.

City of Greater Dandenong director city planning, design and amenity, Jody Bosman, said the land on Herbert Street was purchased by the council as part of its Open Space Strategy 2020-2030.

She said the pocket park would allow lo-

cals to “relax outdoors and be close to nature”.

“The park will be part of a new tree-lined ‘green spine’ creating a green link from Dandenong High School to Robert Booth Reserve,” Ms Bosman said.

“This will include around 60 new trees and landscaping to improve the comfort for residents walking to and from community facilities and help reduce the effects of climate change.”

The construction of pocket parks, which is part of the State Government’s Suburban Parks Program, will also create jobs in industries like construction, design and landscaping, as Victoria recovers from the economic impacts of Covid-19.

Thief preys on elder’s pension

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A “low life” act has robbed a 79-year-old Doveton shopper of his week’s pension and bank cards.

Robert Withey’s black leather wallet fell to the floor as he stowed his purchased items into the basket of his disability walker at the counter of Officeworks in Frankston-Dandenong Road, Dandenong South about 1.05pm on Tuesday 2 February.

An unknown man who was behind Mr Withey bent down, slid the wallet under a black folder and walked out the store.

Mr Withey, who’s lived in Doveton for 63 years, says he’s devastated but doesn’t want to dwell.

The wallet contained $400 - Mr Withey’s entire pension for the week - two bank cards, medical-alert documents and drivers’ licence.

“Identity theft is probably the biggest threat. Losing all those cards is a big issue.”

In the past, he has seen dropped wallets and purses and duly returned them.

“Some people aren’t like that. When everything is fairly tight at the moment, some may be looking to not be so honest.”

A neighbour Mrs McMurray said Mr Withey may have been distracted at the time while donating to a Smith Family tin at the counter.

“I think this is the lowest act someone could deal to a senior Aussie, wracked with osteoarthritis, walking with the aid of a trolley.

“Robert is well known in Doveton to be a really caring and helpful neighbour.

“He’s lived in Doveton for 60 of his 80 years and he says he’s never had such a low life steal from him in such a sneaky act.”

After viewing the store’s CCTV footage, Mrs McMurray described the male as dark olive complexion with a bushy moustache, a black baseball cap, white T-shirt, black pants with a large white EVERLAST logo, sandals, and glasses on top of his cap.

“I hope someone recognises this fellow and dobs him in.”

Dandenong police are investigating the case.

Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

Timetable changes biggest since the loop

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Rail timetable changes are putting Cranbourne and Pakenham line commuters into a reverse spin.

From 1 February, City Loop services are running anti-clockwise all day. Effectively, Cranbourne/Pakenham line services will travel the City Loop in reverse direction.

The State Government says it allows 450 extra train services a week including 90 on the Dandenong rail corridor.

The Cranbourne/Pakenham lines carry 15 new morning and afternoon peak services.

Trains run more frequently - every five minutes during morning peak.

Peak services will no longer stop between Caulfield and South Yarra.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said: “This is the biggest timetable change since the dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

opening of the City Loop, and the extra services give passengers in Melbourne and regional Victoria more options to get them where they need to go.”

Opposition public transport spokesperson David Davis said the change was a “con job”, resulting in “slower services” for some commuters.

The reversed City Loop services would force some passengers to catch another line’s service and then change trains at Richmond or South Yarra, he said.

“Andrews has seemingly wasted billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on transport infrastructure with countless major disruptions to commuters’ travel only to result in metropolitan train services that are now slower and less direct than ever before for many commuters.”

Public Transport Users Association spokesperson Daniel Bowen said every timetable

change brought benefits and drawbacks “depending on who you ask”.

“Overall we consider this change to be a step forward,” he said.

“It adds consistency to the City Loop, allows more trains to run, and cuts waiting times and crowding both at peak hour and at other times of day.

Mr Bowen said services ran at least every 10 minutes at most times of the day on the Cranbourne/Pakenham line.

“Running the Cranbourne/Pakenham line anti-clockwise through the Loop all day obviously means a longer trip home for some passengers at stations like Parliament, but also means they can more easily get a seat.

“It means a quicker trip for people boarding at Flinders Street, which is Melbourne’s busiest station.”

Robert Withey says he’s devastated after a thief swooped on his wallet dropped at an Officeworks checkout. 227539 Picture: GARY SISSONS

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 9

NEWS

Isaiah and his sister Hawa embrace on his arrival in Hobart. They had not seen each other since 2003.

Picture: ISAIAH LAHAI

Rohingya people of Myanmar fleeing their homes over the river border into Bangladesh.

Picture: PAULA BRONSTEIN REPRODUCED COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Raw conflict up close An insightful exhibition into military conflict weaves together stories of migrants in wartorn countries and Australian overseas-service veterans.

Changed Forever: Legacies of Conflict is a Shrine of Remembrance touring exhibition stopping at Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong over the next month.

It is based on oral histories from Australian Defence Force veterans at recent conflicts and peacekeeping operations, as well as from migrants who came to Australia due to war.

The exhibition takes a wide-reaching view on the impact of war with accounts of conflict, dislocation and resettlement.

The stories tell of endurance, loss of lives and loved ones, reconciliation between veter-

ans and civilians, and triumphs of humanity in the face of the worst of humanity.

Stories will be told using paintings, sculpture, music, multimedia, poetry and photographs.

A public program at the gallery on Tuesday 16 February will share stories behind the works from artists, veterans and storytellers.

Bookings are required.

Changed Forever is at Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre, corner Walker and Robinson Street until 12 March. The gallery opens 12pm4pm Tuesdays-Fridays.

Details: www.greaterdandenong.vic.gov. au/greater-dandenong-council/events/ changed-forever-legacies-conflict

An unidentified Australian peacekeeper in Dili, Timor Leste provides security for the Bombeiros (firefighters) in 2006.

Picture: DAVID DARE PARKER

Abu Rabih, a 65-year-old Syrian man, sits in what was once his home.

Picture: AMER ALMOHIBANY REPRODUCED COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Lieutenant Kylie Hasse transports medical supplies to remote patrol bases in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan.

Picture: LEADING SEAMAN ANDREW DAKIN

Drum roll please... theatre stars take centre stage

By Gabriella Payne After the 2020 Covid lockdowns saw the performing arts sector take a hit, theatres around the state are thrilled to be bursting back to life - and Dandenong’s Drum Theatre is no exception, with the first shows of the season just around the corner.

Two of Australia’s most loved musical theatre stars, Michael Cormick and Rachael Beck, will be taking to the stage on Tuesday 16 February for a fabulous night of entertainment in their highly anticipated show ‘You and I’.

Mr Cormick and Ms Beck are both renowned stars of the theatre, having been close friends and lighting up stages together for over 25 years now.

The pair initially met whilst playing the leading roles in a performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ over two decades ago and Mr Cormick said he was thrilled to be once again taking to the stage with his dear friend.

“It’s going to be amazing, I just can’t wait,” Mr Cormick said.

“We’ve missed what we do so much and it’s going to be so exciting to get back on stage - especially with my partner in crime, Rachael.”

Ms Beck shared her co-star’s feelings, agreeing that it was extremely exciting to be seeing the revival of the arts and entertainment sector in Victoria.

“It’s been a very tough time for artists across the board, so it’s really wonderful that we can finally do what we do and help bring some smiles to people’s faces,” Ms Beck said.

‘You and I’ is set to be a performance like no other, being described as “like watching 10 musicals in one night”, where Mr Cormick and Ms Beck will be sharing stories, songs and snippets from their favourite musicals - a night sure to be bursting with entertainment.

Ms Beck described the show as a “New York cabaret” style performance and said that it covered “a good mix of everything”, with songs and scenes from hit musicals such as Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast 10 STAR JOURNAL

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and the Phantom of the Opera to name a few.

Mr Cormick added that it was a “celebration of our careers together” and said that having the opportunity to perform with Ms Beck, his good friend, was like “putting on a pair of comfortable shoes”.

“We vocally perform together so beautifully, but there’s that kind of connection together on stage which the audience will feel,” Mr Cormick said.

Being born and raised in the Doveton and Dandenong areas, Mr Cormick is excited to be coming back to the Drum Theatre, to perform for the local community and said he could “never forget” where he came from.

“All of it will be a bit like coming home, in more ways than one,” he said.

Mr Cormick said that the Melbourne lockdowns had been incredibly hard for the abundance of performers this city is home to, and he had missed entertaining and interacting with live audiences.

“As performers, we realise that defines who we are - so to not have the ability to do that, to not have the exchange with the audience is what I’ve missed the most,” Mr Cormick said.

Both Ms Beck and Mr Cormick will be touring with ‘You and I’ around regional Victoria, with approximately 20 dates booked in for the coming weeks.

Having been postponed and cancelled by the pandemic a few times already, Ms Beck said herself and the team had “all our fingers crossed” that nothing would stop the show this time.

“It’s going to be a great tour with stories, songs and a few laughs too,” she said.

The show will be playing at the Drum Theatre on Tuesday 16 February at 7.30pm and tickets are available at https://drum.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au or via the box office, on 8571 1666.

For more information about ‘You and I’, all Covid-safe practices in place and other upcoming performances at the theatre, visit the Drum website.

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

Michael Cormick and Rachael Beck are looking forward to performing on stage together once again.

Picture: SUPPLIED dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Upgrade for cricket jewel

By Cam Lucadou-Wells After a heated off-field battle, Silverton Cricket Club has celebrated a long-awaited upgrade at WJ Turner Reserve.

The 53-year-old club - with an enthusiastic band of junior players and dignitaries on hand - officially opened its repaired and expanded nets area on 27 January.

Recently, its flooding centre wicket area was repaired, and female-friendly changerooms built. A new kitchen and storage area are expected later in the year.

Silverton junior co-ordinator Dean Jones said the new infrastructure was one of the “jewels in the crown” for Noble Park North and Greater Dandenong.

“It allows us to better align with Council’s

‘Make Your Move’ campaign and provides the greatest opportunity yet to connect and inspire our city.

“Today’s attendance is a small example of the community we’ve created.

“If our infrastructure gets better, than we get better and can provide the best cricket experience possible, with the city’s most popular sport.”

Despite the pandemic, the club boasts record-breaking junior registrations and 150 players across its teams.

“Recently WJ Turner Reserve hosted a Victorian Metropolitan Junior Representative game, the first ever we can remember in Noble Park North.

“These games are usually awarded to the City Of Casey however these are the possibili-

ties council have now created.”

The club’s community work includes raising $2000 for a family subjected to a home invasion, partnering with Blind Cricket Victoria and staging a free clinic for 50 girls at Dandenong High School.

It has also recently taken out Greater Dandenong awards for best club, best volunteer and sportsperson of the year.

The Turner Reserve works broke a 40-year drought without a major upgrade.

In April 2020, the club launched a blistering attack after Greater Dandenong Council scrapped a long-awaited masterplan for the reserve.

During council elections, the club letterboxed against the incumbent ward councillor Maria Sampey. It successfully backed club

volunteer Lana Formoso as Noble Park North Ward’s new councillor.

But now the dust has settled. Silverton was keen to “appreciate what’s there and to be able to move forward”, Mr Jones said.

Cr Formoso said the “long overdue” upgrades were “momentous” for the club, reserve and municipality.

“It is very exciting for me to be here today as the councillor of this ward, a PE teacher and a mother of two boys who love to play all sports but in particular cricket.

“It couldn’t be a more fitting time as we are working towards the “Make Your Move” strategy and increasing female participation in sport.

“What the cricket club has done here to increase participation has been phenomenal.”

Garden builds important bridges around the world

By Danielle Kutchel Avid gardeners will tell you there’s something beautifully cathartic about getting down and dirty - and for Selba Gondoza Luka and the women who attend Afri-Aus Care’s African Empowering Women’s Group, the proof is in the pudding.

Afri-Aus Care’s ‘Mamas’, as they are known, carefully tend a thriving garden filled with vegetables and herbs of all kinds at AfriAus Care - ADRA Community Centre Springvale South.

It’s not just the flora that’s thriving - since its establishment in July 2019, the garden has brought happiness and calm to the AfricanAustralian women and youth, who are often traumatised or experiencing psychosocial challenges in the wake of their settlement in Australia.

The garden is the brainchild of Afri-Aus Care CEO and founder and co-founder of Black Rhinos Basketball Club Ms Luka, who experienced family violence and severe mental distresses when she first arrived in Australia.

For Ms Luka, as a newly arrived migrant family with limited English and mother of an eight-year-old daughter, life in Australia was completely different and filled with unforeseen challenges.

After suffering from postnatal depression and the loss of her 7-month-old daughter, she then had to spend time in a psychiatric hospital receiving treatment for Major Depressive Disorder and Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

While Ms Luka was admitted to hospital, in an unfair decision her employer terminated her employment contract. Ms Luka’s job loss not only aggravated her mental health but also led to family violence which unfortunately caused the family breakdown and disconnection between her and Kwacha, her only daughter.

But none of these traumatising experiences could defeat her; instead of seeing herself as a victim of the surrounding circumstances, Ms Luka established Afri-Aus Care with the aim of offering culturally appropriate holistic care, to the people who are going through what she experienced for several years - the support that she had not received while she was struggling with some of the most terrifying moments of her life.

Ms Luka shares her story with Afri-Aus Care participants to provide social and mental support.

“One of the pathways that assisted me to gradually heal from depression and anxiety was attending to my vegetable garden at the back of my house between 2001 and 2014, I lived in darkness for a long period of time,” she explained.

“Slowly I came to realise a different picture of myself by telling people what I was going through because I believe in storytelling.

“This is a common way that we support each other where we come from, motherland Africa.

“Storytelling has assisted me.”

Storytelling now also forms part of the Ubuntu guidelines that underpin Afri-Aus Care’s framework. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Planting the Springvale garden.

After the establishment of Afri-Aus Care, with the support of ADRA, Dandenong Volunteer Resource Service and some community members, Ms Luka maintained that tradition of storytelling and encouraged other African-Australian women and youth to do the same.

Based on her own experience, Ms Luka knew that other African-Australian women and their children were also experiencing anxiety, post-traumatic stress and depression as they navigated a new country, with many of them feeling like they had nowhere to turn.

Ms Luka said the results of such experiences have been horrendous, with some passing away from premature and preventable deaths.

Others are victims of family violence, youth being overrepresented in prisons, relationship breakdowns, under or unemployment issues, unresolved and untreated mental illnesses, and intergenerational conflict.

“The idea of using the garden as a tool for social connection and therapy for those experiencing mental health concerns, began from the history of African-Australian mature aged women who are used to working in the fields in motherland Africa,” she explained.

“However, in Australia many AfricanAustralian women find themselves without fields and flora to tend to, without work, isolated and depressed, without any support, because of all the stigmas and taboos around mental health. Resettlement challenges are also prominent within African-Australian communities,” Ms Luka said.

While gardening, the women talk about their trauma and challenges and how to access culturally appropriate medical specialists for further assessment and support.

They are also supported and are advised to use a tool called The Positive Change Model, which Afri-Aus Care is developing.

The University of Melbourne is currently researching the effectiveness of the practice of Ubuntu with the mamas and community members who attend Afri-Aus Care’s programs.

Ms Luka said the simple acts of tilling soil,

Pictures: SUPPLIED

The harvest has fed up to 60 families. planting seeds, and harvesting the crops has had a calming and transformational effect for many community members who attend the garden - both young and mature aged.

Now, the women are studying English and are assisted with employment pathways, cooking on a budget, creating a recipe book, and sewing while working in group activities at the centre and maintaining their cultural beliefs across generations.

“It’s very therapeutic to be connected to the earth,” Ms Luka said.

None of the food produced in the garden goes to waste - the women take part in cooking classes at the community centre, using what they’ve harvested.

The small plot of land gives bumper yields and there have been times when it has fed up to 60 families with African vegetables called Sukumawiki and African Rocket salad.

Now, Ms Luka, who was named Citizen of the Year in last month’s Greater Dandenong Australia Day Awards, is looking to take her ideas to her home country of Malawi, to establish a community garden to help villagers who are struggling with their own psychosocial issues and trauma caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The plan is to set up gardens like the one in Springvale, to assist people to grow their own crops - alleviating hunger by providing a steady source of food - and giving them a space to help each other and talk about any issues they may be experiencing.

With the help of the Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne, of which Ms Luka and her daughter Kwacha are harter Mmembers, Ms Luka has established online mental health and wellness sessions with some of the participants who reached out to her for support and now she wants to extend free services to the villagers in Malawi.

“Usually in Africa, we would help each other - but because of Covid-19, and lack of enough land to cultivate vegetables, it’s really hard for people to take care of one another,” Ms Luka said of the rationale behind the project.

Ms Luka has faith that the project will be delivered successfully in Malawi, she said this is the time when people in the diaspora need to think hard so that the can assist people in their home countries.

Ms Luka has a diverse strong team on the ground already who are working hard to implement what they are doing here in Australia.

The group consists of Ken MacHence Gunsalu, a Malawi-born scientist with an interest in sustainable food systems; Sam Onanda, a British-Kenyan member of the African Chamber of Commerce in China; Dr. Bob Alexander from Hawaii, an international researcher and practitioner in communitybased development; Malawian professional Madalitso Gondoza; Moreblessing Shumba, a UK-based mental health clinician and domestic violence advocate; Mo-Giovanna, founder of Mental Wealth; and Peace Kalua a Malawi national, founder of the Pamodzi Social Enterprise.

From Australia, they will be assisted by the Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne; members from other Rotary Clubs from District 9800; Afsaneh Jasmine Majidi, a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist Kemalie Bairami, a mental health professional and doctoral candidate of clinical and forensic psychology; Vivivan Tong and Herbson Singo, social workers; Atong Ayom, a youth coordinator; Adau Bar, a youth worker; Beacky Kalo, youth leader; Jamy Alex Black, co-founder of the Rhinos Basketball Club, Ms Luka herself and her daughter, Kwacha Luka, who is a mentor to African youth both here and in Africa.

The garden will be constructed in Mpemba in Malawi, and the villagers are already excited about the new development.

What they need now, though, is donations to assist with extending a building block and resources to run mental health and gardening sessions to the community members in Mpemba.

Ms Luka said the focus is on empowering other people, especially vulnerable women, to speak out about their problems, voice their opinions and uplift each other in culturally appropriate way to live a meaningful life.

Ms Luka said she is grateful to government departments, stakeholders, volunteers and individuals who believe in her dreams “we now have a genuine pathway for women and youth empowerment regardless of our traumatic backgrounds”.

Donations can be made via the Afri-Aus Care website.

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 11

HISTORY Racing enthusiast and former newspaper editor KEITH KRATZMANN reflects on the career of turf legend Bernborough after a Christmas gift brought up some old memories.

The mighty Bernborough Undoubtedly the greatest weight carrying racehorse of all time amassing 15 successive victories in just one year was the Queensland galloper Bernborough.

The tragic circumstance was that in his 19th start in 1946, the constant weight plus three serious checks in the Caulfield Cup ultimately led to his breaking his front fetlock never to race again where the plan was to take the superstar to gallop against the best gallopers in the United States.

The legendary book on Bernborough, which was difficult to obtain, came into the hands of my daughter Maree Kratzmann who saw second hand books of both Bernborough and Don Bradman (the greatest cricket legend) in a second hand SVDP shop in Gladstone.

The Christmas present was a real delight as one had the opportunity to not only in 1946 as a 12 year-old boy to have my Dad take me to see the great Bernborough while in December of the same year, my older late brother Arthur surprised me by travelling to Brisbane from the Kingaroy rail station to attend the Australian-England test where Bradman was still batting past his century followed by the longest cricket six hit over the grandstand (a record that still stands) by Keith Miller.

Bernborough’s performances which were not in the days of television screens had racing followers tuned into radio broadcasts and if you visited the movies, Bernborough was often on movie theatre screens with the Cinesound News right throughout the nation.

The book “The Story Behind The Legend” was compiled and written by Bill Sigley in conjunction with regular jockey Athol George Mulley.

The total contents comprised 242 pages which was printed at the time by Boolorong Publications when the company was based at Bowen Hills (Brisbane).

There were no tote facilities in this era so all transactions were made with bookmakers on the respective tracks plus other operators with no licence were considered illegal.

“I was fortunate enough at 12 years-old with my late father to catch a tram in the Brisbane suburb of Toowong which travelled to the gates of the Doomben racetrack.

“The cheapest area was to cross the racecourse (known as The Flat) which with my late Dad, cost us only one shilling.

“Before the race was run, Bernborough paraded down the straight and many said he could not win because of having to lump 10st 3lb over just a sprint course.

“When the field reached the home turn, Bernborough was second last and then as he commenced his run, the outstanding commentator in the late Keith Noud said “He’s coming like a tornado” and duly had the race won at the 50 metre mark”.

The following week, trainer Harry Plant accepted with Bernborough from his sprint win to the Doomben Cup where over the 11 furlong course he carried 10st 10lb to victory.

The Mighty Bernborough and Athol George Mulley with his tremendous weight on the way to the start of the 1946 Doomben Ahern Memorial where his sensational winning finish from second last at the turn has never been beaten. Bernborough’s achievements in just some nine months along the eastern seaboard are honoured at Eagle Farm with a museum of his outstanding record.

Apart from his Doomben victories, Bernborough in earlier Victorian starts of 1946 achieved what was regarded as the impossible in taking out the six furlong (1200 metres) Newmarket where over the final 200 metre sprint he clocked a magic 10 seconds, a record which still stands to this day.

The champion is the only galloper to ever start in a Newmarket at 4/9 on while as it was the largest spring race of all time, the race attracted a crowd of 45,000.

One of the turf’s most colourful figures was Azzalin Romano who paid 2,600 guineas for the great champion. The threesome of Roma12 STAR JOURNAL

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One of the turf’s most colourful figures was Azzalin Romano who paid 2,600 guineas for the great champion.

Picture: NEWS LIMITED

The Mighty Bernborough and Athol George Mulley with his tremendous weight on the way to the start of the 1946 Doomben Ahern Memorial where his sensational winning finish from second last at the turn has never been beaten.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Jockey Athol George Mulley and his wife June in front of a portrait in oils of the famous rider.

Picture: CENTRAL COAST PUBLICATIONS PTY LTD

no, trainer Harry Plant and Benborough got what was called a bargain price well ahead of a prospective owner who came late for at the auction where he was supposed to have an offer of over 4,000 guineas.

After his sensational Doomben wins and weight carrying records Bernborough was then transported by freight ship across bumpy waves from Brisbane to Sydney to contest the feature races before his departure to Melbourne for the weight for age events and the anticipated Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double.

Following his Sydney success, Bernborough was then earmarked for the 1946 Caulfield Cup where he was asked at the time to carry a mammoth weight over a mile and a half (or 12 furlongs).

At this time, rumours were also floating that Bernborough would later travel by ship to North America.

In the Caulfield Cup and apart from giving away up to three stone by some runners, he suffered three checks in running which kept him at the rear of the field until he had to pull wide in the straight and finish fifth.

Mulley denied any suggestions that he had of not winning the race, but what occurred was three checks in the race which seemed a target by other jockeys in creating the Queenslander with a troublesome run.

It’s interesting to note that two bookmakers were betting 3/1 each way about Bernborough while other prices were basically just

skidded to a halt, leaving the course, people still believing that he was taken away to be destroyed. A stunned silence, then cries of horror…. Bernborough standing on three legs, his injured near foreleg held high off the ground.

As Bernborough left the course, people still believed that he was to be destroyed. However veterinarians were able to place the sesamoid bone in position and re-bandage the fore leg.

This later resulted in Bernborough travelling by ship to the United States for stud duties.

He was then taken by train to Lexington in Kentucky, the home breeding capital of America.

By 1975, Bernborough’s 13 crops of 267 foals had produced 245 race starters of which 189 had won 1334 races.

Bernborough has never been forgotten by race followers like yours truly and those still in the age group of the 80’s and 90’s of his rise to fame via the early years of his association with the Darling Downs.

A statue of Bernborough is seen by thousands of racing folk and tourists where it graces the entry to the headquarters of the Jondaryan Shire Council at Oakey.

The greatest five gallopers of all time in the hearts of former racing identities in their respective era are Phar Lap, Bernborough, Carbine, Peter Pan, Tulloch and Kingston Town.

Information from “The Story Behind The Legend” by Bill Sigley in conjunction with Athol George Mulley.

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

6/4. During the same meeting, Bernborough was quoted at 6/4 to win the forthcoming Melbourne Cup even with his massive weight over the gruelling two miles.

However, connections of the stable decided to take Mulley away from his long standing record where they secured Billy Briscoe as the new rider in the forthcoming weight for age Mackinnon Stakes where weight was only 9st 3lb. Coming to the turn, Briscoe gave the champion a feeler and he was ready for a withering run.

Judging the time to be right, he gave Bernborough rein on the turn, and the race favourite closed quickly on Flight, and the mare’s owner Brian Crowley was thinking, ‘It’s second again for us’.

Then, a loud noise, like a sharp clap of thunder, or a gunshot, rolled over Flemington. Bernborough faltered and veered off course towards the middle of the track.

The noise was so loud that Briscoe thought for a second that Bernborough had been shot, and Jack O’Sullivan on Flight later told Bill Ahern ‘I heard a sharp crack behind me just before we entered the straight’. The noise had been heard three furlongs away in the sand, and in the press box Bill Ahern and ‘Cardigan’ thought for a moment that some ‘crank’ had shot the champion.

Bernborough’s near foreleg crumbled beneath him and only Briscoe’s skill stopped him from falling. The intelligent bay tried to save himself. He spread his hindlegs, and

dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

HISTORY NEIL LUCAS, former Eumemmerring MP and City of Berwick CEO, looks at members of the Lowry family, who came out from New York in the 1850s gold rush era and ended up making a mark in the South Gippsland town of Fish Creek and locally at Narre Warren North.

Big Apple to a palace Lowry Court, Narre Warren North On 4 November 1852 on the Sagsusa, 26-yearold Samuel Lowry sailed from New York for Australia with his young wife Edith, whom he had married in the previous year.

Their voyage came at a cost of $180 (US) and that was for a second class cabin.

They landed at Port Phillip and headed straight for the gold diggings at Sandhurst (the former name of Bendigo).

It is not known whether their move there was to dig for gold or to take up some other occupation.

Samuel and Edith then lived at Smeaton, north of Ballarat producing 11 children, although three died before attaining six months in age.

They later moved to Sandy Point, south of Fish Creek in Gippsland, running both sheep and cattle.

The Lowrys bought both cattle and sheep at the Melbourne markets and drove them back to the farm on bush tracks with a view to fattening them for sale. Alas both dingoes and foot rot intervened and it was difficult to make a profit. Accordingly they set up a saw mill to support their family.

Samuel and Edith later lived in Benalla, where both died within five days of each other in December 1899, as did their daughter-inlaw and their granddaughter - all from the fever.

Sam and Edith’s eldest son John travelled to Melbourne in 1889 where he married Agnes Kinnaird, returning with his bride by boat to Waratah Bay and then on horse-back to Sandy Point.

A couple of years later John arranged for a bullock team to drag a two roomed cottage to a property “Glennan” approximately half way between Sandy Point and Fish Creek where, with the experience from his parents business, he too set up a sawmill.

However in 1893 the Lowrys gave away the idea of living from the earnings of their saw mill and moved into the town of Fish Creek building a four roomed house which, with the addition of further rooms, became an accommodation house known as Lowry’s Coffee Palace, taking boarders, commercial travellers and others passing through the town.

An optician conducted consultations in a room provided to him by the Lowrys.

The further development of the town and particularly the opening of the Port Albert railway which ran through the town greatly enhanced their business opportunities.

At Glennan, John and Agnes had produced their first child Robert, who was followed at Fish Creek by Leslie in 1893, Isobel, Elsie and Arthur.

In 1906 young Les Lowry was appointed as mascot for the Fish Creek football team.

In 1917 the local paper Foster Mirror reported a large attendance at a function at Fish Creek in aid of the local Unity Church fund.

At the conclusion of the program “those taking part were hospitably received by Mrs Lowry at the Coffee Palace and treated to a nicely prepared supper”. One of the accompanists at the concert was Miss B. Lowry.

The Lowry’s Coffee Palace continued operation at Fish Creek but made the headlines in 1927 when a huge fire in the middle of the night destroyed the adjacent wine saloon.

The Fish Creek Hotel and the coffee palace were saved by the local brigade. Four years later Mrs Lowry decided to retire and put the property up for auction.

The advertisement described the establishment as follows - “17 rooms, consisting 12 bedrooms, 1 sitting room, large dining room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, all well-furnished; everything in working order; Glorialight in main rooms, telephone, good piano, 19 single beds, 4 double beds, crockery, glassware, cutlery, &c. ; also 1 cow, 20 fowls; freehold land 99 ft. x 165 ft.; good stabling and outbuildings.”

When World War I occurred John and Agnes’ 23-year-old son Les Lowry joined the Army and as a member of the 14th Battalion dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Les and Valda with the maize crop at Narre Warren North.

John and Agnes Lowry. left for overseas in early 1917 on the “Ballarat”.

Following the rounding of Cape of Good Hope, the Ballarat docked at Cape Town on 19 March. Alas, heading further north, the ship was torpedoed and sunk on Anzac Day 1917 and Les found himself in a lifeboat thankfully being rescued by one of the escorting destroyers.

Whilst serving in France Les was wounded by the blast of a large shell which managed to bury him under a pile of dirt and other material. His mates insisted in digging him out and found that he was still alive but severely wounded with head injuries (later causing a loss of hearing in one ear).

Les was invalided to Dartford in Kent, England where he recovered and subsequently returned home to Fish Creek where the community gathered and presented him with a gold waist coat medallion in honour of his service.

The government allocated a soldier settler allotment comprising 108 acres (40 hectares) located eight kilometres east of Fish Creek at Hoddle to Les. The allotment was accessible by just a rough bush track but during the Depression Les and his mate Ted McKenzie gained a contract from the local shire to construct what was then named Lowry’s Road - a road still named that way, half way between Fish Creek and Foster.

The construction was undertaken the hard way - with horse, plough and scoop.

Les married a “city girl” Mary Robinson, who lived in Fairfield. They met during a holiday Mary spent at the Coffee Palace.

Les and Mary married in 1923 at the Presbyterian Church in Fitzroy and produced four children, Irene who died when still a baby, Gordon in 1925, and twins Valda and Lesley in 1928 (Lesley died whilst still in hospital).

The Lowrys ran dairy cows on their property at Hoddle, where young Gordon commenced schooling at the 11 student school.

By the time he was seven years old Gordon was riding the family’s horse Old Dick to and from school - the horse was 25 years old.

Les Lowry AIF. Gordon assisted his father on the farm, planting potatoes, spreading superphosphate and milking a couple of cows. After his chores he would fish for Blackfish in the creek.

In the early 1930s the Lowrys decided to sell the farm and move closer to Melbourne.

Les, as a result of his war injuries, could not continue with the farm. The farm was sold for less than Les had paid for it and as it had been allocated as a Soldier Settler allotment, the government retained the total proceeds.

Les successfully applied for a small Soldier Settler block at Narre Warren North for which he had to pay five shillings (50 cents) each week.

Their new 14 acre (five hectare) property was located on the south west corner of Fox Road and Narre Warren North Road.

The walls and ceilings of the three back rooms of the house were not lined - the government funded the lining of the ceilings but only the walls of one room.

Les continued with dairy cows, milking 20 cows by hand and growing maize and other vegetables until the early 1970s, when he decided to retire.

In the 1930s Les had purchased 12 acres jointly with Sam Brundrett from the Rose Farm across the road and they split it in half retaining half each.

The land was on the Narre Warren North Road adjacent to the Rose Farm. Les’ half had an existing house which he sold for removal (it was re-located to Doveton). The proceeds went a long way towards the purchase of the land.

Gordon Lowry completed Grade 8 at Narre Warren North Primary and went on to Caulfield Technical School.

He was a keen scout and when World War II commenced the scouts collected aluminium and unused articles (old saucepans etc) which could be repurposed for war materials.

Gordon remained in the scouts until he joined the Air Force at the age of 18 years.

He trained in armaments and was posted to Williamstown Air Force base in NSW where he

worked on the Vultee Vengeance dive bomber, then for a time at the Sale base, Tocumwal base working on Liberator bombers and finally journeying in the back of an open truck from Adelaide to Alice Springs to catch the Ghan to Darwin air base.

He was discharged from the RAAF in April 1946.

After the war Gordon re-commenced his apprenticeship and worked at South Eastern Timbers, Raymonds and then Arkana in Dandenong.

Gordon married a local girl Colleen in 1954.

He purchased the acres in Narre Warren North Road from his parents and built a house on the land which he and Colleen moved into following their marriage, under difficult circumstances - there was one tap and no power.

Gordon and Colleen produced two girls, Bronwyn and Sharon.

In 1979 Gordon took on the position of Building Maintenance Officer at the City of Berwick responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of a wide variety of council buildings.

On one occasion he helped out a council colleague who had a possum in the chimney.

The possum did not sound to be in a very good mood.

Climbing onto the roof Gordon fed a thick rope down the chimney - during the night the possum climbed out.

Gordon served as Scoutmaster at Narre Warren North for in the order of six years, a committee member of the Narre Warren North Hall Committee, a keen member of the Narre Warren Tennis Club and later the Narre Warren Bowling Club, and as father of girl guides, helped with the construction of the local Guide Hall.

Another community activity undertaken by Gordon was running a work group at Kalimna for intellectually handicapped young adults for seven years.

Gordon was a regular attendee with Colleen at the Narre Warren North Uniting Church, where his funeral was conducted following his death in August 2016.

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 13

FOCUS ON … HOME & GARDEN

Make a grand entrance Kids, pets, shopping bags bumping against the wall – a busy hallway can take a battering.

“Whilst it might not be a functional room, your hallway is a hardworking space that deserves decorative attention,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux Colour and Communications Manager.

“It’s the first thing guests see and it sets the tone for the rest of your home.”

Is your hallway looking a little worse for wear? A fresh coat of paint and a few decorative tweaks can make all the difference.

Stylist Julia Green gave a classic hallway a new inviting look to show just how easy a refresh is to achieve.

“This hallway had great bones – a high ceiling, decorative mouldings and trims, with a generous width – but it lacked energy. Being a relatively small space, it didn’t take much time, effort or outlay to jazz it up, and livening up the colour was the perfect place to start,” says Green.

“Colour is such an emotional thing. It’s really about identifying those hues you instinctively respond to and having the confidence to use them in your home. And remember – it’s not a lifelong commitment. If you change your mind, you can simply paint over it.”

“Choosing a darker colour for the lower part of your walls can be a great way to disguise scuffs and marks, while a lighter colour above keeps your hallway feeling open and airy.

“A few smart styling touches completed this look. You don’t want clutter in a busy hallway, so I kept my focal points to the walls, floor and console table. A joyful artwork at the end of the hall adds interest, whilst a geometric-patterned rug creates softness and hides a multitude of sins in a high-traffic spot. All these elements are in tones of pink and coral, creating a lush, layered effect against the dusty pink walls.

“To create a cohesive feel, look for opportunities where you can replicate shapes and

themes. Here, I chose a curvy console table that echoes the arched doorway. The ribbed base adds texture, whilst a pretty vignette consisting of a lamp, vessels and a trailing plant makes for an easy-to-achieve and eyecatching feature on the tabletop,” she says.

Julia’s hallway styling tips Create a focal point: Draw guests into your home with a striking artwork, a gallery wall or a mirror at the end of the hallway.

Choose a durable paint finish: Busy hallways require a tough, washable paint finish – Test it out: Purchase a sample pot or Colour Sticker online and live with the colours for a few days.

Choose the right rug: A robust, flatweave rug in a forgiving colourway is the best choice for a high-traffic area.

Light it right: Add warmth with a layered lighting scheme consisting of overhead lighting and lamps at different heights.

Mirror Magic: Make a narrow hallway feel bigger and brighter with a strategically placed mirror.

White and bright: One of the best ways to visually lift a low ceiling, bounce light into a space or for colour contrast is to have a white ceiling – from the picture rails to beyond.

· · · · · · ·

Back wall artwork - ‘Muted Reflection’, Art above console - ‘Happy Days’, Stylist: JULIA GREEN, Artworks By: DOULENE WALKER VIA GREENHOUSE INTERIORS Picture: COURTESY DULUX AUSTRALIA COLOUR FORECAST 2021 Photographer: ARMELLE HABIB

Autumn planting guide

By Danielle Kutchel The days are getting a little shorter now, and cooler days are ahead. With that in mind, what should you be planting in the garden this season? We’ve got the tips you need to have a thriving veggie patch well into the season.

1. Think of what’s to come Traditionally, you should plant winter veg over the autumn months of March, April and May. Think classic brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and the veg-du-jour, kale. All of these are simple to grow and don’t take much looking after. Make sure they have around six hours of sunlight during the day - they’ll grow quicker if they get more sun

but they do tolerate shade as well. Also try planting beans and peas - these will be ready for harvesting in spring for those delicious warmer-weather salads. They grow quickly, but remember to provide them with a support, like a trellis, to climb up as they stretch their little limbs.

2. Think of what you want to eat now Leafy greens are ideal if you want something you can eat over autumn as they don’t take long to grow from seedlings. Plus, they’re versatile and can be eaten in many ways (spinach and feta pies, rainbow chard with garlic and lemon, an easy salad with lettuce and the last of the summer tomatoes ... ) 3. Think of how to grow them With wetter weather on the way, you won’t

Lettuces grow quickly to a size for harvesting.

Autumn is the time to plant brassicas like broccoli.

need to worry too much about intensive watering programs - but that doesn’t mean you can neglect your garden! Remember to keep up the usual supports so your plants continue to grow strongly. Invest in a liquid fertiliser

like Seasol to provide essential nutrients. Ensure your patch is well-prepared by enriching the soil with manure and compost. Fill around plants with mulch to keep moisture in and provide even more beneficial nutrients.

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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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Anyone advertising a puppy, dog, kitten or cat in Victoria for sale or re-homing will need a source number from the Pet Exchange Register and a microchip identification number.

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Cardinia Mens Shed members Geoff Fluck, CFA's Lisa Hicks, Vin and Nichols,Roy Orman Ken Hordern John Buckley with Levi Mountney, giving the truck a spin. 191696

Truck to reel in more fireys have been Members of Cardinia Men’s Shed truck for hard at work, building a small fire the CFA. at CFA The bright little truck will be used around open days and recruitment drives the Cardinia catchment. the CFA’s Lisa The craftsmen met with th at PakenHicks for an official handover on Thursham’s Living and Learning Centre day 28 March. it will “They did such a wonderful job; to athelp with volunteering, something are dowe when kids and tract the families ampaigns “ Ms Hicks said. ing recruitment campaigns,“ of $300 “We were able to secure a grant project. for the Men’s Shed to complete the in myThursday, 4 April, 2019 “I went down there with a vision it had to fit mind and they made it happen; enough in the back of the Ranger, be light the kids. for two people to carry and safe for and “It has working lights, a little ladder a fire hose. It’s amazing.“ CFA’s The grant was secured through the South East Volunteer Sustainability Team, Region.

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Rees hit flying in the air and I was thinking 'God, I Ms Dzedins said: "It was very frightening, I counts of obtain property by deception haven't been killed and hope no one behind A Casey resident has described the moment and was very lucky." a eight counts of theft. driver "hurtled" towards her after an alleged me is killed.'"

"I could see bits of car flying up into the air, A 22-year-old Pakenham man was charged stolen car wound its way through Hampton It came as police were led on a two-hour like I think mirrors or I don't know; door han- with aggravated Park on Monday 1 April. carjacking, four counts of wild pursuit which began about 12.30pm after dles, something like that," she added. theft of a motor vehicle, arson, two counts Robin Dzedins of Lynbrook said she was a four-wheel-drive was allegedly stolen of "There must have been so people just af- burglary, obtain from property by deception, two turning left into Camms Road from South Cranbourne. fected literally by the accident." counts of theft.

Gippsland Highway about 2.30pm when The vehicle was later set alight, police say, she Cardinia Highway Patrol arrested two men Both men were remanded to appear at the saw a car "swerving like a maniac." before the speedsters fled in a station wagon and a woman who attempted to flee on foot af- Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 2 "I could only see it head on hurtling straight and later hijacked a ute ter their ute crashed into a truck on the South April. in Hampton Park. at me. e. Luckily I was turning left, had I been goThe ute crashed where police say the driver Gippsland Highway.

A 21-year21-year-old Dandenong woman was ing straight ahead I would've been hit," The driver, a 26-year-old male from Chel- charged with ttwo counts Ms was seen getting out carrying a rifle, which was of theft of a motor Dzedins said. tenham, tested positive to methamphet- vehicle. used to carjack a Ford ute in Carrum Downs.

"I thought he was going to hit the side of my amine and had his licence disqualified disqualified. He Witnesses say they saw the vehicle driv She was bail bailed to appear at Frankston Magdriv- was charged with car. aggravated carjacking; istrates' ing i on the wrong side of the South Gippsland s' Court on 3 September.

"I looked l behind and saw bits of car he had Highway Anyone one with information is urged to conin Cranbourne. tact Crime ime Stop Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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lucky; had “It was very frightening, I was very commuDue to the immediate threat to the ahead I would’ve been hit. to give chase, pursu- I been going straight nity, police were authorisedMassive car he had “I looked behind and saw bits of ing the offenders into Cranbourne. the hit flying in the air, and I was thinking ‘God, I police, evade to clash kick In a further attempt to wrong side of High haven’t been killed and hope no one behind me speedsters crossed onto the things com.au real estate off headsplitting is killed.“ Street, disobeying red lights and Highway.

20 to 30 cars would on traffic on the South Gippsland SPORT with three Robin believes around Property Lift out The car was involved in a collision by the reckless driving. the Cardinia have been impacted vehicles, after which members of people just “There must have been so many males and one Highway Patrol apprehended two probably 20foot. affected by the accident; there were female, who attempted to flee on 30 cars at the intersection.

A rifle was found in the stolen Ford. the interthe “He must’ve been in the middle of Robin Dzedins of Lynbrook, witnessed the traffic. He section because there was a gap in dramatic pursuit. going to“I was on South Gippy Highway was swerving like a maniac. at Settlement Continued on page 12 wards Cranbourne, turning left Hotel in Camms Road,“ she said. ✃ By ✃Brendan Rees ✃ L E T E

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DISCRIMINATION IN ADVERTISING IS UNLAWFUL 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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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 17

SPORT

The Endeavour Sporting Club with representatives from the Melbourne Victory.

Picture: SUPPLIED

It’s an exciting new era

By Nick Creely There’s a vibe of positivity and hope surrounding the Endeavour Sporting Club in 2021.

With entry into the state league competition for the first time this season, the club’s senior women’s team continues to showcase passion and a thirst to work hard ahead of its first game in April.

Endeavour Sporting Club secretary Waleed Hassan said the girls were an inspiration as they continue to strive towards success on the pitch.

He said that they currently have the squad at 22 players, but would like to see more women join the club.

“The club’s feeling really good at the moment - we know that the girls are very disciplined and hard-working, and they get great enjoyment out of the game,” he said.

“They had a practice match last week, and

not just watching the commitment, but the passion is there, they’re always clapping each other on and supporting each other.

“A lot of the girls come from families who have only recently come to Australia on refugee status.

“They’re all at school or have jobs, and our team manager, she’s actually working at a few hospitals - they’re just really keen to get on with their life in Australia, and loving everything they do.”

Hassan said that the women’s senior team has emerged in leaps and bounds, and despite the challenges of Covid, is an exciting part of the club’s future.

“There’s been interest in a senior women’s team, but this is the first year that they’ve got together to play football as a team,” he said.

“Last year we enrolled them into the competition, but because of Covid it didn’t happen.

“This year they’ve got together, and its exciting that they’re going into the state league.”

The women had an incredible opportunity recently, with the Melbourne Victory coming out and holding a coaching session, from which Hassan said the squad took an incredible amount of knowledge. The club is also interested in having an official relationship with the Victory.

“They loved it, it was great fun, and the response from the Melbourne Victory was great too,” he said.

“They enjoyed being out here and we’ve been corresponding with them a lot, and the interest they’ve given us is really cool.

“The girls had a great time, they learned a lot in that one training session, (and) we saw a lot of improvement.”

Hassan said that the next challenge for the women’s team was to bring in a senior coach.

“We have got a bit of interest in the job, but nothing confirmed - the good thing is, we’ve got our pre-season rolling early, and we’re on the hunt for a coach in the women’s and in the juniors as well,” he said.

“There’s a few things going on at the club.”

The club is also excited about upgrades to its new home ground at Chalcot Lodge in Endeavour Hills, with new lights and a fresh new surface adding to the momentum.

Hassan said that the club is planning to open the new ground this season with a party at the official launch.

“There’s no official opening, but we want to make a big deal out of it - we’ll contact a gentleman by the name of Scott Stanley, from Casey Council who we regularly deal with for the pitches,” he said.

“We’ve transitioned from James Cook Reserve too - they’ve installed new lights and taken care of the pitch, which looks outstanding.”

These Pirates are bouncing right back in the DDCA

By Nick Creely Covid-19 has had a significant impact on local sport, but despite the turmoil that ensued in 2020, more and more clubs are emerging even stronger from it.

In fact, they are now flourishing as they move through the difficulties that they were faced with.

The Parkmore Pirates, based out of Keysborough and playing in the powerful Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 2 competition, are an example of a club that is slowly overcoming the impacts of 2020 and clawing back with the help of its members, dedicated playing group and sponsors.

It was a turbulent off-season for the club with a number of first XI players departing the Pirates - including champion all-rounder Amal Athulathmudal and Niranjen Kumar, and gun batsmen Bevin Cornielle, Aditya Ganesh and Anurudda Fonseka.

Parkmore Pirates president Harry Masson admits that, at times, through the off-season they weren’t sure whether they could field a competitive Turf 2 side and praised the club’s sponsors and members for its ‘next man up’ mentality under captain Ashwin Nash.

But incredibly, the Pirates - who were runners-up last season and finished just seven 18 STAR JOURNAL

|

runs from a grand final victory - are right in the thick of the finals race, despite the many obstacles that have been in the club’s way.

There have been some outstanding individual performances from the Pirates to help fill the void - namely Madhawa Fonseka, who has become one of the competition’s most dangerous bowlers, opening bat Mohomad Safras, and skipper Ashwin Nash.

“It just goes to show the next man up mentality we have as a club,” Masson said.

“I can’t commend enough the job Ash and the boys have done to not only keep this club afloat, but to make a mark on the competition as well given who we lost.

“It’s been so impressive to see what Ash and the boys are doing on the field.

“We’re really excited about what we can do as a club this season.”

But Masson said that without strong support from local sponsors he wasn’t sure how the club would be able to function this season - but he is proud it is fielding four senior sides.

“We’ve had at least one major sponsor from the last few years stop supporting the club this year, which is obviously disappointing,” he said.

“However, we are very fortunate to have

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

The Parkmore Pirates are enjoying their 2020/21 campaign, despite the challenges of the offPicture: ROB CAREW season. 206260 sponsors like Area Specialist and ISS, who stand up and support community organisations like ours.

“It just shows how much they care about

the club and the community.”

The Parkmore Pirates’ Turf 2 side will take on Parkfield at home on Saturday in a vitally important match in the context of the season. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Hawks are flying

Bowls are rollin’ along

By Nick Creely What a statement from Hallam Kalora Park.

And what a result in the context of a tightlycontested DDCA Turf 1 season.

With little separating first from fifth, and Narre South entering the weekend outside of the top four on percentage, the Hawks’ win against Buckley Ridges - who have now slipped down to fifth - is a vital result for all the sides jostling for position.

Even more so, there’s almost guaranteed to be further twists in the finals race in the final few rounds.

But on Saturday, the Hawks clearly had an intent to not slip out of the four again, dominating Buckley Ridges in an incredibly impressive display.

As a result of the barnstorming win, the Hawks are now top-of-the-ladder and are meaning business at the pointy of the season.

It was set-up through a clinical bowling display from quicks Jordan Hammond and Will Whyte, who have continued to lead the way this season.

The duo used the new ball to their advantage, removing the star-studded Bucks’ toporder, which includes names such as Benny Howell, Ian Cockbain, Daniel Watson and skipper Jayson Hobbs to leave the visitors in a tricky position.

It was class bowling from the very first ball of the match.

After the early domination, the Bucks seemingly got back on track, but found themselves 6/33 with Whyte and Hammond once again making their presence known.

Shell-shocked, the Bucks needed something of note to get them back into the game.

Jake Cronin (27 not out) and Hussain Ali (21) did everything they could to get the visitors to something worth bowling at, but the Bucks were rolled for 85.

Whyte snared 4/33 from his 12 overs to take his season wickets to 20, while skipper Hammond was a menace to snare 4/23.

All-rounder Leigh Booth took 2/15 to help remove any chance of a late tail wag.

In a pure show of dominance, the Hawks ran down the target without the loss of a wicket, in arguably the most impressive performance of the Turf 1 season to date.

Hawk openers Leigh Booth (51) and Rob Parker (26) coolly ran down the target in 31.3 overs, and without much trouble in a golden day for the club who are in a terrific position to push for its first Turf 1 flag since 2001/02.

Buckley’s loss became Narre South’s gain, meanwhile, with the Lions comfortably defeating HSD to return to the top-four.

After the disappointment of last week with their home pitch being vandalised, which ac-

Burden Park bowls results for Saturday Pennant - 6 February Division 1, Section 5 Burden Park lost to Mulgrave Country Club 73-102.

I. Pretty lost to S. McLuskey 19-29.

M. Layton lost to R. Jago 15-28.

L. Caulield lost to W. Frazer 15-19.

B. Kingman lost to P. Phelan 24-26.

Division 4, Section 7 Burden Park lost to Glen Waverley 83-91 at Glen Waverley.

D. Dodds lost to M. Zukanic 18-21.

C. O’Donnell lost to H. Petrie 24-27.

L. Fletcher lost to D. Edwards 14-25.

S. Lawson defeated J. Wakeford 27-18.

There will be ‘barefoot bowls’ at Burden Park Bowls Club this Friday, 12 February.

For details, contact Bruce Smith on 0417 034 228. All are welcome.

· · · · · · · ·

Ryan Quirk on the attack during his half-century for Springvale South. 227540 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS tually saw the side fall out of the four as a result, it was clear - despite some key outs - that the Lions meant business.

Much like Hallam Kalora Park, the win was sparked by a stunning bowling effort, this time led by gun seamer Josh Dowling.

Dowling has been outstanding for the Lions, particularly post-Christmas, and his form continued with another haul of wickets, snaring 5/24 from 10.4 overs to bamboozle the opposition.

It was a spell of new-ball bowling that the Cobras couldn’t recover from, eventually bowled out for 95, with Morteza Ali also taking advantage to snare 4/25.

But the form of Dowling would worry rivals as finals draws nearer with each passing game, with the right-arm seamer snaring figures of 4/37, 4/37 and now 5/24 after the Christmas break. His strike rate for the season also sits an impressive 22.5.

Despite a slight wobble seeing the Lions fall to 4/23, the visitors reached the target with five wickets to spare.

Kyle Hardy’s strong form continued with an unbeaten 36 to steer the ship, while Kirk Dickson crunched 28, to also go along with a wicket.

Ruwantha Kellepotha has once again gone to another level for Berwick, with the DDCA superstar producing a memorable display

against Springvale South in the blockbuster clash at Alex Nelson Reserve.

The raging Turf 1 Wookey Medal favourite flattened the Bloods to continue his freakish season.

Runs flowed off the bat of the Berwick batsmen after being sent in, with Jordan Cleland (33) and skipper Matt Chasemore (54) setting the tone with a fluent opening stand.

Just as the pair looked to go even further, the home side fought back to dismiss the pair in a strong period of bowling that saw the visitors stumble slightly to 3/108.

But the platform set by the pair yielded great momentum for the reigning premiers, with Kellepotha and Nathan Pilon getting to work.

The pair consolidated the innings, before launching the ball to and over the boundary in an 81-run stand of tremendous value.

Kellepotha was eventually dismissed for a classy 63 from 59 balls, launching four sixes in his brilliant knock. It was his second halfcentury of the Turf 1 season.

Worryingly, for the Bloods, Pilon was sticking around, and looming large.

The champ proceeded to flay the ball to the boundary at a rapid rate, finishing 77 not out off 51 balls, with Lachlan Brown (19 not out) providing a stable hand for Pilon to launch.

The Bears finished with the ominous total of 4/262 from its 45 overs, setting up what always was going to be an entertaining chase.

Skipper Nathan King was removed early in the chase, courtesy of veteran seamer Jarrod Goodes (1/27), but Ryan Quirk - combining with star recruit Clint Tomlinson - quickly asserted themselves on the contest with a brisk stand.

Despite the wicket of Tomlinson for a rapid 33, Quirk was set at the other end, and just needed a few partners to combine with.

That’s until Kellepotha, the leg-spinning star entered the attack.

Already with 23 wickets next to his name, he completely took the game away in a matter of three deliveries.

Removing Dylan Quirk, before trapping Mitch Cox in front and having Cameron Scott caught to snare a memorable hat-trick, the spinner - in the blink of the eye - had the final say.

Kellepotha ended with figures of 6/31 from 9.1 overs, with the Bloods unable to recover before being bundled out for 169. He now has 29 wickets for the season at the mind-boggling average of 9.7.

Even more frightening than that, he is averaging a wicket every 18.6 deliveries.

Despite the all-rounder’s brilliance, Ryan Quirk fought hard to make 73 from 90 balls.

In the final game of the round, St Mary’s (98) stunned North Dandenong (67) in what could prove vital in the relegation race, knocking over the Maroons by 31 runs in a wicketfrenzy.

Newman century lifts Panthers to a fourth straight win

By Nick Creely Ed Newman is a seriously exciting talent.

The Dandenong batsman has slowly but surely improved each year since he joined the club in 2015/16, and looms as a player who will make mountains of runs whether for the Panthers, or even higher up.

After linking with the Melbourne Stars this BBL season, to also spending time on Victoria’s rookie list, he’s not a talent going unnoticed.

And now, Newman has a Premier Cricket century next to his name.

It was a beauty too against a well-regarded Melbourne Uni bowling attack away from home to help guide the Panthers to its fourth win on the trot.

There’s still seven rounds of cricket left, but the fourth-placed Panthers seem to be finals-bound.

Sent in by Uni, champion Panthers Brett Forsyth and Tom Donnell rattled off 47 for the first wicket, before a double-strike from spinner John McLaughlan (2/51) saw the visitors slump to 2/55.

With Forsyth controlling proceedings, Newman came to the crease and immediately made his presence known. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Ed Newman’s maiden century guided Dandenong to a fourth straight victory.

Picture: ARJ GIESE Utilising a wide-range of strokes, the emerging star played some breathtaking cricket in his 119-run stand with Forsyth, sweating on anything that strayed from a perfect length against a bowling attack well known for its discipline.

Forsyth eventually fell for yet another half-century, a class 58 from 106 balls, and incredibly didn’t hit a boundary - an indicator of how hard he worked for his runs.

But Newman freed the arms and guided the Panthers to 4/230, smashing his way to an unbeaten 120, a knock that featured seven fours and five sixes.

It’s his power, shot placement and ability to move through the gears that make him such an exciting prospect, and why he almost made his BBL debut this season.

Despite a gritty 63 from Uni opener Jarrod Martignago, the Panthers were in full control with the ball, using their slow bowlers and quicks to their advantage in an impressive bowling effort.

And all without its great fast bowler James Nanopoulos.

The most impressive of the lot - wily medium pacer Pete Cassidy - snared 3/13 from his 10 overs, bowling two maidens and removing both openers with his impeccable lengths.

Reliable and consistent, Cassidy is once again enjoying a fruitful season for the Panthers and now has 14 wickets next to his name this season.

Uni could only muster up 166, with offie Suraj Randiv (3/37) also proving a nuisance for the opposition, Dasun Opanayaka took his chance with 2/36, while James Pattinson was once again snarling to take 1/27 from

his 10 overs, removing in-form Uni skipper James McNeil for 18.

The Panthers face another stern challenge next weekend, with a home clash against Prahran at Shepley Oval.

Across the grades for the Panthers on Saturday, and the seconds raced down Melbourne Uni’s 265 in impressive fashion.

After being set 266 for victory at Shepley, the Panthers - led by Josh Slater (65), Jarryd Willis (50) and Gehan Seneviratne (43 not out) - got the job done with eight wickets to spare.

It was a tight and tense finish, with Seneviratne crunching a six over mid-wicket off the final ball of the match to seal the points, pulling out an epic celebration towards the clubrooms.

The Panthers also banked wins in the thirds and fourths to make it a perfect day for the men.

In the Women’s, the Panthers went down to Essendon Maribyrnong Park, with Elyse Villani’s freakish season continuing.

The Panthers mustered up 121, with Tiana Atkinson top-scoring with 27, but the home side ran that down with the loss of two wickets with Villani crunching an unbeaten 72.

Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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Tuesday, 9 February, 2021

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