News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 11th March 2021

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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Covid quartet is officially a Top Act

Brother’s brave shave for a cause

Pakenham Show goes on show

Little athletes shine on the big stage

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Getting job ready

By Mikayla Van Loon For those looking for work, about to enter into the employment market for the first time or are planning on starting a business, look no further, the Casey Cardinia Library in Pakenham is hosting a Jobs and Skills Expo on 16 March.

The expo has been designed to offer advice and guidance on all things employment, from resume writing to local job trends.

“Public libraries have a critical role supporting their communities as they recover from the disruption caused by Covid-19,” Casey Cardinia Libraries CEO, Chris Buckingham said.

As of June last year, seven per cent of Cardinia Shire residents were unemployed, the highest rate of unemployment since September 2016.

“Casey Cardinia Libraries are actively supporting people who are looking for work each and every day,” Mr Buckingham said.

“This Expo is a terrific opportunity for

people considering new directions, entering the workforce for the first time, or looking to return to work.”

Interested residents can sign up to sessions being run all throughout the day, including planning what is next at 10am, being your own boss at 11am and understanding the job market at 2pm.

Stall holders will also be present on the day for jobseekers to ask questions and maybe find the right fit for them.

For more information or to register for one of the sessions head to https://www.cclc. vic.gov.au/jobexpo/

Back, Pakenham library staff Bec Mitchem, Ryan Quinsee and Moira Eveleens. Front, Kaylie Pert and Monique Thomas from Cardinia Youth Services 230353

Mental health fix Improving mental health services in the Cardinia region has long been an issue that Councillor Carol Ryan has advocated for, having worked in the medical profession for over 40 years, specialising in mental health, disability and aged care.

Now that the findings from the recent Royal Commission into the Victorian mental health system have been released, calling for widespread reform, Councillor Ryan is excited that

we may see some real changes implemented in the near future as our state begins to prioritise mental health and wellbeing.

“I’m so pleased that there has been a Royal Commission into adult mental health, this has been a long time coming,” Councillor Ryan said.

“I’ve been advocating for improved mental health services here for a long time and I think that it’s great that we will be looking into it more now.

The biggest stigma is that mental health has

been around since the 1800’s and it’s nothing new.

We have had a chance to reform it year after year, but it’s taken Covid to actually do this Royal Commission - and that’s very sad,” she said.

The final report was released on Wednesday 3 March and with 65 recommendations for change proposed, it seems a total overhaul of the system is on the cards, which Councillor Ryan hopes will improve services for residents from the entire Cardinia region.

“We need accessibility, we need affordability and we need it in Pakenham so it can service places like Nar Nar Goon, Lang Lang, even as far as Drouin,” she said.

“When you look at ourselves and Drouin, there’s nothing in between - so hopefully things are on the rise very soon.”

Councillor Ryan said that it would be “a welcome addition” to gain some funding towards improved mental health services and that she would continue advocating and “working hard to get services” for the local community.

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Recogniton for SES unit

By Mikayla van Loon Pakenham SES volunteers have been presented with the Victorian Government Commemorative Fire Pin for their support in the 2019-20 bushfires.

Eight members received the pin on Monday night recognising the deployment they did over the summer bushfire period.

“It’s great to get that little bit of recognition, we don’t do it for recognition but it’s always nice to be recognised and to get a thanks,” SES Pakenham’s Media Liaison Shayne Honey said.

“But also especially for me, for my kids and family as well to recognise that I ended up being away for three weeks, so it’s nice for them, even though I get the fire pin but I look at it as a recognition of the family as well.”

Region Operations Manager Wayne Roberts presented the pins to Mohammed Sandhu, Shayne Honey, Chris Rogers, Nicole Giles-Ackaoiu, Corey Johnson and Ben Mailo on Monday, with Andre Ackaoiu and Sabrina Canfield unable to attend but still recognised.

Many SES volunteers were sent on deployment to offer support to other emergency service crews like CFA, FRV and Victoria Police.

These roles saw members organising food, accommodation, logistics in a control centre and community outreach to very remote communities where information may not have been delivered about the bushfires.

“At one point at Swan Reach we were actually at risk, so all of a sudden it was making plans on how we were best going to defend the base camp, with generators and hay bales and there were so many things there and so much going on. So it was a fairly intense couple of days,” Mr Honey said.

Other members went to fill spots at SES stations where their volunteers were also CFA volunteers.

A number of Pakenham members went to

Wayne Roberts, Mohammed Sandhu, Shayne Honey, Chris Rogers, Nicole Giles-Ackaoiu, Corey Johnson and Ben Mailo at fire pin presentation.

Tambo Valley to man the station and respond to any road rescue calls.

While there were challenges, Mr Honey said that is the role of the SES, to fill gaps and help out where needed.

“We work on the ‘We Work as One’ mantra but it’s pretty much ‘whatever needs to be done, let’s just get it done’,” he said.

The variety of roles the SES undertake is not something well known to the public Mr Honey said but he thinks the different roles are what draws people to volunteer.

“I guess that is what draws some people to the SES, it’s not just putting out fires but it’s whether we do that whole support role or

search and rescue,” Mr Honey said.

The pin itself reflects the Aboriginal culture of ‘Caring for Country’ and understanding the role fire has in regeneration.

The badge features Boorun the pelican, the father of the Gunnai and Kurnai people and who created Gippsland.

In the letter presented to each recipient Dixon Patten writes: “The two animal tracks represent the emu and kangaroo which feature on Australia’s coat of arms. They were chosen as they are the only animals that cannot walk backwards. It signifies us as a community moving forward, rebuilding and helping the land to regenerate once again.”

Fire pin badge design.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

EVERY TEST HELPS US PROTECT EVERYTHING WE’VE ACHIEVED 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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Sentenced over car scam

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Clyde North man with 17 pages of priors has used “blank cheques” to steal cars from five private sellers.

Lachlan Tre-Weekane, 22, pleaded guilty to a series of car theft and driving charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 9 March.

From July, he scammed his trusting victims with “blank cheques” deposited in their accounts.

Before the ruses were realised, he’d stolen their vehicles - some worth more than $10,000.

Tre-Weekane also fled from a serious crash on the Monash Freeway in which he attempted to overtake in the emergency lane in a stolen vehicle.

A victim’s car flipped on its roof. Tre-Weekane escaped the scene in a friend’s stolen car.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing a Commodore from a Frankston home in May and an unlocked Holden Club Sport with keys in its ignition from a Mornington car yard in July.

The former car was recovered in front of his house, the latter found with stolen plates at Chadstone shopping centre.

His latest offending started just a few weeks after being released from a 12-month jail term in April 2020.

Defence lawyer Anthony Maselli said TreWeekane’s several mental health issues were exacerbated by ice use.

He needed to stick to a medication regime, engage in “intensive psychotherapy” and move away from his co-accused friends.

All of Tre-Weekane’s friends were in trouble with the law or in jail, Mr Maselli said.

“He’s unable to find anyone about him

who’s pure (and) without convictions.

“But youth is on his side. It’s a shame that we have a man of his age before the court so much.”

Tre-Weekane understood that each jail term was leading to a “wasted life”, the lawyer argued.

His rehabilitation prospects were guarded but “not without hope”.

A police prosecutor argued for a lengthy jail term given Tre-Weekane had breached and reoffended on previous corrections orders.

He’d missed phone calls and appointments with Corrections staff despite being guided by an advanced case manager.

Police argued it was important to “send a message” that this offending was “seriously” punished. Especially to his co-offending friends, who were either in jail or facing court.

Corrections Victoria was opposed to a further corrections order.

Magistrate Suzette Dootjes indicated TreWeekane, despite being a “young man”, would be likely jailed for the latest crimes.

“He’s gone beyond a corrections order.

Even a combination sentence is not within the range.”

She noted that the repeated scamming was pre-meditated, rather than opportunistic. It had a big impact on victims.

A Corrections report “starkly” described his “lack of motivation” to engage with corrections officers or modify his behaviour with corrections support, Ms Dootjes noted.

Tre-Weekane had served 89 days in presentence remand.

He was remanded for sentencing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.

Drunk and drug drivers

By Gabriella Payne It was a busy long weekend for Victoria Police as our roads filled up with holidaymakers, keen to escape the city for a quick getaway, but unfortunately not everyone was found to be doing the right thing behind the wheel.

On the night of Saturday 6 March, members of the Cardinia highway patrol unit assisted with a booze bus site on Cardinia Road, Pakenham as part of ‘operation arid’ and caught a number of drivers breaking the law.

A 34-year-old male driver was allegedly caught driving on a suspended licence and when breath tested, returned a positive result of 0.182 whilst another driver, a 21-year-old female, was allegedly caught drink driving on her probationary licence, after returning a positive breath test result of 0.040.

Two other drivers, a 24-year-old male and a 35-year-old female, were both allegedly found to be driving under the influence of drugs, after returning positive tests for illicit substances.

A number of drivers were caught out this long weekend as part of Vic Police’s ‘Operation Arid’.

Picture: SUPPLIED, CARDINIA EYEWATCH Victoria Police urged everyone to take care on the roads and do the right thing, stating that “road safety is everyone’s responsibility”.

Adam Bamber, Evan Ilic, Billy Halliday and Tristan Busuttil playing in live performance.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Quartet gets a top mark

By Mikayla Van Loon Restrictions and lockdowns may have halted most things for Year 12 students but for these four Officer Secondary College students, it didn’t stop them from achieving greatness.

Instead, Billy Halliday, Tristan Busuttil, Evan Ilic and Adam Bamber have been selected to showcase their music group performance in the VCE Top Acts Season of Excellence.

Having to overcome frequent changes to restrictions, online learning and missing faceto-face instruction from teachers, these students weren’t going to give in.

“How they got through was sheer determination, learning to use absolutely every minute to the optimum and they became excellent at not wasting any time,” Director of Music at Officer Secondary, Kal Stavropoulos said.

“The hardest thing of group performance is you have to play off each other, you have to respond to each other’s expression when you’re performing and not being able to do that faceto-face particularly hindered the group performers more than some of the solo performers.”

Being the very first full Year 12 cohort Officer Secondary College has had, Ms Stavropoulos said these students are great role models, particularly after such a tough year.

Ms Stavropoulos said she told her students to view music as a way of meditating, to relieve some of the stress of Year 12, along with the added stress of Covid-19 and to use lockdown as a good excuse to practice.

“They were just so determined and I think music was almost all they had, for some of these kids it was all they loved through the year,” Ms Stavropoulos said.

“So having that success afterwards, I think it’s such a blessing.”

Ms Stavropoulos believes Covid-19 has helped her students embrace being in the moment with their instrument and it has allowed them to recognise when they can take some time to hone their skills.

The contemporary art rock band put all their skills together to perform a repertoire of heavy rock, smooth jazz with compound time, as well as funk, rhythm and blues.

To ensure Mr Halliday, Mr Busuttil, Mr Ilic and Mr Bramber were prepared for their shortlisted performance with Top Acts, Officer Secondary College organised a public concert in a local venue dedicated to mentoring these students.

“They were very nervous and that was good, that was the whole idea of it. We want you to get used to playing in a strange environment, with a different bunch of people, professionals and other high achievers,” Ms Stavropoulos said.

“You just had to think outside the square to give these kids performance opportunities because music is a practice after all.”

The school also acquired new equipment for the music department so students could have a more realistic understanding of what they sounded like as a band.

Ms Stavropoulos said it only took a couple of weeks after lockdown for the boys to reach their full potential as a band and for their sound to really be professional.

Now that Year 12 is over, these remarkable quartet members are off to tackle new goals, with primary teaching, social work and music degrees in their future.

Each of these avenues, Ms Stavropoulos said, will maybe one day utilise what they have learnt in VCE and Top Acts can only help them in their endeavours.

Top Acts will be held at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 1 May at 7:30pm.

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Drivers ready to tackle waste in their new trucks.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

New waste truck fleet ready for use.

Out with the old trucks

By Mikayla Van Loon Tackling waste contamination in Cardinia Shire will now be made easier with 16 new kerbside waste trucks being added to the fleet.

The replacement of the original trucks comes as Cardinia Shire Council aims to make waste collection more efficient and reduce contamination at the source.

The new trucks will be fitted with motion sensors, GPS tracking and features that can help spot contamination to prevent waste go-

ing to the wrong place.

Although these trucks are designed to detect contamination, Mayor Brett Owen wants to remind residents that the sorting process should happen in the home.

“We know that bin contamination is an issue across the waste and recycling sector.

While our new trucks are a great addition to our waste services and bin education program, it’s important that we’re all familiar with what can and cannot be placed in our kerbside bins, and which bins to use for different types of

household waste,” Mayor Owen said.

“When you put the wrong items in your bin or bag your recycling, it can contaminate the recoverable items and cause quality recyclables to be sent to landfill. Items such as plastic bags or textiles can also damage equipment and make the sorting process more expensive.”

Other features of these trucks include better fuel efficiency making them more sustainable and better reporting technology should

drivers see a broken bin or incorrect contents placed in a bin.

Drivers can now take photos and report any issues to Council officers within minutes.

“The new GPS tracking system helps keep trucks on track with collections and means we can adjust collection routes to be even more productive,” Mayor Owen said.

To find out more about which items can go in which bin, go to www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/ wasteguide.

We’re building big near you and there will be transport disruptions As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re removing 75 dangerous and congested level crossings, with 45 already gone. We’re also easing congestion by building better roads and bridges across our suburbs.

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions Cranbourne Line

From 8.30pm 11 Mar to 17 Mar

Dandenong to Cranbourne

Road disruptions: Closed roads and lanes 9am to 3.30pm, 11 to 18 Mar

Lanes closed between South Gippsland Highway and Kitchen Road

7pm 11 Mar to 5am 12 Mar

Lanes closed eastbound between South Gippsland Highway and Kitchen Road

7pm to 5am each night, 12 to 15 Mar

Road closed eastbound between South Gippsland Highway and Kitchen Road

Mornington Peninsula Freeway

9pm 13 Mar to 9am 14 Mar

Southbound lanes closed overnight between Springvale Road and Thames Promenade

Princes Freeway

8pm to 6am each night, 29 to 31 Mar

Road closed outbound between Princes Link Hwy and Cardinia Road

Monash Freeway

Nights in Mar

Lanes closed between Warrigal Road and EastLink

MTIA5263

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Greens Road, Dandenong South

DRAFT

Keep in mind there are other transport disruptions over autumn.

Find a detailed list of disruptions at bigbuild.vic.gov.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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A brother’s brave shave

By Gabriella Payne For many people with luscious locks, shaving your hair off is a daunting idea, but 11-yearold Pakenham school boy James Major is braver than most and is ready to chop it all off this coming Friday, as he raises money and awareness for his little brother’s rare condition.

James’ younger brother Rhylan, who was born with a rare recessive genetic disorder called Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS), has inspired James to take on this worthy challenge, as he tries to raise funds for more research and awareness.

“I’m going to be shaving my head for my little brother Rhylan, because I want to raise money for him so I can help,” James said.

Having been growing his hair out for almost two years now, James admitted that he was “a bit nervous” about the chop, but said that it “made him happy” to know that he had already managed to raise a bit of money for his brother.

“I’ve raised $305 already, and only 8 people have donated!” James said excitedly.

“My goal is to hit $2,500, but we’ll have to see. I’m hoping to get about $1,000,” he added.

Sharna Major, James and Rhylan’s Mum, who has previously done the World’s Greatest Shave herself, said that she was “insanely proud” of her son for taking on this challenge to help his brother and other people with SLOS. “It’s going to be a bit of a community event, because we’ll be holding it outside in the court and we’ve invited a few people to come along - and our neighbour is actually going to be the one to cut it,” Ms Major said.

“He’s going to be unrecognisable, it’ll be quite the change for him!” she said.

Ms Major explained that her son Rhylan was one of only 13 people in Australia born with SLOS, a rare condition that causes a lack of cholesterol, resulting in a lot of defects in the body.

“Rhylan is almost 8 years old, but mentally he’s about 6 or 7 months old,” Ms Major explained.

“Most of the doctors have never heard of it either, so it can be very difficult.”

Ms Major said that her ex-partner, (James and Rhylan’s Dad) had recently taken Rhylan’s caring duties on full time as she had suffered a back injury due to lifting him, and as James lives with her, she felt that this shave was a way of James helping out his brother even though they weren’t always together.

“I think James is missing him a bit which is one reason why he’s doing it,” Ms Major said.

“He’s so excited to be helping, he’s just got the biggest grin on his face.”

The president of the Smith-Lemli-Opitz/ RSH Foundation, Gretchen Noah said that it was incredibly inspiring to hear about kids like James raising funds for research into SLOS. “This amazing young man deserves some applause and recognition for doing something so selfless,” Ms Noah said.

“This is a rare gift for a person so young to think outside of themselves.

ed Publish y ursda

11-year-old James Major will be shaving his hair off to raise money and awareness for his younger brother’s condition.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

8-year-old Rhylan is one of only 13 people in Australia with SLOS. It’s a testament to the love he has for his brother, his parents raising him “right”, and the goodness in this world,” she said.

Sharna and James invited locals to come down and witness James’ big shave and give him some support, which will be happening on Friday 12 March at 5pm, at the bowl of Redcherry Court in Pakenham.

So far James has raised $465 for the SLOS Foundation.

If you would like to help donate to this worthwhile cause and support James’ big shave, visit https://www.facebook.com/ James-Shaves-for-SLOS-107153861431893/

James’ younger brother Rhylan has a rare recessive genetic disorder called Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) and James’ hopes to raise money to fund research into the illness.

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James has been growing his hair for the last two years and is ‘a bit nervous’ about the big chop.

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OPINION

Grants open

LENSCAPE

Cardinia Shire Council’s grants program for community wellbeing and support and festivals and events are closing on 12 March.

The grants are open to not-for-profit organisations, local groups and residents.

Available grants vary across each category, with up to $5000 for community wellbeing and support grants and up to $10,000 for festival and event grants.

Community wellbeing grants can be for the establishment of a group, organisation or club, volunteering programs or small changes in the form of buying equipment, website redevelopment and Christmas decorations. For groups and organisations who applied and were successful in receiving grants for an event or festival in the 2020-21 period, another application may not be necessary for the 2021-22 program.

Autumn leaves in Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick. 230930

Pakenham Berwick Cranbourne Drouin

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Thumbs up To South Eastern Private Hospital.

Thumbs up to all the amazing women in my life, particularly as it’s International Women’s Day on Monday. I am feeling grateful.

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To irresponsible pet owners. Do they realise if they don’t want to care for pets no one is forcing them to get them? Simply don’t have pets.

Thumbs down For the long wait at Casey Hospital, why did they not increase the size of emergency in the upgrade.

Thumbs down To the summer that never quite made it to Melbourne.

Thumbs down For people driving irresponsibly!!

Looks like after lock down, they can’t remember how to drive.

Thumbs Up Thumbs Down is your chance to have your say. Malicious or defamatory submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must include a full name address and daytime phone number. Contributions over the phone will not be accepted. Contributors will not be identified. The Star News reserves the right to edit submissions. To submit a Thumbs Up Thumbs Down email to dailyeditor@starnewsgroup.com.au fax to 5945 0777 or post to P.O. Box 9 Pakenham 3810.

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The City of Casey has launched a new annual program to provide free training for new, emerging and existing community leaders in Casey who want to build their leadership skills and learn about community engagement and local government.

The Community Leadership Program aims to support Casey residents aged 18 and over, who have a desire to make a difference and engage in community life.

Expressions of interest are now open and no prior experience or knowledge is required.

City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff is looking forward to seeing the launch of the program and supporting participants throughout their journey.

“Council is committed to empowering Casey’s future leaders and this program will help provide them with the skills and resources to become leaders within the community.

“The program will not only benefit individual participants and their community groups, but also Council and Casey’s community as a whole as it will strengthen community-led networks and local democracy.”

The program will run from May to September 2021 and include both online and face-to-face workshops held on Saturdays and Tuesday evenings covering: Leadership styles, personal and community leadership Communication and presentation skills Building community capacity, working with volunteers and local resources, and networking Understanding how local government works and how to contribute to the democratic process Good governance, decision making, project planning and goal setting At the conclusion of the program, graduates will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing networking opportunities where they

Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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SOCIALLY SPEAKING On Thursday 4 March, a story was shared to the Cranbourne Star News Facebook page regarding Dandenong RSL’s planned sale of Cranbourne RSL. Here’s how our readers reacted online...

Peter McKill: What else did they expect to happen when they got into bed with them.

Gaye Guest: Like other organisations, lock down has taken its toll financially and at the end of the day the Veterans need to be cared for first. They are selling up to find a smaller venue. Dandenong probably bailed out Cranbourne from the outset and have renovated the facility. Organisations have to be fiscal as the donation $ has been slim. All ADF organisations must reign in expenditure if they are to survive long term. Already one ADF organisation ( that lead the ANZAC Day march Melb several years ago) is now shutting up shop much to the malign of its members.

Line change The City of Casey is looking for its next generation of leaders.

Picture: ANDREW CANTWELL can gain practical experience in leading community and council projects.

Expressions of interests are now open until 5.00 pm on Wednesday 31 March. The selection process will include an informal interview and 25 participants will be selected to participate in the program.

The program aims to represent Casey’s diversity and is inclusive of all genders, age groups, abilities, Aboriginality, cultures, linguistic backgrounds, sexual orientation, education and employment status. The recruitment of participants will aim to reflect diversity in Casey.

Aligning to the 2020/21 Council Plan objective of launching a citizen leadership program, the initiative was developed in line with a recommendation from the Casey Municipal Monitor’s report which called for “the development and implementation of an extensive municipal wide program to develop more and diverse community leaders, greater participation in setting a vison for Casey, and more awareness and interest in local democracy, the role of Council and the responsibilities of Councillors”.

For more information and to apply, visit the Casey Conversations website.

For application support, email caseyclp@ casey.vic.gov.au or call 9705 5200

Cranbourne line commuters can expect to be boarding buses instead of trains for the next week as crews work on the Cranbourne Line Upgrade.

The upgrade will duplicate the track between Dandenong and Cranbourne, to allow trains to run every 10 minutes.

During the works, buses will replace trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne stations from 8.30pm on Thursday 11 March until last service on Wednesday 17 March.

On the roads, the Greens Road level crossing at Dandenong South will be closed to traffic in both directions nightly from Friday 12 March until Monday 15 March between 7pm and 5am.

There will also be overnight eastbound closures at the level crossing on Thursday 11 March and Friday 12 March between 7pm and 5am as well as a lane closure throughout the length of the works.

These road closures will allow crews to deliver and install beams as part of a new rail bridge over Greens Road.

Drivers are advised to take the Dandenong Bypass to the north or Abbotts Road to the south as alternatives.

Travellers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journey.

Masks are mandatory on public transport.

Duplication works on the Cranbourne line will be complete by 2023, and by 2025 every level crossing on the line will be removed. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Tanila De Silva, with a ‘Pro Tagger’ in hot pursuit during Ultimate Tag.

Tanila chases down title Endeavour Hills man Tanila De Silva is no stranger to the uncomfortable.

The banker faced an extreme test by pitting himself against parkour athletes and professional runners on the new TV game show Ultimate Tag. “I saw it as an opportunity to expand my comfort levels,” Mr De Silva said.

“I have always been that person who gives everything a go.

“Whether that be backpacking to the furthers corners of the planet, bungee jumping, working on my original music to even eating tarantulas.”

In the show Ultimate Tag, “everyday Australians” run, spin, leap and tumble through a dynamic obstacle course as they try to evade ‘Pro Tagger’ athletes.

“I was definitely intimidated by the professional free runners or parkour athletes.

“I have no experience in this and was definitely going to be under the pump from the very first second.”

Mr De Silva has a philosophy of having a “red-hot crack” life.

He has trained in Muay Thai for more than 15 years, as well as being a martial arts instructor in full-contact karate.

His previous TV game-show appearances are The Chaser and Millionaire Hot Seat.

Nevertheless Ultimate Tag was the best experience of his colourful life, he says.

For him, there’s a near-addiction to putting himself into challenging positions.

“I live by two things, the first being it’s important to balance my karma.

“The second being I do not ever want to look back and think to myself that I could have, I should have done that.”

Ultimate Tag started on Channel 7 on Sunday 7 March.

Tanila De Silva says he’s nearly addicted to putting himself out of his comfort zone.

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STAR NEWS 7

NEWS

The show must go on

By Gabriella Payne After a year like no other, many annual events and traditions were sadly cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, but thanks to some ‘outside the box’ thinking from organisers, this year’s Parklea Pakenham and District Agriculture and Horticulture Show is back on the road - and looking a little different than usual.

Over the next four weeks, from Monday 1 March until Wednesday 31 March, a range of local entries will be on display for the whole community to enjoy, in the shop windows at the Pakenham Place Shopping Centre just opposite Target.

With a different theme each week, visitors will be able to view a wide variety of locally produced artworks, foods and crafts to name a few, as well as giant pumpkin which invited viewers to ‘guess the weight’ through a QR code system, as the spirit of the show lives on despite the Covid limitations.

Pakenham show president described this year’s show as being “a bit like the Myer Christmas windows”, where anyone could walk up and have a look at the range of fantastic creations on display, whilst adhering to Covid safe rules.

“Anyone can view the entries anytime they like, it’s Covid safe and we’ve got a range of old photos and old trophies also on display - it’s a great way to keep the show alive,” Mr Young said.

“If we hadn’t had it this year, that would have been two years in a row without a show, which is sad, but these are challenging times.

“This year the committee decided ‘yes we will go ahead’ and this is a good way of showcasing what’s out there and continuing on,” he said.

Mr Young said that as the President, he was “proud” of the hard work and effort put in by the committee and dedicated volunteers, and that hopefully next year the show could be “back bigger and better” than before and displaying

Pakenham Show president Geoff Young and winner of the VAS Patchwork section, Wendy Gontier.

230686 Pictures: RUSSELL BENNETT

Kay Howells was excited to take part in this year’s ‘show on show’.

“all our produce again, just the way it was”.

Wendy Andrews, the Head of the Pavilion and organiser of the show said that the committee “wanted to have the competitions as we would normally have them, but at a reduced capacity” and so this window viewing idea was the perfect solution.

“The ‘show on show’ is a nice event for families to come along to, and everyone in the

ready chosen the winners for each category, and there was potential for them to make it all the way to the Royal Melbourne Show, if it goes ahead at the end of the year.

“I hope next year that we can have a proper show like before and enjoy the activities like we normally do, but this is a fantastic way of celebrating our communities achievements,” Ms Andrews said.

community, to have a look at all the amazing displays, which will be changing every week of March,” Ms Andrews said.

The first week of the displays featured works from the Victorian Agricultural Society, and this week will see the Lego competition take over, with the ‘Iso and sew’ window display being featured in week three.

Ms Andrews said that the judges had al-

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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NEWS

Head of the Pavilion, Wendy Andrews and President of the Rotary Club of Pakenham, Geoff Young.

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The displays will be changing each week and will feature many different entrants work.

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AVIVACOMMUNITIESOFFICER.COM.AU Kay Howells surrounded by her family exhibit, which was created by herself, her daughter Kim and grandson, Rhys.

Picture: SUPPLIED pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 9

Light Meals Available 9am - 3pm EGGS ON TOAST CHOICE OF FRIED/POACHED/SCRAMBLED EGGS SERVED ON SOURDOUGH $14

OPEN OMELETTE W/CHERRY TOMATOES, SPINACH, MUSHROOM & SOURDOUGH $19

VISTA MUESLI WITH MILK, NATURAL YOGHURT & MIXED BERRY COMPOTE $16

SMASHED AVO ON SOURDOUGH W/2 POACHED EGGS TOPPED W/CRUMBLED FETA & DRIZZLED W/OLIVE OIL $21

HAM & CHEESE TOASTIE $10

HAM, CHEESE & TOMATO TOASTIE $11

CHEESE & TOMATO TOASTIE $10

LAMB, TOMATO RELISH, SPINACH & CHEESE TOASTIE $12

EGG, BACON & TOMATO RELISH TOASTIE $12

HOMEMADE SCONES (SWEET OR SAVOURY) W/HOMEMADE JAM AND CREAM $51 | $9 FOR 2

Extras BACON $4 | MUSHROOMS $4 HASH BROWN $3 | SAUTÉED SPINACH $3 GRILLED TOMATO $3

Hot & Cold Drinks

BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY (GF) W/ RICE AND FLAT BREAD $24

VEGAN BURGER (V) VEGAN PATTIE W/ LETTUCE CARROT, CUCUMBER, TOMATO ONION AND BEETROOT RELISH. $22

HOKKIEN NOODLES STIR FRY (VG) TOSSED IN MIXED VEGGIES, SOY & CHILLI; FINISHED W/ FRIED SHALLOTS $20 - ADD CHICKEN $4

SLOW COOKED PULLED LAMB GREEK SALAD LETTUCED ONION, TOMATO, CUCUMBER, OLIVES & FETA, FINISHED W/ OLIVE OIL & LEMON JUICE DRESSING $24 - WITHOUT LAMB $19 (VG, GF)

CHICKEN SCALLOPINI (GF) CHICKEN BREAST SAUTEED IN A WHITE WINED BACON & MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE, SERVED W/ STEAMED VEGETABLES $26

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN PARMA W/ HAM, NAPOLI, PINEAPPLE, CHEESE, CHIPS & SALAD $25

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YOUR CHOICE OF LAMB, CHICKEN OR MIXED MEAT W/ PITA BREAD, GREEK SALAD, GARLIC SAUCE & HERBED CHIPS $25

NICKO’S LEMON & HERB CALAMARI (GF) SERVED W/ GREEK SALAD, CHIPS AND GARLIC SAUCE $24

MOUSSAKA GREEK STYLE LASAGNA W/ LAMB BOLOGNESE LAYERS OF EGGPLANT & POTATO FINISHED WITH BECHAMEL CHEESE SAUCE SERVED W/ GREEK SALAD $23

MINERAL WATER - ORANGE MANGO | LEMON LIME | LEMON LIME BITTERS | PLAIN KOMBUCHA $5 - PEACH | STRAWBERRY | APPLE APPLE | ORANGE

Tea - $4.5

Entrée GARLIC PIZZA (V) $10

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ENGLISH BREAKFAST | CHAMOMILE | MINT | LEMON EARL GREY | GREEN

$12

Coffee by

W/ LEMON WEDGE $10

ST.ALi Single Origin Organic - Wide Awake Cup $4 - Mug $5

LATTE | CAPPUCCINO | FLAT WHITE LONG BLACK | LONG/SHORT MACCHIATO SPICED/VANILLA CHAI | ADD $ ICED COFFEE $7

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GRILLED SAGANAKI W/ OLIVE OIL, HERBS AND LEMON WEDGE (V) $13

CHICKEN SATAY SKEWERS W/ STEAMED RICE AND SATAY SAUCE (GF) $13

TRIO OF DIPS

ICED CHOCOLATE $7 HOT CHOCOLATE | ADD $.50

W/ WARM PITA BREAD (V) $14

MINI SPRING ROLLS

HONEY | VANILLA | CARAMEL | HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE | EXTRA SHOT

Milks CALDERMEADE FARMS - FULL CREAM | SKINNY MILKLAB ALMOND+$1 | SOY+$1 | LACTOSE-FREE+$1

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CHICKEN PARMA

W/ HAM, NAPOLI, CHEESE, FRIES & SIDE SALAD $25

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL W/ GRAVY, CHIPS, SIDE SALAD & FRIED EGG $24

FISH N CHIPS W/ FRESH LEMON,TARTAR & SIDE SALAD $23

VISTA BURGER & CHIPS W/ BACON, CHEESE, TOMATO, LETTUCE, EGG & SAUCE $20

PENNE CARBONARA SAUTEED ONION BACON & GARLIC IN A CREAMY WHITE WINE SAUCE FINISHED WITH EGG YOLK AND PARMESAN CHEESE $22

SERVED W/ SWEET CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE (6) (V) $10

Kid’s Menu NUGGETS & CHIPPIES $14

FISH N’ CHIPPIES $14

MINI OPEN SOUVLAKI W/CHIPS $14

PENNE NAPOLI $14

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FOLLOW US @THEVISTACAFE - LEAVE A REVIEW - LOCAL FAVOURITE - FOLLOW US @THEVISTACAFE 10 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

NEWS

Teens burn in the sun

By Gabriella Payne A recent report into extreme sunburn in Victoria has revealed that teenagers are being badly burnt at an alarming rate - with almost one in three patients who were admitted to emergency wards for sunburns over the 2019 - 2020 summer found to be aged between 10 - 19 years old.

The data released by the Cancer Council and SunSmart Victoria showed that of the 177 sunburn hospital presentations reported over the summer period, approximately 56 of those were teenagers (32%).

Shockingly, more than half of these extreme cases of sunburn (56%) were among children and adolescents aged between 0 - 19 years of age, a figure that the Head of SunSmart, Heather Walker, said was a “real worry” and needed to be addressed .

“Sunburn can be avoided with good sun protection,” Ms Walker said.

“The high number of teens getting burnt badly enough to require hospital treatment shows how important it is to cover up when the UV is 3 and above.

This message is getting lost somewhere which is a real worry,” she said.

Ms Walker said that both parents and schools needed to be reinforcing the message that staying sun smart is incredibly important in both the short and long term.

“We know that UV damage during childhood and adolescence significantly increases the risk of skin cancer,” Ms Walker said.

“Over time, the damage adds up - the more you’re exposed, the greater your risk.

Establishing good sun protection habits early on is critical for that reason.”

Chris Black, the Principal of St Peter’s College in both Cranbourne and Clyde North said that although their secondary school hadn’t noticed extreme sunburn in students as “a huge issue”, the school had many SunSmart policies in place and believed that “prevention is the best cure”.

“It’s about education and modelling best practices,” Principal Black said.

“I know that with the primary system, they have a ‘no hat no play’ policy, but that’s very hard to put into practice in a secondary setting.

We have gotten some students, staff and leaders to work together to see what we can do to help improve SunSmart awareness, and the students actually came up with some recommendations which was great to hear,” he said.

Principal Black said that St Peter’s had sun-

Sunscreen is an easy way to prevent sunburn.

Picture: UNSPLASH screen freely available for students to use and included two different hats as part of their school uniform, a bucket hat and a cap - the latter proving very popular with the teenage students.

He did note however that while the Victorian curriculum framework explicitly noted that SunSmart awareness needed to be taught at the primary level, it “fell away” in the secondary curriculum - something he believed could be looked at and improved.

“That probably is an area that could be looked at if we are serious in terms of providing learnings for students that could then be embedded into practice.

It could be a strategy moving forward,” Mr Black said.

For more information and tips on how to keep yourself and your kids protected from the sun, visit sunsmart.com.au pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Young athletes shine

By Gabriella Payne There were plenty of smiling faces to be found amongst Pakenham’s Little Athletics team recently as many kids took to the track (and field) to compete in the Regional Athletics Championships, with many moving on to compete at next week’s state level competition.

The young sporting stars competed in a range of different events, facing off against the entire Gippsland region at the carnival, held at Berwick’s Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February, and with a number of Pakenham’s athletes taking out top prizes, they’ve proven themselves as rising athletic stars.

Debbie McNamara, a committee member for Pakenham Little Athletics and a proud Mum of an athlete said that while it was exciting and fantastic to see a number of kids move on to the State Championships, it was more about the experience and community spirit that saw all the kids having fun.

“The kids just had a ball, there were so many who hadn’t competed before,” Ms McNamara said.

“They were so proud of themselves. There were lots of PBs (personal bests), and that honestly meant more to some of them than trophies.

The support there was just phenomenal and it was a great day out,” she said.

Ms McNamara said there were plenty of activities on offer at the regional carnival, including sprints, long distance running and field events such as javelin, discus, shot put and long jump.

“My daughter did javelin and she got PBs each throw. She came fourth but she was just so proud,” Ms McNamara said.

Children could compete in up to four different events on the day and many took home bronze, silver and gold medallions, which will

Back, Justin Piccolo (President), Shae Langley, Liam Piccolo, Zahri Burn, Tye Beadel, Nick Barratini, Visal Atulugamage and Luke Cropley. Front, Tyler Sutton, Chloe Langley, Clancy Cunningham, Mollie McNamara, Layla McCauley, David Barratini and Mitchell Cropley. 230175 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS see them travel to Casey Fields for the State Championships on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March.

Ms McNamara said that athletics events were a fun day out for both kids and parents and encouraged everyone to come down for a fun event the club were hosting at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday 20 March.

“We’re going to be holding a turkey run which is a fun event that Pakenham Osteopathy is sponsoring.

We will have two races, a 150m race and

300m which are not usual events that we run,” Ms McNamara said.

“The kids have to guess what time they think they’re going to run and whoever gets closest on the day to the millisecond wins gold, silver and bronze - so even if you come last but guess closest, you could win.”

If you’d like to learn more or get involved with the Pakenham Little Athletics Club, visit their website at www.pakenhamlittleathletics. com.au

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 11

NEWS As autumn rolls in, the gardens around Casey are putting on a stunning show. Our photographer STEWART CHAMBERS was at Wilson Botanic Gardens Berwick with a camera to capture it all.

A new hue This turtle was ready for hit photo opp.

One of the garden’s resident ducks.

The red of this flower plays well off its green foliage.

The leaves begin to turn.

Let your feet lead the way...

A change of scenery.

The view from the bird watching hut.

As autumn rolls in, the parks around Casey are putting on a stunning show. Our photographer STEWART CHAMBERS was at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens with a camera to capture it all.

Gardens turn a new leaf

The beautiful Australian Garden.

Kian, Bridget, Sage, Leni and Kim on a family day out.

Where big bag banksia men come from.

12 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

The banksia shows off its autumnal colours.

A bird enjoys the change in the weather.

Eucalyptus leaves in the late afternoon sun.

Another visitor to the Australian Garden.

Nadiah and Asad with their kids Gulnaz, Imtiyaz, Sheraz, Ali and Omar explore the garden. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Trust money can help out How often do we hear of students who are struggling to survive and also to pay their debts?

If you know of anyone who is currently studying agriculture, horticulture or local government, there is money currently available from a trust.

The P.B. Ronald Memorial Trust was set up to perpetuate the memory of the late Peter Ronald, who died in 1989.

Over the years more than 90 people have benefited and almost $100,000 has been distributed from the trust.

Those applying for grants must either be former or current residents of Cardinia Shire,

where the late Peter Ronald worked so hard for numerous district organisations.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 23 July.

The P.B. Ronald Memorial Trust was set up in 1991, with the support of the Rotary Club of Pakenham, the Shire of Pakenham, Pakenham Racing Club and Pakenham and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society.

The late Peter Ronald was a farmer at Pakenham.

He had a broad range of community interests and was deeply involved in numerous local groups.

He was a councillor of the Shire of Berwick

and was a former shire president.

For 50 years he served as a committeeman of the Pakenham and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society and for 45 years as a committeeman of the Pakenham Racing Club. He was president of all three organisations and also the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.

Peter Ronald always encouraged young people to participate in sport, local agricultural shows and community affairs.

Further information about the trust (as well as application forms) are available from trust chairman George Blenkhorn on 0429 139 902.

P.B. Ronald dedicated his life to the community.

Mobile March

By Mikayla van Loon Cardinia Shire Council’s Mobile March is back for its eleventh year encouraging primary school students to get active on their way to school.

Participating primary schools commit to walking, riding, skateboarding or scooting to school when they can.

If walking from home is too far, special Stop and Drop zones have been set up to ensure students can still get active on the trip to school.

Orchard Park Primary in Officer now has a dedicated Stop and Drop zone, where parents can park one kilometre away from the school and still get active.

“Participating in Mobile March is a great way for children to discover the benefits of being active, and for families to consider how they can incorporate active travel into their morning and afternoon routines,” Mayor Brett Owen said.

Although last year’s competition was interrupted due to COVID-19, 6000 students across 15 schools got involved in the initiative.

Mayor Owen said he is looking forward to seeing students enjoying Mobile March in 2021.

Primary schools will tally their daily participation and every school that enters will receive 20 pool vouchers for Cardinia Shire’s pools.

The winning school will take home the Mobile March trophy as well as a visit from the Cardinia Leisure Street team who will run a variety of activities with students.

Students bike, walk and skate to school for Mobile March.

Picture: SUPPLIED 12485498-SN11-21

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 13

NEWS

On the ball at Officer With the loss of football due to the worldwide pandemic, local clubs have reported drops in registration numbers and difficulty recruiting younger footballers with no Auskick program in 2020.

Although one local junior football club is already on the ball.

The Officer Junior Football Club held its Jumpstart program on Thursday 18 February for boys and girls to come and try or get back into football.

Developed by club Football Operations Manager Jayson Dorey, the Jumpstart program provided two free one-hour football training sessions for boys and girls aged 7-9 years. “[The program] introduces the fundamental skills of football, getting into a team environment and is all about having fun,” Mr Dorey said.

There was a mix of children who had participated in the clubs Auskick program from the age of five and others who were new but still the Jumpstart program was a hit.

“It’s great to see the kids smiling and having fun and parents proudly watching their little ones,” Mr Dorey said.

The club again showed itself as a leader in player development with the first of four sessions of the Parklea Officer Junior Football Club Academy program for 2021 held on 21 February.

The sessions are designed for children in the under 11 to under 17 age groups.

The Academy program is in its 4th year and is regularly updated.

Sessions are run by experienced coaches within the club who are also involved in AFL Next Generation Academies and VFLW programs, ensuring the training offered to players is the most up to date and best for player development.

President Shayne Honey told the Gazette, the junior football club is driven by developing their players and coaches.

“Not every child is going to play top level AFL or win a premiership, so we want our players to be the best they can be, get a kick in a game and enjoy what they’re doing,” he said.

“Development should be the focus in junior football and that also extends to making sure our coaches are getting the right development to pass onto their teams. The academy program covers fundamental skills education and game style drills and education”.

The academy program is open to all club players at no charge, with the under 8s to 10s academy to be held in March.

Celebrating its 20th year, the club provided all players with a commemorative 20-year tshirt.

“The club has built a great culture in 20 years, recognised as a great family club for kids of all abilities, now we’re improving everyone’s abilities via our dedicated development program and further growing an amazing culture,” Mr Honey said.

The Jumpstart and academy sessions were run within Covid-19 protocols, with QR codes being required to sign in for contact tracing, adding to the achievement of the club in getting the sessions up and running.

For any questions on how to join the club, email registrar@okjfc.com.au or look up the Officer Kangaroos Junior Football Club on Facebook.

Academy day participants in a group huddle.

Girls team gets instructions.

Jumpstarts under 8s and 9s with Footy Operations Manager Jayson Dorey.

14 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

Picture: SUPPLIED

Jumpstarts under 8s and 9s in the middle of a drill. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

FOCUS ON … WEDDINGS

Time for a new era Your dream wedding venue Cardinia Cultural Centre is the perfect centrepiece for your wedding day.

The beautiful Lakeview room provides a blank canvas for you to create the wedding venue of your dreams. The spacious, pillarless room features neutral hues that draw your eye to the floor-to-ceiling windows, opening to spectacular lake vistas. A polished timber dance floor and impressive audio/visual technology will see your guests dancing the night away.

Catering for weddings up to 500 guests, the Cardinia Cultural Centre offers the flexibility to suit any reception style; seated or cocktail. Looking for a more intimate event with your closest family and friends? Enjoy a choice of reception spaces to suit your celebration, catering for cocktail receptions for 10 or more guests.

Impress your guests with delicious food,

hand-picked from an impressive menu by you and your experienced wedding coordinator. You will be spoiled for choice with delectable canapes, the Chef’s carvery, fresh seafood, authentic pastas, Asian-inspired dishes, rich curries and of course, indulgent desserts. Your guests can also enjoy a selection of beverages from the bar before and during your celebration.

Set on two hectares of garden spaces on the banks of a lake, the Cardinia Cultural Centre is in Pakenham’s Lakeside district, with ample on-site car parking, close to public transport.

For more information on weddings at the Cardinia Cultural Centre and the current COVID safe Government restrictions on venue capacity email ccc@cardinia.vic. gov.au or phone 1300 887 624.

The new owners of Berwick Village Jewellery, Sylvia and Anthony Gelgec. 229104 Anthony Gelgec and his wife Sylvia are the new owners of Berwick Village Jewellery.

Anthony has been involved in the jewellery trade for over 30 years. His family was also in the trade, so it was inevitable that Anthony would end up pursuing his passion for creating and selling beautiful jewellery and watches.

“I had a passion to learn the trade but wasn’t sure if I wanted to learn watch making or jewellery, so I did both,“ Anthony explained.

He completed an apprenticeship in watch making in 1999 at RMIT in Melbourne and soon after completed his apprenticeship in jewellery at NMIT. “I was one of the last two students from three states who graduated from the watch making

school at RMIT and soon after they closed the watch making department here in Melbourne.“ After completing his studies, Anthony started his own business, Tik Tok Watch Centre, in Melbourne and is now the new owner of the well-known Berwick Village Jewellery.

Are you looking for that special wedding band or engagement ring? Anthony is the man to help. Berwick Village Jewellery can also redesign family heirlooms, complete remodelling or restoration. Anthony also designs wedding bands, engagement rings and specialises in high end Swiss watches and the full restoration of watches.

Berwick Village Jewellery is at 2 Blackburne Square, Berwick. Phone 9707 2647.

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Design, remodelling of all rings and Jewellery

The perfect centrepiece for your wedding day

Berwick Village Jewellery 2 Blackburne Square, Berwick VIC 3806 03 9707 2647 | www.berwickjeweller.com.au 12484461-DL11-21

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 15

NEWS

Miffy and Friends coming A new exhibition at Bunjil Place Gallery will evoke nostalgia and bring to life one of the world’s most endearing characters.

Bunjil Place Gallery proudly welcomes iconic design exhibition Miffy and Friends, featuring the work of Dutch illustrator, Dick Bruna, to Melbourne from 27 March - 11 June.

Captivating children and adults alike for over 65 years, the iconic figure of Miffy features in a major, free exhibition coming to Melbourne for the very first time, following the exhibition’s stellar launch at Brisbane’s QUT Art Museum late last year.

Miffy was first created by Bruna as a bedtime story for his son in 1955. The little white bunny, or ‘nijntje’ as she is known in Dutch, has evolved from her life as a children’s book character into a globally-recognised and universally loved design icon.

Miffy and friends presents original drawings and illustrations loaned from Bruna’s estate, Mercis bv in Amsterdam, to explore his aesthetic influences and, in turn, how he has influenced generations of artists.

While deceptively simple, the character of Miffy is grounded in the ideas of 20th century avant-garde art, reflecting ideas of abstractionism and colour theory. With her pared back details and purity of line, Miffy embodies a universal language of minimalism.

The exhibition places Miffy alongside the work of seven of Australia’s most exciting contemporary artists who find the ideas encapsulated in Bruna’s figure of Miffy as inspiration for their own artistic practice.

The inclusion of work by Stephen Bird, Sadie Chandler, Nadia Hernández, Carla McRae, Nell, Brian Robinson, and Vipoo Srivilasa, representing some of the biggest talent in contemporary art, firmly places the exhibition within an Australian context.

Exhibition curator Vanessa Van Ooyen said that Miffy and Driends is a celebration of people coming together to share in the joys of art.

“Miffy at the gallery’’, illustration Dick Bruna

“Miffy’s Birthday’’, illustration by Dick Bruna

“Miffy perfectly captures the Dutch concept of gezelligheid, which isn’t a word easily translated into English but is about a feeling, of coming together with loved ones and a general ‘togetherness’ that gives people a sense of

Pakenham Officer Star News

Berwick Evening VIEW Club is seeking women who would like to make social connections while making a difference.

VIEW (Voice, Interests and Education of Women) offers a network for women to connect to the community, enjoy social activities and develop lasting friendships while supporting the work of The Smith Family.

The Berwick Evening VIEW Club is one of over 300 Australian clubs to sponsor disadvantaged students through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life sponsorship program which in addition to financial support, offers tutoring and mentoring programs and a Smith Family coordinator to support a child’s specific needs.

The club meets at 6pm for a 6.30pm start every third Monday of the month at the local Hill Restaurant and also hosts social events

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including guest speakers, theatre and film trips, coffee mornings, dine-outs and country trips, to name a few.

“One of our very favourite fundraising activities is the Bunnings Sausage Sizzle and we are thrilled that it has returned after Covid restrictions. New members will be able to join the debate about whether the onion goes on the top of the sausage or vice versa,” said newly elected president Jan Whitaker.

“Berwick Evening VIEW Club looks forward to welcoming new members in search of purpose and fun,” Jan added.

Anyone interested in joining the friendly club can call Jan Whitaker on 9705 9009, email berwick.evening.view@gmail.com or look up the club on Facebook or at view.org. au

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Stirring trouble

By Mitchell Clarke

Stirring trouble

By Mitchell Clarke It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing any-

It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing anything but joy.

During the one hour exercise limit - which is now a distant memory - Spoonville sites across Cardinia Shire were the most popular place to visit.

Despite the fad having died down entirely, the Cardinia Lakes community was understandably upset at news their local site appeared to have been targeted by cruel vandals.

Estate resident Laksika noticed the destroyed site during her daily walk on Sunday 24 January.

“I think someone has just walked over it or kicked them all over. It’s very sad to see it. We always used to stop there and have a look for new ones,” she wrote on Facebook.

The reaction from her neighbours was similar.

“Absolutely disgusting. The highlight of our walk is our toddler stopping to look and admire the spoons,” one local woman said.

“That’s so disappointing. My kids had spoons in there,” another woman added.

Pakenham Hills Ward councillor Jack Kowarzik said the news was “really frustrating”.

“Spoonville was created by locals for the enjoyment of local children and to see it vandalised is disappointing,” he said.

Cardinia Art Society president Jillian Ronald described Spoonville as an “amazing initiative” during Melbourne’s lengthy lockdown.

“It’s given joy and positivity in some very dark times and I just think it’s really disappointing that, when the community put together a project to support each other during a difficult time, that someone would take the trouble to destroy it. They’d be better off going home to create a spoon and putting it with

In happier times - Maci, Willow and Aubrey at a Pakenham Spoonville site. 214450 the rest,” she said.

“I’d suggest there’s much better things they could do with their time.”

The ‘Spoonville’ trend was born out of Winnersh, England, in an attempt to improve mental health by simply making people happy as they were out and about during daily exercise.

The quirky saga soon made its way to Cardinia - after Australia’s first ever site was constructed up the highway in Longwarry.

Within weeks, the site had spread to Pakenham, Officer, Garfield, Nar Nar Goon, Emerald and Beaconsfield.

Ms Ronald acknowledged the Spoonville craze had now hit a dead end.

“They’re getting a little bit tired, so maybe it’s time for the spoons to come home,” she said.

Ms Ronald, who commissioned the two local sites at Lakeside in Pakenham, encouraged community members to collect their spoons from their local sites.

She added that in mid-February she’d look to clean up all remaining Spoonville’s and relocate any leftover spoons to an “undisclosed location”.

The once popular Spoonville trend appears to have hit a dead end.

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Understanding your home’s value is W H AT A R E YO U WA I T I N G F O R ? as important as ever, that’s why we’re Ray White Pakenham • 1/11 John Street, Pakenham VIC 3810 continuing with our virtual appraisals.

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Visit Miffy and Friends at the Bunjil Place Gallery from 27 March - 11 June at 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren. Entry is free.

Visit the Bunjil Place website for more information.

Members wanted, with a VIEW to making difference

Subscribe to the

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belonging and mutual understanding.”

Sure to delight Miffy fans across Melbourne and beyond, the exhibition instils a love of art in audiences of all ages, making a lasting impression on all who cross her path.

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Scan this QR code to subscribe •

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

The new Berwick VIEW committee says the club pledge: “I pledge to promote the interests of VIEW, to extend friendship to all and to help those in need.’’ pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

THE LOWDOWN Q&A

with The Sewing Room’s Louella Rebello

What was the best day of your life?

My wedding day What was your most memorable moment and why?

The day I opened my business. Its always been my dream to have my own business. My grandma was a self made woman and I always wanted to follow in her footsteps and make her proud.

What would your last meal be?

Kerala chilli crab with rice What do you love about sewing/being a seamstress?

Love working with our beautiful customers and their lovely garments. We take great pride in our work and its so good to see the look of sheer joy on their faces after a garment has been altered or finished. My favourite is when we manage to do something that the customer thought was impossible.

What event, past, present or future, would you like to witness and why?

The wedding of Princess Diana to Prince Charles. She was always my favourite person.

What is your favourite TV show?

Masterchef.

Which six guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

My dad, mum, my three kids and my husband.

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Dancing in the shop with my colleagues not knowing we had an audience in the carpark.

What are your hobbies?

Cooking, reading, dancing and quilting.

What three CDs would you take with you on a desert island?

Andrea Bocelli, Neil Diamond and rock and roll music.

THREE … places to turn to for mental health support

1

2

3

Louella Rebello from The Sewing Room Berwick. 228399

The local council The City of Casey’s Youth Counselling and Support team provides a free, confidential counselling service for young people aged 10 to 25. They also support parents and carers of young people who are experiencing difficulties.

Visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/getcounselling-support Lifeline Lifeline offers support over the phone, online and via text. It’s not limited by location, which means you can speak to someone from wherever you are. Lifeline also provides assistance to those who are concerned about a loved one’s mental health. Visit lifeline.org. au or call 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support.

Headspace Headspace offers tailored and holistic mental health support to 12 - 25 year olds and has a number of centres around the City of Casey: Narre Warren, Dandenong and Pakenham.

Book an appointment to chat with the welcoming team about any youth mental health issues.

Visit headspace.org.au to find out more.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

WELCOME TO THE GAZETTE Connecting people and communities across the region

The independent voice for our region for over 110 years! ay, 17

Wednesd

, 2021 February

Read it every Wednesday in print or online!

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 17

FOCUS ON … REAL ESTATE

New directors of Barry Plant Berwick, Matt Ketteringham and Dan O’Loughlin. 230288

New directors Matt Ketteringham and Dan O’Loughlin with the team at Barry Plant Berwick. 230288

NEW DIRECTORS AT BARRY PLANT BERWICK A new era has began for Barry Plant Berwick.

On 1 March, the thriving Berwick office was taken over by new directors Matt Ketteringham and Dan O’Loughlin, directors of Barry Plant Pakenham and Barry Plant Drouin.

Mr Ketteringham said he and Mr O’Loughlin were excited by the opportunities presented by their move into the Berwick market.

“Dan and I are passionate and dedicated local people who have been living in and

around the Berwick area for years,” said Mr Ketteringham.

“I went to school in the area, and would hop on the 827 bus after school to get charcoal chicken and gravy chips on the Berwick main street. I know the ins and outs of the area, and am so excited to be able to sell properties there.”

The business was founded over two decades ago by Berwick office director and well known auctioneer Paul Dabb, who has seen the office flourish while also witnessing Berwick and the surrounding areas grow at

an exponential rate.

CEO and director of the Barry Plant Group Mike McCarthy, paid tribute to Mr Dabb and his team.

“Barry Plant Berwick has truly been one of our most successful offices, and over the last 20 years has had a committed and dedicated team who have played such an important role in the growth of Berwick and surrounding suburbs,” said Mr McCarthy.

“Paul Dabb has done a fantastic job at growing the office and really nurturing the staff, many who will stay on and work under T 16P_

mOST STUNNiNg awarD iN SUPEriOr LOCaTiON!

47 EmPirE aVENUE DrOUiN This one is so special! A must see to appreciate the many features ready for your enjoyment! 9ft ceiling with square set cornice, optic fibre internet, 4 bedrooms, master with dreamy ensuite and WIR. 2 living areas, stacker doors from the dining lead to an exceptional alfresco with plumbed in BBQ, sink & storage. Waterfall stone island bench, butlers pantry & classy touches throughout. Walk in linen, oversized garage, plus side access for the boat or van. 47 Empire Avenue really is a dream come true.

View: Sat 16th march 10am - 10:30am $790,000 internet iD: 22907360 View property and more details at www.sej.com.au

5622 3800 Cnr Smith & Queen St, warragul

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Matt and Dan who I know will continue to do an amazing job.”

The office has won a number of awards over recent years, with recognition in all areas of property from customer service to property management. In 2019 the office won Novice Auctioneer of the Year (Jack McMaster), Receptionist of the Year (Brody Driscoll), and Department Manager of the Year (Sara Press) at the Barry Plant Awards for Excellence.

“Pakenham is the fastest growth corridor in Victoria, as well as being number one for sales in the state and number two in Australia,” Mr Ketteringham said.

“We’re very fortunate to have a broad and diverse demographic of investors and first home owners, and our price points are fantastic and go all the way from $300K to $5m for elite properties.

“I’m very energetic, passionate, and enthusiastic when it comes to this opportunity, and really want us to be the best that we can possibly be as a sales and rentals team.

“I think it was an easy decision for Barry Plant Berwick to choose us. They’ve seen our business grow, from not even having a real brand or presence in Pakenham 13 years ago, to becoming one of the top real estate agents in the area. We’ve organically grown to a very large rent roll and also an extremely large office that has taken the number one banner in Pakenham and Officer. Dan and I are so enthusiastic and passionate about working in the area, we can’t wait!” ● T 8P_

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This easily maintained home is close to everything you need. The young home presents fantastically & features 3 bedrooms. There is ducted heating & cooling, internal access from the remote operated garage & sliding glass door with access to the low maintenance backyard.

AUCTION Saturday 27th March at 12.00pm VIEW Saturday 6th March 10.00am - 10.30am

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

“Timbara” LOCaTiON & OUTLOOK ON 66.5 aCrES

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PA K E N H A M 27 Maywood Street

A unique property having extreme privacy yet incredible Mountain views and even glimpses of Westernport Bay. This productive grazing property consisting of very gentle sloping rising country with sound pasture base, carries up to one head to the acre. There is excellent shedding and reliable water.

Featuring a spacious 1996 brick home, built by Peter Mikac using quality materials and craftmanship to the highest standards is enhanced by having spectacular western and northern views from many aspects of the home. Polished timber flooring, four living areas and an impressive Master bedroom are just some of the features. Outdoor living is enhanced by the private alfresco.

Rarely is there the opportunity to purchase a property of this standard and being in such a sought after location.

7km Drouin, 2.5km Longwarry, 3.2kms Freeway & 24hr servo, 91kms Melb.

75 HammOND rOaD LONgwarry View: Sat 13th march 11:30 - Noon aUCTiON: 10th april 2021 11am On Site TErmS: 10% on signing. Settlement 30/60 Days

5622 3800 Cnr Smith & Queen St, warragul

www.sej.com.au

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

HOME FOCUS

PEAKE AT THE PEAK

The Peake Real Estate team celebrates the wins.

BY DANIELLE KUTCHEL THE team at Peake Real Estate have taken home three coveted gongs at the 2021 ARERAs - the Australasian Real Estate Results Awards.

Four of the agency’s highest performers were named among the individual award winners: Cindy Huntington was named Property Manager of the Year; Alana Opteynde was named Support Star of the Year; and Anita Taylor and Andrew Brown were jointly named Growth Agent of the Year.

Andrew said the recognition came as a “bit of a surprise”, but was a tribute to the team’s hard work over a difficult year.

“It’s been very challenging with the lockdown periods with Covid, the way we had to adapt our business and the way we conducted sales. We got through it, and we’re lucky enough to be increasing our business and also continuing our business,” he said.

He said “flexibility” played a big part in the team’s success, as sales and showings moved online.

Ultimately, he and Anita said the award was a reflection of the team and directors

at Peake, as well as the loyalty of their customers.

“It’s a team effort that helped us get this award, but it’s something Anita and myself want to build on, going to the next level,” Andrew said.

Likewise, Cindy, who works at Peake’s Officer site, was “blown away” to receive her own award.

“It means the world to me,” she said. “It’s a sign that I’m doing a good job at what I do.”

She hopes her new title as Property Manager of the Year will help build more trust behind her name in the local area and the industry.

She said Covid lockdowns compelled the agency to “step up” and said the team’s ability to work with the changes of 2020 was a credit to them.

“We were able to operate and protect both landlords and tenants in a time where no one had ever seen anything like it,” she said.

She too offered her thanks to the staff at Peake Real Estate and the clients who have supported them along the way.

“We value every single person we deal with. We love our clients and we want to keep getting better and better,” Cindy said. ●

“TIMBARA” OUTLOOK AND LOCATION A UNIQUE property having extreme privacy yet incredible mountain views and even glimpses of Westernport Bay. This productive grazing property consisting of very gentle sloping rising country with sound pasture base, carries up to one head to the acre. There is excellent shedding and reliable water.

Featuring a spacious 1996 brick home, built by Peter Mikac using quality materials and craftmanship to the highest standards is enhanced by having spectacular western and

northern views from many aspects of the home. Polished timber flooring, four living areas and an impressive Master bedroom are just some of the features. Outdoor living is enhanced by the private alfresco.

Rarely is there the opportunity to purchase a property of this standard and being in such a sought after location.

7km Drouin, 2.5km Longwarry, 3.2kms freeway and 24hr servo, 91kms Melbourne. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 75 Hammond Road, LONGWARRY Inspect: Saturday, 13 March, 11.30am-noon Auction: Saturday, 10 April, 2021 at 11am on site - Terms: 10% on signing.

Settlement 30/60 Days Contact: Max Canobie, 0429 858 384, SEJ REAL ESTATE, 5622 3800

Take advantage of the $10,000* first home owners grant and even better….

Receive up to $15,000* for the new builders scheme.

Now is the time to buy! *eligibility criteria must be met

Inclusions • Vinyl wrap kitchen with stone benchtops • Stainless steel electric oven • Stainless steel gas hot plates • Stainless steel range hood • Ducted heating • Ceramic floor and wall tiles as per floor plans from builders range

Pakenham

• Carpet to remaining areas from builders range • Stainless steel sink and flick mixer to kitchen • Chrome mixer tops from builders range • Mirrors with polished edge to bathroom • Exhaust fans to bathrooms • Roller door to garage

• Flush panel internal doors • Internal door handles • 50mm Scotia cornice throughout • White glo tub to laundry • Weathertough acrylic to all exterior • Sewer power, drainage, gas and water connections as per plans • Outdoor water taps

Whether you’re looking to downsize and keep the caravan or boat, a first home buyer looking to enter the market or savvy investor, this development has a little something for everyone. Located in an established part of Pakenham, opposite parklands and open space, the fresh air and neighbourhood vibes will have you feeling at home in no time! With close access to all the amenities such as shopping, schools, restaurants and more throughout Pakenham and surrounding towns, you’ll have everything you need.

With easy access to the M1.

2 bedroom townhouses $379,000.

3 bedroom townhouses $409,000–$449,000.

First Home Owner Grant $10,000 (to eligible applicants) Prices subject to change 12483587-SN09-21

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 19

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1. Casual shop assistant to assist with wholesale orders (20-30 hours per week) 2. Casual Sausage Maker / Butcher’s Assistant - suit someone who has worked in kitchens before 3. Full Time Apprentice Butcher 4. Fruit & Vegetable Buyer (1 day per week, start 2am on Mondays, purchasing produce for shop) 5. Casual Butcher - for ad hoc shifts Please call 0407 805 253 or email kate@cherrytreeorganics.com.au

Elite Building and Maintenance Pty Ltd are a privately owned and operated building business offering fit-out, and building and maintenance services, to a wide range of government and private organisations across metropolitan Melbourne, as well as the Mornington Peninsula.

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We need fully qualified experienced Carpenters with their own tools and vehicle, who can work unsupervised, have a safety-first attitude, and provide a quality work outcome. Some weekend work may be required.

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1.The proposal will involve the following scope of works: • The installation of a new triangular headframe mounted at 28.5m CL on the existing monopole; • The installation of seven (7) new panel antennas; • The installation of a new equipment enclosure; • The installation of new compound fencing; and • The installation of ancillary equipment such as radio UHPRWH XQLWV 558V WUDQVFHLYHUV DPSOLÀHUV DQWHQQD mounts, cable trays, feeders, cabling, and other associated equipment.

2. The proposed installations are deemed to be Lowimpact Facilities pursuant to the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 ScheduleFacilities and Areas Part 1-Radio Facilities, Item 4, and Part 3-Low-impact facilities 3.1 Facilities (4)(a) based on the descriptions above. Consent from council is not required in this instance.

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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STAR NEWS 21

SPORT

Wayne Snooks will live long in the memory of his family and friends, including Trevor ‘Guv’ Hobson (background). 177797

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Wayne’s lasting impact By sports editor Russell Bennett That cheesy grin from ear to ear, that warm handshake and pat on the back - Wayne Snooks always had a way of lighting up a room, and the world is a darker place for his passing.

‘Snooksy’ passed away suddenly on Saturday morning, just hours before he was due to play in the F Grade side for his beloved Cardinia. It would have marked a staggering 48 years that he’d played at least a game for the Bulls.

His passing, less than a week after he reminisced on the life of his great mate Ian ‘Cambo’ Campbell at the Bullpen the Sunday prior, has sent shockwaves throughout the local community - where he was a revered figure at both Cardinia, and the ROC (now Officer) footy club.

Snooksy was adamant he was going to make it to 50 seasons played for the Bulls, but his legacy didn’t need another chapter. He was already solidified.

A life member, he was inducted into no less than three teams of the decade, and the ‘Team of the 50 years’ at the Bulls’ 50th anniversary gala event last year.

One of the greatest Bulls of them all, he won

a host of individual honours - including the 1991/92 A Grade league bowling average.

And on the footy front, he was held in similarly high esteem at Officer (formerly Rythdale Officer Cardinia) and Cora Lynn.

A life member at ROC, too, he was a former player and coach who started his journey with the Rythdale-Cardinia under-17s way back in 1973.

After graduating to the seniors in 1975 and then moving across to ROC, he played 257 games in the famous number 31 - kicking 309 goals.

An opportunist around goal, he won the Reserves best and fairest in 1985 and ’86, and won the West Gippsland senior goal kicking in 1987 with 69 majors.

His coaching journey included the 1988 under-17 flag - the most recent still to this day.

Snooksy was made a ROC Football Club life member in 1992 and in 2002 was named at full-forward in its ‘Team of The First 25 Years’.

Cora Lynn stalwart Terry Dillon also played cricket with Snooksy at Cardinia.

“He was a genuine fella and a high-class sportsman who was universally loved by ev-

eryone,” he explained.

“My brother Michael (Dillon) umpired a lot of footy with him.

“He was a great community person and fitted in perfectly at Cora Lynn, where his son Brad was also involved.

“Snooksy was a serious bowler and a very good footballer, but more than that you’d just never a bad word said about him.”

Snooksy spoke to the Star News a little over three years ago at a Bulls life members and sponsors day about just what the Cardinia Cricket Club meant to him.

“I just love the place - I’ll come out and give the guys (players) a bit of guidance on a Thursday, even though they probably don’t listen anymore!” said Snooksy, who turned 60 that year.

Among a flood of well-wishers on Facebook once the tragic news broke was Alan ‘Lefty’ Wright - Snooksy’s former cricket captain.

“I was honoured to be his captain for several seasons and Wayne distinguished himself as a great competitor and a loyal team member at all times,” he said. “(He was) an opening bowler of exceptional

skill, demanding respect with his pace and unerring accuracy.

“He was notably agile as a fielder and as a batsman was known for his capacity for lusty hitting. Wayne had legendary longevity as a cricketer and as his pace slowed, his guile and experience continued to make him a formidable opponent.

“We became life members on the very same day - a proud moment shared.

“Wayne had a winning smile, a ready handshake and welcoming words whenever meeting people. He was both renowned and respected by those who knew him or played against him. I remember him as my go to bowler - things generally happened when Wayne had the ball.”

Leading up to 2021, Snooksy had played at the Bulls every year since 1973 when he moved to Cranbourne and got a job at the Wagstaff abattoir.

From that point on, he was always part of the furniture - and the life of the party.

Wayne Snooks leaves behind his wife Verlinda, children Brad and Jenny and their partners Brooke and Pete, his five grandchildren, and a legion of heartbroken mates.

Berwick star snares the Wookey Medal

By Nick Creely Whether with the bat through the middle order or spinning a web through the opposition, Berwick star Ruwantha Kellepotha has lit up the Dandenong District Cricket Association in 2020/21.

And now he’s an Alan Wookey Medal winner for champion Turf 1 player of the season.

The Berwick premiership all-rounder entered Sunday’s vote count as comfortable favourite to snare the association’s top individual award and was never threatened, becoming the first player at the club since Brad Francis in 2009/10 to snare the award.

Kellepotha finished the day on a whopping 45 votes, with Hallam Kalora Park star Leigh Booth (28), Narre South seamer Josh Dowling (22), and spinners Jarryd Straker (20) and Sachith Jayasingha (19) rounding out the top five.

In a golden season, Kellepotha struck 353 runs at 44.1, while taking 34 wickets at 11.2, with a phenomenal strike rate of 20.2.

22 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 March, 2021

Some of the all-rounder’s most electric performances of the season included 37 not out and 4/36 in Round 1, 4/31 in Round 3, 4/34 in Round 4, 82 not out and 3/21 in Round 6, 63 and 6/31 in Round 10, 4/38 in Round 12 and 64 in Round 14, and with a finals campaign on the horizon is every chance to break past 400 runs and 40 wickets for the season.

Kellepotha will be a major key for the Bears as Matt Chasemore’s group looks for back-to-back Turf 1 flags, with his ability to turn matches in a matter of moments with bat and ball a major feature of his game.

Hallam Kalora Park’s Leigh Booth was another strong poller after a superb season for the minor premiers.

He struck 431 runs at 39.2 and took 15 wickets at 17.4.

Josh Dowling also enjoyed a cracking first season with Narre South, with the ex-CaseySouth Melbourne quick a menace with the ball to take 31 wickets at 12.7, which included four four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul.

He took 23 wickets after Christmas alone.

The DDCA also announced its Turf 1 Team of the Year: Daniel Watson (Buckley Ridges), Leigh Booth (Hallam Kalora Park), Ryan Quirk (Springvale South), Matthew Chasemore (Berwick), Ruwantha Kellepotha (Berwick), Clayton McCartney (North Dandenong), Kusan Niranjana (St Mary’s), Jordan Hammond (Hallam Kalora Park), Ciaron Connolly (wk, Hallam Kalora Park), Josh Dowling (Narre South), Jarryd Straker (Springvale South), Will Whyte (Hallam Kalora Park) Dandenong West’s Gurpreet Singh, meanwhile, snared Turf 2’s Charles Gartside Medal after a strong all-rounder season for the Westers.

The all-rounder polled 26 votes, narrowly edging out Beaconsfield pair Michael Vandort and Tyler Clark on 23 votes, while Parkfield’s Dishan Malalasekera and Madhawa Fonseka both finished on 22 votes.

Singh produced some standout performances with both bat and ball throughout

Ruwantha Kellepotha snared the Wookey Medal on Sunday. 221905 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS 2020/21, crunching 208 runs at 23.1 and snaring 23 wickets at 12.2.

Here’s the Turf 2 Team of the Year: Michael Vandort (Beaconsfield), Zach Allen (Narre Warren), Tyler Clark (Beaconsfield), Mick Sweeney (Cranbourne), Pete Sweeney (Cranbourne), Tanil Dehigaspitiya (Parkfield), Dishan Malalasekera (Parkfield), Ben Swift (wk, Narre Warren), Josh Dinger (Narre Warren), Shaun Weir (Dandenong West), Callan Tout (Beaconsfield), Nicholas Jeffrey (Parkfield). pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Warriors take up the fight

By Russell Bennett After an extended, lengthy period away from the court that none of them saw coming, this weekend the Pakenham Warriors are back.

The pride of Pakenham basketball was forced off the court during the thick of the fight against Covid-19, but with Victoria now navigating calmer seas, the Warriors can’t wait to this weekend take the battle right up to the best of the Division 1 Big V women’s competition.

Leading the charge alongside coach Simo Pajdic in a historic campaign will be captain Jacinta Maxwell.

Having been a part of the Pakenham program since 2019, Maxwell has stepped up to lead the group this year.

She explained just how tough the enforced layoff, and non-season of 2020, was on the group.

“The forced layoff wasn’t ideal for everyone, especially having the season postponed the Friday before the first game,” she admitted.

“It was a bit rough having the waiting game for a few months before the season was eventually cancelled. The toughest part was definitely not being able to see all the girls and do what we all love together. It was clear how much we had all missed being together the first few sessions back after all the lockdowns - I don’t think we all stopped talking and laughing.”

The Warriors are well aware of the battles ahead of them in what looms as a brutally tough Division 1 competition.

But they’ll never shy away from a challenge.

Instead, they’re looking those challenges square in the eye and embracing them.

“I think over the last couple of weeks we have really started to see the potential we all have as a group, which is really exciting,” Maxwell explained.

“We took a while to get it all together after such a long break away from the game but I think we are timing it well for the beginning of

Jacinta Maxwell is set to lead the Pakenham Warriors’ Big V Division 1 side as skipper this season.

Picture: SUPPLIED the season and getting better each week.

“We are all really excited to test ourselves in the higher division and see what we can produce, but I do think we will surprise some people and be a bit of a dark horse.”

Maxwell said one of the group’s biggest strengths this season promises to be its size.

“We have some not only talented bigs, but also really athletic bigs,” she said.

“They are able to run the floor really well and also give us a really strong inside presence, which I think we have been lacking. I also think we have a pretty balanced team across the board - we have a team that anyone could step up on any given day, which will create a few headaches for our opposition.”

Undoubtedly, there’s been a real focus for the Warriors over the pre-season on improving on the defensive end, and Maxwell said there will be some real gains to be seen in that area.

“We want to be able to lock down and keep our opposition to low numbers and not get into any shootouts this season,” she explained.

“We have also been really working hard on our ability to read and react, and just be able to play off instinct compared to just going through the motions and running through the ‘x’s and ‘o’s, so to speak.”

While the Warriors lost their 2020 campaign, like teams from various sports all across the state last year, they’ve been boosted by the return of their core group for this season.

“We were really lucky that the core group all committed and decided to come back this season from our false start of a year last year,” Maxwell said.

“It was great that we were able to get Taylor Jones back down from Sydney and I think she will have a big year as a bit of a playmaker for us.

“(And) adding to the mix some size and presence inside with Tarryn Wilkin and Sarah Slater will be really good for our group. It was something we were lacking in our finals run in 2019.

“One of the positives out of Covid was that now we have been able to have two pre-seasons with the majority of the group and have a pretty good understanding of how each other like to play, but we also have that connection off the court.

“There is a lot of love in our group for each other. Overall, I think Simo has managed to put together a really strong roster - the right players in the right positions, and also just genuinely good people.”

Maxwell’s junior career was spent at Dandenong, but she hasn’t looked back since joining the Warriors’ program.

“When the opportunity came up here at Pakenham - being able to play with a group of girls I had played with before and had known for ages - I jumped at it and haven’t looked back since,” she said.

“I was really honoured to be chosen to be the captain of the team this year alongside Keeley Patterson as our vice-captain. We have known and played with each other for so many years so I am really looking forward to being able to lead the team alongside her.

“I think I am most excited to just be able to play with the group after the mess of a year we all had last year. I am really excited to see how we can go in the higher division this season we have so much talent in our team and we are only just scraping the surface of our potential, which is really exciting for us.”

The Division 1 Pakenham Warriors women’s team will tip off their season this Sunday at 2pm in Somerville against the Westernport Steelers. The Division 2 men’s team will travel to Wallan for their season opener this Saturday night, while the Division 2 Youth League men’s team will be part of the curtain-raiser from 6pm. The Youth League women’s team will play in the precursor to the senior women’s first Division 1 game this Sunday afternoon.

Marching on for a cause much bigger than their own

By Russell Bennett Adam Cheyne is a larger than life figure in Kooweerup’s sporting circles, but his kind spirit is even bigger.

The 44-year-old, who by his own admission tips the scales at ‘about 150 kilos’, walked a staggering 48 kilometres on Saturday all in the name of raising funds and awareness for returned servicemen and women.

Cheyne, a former sapper, is a favourite of both the Kooweerup Cricket Club and Kooweerup Football Club and supports both however and wherever possible.

And on Saturday, that support was returned - from those involved in the local sporting scene, but also the community more generally.

Cheyne set himself a goal of walking the length of the Kokoda Track - 96 kilometres throughout the month of March, while raising funds and awareness through the ‘Soldier On’ campaign.

The funds raised go directly towards Soldier On’s mental health services and programs so that - in their words - “our returned ADF members and their families can march on”.

By late on Saturday night, Cheyne had already reached half his target distance - walking the 48 kilometres from the Kilcunda pub to the Kooweerup pub.

But he wasn’t alone.

Instead, he was joined on the trek by his great mates Scott Clark and Tim and Shannon Miller, with two other people close two him - Lisa Watt Brown and Bryan Wingfield - acting as their support crew.

The journey took an agonising 12 hours, with none of the group having done any training prior.

Cheyne said he was so spent upon his arrival at the Royal Hotel in Kooweerup, he couldn’t even get up to thank everyone who pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

turned out for him.

But their support meant the world to him.

“I had the best mates right beside me, and I also had other people supporting me and showing up on the walk. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” he explained.

“I’m ex-army, and I’m passionate about the diggers, so for me there’s better cause to raise money for. Maybe some of the money I raise will go to some of my mates.

That’s why I did it.”

Illustrating the power of mind over body, and of genuine team work, Cheyne said he got to Caldermeade - within just a few kilometres of the finish line - and almost gave in, before his mates rallied around him and gave him the spark he needed.

“My legs started hurting and when I got to Caldermeade I actually lost my mental strength completely and I just thought I couldn’t do it anymore,” he admitted.

“But the boys really stood by me when they knew I was really, really hurting.

“All three of them who did the walk with me are genuinely great blokes. They did every single step with me, and I’m so proud of them.

“To have mates who’ll volunteer to walk 48 kilometres with you for a cause that’s not even their own - that’s amazing.”

Cheyne said he’d take a few days to recover from the trek before smashing out the rest of his target distance in the remaining days of March.

Cheyne set himself a target of raising $2000 for the Soldier On cause, which he’s already eclipsed just a few days into the month of March. To donate, visit: https://fundraise. soldieron.org.au/fundraisers/adamcheyne/ marchon Those seeking help can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or by visiting www.lifeline.org.au; or MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78.

Adam Cheyne (right) and his great mates Shannon Miller, Scott Clark, and Tim Miller set off on their mission from the Kilcunda pub in the early hours of Saturday morning. Picture: SUPPLIED Thursday, 11 March, 2021

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