Mail - Ferntree Gully Star Mail - 15th June 2021

Ferntree Gully Belgrave

Stolen poodle returns home

Tree decimates home

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

Mail New Gembrook to Lilydale trail

Wheeling her way to glory

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SPORT

A Star News Group Publication

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Monbulk Road was one of the many roads cut off after the devastating storm. 240519

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

The cleanup begins in Emerald.

Superstorm hell A Kalorama couple was lucky to escape Wednesday’s ferocious storm after trees crushed their house forcing them to flee the mountain on foot.

Michael and Marilyn Deller were among

numerous hills residents who lost their homes in the storm, which also caused widespread power outages, flooding and road closures.

Marilyn Deller, 72, told ABC radio she thought she was going to die as howling winds,

pouring rain and falling trees battered their three storey house in Jeeves Avenue.

She and partner Michael retreated to a bedroom on the ground floor of their home after the power went out at 9pm.

However, Marilyn said she couldn’t stand the noise of the escalating wind, which she described as sounding like “100 lions all roaring at once, coming to a fever pitch”.

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NEWS

Ambo historian honoured

By Taylah Eastwell “Elated”.

That’s how Kilsyth’s Charles Martin has described his initial reaction to being awarded a Queens Honours Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

After a lifetime devoted to helping others in their hour of need, the ex-ambulance officer now runs the Ambulance Victoria Museum in Bayswater.

“I think any history is important, it doesn’t have to be ambulance. That’s just the one I’ve chosen to take on and I enjoy doing it,” he said.

Mr Martin was recognised for his service to community history, having founded the Ambulance Historical Society of Victoria in 1986 and been honorary curator and manager of the Ambulance Victoria Museum since 2005.

The Ambulance Historical Society is a unique collection of ex-ambulance vehicles and memorabilia, with everything from early day ambulances to vintage wooden stretchers and everything in between.

“I was a member, I joined Ambulance Victoria in 1962 and retired, and then they asked me to look at running a museum. That was 15 years ago and I’m still here,” he laughed.

“We’ve got all old ambos and equipment all restored and we show them to the public as a museum. We get all the probus clubs and senior citizens in and show them around,” he said.

And following a 40-year career with Ambulance Victoria, Mr Martin makes quite the tour guide.

Mr Martin is also a member and ex-president of the Retired Ambulance Association, and has undertaken roles such as Communications Officer at Doncaster HQ and Station Officer of the Communications Room at La Trobe Street Control Centre and Ferntree Gully Ambulance Stations.

Charles Martin at the Bayswater Ambulance Historical Museum.

“I spent a lot of time at Gully when it first started, it was a brand new station and we opened that up,” he said.

He was also an officer at Ringwood between 1965-1967.

“I worked all over Melbourne and ended

up at Lilydale. It’s an interesting job,” he said.

“I still have no idea who nominated me.

But I am quite pleased,” he said.

“I NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE HOMELESS.” That’s the unimaginable reality Megan* and countless other Aussies are living right now. In fact, for every person experiencing homelessness you can see, there are 13 more you can’t.

Together we can help stop the rise in homelessness.

Visit salvationarmy.org.au or scan the QR code

*Name changed for privacy

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NEWS

Violent thugs invade

By Taylah Eastwell A group of mates who flocked to a Ferntree Gully home armed with knuckle dusters and a taster before assaulting the resident couple have fronted court.

Jayden Boyle, 25, was sentenced in the County Court on Tuesday 1 June to 444 days imprisonment and a 12-month community corrections order upon release after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, assault and damaging property.

Boyle was sentenced alongside mate and co-accused Austin Donald-Hauler, also 25, who also took part in the attack on the Ferntree Gully couple on November 11 2018.

The court heard Boyle stormed the Gaydon Street property with Donald-Hauler and two others after the male victim had sent a number of abusive messages to one of the offenders.

The man went outside and asked the men what they were doing at his house, telling one of the offenders if they had a problem they could call him.

“That really should have been the end of the matter,” Judge Carolene Gwynn said.

Instead, one of the thugs responded “you think you’re tough, I’ve got all my mates with me”.

“That is quite ironic. It’s hardly tough to attend with three mates at someone’s private residence,” Judge Gwynn said.

The court heard the frightened woman went outside to find the men barricading her boyfriend while yelling abuse and threats.

As the woman’s partner turned to go inside to call the police, he was struck to the left side of the head by one of the men, the court heard.

The victims noticed Boyle had black or gold metal knuckle dusters with spikes on the side, and heard him “activate a taser” before yelling “I want the f***ing dog in there”.

Boyle then tried to get inside as the woman struggled to close the door to prevent his entry.

The woman was hit in the head multiple times during the ordeal.

Boyle then used the knuckle dusters to hit the door several times, resulting in cuts to the front door of the property.

The woman’s partner opened the door to help her get inside however both victims were punched in the head again by the accused.

The offenders made demands for jewellery, dope and other property before fleeing.

One of the four offenders spat at the woman upon leaving, the court heard.

Boyle was arrested on 22 November but Donald-Hauler was not arrested until April the following year after being named by his cooffenders.

Donald-Hauler was not accused of any physical assault but was there “to make up the numbers”, Judge Gwynn said.

“You played a relatively minor role. You ap-

pear to have been there to make up the numbers and simply should not have been present, this was not your fight either,” Judge Gwynn said.

“It is likely that your victims would have been frightened by your presence and your demeanor,” Judge Gwynn told the men.

In sentencing, the court heard Boyle had come from a disadvantaged home life that saw him leave school after year eight. He was also said to be a regular drug user, with the CCO imposed as a means of addressing substance abuse issues.

“I express my genuine concerns about the need for you to be supported upon your release into the community given your longstanding drug addiction,” Judge Gwynn said.

The court heard Donald-Hauler had moved to Bonnie Doon with his fiance since the offending, where he works as a full-time subcontractor and has a three-year-old daughter.

Given Donald-Haulers family supports, employment and limited involvement in the attack, his prospects of rehabilitation were said to be “excellent”.

He was ordered to be of good behaviour for a period of 12 months and no conviction was recorded.

Boyle’s 444 days jail had already been served while on remand. He must complete drug and alcohol treatment as part of his 12-month CCO.

Boys make lemonade to make difference

By Taylah Eastwell Two compassionate Montrose brothers have set up shop at the end of their driveway in order to raise money for those experiencing homelessness.

Eight-year-old Koen and his six-year-old brother Arlo created a lemonade and scone stand at the end of their driveway on Monday 7 June, in hopes of raising money for local homeless support organisation Holy Fools.

With lemons purchased from neighbours backyard trees and a little help from mum, Jen Zigmantas, the young entrepreneurs made homemade lemonade, scones and cream and battled with the wind to keep their shopfront looking perfect.

Koen said he first learnt about the homeless when he saw a woman sitting out the front of the shops.

“I was going to my nans and we saw this person sitting down near the shops and she asked if I had any spare change, I said no I don’t, so I wanted to raise some money for the homeless,” Koen said.

“The homeless don’t have a home and I was super sad for them, so I wanted to raise money to give them somewhere to live or at least a bed so they can sleep,” he said.

The idea of a lemonade stand came after

Koen, 8 and brother Arlo, 6, held a lemonade and scone sale to raise money for homeless support organisation Holy Fools. the neighbourhood kids got together during last years lockdown to make some spare change.

The big hearts and initiatve of Koen and his younger brother has made mum, Jen, “super proud”.

Ms Zigmantas said the boys are coinci-

dentally learning about kindness at school, so Koen’s idea was quite fitting with homeschooling.

“I feel like this is a good way of learning about money and giving and kindness. It was great of Koen to think of doing something to help other people,” she said.

Savaged by storm From page 1 “You just held your breath waiting for the crack of a tree not knowing where it was falling.”

Unable the sleep, the couple ventured upstairs when they heard banging on the roof.

“That was the start of it. We went upstairs and the kitchen window had blown in,” Marilyn explained.

As Michael placed a cot mattress against the gaping hole, Marilyn turned around to find the ceiling and a brick wall crashing in on her.

“I’m screaming, it’s pitch black. I felt like I was in whirlpool. For milliseconds of my life I didn’t know if I would be here or in the hereafter.

“At that point ......it seemed to be one tree (falling) after another. You’d have a quiet break just wind, then it would escalate again, that lion’s roar.”

Falling trees pounded the house, one crashing through the bedroom on the middle floor, others damaging the bathroom and dining room.

Fearing for their lives, the couple made contact with Marilyn’s son in Kilsyth who made the dangerous trek up the mountain to rescue the couple.

With Mt Dandenong Tourist Road impassable, Marilyn’s son had to abandon his car and walk more than two kilometres to find the pair.

On the way he met a trainee paramedic who was also stuck. She decided to accompany him on the rescue mission.

The pair trekked for 40 minutes covering two kilometres, climbing over fallen trees, avoiding powerlines and fighting through foliage.

Marilyn described her son as her hero.

“When he got to me it was like, ‘oh my hero’,“ she said.

The four of them then made their way out of Kalorama climbing over fallen trees and ducking under others as the storm raged around them.

Marilyn likened the scene as they retreated down the mountain to “Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs“. The frightening crack of trees ringing in their ears.

With their home destroyed, the couple are staying with their son in Kilsyth.

“It’s the first time in my life I’ve felt homeless. It’s not a nice feeling,“ Marilyn said.

The grandmother of nine sustained cuts and bruising to her back and thighs when the kitchen collapsed and said if she hadn’t been wedged in a door frame she may well have died.

“The door frame saved me. “(The storm) is something I never want to go through again. I’m not alone, thousands are going through trauma from that night.

“We have our lives, the rest of it are just things.”

The Dellers’ story is just one of many terrifying accounts of the storm, which left thousands without power and the Dandenong Ranges looking like a war zone.

For more, turn to pages 6-9

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Hills community unites

By Taylah Eastwell As dawn broke on Thursday morning, many across the Hills awoke to mass damage and destruction on their doorstep.

For others, the nightmare continues.

But while houses have collapsed and many suffer loss, the heart and compassion of the local community holds strong.

Since Thursday, social media has been flooded with people offering assistance.

In Cockatoo, a man has dragged his washing machine out onto his front lawn for community use.

Dave Key set up his personal washing machine at the edge of his Woodlands Ave driveway, next to a table, to allow those without power to wash their clothes.

“It’s my personal household one I’ve removed from the laundry and rejigged to run off a garden hose and generator lead,” Mr Key said.

“We are all stuck in this situation together so we all come together as a community to help each other out,” he said.

Mr Key said if power outages continue, he will get his mobile coolroom running to allow people to refrigerate things they need.

The Emerald and Cockatoo Community Support Team, a group entirely run by volunteers, have helped set up community drop in services through advocating to Cardinia Shire Council.

Group member Rachelle Mechielsen described the group as “the locals who help the locals”.

“We come in after the first responders have made an area safe and provide recovery and relief support,” Ms Mechielson said.

The group has been delivering urgent groceries, generator fuel and pharmacy scripts to locals, and has been collecting information and conveying it back to council in order to get

Cockatoo and Emerald Emergency Support Team at Cockatoo IGA to provide support to locals.

The washing machine set up for community use in Cockatoo. “fast, effective” services up and running.

The group has helped establish Emerald Hills Hub as a drop in point for free post-storm mental health counselling. Device charging, tea, coffee and a microwave are also on offer, with the volunteers seeing about “100 people each day” accessing the services.

The Cockatoo Community Complex is also open for showers from 9.30am until 4pm Anyone in need of assistance or wishing to volunteer can contact the Emerald and Cockatoo Community Support Team on Facebook or at EST@outlook.com.

Emerald Woolworths kindly donated a trolley full of groceries to provide Emerald SES members with a warm meal between jobs.

Unit controller Ben Owen said “the crew was amazed with the kind generosity” it had received, with a “random person” also paying for fuel for the SES truck at a servo and a number of cakes and coffees also being handed to

members over the last week.

Kalorama fire station opened its doors to displaced locals during Wednesday night’s storm, with many seeking refuge overnight at the station while crew members attended hundreds of callouts. The Salvation Army offered hot meals at the CFA station on Sunday and Monday to mountain residents who remain without power.

Cockatoo CFA opened its doors to provide hot water, an oven, power points, heating and drinking water.

A Facebook group called Yarra Ranges Storm Support has also been set up, with offers to help with tree removal and labour flooding in.

Local residents have also taken to community noticeboards with offers to open their homes to complete strangers for warm showers, short-term accommodation, use of power and a listening ear.

Sent – 15th Feb

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Getting there.

Glad I’m back!

Eliza (work) – 1st Feb

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How are you?

See you soon.

At the base of the mountain, Montrose CFA was also overwhelmed by the generosity of the local community.

“We actually had two young girls come up to the fire brigade with their parents yesterday (13 June) and drop off some morning tea to us.

They saved up their pocket money and wanted to give back and I think that’s just absolutely beautiful and just very special,” Montrose CFA captain Rob Waters said.

“We’ve seen very generous offers from the community, some beautiful messages that we’ve had on our Facebook and social media pages and also private messages, emails. We live in an absolutely astounding community and not only in bushfire season when people care but major events when someone is challenged, our community just gets up and rallies around and looks after our neighbours,” Mr Waters said.

“Just the little things as simple as throwing an extension lead over the fence for a neighbour to use a generator. Offering up hot water and showers and all that sort of stuff, I think that’s amazing community spirit and it’s great resilience for people who are helping others as well, that’s the best way to recover, is supporting one another,” he said.

Everyone Every workplace

The sooner you get in touch after an injury, the better the return to work journey.

The sooner, the better. worksafe.vic.gov.au/thesoonerthebetter

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If you’re recovering from a psychological or physical workplace injury, or if you are an employer supporting an injured worker, make contact as soon as possible. It just takes a few simple words to make a big difference.

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‘Stolen’ poodle returned

By Taylah Eastwell A blind man who had his beloved poodle taken from him as part of a rouge trade has been reunited with his four-legged friend.

As reported by the Star Mail in May, Upper Ferntree Gully’s Matt Toogood had his muchloved dog, Sam, taken from him after a pet-sitter on-sold the pup while Matt was in hospital.

Through the power of social media, the story reached Channel 9 program A Current Affair, where reporters knocked on the door of people who had purchased Sam and helped return him to his heartbroken and lonely owner, Matt.

The whirlwind story of Sam being taken from his owner all began in November last year, when owner Matt had a fall that saw him hospitalised with a broken ankle.

In early January, an acquaintance of Matt’s parents offered to take the dog to a friend of hers to care for him on a “temporary pet-sit ar-

Sam the poodle was caught at the centre of a fraudulent doggy deal after being on-sold by a pet-sitter while his owner lay in hospital. rangement” while Matt recovered.

Matt’s parents offered to pay her for her kind offer, but she refused.

When the time came for Matt to come home from hospital, his mum rang her acquaintance and asked when they could pick up the dog, according to Matt’s sister, Lisa.

“When Matt got home my mum called and said we are ready to have Sam back home, Matt can’t wait to see him. They said ‘oh sorry we’ve given him away to someone else’,” Lisa told A Current Affair.

“They said we’ve given him away to a rich man, who lives on a farm, who will give him a better life.”

After enlisting the help of Arthur & Co Pet Detectives, a legal entity focused on dog ownership disputes, Matt and his team were able to track down the people who had ended up with Sam. Founder of Arthur & Co Pet Detectives, Anne-Marie, said the people who had purchased Sam from the pet-sitter were initially aggressive, saying ‘the dog’s gone’, ‘you won’t

be getting it back’, ‘drop this’, ‘don’t bother taking this on’.

The buyers were also heard on A Current Affair threatening to drag the matter through court to rack up expenses for Sam’s owner.

“They said ‘call the f****ing police, call A Current Affair, do your best basically’,” AnneMarie said.

And that they did.

An investigator named Richard, was seen on A Current Affair negotiating with the people who had Sam and, a short time later, the dog was in his arms ready to be returned to his heartbroken owner.

“They said they’re happy to hand the dog back over,” Richard told ACA. When reunited with Sam, Matt was met by licks and a wagging tail, before the pair were filmed enjoying the backyard.

Enterprising cousins grow bloomin’ good business idea

By Melissa Meehan

Cousins Mel and Eliza love working together.

“We’re pretty small scale and the flexibility really suits having young children,” she said.

The pair also offers workshops and events in a newly renovated barn space on the farm.

“We renovated the barn using secondhand, local materials. It’s given us a space

Council news in brief Tourism support Yarra Ranges Council will extend its partnership agreement with Yarra Ranges Tourism for another 12 months, providing $489,016 in funding to the tourism body.

Council has supported Yarra Ranges Tourism through a partnership agreement since 2006. Through this partnership, Council works with Yarra Ranges Tourism, the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association and the Yarra Valley Regional Food Group to promote the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and Warburton Valley as premier tourist destinations.

At the 8 June council meeting, councillors endorsed the tourism body, whose groups have demonstrated, through achieving key performance indicators in their funding agreement, that they are successfully leading the development of a strong local tourism industry, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Waste management plan Yarra Ranges Council is seeking community mailcommunity.com.au

feedback on its Draft Wastewater Management Plan, which aims to help ensure prevention of public health, environmental and local amenity issues related to wastewater systems in Yarra Ranges.

The plan, and related action plan, identifies the risks and outlines the criteria and processes for inspections and assessments of new applications for onsite septic systems.

Yarra Ranges Mayor, Fiona McAllister, said that the draft plan would help strengthen Council’s ability to manage these systems, as well as the issuing of permits and assessing land development applications in relation to wastewater.

“Our municipality contains approximately 22,000 active wastewater systems, which is the second largest amount of any council in the state,” Cr McAllister said.

Community members have until Wednesday, 30 June to provide feedback on the draft documents, which can be viewed at shaping. yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-wastewatermanagement-plan

where we can run workshops, celebrations like hen’s days and even photography sessions,” she said.

They’re passionate about celebrating the local and sustainable - utilising local cakemakers, potters, photographers and artisans.

“It’s such a joyful thing to be a part of,” Mel said.

For more go to gatherflowerfarm.com.au Originally published in Yarra Ranges Kids magazine.

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DELIVERING FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES & FAMILIES AS WE GROW.

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When 13-year-old cousins Melanie Kercheval and Eliza Henry-Jones shared an online horse gaming account, they never dreamed it would be the precursor to a thriving flower farm.

“When we thought about working together as adults, we knew we’d be able to work together,” Eliza said.

“It sounds silly now, but back when we were 13, that gaming account was serious business.”

The pair, who are now 30 and 31 years old and each the mother of a two year old, started up their side hustle flower farm in September 2020.

‘We both adore flowers and it seemed like a really lovely project to embark on together,’ Mel says.

The flower farm is based on Eliza’s threehectare property in Silvan.

Their focus is on growing flowers with as little impact on the environment as possible.

They don’t use damaging herbicides or pesticides and grow everything they can from seed.

Their flower patch is frequented by ladybugs, brown tree frogs, blue tongue lizards and a thriving local bird and bee population.

“A lot of people don’t realise how many cut flowers are imported into Australia and the sorts of sprays that are used on them when they come through customs,” she said.

“It’s not the sort of thing a lot of people would really want in their house compared to chemical-free local flowers, which are freshly picked and grown without anything hazardous.”

Although it’s a lot of work and has been a very steep learning curve, the pair love the flexibility that the flower farm allows.

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Tree decimates home

By Gabriella Payne Wednesday night’s wild weather wreaked havoc throughout the hills, with many local residents experiencing dangerously close calls as falling trees came crashing down around them.

One Cockatoo resident, Jesse Calvert, described the moment he and his family witnessed a huge tree come crashing through their roof, destroying their bedroom, ensuite bathroom and crushing his car and trailer in the process.

“We had no power, it was so scary because we didn’t know what tree was coming down and from what direction,” Mr Calvert said.

“We were sitting down and we heard a couple of loud bangs and so me and my partner went to see if the neighbours were OK. “They had a few trees down and as we were speaking, another tree came down right next to them, so we vacated inside.

“It was about half an hour later that we heard a big bang, and a tree came right through our house.

“We’re just lucky we weren’t there sleeping,” he said.

As soon as the tree came crashing through the roof, at about 9.15pm, Mr Calvert said he tried to keep his pregnant partner, daughter and mother-in-law calm and moved them to a safe section of the house so that he could assess the damage.

He said “enormous amounts of water” were pouring through the roof and he tried to reach out to the SES, but with a huge amount of people experiencing similar situations, they never made it.

“I think they had more important calls with power lines involved which I can understand, but we’ve been stuck with water gushing in for two days now,” Mr Calvert said.

“We’re waiting for our insurance to come

The storm wreaked havoc throughout the hills.

Mr Calvert’s car and trailer remain trapped under the fallen tree.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Mr Calvert said he had lived in the hills his whole life, but never experienced damaging winds as bad as this. and have a look, so I’ve just put a tarp over it for now just to stop the weather getting inside.

“I’ve lived in the hills my whole life, but I’ve never seen damaging winds like this,” he said.

Mr Calvert said that although it was a devastating and dangerous situation, he was “just glad everyone is OK”.

“It took out my car and my trailer as well, so it’s not been the best 48 hours - I’m just lucky I’m insured,” he said.

COVID-19 update Visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au for all the latest Victorian Government COVID-19 information including current restrictions, exposure sites, testing and vaccine sites.

Council services Stay up to date with changes to council services. cardinia.vic.gov.au/servicechanges

COVID-19 support and relief Call our customer service centre to be put in touch with support services through the Community Activation and Social Isolation (CASI) initiative.

Call 1300 787 624 Email mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au

A bucket collects water where a branch came crashing through the roof.

Phone 1800 595 212 Monday to Friday, 8:30am–5pm. www.headtohelp.org.au

COVID-19 testing sites There are three COVID-19 testing sites in Cardinia Shire: Pakenham IYU, Emerald and Kooweerup.

Visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au for locations, opening hours and wait times.

Out of hours mental health support Beyond Blue – MensLine – KidsLine –

1800 512 348 1300 789 978 1800 551 800

Urgent mental health support Lifeline – SuicideLine –

13 11 14 1300 651 251

Mr Calvert is waiting for his insurance company to come and assess the damage.

COVID-19 vaccine centres COVID-19 vaccines are available for over 40s.

From If you’re 40-49, you can get a Pfizer vaccine at a state vaccination centre. If you’re 50+, you can get the AstraZeneca vaccine from a vaccination centre or your GP.

Family violence is never OK COVID-19 and changing restrictions may impact you or your family but violence should never be tolerated. When it is safe to do so, contact Safe Steps, Victoria’s 24/7 family violence response centre. Call 1800 015 188

www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

There are a number of vaccine centres in and near Cardinia Shire: • Cranbourne Turf Club, 50 Grant Street Cranbourne •

www.safesteps.org.au

Feeling overhwhelmed?

Business support

HeadtoHelp is a free, Australian Government funded mental health service. A trained professional will take your call, provide advice and connect you to the HeadtoHelp hub in Officer if needed.

Need help navigating business support and grants information? Speak with the Cardinia Business Concierge. Call 1300 787 624

Call Cardinia Customer Service on 1300 787 624 or visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au

For more information about COVID-19, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

•

Sandown Racecourse, 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale St John of God Hospital, 75 Kangan Drive, Berwick Visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au for locations, opening hours and wait times.

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Storm batters hills

By Shelby Brooks and Taylah Eastwell Wild weather ravaged the Dandenong Ranges on Wednesday evening, with emergency services responding to thousands of calls for help and getting themselves stuck in some tricky situations.

A paramedic narrowly escaped a falling tree in Sherbrooke when it fell on his vehicle on the night of Wednesday 9 June.

Ambulance crews were called to a house in Olinda at 11pm, where reports of a mother and her son were trapped.

An Advanced Life Support (ALS) crew and a MICA vehicle were travelling along Sherbrooke Road when a tree fell and struck the rear of the MICA vehicle and blocked the the path of the ALS ambulance.

Although shaken, the paramedic wasn’t injured.

Southerly and south-easterly winds gusting more than 100km/h lashed the state, cutting power to thousands of homes and creating destruction across Cardinia Shire and the Yarra Ranges.

Emerald SES controller Ben Owen said it had been a “full on night” for his crew.

A tree through the roof at Monbulk Aquatic Centre.

“It’s the worst I’ve seen and I’ve been here playing this game for the last 17 years,” he said.

As of 9am Thursday 10 June, Ben said Emerald SES had received 438 calls for help.

“Most of those calls we couldn’t even get to. We were cutting our way up roads trying to get to houses… we had police and ambulance stuck on the side of the roads with trees either side of them,” he said.

He feared many more people were in need of help but had been unable to contact SES due to radio, phone and internet lines being

Parks Victoria crews were out removing trees from roads on Friday.

down in Cockatoo.

“I’d say there would be 100 to 200 calls in Cockatoo who can’t even ring us yet,” Ben said.

Crews are currently prioritising clearing roads to avoid any car accidents.

They also responded to 12 calls of people trapped in buildings by fallen trees.

“SES is pretty skimped for resources across the state,” he said.

“Hopefully in the second half of today we get some more SES crews to help us do some building damage stuff.”

A tree fell on an Emerald SES response vehicle while crews were working, a further blow to the already overrun unit.

“The crew heard cracking in the dark and didn’t know where to run but I guess they ran in the right direction because they’re alive and well,” Ben said.

Those crew members had to spend the night at the Lilydale SES base, unable to get home.

As of 8.30am Thursday 10 June, the SES received over 4000 requests for assistance across the state within 24 hours for help with trees down, building damage and flooding.

Emerald is back

By Shelby Brooks The townsfolk of Emerald have returned to the main street with enthusiasm and grit following Wednesday’s storm damage.

Although thousands of people are still without power in their homes, some businesses in the main street of Emerald were operating Friday 11 June, the first day after lockdown restrictions eased.

Will Grogan, manager of The General Food Store, said the cafe had been exceptionally busy with people looking for a warm coffee and hot feed.

“It’s been a busy morning with people coming in to warm up from their cold homes,” employee Jaz Horne said.

“It is so nice to have the doors open and the vibe back.”

Emerald Ritchies IGA manager Brett Reid said the supermarket had sold out of torches, batteries and firewood, however, another delivery was coming in Saturday 12 June.

Ice has also been a popular item for people trying to keep perishable and frozen foods.

The Emerald Library was also buzzing with activity, with many people calling in to charge devices and use internet services.

Library manager Jessica Nichols said it showed the importance of libraries during times of need.

“We’ve had people in calling insurance companies, calling relatives to make sure they’re OK,” she said.

“It shows the importance of a library during an emergency. We’re the centre of community where people can come to connect.”

Ms Nichols said there had been a large spike in borrowing books because people didn’t have much else to entertain themselves with without power.

“They’re borrowing books so they can read them in candlelight tonight,” Ms Nichols said.

“We also hope people pop in to say hello if they’re feeling isolated.

“There’s a misconception that the library is a quiet place with scary librarians. That’s not the case at all its more of a community place to meet.”

A drop-in centre was also opened at Cardinia Council’s Hills Hub in Emerald for residents affected by the recent storm.

The centre features space for residents to warm up, charge phones and grab a tea or coffee.

The drop-in centre is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Pictures: SHELBY BROOKS

Week-long Emerald clean up begins

By Shelby Brooks The massive clean-up is well underway in Emerald following Wednesday 9 June’s storm which left a path of destruction through the hills.

The Emerald SES command centre has been wading through hundreds of calls for assistance since Wednesday night, with many volunteers working back to back shifts to help clear roads and driveways.

The crew welcomed a loan truck from the state headquarters Friday 11 June, after one of their vehicles was crushed by a falling tree during the worst part of the storm Wednesday night.

Volunteer Rob Fazzino said it was vital to have a fourth vehicle back in operation because the clean up was expected to take at least seven days.

CFA strike teams from the eastern region also arrived on Friday to help out, as did CFA members from Emerald, Clematis, Macclesfield, Cockatoo, Menzies Creek and Calista.

“We reached out to them and they’ve come straight away,” Mr Fazzino said.

“We work as one and both help each other no matter what.”

Emerald SES have lent generators to locals in critical need. mailcommunity.com.au

Raquel Carter hangs her art on the walls at Emerald Library.

Neighbours helped clear trees and also gather firewood to stay warm while their power is out.

A group of Emerald SES volunteers out on the road Friday 11 June.

Mr Fazzino said the unit would be needing funds from the community to help cover the costs of the lost vehicle.

“And we’re always looking for more volunteers,” he said.

Line crews were also making their way through the hills, clearing trees from powerlines.

Good Samaritans also helped clear roads and driveways.

Sister and brother Tia and Brock Kirby of Cockatoo took the opportunity to charge seven different devices at the Emerald Library on Friday 11 June.

Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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MAIL 7

NEWS

Healesville-Kooweerup Road, Woori Yallock / Launching Place had major flood waters. 240519

Power out but doors open at Healesville Pharmacy. 240519

Storm rages across region

By Jed Lanyon, Mikayla van Loon and Taylah Eastwell Wild weather lashed Victoria on Wednesday 9 June as the Yarra Ranges was hit with some of the worst damage across the state.

As of 10am on Thursday 10 June nearly 4400 calls had been made to the SES across the state, the highest number of calls for assistance in many years.

Lilydale SES Unit Controller Shaun Caulfield said every three to four years emergency service crews see 700 to 800 calls for assistance in one night across the state.

Usually crews from both the suburbs and regional towns can respond and clear the damage in two days but this has been beyond anything they have seen in a long time.

“We don’t often see the whole state being smashed,” Mr Caulfield said.

Having received over 650 requests for assistance as of 10am Thursday 10 June and responding to 30 rescues for people trapped in their houses by trees, Mr Caulfield described the previous 24 hours as “busy.”

There were major road closures across the Yarra Valley including the Black Spur between Healesville and Narbethong and the Maroondah Highway in Coldstream, according to VicRoads.

Coldstream CFA worked as part of a task force to clear roads to allow ambulances and other emergency services access to people in need.

Captain Sean Bethell said the Mount Dandenong region was heavily impacted by fallen trees.

“There’s quite a few trees that have come down across houses with people in them at the time… The Dandenongs have been hit really hard.”

Mr Bethell said that high winds coming from a south-eastern direction made a significant difference as the area typically receives south-westerly winds, which may have caused more trees to uproot.

Kalorama experienced some of the worst damage, with SES crews needing to chainsaw their way into an address where a number of people were injured.

Mr Caulfield said due to the fallen trees and debris, it was taking crews between one and a half to two hours to get to people.

“There are no small trees in Kalorama, they are all big trees,” he said.

“We had a very, very near miss, one of the four wheel drives from Emerald [SES] had a tree fall on it and the crew was standing very close. The car has been written off but the crew is all OK.” After this incident CFA and SES crews made the decision to only respond to life threatening calls.

Belgrave police officers walked one and a half kilometres into the Dandenong Ranges to rescue an injured and trapped mother and her son after a tree fell on their Olinda home on Wednesday night. The pair were separated from one another in the home due to the large tree.

While isolated themselves due to fallen trees, the officers made their way on foot through the ranges to the injured pair to render assistance.

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

Trees down on Monbulk Road, Monbulk. Just one of the many roads blocked and closed by fallen trees. 240519 With the help of SES who cleared roads, the mother and son were taken to Maroondah Hospital via ambulance.

Winds of up to 100km per hour are to blame for the destruction across the mountain and throughout the Yarra Ranges.

Mt Dandenong Tourist Road will be closed for quite some time as crews clear the damage and hundreds of trees over the roads.

Excavators and other heavy duty equipment are being used to remove trees from the roads after arriving onsite at 3am on Thursday 10 June.

The roof of the Monbulk Aquatic Centre was also crushed during the wild weather on Wednesday evening.

Monbulk Aquatic Centre manager Scott Gamble described the blow as “devastating”.

“For other 12 months we have been dealing with the opens and closures of Covid-19 and now to have this happen, I’m not sure what words to use,” he said.

Mr Gamble found out about the damage about 8.30am Thursday morning after a passer-by spotted the tree thru the roof.

The local swim centre has suffered “significant damage”, with further structural damage yet to be assessed.

With local SES units run off their feet with callouts, the tree was still laying across the roof as of Friday, as the centre awaited assistance.

“The tree is still there and is likely to be there for a while as I am sure the SES have a lot more trees to deal with,” Mr Gamble said.

“No one was hurt which was great and no one was in danger, so those things are priority moving forward,” he said.

In the Valley, the Coldstream crew responded to several incidents across Chirnside Park, Lilydale and Wonga Park, including a ruptured gas line in Cobden Crescent, Lilydale.

Healesville SES controller Andrew Worley said his unit responded to many calls of traffic hazards and flooded houses.

“We probably started just before midday yesterday (9 June) and finished up before 3am… We had some outstanding jobs and we’re back at it again this morning.

“Lots of people’s houses flooded so we did a lot of sandbagging.”

Healesville SES responded to a landslide on Myers Creek Road and assisted Lilydale SES in helping two motorists whose cars became stuck in flood waters along River Street.

“It’s never a good idea to drive through flood water, even if you think you can see the road, you don’t know what’s underneath or what’s happened to the road.”

He urged motorists to try and avoid going out on the roads unless absolutely necessary following extreme weather conditions as emergency services attempt to clear roads.

Power outages affected many traffic lights and over 10,000 homes in suburbs including in Mount Evelyn, Croydon, Chirnside Park, Mooroolbark, Lilydale, Ringwood and more.

Lilydale CFA attended a house fire in the early hours of the morning on Friday 11 June.

The blaze was allegedly caused by a burning candle on a bedside table on the second storey of the home.

Lilydale CFA lieutenant Paul Simpson said luckily the residents awoke to the smoke and all three family members made it to safety.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

CFA units from Bayswater, Chirnside Park, Coldstream, Mooroolbark and Mount Evelyn were able to contain the fire to the first level and no damage occurred at ground level.

Mr Simpson said it is important for people to check and test their smoke detectors regularly, changing batteries over every 12 months.

Without any power, the residents of the home were without alarm but back up batteries should have been working in their two smoke detectors.

Unfortunately Mr Simpson said dysfunctioning smoke detectors are far too common.

Although Mr Simpson said Lilydale CFA were busy with power lines causing tree fires and burst gas mains, he said “it was nothing compared to the hills.”

Mr Caulfield said it is now a joint effort between Yarra Ranges Council, VicRoads, CFA, SES, Victoria Police and power lines people to restore roads, power and safety to the area.

The SES is asking people to be patient as they work their way through calls and jobs, they are doing their best to get to everyone as soon as they can.

If damage has occurred, Mr Caulfield asked people to be proactive in calling their insurance company and not to wait for SES to respond.

Insurance companies may be able to provide temporary accommodation, otherwise Yarra Ranges Council is also able to relocate people in times of natural disaster.

The heavy winds and rain proved timely coinciding with Thank a First Responder Day, highlighting the crucial role emergency services play in keeping the area safe. mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Lights out in Lilydale meant cars had to approach the intersection carefully. 240519

Power lines down in Mount Evelyn. 240519

Lilydale Lake was flooded.

A man begins to cut up a fallen tree on Cameron Road, Mount Evelyn after the storm.

Coronation Park, Healesville, suffered from trees down and major flooding. 240519

Uprooted trees at Lillydale Lake. 240519

mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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MAIL 9

OPINION

ADVERTORIAL

Two shows postponed

By Peter Kemp

New Look for Belgrave store Local shoppers now have access to a fresh, new-look supermarket in the Belgrave area, with the completion of the Woolworths Belgrave store renewal this week. In addition to the convenience of a pick up service at the service desk, customers can experience a new look fruit and vegetable section and organic produce selection, as well as upgraded features throughout the store.

Plus you'll find a range of Gluten Free grocery and chilled products, as well as a ready meals section offering plenty of lunch and dinner options for those shoppers on the go. There's also a continental style deli which has a range of sliced meats, cheeses, antipasto and olives. Customers will also find it easier to get in and out of the store with a new and improved customer service area, making it a more convenient place to shop.

Woolworths Belgrave Store Manager, Rachael Palmer said: “We want to raise the bar in convenient shopping to give our customers time back in their busy lives. We’re pleased to be able to offer a new look supermarket for our customers, providing local shoppers all their grocery and fresh food needs in one convenient location".

For those shoppers who choose to shop online and pick up their orders in-store, Woolworths offer the convenience of a pick up service at the service desk. “To take the stress out of shopping, our pick up service means you can shop online and pick up your groceries at a time that suits you,” Rachael said.

In addition, locals can speak with the in-store meat specialist to help decide on cuts of meats and how to prepare, cook and serve to ensure a fresh and delicious meal. Woolworths also has behind the counter service to help customers select an array of daily fresh fish and marinade options in their new look seafood department.

Woolworths Belgrave is open 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week and is located at 16-29 Burwood Highway in Belgrave.

The Basin Theatre advises that due to Covid-19 the production of Terry Pratchett’s play ‘Mort’ has unfortunately been unable to open on 11 June as originally planned.

While The Basin Theatre is saddened by the need to put a pause on what promised to be a truly delightful show, The Basin Theatre is very excited to announce that the company has a plan in motion to be able to bring Death and his gangly apprentice, Mort, to the stage again.

The production centres on the characters of Mort and Death. When Mort and his father attend the Sheepridge hiring fair in the hope that this year Mort will finally get an apprenticeship, they didn’t expect the day to end with Death. But at least Death offered Mort a job.

As Death’s apprentice Mort gets to travel and meet interesting people. But once Mort is trusted to take on the duty by himself, trouble brews, as Mort lets his heart rule his head.

New dates are September 10 to September 18, subject to Covid-19.

The 1812 Theatre in Ferntree Gully has advised that its forthcoming production of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ has been postponed due to Covid-19. An opening date will be advised soon, so watch this column.

The production follows 10 strangers as they arrive on an island where they are greeted by the butler and cook-housekeeper.

Thomas and Ethel Rogers who explain that their unknown hosts, Ulick Norman Owen and

Local theatre productions have been postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Picture: UNSPLASH Una Nancy Owen have not yet arrived, though they have left instructions.

Each guest has a secret, and none knows what each other’s secret is.

This is the story that made Agatha Christie the best-selling novelist of all time and is read the world over in more than 50 languages.

A detailed account of post-war injustice During the course of the Second World War, Great Britain and their allies captured approximately 400,000 Italian troops in the Middle East and North Africa. These were sent to prisoner-of-war camps all over the world, including Australia. Between 1941 and 1945, Australia received custody of 18,420 Italian POWs. In Victoria, one such camp was in Rowville. We are fortunate that local author Darren Arnott devoted a considerable amount of time and efforts to researching the Italians and their daily life in the Rowville camp, which opened in December 1944 on the south-west corner of Stud Road and Wellington Road.

As the subtitle of Arnott’s book No Regard for the Truth suggests, his research reveals not just “friendship and kindness” but also “tragedy and injustice” in the Rowville camp. Specifically, Arnott’s investigation focuses on a man from Florence named Rodolfo Bartoli, who was shot and killed by Captain John Walker Waterston, the camp’s commander.

Like any storyteller, Arnott, who grew up in Rowville in the 1970s and 1980s, begins his investigation by asking who Bartoli was, what this young man was doing so far away from home, and why this Italian died at the hands of an Australian.

Having studied a huge amount of government and military correspondence, transcripts of court cases and inquiries, and camp documents including maps, diaries and letters by both Australian officials and Italian internees, Arnott is able to reconstruct what happened on that fateful day in March 1946.

Readers are presented with two stories.

One is of a 26-year-old man “with dark curly hair and a beautiful smile” who was tall, hard-working, terribly homesick and madly in love with a local girl.

The other is of a career soldier with a

PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN history of “drunkenness, prisoner assaults, theft of property, the reckless firing of weapons and a desire to brush away the facts”.

Large sections of transcripts of the police investigation, Military Court of Inquiry, Coroner’s Inquest, Government Inquiry and the subsequent court-martial hearings of the Bartoli case are included in No Regard for the Truth to illustrate how truth was disregarded and concealed.

While the details may be dry and confusing, their presence is necessary in the author’s attempt to demonstrate the amount of bureaucracy and legal mumbo-jumbo in which all efforts to pursue and reveal justice were smothered at the time.

Meanwhile, the author’s use of media reports, personal accounts, photographs and especially the written correspondence between Bartoli’s parents and members of the Gearon Family – on whose farm the young Italian had worked and whose love and support he had earned – is touching.

These materials help readers comprehend how tragic cases such as Bartoli’s have a long-lasting impact on individual lives then and now.

And, from our society’s perspective, investigations of historical cases such as Bartoli’s help us right the wrongs of the past and shape a path towards a future based on truth and facts. Books like No Regard for the Truth ensure that even one man’s voice can be heard

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

New trail boosts tourism

By Taylah Eastwell A Belgrave man has developed a walking trail from Gembrook to Lilydale that leaves no portion of the picturesque Dandenong Ranges unseen.

Jason Williams, an avid walker and cyclist, has linked up existing trails throughout the hills to create a 72.5km trail that meanders through ferny bushland, major towns and tourism landmarks.

“In 2016, I did a section of the Camino trail in Spain, by bicycle. I come from a tourism background and after seeing the Camino I thought, why can’t we do something like this in Australia?,” Mr Williams said.

Since that initial thought, over two years of hard work and dedication has gone into creating the finished product – a seven section trail that utilises bush tracks already in place.

“It’s like someone taking a map of Melbourne and looking at joining roads and saying, ‘this is a route to follow’. They are all existing tracks, I have just linked them as a single trail with a single name,” Mr Williams said.

“I did the research through walking a lot as a family,” he said.

The idea of creating the trail in the Dandenongs was a way of increasing tourism while reducing traffic, Mr Williams said.

“I looked around maps of Australia and it became pretty obvious that the best place to do something like this was on my doorstep in the Dandenongs because we have accommodation everywhere, it’s fantastically beautiful and really appealing to people,” he said.

“I wanted to hit all the beauty spots in the Dandenongs and wanted to include Puffing Billy, William Ricketts Sanctuary, Alfred Nicholas Gardens and all those sorts of places. But part of it was also that the traffic is horrendous on a nice sunny day, so to get people walking and not adding to traffic was a big

The Dandenong Ranges Trail passes through a number of local attractions. part of it,” he said.

The trail passes through a number of local attractions and takes 4-7 days to complete.

It can also be broken up into a series of day walks, including Gembrook to Emerald, Emerald to Monbulk, Monbulk to Belgrave, Belgrave to Olinda, Olinda to William Ricketts, William Ricketts to Mt Evelyn or Mt Evelyn to Lilydale.

On the Dandenong Ranges Trail website, Mr Williams has listed a number of accommodation options for walkers and cyclists in a further bid to boost Hills tourism.

The entirely community-based project has been well received by the public, with many excited at the thought of being able to walk,

Fruit fly found in Cockatoo

By Taylah Eastwell A lone Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) was detected in Cockatoo recently, prompting calls for community members to be vigilant.

Keep Yarra Valley Fruit Fly Free member, Bronwyn Koll, said she was alerted on Facebook after a resident found the fly inside their home.

The exact source of where the fly came from remains unknown.

“I am in two minds. The owners could have potentially brought it in without knowing about it but the way they described their routines and their habit of buying fresh fruit from reputable traders and farms, and they’ve seen no evidence in the fruit they’ve handled of it being inferior in any way. It just doesn’t add up,” Ms Koll said.

If the couple didn’t bring it in unknowingly in some fruit, then Ms Koll said there may be somewhere nearby that has hosted the fruit fly variant in the last month or two, with the fly potentially heading indoors to escape the frost.

“It makes me suspicious there might be some fruit fly activity in Cockatoo,” she said.

A fruit fly was also found in the neighbouring town of Avonsleigh in mid April this year, while an earlier sighting was reported in Belgrave on April 2.

Ms Koll believes the incidents are unrelated.

“Potentially they are both at risk of having been home to the Queensland fruit fly for a brief time because of the fall out from the fruit fly pressure building up in Melbourne,” she said.

Further surveillance in Avonsleigh following the sighting did not reveal any further cases, Ms Koll said.

Since the Cockatoo sighting Ms Koll has, on behalf of Keep Yarra Valley Fruit Fly Free, been to the Cockatoo address to inspect the insect, alerted locals and fruit growers, placed notices at Cockatoo IGA and informed people through a Facebook post.

“It’s to give people the heads up, but not to panic,” she said.

“The other reason not to panic is because we have winter on our side. It is not likely they mailcommunity.com.au

The Queensland Fruit Fly found in Cockatoo. will survive winter, particularly if we get good frosts and solid cold periods,” Ms Koll said.

Further traps have been put up and homeowners are encouraged to check their fruit.

“The best thing people can do is to destroy the fruit by boiling it on a stove or putting it in a bag and putting it in the freezer to freeze solid, “ Ms Koll said.

“The plan is, for next spring, we will have a bit of a blitz in the area to ensure that if anything has overwintered we can get onto it really early in spring. We will work closely with the Cockatoo community next spring to make sure that this problem doesn’t come back,” she said.

Ms Koll said, overall, checking for and eradicating the pest is an issue for homeowners, but she is more than happy to answer any questions or come and inspect suspected fruit fly finds.

“It’s a privilege to grow fruit in our backyard eleven and a half months a year in the Yarra Valley, and that’s a privilege we want to protect. We want people to be able to grow stuff in their backyard and eat fresh fruit,” she said.

If anyone has any questions or spots a fruit fly, Ms Koll can be contacted on 0490 381 999 or on Facebook at Keep Yarra Valley Fruit Fly Free.

run or cycle from Gembrook to Lilydale and back.

“It’s really touched a nerve and people really like the idea of it. A few people are planning to head out and do the walk soon and over the school holidays,” he said.

Mr Williams is currently working on a guide book that people can use to navigate their way along the trail.

“My dream is to get it big enough that council or Parks Victoria give the trail its own signpost,” he said.

For more information, visit Dandenong Ranges Trail on Facebook .

The trail is the first complete walk from Gembrook to Lilydale.

Museum needs members Emerald Museum is inviting community members to join its commitee.

The museum is a Cardinia Shire Council facility located within Nobelius Heritage Park, 5 Crichton Road, Emerald.

Both the park and museum are cared for by a committee, which holds a biennial general meeting to elect members.

Emerald Museum is full of fascinating items and records from Emerald and the surrounding district.

Managed by volunteers, the museum features more than 3000 artefacts including household items, photographs, agricultural machinery and documents.

During 2020, upgrade works undertaken at the museum included the repainting of the internal exhibition space, kitchen upgrades and new blinds were installed over the skylights.

Cardinia Shire mayor, councillor Brett Owen encouraged community members to put their hand up and join the committee.

“The Community Asset Committee and team of volunteers do a fantastic job col-

lecting and cataloguing the many artefacts that make up its valuable collection of local history,” Cr Owen said.

“If you love local history, enjoy meeting new people, and giving back to your community, then come along to learn more about the Emerald Museum, Nobelius Heritage Park and the committee.”

Expected requirements of committee members include attending regular committee meetings once a month and participating in a rotating roster during museum hours.

The Emerald Museum Biennial Committee meeting will be held at 7pm on Thursday 15 July. Please note that this meeting is subject to any COVID-19 restrictions that may be in force at the time.

The purpose of the meeting is to nominate the Community Asset Committee for the Nobelius Heritage Park and Emerald Museum for a term of two years. All positions will be declared open and nominations will be accepted prior to, or on the night.

Emerald Museum is seeking committee volunteers.

Tuesday, 15 June, 2021 | MAIL 11

OPINION

Peel, prune for life’s fruit Peeling off life’s layers Before the latest lockdown I had been writing about the heart: that wonderful body organ and the seat of affection and emotions.

This week, I want to talk a little about the rest of our bodies and about a peeling away of what our bodies were formerly capable of.

As we age, the normal experience is that we either lose, or have peeled away, many of our former physical abilities and functions.

Like many I found that I was losing my sharp eyesight at around 50, and struggled to wear glasses.

Added to these are likely to be hair and hearing loss, diminishing sexual potency and more frequent visits to the doctor.

However, even those approaching 40 may be facing a set of losses that are crippling as well. That age is where a lot of relationships are breaking down, and men in particular, often find themselves without their children and in a diminished dwelling, and have a financial

Focal Point Graeme Dawson burden of legal costs regarding custody.

As well as that, those who are arriving at 40 are starting to find it hard to get ready employment. Sadly this mix of loss and emotional pain, in a flood, becomes too much to bear.

I have walked with too many families and friends of the departed to know something of their pain.

Growing old or feeling redundant, need not be an end in itself, as many are finding a new lease on life as they age: caravanning, loving their grandchildren, fishing and golf and for

LETTERS

some, a men’s shed.

The good thing that I dwell on is that we are the only created beings on earth with a soul that does not die.

However when we move through that last door, we need to have our ‘passports’ in order, so to speak, so we can answer with confidence, the big question, “Tell me why I should let you in”.

I know this is a big jump in thinking, but I find so many people with big plans for life, but none for life after death.

Pruning – a Painful part of Peeling I’m a self-confessed prune-aholic, yet I find the harder I prune the more fruit or flowers I have.

However when it comes to the pruning times in my own life it is often quite painful.

I believe it is God who is the gardener who only prunes for better fruit.

The Apostle John, who recorded the life of

SNIPPETS

Coverage concerns Thank you Taylah Eastwell for your reporting on the network coverage - or rather the lack of coverage - in and around Emerald and surrounds over recent weeks (“Strong signal sent” Star Mail 8 June).

I did not see Ms Weller’s post on the Emerald and Around Notice Board. If I had I would have contacted her to add my experience. Like those who have already contacted her, I too have experienced little or no coverage and like

her, I too wondered about the reason for the inadequacy of the service.

I would like to thank Ms Weller for taking the lead in contacting Telstra. I am a septuagenarian and a renowned Luddite when it comes to such matters so I am grateful that she has reported the matter.

I look forward to having proper service restored very soon.

Judith Taylor, Clematis

MAIL SNIPPETS WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE HILLS

Men wanted Monbulk Men’s Shed is seeking new members to join in and be involved in meetings and helping the shed progress.

Men of all ages are encouraged to come along on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9am until noon to share stories and have a chat.

You may also like to tell your experiences and work that you have done in earlier years.

The group of friendly men create woodwork masterpieces and complete various other projects for the local community.

They meet in the shed behind the Open Door Church in Moxham’s Road, Monbulk. For further details ring Phipps Gay, president of Monbulk Men’s Shed on 5968 4101.

CARTOON

Walking and adventure group Mount Evelyn Walking and Adventure Group is looking for new members. The group meets regularly for a range of activities, including kayaking, cycling, yoga, hikes, forest walks, swimming and some fundraising. The group goes swimming on Tuesdays and walk Mount Lofty on Thursdays. They also walk Lilydale Lake together on Saturday mornings. The group provides a place for the community to come together and enjoy likeminded activities. You don’t need to be an expert at anything to join. All events are BYO equipment. If interested in joining, phone Elly on 0402 429 405.

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Friendship Cafe The Women’s Association South East Melbourne Australia (WASEMA), a registered charity, offer a welcoming environment where all women can relax, make friends and contacts, share experiences, learn new skills and find pathways to connect to services and opportunities through weekly meet-ups at Emerald Friendship Cafe.

The Friendship Cafe aims to build community resilience through increasing the ability of women to connect and support each other through both opportunity and adversity and empower families to identify and provide local solutions to local issues.

The group meet every Thursday from 10am until 12 noon at the Hills Hub, 402 BelgraveGembrook Road, Emerald.

Women of all ages, abilities and cultures are welcome to come along and develop friendships while participating in info sessions, workshops, exhibitions, expos, mentoring, coaching and wellbeing programs.

For more information contact Anu Ravindernath on 0432246674 or email: emeraldwfc@wasema.org.au

Drivers wanted Are you available Mondays or Thursdays from 1-4pm or Saturdays 10am - 1pm?

Do you have a current working with children check card, or are willing to get one?

Do you have a valid driver’s licence and a car with a reasonable boot capacity?

Are you friendly and welcoming?

Are you willing to deliver packages contactless to people’s homes?

Foothills Community care needs your help to keep up with demand for community casseroles in 2021.

Apply to become a volunteer through the ’Get Involved’ at foothillscare.org.au

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12457333-DL33-20

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Jesus, detailed Jesus’ picture of His gardening viticulture in particular, to draw parallels with our relational life with Him. He records Jesus speaking of His work, and the work of His Father in us. He said, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me (that could be you or me) that bears no fruit and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be more fruitful”.

Of course the fruit He was talking about was the fruit of the Spirit that God wants us to produce. It is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’.

How many of those fruits are growing on your tree?

(Feedback, questions and need for support can be fielded to my email, csrsmokey@gmail. com) Graeme Dawson Chaplain to Community

12 MAIL

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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SHOP LOCAL EMERALD

It’s why we are jewellers

By Taylor Joy Digging through my Grandmother’s tattered moving boxes one afternoon - years after her move, naturally - my father, sister, and I came across a stunning, old style, knot ring.

I was completely stupefied by both the ring, and, that the piece had belonged to my greatgrandfather dating back almost 100 years.

Nevertheless, it was broken.

With no experience in the industry this issue seemed, at least to me, solvable - take it to the jeweller and have it repaired.

This was not the case.

Twice while out I popped into a jewellers and asked if it could be fixed. But in both cases, the conversation flowed around the same undercurrents.

It couldn’t be fixed was the initial response, followed in both cases by the suggestion that I have them create a new one for me.

An experience I fear is quite common in the industry, and more generally, on a societal level.

Consumption is still, unfortunately, the name of the game.

Then, on a whim while travelling through the gorgeous township of Emerald, I entered Star of Emerald and met Mark.

Utterly eccentric and emanating charisma, on the spot Mark estimated the ring to be almost 100 years old. I nodded.

Then his head tilted as he exhaled slowly through pursed lips - he’d found the issue in a matter of moments.

“Can it be fixed,” I asked?

“Oh, of course! Yes! Yes of course it can, though it won’t be easy.”

Three months later I was apprenticed at Star of Emerald.

The team at Star of Emerald, Taylor, Kerryn and Mark.

The process of creating custom jewellery is, to us, an utterly rousing experience.

To build gorgeous pieces like my greatgrandfather’s ring, and to do it with love?

More, to have the opportunity to create something that may live on - gracefully weaving a family’s memory into its present and future?

These are beautiful and fulfilling things, there is no doubt. We live for this.

Star of Emerald Handmade Jewellery Repairs & Remodellings We buy Gold & Silver FREE Diamond Stud Earrings with any Diamond Ring purchase

Now Available *Conditions apply

ing jewellers in the Dandenong Rangers that has been operating for six years, and now has a sister store - Berwick Jewellers, located at 52 High Street in Berwick.

Primary staff include: Mark Dabrowski Owner/manager/Master Jeweller Taylor Joy - 3rd year apprentice and manager Kerryn Doughty - 1st year apprentice, ex-police officer, musician and entrepreneur

But to be ready and willing to care for the pieces that have already done this for generations?

To take on such a task, knowing it will be difficult, time consuming and substantially less profitable than booking a new custom build?

That, is a different philosophy.

And that, is why we are jewellers.

Star of Emerald is a boutique manufactur-

· · ·

The Laughing Fox Café Find our user friendly App ‘Laughing Fox Cafe’ in the App Store or Google Play Makes ordering simple

325 Belgrave-Gembrook Road Emerald VIC 3782 0490 518 596 12488936-DL17-21

AN

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GOURMET PIES Available Now

and Associates Pty Ltd

ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS CONSULTANTS

Accounting • Management & Financial Accounting • GST Consulting • Business Consulting • Book Keeping Services Taxation • Individual Tax Returns • Company Tax Returns • Superannuation Fund Returns • Business Tax Returns • Trust Tax Returns We work jointly with our clients to achieve financial outcomes.

Lower Ground Floor, Office 1/333 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Emerald Vic 3782 P: 03 5968 6062 F: 03 5968 6247 E: reception@alexneil.com.au

mailcommunity.com.au

Breakfast, Lunch & Afternoon Tea • Angus Beef Burgers • Vegan Burgers BEEF & • Foxy French Toast MUSHR OOM More va Dine in or Takeaway rieties coming

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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MAIL 13

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 033

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

easy

6 9 2 8 5 4 8 3 6 9 1 2 3 1 2 3 8 3 5 4 6

1 8 6 5 9

4

4 5 1 2 3 medium

5 4

QUICK CROSSWORD 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 16 18 19 21 22 23 24

ACROSS Highways (5) Best features (9) Paintings of people (9) Gap (5) Prefix meaning new (3) Bigotry (11) Female stage performer (7) It causes a bad reaction (7) Acrobat (7) Journeys (7) Focus (11) Enemy (3) Former US president (5) Provided safe-haven (9) Levels (of quality) (9) Short literary composition (5)

1 4 9 10 11 12 13 15 17 20 23 25 26 27 28 29

No. 033

Endure (7) Type of garment (5) Subsequent (9) Nose hole (7) Coach (7) Part of a play (5) Injured player carrier (9) Preceding day (9) US state (7) On the sheltered side (7) Great (7) Attempts (7) Cuts (wood) (5) Land measures (5)

DOWN Contrite (9) Transport hub (7)

1 2

DECODER

No. 033

5 8 9

2 5 3 7 2 3 4 2 3 7 9 9 2 6 9 6 2 6 5 1 3 4 hard

5 2 4 6 1 4 5 9 1 5 2 7 9 3 4

1

2

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5

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10 11 12 13

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

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1

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

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

M

Today’s Aim: 10 words: Good 15 words: Very good

6 4 1 7 2 8 3 9 5

7 4 1 8 6 3 9 2 5

3 5 2 7 1 9 6 4 8

21 words: Excellent

T

O

C

F D

8 9 6 1 2 5 7 3 4

2 1 7 6 3 4 5 8 9

5 3 4 9 7 8 2 6 1

4 6 8 2 9 1 3 5 7

9 7 5 3 8 6 4 1 2

1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 6

9 8 3 4 6 5 2 1 7

2 7 5 9 3 1 4 6 8

8 3 6 1 7 4 5 2 9

5 9 2 3 8 6 1 7 4

4 1 7 5 9 2 8 3 6

3 2 4 6 5 9 7 8 1

7 5 9 8 1 3 6 4 2

1 6 8 2 4 7 9 5 3

6 8 1 9 7 2 4 5 3

7 9 4 1 3 5 2 8 6

3 2 5 8 4 6 1 9 7

1 4 3 5 8 7 9 6 2

8 6 7 2 9 3 5 1 4

9 5 2 6 1 4 7 3 8

2 7 8 3 5 1 6 4 9

5 3 6 4 2 9 8 7 1

4 1 9 7 6 8 3 2 5

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

E

R

O

4 LETTERS ARES ARID BABY DESK GALS GASP GEED GLAD GOAD GRID HOOK SEWS SLUG TROT

5 LETTERS ABETS ABYSS ACRID ADORE AGILE ALONE AMISS ARCED AREN'T AROSE ASSET AWARE BADLY BARBS BEGIN BRINE COMMA DARNS DIGIT GALES

No. 033

GENES GOUGE GRILL IDEAL IMAGE INANE LEEKS LOYAL METRO MINOR PORES RAGER REAPS REMIT REUSE SAUTÉ SENDS SHEDS SHOWY SINEW SLIDE

SNEAK SNORE STEEL STEMS STEPS TOWED TUNES TWEED UTERI 6 LETTERS ROASTS SLEWED SONATA TEETER

7 LETTERS ERASURE EYEBALL EYESORE IDEALLY NEUTRAL ORIENTS 8 LETTERS ELECTRON ENTWINES PARALYSE SHERRIES

comfort, COMFORTED, croft, deform, deft, food, foot, footed, footer, force, forced, ford, fore, form, formed, fort, forte, fret, from, roof, roofed

6 8 9 5 4 2 1 7 3

hard

15

medium

14

easy

3 LETTERS AWE DAB DEN ELF END ERA EYE FAN GEM HUH IRE IRS LOB LSD MEN NAG ORE RAN SEA TEA TIP TOT USE WIG

QRWE Y N I AH F P B U

6

G S Z T D CMX K VO L J G S

6 9 8 6 8 3 1 3 4

WORDFIT

18-06-21

William Matthews Funerals FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

24 HOUR SERVICE ALL AREAS

9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au 14 MAIL

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

12410397-ACM06-19

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A BEAUTIFUL ENTERTAINER IF you imagine pristine parklands near your door, picturesque treetop outlooks, and plenty of space to entertain as top features of your next family home, this is the property for you.

Set upon a sealed drive with single carport and single garage with workshop situated near beautiful Belgrave Lake Park, you won’t believe your luck that you found this brilliant home.

A wrap-around deck welcomes you into this wonderful residence. The open concept layout with a warm wood fire in the lounge and sunny skylight in the dining area take pride of place as the hub of the home.

The adjoining gourmet kitchen with Bosch dishwasher, Smeg freestanding cooker, and stylish benchtops will please the most discerning chef.

With a second living area adorned with a private bathroom and WIR, plus bright family bedrooms and an elegant main bedroom with modern ensuite, WIR, and deck access, this floorplan can be configured to fit your needs.

Bonus features including ducted heating, private patio, garden shed, gated rear garden access, and the charming sounds of Puffing Billy in the background ensure this is the idyllic place to experience Hills living. This home won’t last on the market for long, so plan your viewing today. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 66 Park Drive, Belgrave Description: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 garage Price: $890,000 - $970,000 Contact: Sam Adamson 0421 023 760 or Suzie Brannelly 0490 506 910, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 97546888

mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

|

MAIL 15

PROPERTY NEWS

A GUIDE TO VICTORIA’S RENTAL CHANGES CHANGES to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) in Victoria are significant, and it’s critical for landlords to get across them according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.

Symbolic of the sweeping reforms is a title change for landlords following the 29 March 2021 introduction of the new act.

Llandlords are now known as Residential Rental Providers, and with that new label came 132 changes to the tenant/owner relationship, including increased cost, obligation and consequences for the owner.

While many of the reforms are reasonable, and indeed are requirements that smart and reasonable investors already obliging on, it’s the volume of change occurring at once that could be overwhelming. The fact that they arrive after an extremely difficult 12 months, courtesy of Covid-19 and its rental moratorium, makes things more challenging for some investors.

Concerned with supporting everyday property investors, the REIV has prepared a guide to help ensure property owners are up to date on the raft of changes.

Leasing a property: Restrictions apply on the information requested from applicants. Some restrictions will help to avoid discrimination, while others could hide material information, such as bond history. Talk to your agent about strong reference checks as a counter measure.

Modifications: Renters are able to make prescribed minor modifications, like fixtures and fittings, without your consent. Consent will still be required for structural modifications, though some requests cannot be reasonably refused, and may need to be carried out by a suitably qualified person.

As a landlord, you have the right to ask for any changes to be restored at the end

of the tenancy, and it’s still the renter’s duty to redress any resulting damage to the property. A restoration bond can also be requested to cover the future removal of fixtures for more extensive or impactful modifications.

Property conditions and maintenance: You need to ensure rented premises are provided and maintained in good repair, and in a reasonably fit condition for occupation.

This is irrespective of whether the renter

knew about any disrepair before signing the lease, amount of rent paid, or the age and character of the building.

Make sure you get up to date on the minimum standards and guidelines on wear and tear, energy efficiency ratings and ventilation checks, as detailed in the regulations. It’s also important to look into the ongoing service requirements for appliances such as air conditioning units and heaters.

During the period of the lease, it’s a renter’s responsibility to provide you with notice of any damage or faults immediately.

Notice to vacate: A notice to vacate can still be given for a valid reason, including the property’s sale, change of use or demolition, or if you’re intending on moving into the property. If a renter intentionally or recklessly causes damage to the property, endangers or threatens you, an agent, a neighbour, or contractor, you can provide them with a notice to vacate.

There are substantial changes to these laws and impacted owners should reach out to their property managers to discuss.

Renter-initiated bond claim: Bond claims can now be made individually by the renter or owner. If a bond claim is made individually, the Residential Tenancy Bond Authority must notify the other party, but if no response is claimed, the bond will be paid out to the applicant.

To ensure any property damage is paid for by the renter, it’s important that you work with your agent to ensure end of lease inspections are conducted promptly, and bond claims completed in the required time frame.

Penalties: The new reforms see some fines more than double, while other penalties will sit at ten and even up to 24 times the previous fine cost.

Timing: Some of the new requirements only apply to tenancy agreements entered into on or after the 29 March 2021 Residential rental providers, in particular, would be wise to work with their property manager to understand the new requirements to help ensure they continue to get value and enjoyment out of their property investment. ●

With our Price Estimator tool, realestateview.com.au is the trusted source for house value estimates & property data.

25 Station Street, Armadale, VIC 3143 2 beds

1 bath

1 car

300 sqm

$940,000 - $970,000

VISIT US TODAY

12478208-CG03-21

16 MAIL

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

|

MAIL 17

7 Hillcrest Court Cockatoo

$750,000 - $820,000

Quiet Court Location!

1280 Macclesfield Road Yellingbo

Contact Agent

One In A Million Business & Lifestyle Opportunity!

Set on almost an acre in a quiet, elevated court, this stunning brick home charms with gorgeous bull nose veranda, bay windows and lead light formal entrance. Inside you’ll find spacious rooms with exposed brick walls; the living room with toasty open fire place & updated kitchen with plenty of bench space, stainless steel appliances and classic white cabinetry. Of the 4 ample bedrooms, 3 are robed, the master with walk in robe and ensuite, and all rooms have hydronic heating for a cost effective and cozy heating solution if you don’t want to run the dual zone ducted heating. Outside the property is fully fenced with a sealed driveway and double carport, plus a 3x3 lock up shed. And if this isn’t enough, there is an additional salt water, solar heated in ground pool so you will never want to leave! This home is a must see!

Here is your opportunity to purchase a successful poultry business and residence on 21 acres of land on the fringe of the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve. Currently this property is running 3 businesses, including Free Range Eggs, Free Range Hen Rearing and a Commercial Pullet Rearing venture. The 21 acres is fully fenced and dammed, and features 11 fully functional poultry sheds of different sizes with 100kW of solar and an existing rights permit for all types of poultry (Yarra Ranges Council). The main residence is a large 4 bedroom brick home, master with walk in robe and ensuite with a fenced off rear yard. This fantastic property with all its infrastructure, beautiful grazing land and family home offers the ultimate in lifestyle property.

Contact: Bethany Day 0438 844 968 Aaron Day 0407 365 994

Contact: Aaron Day 0407 365 994 Bethany Day 0438 844 968

7 Naylors Road Emerald

$1,250,000 - $1,350,000

29 Seaview Road Cockatoo

$365,000 - $399,000

Rare As Hens Teeth!

Ready To Build!

This impressive multi-level brick veneer home is situated on a flat ¾ acre in a quiet Emerald location where homes are rarely offered for sale. Featuring 5 bedrooms, master with huge walk in robe and ensuite plus an additional 2 bathrooms servicing the remaining bedrooms, this home is perfect for the growing family or those wanting to work from home. The first level accommodates the kitchen and living areas, while the second level presents the bedrooms, main bathroom with spa, and a large, 2nd living area with access to the huge balcony complete with captivating views to the hills beyond. Outside the grassed yard is fully fenced for animals and children and also features a back decking, water tanks and vegetable patches, triple bay workshop and garage, and additional bungalow with power.

This elevated, corner block of vacant land in Cockatoo with mains water connected and all services available, plus established circular driveway is ready to go!

Contact: Aaron Day 0407 365 994 Kayla Turner 0448 440 495

bellrealestate.com.au 18 MAIL

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

Set on almost 1/2 acre, plans have been approved to build your very own gorgeous story book home with delightful dormer windows and elevated rear deck, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, carport, 2 sheds and bunker.

Opportunities like this do not present often and with all the hard work done with council all that is left to do is watch your dreams become a reality! So if you’re in the market for a brand new home, contact the listing agent before you miss out.

Contact: Samantha Scott 0438 680 032 Declan Palmer 0427 062 148

5968 6222

311-313 Main St, Emerald mailcommunity.com.au

Real Estate you can trust!

We ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p FOR SALE

$590,000

1683 Burwood Highway, BELGRAVE

FOR SALE

66 Park Drive, BELGRAVE

$890,000 - $970,000

SPACIOUS RETAIL BUILDING IN GREAT LOCATION

A BEAUTIFUL ENTERTAINER NEAR BELGRAVE LAKE PARK

This superb retail freehold in Belgrave is for sale. Occupying 104sqm of a high profile position in the heart of the Belgrave precinct. This is a high exposure site located in close proximity to Belgrave train station, Puffing Billy, on street parking and is ideally suited for a retail store.

If you imagine pristine parklands near your door, picturesque treetop outlooks, and plenty of space to entertain as top features of your next family home, this is the property for you.

Set upon a sealed drive with single carport and single garage with workshop situated near beautiful Belgrave Lake Park, you won’t believe your luck that you found this brilliant home.

4A 3B 2C

Suzie Brannelly M 0490 506 910 | E suzie@chandlerandco.com.au

Glenn Chandler

Sam Adamson

M 0418 410 689 | E glenn@chandlerandco.com.au|

M 0421 023 760 | E sam@chandlerandco.com.au

FOR SALE

202A/400 Burwood Highway, WANTIRNA SOUTH

$485,000 - $520,000

LIFESTYLE, LOCATION, AND LOW-MAINTENANCE LIVING

2A 1B

Style meets substance at this lifestyle development just steps from Westfield Knox City Shopping Centre. Whether your day calls for meandering the nearby Dandenong Ranges or taking Eastlink to the CBD, this apartment offers an abundance of choice and convenience. With open plan living, a modern kitchen with stone benchtops and the dining and lounge area adjoining the covered alfresco entertaining that takes full advantage of the nearby views.

FOR SALE

3/10 Nathan Street, FERNTREE GULLY

$590,000 - $610,000

INVESTMENT IN LOCATION AND LIFESTYLE Stop shopping and start building at this beautiful block. A rare offering in a revered location only 45 minutes from Melbourne CBD, this property promises to be an impressive investment in both location and lifestyle.

From this slightly elevated allotment exquisite hillside outlooks are offered. Ready to remain a joy for owners for years to come, your new home will capture the views, so there is no need to shop around when you can settle into a beautiful brand-new home.

Sharyn Chandler M 0439 882 442 | E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

Glenn Chandler

Suzie Brannelly

M 0418 410 689 | E glenn@chandlerandco.com.au

M 0490 506 910 | E suzie@chandlerandco.com.au

9754 6888 1689 Burwood Highway, Belgrave VIC 3160 www.chandlerandco.com.au of fice@chandlerandco.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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MAIL 19

networkclassifieds.com.au Trades & Services

V Heating

(include your name, address and phone number)

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

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V Builders & Building Services

20 MAIL

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C1039154-JM27-12

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5968 3334 or 0408 335 077 IAN WOODHOUSE Plumbing Contractor Reg No. 15348

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Deadline for all classifications is 4pm Friday.

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9988 9159 Lic No. 116785

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Information about the dates of Council meetings during 2021, how these will operate during this time and how members of the community can still participate, is available on our website at https://www. yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Council/Council-meetings

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The NOBELIUS HERITAGE PARK AND EMERALD MUSEUM Community Asset Committee will be holding their Bi-Annual General Meeting on THURSDAY 15 JULY commencing at 7PM at the EMERALD MUSEUM, 5 Crichton Road, Emerald

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1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new Optus and Vodafone equipment and associated works as follows (including 5G); • The installation of a steel jacket and foundation upgrade to strengthen the existing monopole; • The replacement of the existing headframe with a new headframe; • Installation of nine (9) new panel Optus antennas (not more than 2.8m long, the largest being 2.68m in height); • Removal of three (3) existing Optus panel antennas; • Installation of six (6) new Vodafone panel antennas (not more than 2.8m long, the largest being 2.68m in height); • Removal of three (3) existing Vodafone panel antennas; • Installation and relocation of ancillary equipment including twenty-one (21) new RRUs, antenna mounts, feeders, cabling, combiners, and other associated equipment; and • Works within the existing equipment shelter.

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

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SPORT

Wheeling her way to glory

By Mikayla van Loon As someone who was never interested in sport, Isabel Martin, 22, has been making headway in the Victorian and Australian basketball scene as Basketball Victoria’s Wheelchair Athlete of the Year for 2020.

Not knowing she had been nominated for the award, Ms Martin said it came as a surprise.

“It was really cool. It was unexpected and I guess in 2020, it was a hard year, there was a lot of work but not really any gain.

“We weren’t playing and we weren’t having tournaments and everything was being cancelled and you were still expected to be training and working in lockdown so it was nice to be recognised.”

Ms Martin said even though she wasn’t able to play last year, to still be recognised was an honour.

“It was definitely a hard year and the fact that we weren’t playing and no end in sight really, it was mentally hard to keep going and looking back I’m proud of that, so it does mean a lot,” she said.

Ms Martin played with the Kilsyth Cobras’ WNWBL team for a number of years but unfortunately, believed to be due to a lack of funding, the wheelchair basketball team was cut last year.

Having been pushed by her mum in 2014 to attend a basketball ‘come and try day’, Ms Martin said from that day on she really enjoyed the sport.

“It was something that I needed to be pushed to do and she knew it would benefit me in the end.”

By 2015 Ms Martin was involved in the state basketball program and went to her first tournament with the Victorian team.

“That was a really good learning opportunity and I’ve just loved it ever since,” she said.

Setting her goals even higher, by the end of 2016 Ms Martin was training and playing in friendly games with the Australian Gliders.

Now she has her hopes set on being selected for the 2021 Paralympic team.

“Since I started basketball, I’ve been looking at the Australian Gliders as the ultimate goal and it was so exciting to be involved with them for the first time,” Ms Martin said.

“I think the paralympics is the pinnacle and so it’s exciting to even just be considered for selection regardless of whichever way it goes.”

All being well with Covid-19 restrictions, Ms Martin said a selection camp for the Australian Gliders team will happen in three weeks.

Grateful for all the support and guidance her coach has given her, as well as everyone else who has believed in her, Ms Martin said she just wants to make those people proud.

Isabel Martin has been awarded the 2020 Charles Ryan Wheelchair Athlete of the Year award.

Picture: SUPPLIED “It’s a really great community and all the people at Basketball Victoria and everyone working to give wheelchair basketball a plat-

form and give opportunities to players, I’m very grateful to them and it has been a good program to be a part of.”

Sports grants boost Five grassroots sport clubs and organisations in Cardinia and the Yarra Ranges are set to bolster their coaching skills, administration expertise, or score new sports equipment thanks to $5,052 in funding from the Victorian government.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing announced the latest successful applicants from Cardinia and the Yarra Ranges of the current round of the Victorian government’s Sporting Club Grants Program.

Community Sport Minister Ros Spence congratulated the recipients of this round of grants.

“We’re proud to provide this boost that opens up a range of opportunities on and off the field for clubs and their members,” she said.

“I look forward to seeing a new generation of local champions get their chance to take their sports to a whole new level.”

The grants provide clubs with up to $1000 for new uniforms and equipment, up to $5000 for training coaches, officials and volunteers, up to $5000 to improve club operational effectiveness and up to $5000 to help sports get back on their feet after the pandemic.

The Mount Evelyn Butterfly Guides and the Mount Evelyn Caterpillar Guides both received funding for new uniforms, getting $203 and $992 respectively.

Yarra Ranges Athletics was granted $1000 for the purchasing of new equipment.

Mount Evelyn Junior Football Club received $2000 to be put towards the mental health and wellbeing of the club’s participants.

Emerald Tennis Club also received $857 for uniforms for junior club members.

“Congratulations to those clubs who have secured additional support through the Sporting Club Grants Program - these grants continue to enable more people than ever to participate in the sports they love, across the entire state,” Ms Shing said.

The Sporting Club Grants Program is part of the Victorian government’s commitment to make sport more accessible and inclusive, stimulate local economies, build sustainable sport and recreation and volunteer opportunities and increase local participation as coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Since 2014, the Victorian government has provided more than 5150 sporting club grants totalling more than $7 million to clubs across the state.

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Tuesday, 15 June, 2021

Pandemic drives boom in bike sales

By Jed Lanyon Australia will hit a new all-time record of 1.75 million bicycles imported into the country in a single 12 month period.

Based on historical trends and ABS import data, a new record of 1.75 million bicycles will enter our ports by 30 June to be sold in bicycle shops and retailers.

The bicycle industry association’s Peter Bourke predicted the ‘Covid dividend’ for bike sales as Australians chose to ride in unprecedented numbers has resulted in a 50 per cent increase in sales across the board.

“Bicycle sales throughout Covid were fantastic, emptying shops and warehouses alike and we expect that demand to drive this new 2020/21 financial year import record of 1.75 million units.

“It seems Australians voted for bike riding during Covid and visited bike shops with the entire family, leaving with new bikes for everyone or getting their old bikes from the shed repaired and ready for riding.

“Those supply chain issues in 2020 that caused significant shortages of stock across the board are still being felt with very low

floor stock available nationally and long wait lists, something that will take many months to resolve but makes this new record all the more remarkable,” Mr Bourke said.

And it’s not just bikes flying out the doors.

“Sales of spare parts such as tyres and tubes, lights, frames and forks have all increased by 50 per cent while repair shops had wait lists of several weeks as people pulled their old bikes out of the shed and realise they need some repairs to get them going again,” Mr Bourke said.

He said many of the bikes were used near home during the lockdown restrictions but are now being used to provide genuine transport solutions as people have headed back the office and looked for healthy, convenient and Covid-safe commuting options.

And the sport’s popularity is clear in the Yarra Ranges as owner of Ride Time Yarra Valley, Matt Swann, said he saw the spike in sales in the local market.

“Our Lilydale store has seen an enormous jump in sales over the last 12 months and it’s all sorts of bikes too. Not just family bikes, it’s high end bikes, electric bikes, gravel bikes, everything is booming. It’s cer-

tainly not just the cycling enthusiasts buying bikes, it’s everybody.

“I don’t think anybody saw this coming.

Last March, when the pandemic first started, obviously for a few weeks everybody was extremely nervous and all of a sudden when those first lockdowns happened it (sales) just exploded.”

And with the increase in cycling, Mr Swann now wants to see government investment in the infrastructure for the sport.

“We probably won’t see the same trajectory or growth in the next 12 months but the most important thing now for the industry and government is to make sure we’re growing infrastructure for cycling recreationally,” he said.

“Mountain bike projects designated for the Yarra Valley and Victoria really need to be brought to the forefront so they can be completed as soon as possible because all these people want to get out and ride their bikes and there’s just not the facilities to use them.

“It’s a great, happy, healthy pastime for people and it needs to be supported so people don’t hang up their bike in six months time.” mailcommunity.com.au

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