Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 22nd June 2021

Ranges Trader

Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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Community pulls together as big clean-up begins A Star News Group Publication

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Battered but not broken A sign of resilience at Kalorama Memorial Reserve following the devastating storm on Wednesday 9 June.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

SES plea for help

By Taylah Eastwell

coverage areas of both crews stretches resources when action is required in disasterprone areas of the Dandenongs.

Mr Owen said the need for a further unit really showed during the recent wild weather.

“It only showed on Wednesday night (9 June) when we had 12 code one responses

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in Kalorama, Mt Dandenong and Olinda to rescue people that had trees on their houses.

Basically, every SES unit is around 25 minutes away on a normal day, and that’s when you aren’t cutting up trees in order to get to the job,” he said.

Continued page 3

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Unit controllers at two local SES branches are calling for a third unit to be established in the Dandenong Ranges as emergency services struggle to keep up with callouts to the Hills.

Emerald SES unit controller Ben Owen and Lilydale SES unit controller Shaun Caulfield

are “keen to sit down and have a conversation” with the appropriate ministers around establishing a new unit for ridge-top communities after both units were inundated with calls to Kalorama, Mt Dandenong and Olinda during the recent storm.

While the units proudly “work as one” in natural disasters and emergencies, the wide

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NEWS

Cardinia Council is not accepting donations at the Hills Hub in Emerald.

Picture: FILE

Council bans donations Emerald volunteers are furious at Cardinia Council for not accepting donations at their storm recovery drop-in centre at the Hills Hub. Ben Owen, Emerald SES Unit controller said he was “fuming“ at the decision, after asking the council to set up a donation box so that his volunteers could then distribute the items to people in need in Olinda who are still without power.

“I just wanted a centralised space for people to drop donations on this side of the hill so we can pick them up and drop them to Monbulk and Olinda who need them,” Mr Owen said.

“It’s a bloody emergency!

“The council already have staff there at the centre, it’s open for people going there for showers and charging. Surely it’s not that hard.”

Ben said he was looking at other options for a donation point, but was hoping it wouldn’t have to be the SES base.

“I didn’t want my volunteers waiting around for a tin of soup, they’ve got enough else to do,” Mr Owen said.

“This is a dangerous precedent to set.”

Gembrook MP Brad Battin said he had heard Mr Owen’s concerns.

“You would think during an emergency that

YOU’RE MORE SUITED THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

all government organisations would be doing everything they can to assist, whether that be taking donations and distributing them to those in need or support other parts of the community in doing so,” Mr Battin told the Gazette.

“All we have seen so far are delays from the council to open support centres and delays from the Victorian Government to declare a state of emergency which means there are delays in fixing problems and getting support grants for locals.”

Cardinia Shire Council recovery manager Kristen Jackson encouraged people to donate items to not-for-profit organisations or relief agencies instead.

“While offers of donations are appreciated, at this stage Cardinia Council is not accepting food donations at our drop-in centres,” she said.

“Non-perishable food items can be donated at the Salvation Army in Pakenham (51 Bald Hill Road, Pakenham). A number of local agencies, including church groups and community based organisations, offer food, material aid and community meals.

“Information on how to access food relief, as well as where to donate items, is available at our drop-in centres or by phoning the council’s Customer Service team on 1300 787 624.”

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NEWS

A storm of support

By Taylah Eastwell Households suffering from ongoing power outages will be eligible for a weekly payment, the state government has confirmed.

Acting Premier James Merlino visited Olinda on Thursday 17 June to announce payments of $1,680 per week to households that are currently without power following the catastrophic storm.

“Our existing disaster relief arrangements don’t cover for this kind of situation, hence the need for this new power outage payment that we will be able to provide people who may well be without power for a number of weeks,” Mr Merlino said.

“Whether it is for basic supplies or whether it’s to help support people find alternative accommodation off the hill as power is restored,” he said.

Mr Merlino said the current hardship payments did not take into account the ongoing loss of power, prompting the state government to write to the Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack requesting a power outage payment for affected households.

The Star Mail understands a formal request has been put through to the federal government to go “50/50” in the new payments.

The payments will be available for up to three weeks and are expected to be administered by Ausnet to help families through the “unprecedented” power emergency.

The news comes after Ausnet recently confirmed Dandenong Ranges power outages were likely to continue until at least 10 July, despite earlier assurances lines would be reconnected by Sunday 20 June at the latest. The initial timeframes left many Hills residents

Acting Premier James Merlino speaks to the press on emergency support payments for households without power. 241191 Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON questioning the accuracy of the predictions considering the level of destruction to local power infrastructure.

“The initial estimates provided to customers were wrong and we are deeply sorry for the distress this has caused,” an Ausnet spokesperson said.

“We now fully understand the extent of the damage and the scale of the recovery and repair ahead of us,” they said.

The revised estimates are expected to impact over 3,000 households in Ferny Creek, Kalorama, Mt Dandenong, Olinda, Sassafras, Sherbrooke, The Basin, Tremont and Upwey.

Mr Merlino confirmed at Wednesday’s press conference that about 7,000 households across the state remain disconnected.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said energy companies had seen the damage they’d typically see over a two year period “compressed into two days”.

“The extent of the damage has been unprecedented in terms of our electricity infrastructure,” she said.

“I want to sympathise with every last person here in this region, I cant imagine how hard it is to be without power in what is very much a winter situation,” she said.

Yarra Ranges Council Streeton Ward councillor Cathrine Burnett-Wake, who has been stationed at Olinda each day since the storm, said the elderly and the vulnerable are struggling.

“Down in Sassafras I met a lady in her late 80’s from Sherbrooke, she had no power, she had the water issues, her husband in his early 90’s was still in bed because it was too cold for him to get up because they have no heating,” she said.

“Not everyone can start a generator, and some can’t get off the mountain to get fuel.

“Council is really aware and conscious of supports people require so we are working in partnership with federal and state, hopefully we will get some more funding to have some more boots on the ground.

“We are just encouraging people if they can to get out to the hubs, we’ve got food there, hot showers, packages and support,” she said.

According to the Ausnet website, they began contacting eligible households via text message on 18 June. For further information visit https://www.ausnetservices.com.au/ en/About/News-Room/News-Room-2021/ Storm-Update.

Boots on the ground as the ADF arrives

By Taylah Eastwell The state government has called in the Australian Army to assist Dandenong Ranges communities as the effects of the storm continue to take hold.

Acting Premier James Merlino addressed media on Friday 18 June, announcing that a request to bring 120 ADF personnel into stormravaged Victorian communities, including those in East Gippsland.

The army will help with clearing roads, conducting welfare checks and general community assistance.

CFA announced on Saturday 19 June that “hundreds of generators” and other power equipment arrived at the State Logistics Centre which is to be distributed to a number of homes in the Dandenong Ranges by the CFA, SES and army personnel.

Mr Merlino defended the decision to bring in the ADF nine days after the storm, stating that “the initial 24 hours is about saving life and property”.

“I absolutely understand as a local resident in the Dandenongs that people want to see masses of people on the ground doing the clean

up so I understand and empathise with questions around the ADF and the speed in which the clean up is happening,” Mr Merlino said.

The news comes after Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp addressed media in Olinda on Thursday 17 June announcing that just five ADF personnel had been placed in the state control centre to initially assist with “logistics and planning”.

Within 24 hours, planners decided 120 army personnel should be brought in to assist.

“In my opinion the time is right now for the ADF to come in. It’s no different to the 20192020 bushfires or the start of the Covid emergency, you need to assess what you’ve got before you then looking at bringing in the ADF to do the planning that is required,” Mr Crisp said.

The Star Mail understands a regional control and incident centre exists in Ferntree Gully, where ADF planners were placed to determine the recovery and clean-up process required for the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley communities.

When questioned as to why the ADF weren’t on the ground immediately after the storm, Mr Crisp said the right time is now.

“I’ve been doing this everyday thinking

about the ADF, rest assured I have not been backward coming forward. The catalyst and thinking around this is now we have a better assessment as a result of initial impact assessments that have been undertaken. Particularly, the advice that we got yesterday (16 June) in relation to the number of people that are going to be off power for an extended period of time, that is a specific operation in itself, so now we look at what support we can call on from the ADF,” he said.

However, Mr Crisp told media the ADF are not equipped to help remove trees in the Dandenongs.

“We have seen the size of trees and what we’ve got here at the moment, I worked very closely with the ADF during the 2019-20 fires and they do not have the capability to work on the trees that you see up here in the Dandenongs. It is beyond the SES, it’s Forest Fire Management Victoria, it’s DELWP, and we need special arborists and tree climbers to do this specific work,” Mr Crisp said.

It was also announced at Wednesday’s press conference that Bushfire Recovery Victoria would take the lead in co-ordinating the cleanup effort.

We need help: SES From page 1 Lilydale SES received over 1260 callouts in the week following the storm, with 900 of those jobs situated across Mount Dandenong communities, taking resources away from the wider Yarra Ranges area as it experienced flooding.

“We only cover parts of Kalorama, Mt Dandenong and a small part of Olinda, and the Emerald unit covers the rest,” he said.

Emerald SES shares the suburbs of Olinda and Mt Dandenong, while also covering Ferny Creek, Sassafras and the broader Hills region.

“We go right down through Belgrave, Belgrave South, Narre Warren North, Upper Beaconsfield, Gembrook, Cockatoo, Macclesfield, Emerald, Monbulk and everywhere in between,” Mr Owen said.

Emerald SES volunteers assisted Lilydale with Kalorama callouts during the storm as Lilydale units were blocked by fallen trees, effectively taking resources away from the storm-battered wider Hills community.

“As we found out recently, there really is only one road to Kalorama and that is Mt Dandenong Tourist Road. We came across a section that had about 50 trees down and that effectively cuts us off from getting up there and cuts residents off from getting help,” Mr Caulfied said.

Both Mr Caulfield and Mr Owen agree a unit on the mountain would alleviate the pressure and provide for a faster emergency response.

“There is a need for a rapid response up there on code red days or total fire ban days to clear roads. It is known for blind bends, trees in the dark and the risk for motor vehicle accidents,” Mr Owen said.

“More vehicles and more volunteers would also assist the greater community during these situations.

“Both Emerald and Lilydale units are at least 25 minutes away. At the moment, the volunteers attending jobs up there are coming from Cockatoo, Emerald and Belgrave, if we had a local LHQ with local volunteers with local connections the response would be much faster,” he said.

Mr Caulfield said an additional SES resource “needs to be seriously considered” not just for storms, but for all emergencies including bushfires.

“It would definitely be beneficial and we need to be having this conversation as we review the events of this storm. It might be a once in a lifetime event, but what it’s done is opened our eyes to the fact that we’ve been managing but the everyday response could be far better.

With a change in weather and climate conditions we can expect more turbulent weather, so we need more resources in the area,” he said.

DELIVERING FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES & FAMILIES AS WE GROW.

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MAIL 3

NEWS

Tourism takes a battering

By Taylah Eastwell Several iconic Dandenong Ranges tourist destinations have suffered extensive damage in the recent storm that swept through the mountain, with the attractions set to be closed for a number of months.

Large mountain ash trees are said to have fallen throughout William Ricketts Sanctuary on Wednesday 9 June, causing damage to several building and sculptures. The sanctuary remains closed for public safety.

The attraction housed historic sculptures of Dandenong Ranges sculptor William Ricketts after the Victorian Government took control of what was known as Potters Sanctuary in the

1960’s and made it a public park under the new name of William Ricketts Sanctuary.

The park showcases 92 of Ricketts sculptures, although it is not yet known how many sculptures have been affected.

Parks Victoria area chief ranger Craig Albiston said the Parks had completed an initial assessment of damage to the sanctuary which resulted in the site being closed for public safety.

“Further detailed assessments are taking place to understand the extent of the storm’s impact. The Sanctuary is likely to remain closed for a number of months,“ Mr Albiston said.

“Parks Victoria’s priority remains support-

ing the emergency services to re-open public roads and essential services,“ he said.

Further around the mountain, Tremont’s popular 1000 steps is also understood to have suffered significant damage.

“Hundreds of trees have fallen across the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, resulting in significant damage to the 1000 Steps and large sections of the trail’s hand rail,” a Parks Victoria spokeswoman said.

Dandenong Ranges National Park was also “heavily impacted“ by the severe storms. A large section of the park remains closed until further notice.

As a long-awaited sign of normality, Puffing

Billy whistled its way through the hills over the weekend.

The historic train fired up on Saturday 19 June for its first trip in three weeks after yet another Victorian “circuit-breaker” lockdown and the storm that resulted in a number of trees and debris over the tracks.

For updates on national parks, visit the Parks Victoria website.

An historic sculpture at William Ricketts in better days. 159970

Frustration at rescue

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Emerald SES volunteers have reiterated the plea for visitors to stay away from the Dandenong Ranges after a woman had to be rescued from Sherbrooke Forest over the weekend.

Paramedics, CFA and SES were called to the popular walking spot around 2pm on Sunday 21 June after receiving reports a woman was injured and stuck.

People had been asked to stay away from the Dandenong Rangers due to the storm damage and ongoing risk in the area.

SES spent two and a half hours chainsawing a path through the bush to carry the woman out on a stretcher to safety.

Emerald SES volunteer Terry Boyd described the rescue as “completely unnecessary“ on Facebook.

“The Dandenong Ranges National Park is CLOSED for very good reasons,“ he said.

“Stretches of track up to 100m in length are impassable and you have to go well off track to get around. Throughout, there are widowmakers, hang-ups, killer trees just waiting to drop. You won’t even hear a limb coming, you’ll simply be gone, crushed.

“And yet, on this one track, we passed maybe 20 or 30 other people, walking in groups. All just having a great old time, risking their lives and those of the people who have to go in there and drag them out.“

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NEWS

Phones go silent in storm

By Taylah Eastwell Close your eyes, and picture yourself huddled in a bedroom in your home with your children and pets, surrounded by sounds of howling winds and trees cracking and thudding on the ground all around you. Terrifying, right?

Now imagine one of the large mountain ash trees that typically lined your fence line smashing through half of your home. Amongst the screams, you reach for your phone, desperately trying to dial three lifesaving numbers.

You manage to punch in 000, but the phone doesn’t ring. In fact, it beeps in your ear, as a devastating final reminder that you’ll have to see this one out on your own.

Triple zero (000) is usually the one number anyone can call. A lifeline, regardless of coverage. But on Wednesday 9 June, residents of the Dandenong Ranges were left stranded, cut off from help by road, and also by reception.

Lilydale SES unit controller Shaun Caulfield said one of the biggest issues for the SES on the night of Wednesday 9 June was the “sheer volume of calls” which only slowed down “because people couldn’t actually call because they were losing their telecommunications infrastructure”.

“What we understand, from talking to people, is that after that first five or six hours it wasn’t less people in need of help, it was less people that could call, and that’s caused a lot of community concern,” Mr Caulfield said.

Speaking to residents of the Hills, the changeover to the NBN network replaced or reduced the ability to use a landline.

“One of the biggest issues is the infrastructure is not working, not just the power, they don’t have a phone, pre-NBN they might of at least still had the landline. The old phone network ran off batteries and used power and could run for a lot longer than the NBN-based phone will work without power, so there is less time before the infrastructure becomes inoperable these days,” he said.

“People are noticing a lot quicker that they don’t have their phones as we as a society have become quite attached to tech, so when it’s not there you really notice and something like lack of communications infrastructure makes people already affected feel very vulnerable,” he said.

Gembrook woman Merryn Coates said knowing her phone is likely to be cut off during an emergency makes her feel “like a sitting duck”.

“In Gembrook, we had power out, we were otherwise very lucky but when I woke up Thursday morning I thought I would check what was going on. My phone showed there was supposed to be reception but there was no connection.

“It’s honestly terrifying, if we had an emergency or our son had an asthma attack we would have no way to call 000. Someone tried the payphone and that wouldn’t even work.

Emergencies don’t just stop happening and it’s not just people affected by disaster, what about

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Hills residents Thrisha Kabris and Susan Cahill struggle to make calls in Olinda. 241037 those in family violence situations, or elderly people who might have a fall,” Ms Coates said.

After getting reception, Ms Coates put a post on social media and was alerted by other residents that there is a “battery back-up” NBN customers can purchase to allow for phone coverage during these events.

“Someone said there is a battery back up you can get that will charge up when you do have power and works to power your router so you at least have phone coverage,” she said.

Emerald and Cockatoo Community Support Team leader Rachelle Mechielsen discussed the coverage issue briefly with Acting Premier James Merlino during a visit to Emerald following the storm.

“He was really sympathetic but obviously didn’t have an immediate answer,” Ms Mechielson said.

“You didn’t know if the next tree was going to come through yours or your neighbours house and if anyone required emergency assistance, we had no way of getting it. And that’s just people without existing issues, someone might have been pregnant or undergoing chemo or an asthmatic, and there was just nothing,” she said.

Ms Mechielson said emergency alerts “are critical” for disaster prone areas like the Dandenongs, but “with no mobile signal you can’t even get the alerts so you just don’t know what’s happening”.

“As team leader of the emergency support team trying to liaise with other locals I couldn’t even make a phone call, I was having to send people to pass messages on which wasn’t ideal

with the dangerous state of the roads,” she said.

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, following Black Saturday, handed down a recommendation that agencies enhance the delivery of warnings from emergency services through mobile phones.

“We’ve had the Royal Commission, yet it’s still happening,” Ms Coates said, with reception an issue still affecting fire-prone communities of the Hills even when there isn’t wild weather.

Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told media on Tuesday 15 June that “we do need to look” at the state of our communications.

“We know that what we see with telecommunications infrastructure is the towers have a battery back up of 24 hours. I think we need to look at extending that but as you would imagine with any major emergency we will and already have undertaken some reviews in relation to what we need to focus on into the future and we continue to need to look into telecommunications,” Mr Crisp said.

Ms Mechielson says the Hills deserve “much more reliable” communications, whether it be battery back ups or a different technology altogether.

A Telstra spokesperson said “residents in the Dandenongs would’ve had mobile coverage during the storm on Wednesday 9 June”.

“This is because once mains power went out to the whole of the Dandenongs (due to unprecedented damage to AusNet’s energy network, such as trees falling on power lines,

Kallista resident Erik with a power bank he got from the NBN at Olinda Recreational Reserve.

241037

etc), our sites would’ve remained up and running for a number of hours due to on-site battery backup,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said power would have gone out overnight on Wednesday and mobile sites would have continued operating into Thursday 10 June until battery backup was exhausted.

In relation to 000 calls, the spokesperson said “widespread power outages in the Dandenongs would’ve meant every telco would’ve lost power to their sites, so there wouldn’t have been another carrier to piggy back off”.

“Once we gained access to the Dandenongs, we repowered our sites with generators.

There are still 10 or so sites that are operating on generators to maintain connectivity while we wait for mains to be restored,” the spokesperson said.

Men’s Shed volunteers step up to lend a helping hand From Monday 21 June, Upwey Men’s Shed will be providing a relief centre for those still in need of somewhere warm to charge their devices, have a meal or cup of tea.

It will operate from Monday to Wednesday, depending on demand, from the Upwey Township Hall.

Breakfast will be provided from 9am by the Upwey Men’s Shed and Soupees will also be available to provide hot food throughout the day.

People can also access showers and power stations at the Olinda Recreation Reserve, where a temporary emergency relief centre has been set up.

Internet, hot food from 5:30pm and hot showers are available around the clock.

Donations of food, toiletries, batteries, torches, phone power banks, hot water bottles, candles, toilet paper, fire lighters, bottled water, blankets and firewood can all be found there.

It is open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday, for the next few weeks. mailcommunity.com.au

Jess Luly from Yarra Ranges Council helping sort through donations and arrange firewood at Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Olinda Recreational Reserve. 241037

Power and showers available at Olinda Recreational Reserve. 241037 Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 5

NEWS

Comfort and help at community hub

By Mikayla van Loon

Hoon issue heard in parliament

By Taylah Eastwell

Imagine waking to the sound of trees falling every five minutes.

Well that was the terrifying reality for residents in Kalorama.

For Kalorama local and organiser for the Kalorama community relief hub, Nia Beardsley said for five hours trees were falling and people just had to hope one didn’t fall on their house.

“No one knew if that tree or that sound was coming for their heads,” she said.

“The news isn’t really getting out because no one can really tell how bad this is but the devastation is like Black Saturday but for wind, it’s huge, it’s really, really big.”

Ms Beardsley said as the days go on, people are starting to accept that they have just lived through one of the worst storms they have ever experienced.

“People are coming out of the shock of the first few days of being completely unable to move beyond a little part of their street. To get through a normal five minute walk was taking an hour because we had to get over and under things.”

“Everyone has been able to come out and see what has happened. So many people have lost their livelihoods, their homes, sheds, trees have crushed cars, trees are blocking driveways still.”

Noticing that people needed a community spot to meet and share their stories, as well as figure out what to do next, Ms Beardsley and other members from the community set up a relief hub at Kalorama oval.

“Everyone was quite dazed and it was cold and no one knew what to do and we just needed somewhere to sit down together and have a coffee and just talk.”

As word has gone round the community, donations have been flooding in and Ms Beardsley said the Montrose Township Group has been instrumental in setting that up.

“They have just galvanised so many donations for us, loads of wood because what we have up here is so much wood but it’s wet and no one can burn it. So they have just been absolutely brilliant.”

“We are just so, so unbelievably grateful, it has just made people’s lives much easier to deal with.”

Up until Wednesday 16 June the relief hub was completely community run but Yarra Ranges Council has now stepped in to offer more services and better lighting.

Washing machine vans have been delivered to the oval by Orange Sky for people to do washing and Discovery Church are also offering washing services.

The Kalorama relief hub has helped people identify the most vulnerable in the community who might not be able to leave their homes.

Ms Beardsley said at least 100 people have

Volunteers at the Kalorama community relief hub, set up at Kalorama Recreation Reserve, are Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS offering free food to locals. 241037

Donations of food, toiletries and other essentials have come in abundance for the people of the hills communities.

Picture: LILYDALE SES been helped but there are people out there still struggling with the cold and no food.

Although not looking for more donations, Ms Beardsley said should people like to donate items it’s best to do so through the Montrose Township Group or Lilydale SES. Practical items are being sought after, including dry, burnable wood, batteries of all sizes, electrical cords, bin bags and dish washing liquid.

“We just need power because power is everything.”

But with the estimated date for power com-

ing back on being 10 July, people living in the hills are going to need as much support as possible.

“We haven’t really seen the full shock yet because we’re so busy we just can’t really take a moment to take it all in. It’s a bit early to put into words [how we are feeling]” “Kalorama is a really beautiful neighbourhood, the residents are just lovely and everyone is popping out and saying hello and able to communicate a bit and they are able to recognise that they’ve got a story and someone else has a story too.”

The issue of hoons on Mt Dandenong was mentioned in parliament as a local minister called for increased policing on the mountain.

The Star Mail published an article on 25 May regarding a group of hilltop residents who have hired private security to patrol the mountain and keep hoons at bay.

The article got the attention of the Shadow Attorney-General and Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Edward O’Donohue.

Mr O’Donohue submitted a question during question time on Tuesday 8 June to acting minister for Police and Emergency services, Martin Foley MP. Mr O’Donohue called on the police minister to work with the Chief Commissioner of Police to ensure there is sufficient resources for local police on Mt Dandenong to stop hooning behaviours and the impact it is having on the local community.

The question comes after the Star Mail reported a group of 11 houses from ridge-top communities pay into a fund each week for private security service, YPG Risk, to patrol the mountain throughout the night.

YPG Risk owner Grant Burton described witnessing scenes of p-platers muscling other cars up the road, pouring lubricant on bends and using local roads as a racetrack.

“They toot their horns on purpose, rev their engines going up and down residential streets just to disturb people, they’ll do really anything they can do to get a response and they know that the signs and what we’re doing is aimed at them,” Mr Burton said.

While some residents believe they shouldn’t have to fork out for private security, others argue they had to do something for their own sanity.

“Some people will say this is a police job, and we agree with that. We just can’t live like this, so we had to do something.

We are at the stage that we are asking how much is too much, how much before we sell up and move.

“We always said this was our forever home, they’ll have to carry us out in a pine box, but it’s not looking that way lately,” a resident said.

The Minister had 14 days to provide a written response.

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Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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NEWS

Town’s darkest day

By Taylah Eastwell “Similar to Black Saturday. The whole place is devastated”.

That’s how Kalorama CFA captain Bill Robinson describes the obliterating destruction in Kalorama following the unanticipated mega storm on Wednesday 9 June.

As one of the hardest hit areas of the Dandenongs, the Kalorama community is struggling, with many believing it will take years for the typically scenic township to recover.

“We’ve got between 30 to 40 houses that are a total loss and we, as a local fire brigade, are trying to ascertain how many places are damaged. I don’t know how many cars I’ve seen squashed,” Mr Robinson said.

Mr Robinson and his crew swung into action when the first call came through on the night of the storm, with only four members able to make it to the station due to the main Tourist Road being blocked by fallen trees.

“I was phoning other members saying can you please go and rescue such and such so they can get to the station. It was chaos, and scary to be out in it,” Mr Robinson said.

“We were only doing rescues - people in danger - one rescue we did took 30 minutes for us to get 200 metres because we had to traverse by foot to get in there,” he said.

The Kalorama crew spent half an hour trawling over and under fallen trees to get to an old gentleman unable to reach his medication after his house was “half totalled” in the storm.

“He said, ‘are you going to take me out now?’ and we said ‘no, we cant’. There was too much stuff between us and our vehicles. He said he was really after his medication because his kitchen had been wiped out. We found his meds, gave it to him, and set him up for the night and said we would be back in the morning. It took us from the morning to the afternoon for crews to cut their way into him and put him on a stretcher.

One of the CFA members is also a paramedic and went and checked on the elderly man every two hours while crews made their way into him.

Mr Robinson said the town was “very, very lucky to have not lost any life”, with the Kalorama crew attending around 50 rescue jobs in the one night assisted by neighbouring brigades and SES units.

“We had eight members of the community sleep at the station who had damage to their houses,” Mr Robinson said.

But while the wind and rain has eased, the local community isn’t through the storm yet, with many left homeless, displaced, traumatised and injured following the horror 24 hours

By Taylah Eastwell

Kalorama CFA have identified a number of “killer trees” yet to fall. and trees yet to fall, according to the CFA. “There are a heap of trees that we call killer trees that have been damaged by the storm and are ready to fall over. We have logged about 30 of those that are ready to fall over with the next wind or rain event and these houses have people living in them, yet the state government have not yet mobilised anyone to start helping,” Mr Robinson said.

“We still have people living without water, without power, without heating. As of today (Monday 14 June) there are around 800 residents without power and it isn’t expected to be back for a month.

“The guys on the ground who I have spoken to have said it’s not just a case of hanging wires back on poles, the cables are under all the trees so they can’t get to the trees and the powerpoles are impacted by the trees. The transformers have been smashed and are on the ground, so they’ve got to replace poles and transformers all the way from Montrose to Olinda,” he said.

Mr Robinson said the Kalorama brigade has a “list of trees” that are going to fall in the Kalorama area, despite no assistance from the state government for removal.

“We’ve got a list of killer trees and no one is doing a bloody thing about it. The State Emergency Centre should be the ones out here on the ground doing all this stuff and chasing us up asking what we need. No one has asked us anything,” he said.

In between clearing trees and saving lives, Mr Robinson’s brigade took it upon themselves to feed hungry and displaced residents with the help of the Salvation Army.

“We fed 43 people on the first night off our

Picture: KALORAMA CFA

own bat and a further 50 per night through the Salvation Army delivering hot packs. We sent a whole team of people to do door knocks and are expecting 200 people tonight. We are a fire brigade, not the local red cross. The state government is meant to be here looking after residents.We are happy to do it because we want to help but this should have been sorted by the government days ago,” he said.

“I’m concerned about my residents, the people that live up here. We are really happy to help but realistically, we are a fire brigade, sooner or later our members have to go back to work. It should be up to the state government.

Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp visited Emerald on Tuesday 15 June, however no direct funding for storm-ravaged Hills communities was announced. Acting Premier James Merlino announced power outage payments of $1,680 per household for up to three weeks while power was restored.

“That’s terrific, because the whole of Kalorama is out. It will cover people that have been severely affected by this storm, which includes all my members, so it’s great,“ Mr Robinson said.

A community hub has been established at Kalorama Oval, running entirely off community donations and volunteers focused on supporting the wider community through the harrowing times.

Members of the community have been encouraged to reach out to their local council and apply for state government personal hardship payments.

Those who do not reside on the mountain are asked to stay away for their own safety and the privacy of residents.

No one left to go without at Cockatoo

By Gabriella Payne The Cockatoo community has gone above and beyond in the last week to ensure no one in need will be left to go hungry, as food donations for the communal pantry have continued to come flying in left, right and centre.

Tamsin Brook, the project coordinator behind Cockatoo’s ‘Foodisfree’ initiative, said that there had been a “massive” response from the local community since the storm and when she went to collect the donation baskets set up at the local IGA on Thursday 17 June, she was brought to tears by the outpouring of kindness.

“I was a bit overwhelmed when I went down there (to collect the donations), because the baskets were overflowing with food,” Ms Brook said.

“The Cockatoo community are typically quite generous anyway,” she explained, but said that it had filled her “with great pride” to see everyone in the community looking after one another in this way.

“I think it’s one of those things; Cockatoo wasn’t that badly hit compared to other places [by the storm], but because we are a part of the hills community, we’re always thinking, ‘what can we do to help our hills neighbours?’,” Ms Brook said.

“So something like this lets people feel like they’re helping and they really are, it’s just great to see.”

All the donations collected from the IGA mailcommunity.com.au

Clean-up continues

Tamsin Brook and Nathan Pasco with just some of the food kindly donated by the Cockatoo community.

Picture: SUPPLIED have helped fill the communal ‘Foodisfree’ pantry at the Cockatoo Community House for now, and Ms Brook said that a lot of food would be sent “up the hill” to help the communities really struggling after the storm.

“We’ve had such a great response that we’ll

be giving three crates of collected food to the Emerald SES to donate to our friends up the hill,” she said.

“They’ve organised a drop off point at the Cockatoo RSL, specifically for this purpose on the back of [Cardinia Shire] council saying no to providing one.“ While non-perishable items were preferred, the ‘Foodisfree’ initiative are accepting any and all donations, which Ms Brook said would help make a difference for those doing it tough right now.

The owner of the Cockatoo IGA, Nathan Pasco, said that having the donation baskets set up at the supermarket was the least he could do to help the community in these difficult times.

“It’s a small thing we can do to help,” Mr Pasco said.

“It’s taken a while to get going, but we got the baskets up on Tuesday morning and they were filled by Thursday.

We’re grateful to be able to contribute, but we see it as a small thing on our behalf, because it’s the people that are helping each other and we’re just happy to be the vehicle for it,” he said.

Mr Pasco said that they intended to keep the donation baskets around for as long as people needed them.

You can find the ’Foodisfree’ pantry on the porch of the Cockatoo Community House, located at 23 Bailey Road, Cockatoo.

Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) has taken the lead for the state government as the post-storm clean up continues across the Ranges.

Regional directors are now on the ground in the Yarra Ranges alongside dedicated teams to support local council, government agencies and community organisations in the mammoth clean up effort and are preparing for the transition from relief to long-term recovery.

Over the weekend, more than 1,000 emergency service personnel have worked around the clock towards cleaning up storm-ravaged parts of the state, including clearing more than 600 kilometres of roads in the Dandenong Ranges.

Out of 482 Ranges roads impacted, 438 are said to have reopened through the help and work of a variety of agencies.

Many residents gearing up for a month without power were delivered a generator by members of the Australian Army, SES or CFA over the weekend, as the defence force continues to work “around the clock” to deliver generators and fuel to people in need.

Nearly 80 homes have been assessed as eligible for a generator. Eligible households have been directed to contact family and community service organisation Windemere, who will assess need and prioritise distribution.

It is alleged more than $449,000 has been provided to date for affected households to get necessary support during storm recovery.

Acting Minister for Police and Emergency Services Danny Pearson said Bushfire Recovery Victoria “will be out on the ground, engaging with communities and councils to ensure those impacted are receiving tailored support, when they need it.”

“We know how incredibly difficult the recovery phase of a natural disaster can be – we’ll make sure that process is community-led and as fast and streamlined as possible,” he said.

It comes after Acting Premier James Merlino told media on Thursday 17 June that tree debris from the Dandenongs alone “would fill the MCG”.

Yarra Ranges Council mayor Fiona McAllister said council crews are continuing to clear trees and debris to provide access for services across the Dandenongs.

“We’ve received more than 640 drainage and tree-related requests from community members as a result of the storms, but we’re also mindful that many people are still without power and phone connections to contact us,” Cr McAllister said.

“Over the coming weeks and months we’ll continue to see the impact of these storms unfold, and we’ll be working with AusNet Services, the State Government and other agencies to help clear up debris, provide safe access to community members’ homes and restore services.

“Already, the amount of debris collected could cover the ground at the MCG, and we’re stockpiling wood from fallen trees. You may notice large piles of wood on roadsides and in reserves – this will be picked up and disposed of once our priority works have been completed,” she said.

Some of the carnage in Kalorama.

Picture: KALORAMA CFA Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 7

NEWS

Veteran firefighter’s gong

By Gabriella Payne For over fifty years now, Brian Petrie has been dedicating his life to helping keep communities safe through his tireless work with the CFA, and his wealth of knowledge, skills and all the sacrifices he’s made to help others over the years have now been recognised at the top level - and deservedly so.

On Monday 14 June, Brian, a Gembrook local, was awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his years of service to the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

A resilient, inspiring yet humble man, Brian said the news came as a bit of a shock and he had never expected to receive this kind of recognition for doing something he loved.

“I’m a bit overwhelmed really,” Brian said.

“I’ve had plenty of rewards throughout my time in the CFA, but it’s watching people that I’ve trained doing their tasks well and working through the ranks from being a firefighter right up to incident controllers that’s been my real reward.”

Following in his parents footsteps, Brian said he became involved with firefighting at a young age after watching both his mother and stepfather volunteer their time with the Basin Fire Brigade - but it was after a tragic accident that his commitment to the CFA really took hold.

“Growing up in the Basin we had all the fires in the late 50s and early 60s, but when I was about 10 years old, our house was burnt to the ground about five days before Christmas,” Brian said.

“That was a real shock, my sister was home and we had to rescue the elderly lady that was in the other half of the house and my poor dog got shot because they couldn’t get him out from under the tank stand, so that was sort of the first time I’d really been involved,” he said.

Brian said he remembered the fire brigade coming to the rescue, but sadly his childhood home was lost in the flames and his family were left homeless, with only the clothes on their backs and the community support around them to keep them going.

After moving into a rental home thanks to the help of other locals, Brian remembered joining up as a volunteer at the Basin Fire Brigade as soon as he could - at the ripe old age of 13.

“If you were big enough to carry a nap sack, you were old enough to be in,” he laughed.

Since then, Brian has gone on to establish himself as a role model for countless CFA and community members and has helped fight fires on the ground and with his operational expertise at “nearly every major fire since the 60s” - a truly remarkable effort.

Brian holds the Chief Officer’s accreditation for Level 3 IMT roles and has used his operational experience and leadership in command roles to help extinguish numerous significant fires, both in Victoria and interstate.

“I’ve been lucky to work in that many incident management teams around the state, with great teams and great people, so you always pick something up because you’re always

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learning,” he said.

Being on call for years and having left for weeks at a time to volunteer his services with major fires from one end of the state to the other, Brian’s long time family friend and now partner Ronda wanted to make a special mention of his late wife, Lynette, who had been a rock of support for him over all his years of firefighting.

“She was an absolutely wonderful lady, and sadly we lost her to cancer in 2017,” Ronda said.

“I think she deserves a big mention, because over the years she just backed everything he did and ran the farm and the place here and he could be away for weeks on end... she would just be so proud of him,” she said.

The Captain of the Gembrook CFA, Andrew Clark, said that he and the brigade couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of the award and wanted to congratulate him on an incredible career.

“On Behalf of the Gembrook CFA as Captain, I would like to congratulate Brian on this achievement, it is long overdue for the tireless work he has done for the CFA and especially the Gembrook CFA,” he said.

“We, as a brigade, would not be in the position we are in now if it wasn’t for Brian’s work as Captain for over 20 years.

Brian continues to be an active fire fighter in the brigade and mentors a lot of the brigade members with his vast fire knowledge. Congratulations Brian,” Mr Clark said.

Brian said he had seen firefighting change

A photo of Mr Petrie (far right, in the truck door) with the new fire truck at the Basin Fire Brigade back in the day. 240692 “heaps” over the years and was looking forward to seeing the industry and CFA services continue to progress into the future, as he has

no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“If someone needs a hand, well you help, because it always comes back,” he said.

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Brian Petrie is a remarkable man and has helped saved countless communities over his years of service with the CFA. 240692 Pictures: GABRIELLA PAYNE

8 MAIL

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Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Students unite for class

By Taylah Eastwell After 18 months of disrupted learning, students at primary schools across the Dandenongs are dealing with further uncertainty as the mountain gears up for a month without power.

Mt Dandenong Primary School principal Sally Alderton said the effects of the recent storm had been “particularly hard” on students who were excited to return to school following a remote learning period during the Covid-19 “circuit breaker” lockdown.

“It’s been particularly difficult for students who had already been away from friends and school for two weeks,” Ms Alderton said.

Ms Alderton said the school was fortunate to have an existing relationship with Gladesville Primary School in Kilsyth, which welcomed Mt Dandenong students with open arms so students had a place to gather and learn during the prolonged power outage.

“Students and families were really keen for kids to be able to reconnect as soon as possible. Our emergency management plan was if there was ever a bushfire we would relocate to Gladesville Primary, so Nicki Wood (Gladesville principal) and I put our plan into action to move our students down here so they could have time together at school even if at a different school,” Ms Alderton said.

Ms Alderton said the students have been “really resilient” considering the trauma many went through on Wednesday 9 June during the storm.

“Many have interesting or quite harrowing stories to tell of the storm. Some were cut off in their houses for a few days and couldn’t get out because of fallen trees around them. Some of them sought shelter inside cars in their garage. Some had parents out who couldn’t get home and had to abandon their cars and walk on foot to get back to their families,” she said.

“Just being here at Gladesville to reconnect has been great, we have really focused on our students wellbeing, given them opportunities to shaire their stories, to have a voice in what they do at school at the moment and bring an element of normality back into their lives as much as we can at the moment because many families are dislocated or traumatised,” she said.

The students felt fortunate to be donated food from the Montrose community, with some parents putting together lunches for students who might otherwise go without.

“The Department of Education has been working closely to provide as much support as possible this week and we’ve formulated a

Mt Dandenong Primary’s Indy enjoys a hot chocolate with Gladesville Primary’s Sienna. return to school plan that will include counselling services for students and access to trauma informed parenting session for our community,” she said.

Ms Alderton said Ausnet has provided Mt Dandeong Primary School with a generator, with students expected to return once the area has been deemed safe.

“The students and the community has been amazingly welcoming and we feel very fortunate to have been able to spend the past few days at Gladesville,” she said Kallista Primary School principal Christine Finighan said her school was “fortunate” to have not lost power.

“We haven’t lost power. We didn’t have a phone but we have one again now, but we don’t have any water,” she said.

Yarra Valley Water issued a warning to residents in Kallista, Sherbrooke and The Patch refrain from using tap water on 16 June after it became known that a tank had been damaged in the storm.

“Yarra Valley Water have been amazing.

They put out the message at 2.30am and I received it at 6.30am and by the time I got to school at 7.30am they were already up here with water for everyone. Then around 11am they bought us a tank to use,” she said.

“There are a lot of people up here impacted by power outages, some people are talking about doing a cook-up in our school kitchen.

We’ve been providing lunches and fruit. The community is very strong and they are pulling together,” she said.

Mt Dandenong Primary students working alongside Gladesville Primary students in Kilsyth.

Why was the storm so devastating for the Ranges?

By Taylah Eastwell A Dandenong Ranges based weather forecaster has attributed an “unusual” wind direction to the high-levels of destruction occurring across the Hills overnight on Wednesday 9 June.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster, Stewart Coombs said winds of “at least 120km/h” contributed to the extensive damage that saw trees flatten houses and vehicles, leaving many people trapped requiring rescue.

“The combination of the unusual wind direction, intense wind speeds with gusts reaching at least 120 km/hr in some places and heavy rainfall loosening the roots of trees caused widespread damage to trees.

Unused to the wind direction, many trees were exposed to winds at speeds they were unused to and their root systems and structures weren’t set up to cope with,” Mr Coombs explained.

Mr Coombs said trees in the Dandenong Ranges are “used to northerly and westerly winds”, with the wind travelling from the south to southeast exposing many trees that are normally sheltered from intense winds.

“A deep low pressure system developed quickly over the eastern Bass Strait between Tuesday (8 June) and Wednesday (9 June).

This low moved northwest across eastern Victoria and very strong south to southwest winds were directed across the Dandenong mailcommunity.com.au

Some of the damage in Monbulk following the storm on Wednesday 9 June.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Ranges, Yarra Ranges and central ranges of Victoria as a result,” Mr Coombs said.

Trees were pushed by the winds in a direction they were not used to, resulting in their root systems struggling to hold tight during the windstorm.

“The results were the widespread damage which we have experienced,” Mr Coombs said.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued warnings on Tuesday 8 June that “damaging

winds and heavy rainfall” would lash parts of the state as an east coast low was brewing off the east Gippsland coast.

According to the BoM, the bout of wild weather was brought about by two different low pressure systems in the southern NSW region, with warnings issued early Wednesday that one of them was set to “rapidly deepen near the east Gippsland coast on Wednesday night”.

The morning after the storm, Emerald SES

unit controller Ben Owen told Star News it had been a “full on night”.

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

As of 9am on Thursday 10 June, Emerald SES had attended 438 calls for help overnight.

Most of those call outs 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.

Lilydale SES unit controller Shaun Caulfield agreed, receiving more calls in one week than the unit received for the entire year in 2020.

“I drove around yesterday (13 June) and I was with another member who has been with the SES for over 45 years and I’ve been here for 30 plus years and we were both just going, neither of us have seen this much destruction, entire streets where every house has a tree on it, with varying degrees of damage but pretty much every house has a tree on it,” Mr Caulfield said.

State wide, the SES received over 4,000 calls for help during the wild weather event, and hundreds more in following days as the clean-up continues.

Mr Coombs assured residents that weather had eased, with 1-4mm of rain expected on Tuesday 22 June and light winds returning Wednesday before turning northeast.

Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 9

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 034

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

easy

7

4 7

1 2 5

2 9 9 7 6 8 2 8 9 3 2 1 1 2 5 8 7 5 1 9 6 5 3 4 8 medium

7 3 2 4 8 7 8 2 9

5 9 3

5 6

ACROSS Crumbled (9) Celestial being (5) Tall structure (5) Cue and ball game (9) Maltreatment (5) Lifeless (9) Utmost (7) Football (6) Conquer (6) Defamation (7) Express regret (9) Beget (5) Lab worker (9) Christmas song (5) Hate (5) Nice guy (9)

1 6 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 20 23 25 26 27 28 29

7 8 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 24

No. 034

Australian currency units (7) Evidence of being elsewhere (5) Rubbish (7) Inferior (6) Traditional (9) US Founding Father, Benjamin — (8) Terminate (7) Elevating (7) Add sugar (7) Explanatory drawing (7) Sickness (6) Possessor (5)

DOWN Quaint houses (8) Case (7) Harmony (9) Lofty (7)

1 2 3 4

DECODER

No. 034

1 3

7 8 5 9 3 6 6 2 9

4 3

QUICK CROSSWORD

5 4 6

hard

3 5 6

2

1

7

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12 13

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

21

22

23

24

25

26

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

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”.

K

E

Today’s Aim: 15 words: Good 23 words: Very good

7 4 8 9 6 1 5 2 3

2 8 1 6 5 4 9 3 7

9 5 4 7 2 3 1 8 6

31 words: Excellent

R

B

E

3 2 8 9 1 6 7 4 5

6 4 5 2 3 7 8 9 1

1 9 7 5 4 8 3 6 2

8 3 6 1 7 5 4 2 9

5 7 2 4 8 9 6 1 3

4 1 9 3 6 2 5 7 8

5 1 6 3 8 2 7 9 4

9 2 3 4 7 5 6 8 1

8 5 4 1 9 6 3 7 2

6 9 2 7 3 8 1 4 5

1 3 7 5 2 4 8 6 9

2 8 1 6 4 3 9 5 7

4 7 5 8 1 9 2 3 6

3 6 9 2 5 7 4 1 8

9 1 4 3 6 5 7 8 2

3 8 7 1 4 2 5 6 9

2 5 6 9 7 8 3 1 4

7 6 1 5 8 9 4 2 3

4 2 3 7 1 6 8 9 5

5 9 8 4 2 3 1 7 6

8 4 9 6 5 7 2 3 1

1 3 2 8 9 4 6 5 7

6 7 5 2 3 1 9 4 8

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

C

K A

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4 LETTERS AWAY AWED AWES BETS CHAP GAME GNUS GORY JUNE LEAN PECK PLUS SENT UPON

5 LETTERS ADAPT ADEPT ADORE AGREE ALGAE ALPHA AMASS ANTIC AORTA AROSE ARRAY AWARE CHANT CLOCK COPES EDGES EERIE EJECT ENDOW EVENT

No. 034

GENRE GORGE HARSH HERON IMPLY LACES LUNCH MAMAS MAUVE MEDIA PRESS PROBE SAGAS SCARF SCENE SHADE SHARE SHEER SHRED SMEAR SNEER

SPITE STALL STARS STEAK TEEMS TENET UNDER WASTE WIRED 6 LETTERS CHASES CHASMS FEELER SKEWER

7 LETTERS ARSENIC CERAMIC HURTING POLLUTE PORTICO PROTEIN 8 LETTERS ENTRANTS ESSENCES SCRAPPED SUPPLANT

back, backer, bake, baker, bank, banker, bark, beak, beaker, beck, bracken, brake, break, BREAKNECK, cake, canker, crake, crank, creak, creek, keen, kerb, knack, knacker, knee, neck, rack, rake, rank, reck, reek

7 6 3 8 9 1 2 5 4

hard

5

medium

4

easy

3

7

2

4

1

9 4 3

20

8

19

2 3

3 LETTERS ACE ASK AVO BOA BOP HEM HEN ICE IRS KIT LID LIP MES OAR ONE PEA RAG RUM RUN SAD TEE VIA WAN WIN

C D P HM L F S V U Z E I

5

18

6

Q R 17

3 1

16

2 5

15

7 8

14

3 6

7

X Y G N J A O T K B WQ R

1

5 8 1

WORDFIT

25-06-21

William Matthews Funerals FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

24 HOUR SERVICE ALL AREAS

9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au 10 MAIL

|

Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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mailcommunity.com.au

LAKE HOUSE LIVING SUPERBLY located on one of the premiere streets in the area directly opposite Emerald Lake Park, this family home has everything you’ve been searching for.

It features three living areas and a hostess kitchen with Caesarstone island bench top.

Zoned living is the theme here, the kids bedrooms is separated off the huge rumpus room along with the study. The zoned master bedroom has a large walk in robe with fully renovated ensuite.

The living features a lounge and separate family room with polished floorboards and a fireplace, while the large central bathroom has a bath and separate toilet. Special features include ducted heating and two split systems for all year comfort, and mains water as well as tank water to the house.

There is an over sized double garage and plenty of off-street parking on the sealed drive, including side access to the rear of the block to store your caravan or boat trailer.

Outside features a mix of gardens and grass, showcasing a magnificent collection of rare and unusual fruit trees, including avocados.

There’s also a veggie patch and chook pen and the feature being a magnificent old Oak Tree that provides beautiful shade in the

summer and the winter light shine in.

There is also a great studio with its own little deck as well as a paved covered courtyard – ideal for entertaining. All this

superbly located within a short walk to shops and bus. It’s in between the high school and the primary school and with 125 acres of Emerald Lake Park over the road.

You’ve got the best of both worlds, a great size block of almost ¾ of an acre with the option for the kids to play in the ‘extended back yard’ over the road. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 39 Emerald Lake Road, EMERALD Description: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garage Price: $990,000 - $1,089,000 Inspect: Contact agent Contact: Mick Dolphin: 0429 684 522, Emily Hudson: 0418 570 474, RANGES FIRST NATIONAL

SUBURBAN, COUNTRY & LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES ACROSS THE REGION mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 11

HOME FOCUS

HORSE LOVER’S PARADISE ON FIVE ACRES AN outstanding opportunity exisits to purchase one of the area’s most elite lifestyle properties.

On the fringe of the Dandenong Ranges and only a short distance to local train station, Wellington Road and Eastlink access, this 5 acre retreat is simply sensational. Whether you are searching for a horse property, a small acreage lifestyle change or just some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of today’s living, this versatile property gives you every opportunity to live your best life.

The 55 square family home is only 10 years old. It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. The magnificent master has a resort-style ensuit, plus private retreat and balcony overlooking Cardinia Reservoir.

The theatre room is as impressive as it sounds with a 4K projector system and soundproofing insulation while the rumpus room and family area are the ideal places to relax for quiet nights in.

Quality finishes run throughout the home and can be seen in the striking kitchen that comes complete with spacious WIP, dual drawer dishwasher and stone benchtops.

Modern stacker doors lead out onto the impressive Alfresco entertaining area where indoor and outdoor living combine effortlessly with views from every room.

Outside, the property will just amaze you.

If you are after elite infrastructure then look no further. With direct access to Lysterfield Park riding trails, Wellington Road Equestrian Trail, and an easy walk to Birdsland, this the

perfect location for horse lovers and nature lovers alike.

Although just perfect as it is, if you don’t have horses, the arena area can be easily transformed to a tennis court if that is your preference. Enjoy the peace and quiet that this amount of privacy allows and enjoy the sounds of local birdlife and frogs that gather around the ornamental dam

Property Features:

· Floodlit dressage arena (20 x 58mtrs) with mirrors · Two fully lit stables with automatic water troughs · Tack/feed room with full height roller door to unload · Washing machine and sink in feed room · Toilet and sink at stables to save those

trips to the house

· Six paddocks · Three hay sheds · 12 x 13 x 14mtr shed with 3.5mtr high roller doors · Garaging for up to 17 cars with extra parking area · A secure, double fenced property with direct access to several riding trails. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 1a Denham Road, BELGRAVE SOUTH Description: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 8 garage Price: Expressions of Interest Inspect: Contact Agent Contact: Glenn Chandler 0418 410 689, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 9754 6888 12 MAIL

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Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

mailcommunity.com.au

Ranges WALK TO TOWN

REAL LIFESTYLE OPPORTUNITY

EMERAlD 20/11 WESTLANdS ROAd lOVElY SUnnY UnIT

$500,000-$550,000 2A 1B 1C

Light bright 2 bedroom unit with an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge, sunny front courtyard and rear decking off the main bedroom. Pretty established gardens and a single garage with internal access. Enjoy the lovely community feel of this area, walk into Emerald township, various businesses, medical centre, shops, cafe’s and bus stop. Please note this an over 55’s complex.

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

Emily Hudson 0418 570 474

INVITING FAMILY HOME

FERnY CREEk 140 MT dANdENONG TOURIST Rd MIllIOn DOllAR VIEWS

9754 6111 rangesfn.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

OlInDA 39 UPPER COONARA ROAd PRIVACY PlUS In YOUR OWn WORlD

$1,035,000-$1,138,000 4A 2B 3C

Tucked away in your own private 2 ACRE (8,472 sqm) sanctuary sits this architecturally inspired multi-level amazing home. A stone pillar marks the entrance to a large loop driveway that provides ample extra parking and the property features a 9.5m x 6.8m garage/workshop, sunroom, dramatic open plan living, dream kitchen, octagonal lounge with combustion wood fire, split system, a kids wing with a bathroom between the two bedrooms, large bedroom under perfect for a studio or teenagers retreat/4th bedroom.

Grant Skipsey 0418 528 102

OVER 1/4 ACRE IN SUNNY SILVAN

$1.025M - $1.125M 4A 3B 2C

Lifestyle rings true with this stunning home set upon almost 1/2 an acre with amazing views to the peninsula & bay. Featuring an expansive deck, fully equipped home theatre, parent’s retreat-style bedroom layout, 3 living areas, home office/sitting room, dormer windows, double carport, huge workshop and lower level extra parking (approx. 8 vehicles), this home has it all, creating a relaxing and abundant lifestyle. Ideal central location, close to public & private schools, transport, shopping, cafes and 1000 Steps.

Grant Skipsey 0418 528 102

We put you first

SIlVAn 10 QUEENS ROAd CHARACTER HOME WITH VIEWS

$610,000-$670,000 2A 1B 2C

Silvan is known for its sunny aspect, views, fabulous soil and a wonderful lifestyle. This gorgeous character cottage features high ceilings, 2 bedrooms plus a study, open plan kitchen, dining, lounge and a separate laundry. You are sure to enjoy the wonderful views from the spacious deck and pottering around the garden that boasts over 100 plant varieties and an abundance of fruit trees. A 3.5kw solar system is one of the energy saving aspects, as is the excellent insulation. Outstanding opportunity!

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

“We Put You First”

Emily Hudson 0418 570 474

1 Bayview Rd, Belgrave Shop 2, 24 McBride Street, Cockatoo Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 13

42 Lawsons Road Emerald

$800,000 - $880,000

Lot 1 Orchard Road Gembrook

Asking $2,000,000

Perfectly Positioned!

Land Opportunity!

Situated on ½ acre of well maintained gardens, this 4 bedroom home has a delightful feel with spacious rooms and large radius windows with views of over the rear yard.

The updated kitchen features timber benchtops; the double oven and cooktop nestled into the original combustion cavity. The large living area is sunken with wood heating, and air conditioning and provides access to the large, undercover outdoor entertaining area. There are 3 goodsized bedrooms; the master with full ensuite, the secondary bedrooms serviced by the large main bathroom. Downstairs with separate access is the remaining bedroom, bathroom, and laundry and is perfect place for growing teenagers looking for a little independence. The property is fully fenced and has a sealed driveway with gates, and a double lock-up garage with concrete and power.

Here’s your opportunity to purchase substantial acreage close to town!

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

Contact: Bethany Day 0438 844 968 Grant Day 0417 565 745

1280 Macclesfield Road Yellingbo

The property is over 39 acres of fertile land with gorgeous views of green rolling hills and a small dam, close to sporting facilities, The Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail, and the Gembrook township.

This stunning piece of Residential Land is the place you will want to build your forever home (STCA)!

Inquire today!

Contact Agent

One In A Million Business & Lifestyle Opportunity!

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: Aaron Day 0407 365 994 Bethany Day 0438 844 968

bellrealestate.com.au 14 MAIL

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Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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

41 Kaola Street, BELGRAVE SENSATIONAL HILLS LIVING CENTRAL TO AMENITIES

$690,000 - $750,000 3A 2B

This thoughtfully renovated home featuring polished floorboards, vaulted ceilings, and exposed beams boasts a brilliant array of modern features and is ready for you to move right in. The versatile 4-bedroom floorplan features a main bedroom with ensuite and WIR, another with its own external access, plus a home office/retreat with BIR for flexibility.

FOR SALE

116 Old Belgrave Road, UPWEY

$790,000 - $870,000

CHARACTER + LOCATION = THE PERFECT PROPERTY!

4A 2B 2C

Situated in the heart of Upwey only a short walk from the main shopping village and local schools, this two-storey family home is the perfect property when it comes to location, character and charm. Four bedrooms plus two bathrooms provide plenty of space for a growing family and there is also a spacious, convenient home office for those wanting their own space to work from home.

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

Suzie Brannelly

Belinda Duivenvoorden

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

M 0409 997 173 | E belinda@chandlerandco.com.au

FOR SALE

1a Denham Road, BELGRAVE SOUTH

LIFESTYLE 5 ACRES - LUXURY LIVING & A GRADE HORSE FACILITES

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST 5A 3B 8C

House features: 55 sq. quality family home, ten years young, resort style master retreat and balcony overlooking Cardinia Reservoir, theatre room, gas heating, evaporative & refrigerated cooling, underroof garaging for 8 cars. Whether you are searching for a horse property, a small acreage lifestyle change or just some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of today’s living, this versatile property gives you every opportunity to live your best life!

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

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

Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

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MAIL 15

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CALL AFTER HOURS 5968 3140

9870 7059 FAIRBAIRNS HEATING & COOLING www.fairbairns.com.au Est. 1982

PLUMBING CONTRACTORS Lic No. 29938 General Plumbing Gas Fitting Hot & Cold Water Roof & Spouting Pumps & Tanks Farm Water Boring & Trenching Sewerage Connections Septics & Sand Filters

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Daniel Brown Mobile: 0409 395 635

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*OUFSJPST t &YUFSJPST 12456635-CG32-20

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Fully detailed Quotations, 2 Copies. Interior and Exterior Quality * Quality * Quality 12399022-LB38-18

DANDENONG RANGES PAINTING SERVICE

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EST. 1984 29 Years’ Experience All work guaranteed

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Call Steve 0417 192 009

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1170652-HM05-15

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PETER’S FENCING and GATES All types of fencing – rural, timber or colorbond Gates and Retaining Walls Expert Work at Mates Rates No job too small

C456410-KK31-6

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V Painters/Decorators

Alan 5968 5191 Mob 0418 176 159 FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS. Plumbing & Gas Fitting, Excavator Hire, Water Renewals, Metal Roof & Gutters, Hot Water Unit Repair & Replacement, All Sanitary & Stormwater Drainage, Septic, Sewer & Treatment Plants, Pumps & Rain Water Tanks.

Richard - 0419 502 949 Simon - 0417 399 750

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Trades & Services

Employment

V Plumbing

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DAWSONS 12382862-RA13-18

FRIENDLY SERVICE!

V Septic Tanks

YARRA VALLEY SEPTIC TANK CLEANING

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SERVICING THE PATCH AREA FOR OVER TEN YEARS

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C936869-KK25-11

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Emergency Plumbing Hot Water Blocked Drains Taps and Toilets Water Leaks And more...

9735 3700

Mobile 0419 131 958 SERVICING ALL AREAS BOB WALLACE AND SONS

Lic No. 116785

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Lic 106275

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• No Fuss • No Mess • No Stress

☎ 9720 5111

12450405-AM23-20

Lifetime Warranty!

Member HIA and MBA www.windows1.net.au

Plumbing Contractor Reg No. 15348

• Domestic • Commercial • Installation & Maintenance • Sewerage Connections • Septic Tanks & Stormwater Drains • Drain Blockages • Burst Pipes • LPG to Natural Gas Conversions • Hot Water Service Repairs & Renewals • Spouting, Roofing Repairs & Installation

FULLY INSURED

12447720-LB18-20

9754 6686

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paulnobes@live.com.au

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

It is now an offence to advertise unless the source number and microchip identification number is included in the advertisement or notice.

For further information, call 136 186 or visit animalwelfare.vic.gov.au

TELEPHONE SALES Inbound/Outbound Our Classifieds team is looking for a motivated, passionate and reliable individual who loves a challenge and enjoys a fast paced team environment.

Work close to home with free onsite parking at our office in Pakenham. Your day will be kept busy servicing existing clients and making cold outbound calls to gain new business.

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MAIL 17

SPORT

Bloods bank gutsy win over Doveton

By Nick Creely That’s as gutsy a win as it gets.

The Olinda Ferny Creek Football Netball community is doing it tough at the moment without power and facing a hefty clean up after the devastation of Victoria’s recent storms.

But the Bloods dug deep to clinch a potentially season-defining win on the road against Doveton - a win built off sheer will and desperation, and hopefully putting a smile on the faces of those working through a challenging period. It’s a win that everyone involved within the club should be extremely proud of.

Earlier in the week, with community sport very much in limbo and the storms adding another hurdle to overcome up in the hills, AFL Outer East region general manager Aaron Bailey said that the return of the game could be a real “blessing“ for impacted sporting communities such as Olinda Ferny Creek - who are not expected to have power until atleast mid-July - as well as Yarra Glen.

“The storms have certainly heavily affected those communities,” he said.

“A lot of clubs still don’t have any power, but as a league we feel that the return of footy and netball could be a real blessing for those communities.”

A blessing it was for the Bloods, who for at least two hours could clear their heads and bring home a memorable win for the community - who due to Covid restrictions were barred from attending the match.

Brendan Donovan’s group pulled away in a dominant final term, booting six goals to one to set up a 49-point win, 10.17 (77) to 3.10 (28).

Aside from a pretty lacklustre opening half, in which four goals were scored between the two sides, the Bloods looked to have the measure thereafter, showcasing some attacking football and a hard-nosed attitude at the contest.

Despite kicking a disappointing 2.8 in the third term, the Bloods pulled away to a 15-point three quarter time lead, but were peppering the goals in an ominous fashion with the midfield group in particular getting on top.

The shackles were finally broken in the final term as the Bloods looked to solidify their position in the top five, gaining some percentage in a clinical display.

Lachlan Taylor (one goal) was particularly outstanding for the visitors to be clear best afield, Kelsey Currie and Pat Rosier were all class, while Nick Keegan and Heath Hocking were the two multiple goal kickers.

The song - as expected - was sung with plenty of gusto.

Woori Yallock, meanwhile, played some valiant football, but were overpowered by a slick Beaconsfield unit, 11.10 (76) to 3.7 (25).

A slow start was the catalyst for the Tigers’ loss, but Jack Cole’s group fought back hard in the second term and early in the third, before the sheer power and class of the visitors took hold.

The Eagles slammed on seven goals to two in the second half to run away 51-point winners, with Harrison Coe and Jamie Plumridge impressive.

Mitch Bonuda played in his 300th game for Olinda Football Club.

Picture: TREVOR CURRIE

Milestone for Bonuda

By Frank Seal

Alex Marsh charges away for Woori Yallock on Saturday. 241244 For the Tigers, Kane Thompson was the standout with a consistent four-quarter display.

And Narre Warren got the job done against Upwey Tecoma at The Superdome, 12.15 (87) to 5.3 (33).

Despite a competitive display from the Tigers, the reigning premiers took control after quarter time with 11 goals to four in the remaining three quarters.

In the remaining Premier Division match, Cranbourne just got the edge over Pakenham, 7.12 (54) to 6.6 (42).

The Division 1 blockbuster clash between Gembrook Cockatoo and Monbulk was called off and declared a draw in the first term, with a Monbulk suffering a strong knock in a marking contest.

He is now home resting after being discharged from hospital on Saturday night in extremely positive news after earlier fears he suffered a serious neck injury.

Officer, however, banked a massive win on the road, holding out against Seville, 8.3 (51) to 6.7 (43).

Both sides barely gave an inch in a highly contested slog in tough conditions, with the margin barely swaying above double figures in an absorbing battle.

The lead swung rapidly throughout - the Kangaroos led by five at quarter time, before the home side bit back to take a seven point lead at the major break.

Despite only taking a two-point lead heading into the final term, Doug Koop’s group kicked three goals to two to snare a huge win in the context of their season.

Ben O’Loughlin was simply superb for the Roos, while Jacob Brady, Jake Ingaliso and ball magnet Anthony Bernardo played starring roles.

Picture: ROB CAREW

Woori’s Jason Lindgren ducks as he is surrounded by opposition players. 241244 In the other matches, Mt Evelyn was a class above Healesville, 22.18 (150) to 5.7 (37) with Cal Urquhart slamming on five goals, while Emerald overpowered Belgrave after quarter time to bank a dominant win, 18.17 (125) to 2.6 (18).

Division 2 saw some interesting results across the board, with Powelltown overcoming Kinglake in a quality game of football, 14.16 (90) to 10.7 (67).

With Michael Fowkes in an ominous mood with six goals, the Demons overcame a halftime deficit to kick nine goals to four in the second half.

Alexandra also banked a huge win against Broadford, 20.8 (128) to 1.9 (15), Warburton Millgrove clawed back from a three quarter time deficit to down Yarra Junction, 9.11 (65) to 8.6 (54), with Shaun Marusic the star, while Yarra Glen was too good for Yea, 10.12 (72) to 2.6 (18).

Little athletes overjoyed to hit the track

By Jamie Strudley After two weeks of lockdown followed by a storm for the ages, Yarra Ranges Athletics managed to bring some fun back to the community over the weekend. The return of Saturday morning cross country, this week at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve in Kilsyth, brought joy and fun to all the athletes and parents attending.

The course was in spectacular cross country condition, sunny overhead and a wet underfoot. With choccy frogs up for grabs for a course PB, the athletes were keen to have a 18 MAIL

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Tuesday, 22 June, 2021

crack. Athletes started in Covid friendly waves of less than 20 making for many interesting races. Well done to all who participated, as the club looks forward to seeing you this coming Saturday at Lillydale Lake.

Senior club athletes get the opportunity to represent the club at round 3 of AV XCR season. A return to Cruden Farm, Langwarrin awaits the team with all expecting a challenging course complete with the obligatory mud pit. Recent, and forecast, rain will certainly improve the condition of the mud pit.

Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability. Club training continues with 6-12yo training on Wednesdays at Morrison Reserve from 4pm with Kate and open age training on Tuesdays from 5.30pm at Morrison Reserve and Thursdays from 5.30pm at Victoria Rd Primary School gym.

For information on training, how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit the website at yarrarangesathletics.org.au or on Facebook.

The hills community is a resilient one.

On the tail end of another Covid lockdown, the unprecedented storm last Wednesday destroyed many homes and left families devastated.

With power cut off and locals unable to prepare meals at home, the Olinda footy ground served as a hub and a refuge for the local community. And in the midst of the chaos the Olinda Ferny Creek Bloods returned to the training track during the week.

It was also a special week within the senior group at Olinda, as anticipation built over Mitch Bonuda’s 300th game.

Olinda coach Brendan Donovan emphasised a focus on playing this game for Mitch, and for everyone who had dedicated time to helping others in the community after a difficult week.

And so, the Bloods travelled down to Doveton on a sunny Saturday afternoon to take on the Doves.

The first quarter was scrappy with skill errors and the forwards were unable to finish. Young star Tyler Belloni was frenetic and provided great run off half back.

Handy inclusion Heath Hocking got the scoreboard underway and gave Olinda a one goal lead at the break.

The second quarter saw Doveton gain the ascendancy with the Bloods providing only token defence and going through the motions in probably their worst quarter for the season.

Milestone man Mitch Bonuda was able to score a goal, but the home team went into the break with a three-point lead.

After a spray from the coach for a “garbage” quarter, Olinda had to start again from scratch.

The Bloods began to dominate possession and had the ball in their forward half for much of the quarter.

Despite goals to Rankin and Keegan, accuracy was poor with seven behinds for the term. But Olinda had saved some face and led by 14 points at the change.

With an early fourth quarter goal Doveton was able to narrow the margin to eight points.

With ruckman Shaun Atkinson injured, Josh Wallis began to take over in the middle, and hard nuts Pat Rosier and Kelsey Currie were winning plenty of contested footy.

Spear-head Lachy Taylor also could not be beaten in the air or on the ground, taking contested marks and laying tackles.

Inspired by a massive run-down tackle from Daniel Toma, Olinda took control of the match, piling on six unanswered goals and looking very potent in front of the ball.

They made hard work of it but ticked off an important 49-point win - a fitting result for Bonuda’s 300th.

The Olinda reserves (14-8-92) comfortably accounted for Doveton (3-6-24).

The Olinda u/19s had a bye. mailcommunity.com.au

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FIXTURES - ROUND 15 Thursday, June 24 .......................................................... Brisbane vs Geelong Friday, June 25 .............................................................. Richmond vs St Kilda Saturday, June 26 ..................................North Melbourne vs Gold Coast Suns Saturday, June 26 ...................................................Collingwood vs Fremantle Saturday, June 26 ......................................................Essendon vs Melbourne

Saturday, June 26 ......................................................Port Adelaide vs Sydney Sunday, June 27 ................................................................. GWS vs Hawthorn Sunday, June 27 ...........................................West Coast vs Western Bulldogs Sunday, June 27 ............................................................... Carlton vs Adelaide

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