Mail - Upper Yarra Star Mail - 14th September 2021

Upper Yarra

Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

Mail

Cases grow in the Yarra Ranges

Woori Yallock shop owners sign off

Calls to help Leadbeater’s Possums

TarraWarra exhibition educates online

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A tribute to local icon If you’ve lived in the Yarra Ranges for some time or a frequent visitor, the chances are you’ve seen ‘The Walking Man’ on your travels through the region.

The man behind the legend was Joe Pulcin, a gentle soul who sadly passed away in July.

Joe’s neighbour and friend Inga Cogan shared with the Star Mail a great insight into the man who was an inspiration to so many.

Turn to page 6 to read his tribute

Cartoonist and illustrator Danny Zemp was one of many who saw Joe walking through the region.

Cartoon: DANNY ZEMP

Regional divide There’s been fresh calls for areas in the Yarra Ranges to classified as regional following the release of the regions from the lockdown.

Eildon MP Cindy McLeish is leading the charge to parliament but said it’s driven by

local residents desires with a survey she’s running having over a thousand signatures.

“They [residents] feel like and believe that they live in regional Victoria they don’t believe they live in metropolitan Melbourne,” Ms McLeish said.

“The upper Yarra and the Yarra Valley is dotted by small towns and they are quite removed from the city. You’ve got cattle, you’ve got vineyards, farmland, little country towns - you don’t have that built up metropolis.”

The regional classification has been an issue since metro and regional areas were split

for state lockdowns.

The Yarra Ranges Council also put through a formal request last September to the State Government to reclassify smaller townships as regional.

Continued page 3

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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IN BRIEF Man dies in Yellingbo

Local cases spike Covid-19 cases in the Yarra Ranges have spiked over the last week, with the shire recording a further 10 active cases in five days.

This brings the total number of cases to 20 as at Monday 13 September, with four cases announced in the 24 hours prior.

These cases were recorded in the postcodes of 3138 and 3766, being the Mooroolbark area and Kalorama area respectively.

The Yarra Ranges is on par with the council area of Knox but has the highest number of active cases compared to other surrounding councils including Maroondah, Cardinia, Monash, Whitehorse, Murrindindi, Nillumbik and Manningham.

According to the most recent Australian Department of Health local government vaccine rollout data released on 5 September, the Yarra Ranges also has lower than average vaccine rates when compared to local councils with similar population sizes.

Currently, of the 129,169 population aged 15 and over, 59.6 per cent have received their first dose and 36.2 per cent have received their second dose.

Knox Council has a population of 135,647, with 61.7 per cent having received a first dose and 38.1 per cent receiving a second dose.

Of Whitehorse Council’s 149,611 eligible population, 63.1 per cent have had their first vaccine and 40.7 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

munities across the Yarra Valley, and potentially residents in Murrindindi Shire, who do not have access to vaccination clinics close by,” she said.

“The council has written to the Victorian Minister for Health, The Hon. Martin Foley, requesting resources to enable EACH to establish an additional Covid-19 vaccination service at Coldstream Community Hall.

“A new 10 booth vaccination at Coldstream would enhance access to vaccinations for communities across the Yarra Valley, and potentially also for residents of Murrindindi Shire.

“These areas are popular tourist destinations that connect directly to regional Victoria.

Achieving high vaccination rates in these communities will be essential as restrictions ease in parts of the state.”

Mayor McAllister also said by establishing another vaccination centre in Coldstream, it would help close the vaccine gap between council areas and within the shire itself.

The council’s analysis of the Australian Immunisation Register indicated that vaccination rates in the Yarra Valley – which includes regional townships such as Healesville and Yarra Junction – were lower than the municipality overall.

“We have estimated with confidence that 49 per cent of those aged over 16 in the Yarra Valley had received a first dose and 30 per cent a second, compared to 53.6 per cent and 31.8 per cent respectively in the broader municipality.”

As announced on Sunday 12 September by Premier Daniel Andrews, a number of Yarra Ranges locations will be included in the 100 pop-up vaccination centres coming to the suburbs most in need of vaccines.

“We are tailoring our vaccination rollout to remove any barriers that might otherwise stop someone from getting vaccinated. There are a million reasons to get vaccinated and vaccination is our only way out of this pandemic,” Premier Andrews said.

Yarra Ranges Council mayor Fiona McAllister, along with her fellow councillors, has been actively requesting the extension of vaccination facilities in the shire and was pleased to hear the Yarra Ranges had been included.

Pop-up clinics will be located in the postcodes 3799, 3139, 3770, 3777, 3138, 3781, 3796, 3137, 3140, 3765, 3775 and 3116 in coming weeks, with more details to be released in the DHHS website.

The first of these clinics will be located in Yarra Junction, with Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) setting up a facility to welcome 200 walk-ins a day from Monday 13 September until Wednesday 15 September between the hours of 10am and 3.30pm.

Mayor McAllister said this was welcome news for the Upper Yarra area and hopes this will help get people vaccinated quicker so that the state can be released from current restrictions.

“While this is welcome news for our Upper Yarra communities, there are still many com-

Push to go regional continues From page 1 A reclassification of The Ryrie Ward, O’Shannassy Ward and some communities of Chandler Ward were part of the motion, due to the isolated communities strongly detached from a metro way of life.

Ms McLeish said it is possible for the State Government and Chief Health Officer to enforce restrictions by postcode.

“There’s no reason why they can’t declare by postcode if they want, they’ve made some changes previously.”

And also currently - while Greater Shepparton remains in lockdown and the rest of the regions open up.

Ms McLeish said if Covid-19 cases rise in certain areas, as they currently are in some parts of the Yarra Ranges, they can have a similar swift lockdown to contain cases.

“Look at Shepparton, now that they’ve opened up regional Victoria they’re keeping Shepparton closed, they do have the discretion, it’s not all or nothing - you can work with it.

“Generally the classification could be regional and if there’s an issue in certain areas then you could look at restrictions being in place.”

Yarra Ranges resident Barb Hegarty wrote

to the Mail last week, discussing how the Commonwealth Government map classifies the Yarra Ranges Shire as rural.

“I understand that since the initial lockdown this [State] Government has consistently been advised of local concerns and government documents related to the rural status of some areas - local member Cindy McLeish, shire representation and local businesses – but the government has not been prepared to listen and act on this local and logical advice,” Ms Hegarty wrote.

“With their ‘one rule suits all’ practice, the State Government has obviously determined that the entire YRS meets the criteria to be classified as Melbourne Metropolitan – despite other government documentation determining otherwise.

“Surely, it is time that the State Government took the time to address this situation and reconsider at least the YRS Wards of Ryrie and O’Shannassy, while acknowledging and respecting the needs of these local communities that have been additionally disadvantaged by this unrealistic classification.”

However, there is some concerns from business owners if restrictions ease in the area without Melbourne, businesses who rely on metro visitors would suffer and be unable to access government funding.

Willow and Jackson cafe owner Steph Deveson said those relying on tourism would struggle with out support packages.

“I agree with a lot of what people are saying is that we are technically regional and we need to open up and things, but I think because I’m so reliant on tourism if we opened up now and only allowed regionally, there’s still not enough support.”

“To open up and then remove all of the government support it would destroy me, personally, others might be different but I rely on tourism at the moment so I just couldn’t give up the government funding.”

A State Government spokesperson said as exposure sites and thousands of close contacts spread across Melbourne, the Chief Health Officer advises stay at home restrictions stay in place across metropolitan Melbourne.

“The definition of metropolitan Melbourne includes 31 local government areas, and is based on the Planning and Environment Act 1987. This definition has been used throughout the pandemic and there are no plans to change it,” they said.

“No one wants to be in this position but we know the delta variant moves faster than anything we’ve ever seen before.”

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Do you know someone great in your community?

Applications are now open for Yarra Ranges Council’s 2022 Australia Day Awards, where residents are encouraged to nominate people who are doing wonderful things in their local community.

Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Fiona McAllister, said the awards were a great opportunity for people to recognise those who have made their community a better place to live.

“As we know, between the pandemic and the storm in June, it’s been a really tough year for our communities,” Cr McAllister said.

“But through this time there have been many shining examples of community members doing some inspiring things to help others and make a positive impact on those around them.

“I encourage everyone to have a think about someone who they’ve seen doing great things in their community over the past 12 months, and to fill out a nomination form and put them forward for an award.”

Nominations close 5pm, Friday 5 November, 2021.

Rounding up dangerous drivers As part of the TAC funded road safety operations in the police service areas of Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges, multiple drivers were caught over the weekend of 11 and 12 September.

A 47-year-old female driver speeding was monitored doing 81 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood. She was found to be unlicensed and returned a positive result for illicit drugs. Her vehicle was impounded for 30 days, with a fine of $932 and she was charged on summons.

A 23-year-old male driver was also detected driving at a speed of 96 km/h in an 80 km/h zone along Maroondah Highway in Croydon.

The driver also failed to obey a red traffic light, with penalties totalling $817 and a loss of 6 demerit points. The vehicle was issued a defect notice.

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Police will prepare a report for the Coroner following the death of two people in Cockatoo 10 September.

Investigators believe a tree fell onto a vehicle as it was travelling on Woori Yallock Road around 10.30am.

Sadly, the two vehicle occupants died at the scene.

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Two dead after tree falls

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Police and emergency services responded to reports of a male who was located deceased in Yellingbo on Sunday 12 September.

The 38-year-old Warburton man was located deceased on the side of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road about 12.30am.

A motorbike was located near the man.

The exact cause of the man’s death is yet to be determined but it is believed he may have been riding the motorcycle and crashed earlier in the evening.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have been travelling along Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road late on Saturday evening to check dashcam footage and contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 if they have any information.

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Storms drop seeds Mountain Ash trees that fell in the devastating June storms are providing a rare opportunity for seed collection.

The fallen trees have enabled land managers and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning seed collectors to build their stores of Dandenong Ranges Mountain Ash seed, with many fallen trees full of seed following a mass flowering event last year.

The tiny seed capsules are usually found 30 metres up in the tree canopy where they can only be accessed by qualified seed collectors but with so many trees brought down by the storms, land managers have the rare opportunity to gather seed at ground level.

“Ensuring our sensitive alpine forests are

re-seeded following fires is critical and this opportunity for seed collection is one that couldn’t be missed,” Energy, Environment and Climate Change minister Lily D’Ambrosio said.

The Alpine and Mountain Ash forests were severely affected by the 2019/20 bushfires as well as previous fires.

The seed collection is part of a Labor government initiative to collect and store seed to help our forests recover from extreme fire and weather events.

Many of our forests are adapted to regenerate after fires, but our alpine forests are fire sensitive and may not recover if another fire occurs before the trees can reach maturity and

produce their own seed.

In stage one of the Forest Restoration Project the department, with partners VicForests, Parks Victoria and contractors from regional Victoria, aerially seeded about 11,500 hectares of the bushfire affected forest.

Stage two of the project will see VicForests and other contractors continue to deliver this important work, focusing on rebuilding seed stores and putting arrangements in place to more rapidly respond to future events.

Seed collection needs to take place to ensure availability of stored seeds for this incredible tree, with the collection relying on suitable conditions for bud, flower and seed maturity over several years.

Lived data With the increase in severe disasters in Australia in the last decade, new research

by Australian Red Cross has found for the first time that preparing for a disaster has a positive impact on recovery.

Lead author Red Cross National Resilience Adviser John Richardson said the research looking at the emergency experiences of 165 people who lived through disasters between 2018 and 2019 proved for the first time that the more prepared people feel, the lower their stress levels at the time and better their recovery after an emergency.

“We know that the level of preparedness is low in Australia, with around 10 per cent of people saying they take some form of action, and we know the impacts of disasters are increasing, through climate change, increasing disadvantage and urbanisation, so the need for people to take action is urgent,” he said.

Key findings Six months after a disaster more than three in five people had not recovered.

The more prepared people felt they were, the less stressed they were at the time of the disaster. And the more people were stressed, the worse their state of recovery was, even ten years after their disaster.

Those on low incomes were over-represented among those who said they had not yet recovered (67 per cent compared to 56 per cent).

The research also highlights the importance of family and friends, with around 70 per cent of people saying they sought support from these people, regardless of whether they’d recovered.

A greater proportion of those who had not yet recovered required government assistance, did not get any preparedness education and if they did it was more often through friends and not Australian Red Cross, relative to those who had recovered at the time of the survey.

The source of preparedness advice mattered to peoples’ feelings of being in control and confidence in the decisions made during the disaster. Those who received preparedness advice from Australian Red Cross were more likely to feel in control of their actions during an emergency. Those who received preparedness advice from multiple sources such as Fire Service, SES, CFS, local government or workplace in addition to Australian Red Cross were the most likely to feel confident with their decisions during an emergency.

When we looked at the actions people wished they’d done, the most common responses were making copies and protecting important documents such as wills, ID and financial papers, followed by protecting items of sentimental value, and managing stress.

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COVID-19 has affected all of us, but there is a way forward. It’s time to arm yourself by getting vaccinated. Protect yourself and the people you care about.

The sooner we all do it, the sooner we’ll get through it.

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Monty and Dot at the opening of the supermarket in 1986.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Glenn, Bernadette and Dot Stephens had 600 employees working for them over the time at the supermarket.

Staff were part of one big family.

Decades of loyal service

By Renee Wood The Stephens family has been serving the Woori Yallock community for almost 40 years but the time has come for the family to sign off on their last shift.

Dot, Glenn and Bernadette Stephens sold Foodworks in March this year to retire and embrace family life.

The family’s journey first began in August 1983 when Dot and Monty Stephens purchased the local general store and the family lived behind it.

“Monty, my husband was in the police force and had to retire because of ill health, and he was tired of not doing anything so he saw this general store for sale,” Dot said.

“We didn’t have any experience but we decided we’d give it a go and Glenn came and worked with us.”

Three years later they purchased a site on Warburton Highway and built and opened

Goodfellows, which is now known today as Foodworks.

It was a true family business as Dot, Monty, Glenn and his wife Bernadette worked in the supermarket.

The business continued to grow as did local support, with the store expanding into shops around it.

“We went into the shop next door and we extended all the shelving, it was like all of a sudden we were a supermarket and people really liked it,” Bernadette said.

“We were able to extend all the aisles, we moved the deli into the new store, we put all the fresh fruit and veggies and meat in there, and made that a fresh food section.”

A big highlight was also building the drive through bottle shop 24 years ago.

“We had a little bottle shop in the supermarket and you could see all the traffic going past and I thought I’ve got to get a piece of that and then we put the drive through on and it

went great,” Glenn said.

“That was the best thing we ever did,” Bernadette said.

The bottle shop also won an award under Cheers, named the Country Store of the Year in 1998.

Over the decades, the community was always at the heart of the operation as they sponsored several community groups, sporting clubs, child cares, schools, charities and more.

Before Monty passed away in 1995, he also visited the primary school once a month to present pen awards to the student named Aussie of the month.

The store offered free delivery locally and last year online shopping became part of its vital service when the family worked through the pandemic providing essential supplies to residents.

Supporting local food and wine producers was also a top priority for the business.

It was a place for loyal customers to shop, getting top class service with staff carrying groceries to cars, plus a place staff were known as family.

Friendships and even marriages among young staff members blossomed, as staff stayed for decades and new generations came in for their first jobs.

“I always picked the staff from the parents that came into the shop and shopped with us, and now we’ve got different ones that work for us, that their parents worked with us,” Dot said.

The Stephens said over 600 employees worked for them, with some still remaining today under the new owners.

“I was a bit sad when we sold it, but I knew it was time, I loved all of my staff,” Dot said.

“I’d like to thank all the loyal staff over the years it’s been fantastic and all the loyal customers that have shopped with us over the years. We thank you for your support and we miss you all,” Glenn said.

Multi-million dollar project to resurface Ranges roads

By Mikayla van Loon Roads in the Yarra Ranges can be unpredictable - going from asphalt to gravel to dirt in a matter of metres.

Under Yarra Ranges Council’s $150 million federally funded Roads for the Community Initiative project, unsealed roads will be getting a makeover.

Roads across the Dandenong Ranges, urban area and Yarra Valley have been prioritised under the scheme to be sealed over a 10 year period.

In September 2019, the council gave first priority to the construction of unsealed roads bordering schools, preschools and key community facilities.

Priority was also given to roads that would complete the sealed road network and to unsealed roads within the urban growth boundary with high property density.

Yarra Ranges Council director of environment and infrastructure, Mark Varmalis said the community has been an integral part of sealing these roads.

“During the survey phase of the project, the openness from landowners has been wonderful and is providing a positive feeling that the council is making a significant difference,” he said.

“Many landowners have commented about their excitement at the prospect of their road being sealed in the near future.” mailcommunity.com.au

Hyne Street Lilydale will be sealed under a special charge scheme and the Roads for the Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Community initiative. 250145 Feedback from residents has been positive, with many residents pleased to not have to deal with dust and dirt for much longer.

“Desperately want this project to proceed.

The dust is unbearable. The road is too busy not to be sealed,” one resident said.

So far, phase one of the road sealing project has been completed in the 2019/2020 and

2020/2021 years, seeing a total of 6.3km being resurfaced.

While a number of those roads, including Joy Avenue Mount Evelyn, McGregor Avenue Healesville, Chalet Road Olinda and Allenby Road Lilydale, have been fully funded by the Federal government some road sealing projects will require resident contributions.

A total of 21.6km of road is expected to be

resurfaced in the next stage of the project, which should be completed by 2023.

Over 1000 properties in Seville, Warburton, Lilydale, Millgrove, Healesville, Badger Creek and Belgrave Heights will benefit from these sealed roads.

Roads like Hyne Street Lilydale and Menzies Road Menzies Creek have been issued an intention to levy a special charge, meaning residents will contribute to the funding of sealing these roads for them to be finished by 2023.

As at August this year, a further 26km of road had been identified for construction in Yarra Junction, Mount Evelyn, Woori Yallock, Upwey, Wandin North and Monbulk.

To date, construction on 49km of road has begun, with the council expecting to seal a total of 187km by the end of 2028.

“We know that sealing unsealed roads is important for the residents that live on them, to reduce dust and improve all weather access,” Mr Varmalis said.

“This project is estimated to help more than 7,700 families and residents in Yarra Ranges to get their roads sealed in the next 10 years, which will be a great result for the municipality and people who visit the region.”

For long-time residents, this couldn’t come soon enough.

“We are very happy with this project. We have lived here for 40 plus years and dust has been a problem.”

Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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Goodbye ‘Walking Man’

By Renee Wood If you’ve lived in the Yarra Ranges for some time or visited here often, the chances are you’ve seen ‘The Walking Man’ striding on a trek through the region with two walking sticks.

The man behind the legend and familiar sight was Chirnside Park resident Joe Pulcin, but sadly The Walking Man has taken his final steps and passed away on Sunday 15 August, just shy of his 86th birthday.

Joe was a well loved member of the community, named The Walking Man and previously known as ‘The Running Man’ with Joe unknowingly made his presence felt one step at a time since 1984.

Joe was seen as an explorer but he was also filled with kindness and had a caring nature, something his neighbours the Cogan family came to learn after moving next door to him nine years ago.

Inga Cogan said, “Joe was a soft hearted, soft natured man who kept to himself, we couldn’t have asked for a better neighbour. He will be dearly missed by so many.”

The Cogan’s met their neighbour when they moved in just before Christmas and he quickly became a close friend.

“Christmas Day came and we noticed he had no visitors, we prepared a plate of hot Christmas lunch and took it over to him.

“Our then one year old Darcy walked up to Joe with his arms up wanting a hug, Joe put his two walking sticks down, knelt on one knee and picked up Darcy and gave him a cuddle.

“We introduced ourselves, gave him his meal and told him we were always there if he needed anything.

“Joe shed a tear, gave us all a hug and wrote us a note to say thank you, we realised then that he couldn’t speak. From then on we took Joe over regular meals.

“In the end he was more than a neighbour, he was an extended part of our family.”

Joe was Croatian and arrived in Australia in 1964 and after 20 years he moved to Chirnside Park, which is where he started out on his adventures through the region, becoming an inspiration to many.

“Joe would walk everywhere, no matter whether it was sunny, cold, raining or blistering hot - if Joe wanted to walk, he would, if Joe needed to go to the shops, he would.”

Ms Cogan said nothing stopped Joe from getting out and about but home was also his happy place.

“He liked to wander around his garden and he would do incredible things with tree branches.

“When a tree started to grow a bit out of control, he would twist the branches around itself and around the tree, making such pretty and intriguing patterns.”

Joe was also a lover of music and artistry and was a talented guitar player and painter.

“He would often sit on his back verandah for hours playing different tunes. He was also a talented painter, with an easel set up in his living room.”

Sadly Joe’s journey has now come to an end as he walked on to his next life, he will be deeply missed by the community and friends.

“Joe’s passing has brought great sadness to our entire community.

“It is going to be a very different Spring and Summer in particular, not seeing Joe walking the streets of the Yarra Valley with his walking sticks,” Ms Cogan said.

Inga Cogan captured this moment on Christmas Day when then one year old Darcy was greeted with love by Joe Pulcin.

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Calls to help Leadbeater

By Renee Wood

The Leadbeater’s Possum is Victoria’s faunal emblem.

The Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum issued an urgent call for a recovery plan to be released to help the critically endangered species. Pictures: JUSTIN CALLY - WILDLIFE OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

The group believes a recovery team dedicated to its survival will work on highlighting the need for old growth logging to stop earlier than 2030 in Victoria.

“We understand the recovery plan does include some important statements relating to the reduction of the threats to Leadbeater’s Possum, particularly in terms of destruction of its habitat, which is the logging that’s happening in the mountain ash forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria,” Mr Meacher said.

“If we allow them to log out the last of the 1939 regrowth trees, that will mean all of that group of forests has been lost and Leadbeater’s Possum will either have become extinct by then or it will be on an unrecoverable path to extinction.”

Although a Federal Government spokesperson said a recovery team is a matter for the State Government.

“Recovery teams are a way to achieve collaboration and coordination in threatened species management however, they are not necessarily just a commonwealth led arrangement,” they said.

“Given the management of Leadbeater is the responsibility of the Victorian Government under the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs), a recovery team or other governance system is a matter for the Victorian Government.”

The Group hopes urgency will be placed on saving the species and its habitat, connecting it with reducing carbon emissions and protecting water supplies, as the Mountain Ash forests supports most of Victoria’s water supplies for both Melbourne’s drinking water and food production in Northern Victoria.

“South of the Great Divide, which is where these forests are based, there are several areas that were set aside as early as the 1890s to pro-

vide drinking water for the City of Melbourne,” Mr Meacher said.

“And north of the divide, the water runs into the Goulburn Murray system and supports the irrigated farming of Northern Victoria.

“So anybody who drinks water in Melbourne has within their own bodies at this moment a direct interest in protecting these forests.”

A Federal Government spokesperson said the Leadbeater’s Possum is protected by a comprehensive Conservation Advice established in 2019.

“Under RFA, conservation advices and recovery plans are defined as Statutory Conservation Planning Documents and are given equal standing to guide management and recovery of threatened species, and Forestry operations undertaken in RFA’s must be conducted in line with conservation advice,” they said.

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The Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum group has called on the Federal Environment Minister to release a recovery plan to help save the endangered species.

The open letter addressed to Minister Sussan Ley asked for the immediate release of the plan, to urgently reconvene a recovery team and provide appropriate funding ‘to protect the unique species and reverse its decline.’

In 2015 the Leadbeater’s Possum was uplisted as critically endangered, which is the last step before a species is named ‘extinct in the wild’ however, the plan to save it hasn’t been updated since the 90s.

The Group questioned why it’s taking several years to release the revised recovery plan after the draft was issued five years ago.

Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum President Steve Meacher said Minister Ley formally acknowledged it’s critically endangered status in 2019.

“There should be no need to do a major revision of the draft that was prepared in 2016.

So the question is why two years after Minister Ley confirmed the status as critically endangered, has it still not been released?”

A Federal Government spokesperson said it’s working with the State on the plan.

“The complexity of the draft recovery plan means it needs to be finalised with a range of stakeholders and the Department continues to work with the Victorian Government to finalise the Recovery Plan,” they said.

The species has been on an up hill battle since the early 1900s and was classified as extinct in 1960 before it was found again in the wild in 1961 near Marysville.

The Leadbeater lives in regrowth forests, feeding on young wattle and nesting in large hollows, areas that have been affected by logging.

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NEWS

Singing next year’s tune

By Renee Wood The Marysville Music Weekend committee has made the tough decision to postpone the upcoming October event due to lockdown six.

Festival director Bill Bate said it was disappointing for the team to push back the almost sold out event but it wasn’t viable to go ahead while restrictions continue in Greater Melbourne.

“We were really reliant on people coming from Melbourne and tourism in Marysville relies on that,” Mr Bate said.

“A lot of the ticket holders were Metro or people who are still in lockdown and it was just at the point where we couldn’t guarantee that we were going to be able to do it.”

It’s the second year in a row the long standing festival’s been affected be the Pandemic with last years event cancelled entirely.

“I think some artists are struggling with their identity because that’s the way they identify themselves as musicians and playing musicians. Those phone calls are hard to make.”

The Pierce Brothers have been secured for the new event marked for March 2022.

However, the volunteer subcommittee of the Marysville Lions Club is committed to still hosting this year’s program, locking in a new date for March 11-13 2022.

Refunds are being offered but ticket holders are being encouraged to hold on to their passes to ensure their place at the new date, when the town comes alive with music.

“It’s a really great time to be in Marysville and it’s an amazing line up of really talented musician. So you’re going to see some amazing music and a great weekend away in a little country town.”

The same line up will go ahead with potential for the program to be extended. Mr Bate said the team will forge ahead and ensure they’re supporting the live music industry and providing entertainment for Victorians.

Roots duo Pierce Brothers will remain a headliner along side leading jazz man James Morrison. Geoff Achison, Freya Josephine Hollick and many more have also all confirmed their attendance.

The four concert sessions will be held at the Marysville Community Centre Stadium.

“We have a role to play in trying to allow musicians to continue to apply their craft and in bringing musicians back to playing on stage.”

Ticket sales are currently on pause while the team finalises numbers but sales will resume again soon.

Greens Jenny Game puts hand up for Casey seat The Victorian Greens has launched its campaign for the federal seat of Casey, with longterm Upwey resident Jenny Game running for the second time.

With the retirement of Liberal Speaker Tony Smith, the seat of Casey falls within the marginal range for the first time and will be highly contested.

The Victorian Greens will run a strong campaign focussed on urgent climate action and fair taxation for the mega-rich and corporations.

Jenny Game is a senior academic and musician who has lived in the Casey electorate for more than 20 years and raised her two children there.

“As a musician and senior academic, I’ll bring integrity back to politics in Casey. Our beautiful region has been dismissed by the Liberal government for too long,” Ms Game said.

“It takes millions in donations from big corporations, while ignoring the climate crisis, the ever-growing wealth gap and the

needs of our community. This will change.

“Logging our beautiful native forests in what everyone can now clearly see as a climate emergency, is nothing short of criminal - but we can stop it.”

Ms Game is committed to fighting the wealth gap in Casey, and will push to create secure jobs in renewable energy.

Ms Game is also focussed on the Covid recovery, and is committed to prioritising investment in clean, green infrastructure and creating a more equitable society — impor-

tantly with the inclusion of a treaty for First Nations Australians.

The campaign will kick off on Friday 10 September with a virtual Women in Politics panel featuring Jenny Game, Greens Victoria Senators Lidia Thorpe and Janet Rice, as well as the Greens candidate for Cooper, Celeste Liddle.

All are welcome with funds raised going towards the campaign. To attend the event go to, https://victoria.greens.org.au/csey_ soc_20210910

In times of crisis, you can give

where it’s needed most Please donate now 1 3 S A LV O S S A LV O S . O R G . A U

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NEWS

Jobs boost

By Renee Wood A Yarra Glen butcher is providing local teenagers with employment by creating a business model that supports young casual workers.

Viande owner Matt Fraser said after struggling to find apprentices, he carved out a way to support keen young staff.

“Normally you would have a couple of other apprentice chefs or apprentice butchers to do the work during the day, whereas I’ve changed my business model so we do it all in the afternoons and on the weekend. So I can utilise them and they get the hours and I get the help,” Mr Fraser said.

The young workers are gaining skills across a variety of areas including, butchery, customer service and hospitality.

“They do all types of work and they’re learning all sorts of different things like amazing skills in butchery and chef work because we do a lot of cooking here as well.”

Working as an essential worker is also providing the secondary students an escape from

the house after a day of remote learning, “They’re getting out, they’re interacting, they’re going away from home, they’re busy and earning money, so it’s really good.

Currently 18 employees work within the butcher, after opening in February this year.

The team also helps put together care packages for families in the area who are doing it tough from the pandemic’s affects.

“I’ve even been in tears myself over last couple of months because it’s just tragic what’s going on out there.

“I first offered it to a ladies brother who lost his business and house and that’s where it all began. Then I started advertising on Facebook for people to nominate someone in need.”

The butcher plans to continue supporting the community and young workers when he opens up a new store in Healesville at site of ‘The Beef Joint’.

“I have already started looking for local kids to work there. Candice, she’s working for me now who worked at that shop, she’ll go back there as well.”

Reflecting with flowers

By Renee Wood Healesville florist Rebecca Noble has used her talents to spread awareness and start a conversation around Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ms Nobel set up a large display at the front of her studio on Maroondah Highway in Healesville Sunday 5 September to recognise the beginning of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

It’s a cause close to her heart as her grandfather had Luwy Body Dementia.

“I think there are a lot of people affected by it without us really realising it, I bet you would know somebody who knows somebody who’s had dementia or Alzheimers,” Ms Noble said.

Passer-bys were encouraged to take a moment and sit down among the blooms and write down a memory or dementia experience in a provided book.

Ms Noble hopes to then share the community’s reflections through social media to continue the discussion.

“By creating this piece I wanted to share beauty with the community but also I have created a space where people can sit down and reflect about their memories and how

important they are to them.

“We spend our whole lives, collecting memories and it seems so cruel that that those are taken away from some people.”

People of various ages can be diagnosed with the progressive form of dementia, affecting their memory, thinking and behaviour.

Monvale Flowers donated some blooms in support of the cause, with flowers being the perfect medium to draw out recollections.

“I think flowers tend to hold a lot of memories for people. There are flowers that become very significant for people, whether they have been chosen for a loved one’s funeral, or whether they got married with a certain type of flower, there are always memories attached and significance attached to flowers.”

Ms Noble also started a fundraiser with Dementia Australia to raise donations for support services for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

For more information visit https://fundraising.dementia.org.au/fundraisers/rebeccanoble

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Viands’s helping to boost employment opportunities for young workers. L-R: Oscar, Ryley, Jai, Tanna, Ben, Ellie, Matt, Ari and Georgia.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Healesville florist Rebecca Noble is using flowers to help locals recollect their important memories in support of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

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NEWS

Building online presence

By Renee Wood Thursday 5 August First Nations Curator Stacie Piper was placing the final touches on the WILAM BIIK exhibition at TarraWarra Museum of Art - the same day Victoria was plummeted into lockdown six where Greater Melbourne remains today.

However, the gallery and Ms Piper have remained dedicated to sharing parts of the exhibition through other means while restrictions are in place.

Social media and virtual interactions have become a tool to help build a greater understanding of the exhibition Wilam Biik, which means Home Country in the Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people.

“We wanted to share little bite sizes of culture and country, stuff that fills people up and makes people feel connected to this place. Everybody’s descended from nature so I think really any anybody is going to connect to it,” Ms Piper said.

“It’s focusing on the beauty of country and the beauty of what we have right here and I love that we’ve got this to share online with people. We’re just trying to find more ways to share it, so that people can feel more connected while they’re in lockdown.”

On instagram, TarraWarra has crafted dedicated posts on elements of country to inform and inspire viewers of what’s to come in Wilam Biik.

“We did ochre, we’ve done pelt and then we’ve got the river the water, so we’re celebrating country and its beauty. I’d say that a lot of people once we’re out of lockdown, they’ll be excited to not only come see the show, but get out and connect to country.”

The interactions follow the exhibition that’s showcasing First Peoples of South East Australia and their Country. Ms Piper said the show starts with a welcome to country before you’re invited through to admire ancestral tools followed by contemporary artists.

“We need to acknowledge country and the elders first so that people who walk into the space into the gallery feel welcome and feel safe and feel like they’re part of a cultural experience.”

Ms Piper arranged the exhibition to infuse a connection of past and present practices

First Nations Curator Stacie Piper has been working on creating engaging virtual elements for TarraWarra’s exhibition WILAM BIIK while the gallery’s closed. through contemporary artists following songlines - with songlines discussed through an online video.

“Songlines are a really big topic so I just wanted to explain how I incorporated them and I just wanted to explain how I incorporated them.

“For me looking at the bush country which is Wurundjeri, Taungurong and Gunai and that’s beautiful mountain ash old growth forest country, then you’ve got all the river systems, which I explained that connect all the other mobs. So I went through and connected all the artists in the show and that’s how I selected the artists.”

Another element of the exhibition that has been made available on the website is a playlist of songs of Home Country as the exhibion

Kiera with her artwork pictured with her brother Heath. 250222

offers a whole sensory experience.

“We’ve got a vibration by Steven Raul that represents that geological land movement, so when you’re in there you’ve got this sensory experiences as well as visual and that’s the voices of community.

“So we might have visual artists, but these are our artists who sing country and they take you there with their talents and I think it’s a really nice element as an online experience.”

The community’s encouraged to take part in the virtual experiences before the gallery reopens to gain a greater understanding of what Home Country means and how to take steps to heal it, with the exhibition having undertones of a call to arms for the climate emergency.

“We hope that people will leave this exhibition feeling connected, because we all call

this place home.

“A lot of people don’t realise the history and the beauty and the fact that we’ve got some of the oldest and tallest trees on the planet just up the road and they’re critical to the planet.

“So really bringing that to the public’s attention and then advocating for it, or even just caring for it through their own daily actions and that’s whether you’re more conscious about the wood that you buy, or the paper that you purchase.

“That’s something that I’m looking at doing next online with the team, a little little list of conscious things you can do.”

WILAM BIIK will open to the public when restrictions are lifted. For more information visit https://www.twma.com.au/exhibitions/ wilam-biik/

Kiera Dell with her artwork of the Gouldian Finch that was submitted to the national competition. 250222 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Kiera’s love for animals inspires her artistic nature

By Renee Wood Coldstream resident Kiera Dell has shared her artwork on a national stage, competing in the Wild At Art Threatened Species Art Competition for Kids.

The ten year old ranked highly in the competition making the top 100 out of a 3000 applicants.

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aimed at raising the profile of our nation’s threatened animals.

Kiera’s mum Linda Bester said her daughter was thrilled with the result and wanted to be part of the initiative because she’s concerned the country will lose more species during her lifetime.

“Both her and her little brother Heath care very deeply about native plants and animals.

They often sit on the balcony at home with their binoculars recording the animals that

they can see,” Ms Bester said.

The avid drawer spends most of her time watching Ms Bester who’s an ecologist and wildlife illustrator.

“Kiera chose the Gouldian Finch because it’s a threatened species and because of its beauty and intense colours. It’s the first time she’s attempted a detailed artwork using her mum’s professional grade coloured pencils and art paper.”

And the young artist’s creative work doesn’t stop there as she looks forward to participating in next year’s competition and building on her skills in the mean time.

Ms Bester helped Kiera set up a social media account to share her work and inspire others on instragram.

“She’s keen to share her art with others and raise awareness about Australia’s biodiversity through @kdell_creations.” mailcommunity.com.au

BE KIND-BUY, EMPLOY, ENJOY LOCAL

Helping locals get jobs There are so many benefits to working locally, particularly the ease and convenience. But here in the Yarra Ranges, there’s much more to it than just that - our region is home to an abundant range of diverse and interesting industries, from hospitality to advanced manufacturing, agriculture to health care through to retail and horticulture.

Our local hospitality and tourism industry opens up employment into one of Victoria’s most exciting and vibrant visitor destinations.

Hospitality offers numerous career pathways, from business management and leadership roles through to becoming a barista, sommelier or a chef. It can also offer the perfect flexibility during certain stages of life, such as studying or parenting young children, or there is the opportunity to build a rewarding lifelong career.

Right now, hospitality businesses are struggling to find enough staff. The significant impacts of consecutive lockdowns, and the pressures of re-openings have contributed to this shortage in staff despite the many advantages of a career in hospitality.

The Hospitality Jump Start for Jobs Program, a partnership between Yarra Ranges Council, Cire Training and Box Hill Institute, supports unemployed and underemployed locals to get the skills and training they need to get started in the hospitality industry.

Students in both the Front of House training and Kitchen Skills course earn certifications in the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Food Hygiene, along with a suite of other skills from barista training to knife handling. Students’ new skills are then put to the test in real life work experience at pop-up cafes. Best of all, the Hospitality Jump Start for Jobs Program results in real employment opportunities: Many Hands Winery in Coldstream, en-

Hospitality Jump Start for Jobs Graduate, Grace, practising her kitchen skills. couraged their team member Joshua Lovell, to undertake the Front of House training course, and get his RSA. “We knew Josh had potential, but it was amazing to see how his confidence had grown after doing the course,” said winery owner Jenny Walsh.

Elsewhere in Yarra Ranges students have been in employed in a variety of hospitality venues; the Burrinja Cultural Centre cafe employs four graduates of the course, while other students have gone on to work in kitchens at

local aged care facilities, or even to begin an apprenticeship at a Yarra Valley winery.

The next round of hospitality courses will run later in the year.

Another exciting development supporting local employment opportunities is the launch of the Yarra Ranges JobLink, an online jobs portal connecting local staff with local businesses. It’s a free resource for all, whether you are an employer posting a job or a prospective employee sharing your CV.

Yarra Ranges JobLink allows the user to explore the region’s trending industries and gain information on pathways into these careers.

One of the industries with the most advertised jobs has been in trades and services, which comes as no surprise given construction and trades are one of the top employers throughout Yarra Ranges. The number of jobs in this industry has been increasing steadily over many years and is estimated to keep growing 12% between 2020-2024.

The opportunity and incentives for training in this area are growing as well. Working in partnership with Yarra Ranges Council, Box Hill Institute’s Lilydale campus is home to a state-of-the-art trades training centre, which delivers a variety of industry apprenticeships training in wood, electrical, plumbing and automotive trades.

If you’re looking for employment, a local Yarra Ranges Jobs Advocate can help. This free service provides jobseekers with information and advice, and connects them with the right local support to help find the perfect job, training or other assistance to become jobready. Local Jobs Advocates are running daily Zoom sessions during lockdown. You can find out more on the Yarra Ranges Council website www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Business-YarraRanges/Employment-Resources.

Council is committed to helping local businesses and industry recover from the impacts of the COVID pandemic. An important part of the economic recovery plan for the region is to facilitate employment in Yarra Ranges. And while the pandemic has disrupted our daily lives on every level, as we slowly build a pathway into a ‘COVID-normal’ life, the opportunities to live and work locally are growing. So, where possible, let’s all find ways to support our local economy and Employ Local.

EmplOY local YA R R A R A N G E S

As part of council’s recovery efforts, Yarra Ranges Council is launching Buy Employ Enjoy – a campaign created to encourage our community to choose local. We’ve been kind to each other, to business and to ourselves. Now it’s time to #BuyEmployEnjoy and support our local business and community.

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OPINION Good morning,

To the Editor

It was a bright start to my day reading two articles in the Mountain Views Star Mail (07/09/21). It’s a real joy for me, and I wonder if others feel the same, during these times of COVID lockdowns to see a variety of wattle trees through the area and their pale to vivid yellow blossoms peppering the ground. Your article ‘Wattle day bright delight’ featured one of my favourites, the Prickly Moses, a great refuge for small birds in my backyard, and buzzing with amazing insects!

I also really enjoyed reading the article ‘Landcare’s still active’. The groups you profiled do amazing work within their communities, not just for the conservation and land management work they undertake, but also in the way they connect and support people in their community. I loved reading about the way they have adapted their activities over past months, and are looking to the future.

They were both fantastic, powerful stories that brought some joy in lockdown. Thank you!

Regards, Sue Tardif, Coordinator of Volunteers Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater

I read with interest your article Cutting Waste through Compost collection (8/9/2021). It’s great to see locals committed to helping in the overall effort to ensure waste is not wasted, and instead is used as a resource which reduces the amount of waste ending up in landfill and reduces emissions.

That’s why the Victorian Liberal Nationals will implement our Zero to Landfill policy to end household waste being sent to landfill by 2035 if we’re elected next year.

Zero to Landfill is a positive plan to end the waste crisis currently happening under the Andrews Government where more than 22,000 tonnes of household recyclables were dumped in landfill and tips in the last financial year.

Zero to Landfill will revolutionise how Victorians deals with our waste by using $120 million over four years to create a new fund to upgrade recycling facilities and deliver energy-from-waste projects in Victoria. We’ll work with industry to expedite approvals to get Victoria’s waste management and recycling back on track to reach our target of eliminating

household waste going to landfill by 2035.

Victoria’s recycling industry needs to be revitalised, and we’ll invest in local recycling capabilities and make sure that recycled materials go to market instead of landfill as they do under the Andrews Government.

Also, we’ll introduce a cash for containers scheme, and ensure government projects use recycled plastic products, such as outdoor seats and benches in schools and national parks, and that community groups, such as Scouts and sporting clubs, can benefit from container collection.

We’re serious about tackling waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating jobs as we manage the economic hangover of the COVID-19 pandemic. Zero to Landfill will ensure we don’t waste our waste here in the Yarra Valley and protect our environment for future generations.

Your sincerely Bridget Vallence MP, Shadow Minister for Environment & Climate Change State Member for Evelyn

Takeaways from Melbourne Writers fest For the second year in a row, all live events planned for the Melbourne Writers Festival were cancelled. It’s disappointing news to all storytellers and story lovers, but we’re grateful that festival organisers have brought forward a series of online programs in the most difficult of circumstances.

In the words of Lord Mayor Sally Capp: “Now, more than ever, it is time for us to come together to help make sense of the world.” As we prepare ourselves to bounce back “bigger, better and brighter than ever”, the MWF’s online programs help us re-energise ourselves with culture and creativity, for “we are, and always will be, a city full of literary minds, readers and thinkers”.

The “MWF Digital” program features 10 events to be streamed online until September 15. The international authors highlighted include Rumaan Alam, Natasha Brown, Rachel Cusk, Emma Dabiri, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sigrid Nunez and Viet Thanh Nguyen, just to name a few. Events are available individually on a Pay-What-You-Can basis or via a Digital Pass.

Meanwhile, “Writers on Film” is a specially commissioned documentary series mapping the creative lives of three beloved Australian authors. Viewable via YouTube, these short films feature Jennifer Down, Sophie Cunningham and Tony Birch doing

PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN self-narrated tours of neighbourhoods and personally significant sites that informed their award-winning books.

After watching the series, why not check out the books themselves? Birch’s latest collection of short stories Dark as Last Night was published last month, and his novels Ghost River (2015) and The White Girl (2019) are must-reads. Also worth perusing are Canningham’s Melbourne (2011) and City of Trees: Essays on life, death and the need for a forest (2019), and Down’s latest novel Bodies of Light will arrive later this month.

Another MWF Extra to be found online is “Writing Melbourne”, a total of 11 works of fiction and non-fiction that reflect life in our city. Part of the Metro Tunnel Creative

Program, the project displays excerpts of each commissioned work alongside illustrations by local artists at the City Square.

The writers highlighted include Melanie Cheng (Room for a Stranger [2019], Australia Day [2017]), Stephanie Convery (After the Count: The death of Davey Browne [2020]), Laura McPhee Browne (Cherry Beach [2020]), Thuy On (Turbulence [2020]) and Nova Weetman (The Edge of Thirteen [2021]), just to name a few.

This reviewer recommends “Cats of My Neighbours” by Ronnie Scott (The Adversary [2020]), a subtle story with an interesting twist. It’s about observing cats, yes, but it’s also a reflection on the “push and pull between states of loneliness and independence” that characterises life in a city apartment.

Finally, if you know an international student studying with a Victorian education provider, why not invite them to submit a story about their real or fictional life in Victoria? The “Melbourne Beginnings” program requests written and visual stories of “This is how my story began...” that are inspirational, nostalgic or fantastical. Entries close on September 20.

Details about the aforementioned programs can be found on the MWF website.

Growing fears and anxiety in our youth Focal Point

Last time I wrote I talked about how hard it was for most of us being jerked in and out of lockdowns.

Since that time we have been in constant lockdown and it is taking quite a toll on us with regard to schools being closed, as it is with eating out venues, ‘non-essential’ businesses, hair dressers, gyms, churches, sporting clubs and theatre events and the list goes on.

My observation now tells me that the fear stage we went through in the first half of 2020, has dissipated somewhat as we have now come to know the ‘enemy’.

However, the amount of fear mongering and miss information that is about on social media is overwhelming – the fear now is around vaccination, and people are ringing me seeking the truth.

I, of course, although well informed, am not an adequate answer man. My advice is to talk with your personally trusted family doctor for facts and advice.

However what I want to address in this article is a growing concern for our young people. From the littlies at pre- kinder and big kinder, pre-school and early primary grades; these children are really missing their little friends they play with more the missing the learning.

Yet someone said to me today, “Oh well it won’t hurt then, they will soon forget”. In my case not true – I can clearly remember trauma in my kinder room over 70 years ago.

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Graeme Dawson Then we think about students in the middle years - many in a battle between themselves and a parent as the latter attempts to home school. Some in the higher grades are missing school socials, excursions, and camps – all in a sense, rites of passage. In this cohort, calls for help to the Children’s Hospital have jumped from 30 to 80% during lockdown six.

Then the ones that I am very concerned about are the VCE students studying by themselves most times, at home on their PCs, attempting to achieve a score that will in many ways determine their future university options, and to find career avenue choices in the future as well. These are big issues.

It is a sad fact that the pressure and isolation and lack of connection with peers, after a world record lockdown of 340 days was recorded on the 2nd of September, has seen calls to Lifeline jump 30%, and a significant rise in youth suicides this year.

We of the human race are designed for connection with others. Most times that happens within the primary family and to a

slightly lesser extent the extended family. The latter is where holes in our socialization are prevalent. If we live over five kilometers from the extended ones, we can’t meet. Not all of the elderly have the capacity to share on line, so two sides miss out – the children and the grandparents.

I see and I know that many of us are going a little stir-crazy being locked down and restricted. Most of my individual Chaplaincies ceased weeks ago, and I have missed the funeral of a dear friend – only 10 allowed and rightly so, the family has taken those places.

Let me finish with an old blessing that you can take with you in these uncertain times.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you And be gracious to you; The Lord turn His face toward you And give you peace.”

With blessings - Graeme (Feedback, questions or need for support can be fielded to my email, csrsmokey@ gmail.com) Graeme Dawson, B. Min. Grad. Dip. C.C. Chaplain to Community

Cat program

By Animal Aid CEO Mark Menze Did you know that felines can reproduce at just four months of age and that cats can have two litters of kittens per year?

Every year we see kittens having kittens.

This cycle has the potential to increase exponentially, so it is so important that our community desex their pets. We see the number of homeless cats and kittens increase year on year, this takes a huge toll on our community, impacting Animal Aid’s resources, our local wildlife and the welfare of unowned and unwanted cats.

Animal Aid is proud to be delivering free desexing, microchips and health checks to 100 female and 50 male cats at our Veterinary Clinic in Coldstream, the program has been hugely successful thus far!

We know that cost can be a huge barrier for our community when making the decision to desex their pets – this program will allow our community to access desexing and health services without the financial implications. This program has the potential to prevent 316,000 unwanted cats and kittens in our community over four years.

Our mission is to address animal homelessness and the number of unwanted pets in our community, this program is an exciting step in the right direction. Every year we see more and more litters of unwanted animals – we know too well the importance of desexing to stop the reproduction cycle.

To be eligible for our Free Desexing Program, owners must hold a current health care or pension card and reside in Knox, Maroondah, Yarra Ranges, Whitehorse or Murrindindi local government areas.

Places will be filled on a first come first served basis, and all appointments must be booked via our vet reception on (03) 9739 0500.

For more information visit: animalaid.org. au/desexing-grant/

Hitching a space ride Stowaway Starring Toni Collette, Anna Kendrick and Daniel Dae Kim Rated M Stowaway is a tense, deeply-affecting science fiction drama.

A three-person crew on a mission to Mars must deal with an unexpected stowaway.

Stowaway does an excellent job of both fleshing out its characters and establishing the ship’s layout, its critical systems and the cascading damage therein.

As such, you care deeply for the crew and have a clear awareness of the obstacles they face. The intricate, cramped sets and stark, minimalist sound design make the film even more immersive.

The performances are authentically low-key, which you would expect from highly-trained professionals, and the characters steer refreshingly clear from archetypes.

David the biologist (Daniel Dae Kim) is logical but warm and good-humoured, Marina the commander (Toni Collette) is authoritative but kind, and Zoe the doctor (Anna Kendrick) is intensely compassionate but still sees the bigger picture.

Shamier Anderson forms the film’s bittersweet emotional core as Michael, the titular stowaway.

Fans of Danny Boyle’s 2008 film Sunshine will love Stowaway, as both films feature an understated tone, stowaways in space and strong suspense drawn from malfunctions and dwindling resources.

I won’t give anything away, but the ending of Stowaway was such a beautiful display of self-sacrifice and making peace with a hostile cosmos that it made me cry.

What more endorsement do you need?

Stowaway is the best space-based movie of 2021 by far, and is available for streaming on Netflix.

- Seth Lukas Hynes mailcommunity.com.au

THE LOWDOWN Q&A Where does your love of the environment come from?

When I was little I didn’t need fairies at the bottom of my garden because I has birds & frogs, lizards and tadpoles. My parents could always tell me a story or something about these animals.

In my late teens and twenties I was able to travel to many far flung places and see and experience many of the wonders of the world.

On my return I realised that some of the most unique animals live right here in Australia.

On moving to Mount Evelyn in the eighties I was to have a chance encounter with a very large Powerful Owl right here along the Olinda Creek, his great big golden eyes watching me.

This was the moment I fell in love.

It has been my mission ever since to learn as much as I can about our beautiful native flora and fauna and share my knowledge with anyone patient enough to listen.

How did you get involved with MEEPPA? In 1991, the State government tried to introduce an act by which they would acquire a number of properties throughout the Dandenongs for Fire Buffers. This would mean that these properties could not be renovated, improved or sold to anyone without giving their department first option to buy. This scheme did not give residents any certainty that they would get a fair and reasonable price for their homes.

A group of us whose homes were earmarked for this zoning, banded together to get a better deal. It was at this time I approached MEEPPA for help. As they were so kind and helpful I joined MEEPPA. That was over 30 years ago.

What is your favourite Animal?

I love all animals, especially our Australian native animals, but it would be fair to say that I have a particular affection for owls.

What is the best discovery you’ve made?

Perhaps the most significant discoveries I have

with Clare Worsnop

THREE … facts about the Aussie flag

1

In 1901, Australia’s first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, announced an international competition to design a flag for the new Commonwealth of Australia. After receiving 32,823 entries, a winner was chosen and five nearly identical entries were awarded equal first (and so the Australian flag was born).

2

The flag was flown for the first time on 3 September 1901 at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne, which was then the seat of the federal government.

Ever since, this day has been celebrated as ’Australian National Flag Day’ and this year, the flag marked it’s 120th birthday!

3

The flag features three symbolic elements on a blue background: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. The Union Jack represents the history of British settlement; the Commonwealth (or Federation) Star below has seven points, representing the unity of the six states and the territories of Australia; and the Southern Cross (a constellation only seen from the southern hemisphere) is a reminder of Australia’s geography.

Clare Worsnop is the president of the Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association and has been involved with the organisation for 30 years. Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON made are, after 15 years of revegetation and rehabilitation work along the Olinda Creek and the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve, the return of rare and elusive Yellow-bellied Gliders, absent for 50 years, our Long-nosed Bandicoots, absent for 60 years and more recently our Greater Sooty Owl, sometimes heard, occasionally seen, but rarely photographed.

What do you love most about Mt. Evelyn?

Mount Evelyn has a wonderful Community, interesting, eclectic and talented people and amazing flora and fauna. What more could I ask.

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

I would have liked to be on the first fleet but in-

stead of landing with hostility and bloodshed, to have been able to meet with care, respect and shared the knowledge with our First Nations People. Perhaps then we wouldn’t have caused so much heartache and been able to learn to live more sustainably with our unique environment.

Which four guests, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?

My four guest would be - David Attenborough, Jane Goodall, Julia Gillard and Leonard Cohen What is something people don’t know about you?

I was once in a movie about football. It was partly filmed right here in Mount Evelyn.

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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MAIL 13

NEWS

Are you really ok?

By Renee Wood On September 9 the community was asked to turn to loved ones, friends, colleagues and ask an important question - R U OK? R U OK day aims to raise awareness for suicide prevention while also being a driver for starting supportive conversations.

It’s also an important day within schools as mental health and wellbeing remains at the forefront of remote learning discussions.

Mater Christi College Principal Maria Haggett said it’s a vital topic for the College and its encouraging students to open up to see if they ‘really’ are ok.

“In this area with the storms and the lockdown, there’s this kind of sense of ‘she’ll be right’ and I think we have to be really careful about that. We have to give people an opportunity to articulate how they’re actually feeling,” Ms Haggett said.

It comes as the need for mental health support rises across Victorian schools as lockdowns continue.

“Our psychologists are flat out and they’re doing a fabulous job, but we are seeing a waiting list for our psychologists and they are triaging and prioritizing the most severe cases and we’re working with parents as much as we can who,” Ms Haggett said.

“They’re (parents) going to their GPs to get a mental health plan for their daughter, but there’s a three month wait for a private psychologist in some areas.

“We’re trying to hold our students in the best frame of mind that we can, but it is tough for them and tough for staff as well.”

Mater Christi College School Captain Cassidy Ede said it’s the uncertainty and not knowing what’s ahead that worries students the most.

“You begin to think that you’re in the clear and getting back to normal and then everything changes,” Miss Ede said.

“Not knowing exactly when this is all going

Are they really okay? Ask a loved one, friend, colleague today. to be over or when we can go back to school creates a bit of stress and anxiety for people because you just don’t know what’s going to happen and everything can change so quickly.”

It’s the conversations, albeit virtually, that are helping her and her friends get through it.

“We know what each other are going through we’re able to give each other advice and just be there for each other. So we’ll zoom and have a catch up and just talk.”

Principal Haggett said looking at mental health as we do physical health will help to understand when you need some assistance.

“We accept we have to look after our physical health by eating well, by walking by running, so we need to think about our mental health like that too. Let’s not wait until we’re really mentally unfit to do something, lets be

proactive,” Ms Haggett said.

“Find something that you can do every day that will lift your spirits. That might be a walk, it might be listening to music, it might be creating something, it depends on what you really love. We’ve got to find in each day something that brings us a little bit of joy.”

There’s hope by taking action and asking ‘are you really okay’ will drive the sentiment past the 24 hour cycle to ensure supportive conversations remain top priority.

“We definitely need to check in on each other more than once a year, it’s very important.

Even doing little things just like a message or put together a little care package for your close friends and send it in the mail,” Miss Ede said.

“It’s definitely something we need to be doing all year round, not just on this one day.”

The power of social media helps GAP

By Philippa Lavery Social media has become a very powerful tool for Greyhound Adoption Program to rehouse greys that are looking for their forever homes.

With Covid restrictions and lockdowns, GAP hasn’t been able to hold an adoption day since April which means one of the only ways to advertise and promote greyhound adoption is via social media.

One story that highlights how effective socials can be, is that of how Kylee found her new family member, Lilith. After seeing a GAP Facebook post shared on a friend’s personal page, Kylee became very interested and showed her husband. “It was he who pointed out Lilith. We loved her colourings and smiley face. From there we decided we were both keen to meet her.”

Lilith (or Lil for short) in now a certified member of their family, “She’s affectionate, to us as well as anyone she has met so far, she doesn’t bark, is great to walk on a lead, she

loves her walks and we just fell in love with her when we met her, we only wish we’d adopted sooner,” says Kylee.

There new four-legged friend is also keeping them entertained during lockdown as Kylee explains, “We wondered why there was water splashed all around her water bucket… she stands her two front legs in it, and stomps about…. not great to clean up but it is funny.”

A huge thank you to everyone that shares GAP’s Facebook posts about available greyhounds. Until adoption days can resume, this is the best way for GAP to spread the word about greyhounds needing homes.

Social media’s being used as a tool to help retired Greyhounds find their forever home.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Art project for children Yarra Ranges Council is encouraging children and young people to create and share artwork on their ideas for what makes a safe and healthy community as part of National Child Protection Week (NAPCAN) and Children’s Week.

Children or their families can then submit their artwork by taking a photo of it or scanning it and then uploading to the council’s Shaping Yarra Ranges platform.

The artwork produced will then be displayed in an online gallery, and be used in ongoing work to promote child safety as being everyone’s responsibility in the community.

This year’s theme for NAPCAN is all about fairness for children and how communities can protect them and support them, to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Mayor of Yarra Ranges, Cr Fiona McAllister, said that NAPCAN is a good opportunity to take stock and recognise the importance of what children bring to the community, and how creating a safe environment is key to supporting their development.

“Our young people can often struggle to have a voice which is why initiatives like NAPCAN can be a great driver in promoting awareness of the issues around child protection and safety,” Cr McAllister said.

“To get an understanding of how our children see our communities through their eyes is really important intel, so activities such as this art project is a great way for them to communicate that through a creative outlet.

“I encourage all families and services to get involved with this NAPCAN campaign and start a conversation with your child by touching on some of the talking points listed on our Shaping Yarra Ranges page.”

Some of these talking points to kick start a conversation might include: What are the things you like most about your community?

Where do you like to go for fun with your family and friends?

What do you think are important things for your community to have?

· · ·

Submissions for the online gallery are now open, and will close on Sunday 31 October.

For more information on this art project and how to get your child involved, please visit https://shaping.yarraranges. vic.gov.au/national-child-protectionweek-art-activity.

12511853-AV37-21

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

|

MAIL 15

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 046

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

8

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

7

4

3 1

1 7 5 9 7

6 2 9

1 4 5 9 9 6 3

7

2

1

6 1 4 8 3

QUICK CROSSWORD 2 3

ACROSS Variety of nut (9) Boss (4) Tavern (3) Confusing (10) A rectangle halved from diagonal corners (8) Special abilities (6) Objurgation (4) Group of organisms (7) Obliterated (7) Circle of light (4) Spectacles (6) Rocky (8) Impregnating (11) Biological blueprint (abb) (3) Calm (4) Worsen (9)

1 6 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 25 26 28 29 30 31

4 5 7 8 9 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 27

DOWN

No. 046

Conscious (8) West Australian port city (6) To admit one's failings, eat — (9) Musical instrument (4) Treble (6) Abstract (6) Book of the Old Testament (7) Purifying (9) Non-specific (7) Asian country (8) Temper (8) Employable (6) Car fuel (6) Brand (6) Middle Simpsons child (4)

Office machines (8)

1

DECODER

No. 046

hard

1 1

22

23

24

25

26

9

10 11 12 13

1

2

3

4

5

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”.

Y

Today’s Aim: 5 words: Good 7 words: Very good 10 words: Excellent

F

R

L

O

O N

L

R

4 LETTERS EARN EBBS EDDY KNEW LEST LYRE MUST REAR REND ROLE ROTS SENT STAG TOMB 5 LETTERS ABATE ABOUT

ACRES ALARM ALIEN ALOUD BASTE BLADE BRAIN DINER DREGS ELITE EMITS ERASE GENRE HALON HALVE ICIER IDEAS IDIOM KNEEL LYRES MISTS MUSIC

No. 046

ODOUR RAGED RARER REEDS ROUSE SADLY SAWED SCARF SHARK SHEER SIREN SNARE SNEER SPEAR STORY TABOO TIARA TSARS UNTIE WHITE WINED YEARN

6 LETTERS ASSURE LETTER PRISMS STONED

8 LETTERS DECANTER DYNAMITE ELIGIBLE INITIATE

7 LETTERS BLUSTER CONSOLE ELASTIC LINKAGE RELEASE STREETS

11 LETTERS FORERUNNERS SECRETARIAL

floor, folly, fool, forlorn, FORLORNLY, loon, lorry, only, roll, roof

5 9 7 6 2 8 3 1 4

7 3 8 1 2 9 5 6 4

9 4 5 6 3 8 2 1 7

2 1 6 4 7 5 9 3 8

4 6 9 2 8 1 7 5 3

8 7 2 5 9 3 1 4 6

3 5 1 7 4 6 8 9 2

1 8 4 9 6 2 3 7 5

5 2 7 3 1 4 6 8 9

6 9 3 8 5 7 4 2 1

1 4 3 5 9 7 2 8 6

2 6 8 4 3 1 5 7 9

6 3 2 7 4 9 8 5 1

7 1 4 8 5 6 9 3 2

8 5 9 3 1 2 4 6 7

9 7 5 2 6 3 1 4 8

3 2 6 1 8 4 7 9 5

4 8 1 9 7 5 6 2 3

4 9 5 1 6 3 2 8 7

3 6 8 2 4 7 5 9 1

7 1 2 8 9 5 6 4 3

6 4 7 3 2 8 1 5 9

8 5 9 4 7 1 3 2 6

2 3 1 9 5 6 8 7 4

9 8 6 7 1 2 4 3 5

5 2 4 6 3 9 7 1 8

1 7 3 5 8 4 9 6 2

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

8

Q W 21

hard

7

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

20

medium

6

19

easy

5

18

7

4

17

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

3

3 LETTERS ADO ARE ATE BAN CAD EAR EVE GEE GET HID ICE IRE MEN OPT RAN RAP RID ROT RUE TEN TIE TOE USE YOU

H L UO J V B NAG T E F

5

2

16

5 8 7 2 3 4 9 3

15

8 5 3

14

7 1

P C D R I K S Y Z M X QW

4

WORDFIT

17-09-21

This week’s crossword proudly sponsored by

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16 MAIL

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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networkclassifieds.com.au Trades & Services

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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MAIL 17

NEWS

Storm clean up ongoing More than 31,000 tonnes of wood, stump and branch debris has been collected by Yarra Ranges Council since the June storm ripped across the municipality causing incredible destruction and distress to community members.

The June 9 and 10 storm and flood event caused an unprecedent level of fallen and hazardous trees across the impacted areas of the Yarra Ranges, damaging homes, Council infrastructure, parks and bushland.

Over the past three months, Council has been working with teams of contractors across multiple public sites to assess hazardous trees that needed immediate work, to make safe any risks to life and property, and to open roads, parks and bushland.

These works are also focused on reducing the enormous fuel load that now exists, prior to the upcoming bushfire season.

Teams have been working hard on the clean up, using heavy equipment including 78 excavators, 72 tipper trucks, 37 chippers and 33 towers ranging from 12 metres to 55 metres. So far, an estimated 5,652 truckloads of tree debris have been collected, amounting to around 31,651 tonnes.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Fiona McAllister said the landscape and topography of the Dandenongs in particular had been fundamentally changed due to the unprecedented impact of the massive and life-threatening storm event.

“As a result of the storm we lost an estimated 25,000 trees, and this has had a big impact on the natural habitat which is something our residents love and value,” Cr McAllister said.

“There is a lot of sadness in the community related to these losses and we understand the community’s drive to ensure the value of these trees is appreciated.”

Crews are continuing to process the material into mulch and firewood for use in the community, as well as retaining logs for

The June 9 and 10 storm and flood event caused an unprecedent level of fallen and hazardous trees across the impacted areas of the Yarra Ranges, damaging homes, Council infrastructure, parks and bushland. community projects. In just three weeks, the branches picked up through Council’s Special Storm Event Tree Branch Collection have been turned into mulch, with volumes so far estimated to be equivalent to five Olympic sized swimming pools.

As part of the clean up process, Council has set up 20 mulch sites, allowing community members and community groups to collect mulch for their own use.

Council is also using the mulch on many of its garden beds across the municipality, and on the new Yarra Valley Trail, as well as implementing landscape and habitat logs back into

General Classifieds

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Personal Care Attendant (PCA) V

AdventCare is a ‘not for profit’ organisation offering aged care that embraces Christian values. We are seeking applications from Personal Care Attendants for our Yarra Ranges Facility in Warburton, who are looking for casual and permanent work.

Pets & Services

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

On offer: • Immediate start • Salary sacrifice The successful applicant/s will have: • Certificate III in Aged Care or higher • Excellent interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills • Experience in residential aged care • Positions subject to a successful Police Check • Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Please email yarra.ranges@adventcare.org.au or call (03) 5966 4400 for a position description or if you have any queries.

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Estia Health Yarra Valley has two job opportunities available: Kitchenhand and Personal Care Attendant.

Join our team for a genuinely supportive and caring environment, whose aim is to create fulfilling relationships with residents! Both positions are part time positions giving you stability and assurance.

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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Firewood 12492429-HC18-21

V

the parks and reserves.

As many of the fallen trees have been cut into small sections to remove them from roads and parks, this material is being turned into firewood, some of which has been provided to community groups to store and dry for use, or distributing to community members in need of support.

Free firewood is also going to be available for residents to collect from a range of sites in late September. A firewood registration process for interested community members will be put in place through Council shortly.

Additionally, Council is working to provide

appropriate community-led projects and organisations with wood and logs, to provide benefit to the community out of such devastation and ensure some of it remains in the area.

Cr McAllister acknowledged Council, contractors and other agencies and operators for the work already undertaken during such difficult circumstances.

However, she said that realistically, the extreme impact of the June 2021 flood and storms meant Council and other agencies would be cleaning up for months, and the recovery of some parts of the municipality could take years.

“Council teams have worked really hard to open up many Council-owned public parks and bushland as well as cleaning up the overwhelming amount of tree debris and using what we can locally and for the community,” Cr McAllister said.

“Making parks and bush trails safe for residents to exercise is even more important in a Covid-19 environment when movement of residents is restricted, so our community members can get some relief during lockdown.

“Significant progress has been made but as we know, the damage was extensive, and the full amount of work required over time is beyond the capacity of Council and residents.

There is much work still to be done.”

Council continues to discuss with Government the support required for recovery, on top of the work of Bushfire Recovery Victoria, which has responsibility for clean up on private land.

The restoration and clean up is important for the community as part of the long recovery process, and to relieve the stresses that such a significant event places on the community.

More information about the clean up and the availability of mulch www.yarraranges.vic. gov.au. Keep an eye out for more information on the firewood registration process.

We are looking for optimistic and energetic individuals, who have a passionate and caring nature!

Join one of Australia’s leading aged care providers in one of the fastest growing industries! We are actively recruiting for this role, we’d love to hear from you!

Please call us on 03 5967 5500 or email us at Yarravalley@estiahealth.com.au to apply.

V

Professional

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

VAF Memstar, Australia’s leading developer and provider of membrane based wine processing systems requires the services of an Operations Manager for its fee-for-service and equipment rental business in Victoria. The successful candidate will report to the National Operations Manager and will be responsible for the daily operations of VAF Memstar operations in Victoria, in particular the initiation and successful completion of service contracts. A balanced role with a mix of hands on operations and the responsibility for developing sales and relationships within the wider Victorian wine industry.

The role will include: • Communicatiing and scheduling wine treatment operations across Victorian wineries.

• The operation of filtration plant and equipment at the highest standard.

• Ensuring customer service contract requirements are completed as specified • Preparing and maintaining contract and other documentation as required • Generation of new service, rental and sales enquiries • Conducting wine trials and communicating new and existing VAF Memstar technology with clients Ideally, the successful candidate will have a technical background in the wine, food or beverage industries, be able to self-manage and operate independently.

This role will suit an experienced industry person looking to ‘make a mark’ and wanting career independence.

Location: A central Wine region in Victoria, ideally close to the Yarra Valley An appropriate salary, company vehicle, communication equipment will be provided.

Please email your application through to sclarkson@vafmemstar.com.au www.vafmemstar.com.au 12512715-CG38-21

mailcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Ferdinand Boy (5) leads Hill Top Jonah (1) Aston Merit (2) and Tiggerlong Tonk (6) during the SEN Track Healesville Cup Final.

Ferdinand the cup king

By Gerard Guthrie Superstar sprinter Ferdinand Boy confirmed his status as Victorian greyhound racing’s country cups ‘king’ with a breathtaking victory in Sunday afternoon’s Group 2 SEN Track Healesville Cup (350m).

It was Ferdinand Boy’s third country cup title in 2021, with Lara trainer David Geall, who bred and races the regally-related son of Ferdinand Bale and Nayla Swift, a half-sister to Geall’s dual G1 winner Up Hill Jill, in partnership with wife Rose, celebrating a $100,000 payday.

In addition to the $50,000 Cup winner’s purse, Ferdinand Boy was also the recipient of a $50,000 bonus for winning three Victorian country cups in a calendar year, having reigned supreme at Ballarat and Shepparton earlier in the year.

Making the occasion even more memorable, Geall also prepared third placegetter Hill Top Jonah, Ferdinand Boy’s ‘cousin’.

“Absolutely over the moon,” said a delighted Geall.

“What a huge thrill. I just said to my wife Rose that after he won I didn’t even think about the money or the bonus, I just thought ‘We’ve won the Healesville Cup!’ “The great thing about this is that I’ve got a large family and I know they all would have been going berserk watching the race!”

Unbeaten in six appearances at Healesville, including the fastest heat performance, Hill Top Jonah started $2.60 favourite from Box 1, ahead of Ferdinand Boy at $3.10 from Box 5, which ran a close second in his heat to the unbeaten Aston Geneve ($7.20).

The only other runner at single figures was Tiggerlong Tonk at $7.50, which started favourite in the 2020 Cup when sixth to Zambora Lou. While Geall felt Hill Top Jonah was his best chance, courtesy of a better draw, Ferdinand Boy rose to the occasion, burning to the front with a 6.42sec first split and dominating proceedings as he defeated the strong-finishing Tiggerlong Tonk by 2.67 lengths in a flying 18.88sec.

Ferdinand Boy with his well deserved trophy and trainer David Geall.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Phantom mocks pursuer News of Healesville’s Covid denying golfer has reached RACV Head Office in Bourke Street.

It’s believed questions are being asked as to the identity of the Golfer, known now as the ‘Phantom of Healesville’.

Word has it that while this may seem amusing to some, it’s obviously upset RACV management who were unaware of the Phantom’s escapades… if only they’d read the local paper!

Unfortunately for the top brass, it appears the mystery golfer has earned himself a ‘cult’ following.

Last Thursday evening a report came in from regular Ryans Road walkers to the ‘Callen Column’ that has shed some light on the RACV nuisance golfer.

The Eye witnesses say they had seen a mysterious chap, wearing a beanie with red and blue hoops, walking from the 7th green where it appeared he’d placed a golf ball.

We can tell readers that a Titliest golf ball mailcommunity.com.au

Callen’s column Ian Callen was found and photographed at the scene.

But unfortunately we’ve failed to identify any golfing ‘Season Pass Holder’ who supports the Melbourne Football Club.

The question was put to the man with the greatest local golfing knowledge, Dickie Taylor… “DICKIE! do you know any Melbourne supporters who play golf?”.

“This time of year,” he said, “they’re usually up on the snowfields! No! Come to think of it, the last of the Demons supporters left Healesville about the time Barassi transferred to Carlton”.

The phantom golfer is becoming quite the mystery.

Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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$

1000

SHOPPING SPREE

Bounce into Spring with the chance to

WIN a $1000 Woolworth’s gift card!

But, you must be in it to win it!

Scan the QR Code for more details or go to mailcommunity.com.au/competitions NOW! Entries close Noon Tuesday September 28, 2021 Spring into action and invite your friends to enter too!

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Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

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