Mail - Upper Yarra Star Mail - 7th December 2021

A Star News Group Publication

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808 Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

Mail A Star News Group Publication

MOUNTAIN VIEWS UPPER YARRA

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

Christmas in the

Yarra Valley

Finn and Brandy the dog from Animal Aid in front of the shelter’s Christmas donation tree, with donations providing the gift of life, good health, and happiness to the homeless animals in our community.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE

Healthy eating and living Miss Spelt’s Organics is the largest organic health food retailer in the Yarra Valley, making healthy eating and living that little bit easier.

Carrying a large range of organic fresh fruit and vegetables, health food, allergy-free products, supplements, all natural personal care, chemical-free household and eco-friendly products, Miss Spelt’s is the one-stop-organic shop for the health conscious individual.

Miss Spelt’s was founded in 2012 and has been under Michelle Collins and Dilan Samathilake’s ownership from September 2018.

Currently Miss Spelt’s is an established health food store with a vast variety of products, knowledgeable staff and great prices.

The newest addition was the bulk food and zero waste section of the store which quickly became the talk of the town when it opened in September 2020. Offering 400 plus organic and conventional flours, seeds, grains, legumes, dried fruit, nuts, confectionery, oils, and more, which are encouraged to be collected in reusable containers brought from home for a five per cent discount.

“Our intention was to allow the community to shop plastic-free and locally to reduce carbon emissions from having to travel further.

Buying in bulk allows you to buy exactly how much you need, saving money and reducing waste,” Michelle and Dilan said.

Miss Spelt’s Organics is changing the way people shop, making a big difference to the environment and people’s wellbeing one product at a time.

Miss Spelt’s Organics staff have more than 20 years combined experience in health food retailing and have qualifications in herbal medicine, naturopathy and nutrition.

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CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE

Care group hampers

By Renee Wood St Brigid’s Care Group is busy working away, creating more than 70 hampers and care packages for people in need this Christmas.

The group formed in the 1990s and each year dedicates weeks to producing beautiful hampers, toy packages, and meals to local families and residents.

Coordinator Maree Jefcott said the group is run solely by volunteers and relies on the community’s support to fund its operation.

“It’s just the most beautiful time of the year we love it. We’ll be busy now until the 15th of December at least, and then Christmas meals going out on the 20th of December,” Ms Jefcott said.

“You just find people that don’t have gifts for their children or for grandchildren, so we like to give them special things that they can give to their family.”

The Christmas donations are an extra addition of what the group does weekly, providing bread and meals, and over the past two years the need for support has risen.

“We do bread and meal deliveries and you catch up with people along their journey and you just hear their stories.

“Plus we work with the school and they let us know. There are families there that have struggled especially through Covid, they’ve had a really tough year.”

The care group has grown to provide around 200 meals weekly through business donations over the past 20 years, and the community has always stepped up to provide donations of

The hampers will be going to local families in need.

Picture: FREESTOCKS food and toys each Christmas.

“One of our beautiful ladies passed away, Jackie, and every year she did Christmas shopping from the start to the end. So she’s been an angel. It’s just a gift that we love to share on to others.”

The group is still accepting donations to help reach more locals in need.

“We don’t have any funding so we rely on community help and our own help to do what we do.”

Irene Fritsche, Marie Campitelli, Maree Jefcott, Judy Sattler and Joy Bellizia have been working hard to create hampers with the care group.

Picture: RENEE WOOD

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CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE

Nina Sturgess from Verso Books with their Christmas window display.

Sally Piper from Healesville Jewellers with their Christmas window display. 260496

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

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Windows comp begins

By Renee Wood

years ago going, so people see continuity building and it supports local business along the way.”

It will be a tight contest with decorations already starting to go up, Mr Vine said there’s usually a number of hot contenders.

“Come the beginning of December, hopefully we can see a third of the businesses take part, and that will be a bit of an increase on previous years.”

The winners will be chosen through the community’s participation, with shoppers encouraged to nominate their favourite display through the Healesville Rotary Club’s website.

The winners will be calculated by the num-

ber of nominations received and the committee’s votes.

First and second prize, $300 and $200 respectively, have been donated by the Rotary Club and third prize of $100 has been supported by the Bendigo Bank, with gift cards of those amounts to be purchased from the winning stores for Rotary’s raffles and auctions throughout the year.

Retailers who haven’t yet decorated, can still do so, with nominations open from Wednesday 1 December to Tuesday 14 December.

To nominate your favourite festive window, visit https://www.rotaryhealesville.org/ xmas

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The Healesville Rotary Club has launched its Christmas Window Competition, inviting local traders to dress up their stores for the holidays.

President Ian Vine said it’s something both business owners and locals look forward to seeing every year.

“It’s something that we sponsored by providing some recognition through the process and inviting the public to nominate windows,” Mr Vine said.

But this year more than ever, it’s hoped the decorations will bring much joy and put the

festive spirit in the air, after such a tough year for businesses.

“Hopefully, it becomes a circular thing where people are interested in the windows and the window shopping leads to more traffic, to start to rebuild social and community involvement in the main street after so many months of being away from it all.”

In the competition’s fifth year, it’s also starting to take on the form of a local tradition.

“It builds community spirit and it helps conglomerate the feeling of the festive season.

“Christmas is all about traditions, so we’re trying to keep something that started a few

The Staff at First National Real Estate Mark Gunther would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, as well as a safe and prosperous New Year!

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We would like to thank the Community for their support in 2021 More importantly, we would like to wish all in our Community a

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2021 Christmas Window Competition 1st to 16th December Hosted by the ROTARY CLUB of HEALESVILLE The Rotary Club of Healesville invites Main Street shop-owners to participate in the Annual Christmas Window Competition to create a festive atmosphere in the Main Street of Healesville and to attract customers to their shops.

Shop-owners who present a beautiful festive shop window display, which reflects their products and services can win a certificate and one of the following prizes: 1st Prize the Rotary Club of Healesville purchases vouchers for $300 2nd Prize the Rotary Club of Healesville purchases vouchers for $200 3rd Prize the Rotary Club of Healesville purchases vouchers for $100 These vouchers are used by the Rotary Club of Healesville for raffles to support local business sales On-line nominations will be accepted from the wider community, starting 1st December.

The last day for nominations is the 16th December.

Here is the link for the nomination form: https://rotaryhealesville.org/xmas Winners will be chosen during the Rotary Club’s Christmas Function held on the 16th December 2021.

Another Community event organised by the Rotary Club of Healesville 12526756-BL50-21

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CHRISTMAS IN YARRA GLEN

Christmas at the races

By Renee Wood Rudolf and friends will be watching on as their fellow four legged friends hit the race track Friday 17 December at Yarra Valley Racing’s Christmas Party meeting. CEO Brett Shamrock said it’s one of the club’s biggest race meetings of the year, with generally more than 4500 people attending the event at the Yarra Glen race course.

“It’s been a traditional event for many, many years now and it’s always growing in popularity,” Mr Shamrock said.

“We’ll have full fields on the day and so always attracts the best trainers and jockeys around.”

And the name says it all - the event will be sprinkled with a festive ambiance, while attendees are encouraged to dress in the best Christmas attire.

“We have a lot of entertainment on course, it’s very much festive racing events, it’s themed Christmas and we have a visit from Santa on the day.”

The course recently held its early Christmas meeting, which was the first race meeting back with no government restrictions imposed.

“That was a great success. It was a beautiful day, everyone was just delighted to be back on track and meeting with people, so it was a really good event.”

Corporate marquees are fully booked, but there are still dining options in the Yarra View dining rooms and general admission tickets available.

“It’s been a very trying time, a lot of our major events haven’t had any crowds probably for two years, our events have been very much restricted.

“So this is going to be a terrific meeting and everyone can celebrate the festive season and hopefully put Covid behind them.”

Tickets are still available at the Yarra Valley Racing Christmas Part meet.

Picture: ON FILE

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CHRISTMAS IN YARRA GLEN

Yering Christmas Tree Farm owners Simon and Helen Steer are thrilled to welcome families in these holidays to find the perfect tree.

Pictures: RENEE WOOD

Tillie and Dottie are two red deer that live on the farm who families can also visit while attending the farm.

Creating tree traditions

By Renee Wood It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and one of the first things you need for that to happen is to put up the Christmas tree.

Thankfully the region is home to real Christmas tree producers, with Yering Christmas Tree farm already welcoming many families in to find their perfect tree.

This will be the third year selling trees for Simon and Helen Steer, who planted their first set of 2000 seedlings in 2016.

Helen said it’s about creating an experience with loved ones that makes it all worth while.

“It’s the best job to have because you see people at their best and their happiest - they want to be here and they are doing something

with the people that they love, and creating traditions and memories,” Helen said.

The adventure of selecting a real Christmas tree has long been a tradition for many families, but the Steers have noticed the interest in a fresh pine for the holidays is growing.

They believe around 80 per cent of their customers are purchasing a real tree for the first time.

“You can tell the new people who’re getting their first Christmas tree because they need a stand, and the amount of stands we’re selling this year is incredible,” Simon said.

Some families signed up for pre-selection to choose their trees in November, but there are still plenty of prime pines waiting to be chosen.

“It’s all about the lead up to Christmas, the excitement of putting the tree up, the excitement of putting the presents out. It’s the smell of fresh pine - it’s almost that crescendo of getting excited,” Helen said.

Last year the farm sold out of its mature trees for the season and they expect this year will be the same.

“Last year the driveway was full and people were guarding their trees waiting for us to come over,” Simon said.

The Steers said the best tips for choosing a tree are; know your ceiling height, how much car space you have, looking for a good tree topper point and its northern side will always look the best.

The trees are harvested around 4 years and 8 months old and can range between just under 1.7m to over 2.2m.

“Not everyone tree out there looks the same,” Simon said.

“They’re like people, they come in all shapes and sizes,” Helen said.

Two ‘reindeers’ also live on the farm, with Tillie and Dottie, hand reared red deer, another drawcard for families.

“We give people feed or carrots and they can wander up and pat them through the fence and have photos taken,” Helen said.

The farm will be open until the mature trees are all gone, with sales expected to slow down around December 17.

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CHRISTMAS IN WANDIN

Crafty ideas for bon bons It’s one of the most beloved Christmas traditions: pulling a cracker with a loved one and seeing who ends up with the funny hat. But Christmas crackers are often the last thing on the shopping list and after buying the presents, trimmings and food, pockets feel a little less than flush.

Why not try making your own? It’s easy and economical, using everyday items you probably have at home already. Best of all, you can fill them with trinkets that mean something to your guests, rather than plastic titbits that are likely to go in the bin at the end of the meal.

Now that’s ‘bang’ for your buck!

Here’s how to put them together: First, purchase some cracker snaps from your local craft store, like Spotlight. That will give you the authentic bon bon bang!

Next, place a cracker snap in a cardboard tube, say a toilet roll tube or a paper towel tube cut in half. If you don’t have any tubes handy, you can find these at craft shops, or cut pieces of flexible cardboard into rectangles and roll into cylinders. Secure the snap with a piece of tape or glue.

Then, choose your paper wrapping! You can wrap your bon bons in colourful tissue paper to match your table setting, Christmas wrapping paper, or even light fabric that can be washed and reused again next year. Cut it to fit the tube, with enough overhang to cover the ends of the snap. Roll around the tube and stick down with tape. Pinch one end and tie it down with a ribbon of your choice.

Fill the other end of the tube with your trinkets and fillings (see below for some ideas on what fillings to use!) then tie the last end shut.

For a personal touch, add a name tag and use each bon bon as a place setting for the table!

You can customise your crackers to suit your Christmas table settings.

Here are some ideas for entertaining cracker fillings: If your guests have a bit of a sweet tooth, buy a box of chocolates and divvy them up amongst the crackers. For the adults in the room, you can purchase liqueur-flavoured chocolates to match guests’ favourite tip-

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ples - or perhaps even mini bottles of their favourite spirits.

Instead of the cheesy jokes we’ve all heard a thousand times before, write some positive affirmations or messages for the New Year and slip those inside. People love to know they are cared for!

Are you a romantic at heart? If your beloved

·

loves Christmas as much as you do, a cracker might be the place to hide the ring. Just make sure they get the right bon bon to pull or things could get awkward.

For the kids, include something they’ll actually use. Colourful hair ties or clips, badges, marbles or spinning tops make cute gifts for the little ones.

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CHRISTMAS IN SEVILLE

Although the afternoon with Santa won’t be as big this year, people are encouraged to come and take a photo with Santa in his big red chair.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Santa’s pit stop in Seville

By Mikayla van Loon Santa Claus is coming to town and he’s making a pit stop in Seville for one afternoon only.

Branded Burgers and Bar sent out the invitation to the big man in red to see if he could spare an afternoon on Sunday 12 December, to which he accepted.

Co-owner Gina Braidner said the event is completely free for the community to enjoy.

“Everyone’s more than welcome, everyone’s

welcome to come along and say hello,” she said.

“They don’t need to book if they are just coming to visit and they can certainly stroll along. Santa’s got a gift for everybody.”

With his big red chair accompanying him, Santa is prepared and ready to go for photos on the day, in fact he encourages it, just bring your own camera.

The North Pole post box has also been set up since 16 November, with a select number

of Santa’s postcards and Christmas stamps for children to colour and send before the day.

In previous years, Ms Braidner said the afternoon with Santa event has been much bigger but a lack of space has meant Branded Burgers had to downscale it for this year.

“In previous years we’ve always tried to get a dinner with Santa for the children. And then last year, we decided to do the full Santa studio because we had a vacant shop next door.

“We ran that through the month of De-

cember, up until Christmas, which was a huge event where we raised $36,000 for charity. This year, we didn’t have the space but decided we could get him in for a day.”

The event gets started at 11am and goes until 4pm, with Santa giving out little gifts all afternoon.

Ms Braidner said people are certainly welcome to just come to see Santa but if people want to stay for a meal, it is recommended that they book.

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CHRISTMAS IN YARRA JUNCTION

It’s time to make your Christmas sparkle.

Get all your decoration, lights and entertaining needs locally plus we have a large range of gifts for everyone.

Thank you to all our customers for their amazing support during the year, wishing everyone a safe and festive season.

Yarra Valley ECOSS will be hosting a twilight Christmas market on Friday 17 December.

Picture: REGAN WOOD- HIT 66 SOUND AND SCREEN

Stocking up

By Renee Wood

YARRA JUNCTION VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTRE YARRA JUNCTION

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Yarra Valley ECOSS will be hosting a special Christmas Twilight Market on Friday 17 December with 20 stalls filled with local goods to fill up the stockings.

Arts, crafts, local produce and live music will all be available for the taking, all spreading a cheery festive spirit.

Market coordinator Leanne Hall said it will help to support both local creators and residents in a beautiful and friendly atmosphere.

“People can come and relax and enjoy the market atmosphere while doing their Christmas shopping,” Ms Hall said.

The market is an extension of the Valley Market which began at the start of the pan-

demic last year.

“I started the market through the pandemic as an essential service for the community, so people could do Covid-safe shopping in an open air environment while supporting small local businesses and food producers.”

The special twilight Christmas event will have more on offer, with plenty of items available for gifts and party supplies.

“It’ll be bigger than the usual ECOSS market. We’re very keen to support local businesses, particularly through what has been a difficult time and our focus is largely on supporting local and sustainable produce.”

The market will open at 3.30pm and will run until 8.00pm at ECOSS in Wesburn.

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CHRISTMAS IN WARBURTON

Iconic Alpine Hotel reborn

By Elle Cecil The Alpine Hotel was established at its Warburton location in 1885, making it one of the region’s most celebrated and beautifully restored historical sites.

Offering accommodation seven days a week that caters for solo travellers, couples or twin share rooms, there are 32 restored rooms at the Alpine, with 15 ensuites appointed for the comfort and convenience of guests.

At the Alpine’s two bistros, you will find a diverse and seasonal menu with a strong focus on Yarra Valley produce and wines. Along with the unique atrium space, the venue offers a large private dining room, vintage pizza oven and open fires, classic front bar with pool table, as well as two large beer gardens, each with a magnificent view of the towering Mount Donna Buang.

The Alpine is able to cater for a diverse range of occasions - from a family dinner, neighbourly catch up or birthday celebration to a wake gathering to farewell a loved one, a wedding where guests can stay the night, or just a gathering with friends on a sunny day in the beer garden, overlooking the Yarra River.

Having purchased the business in April this year, owners Rachael and Anthony Northwood are ecstatic about welcoming visitors to their regional hotel experience.

“Coming out of lockdown is beyond exciting - to meet and greet our community and patrons from out of town will be the highlight of ending 2021 and welcoming 2022,” says Anthony.

“Our consistency with warm regional hospitality and a seasonal menu of local Yarra Valley produce, seven days a week, will be how we differentiate ourselves.”

Most recently, the Alpine Hotel has under-

Established in 1885, the Alpine Hotel is one of the region’s most rich and celebrated locations. gone an extensive restoration, with the aim of repurposing and recycling wherever possible to avoid contributing to landfill and to celebrate the heritage of the past in the current day.

As well as providing a place for travellers to stay to explore the beauty of the Warburton village and Yarra Valley, Anthony and Rachael are proud to encourage a warm and welcom-

ing place of employment for team members at the Alpine.

“We love building a positive culture for our employees to enjoy their workplace and colleagues’ company - this in turn delivers an enjoyable vibe to our community of Valley patrons and visitors from out of town,” Anthony explains.

“The journey is always evolving, we enjoy our time at the Alpine and coming home to our little family.”

The Alpine Hotel is located at 3340 Warburton Highway, Warburton.

For more information, phone 5966 2411, email admin@alpineretreat.com.au or visit alpineretreat.com.au

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Upper Yarra

Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

Mail

Community urged to prepare for bushfire season

A book documenting the local impact of WWI

A historical German land declaration

YAVA Gallery opens new exhibit

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A Star News Group Publication

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

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Flying sky high

By Renee Wood

Year 10 student Benson Simmons and Lilydale Airport flight instructor Graham Bunn ready to take off in the Aeroprakt Vixen training aeroplane.

Picture: RENEE WOOD gain Aviation knowledge.

The experience has heightened their knowledge on aviation and has helped to push their dream careers to greater heights.

Year 10 student Benson Simmons said it was a great experience because he’s interested in studying aeronautical engineering.

Continued page 2

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the aeroplane themselves.”

It’s a step up from their general studies, with the course focussed on flying DJI Phantom 4 Drones, to refine their flying skills and

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Upper Yarra Secondary College aviation students have been given a special opportunity to take part in an introductory flight lesson for the first time at Lilydale Flying School in Yering.

The experience was made possible thanks to a sponsorship by community member Steve Atkinson from Atkinson Financial Planning who’s also getting his wings through the airport.

Some eight students participated in the day, who are all currently completing or have recently finished their Cert III in Aviation (Remote Pilot Licence – RePL) through the school.

Year 11 student Kiara Zekas said the opportunity was incredible and it has encouraged her interest in aviation as a career.

“I got to explore using all of the controls, I learnt a lot about how the plane actually flies with the instructor. We got to see Coldstream and Healesville and see all of the Dandenong Ranges – it was really cool,” she said.

Year 11 student Damon Trengrove also enjoyed seeing from a bird’s eye view.

“You get an entirely new perspective on everything because everything just looks so small, and you can see so much more than on the ground,” he said.

Flight instructor Graham Bunn said the students were in the sky flying an Aeroprakt Vixen training aeroplane for roughly 30 minutes.

“We show them some basic stuff about how to fly and give them a chance to operate the controls under instruction,” he said.

“We demonstrate the effect of moving the controls and the airplane’s response, it’s all very gentle and we give them a chance to do it with us hands off - they get to feel

NEWS

Students get their wings From page 1 “I’m more of a hands on person, so I wanted to do something with planes or drones,” he said.

The school has offered the course as a VCE unit since 2017 and teacher Marcus Cook said the students become registered drone flyers.

“The school is committed to providing relevant opportunities for students that are for now,” he said.

“Some of the flights we do with the drone is all about autonomous mapping and using technology that allows you to do that, and there’s a few companies like postal and a medicinal company that deliver medicine in South Africa by using autonomous drones just from an office building. So that’s the type of

technology we’re trying to push on to the students.”

Damon joined the drone studies because he felt it could open up many doors for different career pathways, with trades, real estate, military and the police force all using drones.

“The main thing was just the opportunity that aviation can provide, we are the only school in Victoria that does this so if there is a chance to do something as interesting and as unique as this then you may as well go straight for it, because there is a lot of things you can do if you can fly a drone,” he said.

Kiara said, “It is really interesting learning about the science part of flying but also getting to actually fly drones as well. So you get to see it firsthand.”

Year 11 student Jack McIntosh enjoyed getting his wings.

Year 11 student Kiara Zekas enjoyed the experience.

Pre-flight briefings are an important part of the introductory lesson.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Students were briefed inside the craft before taking off with instructor Graham Bunn.

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NEWS

IN BRIEF Officers to wear body cameras

The season ahead

By Parker McKenzie Both the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) are encouraging Victorians to take steps towards protecting themselves from bushfires ahead of the 2021-22 bushfire season.

The Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley are considered high risk of bushfires because of the intersection of public and private land, as well as high density of people and potential fuel for a fire.

The Australian and New Zealand National Council for fire and emergency services has indicates the potential for an average to lower-than average bushfire season in Victoria in their seasonal outlook for December and February, however, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan warned Victorians not to get complacent.

“We know it only takes one bad day to have a bad fire season so we need to stay vigilant this summer,” he said.

“Many people have already prepared their properties, but recent wet conditions mean we’ve seen a lot of vegetation growth, so it’s important to keep maintaining your property by keeping your grass low and any other vegetation cut back as well.”

After an unprecedented fire season two years ago saw regional communities devastated and the state clouded in smoke, the VBA is encouraging people to prepare early.

The VBA’s State Building Surveyor Andrew Cialini said it is important to prepare early because Victoria is one of the most bushfire prone areas in the world.

“Being prepared early is key, don’t wait until it’s too late, start updating your survival plans now and get your home ready for fire season,” he said.

“Steps you can take now include clearing leaves from gutters and installing leaf-guards, as well as protecting evaporative coolers with properly sized metal bushfire mesh screens.”

Mr Heffernan said the start of summer was timely reminder to make a bushfire safety plan if you do not already have one in place.

“Before you get too busy with festive season celebration and Christmas shopping, spend

The CFA and VBA are telling Victorians to prepare early for the bushfire season. some time to make a plan to keep your family safe,” he said.

“Your plan should include things like which fire danger rating will be your trigger to leave, where you will go, and what route you will take and it should always contain different scenarios and back-up plans.”

Mr Cialini said homeowners can contact a registered building practitioner to see how they can retrofit their properties with additional safety features as a part of their bushfire safety plan.

“There are easy and affordable things owners can do to protect their properties from things like ember attack,” he said.

“You can seal gaps in the external walls and eaves with silicone, put silicon weather strips and draught excluders on windows and external doors, cover vents in external walls with metal bushfire mesh and seal around roofing joints and roof penetrations.”

Both the CFA and the VBA are encouraging people to leave early in the event of a bushfire

Picture: ON FILE

in the area.

The VBA said leaving early means leaving the area before a fire starts and not only when you see flames or smell smoke.

Appropriately approved bushfire shelter are considered to be a last resort option in the event that fire prevents residents from leaving the area.

“Leaving early means leaving the night before or early in the morning of a high-risk fire day,” Mr Heffernan said.

“It means it’s easier to make good, rational decisions and avoid panic, becoming trapped and risking serious injury or death.”

The CFA website contains information about how to make a bushfire safety plan and preparing an emergency kit to bring when leaving early at cfa.vic.gov.au.

Residents in the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley should keep updated on current fire incidents and risks at www.emergency.vic. gov.au/respond.

Road works to begin in East Warburton

By Renee Wood Upgrade works to Warburton-Woods Point Road are scheduled to begin this week on Thursday 9 December to restore the road’s surface in East Warburton.

Road works were delayed on the deteriorating asphalt due to the Upper Yarra Dam project and wet conditions, but a Department of Transport spokesperson said works will now begin this month to repair sections of the road’s pavement.

“We will be able to safely reinstate the speed limit across sections of the road once these works are complete,” they said.

The speed limit dropped from 80km/ hour to 60km/hour in August due to an increase in heavy vehicles accessing the Dam upgrade project.

It follows Eildon MP Cindy McLeish urging the government to start works as soon as possible, with drivers frustrated with the reduced limits.

“The condition of the Warburton-Woods Point Road has been dreadful for years,” she said.

Speed limits will be reinstated to 80km/h between Starvation Creek Road and Boundary Road and between Lyrebird Avenue and Starvation Creek Road later this month when

works are completed.

However, a 60km/h speed limit will remain on two road sections near Starvation Creek Road and McMahons Creek Road until maintenance can occur.

A Melbourne Water spokesperson said the Dam upgrades will ensure the continued integrity and stability of the dam wall and Melbourne Water thanks the community for its patience.

“Melbourne Water and our delivery partner Seymour Whyte have recently completed an upgrade to Upper Yarra Dam so the reservoir can continue to supply world-class drinking water to Melburnians,” they said.

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Yarra Ranges Council’s Community Safety Officers have begun trialing the use of body worn cameras as part of their standard uniform, when out in the field.

The cameras will be secured on vests, reducing the amount of additional equipment required and will make Council’s Community Safety Officers easily identifiable when out in the community.

Community Safety Officers are tasked with many varying challenges, ranging from stray animal pickups, and securing wandering livestock, to dog attacks, illegal burning off and illegal rubbish dumping.

In these instances and more, the cameras will be used when responding to calls or potentially hazardous situations.

The equipment will also assist the officers in obtaining information and evidence in a safer, more efficient way, while helping keep the community safe. Cameras will also be used when attending afterhours calls, where builtin GPS tracking will improve safety for our officers.

Evidence from other councils using similar equipment has shown that body-worn cameras can de-escalate situations if officers are called out to an incident involving aggressive behaviour.

Data recorded by the cameras will be managed in line with relevant government legislation and Council’s privacy policy.

Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Jim Child, said the new equipment would assist Council’s Community Safety Officers greatly when going about their work in the field.

“The wearing of cameras also provides our officers with great learning opportunities, as it enables them to re-watch and review recordings of incidents to see what, if any, adjustments could be made in future situations,”Cr Child said.

Overhead power lines If you are a resident in Yarra Ranges who has a POEL (Private Overhead Electric Line) on your property than you may be eligible to have the your private powerline put underground as part of the Powerline Replacement Fund to reduce the risk of bushfires started by powerlines in certain areas. Not sure if this applies to you?

To be eligible, you must own a POEL which is: either partially or fully bare-wire or, if insulated, subject to a current urgent or significant defect notice; overhead (not already underground, or in the process of being undergrounded); in active use (the powerline is connected and energised); and located in a designated High Bushfire Risk Area within one of the thirteen eligible LGAs (Yarra Ranges is one of those designated areas).

How to apply: applications can be submitted through the online portal until 30 June 2022 (subject to available funding): https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/.../powerline-replacement-fund If you have any queries, please email safer. powerlines@delwp.vic.gov.au or call the POEL, or Project Team (03) 9918 7315

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Home front perspective

By Mikayla van Loon The Shire of Lillydale was gravely impacted by World War I and caused the greatest number of casualties in the area.

A new book written and produced by the Mount Evelyn RSL and local historian Anthony McAleer will be launching this weekend, documenting the impact the war had on people who remained at home.

After discovering many unknown and incredible stories about what people endured at home in Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Montrose, Mount Evelyn and the rest of the small communities in the shire during World War I, Mr McAleer decided to document those experiences in a book.

‘Home front: the impact of war on the shire of Lillydale’ is the latest historical book from Mr McAleer who has spent 30 years researching and hearing local stories from the time.

“I started this early enough that I was lucky enough to interview the last two World War I veterans from this area and I was able to interview a lot of people who lived in this area during that period,” he said.

“Nowadays, there are a lot more records on offer that you can access, so we were able to get a lot more information.”

Mr McAleer said during the centenary there was a lot of focus on the soldiers who fought in the war but not much had been done on what the people who stayed in the shire went through.

“The First World War is certainly a significant event in the history of this area...but little was done in regards to what happened locally and certainly it had such a huge impact and majorly affected everyone.

“There was a lot that came to light during the centenary from the different events that we had and people telling their family stories about what happened to their family.”

Anthony McAleer has documented the impact of World War I on the Shire of Lillydale in his most recent book Home Front. The hall of the original Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre was used as the base for the Red Cross and it was where soldiers left from and returned from war.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON Mount Evelyn RSL wanted to keep a permanent record of each of those stories to share and acknowledge the hardships of the residents in what was very much rural farmland.

“It was very much considered part of the country. Lilydale was a little bit more urban and was a little bit more densely populated.

There was certainly a lot more industry here and it was the centre for the area but places like Monbulk, Olinda, Montrose and Mooroolbark were little farming communities.

“There’s things like what happened to those farming communities when all of the fit and able men enlist in the military and go overseas.

So it talks about the hardships and the toil on those left behind.”

The book places a particular emphasis on the role women played to keep farms operating and how they knitted socks for the Red Cross in their spare time but also how local sports clubs suffered from a lack of men and the ongoing effects of war.

“In those decades after the war, it took a long, long time for people to readjust to how life was before,” Mr McAleer said.

Dame Nellie Melba’s influence and contribution to the Red Cross during the war years is another key feature of the book, something that earned her the damehood in 1918.

“She was probably the one individual who raised the most money for the Red Cross during the war years.

“She did numerous concerts. I think she did about three or four just in this building (Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre) to help out the local patriotic welfare efforts.”

The book reflects the generational impact the First World War had on people, whether they fought on the frontlines, donned a uniform, didn’t enlist at all or grew up without a family member.

“It impacted schools, community groups, churches, commerce, pastimes, sport and life on the land and it placed burdens on old and young, male and female, urban and rural,” Mr McAleer said.

“There was no one who was not affected by it.”

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Don Valley CFA concerns

By Renee Wood Don Valley residents are concerned their capabilities for fighting local fires are in jeopardy due to the satellite station losing its 3.4C tanker for a duration of time during the year.

For 29 days between 19 August to 17 September and 15 days between 4 November and 19 November the station’s 3.4C tanker was replaced by a 2.4D tanker.

Former CFA member Kate Cutting is concerned the replacement 2.4D truck isn’t fit for structural fires and the truck’s removal will put local properties at risk if a fire breaks out.

“The 2.4 has 2000 litres of water on it, the 3.4C has 3750, so you’ve got almost double the capacity of water and that can make a difference in an initial attack,” she said.

Hillcrest CFA Captain Colin Dickson confirmed the truck was taken for mechanical repairs and its second removal was due to Hillcrest needing the tanker while its own 3.4C tanker was sent to the CFA mechanics workshop.

“These are necessary for the pre-summer servicing to ensure trucks remain operationally ready. With these appliances being away, the brigade was down to two appliances carrying BA (breathing apparatus) sets,” he said.

“The operational decision as to where to house appliances, especially when a vehicle is away, is complex and is a decision of the Captain in consultation with our local CFA Commander. It needs to take into account many factors, including the reasonable prospects of being able to get an appropriately resourced and crewed truck out the door from a given station.”

The 3.4C tanker on the left and a 2.4D tanker on the right, outside the former main station of Don Valley/Launching Place Fire Brigade on Old Dalry Road.

Picture: SUPPLIED Cpt Dickson said the 2.4D carries less water, has a lesser pumping capacity and does not carry BA. “In the context of a firefight, whether it is a 3.4C or a 2.4D tanker, skilled firefighters applying correct priorities and appropriate water

use techniques should ensure there is sufficient water on the first responding appliance until subsequent units arrive to support.”

However, Ms Cutting said the area can easily be cut off from services and would require crews to go longer routes resulting in longer

response times accessing Don Valley.

Ms Cutting said this was the case during the June storms.

“On 10 June the Yarra River crossed the Don Road on our side of the bridge, couldn’t get in or out of Don Valley that way. And for the first part of the day, the trees crossed Dalry Road so yo couldn’t get in and out of Don Valley that way either, so the only way in or out of Don Valley was either the back way to Wesburn which is the back way, it’s only a fire access track or over the mountain.”

Ms Cutting’s family were part of establishing the Don Valley brigade decades ago, and she was also part of the merger bringing Don Valley, Launching Place and Woori Yallock areas under Hillcrest as the main station.

The former member said the Don Valley tanker was community funded and it was part of the merger documents that the tanker was not to leave the station and if it needed to, another 3.4C tanker was required to replace it.

“I would like to try and get some sort of undertaking that truck is not going to be taken again. You can’t guarantee that its going to get out the door even if it is there, but if it’s not there, it can’t get out the door and that’s my main concern.”

Cpt Dickson said the satellite facility has not been left without an appliance at any stage and believes the 2.4D is an adequate appliance for the area.

“Especially given the proximity of the main station and neighbouring brigades to support, brigades are always reliant on additional support, especially when two events are occurring in the area.”

Aaron Violi selected as new Casey Liberal candidate

By Parker McKenzie Aaron Violi knows he has big shoes to fill if he is elected to replace the venerated Tony Smith as member for Casey at the 2022 federal election.

The pressure doesn’t seem to bother him, instead he seems to enjoy it.

The local businessman and third generation Casey resident beat a crowded field of contenders to become the candidate for Casey when the widely respected former Speaker of the House retires from politics at the next federal election.

Mr Violi said Mr Smith is a friend and a mentor, and the pair holds similar political philosophies.

“The two areas Tony and I are most aligned is the view that the first and primary responsibility of a member of parliament is to represent and deliver for their local communities,” he said.

“The second is the importance of integrity in politics and that all members of parliament are custodians of democracy.”

After convincing the majority of the party

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Mr Violi said one area he is passionate about is ensuring there are adequate resources for mental health support in the electorate.

“I am proud that the Morrison government and Tony Smith delivered $4.5 million in funding to establish an integrated Youth Health Hub in Casey and I will be working to deliver ever more funding for mental health resources,” Mr Violi said.

“It is also important to recognise the crucial role community organisations such as Men’s Sheds, sporting clubs, community houses and many more organisations play in improving people’s mental health.

Ensuring they have the best possible facilities to make people feel welcome and comfortable will be a focus of mine.”

Labor has named Bill Brindle, who lost to Mr Smith in the 2019 election, as their candidate.

A number of other independent and party aligned candidates are expected to contest the election as well.

The 2022 federal election will be held on or before 21 May.

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Aaron Violi is the Liberal candidate for Casey at the next federal election.

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members that he was the right person to take the Liberal party forward, his next task is convincing the people of Casey.

Mr Violi said his aim if elected is to deliver “tangible outcomes for the residents, families, small businesses and communities of Casey” after a tough 18 months of Covid lockdowns and storms.

“Every town and community right across Casey have different challenges and needs and a local member of parliament needs to be available and out in every town and community engaging with community groups, businesses and residents to understand their challenges and ideas to improve their community,” he said.

“I have spent my life involved in a variety of community groups in Casey including the Lilydale Township Action Group, Yarra Valley Railway as well as various local sporting clubs and if successful in being elected as the representative of Casey I would always be available and accessible to the community.”

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A historical declaration

By Renee Wood Half way across the world a triumphant moment took place in Melbourne, which saw around 100 residents along the German and Polish border gain full ownership of the land their families have resided on since World War II. Sir Peter von Wentzki, the ninth Baron zu Lutzow und Petersheyde, made a declaration at an event in November to provide ownership rights in his ancestral estate, the barony of Petersheide.

It was the final step decades of work by the Polish and German governments determining who legally owned the land, after abandoned properties were taken over after the war.

Sir von Wentzki, now a Yarra Valley resident, said because the properties were historically under the control of the Baron he had to make the final decree.

“These people were dislocated during the war and after the war and they came across from Eastern Europe, Poland and various other places where the war took place, and they’d lost their properties, their houses,” he said.

“Many people in Petersheide died during the war, so there were lots of houses and businesses and farms that were empty and the government had to find out who owns this place.

“70 years may seem a long time but that’s how long it took, they did some good work and now, it was my task to say the final word.”

The final decree fell to Sir von Wentzki as he’s the last Baron of the land, although he’s lived in Victoria most of his life after he relocated with his parents, Paul and Emma Wentzki, to Australia in 1958.

A surprise wedding ceremony also took place at the declaration event, making Sir von Wentzki’s partner Jennifer McQueen of 30 years Lady Jennifer von Wentzki.

Lady von Wentzki said Yarra Ranges resi-

Sir Peter Von Wentzki lives in the Yarra Valley and has recently made a significant declaration to people living in the barony of Petersheide situated on the German Polish border.

Sir Peter Von Wentzki, Lady Jennifer Von Wentzki and family member at the declaration and surprise ceremony event.

Pictures: SUPPLIED dents may have connections to the declaration.

“The Yarra Ranges area traditionally has had a lot of German and Dutch people here, so some of them may have some sort of connection to the history and remember the time when this happened,” she said.

“We’re talking about people living 70 to 80 years without any surety or certainty of their own property ownership or where they belong, or any of those things.”

The role of a Baron is some what new for Sir von Wentzki, after he only learnt he was a Baron in his 50s when his father told him of their family’s legacy.

Sir von Wentzki said he knew he had a very favourable upbringing, but never really thought anything further.

“I went to Germany and Poland and it was pretty overwhelming really that all the people in the street you meet and wherever you go you’re supposedly responsible for them,” he said.

“So I came back to Australia and tried to think this thing through, and my father passed away so there were numerous things that occurred where I really didn’t have the answers, I had no instruction book.”

However, it was the late Prince Phillip, Duke

of Edinburgh, who Sir von Wentzki leant on in times of question.

“He guided me through a number of narrow corridors that I might not have been able to solve or repair or whatever the situation was.”

Sir Peter recalled a time when the pair played polo together in Coldstream at Flowers Field.

“He referred to me as Puntser, which in German means tank because I was an aggressive player.”

The Baron now enjoys daily life in the Yarra Valley and is grateful for the opportunities and lifestyle the region provides to himself and other residents “The Valley’s been a delightful place to reside with a nice living atmosphere, not just a place to open the front door and sleep but actually, somewhere you’d like to come home to.”

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Transform your energy The Yarra Valley Community Power Hub is excited to offer local communities a range of services to help upgrade the energy efficiency of homes within the Greater Yarra Valley and Ranges region at their FREE webinar on Monday 13 December, 7.30 - 9.00pm.

It is well known that Australian homes, unlike those in Europe and North America, have not historically been built with thermal qualities in mind.

Often our homes are freezing in winter and like ovens in summer with huge amounts of expensive energy being required to heat and cool them.

For those on low incomes or for others in rented accommodation the situation can be very trying and distressing with electricity and gas budgets going sky high.

This webinar will address what our communities can do to improve this situation.

Lucinda Flynn, a certified Home Energy Efficiency Assessor, is the key speaker and is passionate about taking action on the climate emergency through improving the thermal efficiency of our homes.

Through this webinar Lucinda will help to clarify what is meant by Home Energy Efficiency in simple, easy to understand terms, how to improve the overall efficiency and comfort within our homes for winter and summer, while also explaining how we can use less electricity to create significant savings for a relatively small investment.

Lucinda will make the point that this is an investment because within a year or two the cost will be repaid through the savings on our energy bills and then we continue to benefit from lower bills in perpetuity.

Lucinda, who has many years’ experience in this field, said, ”Running our houses and staying comfortable in them is usually the biggest cost any of us will have in our lives, so it is incredibly useful to understand how our houses use energy, and what specific upgrades will help them use less. As they say - ‘the cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use’ - and that’s what we want to help people achieve.”

The webinar will also detail additional Home Energy Efficiency services being offered by the Yarra Valley Community Power Hub which will benefit all households.

On offer is a Home Energy Efficiency Advisory Program - where there is a choice of either a professional advisory service (fee paying) or a free service from one of the YR-CPHub’s trained home energy efficiency community advisors, to visit your home to demonstrate how you can start your efficiency program.

The YV-CPHub is also facilitating the supply and installation of free energy efficiency products to upgrade the energy efficiency of products in your homes and to reduce your energy bills.

A registered installer will provide a range of

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Lucinda Flynn, a certified Home Energy Efficiency Assessor, will be the key speaker for the Yarra Valley Community Power Hub event.

Picture: SUPPLIED free products such as LED lights, draft excluders, water efficient shower roses, home energy electricity monitoring devices linked to your mobile phone, and lots more, ABSOLUTELY FREE through the Victorian Government Energy Upgrade Program. These will save households many hundreds of dollars annually on their energy bills.

For those who prefer a DIY solution for home energy efficiency, there will be home energy efficiency kits available through the Eastern Regional Libraries, compliments of three local councils - Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges.

These kits will contain a thermal camera, an electricity monitoring device, instruction manual and more, for very easy DIY projects in home energy efficiency. Community members can register on the YV-CPHub website to be informed when these kits will become available (expected mid-January 2022).

An exciting innovation for the YV-CPHub, is their focus on education and training programs.

A training course at Box Hill Institute (Lilydale Campus) to become a voluntary home energy efficiency advisor for your local community energy group will commence in February/March 2022.

In addition, the YV-CPHub has developed a short course on Community Renewable Energy, being trialed at three local Community or Neighbourhood Houses in Nillumbik, Emerald or Pakenham.

You can register your attendance for the webinar and for these services at https://www. yvcommunitypowerhub.org.au/events/event/ home-energy-efficiency/ To learn more about the Yarra Valley Community Power Hub and its initiatives, please visit https://www.yvcommunitypowerhub. org.au/

A new playspace and multi-court development is set to revitalise the Upper Yarra Reservoir Park, with construction now beginning on the project.

Old, run-down tennis courts will be turned into an exciting new park for kids and adults alike, the revamped park will feature a number of active and passive play areas for residents and visitors.

Specifically, the park will include an active play and ball game area, sheltered rest area and equipment such as slides, swings, monkey bars a see-saw and accessible carousel.

The project was supported by the State Government’s Parks Revitalisation Grants Program, with the $570,000 project split evenly between Council and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

Yarra Ranges Mayor and O’Shannassy Ward Councillor, Jim Child, said the new playspace will be a welcomed addition to the local community.

“The existing location was very outdated and tired looking, and to be honest not a very inviting place at all, so for it to be

transformed into what has been proposed is something to really get excited about,” Cr Child said.

“We all know how important having outdoor spaces are to improving the physical and mental health of our community, so this new playspace will provide great benefit.”

Landscaping and interpretive signage will showcase the local wildlife in the area, provided by Melbourne Water.

Melbourne Water’s South East Regional Services Manager John Woodland thanked Wurundjeri elder Aunty Doreen GarveyWandin for providing stories around the significance of the animals being featured on the signs.

“It was fascinating to learn from Aunty Doreen what these animals mean to the local area where this fantastic playspace will be constructed,” Mr Woodland said.

“Melbourne Water is delighted to be involved with the project to enhance this part of the Upper Yarra Reservoir, which is where these animals call their spiritual home.”

Construction is expected to be completed in early 2022.

The Upper Yarra Reservoir Park near the dam will be revitalised.

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The children went through several laps, soaking up the colourful dust.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

The children were colourful rainbows at the end of the day.

A colourful day at school

By Renee Wood Wesburn Primary School students have been treated to a day filled with colour, as the school hosted a special colour run event on Tuesday 30 November.

The Parents and Friends committee organised the day to provide some entertainment and to celebrate being back at school after two difficult years of remote learning.

The President of the group worked with the colour run company to arrange the supplies, while other members arranged the decorations and treats.

Committee member Meagan Newing said it was great for the event to finally go ahead after cancellations due to the weather.

“We really wanted to come together as a school community and celebrate being back with face to face learning and just being to-

gether again,” Mrs Newing said.

The children were able to do several laps under the sun with the colour dust busting through the air towards them.

“It was a celebration of all the hard work over the last couple of years, and the grade sixes really enjoyed themselves. They did as many laps as they wanted to and they were pretty little rainbows by the end of it.”

The day was also a fundraiser for the school, helping to raise donations for more extra curricular activities for the students.

The final tally is expected to be well into the thousands.

“We’ve got a few ideas up our sleeves, so that’s why we really undertook the colour run, to have fun as a community but to also make sure that we raised much needed funds for our school as well.”

The balloons were supplied by Balloon Glamma.

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CEDA looks to the future Warburton Valley CEDA (Community Economic Development Association) held its AGM at the beginning of November and welcomed a new committee for 2021-22.

Newly elected president, Cleo Silva, thanked the retiring committee members for their valuable contribution over the years.

She welcomed the newly elected committee members and congratulated them for their passion and ongoing commitment to the business and community development of the Warburton Valley region.

Warburton Valley CEDA has also launched its new website www.warburtonvalley.org to showcase the region, its townships from Wandin to Reefton and CEDA business members.

The group is currently 96 members and is working towards attracting more business members and community groups to join them from the Warburton Highway corridor.

“A larger membership base gives us a bigger voice for our ongoing advocacy work for the region with all levels of government and other major stakeholders,” Cleo Silva said.

Anyone interested in joining, can do so on the newly launched Warburton Valley website.

The new committee is made up of the following local business members: President; Cleo Silva (Silva Coffee Roasters) Vice President: Christine Birch (Oscar’s on the Yarra) Secretary: Cathy Sanders (Sanders Apples) Treasurer: Leila Smith (Leila Smith) Committee: Richard Stanwix (Warburton Motel) Sam Maddock (Warburton Adventure Co)

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· Matt Swann (Ride Time Yarra Valley) Fitzgerald (YREC - Yarra Ranges En· Alison terprise Centres) · Jacqui Harvey (Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods) · Dale Feim (Dalcorp Accountants) Non-committee members: Engagement Officer: Leila Mylly· Business maeki-Hay About Warburton Valley CEDA: Warburton Valley CEDA (Community Economic Development Association) Inc, formerly Warburton & District Chamber of Commerce & Industry, is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers focused on the economic interests of the communities in the Warburton Valley.

Warburton Valley region represents a 60-kilometre journey from Lilydale to the Upper Yarra Dam and includes towns such as Wandin, Seville, Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Yarra Junction, Warburton and surrounds.

Warburton Valley CEDA’s purpose is ‘to promote sustainable economic development that enriches the lives of those who live in or have a close connection to the Warburton Valley and rely on its prosperity.’

More information from https://www.warburtonvalley.org/warburton-valley-ceda

25 Corbetts Rd Launching Place

$1,180,000 - $1,295,000

YREC reaches milestone Despite torrential rain, there were smiles all round from the 70 guests invited to a celebration at Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres Ltd (YREC).

On the 9th November, YREC took ownership of the property at 21 Woods Point Road, Warburton after leasing this property from the Victorian State Government since June 2000.

After the site was unexpectedly deemed surplus to the Government’s needs in 2016, YREC faced an uncertain future. With a stronghold of business and community support via the “Save YREC” campaign, negotiations successfully enabled purchase of the property.

The celebration event included current and past Directors of YREC, including David Hodgett MP who was one of the founding Directors responsible for the establishment of the organisation in 1998.

Cindy McLeish MP was also a guest having supported YREC through the challenging process of purchasing the property by requesting the Planning Minister take moves to support the continuation of YREC. Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child spoke passionately about the determination and energy that YREC displayed to reach this momentous milestone.

YREC’s Executive Officer Alison Fitzgerald celebrated and reflected on the advocacy role she has played.

“Brick walls kept getting in the way so we would have to find alternative pathways to communicate the value of YREC and the need for it to continue within this community,” she said.

“We lobbied hard for 18 months across all levels of government to raise awareness.

A petition from within the local community and video of YREC were distributed to Ministers and people of influence. A survey was conducted that showed the economic im-

YREC celebrated with invited guests the centre now taking ownership of the building.

Picture: SUPPLIED pact of the current 20 tenants on the local economy was $600k annually. The strength and determination of YREC has paid off and we can now start our new beginning.’’

As the proud owners of the property, YREC is in a stronger position to plan and grow the important role it plays as a respected and valued asset within the Warburton community.

The future will see YREC continue its working helping people in the community who have a great business idea, but often lack the resources and support to get a business up and running on their own.

Between 2000 and 2021, the agreement with the State Government has enabled YREC to assist 200plus small businesses as ‘custodians’ of the property, the value of business incubation has been demonstrated by 16 businesses graduating within a five-year period – 14 of those are still operating with many expanding, employing and exporting.

Upon graduation, many of these businesses have remained within the local area to provide much needed services and products to the community.

15 Britannia Creek Rd Wesburn

$690,000 - $750,000

Character home on 3 glorious acres

Delightful Home on 1500sqm approx.

The character home set on approx. 3 glorious acres offers 4 bedrooms including a walk in robe and ensuite in the main bedroom. The country style kitchen is superb, expansive living areas spread over 2 levels, with separate living/family & downstairs rumpus room or teenagers games room plus a classic period style formal dining/sitting room. Entertain in style with a covered entertaining area perfectly positioned overlooking the picturesque gardens and the colourful backdrop with stunning age old lush shady trees and beautiful established gardens. Plenty of car space plus a lock up garage with sealed pathways and plenty of under house storage, make the move now and come and enjoy the relaxed semi rural lifestyle and country atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to call home.

This delightful home is cosy yet spacious with 3 bedrooms, the lounge has a split system and the bonus of mains ducted heating, the dining is adjacent to the updated kitchen with ample cupboards, bench space, dishwasher and gas cook top. The convenience of two bathrooms in the home is handy and these are both super neat. If your working from home we have you covered with a large study space which is separate from the other 2 living areas so provides quiet place to work from. Outside a double garage, a studio space and a super large area just over 1500sqm of established gardens, ample fruit trees, fully fenced and just to top it off the home has approx. 10 solar panels, an absolutely ripper home in a great location.

Contact: David Carroll 0419 539 320 Inspection: Sat 1.30 -2pm (Photo ID Required)

bellrealestate.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Contact: Rebecca Doolan 0401 832 068 Inspection: Tues 5.30 - 6pm & Sat 10.00 -10.30am (Photo ID Required)

5966 2530

3407 Warburton Hwy, Warburton

5967 1277

2457 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

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MAIL 9

NEWS

Run to remember Ryan

By Mikayla van Loon For nine years the Donald family, with support of their son’s friends, have been raising awareness for a rare but devastating condition that takes the lives of 400 Australians each year.

Graeme and Meaghan Donald, alongside Zak Kennedy have held a number of annual fundraisers for sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) since the death of their son and friend.

This December they are bringing back Ryan’s Run, a 17km walk, ride or run over the weekend of 18 and 19 December, to spread awareness virtually.

Ryan Donald was 17 years old when his heartbeat extended for just a millisecond causing his brain to send an irregular message to his heart, which stopped beating moments later at his home in Yarra Glen.

This is known as SADS, a condition that goes relatively undetected in people under 40.

Zak, a football teammate and friend of Ryan’s, organised an inaugural Ryan Donald Memorial Football Match in 2019 between Lilydale and Yarra Glen but Covid-19 has prevented it from happening since.

Nevertheless, like most things over the last 18 months, they are taking it virtual for the second year in a row with Ryan’s Run. “We’ve had to go a different route but in saying that, the virtual walk, run and ride presented a great opportunity to still do something, not so much to raise money, obviously, we understand that a lot of people have been hit financially during this time but our main purpose with it was just to keep his legacy alive,” Zak said.

“And I guess that’s my purpose in what I do is to make sure that we’re still doing something, even though we can’t all be together, we can still do it virtually.”

Zak said he would love to see people out

Zak Kennedy has helped Ryan’s parents Meaghan and Graeme Donald organise a virtual fundraiser for SADS research called Ryan’s Run 2021.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON from Lilydale to Yarra Glen, dressed in blue and yellow or the Ryan Donald merchandise over that weekend, which will mark the anniversary of Ryan’s death.

Although it is as much about remembering Ryan for Graeme and Meaghan, the events they have helped hold each year since 2012 have been to raise funds for the Murdoch In-

stitute so research into genetic tissue can be conducted.

“The tragic thing about this is that 540 people a year, people between the age of five and 35 die from this every year and for 400 there’s no reason, they can’t find a thing,” Graeme said.

“So when you put that in perspective, it is a lot of people, a lot of young people, and it’s because the first episode is normally the last.

It doesn’t get the awareness of breast cancer, prostate cancer or bowel cancer.”

“So it does help with Ryan’s memory but it also helps a lot. It’d be really nice to think maybe one day they could find something to prevent it,” Meaghan said.

Ryan’s Run this year is about creating awareness of SADS by sharing posts on social media but with the 10 year anniversary coming up at the end of next year, Zak said plans to host a number of different events are on the cards.

“Hopefully the money we can raise can go to some research that can prevent it or can help other families not just wake up the next morning and not have their son or daughter or father or mother, whoever it is not there.”

As someone who loved his football and his friends, Graeme and Meaghan said they are amazed to see how much of an impression their son left on people but are extremely grateful for the support and positivity behind what they are doing.

“We’re very lucky that Meaghan and Graeme and James and Mitch, his brothers, we’ve been able to support them throughout this time and become really close with them as Ryan’s friends,” Zak said.

“They are such a beautiful family and unfortunately we lost Ryan nine years ago but I think you do get to meet a lot of people throughout these sort of unfortunate events and Ryan would be proud that everyone comes together, he’d probably be a bit embarrassed to be honest.”

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EXPERIENCE AN EAGLES FLIGHT

The Arthurs Seat Eagle is a one of a kind experience right on Melbourne’s doorstep.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Reaching for the skies Catching a gondola in the middle of the Mornington Peninsula may seem like a difficult task but Arthurs Seat Eagle gives the experience a whole new meaning.

Rather than being on the water, the gondola chair lift is suspended high above the ocean, giving spectacular views out across the bay.

“The Arthurs Seat Eagle offers a one of a kind experience - soaring high above Arthurs Seat State Park in our state-of-the-art gondolas, 314 metres above sea level. The stunning views from the gondolas extend across Port Phillip Bay to Melbourne CBD and beyond,” Arthurs Seat Eagle CEO, Matt Mulkearns said.

Since 2016 the Eagle has been operating,

constantly changing things up to give customers a new experience each time they visit.

The team have introduced in-gondola dining and the cafe menu is seasonally updated but it is the newly renovated retail store that has been an integral part of The Base, to help display the wonderful local produce the peninsula has to offer.

“Our newly revamped retail store stocks products from the Mornington Peninsula - our emphasis has been on showcasing and supporting local producers, artisans, and businesses that give back to the community,” Mr Mulkearns said.

But it’s not just the things the eye can see

that makes this the one of a kind tourist destination that it is.

“We have a relentless drive to deliver safety excellence and use only state-of-the-art equipment and products - this has translated well in the era of Covid, as the implementation of an advanced TGA certified, instant contact surface disinfectant has given us a superior level of Covid protection and a leading technological edge in our industry.”

The fully inclusive and accessible gondolas, designed in Switzerland, cater for all ages and abilities, allowing everyone to witness the bluest of blue waters in Melbourne’s beach side suburbs.

With discounts now on offer, there’s no better time to book this premium Victorian tourism attraction, the only one like it in the state.

“We have just introduced a new Eagle Family Ticket to make the Eagle more affordable and cost efficient for families. An online ticket discount has also been introduced to provide better value and an incentive to those who book online.”

Open every day except Christmas Day from 10am to 5pm at 795 Arthurs Seat Road, Arthurs Seat. Visit www.aseagle.com.au to book tickets or contact the Arthurs Seat Eagle team at info@aseagle.com.au or on (03) 5987 0600.

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MAIL 11

OPINION

Reflecting on year As Christmas approaches, we naturally reflect on the year that was and our hopes for the year ahead.

Like last year, it has been a difficult year, but we can have some confidence that life is now far more normal.

When I put myself forward at the 2019 Federal election, I made a number of pledges and commitments to build a stronger and safer local community. At that time, none of us envisaged that a pandemic would change all of our lives.

Despite this, during lockdowns and other challenges, the work to deliver these has continued and is continuing.

Funding for better sporting and community facilities, including a new pavilion and additional netball court at Wandin North Reserve, an upgraded pavilion at Mooroolbark Soccer Club and an oval and lighting upgrade at Kimberley Reserve in Chirnside Park has allowed for greater levels of female participation.

The construction of Mt Evelyn’s new pavilion is now underway, as is the major redevel-

From my

desk Tony Smith MP

Federal Member for Casey opment of the main oval at Seville Reserve.

Healesville’s Jack Hort Memorial Indoor Pool has been completely refurbished and back in operation. The playing facilities at Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club have also been upgraded.

The new Seville War Memorial stands tall in the heart of the township, featuring the stories of veterans from the Yarra Valley.

We all want a safer community - CCTV security cameras detect and deter local crime.

Networks of CCTV security cameras have been installed in Upwey, Seville, Wandin and Warburton. Plans have been finalised for ad-

ditional cameras in Warburton and networks in Millgrove and Montrose.

Operated by Victoria Police, CCTV security cameras across our region are helping to combat local crime.

In Healesville, Yarra Glen and Yarra Junction, key environmental initiatives are providing a direct benefit to those communities, as well as reducing emissions.

Throughout this year there has been substantial progress in sealing more dirt roads in our community thanks to $150 million of funding from the Morrison Government.

As roads are sealed, the days of dust and mud end for many local residents.

A Youth Health Hub and Headspace service based in Lilydale is now delivering health services to teenagers and young adults. Importantly, it has links into the community and a focus on outreach. As we all know, the pandemic has been a particularly challenging time for young people.

I wish you all the very best for the summer break with family and friends and for a better 2022.

A snapshot of contemporary Australia A review of Roots: Home is Who We Are When SBS launched its inaugural Emerging Writers’ Competition in August 2020, inviting submissions of short memoirs on the topic of “Growing up in diverse Australia”, there was public outcry led by Melbourne-based writer Kelly Bartholomeusz.

Published by Overland Literary Journal on October 5, 2020, Bartholomeusz’s essay was titled “Stop asking ‘diverse writers’ to tell you about their lives”. Her words are worth quoting to some length: “It is frustrating to see opportunities for ‘diverse writers’ linked to their willingness to write narrowly about their diversity. This approach disqualifies the many talented writers who have already processed or written about these experiences, and who have bigger visions or better imaginations to endlessly revisit the same questions. Who want to see themselves in Australia’s future as well as its past.”

“I imagine there are also writers who do not wish to revisit their childhoods because they do not want to be retraumatised. I reflect regularly and deeply on my upbringing as a Sri Lankan Australia. I’ve also written about it.

It’s worth exploring and rich in its own way, but that does not mean I care to pick it apart in a mainstream public forum or to hinge my

CARTOON

PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN public identity with it.”

Bartholomeusz may have a point, but the 30 short memoirs collected in Roots: Home is Who We Are: Voices from the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition (2021) – selected from more than 2,000 entries from across the country – are proof that human courage and resilience should never be underestimated.

Contrary to Bartholomeusz’s presumption about mainstream media’s “restrictive briefs and loaded questions”, judges sought and found “courageous and original voices, writing with a sharp take on modern Australian life, and nuanced views on our diverse realities”.

More importantly, instead of “marginalisation and otherness”, these emerging writers have explored universal themes such as place,

era, sexuality, religion, neurodiversity and disability, ethnicity and culture, and the myriad ways we can call Australia home As the book’s subtitle “Home is Who We Are” suggests, these stories have highlighted individual journeys of self-discovery. They mirror our own life-long attempt to find out who we are – not just defying how others define us, but also seeking an honest way to define ourselves.

Having relentlessly dissected the nature and significance of identity, these writers have empowered and entitled themselves as part of Australia’s future. It is a birthright that they have fiercely defended and will continue to safeguard.

Instead of “retraumatising” themselves, these writers – wielding the Power of Words and supported by families and communities – celebrate our commonalities and embrace our differences as Everyday Australians. In the words of competition judges Melissa Lucashenko and Benjamin Law: “This is storytelling that requires you to see the world from a different perspective.”

These writers have boldly started a conversation about diversity being both an ambition and a strength. Their stories are an invitation to examine our own unique and intimate worlds as Australians. Who are we, and what kind of Australia do we want for ourselves?

Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company Audition Opportunity Soloists wanted for GSOV annual garden recital at The Knowles, Sassafras.

Rehearsal from February for four performances in March. 2022.

General Cast Obligations: The GSOV expect performers to be aware of the schedule and have flagged any unavailability’s the moment you become aware of a clash or potential clash preferably before the rehearsal period begins. You need to take your own notes and learn your role/ music/dialogue/moves so the show can grow from a firm foundation. GSOV will provide supporting resources where this is possible.

All cast members are expected to sell tickets. (because it’s more fun with a full house) To find out more and to audition head to https//gsov.org.au/auditions to read details, expectations and to complete the form to book an audition. audition dates are 14 and 15 December from 7pm.

Proof of vaccination required.

CPP Community Theatre WE NEED YOU! Why? To help CPP Community theatre grow and thrive as the company stride out of lockdown and into 2022.

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Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

Dune Starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Oscar Isaac Rated M Dune is a riveting science fiction epic worthy of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, and further proof of director Denis Villeneuve’s talent for atmosphere, captivating imagery and character development woven into the world-building.

The spacefaring House Atreides is granted control of the desert planet Arrakis as rival House Harkonnen plots against them. Despite its dense backdrop of destiny, subterfuge and galactic politics, Villeneuve’s Dune is remarkably simple.

Timothee Chalamet is stolid but sensitive as Paul, heir to House Atreides. Every supporting character is memorable and fulfils a well-defined role within the narrative universe. The plot and conflict are clearly-established mostly through deliberate action, as opposed to the relentless talking in David Lynch’s version.

Even at 156 minutes, Dune is superbly paced, rising in intensity while tightening its focus. As Arrakis turns from a gift to a burden and the Emperor-backed Harkonnen make their move against House Atreides, Paul’s special abilities are tested, city gives way to desert and noble titles crumble until only survival remains.

Dune features some of the most immersive, jaw-dropping art direction in all of cinema: every costume, location and technology feels strange and striking yet familiar and utterly real. The action sequences are enthralling and brought to life with ingenious effects and Hans Zimmer’s otherworldly, majestic score (although I miss the brighter colours and corny rock majesty of Toto’s score in Lynch’s Dune). Dune is a stunningly beautiful, masterfully-plotted epic, and perhaps the best blockbuster to enjoy after a long lockdown.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Upcoming opportunities

By Peter Kemp, Kemp’s Curtain Call

12 MAIL

Good Dune

CPP community Theatre are seeking expressions of interest in the following areas.

Sponsorships and Grants A two pronged approach. The company is looking to get a sponsorship program up and running – they have a few ideas of what this may look like, but the company needs more and they need people to help drive it. So if you have experience with this or are a “think outside the box person” get in touch today.

CPP also need to do what they can in regard to Grants – researching what’s available, what they are eligible for, helping to complete applications within required timeframes and everything else it entails.

So, if you have a penchant for writing are an excellent communicator, have some time and love to work collaboratively with a team to investigate the many options out there, CPP would love to hear from you.

One Act Play Writing Competition: This event was such a success in 2021 it’s back, by popular demand for 2022.

CPP has the basis of what this is going to be – more details to come! – however the company well need some of their keen, enthusiastic and wonderful members, to step up and help the company see it to fruition So if production management is more your style, this may be the subcommittee for you.

If you are ready to get involved please email chair@cppcommunitytheatre.com/au or message SPP via the Facebook page. mailcommunity.com.au

MEDICALLY SPEAKING

NDIS needs in Yarra Valley Recovery Options is a registered NDIS provider in the Yarra Valley and provides services to assist and support participants with disabilities.

The support coordination division was established in July 2018 and has steadily grown into an efficient and productive group of eight support coordinators.

Support coordination is a funded category of the NDIS plan which assists participants to maximise all areas of their plan, link in suitable providers and services for help within the home such as support workers, cleaning and gardening. Support coordinators work closely with clients understanding their needs and working towards their goals.

Support coordinators also work with the participants family, carers, community, mainstream supports and multi team-based approach to maximise client support and can assist clients with referrals and engagement with appropriate specialised therapist interventions which help to build on the participant’s capacity, to improve their overall quality of life and independence building opportunities.

Our support coordinators can also help with access to short term accommodation, crisis or emergency housing and long term, specialised disability housing.

Support Coordinators can also assist approved participants with required access to individual,disability related technology such as complex vehicle modifications, home modifications, specialised mobility equipment and assistive technology to allow for safer independence within the home and in the community.

Our team has a diverse and complex range of skills sets and expertise, specialising in areas such as psychosocial disabilities, youth work, autism and intellectual disabilities, aged care supports, vision impairments and Multiple Sclerosis, to name a few.

Liz, Jen, Kym, Jason and Mitch from Recovery Options. 259341 Our SC team consists of both tertiary qualified and personal experience-based knowledge which provides a client centred,

Contact Recovery Options to discuss your support needs, email admin@recoveryoptions. com.au or call 5900 6898.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Inside Out at the gallery

By Renee Wood The Covid pandemic has been a difficult time for many, but there has been some small glimmers of hope and comfort that were born from the despair of ‘life at home’.

Slowing down, enjoying lounge attire, stepping into the garden for fresh air and escaping the rat race all brought some sense of comfort during such a difficult time.

At the beginning of the Pandemic, Yarra Valley Arts brought artists together for a virtual cup of tea and from this, 12 artists began regularly meeting to form a group dubbed S.C.O.N.E.S. (Social Creative Outlet Not Only Eating Scones).

“Very soon on we got this sense of joy and friendliness that comes having moved from the isolation of our studios to working together, so that was a very lovely part of the process,” show coordinator Mary Newham said.

During the meetings, the creatives shared skills and techniques while creating works of art depicting treasured items that were brought in for still lifes.

Ms Newham said the items had a sense of nurturing and comfort, which were beautiful to focus on in a difficult time.

“We had this notion that we’re really grounding, centering and calming ourselves by working on these beautiful things within inside our homes and out in the gardens.”

From this grew the desire to showcase the works in a gallery setting, and Ms Newham approached YAVA with the idea for the new exhibit ‘Inside Out’.

Now open, ‘Inside Out’ tales the view through settings, flowing through a garden, then into the kitchen and the lounge area is beyond.

Curators Mary Newham, Amanda Ruck and Ian George placed the items throughout the

Artists Mary Newham and Bev Hardidge enjoying the launch of the Inside Out exhibit at YAVA Picture: KATE BAKER Gallery. 260879 space, matching the works with their desired locations.

The kitchen area puts a rumble in your belly, with beautiful preserves painted in perfect still life form.

Cups of tea also formed out of texture through delicate circular embroidery by Ms Ruck.

“Some of the mediums that are used here tonight are often overlooked to my complete annoyance, and I adore the fact that we’ve cel-

ebrated every single thing that we can possibly do throughout this,” Bev Hardidge’s pottery is also displayed on a dining table, as through you were walking into a friends for a pot of tea.

“I only started pottery last year, so it’s pretty new to me, although my mum was a potter for a long time,” Ms Hardidge said.

The clusters of work on the wall replicate how pictures are hung at home, refuting familiar gallery lines of structured singlularly dis-

played art works - bringing a sense of calm and familiarity from the home into the exhibition.

“We had this idea of a salon type hanging so rather than a more formal, stereotype gallery setting, the idea of clusters of which is more like probably most of us have got on the walls at home,” Ms Newham said.

The comfiest of all the fire place surrounded by works, all symbolic of cosiness and relaxation and time slipping away with violins and vases of flowers.

Take a peek inside the ‘Cupboards of Curiosities’ by Mim Kocher if you want to spy on the miniature lives of lockdown locals.

“I was reading a fantastic book during lockdowns and I learned about cabinets of curiosity and it started around the 16th century and I just got really interested during research and I had a little cabinet so I thought if I could come up with a little surprise in each drawer that perhaps some of you could have a look inside and hopefully get a get a surprise,” Ms Kocher said.

All different mediums can be seen from Ian George’s woodwork to felt and fibre art from Kate Taylor.

The true embrace of the ‘good’ found in lockdowns is also refreshing for the artists and gallery visitors.

“This is the only show that I’ve seen that looks on lockdowns and COVID in a totally different way then what I’ve seen,” Mr George said.

“This is a really different view of Covid and the way in which it has been approached, rather than hanging onto the angst and the dark of it, we’ve looked at the positives that have come with it.”

Inside out is now open until Christmas Eve, with many items also available for those looking for Christmas gifts.

New exhibits to open at TarraWarra Museum of Art TarraWarra Museum of Art is revealing its latest exhibits from tomorrow, showcasing two well known Australian artists.

The first, ‘Sidney Nolan: Myth Rider’ brings together more than 100 works by Sidney Nolan from 1955–1966, during which the artist grappled with the subject of the Trojan War, its parallels with the Gallipoli campaign, and its origins in the myth of Leda and the Swan.

Throughout these interconnected series, Nolan employs his remarkable visual and mental acuity to meld classical allusions, literary sources, historical references, and his own personal response to war and its disastrous consequences, to convey a series of powerful insights into the broader mythic and universal dimensions of human conflict.

Combining compelling subject matter and a highly inventive approach to a wide range of media, the rich array of works in this exhibition reveal Nolan’s innate understanding of and facility for mythopoesis—the making of myth—whereby past and present, ancient and modern, legend and history, are conflated and vividly reimagined.

Although previous exhibitions of Nolan’s Gallipoli series have highlighted his references to classical sources, this will be the first exhibition to show these works in the context of the development of the artist’s vision of the tragedy of warfare from his early works on Hydra (1955–56), through his Leda and Swan series (1958–60) and culminating in his large-scale interpretations of Greek mythology (1966).

Curator, Anthony Fitzpatrick explains the title of this exhibition is taken from The Myth Rider, 1958– 59, one of Nolan’s early major paintings from his Gallipoli series.

“This painting, together with a large selection of Nolan’s works from the period 1955–1966, chart his decade long engagement with the epic subject of the Trojan War, its parallels with the Gallipoli campaign, and mailcommunity.com.au

Sidney Nolan: Myth Rider and Heather B. Swann: Leda and the Swan will be open at TWMA from 4 December 2021 to 6 March 2022, curated by Anthony Fitzpatrick.

Picture: TWMA its origins in the myth of Leda and the Swan,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

“What emerges from these three interconnected series is a deepening sense of the tragic which came to inform Nolan’s vision of warfare as a predestined and overwhelming

force that is beyond human control.

“For Nolan, myths, like poems, are ‘forms of knowledge’ and feats of the imagination by which the most contradictory, complex and challenging experiences and ideas can be expressed and realised— and this is what he

sought to transmit through his art.”

The second exhibit, ‘Heather B. Swann: Leda and the Swan’ is an exhibition of new sculptures and paintings by Hobart based contemporary artist Heather B. Swann, who is renowned for her large-scale, meticulously crafted and highly expressive sculptural forms.

Swann’s new installation at TarraWarra Museum of Art is an immersive, experiential work, woven out of her own contemporary reading of the myth of Leda and the Swan and emerging from artist residencies in Rome and Athens.

The artist’s close study of Graeco-Roman antiquities and emulation of the forms of classical figurative sculpture is embodied in her use of fragmentation, repetition and mismatched scale.

Commissioned by the TarraWarra Museum of Art to make an exhibition on the theme of Leda and the Swan, the artist visited Athens and made a close study of Archaic korai, the marble girls who stand straight and still and self-contained.

Swann presents female resistance through words and objects that embody the idea of “Tooth and Nail” which speaks of Fight.

The work maintains the artist’s characteristic rich ambiguity, though with the clear injunction to ‘always be on your guard, to fight tooth and nail and to look out for each other.

Do not shut up; keep telling the story again and again, and look for change.’

Mr Fitzpatrick said, “The dual presentation of these two bodies of work by Sidney Nolan and Heather B. Swann, created six decades apart, provides an opportunity to consider the mutability and adaptability of Greek mythology and its capacity to resonate across time.

“Like countless authors and artists before them, they have both reinvented these ancient stories— bearing witness to their endless metamorphic possibilities—to create art that is of its moment.

Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

|

MAIL 15

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Join Alice and the Queen of Hearts at open garden

By Renee Wood Yarra Ranges residents are being invited to take a trip down the rabbit hole and enter Coldstream resident Jo Bartlett-Brown’s Alice in Wonderland themed open garden.

Jo has been putting her artistic nature to good use during the lockdown, re-purposing hundreds of items to fit the theme to decorate the garden for the event.

“I started to go to the tip shop, the op shop and all the different places to get cheap things that fit the theme and I just got carried away and had the time my life and now it’s going to be open for not one day, but for seven,” Jo said.

It will be a tea party galore, with Alice, the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and White Rabbit all familiar faces that can be spotted in the garden displays.

The event is a fundraiser for Coldstream CFA’s redevelopment project to help fit out the new station.

“My husband has been in the CFA for nearly 40 years and just the concept of putting back, if everybody puts back something it just makes it a better world.”

The event is also being held to bring joy to the local community as many families will be familiar with Jo’s artwork displayed on her fence.

The idea for the open garden grew from Jo’s efforts turning her fence into a gallery wall for families to enjoy when going for their daily exercise during lockdowns.

Not long after, parents expressed to her that the revolving art was the only way they could get their kids out of the house.

“I could hear through my fence the kids squealing with laughter or pointing and I could hear the things parents were saying, and it was so positive, I was so wrapped.”

Jo then launched an online auction

Jo Barlett-Brown is looking forward to wowing residents with her Alice in Wonderland themed open garden. which also gained a positive response.

“And then as the lockdowns continued, I thought now I need to do something bigger and better.”

The open garden was first schedule for October but due to the extended lockdown and home density limits it was postponed.

But now it’s full steam ahead for the 2 Murrac Street open garden, which will open Friday 10 December, Saturday 11 December and Sunday 12 December and Friday 17 December, Saturday 18 December, Sunday 19 December and Monday 20 December from 10am-4pm.

Donations are welcome at the gate, with proceeds going to Coldstream CFA.

Meet artists in the studio Despite our long lockdowns, many of our local artists have taken advantage of the quieter time to create new and exciting works.

Fourteen artists, ranging from potters, painters, sculptors, photographers and fibre artists will be opening their private creative spaces, their studios, to the public on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December.

Each year they look forward to welcoming art lovers and of course other artists, to their little slice of heaven, a shed in the garden or the garage or spare room and in some cases a purpose-built studio.

Some studios even have glorious views which contribute to their inspiration and creativity.

Artist Rachael Rose has been refining her sculptural vessels over the last year, experimenting with glazes and scale, in what she says is a most satisfying process.

“I call it my “heart work” because it’s so immersive and direct, and I’m loving the results,” she said.

This is your opportunity to meet an artist you follow on Instagram, ask questions about their techniques, and buy direct from the maker.

Studios are open 10am – 5 pm (no need to book) and Covid requirements will be adhered to ensuring a safe event for both artists and visitors.

Start planning the weekend by downloading the map at www.yava.org.au/openstudios website and map details which artists are open and studio addresses.

Details: Yarra Valley Open Studios 11 and 12 December 2021 10am – 5 pm Free event

· · · ·

Artist Jerry Osadczuk will be taking part in the December open studios events.

Picture: SUPPLIED Open Studios Group Exhibition 2 – 13 December - at the Memo Gallery, Healesville – sales online using QR code available in gallery or via this link www.yava.org.au/openstudiosstore

Running away to the circus just got a whole lot easier

By Mikayla van Loon Curbside Carnies is returning to the Yarra Ranges with three brand new sessions all happening in just one weekend.

Dreams of running away with the circus, even if it is only for a couple of hours, can come true on 11 and 12 December when performers come to Chirnside Park, Yarra Glen and Selby to share their skills for free.

Event producer Sophie deLightful said this is the second time she has partnered with Yarra Ranges Council, who are funding the programs, to bring some life back to the area after so many lockdowns.

“It’s just a continuation of trying to bring

the community back together and reactivate them and get them moving and happy again after the big lockdown period,” she said.

The programs are recommended for children between the ages of five and 16 to ensure they get the full experience.

With workshops on hula hooping, dancing, handstands, juggling and maybe diablos, as well as a play space, the Curbside Carnies has something for everyone. Sophie said there is this love of the circus and intrigue about the artform that dates back through the ages.

“There’s been this romanticised image that running away with the circus means running away from your responsibilities or running away from anything that might not be going

right,” she said.

“Once they actually start to play with toys and try to stand on their head and they realise that no matter what age, whether it’s kids or adults, there isn’t an age limit for the circus.

“It is something that can be enjoyed by people of all walks of life, of all ages, all experiences and backgrounds. It’s just something that’s universal.”

Curbside Carnies started a year ago to bring CovidSafe performances to various towns and suburbs across the state and in turn support performers who were without work.

“It also has benefited the community because being free, everyone has had a chance to

come and check it out whether or not they’re aficionado of certain skills or whether it’s completely new to them.

“It’s been really enjoyable to bring so much positivity and happiness back into the community every time we go out there.”

Sat 11 December: 9am to 11am: Selby Community House 12.30pm to 2.30pm: Chirnside Park Community Hub Sun 12 December: 12pm to 2pm: Yarra Glen Adventure Park All participants must register for the events by going to http://bthe.re/curbsidecarniesartattack

· · ·

12511853-AV37-21

16 MAIL

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Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

mailcommunity.com.au

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 058

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

1

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

3

8

4 8 2

2 4 8

1 5

Insects (7) Recipe (7) Transcribed (11) Long, slippery fish (3) Burn (6) Software (7) Nigh (4) Conglomerate (10) Aficionado (10) Daze (4) Weapon (7) Sweethearts (6) Gamy (3) Senile decay (11) Late (7) Equal; even — (7)

US museum (11) Excess (3) Enmity (7) Netizens (5) Attraction (10) Chart toppers (4-7) Comprehended (10) Break (9) Blasphemous (7) Rubbish (5) State (5) Tidings (4) Churl (3)

DOWN Ram (4) Eager; anticipatory (9) Depress (5)

1 2 3

DECODER

No. 058

5 7 3

1 4 3

7 8

2

4 5 6 7 8 12 13 16 18 21 23 24 27

ACROSS 1 5 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 19 20 22 25 26 28 29

No. 058

8

7 6 9

9

QUICK CROSSWORD

9

6 8 9 7 hard

1 2 3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12 13

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

B G 16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

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

2

15

5

1

14

3 1 6 2 8 9 7 1 4 5 3

A Y X WQ T I C J M S B G

2

26

D L Z V P HU E F KN RO 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”.

E

Today’s Aim: 7 words: Good 10 words: Very good 14 words: Excellent

N

T

S

I

Q A

U

T

4 LETTERS ATOM FLEW HUTS KNEE NOES RATE SAID SARI SLED SLEW SURE TIPS TYPE WARM

5 LETTERS ABIDE ADOBE ADORE AGAIN AISLE AROSE ATONE CEASE CLERK CRAZE DOZES DROOL EGGED ENACT ERODE EXTOL FLOAT HERON INEPT LEERS

No. 058

TULIP URINE USING WHIRR

MESSY MULLS OLDER OUNCE PANSY PEDAL PETAL RANGE RENTS RESIN RIPEN SEEMS SIRES SOFAS SPANS SPARS SPEED STATE TINGE TRASH TREND

6 LETTERS LEADEN RECESS STALER VETTED 7 LETTERS CHICANO EPISODE EVASION

STARCHY SUNTANS TORMENT 8 LETTERS DEMERITS DENOUNCE EXTRACTS LIBERALS 11 LETTERS RESTFULNESS SPEEDOMETER

antique, inquest, quaint, QUAINTEST, quasi, quest, quiet, quiets, quint, quintet, quite, sequin, squat, squint

1 8 6 7 4 5 9 3 2

7 5 8 3 1 6 9 4 2

6 4 2 5 7 9 3 8 1

3 1 9 2 8 4 7 5 6

5 2 4 8 6 3 1 7 9

1 9 3 4 5 7 2 6 8

8 7 6 9 2 1 4 3 5

4 3 1 6 9 8 5 2 7

2 8 7 1 3 5 6 9 4

9 6 5 7 4 2 8 1 3

3 7 2 9 1 8 4 5 6

5 9 4 6 3 2 8 1 7

8 6 9 2 5 1 3 7 4

7 2 3 4 6 9 1 8 5

4 1 5 8 7 3 2 6 9

2 5 7 1 8 4 6 9 3

6 4 8 3 9 7 5 2 1

9 3 1 5 2 6 7 4 8

6 2 4 3 8 1 5 7 9

3 7 1 5 6 9 4 2 8

9 8 5 4 7 2 6 3 1

8 6 7 2 3 4 1 9 5

1 5 3 6 9 7 2 8 4

2 4 9 8 1 5 3 6 7

5 3 6 9 4 8 7 1 2

7 9 2 1 5 3 8 4 6

4 1 8 7 2 6 9 5 3

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

4

hard

3

medium

2

easy

3 LETTERS ADO ALE ARE COW DEM EEL ERA GEE HEM ILL INN ITS NAB NED OHM OUR RAG RAN RED RUE RUM SIP TEA TOT WED

1

5

WORDFIT

10-12-21

This week’s crossword proudly sponsored by

10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

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mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

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MAIL 17

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18 MAIL

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Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

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SPORT

Eagles impress at home Arrival at Yarra Junction Bowling Club on Saturday morning for the Weekend Pennant Game revealed a dramatic new addition to the Yarra Junction skyline. The new telecoms tower has now been installed and looms large over the Bowling Club. Not the most attractive feature in the area but another vital link to improve connectivity in the valley.

Saturday’s home game against a determined side from Mooroolbark was played in cool, partly cloudy and slightly breezy conditions. The visitors surprised Yarra Junction with a strong start on all rinks and were still just in front at the break. The Eagles fought back however and brought home a 5 shot overall win, winning three rinks and collecting a valuable 16 points in the process. The result maintains The Eagles’ unbeaten home record this season.

Yarra Junction Bowling Club’s form away from home continues to be less impressive

however. The Midweek Pennant side travelled to Monbulk on Tuesday and played on the first really warm day of the season. The green was fast and wide and although two rinks came close to gaining points the Eagles came away empty handed.

We are looking forward the festive season and would like to remind the community that our facilities provide a great venue for your celebrations, although current Covid restrictions will of course apply. Yarra Junction Bowling Club also looks forward to hosting Barefoot Bowls again this summer. The planned start date is Friday 14th January. Put in your new diaries.

Johnny Gates (right) working his magic against a side from Mooroolbark. 261012 Picture: SUPPLIED

Warburton Bowls Club welcomes three victories 12; A. Donohue 16/ 20; J. Van Der Zweep 25/ 17 and P. Caneva 27/ 17.

They play Mitcham 1 at home in what promises to be another tight match.

The Warburton 2 team recorded their first win for the season against Croydon 4 away, 76 to 72.

An exciting final end from Max Reynolds’ team saw them finish with 3 shots to consolidate the victory.

Rink scores were P. Summers 16/ 29; T. Heyward 25/ 9; G. Wynd 17/ 13 and M. Reyn-

Three victories by the Burras highlighted a good week of bowls for the Warburton Bowls Club.

Unfortunately, once again, they had to forfeit the Weekend 6-a-side game due to lack of available players over the weekend.

The 6-a-side team play Cockatoo away this week, depending upon player availability.

The Weekend Warburton 1 side returned to the winning list by defeating Diamond Creek 1 at home, 84 to 66.

Rink scores were as follows: C. Neale 16/

olds 18/ 21. The team plays Ringwood 3 at home this week.

The Mid Week Warburton 1 side played Eastwood Golf 1 at home and again won well, 73 to 41.

Rink scores were S. Lord 26/ 8, G. Walsh 28/ 14 and R. McKail 19/ 19. They play Yarra Glen 1 at home this week.

The Wednesday Night Barefoot Bowls Triples Competition will commence on Wednesday February 2nd 2022. There are vacancies for six more teams.

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

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

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

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.

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This is always an enjoyable opportunity for beginners and the less experienced bowlers. Contact Tash Caneva 0428420661 for further details.

The Pink Triples Tournament, sponsored

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Women and Men of all abilities may participate in this most worthy cause with all proceeds going towards Breast Cancer Research. Contact Rayna Zunneberg 0419472450 for further details.

section of Network Classifieds.

Call or visit us online! • networkclassifieds.com.au Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

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MAIL 19

SPORT

Playing Friday ShootOut Last Friday was the first of Callen Columns 9 hole RACV Golfers “ShootOuts”.

With the barometer indicating fair weather the golfers arrived with the course in magnificent condition and many thanks to the ground staff. Play began at 3pm on the front nine and it was terrific to see the groups out on the fairways.

This was the first of the events for the summer; and having just walked from the “Gully Green” it became evident that former local businessman, the “cigar smoking”, Robert de Sauty would be hard to beat.

Even a determined efforts by Stephen Oates and Steven Cubela; both of whom scored 20 points weren’t able to take the “Alba Palma” dining voucher away from deSauty who scored a career best 23 Stableford points.

No doubt those of us who frequent the now infamous “Tree of Knowledge” will see Rob dining on Nicholson soon.

Special mention to Laurie Tormey who received an award for his efforts in mentoring and encouraging so many of our RACV ladies of golf. Lyn Phillips and Dianna Viggers received encouragement awards while Mr Geoff Cooper took out the Phantom prize.

Other notable contributions on the day came from; Max Mcintosh, Graeme Salter,

Callen’s column Ian Callen Doug Smith, Peter Davidson, Paul Harmer, Jim Viggers, Geoff Hopkins, Dick Taylor, and Gordon McMenemy making a return to the game.

At the conclusion of the award ceremony Max McIntosh asked members to support a motion to enforce a requirement on the Callen Column writer; that he be required to include what was described as a spectacular achievement on the 3rd tee; otherwise be subject to a more serious fine. His motion was carried unfortunately.

So for those interested, the RACV’s Par 4, 3rd is known for its “Hump Back” green and I can tell you that I did not make it that far. Arriving at the tee block I turned towards Mt Rael imitating all golfers before me. I then searched for a suitable place to push my tee into the turf.

I admit my intention here; was to smack my Tiger Wood Bridgestone golf ball down that fairway as far as I could. Unfortunately I send

Lyn Phillips, Laurie Tormey, Diana Viggers and Rob de Sauty toast to the phantom gifts.

Picture: IAN CALLEN it into the ladies tee block marker, yorking it at speed. A centimetre higher and the ball would have been deflected down the middle of the fairway and most probably to perfect position.

Unfortunately the angle at the marker base caused a ricochet sending the ball vertically where it disappeared from view and much to the amusement of all.

“Where did it go” Graeme Salter asked. “I don’t know” said Doug Smith and “I don’t think

Warburton Golf Club comp results

By Ron Hottes Wednesday 1 December: Stroke and M.McGrann qualifier Well my old mate, Tex Van Der Kooi has certainly ‘got off to a flyer’ in this popular event - his Nett 66 eclipsed all others to qualify for next year’s Bag-Day playoff.

I’ve been informed that Tex’s whole round was steady from start to finish - well done, Tex! The daily runner up, with a not-too-shabby Nett 67, was Glen-Forbes.

With winning scores of that order, the ball rundown only reached Nett 71.

There were plenty of NTP winners, starting with David-Murch, (1st), Ross-Machar, (3rd), A.J. (5th), John-Haynes, (9th), Junior-Garsy, (12th) and finally Ken-Barratt, (15th).

Twilight comp Although disrupted by a serious thunderstorm, there were still plenty of the field who

went out to complete their nine holes, with some impressive scores recorded.

The best of those was from Paul-Osbourne, with a superb 23 points.

Neil- Leckenby was unlucky, as he amassed 21 points, which would have won him the winner’s prize any other time.

Balls extended to 17, NTP’s went to RodKempton, (3rd), that man Osbourne, (5th) and to Sam-Dennis (9th) Saturday 5 December: Stroke, MonthlyMedal and Medal of Medallists playoff Just sometimes, dear readers, you are lucky enough to play a round with someone who is a golfing story in their own right.

Paul-Osbourne, already mentioned in Twilight results, is a keen sportsman.

He played golf regularly many years ago, then was drawn into cricket and footy, and now has returned to our beloved game.

With a handicap now twice what it was back in his younger days, it is easy to predict it will shrink to that former number very soon.

As I played with him, it was a pleasure to watch Paul ‘carve up the course’ off the back tees, to shoot a very creditable Nett 68.

As a result of all this, he claimed the Medallist tag for 2021, very easily by 5 shots, and won the day picking up the December medal on the way - well done, Paul.

(And, Mitch, you can forget about getting him back to cricket anytime soon, he’s enjoying himself too much with us.)

Allan ‘Old Man River’ Hubbard was the daily runner up, finding his best form again, with a strong Nett 69.

If you scored Nett 74, or better, you can claim a ball next time you’re at the Club!

NTP winners were Ossie-McClay, (3rd), Junior-Spencely, (9th), Rod-Kempton, (12th) and President-Hatt, (15th).

Great day at Yarra Valley Horse Show The Yarra Valley horse show 2021 was held at Wesburn Park Sunday 5 December, which brought with it perfect weather for very happy people to be back out doing the things they love.

Cleo Billings on Buddy from Upper Yarra Pony Club was the Pony Club ring highpoint winner and the Encouragement Award went to Bridgette Buehl-Blair on Squirt from Upper Yarra Pony Club.

Rebecca Doolan on Raleigh Amazing Grace from Ashwood Riding Club did an great job to be named the HRCAV ring highpoint winner.

While the Open Led Champion went to Eden Hetherington with Reach To The Sky, and the Reserve Champion was Yasmin Hoy with Creswell Mardi Gras.

I’ve ever seen this happen ever” said Max McIntosh and he was most probably correct.

When the ball finally hit the ground, at the writers feet, it kicked towards the Ladies tee and in total humiliation I had to accept the fact that I was going to face a fine for failing to carry the Ladies tee, in such a spectacular manner.

The next Callen Column “ShootOut” Friday 7th of January 2022 we look forward to seeing you on course.

Montrose to good for Healesville

By Ian Callen Healesville Captain Max Minney won the toss Saturday and chose to bat at the Montrose Reserve. Again his boys were off to a confident start, the 50 coming from 15 overs; with the only casualty being Joshua Handasyde (17).

It seemed Brenton Damrow and Brandon D’Amore had settled in and we’re looking set to build a worthy total but a timely bowling change by Montrose Captain Lincoln Grigg, bring Blake Podesta into the attack provided to be the match winning move. Podesta’s spell of 4 over 3/12 destroying Healesville’s top order.

To the visitors credit they rallied to bat out the 40 overs finishing at 7/150 but it was never going to be enough given the strength of Montrose batting. The week before they had taken Yarra Junction apart scoring 6/221.

B.DA’More 40, L.Chandler 24 Montrose 5/151 after 32.3 overs A.Pearce 1/20 off 8 overs Healesville 2nd XI won against Croydon Ranges 3rd X1 Croydon Ranges won toss and elected to bat finishing 5/163 after 35 overs D.Ebbels 2/23 off 7 overs, M.Jackson 1/14 off 4 overs In reply Healesville 8/165 after 35 overs (with P.Singh coming to crease on last ball of the day with 1 needed to tie and calm as you like plays the ball through cover point for an easy 3 to win the game) M.Jackson 57 , M.Wallace 24.

Healesville 3rd XI lost to Seville 5th XI Seville won toss and elected to bowl. Healesville 9/84 after 36 overs.

C.Adamson 14 , B.Rutley 11 no Seville 6/87 after 21 overs B.Rutley 2/11 off 3 overs, C.Adamson 1/4 off 3 overs Healesville 4th XI lost to Seville 6th XI Seville won toss and elected to bowl.

Healesville 9/81 after 36 overs J.Shutz 23, R.Nolan 12 Seville 3/85 off 19 overs J.Shutz 1/2 off 3 overs , L.McMillan 1/8 off 3 overs.

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Open Led Champion Eden Hetherington with Reach To The Sky and Reserve Champion Yasmin Hoy with Creswell Mardi Gras.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

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Pony Club ring highpoint winner Cleo Billings on Buddy from Upper Yarra Pony Club.

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Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

Encouragement Award Bridgette Buehl-Blair on Squirt from Upper Yarra Pony Club.

HRCAV ring highpoint winner Rebecca Doolan.

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