Dandenong Star Journal - 14th December 2021

DANDENONG

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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Head of drama bows out

Successful brew for business

A smokey for the Wookey?

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SPORT

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Bakery feasts on gold

40¢ Inc. GST

An appetite for their job A herd of goats at a Hallam works site is happy to work for their feed.

Six of the insatiable animals are grazing on a diet of weeds growing on a soil stockpile at the Hallam Road level crossing removal site.

The goats are neither fazed by the steep slopes or the thick vegetation, says Level Crossing Removal Project environmental manager Mathew Boomsma.

STORY PAGE 4 A goat with a mountainous appetite for weeds at the Hallam level crossing removal Picture: GARY SISSONS site. 261403

A $24m Covid hit

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Greater Dandenong Council’s bottom line has suffered a $24-million-plus hit due to Covid since March 2020, according to a mid-year budget review.

The latest hard lockdown in August was an “unanticipated” hit – which plunged the council’s 2021-’22 budget into potential deficit.

The blow has been partly softened by the deferral of Keysborough South Community Hub works until next financial year.

This defers $6.1 million in new borrowings until 2022-’23.

Since the start of the pandemic, Covid has cost the council $24 million. This includes $7.8 million spent on community relief and support.

The forecast $8.3 million hit for 2021-‘22 includes lost rental income from Dandenong

Market, sports clubs and commercial tenants ($881,000), parking revenue ($3.2 million), leisure centres ($1.6 million), investment interest ($1.2 million) and rates waivers ($100,000).

As a result, the council faced a $1.36 million forecast deficit for 2021-‘22.

It will be covered by a $2 million Covid-19 contingency fund set aside in the council’s Major Projects Reserve, subject to a council vote on 13 December.

“The declaration of Lockdown 6 and the roadmap out of current restrictions meant that (2021-‘22) was going to be far from ‘business as normal’ and it was obvious that Council’s finances would again be significantly impacted upon,” the mid-year review stated.

Mayor Jim Memeti said the Covid impacts were “massive” but not the cause of the Keysborough South Community Hub deferral.

Buying or Selling?

Future major projects such as Dandenong Community Hub and the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre weren’t expected to be affected, he said.

“Hopefully we don’t have these lockdowns.

Everything planned to go ahead will go ahead.”

Major projects director Paul Kearsley told a council meeting on 29 November that the Keysborough South hub delay was due to the loss of the project’s “entire architect team” and a hold-up with Green Star accreditation.

Construction was revised to start in July 2022 – a month later than expected.

“That is why Council was previously advised that the financial commitment for this construction would be in the next financial year and not this current financial year,” Mr Kearsley said.

“Some reasons, which are unfortunate is

the significant turnover in staff at both the architects and a number of lead consultants.

“We have essentially lost the entire architect team at GSA that were involved in the whole project.

“They are now working very hard to make sure they keep to the times that we told them to keep to.”

Mr Kearsley said the council’s round 2 submission to the Green Building Council of Australia was at “75 per cent”. It needed to be completed before putting the project to tender.

“The slip has occurred due to the complexity of that process.”

Keysborough South ward councillor Rhonda Garad said the delay due to the architect staff’s turnover was “concerning”.

“I was very disappointed they deferred the project.”

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NEWS

$2.5b fund needs detail

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

SEMMA chief executive Vonda Fenwick and president Peter D’Angelico at a SEMMA Christmas Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS event on 7 December. 261460

Skills push

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Welders, engineers, electronics technicians are among a dire skills shortage, a manufacturing body has told a Senate inquiry.

South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance told the inquiry on 9 December of creating its own 150-hour welding microcourse to address the shortage.

“We never wanted to be a registered training organisation, but what’s happened is that there has been a shortage of welders for years and, coming out of Covid, there’s become a dire need amongst our manufacturers,“ chief executive Vonda Fenwick said.

“They have now got more orders than they can cope with and the limiting factor is skilled workers.”

Ms Fenwick said welders were needed across many manufacturing sectors, including high-tech.

Support was needed to train more people with “engineering smarts”, researchers, electronics technicians and technicians to run

process control equipment for advanced manufacturing.

SEMMA states that it represents 200 manufacturers that employ 16,000 people and create $3 billion of GDP. President Peter D’Angelico said manufacturing was evolving, not dying.

It was specialising in “low volume, high compliance, high quality” products, exporting more than 20 years ago and growing in the defence and rail sectors.

“We don’t see our competition as being Joe down the road, our competition is overseas.

“You can buy cheap rubbish from overseas, but who’s made it? How many people have died making it? Who knows.”

During the Covid pandemic, companies who couldn’t get products such as sheet metal from overseas were turning to local manufacturers, Ms Fenwick said.

“Manufacturers have said to us … ‘we’ve come in 30 per cent cheaper than the product from China.’”

A South-East manufacturers’ body welcomed the state Liberal Nationals’ pledged $2.5 billion “smarter“ manufacturing fund but is awaiting more detail.

South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance chief executive Vonda Fenwick said the plan was “positive news” but its focus on six strategic areas was “too narrow”.

Ms Fenwick said there were at least 63 manufacturing sectors not specifically included, such as composites, fiberglass, concrete and fabricated metals.

The fund’s priority sectors would be health & medicine; clean energy, zero emissions and recycling; food, fibre and beverages; rare earth and mineral processing; defence, transport, aerospace technology; and digital transformation.

“They’re important sectors but we believe that leaves a lot of industry sectors out in the cold.

“However we love the fact that the politicians are all thinking manufacturing and talking manufacturing.

“That’s a big move forward.”

At a Senate inquiry into manufacturing on 8 December, Ms Fenwick said a federal scheme targeting the same six sectors could have more effectively funded companies doing other “innovative things”.

She cited the example of $1 million be-

ing used in the food area to develop a new confectionary bar.

“But if I took that same million dollars and gave $100,000 each to 10 SMEs—and I’ve spoken to two SMEs in the last couple of weeks that could do really good things with that money to develop new products in the spaces they’re in.

“We could have really innovative things happening with that money in some of the little powerhouse SMEs.” Ms Fenwick told Star Journal that she was hopeful that manufacturing heartland in Melbourne’s South East would qualify for some of the Coalition’s $1 billion pledged for regional Victoria.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the plan would make Victoria “the manufacturing engine room of the nation once again”.

“By making Victoria’s largest ever investment in manufacturing, we will deliver meaningful careers for workers, opportunity for business and hope for local communities.”

“This investment means certainty Victorian small business, families, workers and communities to rebuild and recover with confidence.”

Manufacturing opposition spokesperson Bridget Vallence said the “largest ever investment in manufacturing” would “revitalize” and “unlock a new wave of smarter manufacturing”.

Richard Weinzierl (APT Advanced Manufacturing), SEMMA chief executive Vonda Fenwick, Kathy Racunica (Federation University) and Sharn Coombes (Liberal candidate for Dunkley) Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS at a SEMMA Christmas event on 7 December. 261460

We’re building big near you and there will be transport disruptions As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building the Metro Tunnel, and removing 85 dangerous and congested level crossings.

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines 8.30 to last train each night, 14 to 15 Dec

Flinders Street to Oakleigh

First train to 8.30pm, 15 Dec, 16 to 23 Dec

Flinders Street to Caulfield

9pm 11 Jan to last train 3 Feb

Westall to Cranbourne and Pakenham

Until 9pm 4 Feb

Dandenong to Cranbourne

9pm 4 Feb to last train 6 Feb

Caulfield to Cranbourne

7 to 8 Feb

Caulfield to Westall

Road disruptions: Closed roads and lanes Princes and South Gippsland Highways, Dandenong South

Until late 2021

Clyde Road, Berwick

Until early 2022 Lane closed southbound between Reserve Street and Enterprise Avenue Lane closed northbound between Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard and Jane Street

Princes Freeway, Berwick

In Dec

Rough surface and speed restrictions between Princes Highway and Clyde Road

Princes Freeway, Officer

At night, Dec

Freeway closed between Beaconsfield Interchange and Cardinia Road

Monash Freeway

In Dec

Overnight freeway closures, daytime lane and ramp closures between Warrigal Road and Eastlink

Hallam North Road and Heatherton Road, Endeavour Hills

In Jan

Intersection closed

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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Find a detailed list of disruptions at bigbuild.vic.gov.au

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Road or lanes closed

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

Tree protection nod

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Greater Dandenong is set to pursue the controversial ‘third stage’ for boosting its sparse, vanishing tree coverage.

A majority of councillors have agreed to create a local law to require permits to remove mature trees on private land. The key details such as minimum tree sizes, assessment fees and exemptions are yet to be agreed on.

Private land makes up 73 per cent of the municipality. It is regarded as a crucial part of increasing canopy coverage from a paltry 9 per cent to 15 per cent of the council area by 2028.

Council reports have stated that extensive planting on public land won’t be enough to reach the target.

Since 2016, the council area has lost a further 0.9 per cent of canopy – down from 9.9 per cent to 9.0 per cent.

In the past three years, nearly 3000 trees have been removed. The council has planted more than 9600 street and park trees in that time but they won’t provide canopy cover for

Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti and councillor Rhonda Garad are in favour of a law to protect the area’s thinning tree canopy coverage. 260639 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS at least 20 years.

The lack of trees, high levels of concrete in private gardens and dark surfaces have made Greater Dandenong the seventh hottest region in Melbourne, a council report stated.

It results in what is called the ‘urban heat island effect’.

Councillor Rhonda Garad said the tree laws were required to mitigate the impacts of climate change and the ‘urban heat island effect’.

“The council understands the need to protect our trees, so they can continue to protect us. As climate changes begins to affect us more, with hotter temperatures and more severe weather, trees will play a critical role in keeping us safe. We are all custodians of our beautiful trees, and the councils wants to assist residents in protecting their trees.”

Mayor Jim Memeti said improving tree coverage also provided social, economic and aesthetic value. “Council continues to plant new vegetation on its land and is working with the community to retain existing vegetation and plant new vegetation on private land.”

Cr Memeti said the tree protection laws should make tree assessments free of charge, and to allow exemptions for trees that threaten homes and foundations. The tree removal permit issue has split councilors in the past.

The statutory process for a local law is expected to begin in 2022.

‘Hybrid’ Covid-safe rules for council

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Councillors and staff are in, but the public have been locked out in the last four Greater Dandenong Council meetings of 2021.

According to the council, the public - regardless of their vaccination status - could watch “hybrid” meetings online but not in person due to Covid safety concerns.

Meanwhile, councillors have expressed unease over one of their unvaccinated colleagues attending meetings with a medical exemption.

That councillor did not return Star Journal’s calls.

There is extremely strict criteria to qualify for a valid medical exemption registered with the Australian Immunisation Register.

Only people who had an anaphylactic reaction to a Covid vaccine can be granted permanent exemptions.

A temporary exemption also applies for acute major medical illness.

Significant immunocompromise or pregnancy do not qualify.

Crs Tim Dark and Loi Truong both contracted Covid while the council met remotely during the August-November hard lockdown.

Both are understood to have since been vaccinated.

In public question time on 29 November, Dandenong resident Silvia Mastrogiovanni asked why the council was at odds with other higher-risk indoor settings like restaurants which were open to the public.

Governance manager Lisa Roberts said the council was exercising “the highest level of caution”.

There were “too many unvaccinated people” in Greater Dandenong and infection rates were “still quite high”.

“Risks for people in public places remain and we have structured attendance levels at this venue to maintain an optimal level of safety particularly in this period immediately after lockdown.

“When vaccination levels improve and when densities can safely increase, we will have no hesitation in allowing more people to attend.”

Ms Roberts said there were not yet any State directions for opening council meetings.

“Council is hopeful that further clear directions will be issued by the State Government that outline a clear path in coming together indoors in the Council meeting environment for all participants regardless of their vaccination status.”

Under Greater Dandenong’s councillor vaccination policy, attending councillors

are required to be vaccinated or have a valid medical exemption.

The same applies to council staff under state Chief Health Officer rules.

Chief executive John Bennie said several Covid safe protocols were “strictly adhered to” at meetings “before anyone is permitted to attend in person”.

They included scanning in, a general health check questionnaire, a vaccination status check, the wearing of a mask at all times unless eating or talking, sanitizing hands whenever moving from seats, and social distancing.

“All staff and councillors are continually reminded to stay at home if they feel unwell, no matter how slight their symptoms, or if a member of their household is getting tested.

“Every person who checks in to a Council facility using a QR code, is encouraged to maintain social distances at all times and to always practice good hand hygiene.”

There were 195 new Covid infections in Greater Dandenong in the week up to 13 December.

Seventy-one were in the Dandenong 3175 postcode - which has a double-vax rate of less than 90 per cent.

The municipality surpassed 90 per cent full vaccinations as of 7 December.

Murder accused pleads not guilty An Endeavour Hills man has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of another man earlier this year.

Stephen Robinson, 56, appeared via video link from Port Phillip Prison at a committal mention hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday 6 December.

According to the charge sheet, he is accused of murdering Adam Russell at Endeavour Hills on Sunday 15 August.

In the brief hearing, magistrate Tara Hartnett ordered Robinson to appear at a directions hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria later this month.

Robinson did not seek bail.

Stolen Porsche charge An Endeavour Hills man has been charged after being caught allegedly driving a stolen Porsche.

Police say they located him in the Porsche 911 at a property on Princes Highway in Dandenong on Friday 3 December.

The sports car had been allegedly stolen during an aggravated burglary in Malvern on 28 November.

The 40-year-old man was arrested at the scene by SD3 Divisional Response Unit members, with support from Southern Metro Regional Crime Team and Greater Dandenong CIU. He was charged with car theft and unlicensed driving.

He was bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 17 February.

Cannabis seized in factory A man has been charged after an alleged police drug raid at a factory in Dandenong South.

SD3 Divisional Response Unit members seized cannabis plants, loose cannabis and methylamphetamine on Thursday 9 December.

The man was arrested at the scene.

He was charged with cultivation and possession of a drug of dependence.

He was bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in early 2022.

Man trapped in machinery A man has been seriously injured after being trapped in machinery in Brooks Drive, Dandenong South.

FRV firefighters worked for five minutes to free the man in his 50s just before 9am on Thursday 9 December.

Paramedics treated his serious lower-body injuries at the scene, an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said.

He was taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.

Victoria Police also attended.

WorkSafe is making inquiries, a spokesperson said.

Medal haul: Springvale bakery feasts on gold

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Springvale-based baker brothers Ryan and Chan Khun’s flair for reinventing the humble pie has proven a winner.

Their diverse menu at Country Cob Bakery struck gold 14 times as well as one silver out of their 15 entries at the recent Great Aussie Pie Competition in Sydney.

Their latest unique offering, a slow-cooked BBQ beef, mac & cheese pie, won Australia’s best BBQ pie.

Their seafood penang ranked second, vegan laksa third and “traditional” meat pie fifth.

Each of those pies were awarded gold medals – as were the scallop mornay, steak mince & cheese, Mongolian lamb cumin, lamb ragu, chunky combo beef, chicken biryani, Rueben sandwich, Jack Daniel steak, chicken cheese vegie, and pepper steak varieties.

The brothers, both born in Cambodia, trained as bakers and pastry chefs after migrating to Australia.

Their first business was a bread bakery in Melbourne’s West. But they tired of the 1am wake-ups and sold up.

“When everyone is sleeping, you wake up.

And we’re sleeping when everyone’s awake.”

They then found and bought a pie bakery Country Cob Bakery in Kyneton and recently opened a second branch in Springvale – near dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

their parents in Keysborough.

By trial and error, Chan created the ideal pie crust while Ryan worked on the fillings from all over the globe.

“We’re a very good team,” Ryan says.

“Our girls at the business are the judge of what tastes good. We follow their guidance.”

Ryan keeps up with global culinary trends, such as for his New York-inspired Rueben sandwich – which won gold in the breakfast pie category.

“Every year we come up with a new flavour for competition.

“We never stop. We’re always looking for something different, something new.”

For customers, the cutting-edge mac cheese and scallop pies are building strong cult followings, Ryan says.

But still, the ‘traditional’ beef pie remains the No.1 seller.

Ryan Kuhn with some of his award-winning pies at Country Cob Bakery, Springvale. 260641 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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NEWS

Goats are keeping down the weeds on a steep soil mound in Hallam.

The herd gets to work. 261403

Pictures: GARY SISSONS

261403

Healthy appetite for work A herd of goats at a Hallam works site is happy to work for their feed.

Six of the insatiable animals are grazing on a diet of weeds growing on a soil stockpile at the Hallam Road level crossing removal site.

The goats are neither fazed by the steep slopes or the thick vegetation, says Level Crossing Removal Project environmental manager Mathew Boomsma.

“We need to remove weeds from the site – they’re very thick and very tough – which is the perfect task for goats.

“They’ll eat most weed species, they can handle the stockpile’s steep batters, and they will happily continue eating through most weather conditions.”

The environmentally-friendly solution means weed killer doesn’t need to be sprayed,

which protects the sensitive Hallam Valley wetland nearby.

The wetlands are home to the endangered Dwarf Galaxias fish.

The project’s team has also collected eight tonnes of rubbish from the roadside to prevent it washing into drains and wetlands.

Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said the use of goats to keep the weeds down was a “great sustainability initiative”.

As a whole, the level-crossing removal – which includes a rail bridge over Hallam Road and a new train station - would improve safety and traffic flow in the area, he said.

About 20,000 motorists pass through the level crossing each day.

The Pakenham rail line is expected to be level-crossing free by 2025, leading to more frequent trains.

A ‘nanny-state’ solution to removing weeds. 261403

Grassfires move so quickly, it’s impossible to outrun them.

This summer, significant pasture growth in paddocks and roadsides means that fast-moving grassfires will be a serious risk across Victoria. Rural grassfires can be just as dangerous as bushfires, and can actually spread even faster, travelling at speeds of up to 25km/h. If you live close to open paddocks or grasslands, you could be at risk and need to be prepared. On high-risk Fire Danger Rated days, the safest option is to leave early.

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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Plan. Act. Survive. Go to vic.gov.au/knowfire

dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Townhouse doubts quelled

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Proposed safety upgrades for the Keysborough Townhouses estate have been described as “unconvincing” by an opposing member of the public.

The council negotiated the improvements after safety concerns were raised about the siting of the estate’s Lot 1 at 452 Cheltenham Road.

The double-storey corner dwelling stands about a metre from a slip lane and access road into the nearby HomeCo shopping centre.

As a result, there was no room for a footpath to link the Cheltenham Road bus stop and a child care centre and shops at HomeCo shopping centre.

A council-instigated safety review found that the development was “fully compliant” with the Greater Dandenong Planning Scheme and the Victoria Planning Provisions.

However after negotiations, the developer Salter Brothers is believed to have agreed to bear the cost of the changes.

Keysborough resident Dom Boccari, who first raised the safety issues, was “not convinced”. His concerns include the proposed “heavily landscaped feature design” stretching 25 metres along the access road.

It will aim to stop pedestrians walking along the access road to the HomeCo centre.

They will instead be diverted through the townhouse estate to a zebra crossing linking the child care centre and HomeCo footpath.

The zebra crossing is subject to separate negotiations with HomeCo. Mr Boccari said “herding pedestrians like cattle” through the estate was “not good enough” for either pedestrians or townhouse residents.

The council also announced an “attractive reinforced fence” next to the Cheltenham Rd slip lane. Mr Boccari doubted that it would be enough to protect Lot 1 residents from errant drivers.

“It’s more like let’s camouflage the building so people might see it.”

The danger has since escalated with the recent installation of a gas meter near Lot 1’s front corner, he said.

Mr Boccari also wanted more details on the new site for a street light pole – which will be moved from its present site that’s centimetres from Lot 1’s balcony.

His ideal solution is to “bulldoze” lot 1 or close the truck slip lane, narrow the access road and build a footpath to HomeCo. The Lot 1 position was cast in an amended permit approved by a council officer in 2018.

The amendment was neither advertised to the public or put in front of Greater Dandenong councillors.

Mr Boccari questioned how the development was assessed as “compliant” in the first place.

“Either the standards are rubbish or someone’s made a mistake.

“It’s a matter of people standing up and saying it’s not acceptable.”

Councillor Rhonda Garad said the outcomes were “quite good” though “not the ones we wanted”.

“I would like the (Lot 1) development not to be there but given that’s not happening, I feel they have achieved the best outcomes.

“The substantial issue is we don’t like having high-density housing but the particular zoning allows for it.”

Rider dies A motorbike rider has died in a crash on Monash Freeway in Doveton.

The rider, who is yet to be formally identified, reportedly struck a pole near Heatherton Road about 7.50am on Friday 10 December.

Police are investigating the crash.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined,” a spokesperson said.

The freeway’s city-bound exit ramp at Heatherton Road was closed following the crash.

Any information or dash-cam footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.vic.com.au

Police closed the Heatherton Rd exit ramp after a motorcycle rider died in a crash on Monash Freeway, Doveton.

Picture: VIC TRAFFIC

Gun runner stung by police

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Fireworks notice to residents There will be a fireworks display at 9pm for approximately 8 minutes on Friday 31 December.

As were his early plea, long delay in sentencing and being remanded in adult jail in onerous pandemic conditions.

Salesui’s recently-approved NDIS support was “said to be the most sure way to … settle you when you’re back in the community”.

Co-offenders Schmidt, of Narre Warren, Iqan Mehrdadian, of Trugannina, and Andrew Rohan, of Hampton Park, were sentenced in the County Court in May and June.

Schmidt and Rohan, who were also sentenced for serious separate offending, were jailed for up to three years and eight months and five years respectively.

Judge Mullaly said Salesui’s lesser role was most similar to Mehrdadian, who was jailed for 13 months with a two-year community corrections order.

However, Salesui warranted a different sentence due to his intellectual disability.

He was jailed for 10 months – of which he had already been served in 317 days of presentence detention.

Salesui was facing possibly further jail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court hearing the next day, Judge Mullaly noted.

The fireworks display is part of the New Year's Eve event being held at Dandenong Park, 174 Lonsdale Street.

If you have any animals that may be affected by this noise, it is advised that you secure them during this time.

If you have any enquiries, please phone Greater Dandenong City Council on 8571 1000.

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A Narre Warren South man has been jailed as part of an organised crime ring in drugs, guns and stolen luxury cars.

Malaki Salesui, 22, was the last of four offenders sentenced as part of an undercover police sting in Melbourne’s South East in 2019.

He pleaded guilty to handling an $180,000 stolen Mercedes Benz and a $26,000 stolen Audi, as well as being a prohibited person possessing a fully-automatic SKS assault rifle.

Victorian County Court sentencing judge Gerard Mullaly on 2 December noted the “particularly lethal” rifle, capable of firing 100 rounds a minute, was of “great concern”.

The stolen cars were also of seriously high value.

However, Salesui played a lesser role in the organised racket, which was busted by several covert police operatives as part of Operation Thrives.

A co-accused Jayden Schmidt arranged to sell the stolen Audi with the assault rifle in the car boot to a covert police operative for $18,000.

Salesui drove the stolen merchandise to Olive Street, Dandenong where the transaction was made.

In June 2019, Salesui arranged for the stolen Merc to be towed to a Pakenham address and later towed to Worrell Street, Dandenong to sell to a police operative.

At that rendezvous, two of his co-offenders were arrested by Special Operations Group police. Salesui later presented himself to Melbourne West police station.

Salesui’s youth – 19 years at the time – was a central factor for a more “merciful” sentence, the judge noted.

“The courts must persevere and endeavour, perhaps by carrot and stick, to move you towards … your rehabilitation.”

Raised in the South East suburbs, Salesui had struggled with alcohol and substance abuse.

His intellectual disability, “fragile” mental health and solid church and family relationships were also taken into account.

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 5

NEWS

Triple treat Haileybury College has won three national accolades at the 2021 Australian Education Awards, including top nongovernment primary school for the third time.

It also won best remote learning program and best student wellbeing program at the annual awards presented by The Educator.

Haileybury’s Edrington campus head Jeanette Rawlings said the wins came during a “challenging period for all students”.

“We are so proud of the efforts of our students and staff in continuing a strong program in and out of each lockdown.”

Deputy principal Anna Sever said the school expanded its opportunities for students during remote-learning.

This included intensive digital learning support for staff and students, as well as extra academic support.

Students were offered optional online music concerts and special after-hours cooking classes, Lego challenges, wellbeing sessions and Zumba family fitness classes.

“As many institutions said ‘No, that is not possible’, our attitude was that we would find a way to make learning possible – and to realise that perhaps some of the newer methods of learning may work better.”

During the pandemic, the school’s award-winning wellbeing program included secure online telehealth counselling sessions for staff and students.

Some staff have been accredited for Youth Mental Health First Aid, and two ‘Care Dogs’ are part of the school community.

The cast of the musical Leader of the Pack at Haileybury this year.

Haileybury’s head of drama bows out Haileybury College’s long-serving performing arts director is about to take his final curtain call.

Retiring after 40 years at the college, Stew-

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Living treasures named

Oasis marks 30 years

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City’s historic clash

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Residents objections dismissed

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Beloved egg farm folds

Tuesday, 2 February, 2021

Second go at life

Selba Luka, centre, receives her award from Mayor Angela Long and Deputy Mayor Sophie Tan.

Twanny Farrugia has made it his mission to

Pictures: HAS MEDIA

Selba (front) and volunteer Veronica in the Afri Aus-Care veggie garden.

The organisation provides cooking classes for vulnerable members of the community. 213664

City’s top citizen

complex grieving process for donors’ families.

“Out of one person, you have seven trans-

By Danielle Kutchel A tireless champion for African and CALD communities has been named Greater Dandenong’s Citizen of the Year.

Selba Luka, founder of Afri-Aus Care, received the award at an invite-only event at Springvale City Hall on Tuesday 26 January.

She admitted the award was a total shock, but a welcome one, and dedicated it to the community, staff, volunteers, supporters and

NOW OPEN

sponsors of Afri-Aus Care.

Born in Malawi, Ms Luka often says her heart is in South Sudan as she works closely with the south-eastern South Sudanese community.

Afri-Aus Care was born of her experiences when she arrived in Australia, where she experienced difficulties and hardship in her first years in the country.

The not-for-profit provides mental health

support, outreach and skills development for members of the African and CALD communities.

It works closely with youth offenders, providing them with a pathway out of these behaviours and into a more positive contribution to society. During the pandemic for example, ex-offenders helped create food hampers and deliver these to the most vulnerable in society.

Afri-Aus Care also works with “the mamas“,

African women who are new to Australia and need assistance to find employment and learn English. Many of these women are survivors of domestic abuse, and Afri-Aus Care provides mental health support too as they build a new life.

Speaking at the Australia Day ceremony, Ms Luka said she was honoured to have received such a prestigious award.

“May we continue to be united. Dandenong is a great city to be,“ she said.

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art Bell has mentored several well-known students in the arts – and in the law.

“Most of my great actors went on to be great lawyers and managers because drama gives you the great advantage to be able to stand up in front of people, to think on your feet and to make an impression,” says Mr Bell.

His first play as head of department was The Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca with then-students Adam Elliot and Jamie Blanks who later reached great heights.

Mr Elliot went on to become an Academy Award-winning animator and director, creating Harvie Krumpet and Mary and Max. Mr Blanks became best known as a film director and composer of horror-movie classics including Urban Legend, Storm Warning and Crawlspace.

After a final teaching round at the school, Mr Bell began teaching Drama and English at the Keysborough campus in 1981.

“While I was at high school, I had aspirations to be an actor but I thought I’d go into teaching where I could be involved in drama.

“I thought I might act later but once I got the job at Haileybury, the urge to be an actor disappeared.

“I produced shows, worked with kids who were full of energy and enthusiasm and I felt I was giving back. That was enough for me.”

At the early stages, Haileybury was a boy’s

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Stewart Bell and wife Pip Bell at a staff party in 2018.

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school and drama was seen as a way to round off the students’ education as Renaissance Men. “It got a lot more creative after that.”

In 1989, he became one of Haileybury’s youngest Heads of Department and directed up to 80 major productions including this year’s musical Leader of the Pack.

Highlights included the “incredible” 2018 Haileybury Tattoo and two Jesus Christ Superstars.

Some productions were memorable for ‘all the wrong reasons’.

During a production of Australian playwright Hannie Rayson’s play Inheritance, Mr Bell prematurely called for a ride-on mower prop to be cranked up backstage.

“I was sure the mower should be on stage and the students were saying ‘no’.

“But I was convinced so I told the student to start up the mower and it began belching diesel smoke backstage.

“The student roared on stage but the kids were right – he was a scene too early!”

The actors were stunned to see the mower ridden from one side of the stage to the other.

“It was a stunning moment,” Mr Bell said.

He says working with students has kept him young.

“One of my worries about retiring is losing the wonderful energy from the students.

“They’ve been inspiring and challenging and I will miss that.”

Haileybury was also where Mr Bell met his wife Pip, who is Head of Performing Arts in the junior and middle schools.

“When I met my wife in the 1980s, she was a rare thing at Haileybury — a female teacher.

“The boys didn’t know how to address a female teacher in those days so they called her ‘Sir’.”

Their love of performance was recognised with the couple named ‘legends’ at the 2018 Drama Australia conference.

Both are members of Drama Victoria for more than 30 years.

Their two sons attended Haileybury.

Mr Bell intends to spend more time travelling with Mrs Bell, including the 223-kilometre Larapinta Trail in the West MacDonnell Ranges in central Australia, as well as gardening and pottering.

“My wife is having a ball at Haileybury so travelling will have to fit in with school holidays but, at some point, I want to sit in a villa somewhere on the Spanish coast.” dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Visa reprieve - still waiting

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A Berwick man was arrested and charged with more than 160 offences during anti-hoon police raids.

Pictures: VICTORIA POLICE

Facing 160 charges A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with more than 160 traffic offences after police anti-hoon raids in Berwick and Hallam.

Police seized a silver Holden Commodore sedan, a red-and-white Honda dirt bike, stolen number plates, a mobile phone and clothing during the Operation Achilles raids on Friday 3 December.

The raids were performed by police from Dandenong Intentional High Risk Driving Unit and Springvale Divisional Response Unit.

A silver Holden Commodore allegedly performed burnouts close to a large mass of spectators at an illegal hoon gathering at Business Park and Commercial drives, Lynbrook on Tuesday 11 May, police say.

During an attempted intercept of the Commodore, police were blocked by spectators swarming the police vehicle.

At another hoon gathering on Thursday 8 July, a red-and-white Honda dirt bike allegedly caused significant damage to a Public Order Response Team police vehicle at Business Park Drive, Lynbrook.

Spectators again blocked police from catching the alleged offender.

Since July, the anti-hoon Operation Achilles has netted 71 arrests and 103 impounded vehicles in greater Melbourne.

An impounded Holden Commodore during the police raids on 3 December.

Thirty-five police raids have ensued.

“It is hard to comprehend why people participate and incite such reckless behaviour and the community and police are rightly sick of it,” Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett said.

He warned hoons that put other road users at risk would be “before the courts and we will ask for jail time”.

“We have zero tolerance for any form of high-risk driving.

“Whether you are a participant, spectator or organiser, police will continue to use all

available intelligence to identify you, arrest you and charge you.”

The arrested man, from Berwick, was charged with offences including evading police, reckless conduct endangering life, fraudulent use of number plates, speeding, driving while suspended and committing an indictable offence on bail.

He was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 22 December.

Any information on reckless driving and anti-social behaviour to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

Initiative to disrupt high-tech abusers

By Danielle Kutchel Family violence takes many forms, and a new project aims to identify and disrupt one of its more modern and insidious forms.

Homelessness and family violence support service Wayss has partnered with safety assessment provider Protective Group to create the Nicholson Project, which explores new ways of disrupting digital abuse.

A report into the pilot has just been released, and the results show just how needed the approach is.

Research suggests that 99.3 per cent of family violence workers in Australia have clients who had experienced technology-facilitated stalking and abuse.

“It’s well-known in the sector that technology, social media and online means are used as a way to perpetrate abuse and exact coercive control over family violence survivor-victims,” explained Robyn Roberts, who oversaw the pilot as general manager of client services at Wayss.

“Wayss has increasingly heard from family violence victims referred to our service that they believed they are being tracked, stalked and controlled by their abuser using technology.

“Others referred to us were unaware this often-hidden form of abuse was happening to them and their children, leaving them vulnerable to further abuse.”

The question was how to protect survivorvictims and their families, as quickly as possible. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Early intervention against high-tech abuse is not always part of the immediate response from family violence services.

And, the ever-increasing sophistication of technology and the internet is often beyond the capacity of family violence workers.

“We needed a way to provide a skilled, targeted early intervention that assessed the digital vulnerability of family violence victims, removing the threat of technology-facilitated abuse and enabling their ongoing safety,” Ms Roberts said.

Typically, services like Protective Group will visit survivor-victims to conduct a physical assessment of their safety, including their online devices.

The aim of the Nicholson Project was to complete these assessments remotely.

This can reduce the amount of time needed to make vulnerable families as safe as possible.

After this remote assessment, if vulnerabilities are identified, Protective Group will conduct an in-person assessment.

The report into the project found that interpreters and in-language information are important tools.

For the assessment, families need to charge all their devices and gather information about all accounts – from social media to financial.

The report also found that many survivorvictims don’t believe they are experiencing technology-facilitated abuse – highlighting that all survivor-victims should take the assessment, even if they don’t believe they are at risk.

Finally, the report noted that children and young people can become victims too, or be used as proxy abusers by the perpetrator, so their devices need to be included in the assessment.

Ms Roberts said the pilot had positive benefits for survivor-victims.

“We found that participants felt more confident that they were not being tracked and abused via technology as well as in their knowledge and ability to manage their use of technology and online platforms,” says Ms Roberts.

The pilot comes at a key time, with the south east continuing to record some of the highest rates of family violence in the state.

According to the latest crime statistics, the City of Casey recorded an 8.6 per cent increase in family incidents to the end of June 2021 – the third straight rise.

Greater Dandenong recorded a 0.3 per cent increase, and Cardinia 1.8 per cent.

Wayss and Protective Group are now focused on building their knowledge in the area and increasing the availability of the project.

“The ability to deliver the service remotely in the first instance provides huge potential to scale this up to make this kind of support available to more victims of family violence across Victoria and Australia,” Ms Roberts said.

If you are in need of assistance, contact: The Orange Door on 1800 271 170 or orangedoor.vic.gov.au, or Wayss at wayss.org.au If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call Triple Zero.

· ·

A Dandenong migration agent has welcomed the 12-month extension of visas for evacuees from Taliban-run Afghanistan.

Thay Horn Yim said the extension of the three-month evacuee visa (subclass 449) in November was “good news” as many were due to expire.

However Mr Yim said the “bad news” was that none of 3000 humanitarian visas promised by the Federal Government had yet been allocated.

They cover a fraction of the 26,000 that had applied for humanitarian visas as of mid-November, with a further 6000 seeking protection, according to the Department of Home Affairs.

Home Affairs department first secretary David Wilden told a Senate inquiry on 15 November that the humanitarian visa processing should be done before Christmas.

“Obviously, when we receive such a large number in a very short space of time, there are delays.”

He said Home Affairs Minister Alex Hawke and the government were considering how many more places would be added to the 3000 – which was a “floor”, not a “ceiling” for Australia’s commitment.

“No matter whether it’s 3,000 or more, it’s going to be significantly less than the number of applications we have in.”

Mr Wilden said the visas would prioritise locally engaged employees in Afghanistan, people at particular risk, women at risk, and people with close links to Australia.

As of mid November, 3568 evacuees with temporary 449 visas had arrived in Australia.

More than 2000 holders of a 449 visa were still overseas, with an unspecified number still in Afghanistan.

At the Senate inquiry, academic expert Dr Nematullah Bizhan urged Australia to increase its Afghanistan refugee intake to at least 20,000 and speed up humanitarian visas.

“An increasing number of people who worked in civil society with the previous government or with the international community in Afghanistan are at risk of persecution and execution.

Dr Bizhan said many couldn’t see hope to sustain themselves because of the “harsh” economic situation.

“The situation in Afghanistan is grim, quite dark.

“But one fact we can’t deny is that, in the last two decades, society has been transformed in Afghanistan. The Taliban are pursuing the same policies they had in the nineties, but the people are different.

“So now we hear that women are protesting and making demands of the Taliban. At the moment, that protest is being repressed—not only through force but also through economic means.”

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade first assistant secretary Gary Cowan told the inquiry that Australia announced a $100 million humanitarian support package including food and shelter, health clinics and protection of women and girls.

The government would also support countries neighbouring Afghanistan to support refugees and mitigate people smuggling.

The Federal Government recently granted an exemption for 449-subclass visa holders to apply for refugee visas that are normally only be applied for outside Australia.

Applicants won’t have to prove an “ongoing risk of harm in Afghanistan” for the refugee 201 visa.

Public interest criteria such as character and health will still apply.

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 7

LOOKING BACK

Compiled by Dandenong and District Historical Society

100 years ago

50 years ago

15 December 1921

14 December 1971 The home makers Out is ‘In’ For many reasons, there is now a range of home designs on the market which place as much emphasis on amenities outside as the comforts inside. Courtyards, patios, terraces, call what you will, they are regarded not as a luxury but as a necessity. To capture the full potential on indoor-outdoor living, home designers often recommend a concrete raft foundation so that both activities can take place on the one level. This does away with steps, allows an uninterrupted flow on from

Dandenong Boy Scouts Allow me space in your valuable columns to draw the attention of the Dandenong citizens to the action of those responsible for arrangements made for the reception of His Excellency the State Governor, the Earl of Stadbroke, on the occasion of the opening of the Dandenong Show. Boy Scouts were not invited to act as bodyguard for His Excellency who, as those responsible for this unpleasant neglect know, is the Chief Scout for Victoria and also chairman of the Scout Executive Council of Control. Wake up Dandenong.

the indoor area to the popular “room without a roof” and makes the home seem larger.

20 years ago 10 December 2001 Minister stays out of council dispute The State Government will not hold an inquiry into the performance of the Greater Dandenong Council, as requested by the residents’ action group that included four former mayors. Former Dandenong mayors Frank Holohan, Christine Ware and Greg Harris, and former Springvale mayor Albert Blashski, were among nine signatories to a letter sent to Local Government Minister Bob Cameron asking for the inquiry. The group called for an informal or official inquiry into what it said

was an ‘impasse’ between the council’s staff and councillors, which threatened the city’s future development. But in a letter from Mr Cameron, the group was advised that the Government would not intervene.

5 years ago 19 December 2016 Busy Santa Father Christmas arrived at Dandenong Market on Saturday 3 December pulled by a team of huskies. The bearded man in the red suit can be found throughout December in Santa’s Grotto located in the meat, fish, and deli hall from 11am until 3pm every market day until Christmas Eve.

NEWS

Joy, peace, love returns

By Reverend Deacon George Piech Meat* As I write this Message of Hope for this week, the Christian Catholic tradition focuses on celebrating the third Sunday of Advent (Liturgical season before Christmas).

And this coming Sunday is called “Gaudete” Sunday – the Latin word for ‘rejoice’.

We rejoice as we approach the great season of Christmas, and as we say goodbye to the end of this year 2021, we prepare ourselves to welcome the new year of 2022.

I had the privilege of writing a Message of Hope last year encouraging us to be hopeful and resilient as we faced the uncertain situation of Covid 19.

My last message was encouraging us to wait for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Indeed, the light at the end of the tunnel has come as we reconnect with our families, friends, and our communities.

MESSAGE OF

HOPE The light at end of the tunnel has indeed come as our lives are back to normal.

Our family gatherings, our community events and our religious gatherings are now slowly returning to normal.

The light at the end of the tunnel has indeed come as our cities prepare to celebrate this year’s Christmas in hope.

Christmas is a time of family gathering and community celebration.

It’s an opportunity for me to encourage all

Reverend Deacon George Piech Meat says Christmas is a time of hope, peace, joy and love. our communities to follow the health guidelines so that we can protect our vulnerable members in our communities.

Let us stand together in helping our law enforcement in our cities as they sacrifice their time and lives in protecting our communities.

The coming of Christ brings to us a message of hope, peace, joy and love.

May we all remain hopeful that a time will come where there will be a permanent solution to this global pandemic.

May the peace of Christ give us peace in this time of fear and doubt.

May the joy of this Christmas give us joy in times of sadness and may the love which this Christmas brings give us love for one another.

May we reach out to those who will find this Christmas meaningless due to loss of loved ones. May we also reach out to the homeless and the lonely in our cities and communities.

Have a blessed Christmas to you and your families. * Reverend Deacon George Piech Meat is from St Mary’s Parish Dandenong and Chaplain To The South Sudanese Catholic Community.

The Spring Edition of your favourite family magazine is out now...

Pick up a printed copy of Casey Cardinia Kids Today Magazine from outlets everywhere.

Or, read the full digital edition as it appears in print now!

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Read it now Scan the QR CODE

OR VISIT: caseycardiniakids.com.au/digital-editions 8 STAR JOURNAL

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Brownstone Micro Brewery’s team Damien Flanagan, Lucy Symons, Ryan Crocker and Laurent Gillette toast their success. 260279

Venue manager Damien Flanagan pours a pint of medal-winning IPA. 260279

General manager Ryan Crocker with winning beers across every category. 260279

Brewer’s pouring success

By Cam Lucadou-Wells Brownstone Micro Brewery’s NZ Pilsner has been crowned top of the hops.

The boutique craft beer maker at the hotel Atura Dandenong won a swag of medals at the highly competitive Independent Brewers Association National Beer Awards (also known as the ’Indies’).

Its haul included medals in every beer variety category against a total of 180 breweries and more than 1300 entries.

The NZ Pilsner won gold in the lager section, with silvers for the Summer Ale and the Passionfruit Sour.

Its IPA, Pale Ale, Stout and Lager each landed bronze.

General manager Ryan Crocker said the NZ Pilsner was a “local favourite which makes the win even more gratifying”.

“A full sweep of awards for every brew we entered is incredible recognition for a microbrewery of our size,” he said.

Brews are made and poured on-site. 260279 Pictures: GARY SISSONS

Venue manager Damien Flanagan and general manager Ryan Crocker. 260279

Sales manager Lucy Symons and general manager Ryan Crocker. 260279

“The beauty of beer is everyone has their own taste and preference.“ He paid tribute to master brewer Steve ‘Hendo’ Henderson from Rockstar Brewer, Matt John and the brewery team.

“They’re creating beers for the community thanks to their passion and commitment to great beer and brewing excellence.”

Brownstone’s evolving array of light and dark

beers are brewed, fermented and sold onsite.

Within two hours of chilling, the fresh brews are ready to pour and to savour.

“The equipment was here when we took over the hotel,” Mr Crocker said.

“And so we carried on the tradition. It’s a unique point of difference.”

The awards are also a bright point after a tough 18-plus months under Covid restrictions.

Post-lockdown, the brewery’s dining tables and bars are getting busy with Christmas parties and dog-friendly social outings back in force, Mr Crocker said.

Brownstone is meanwhile experimenting with a new passionfruit-flavoured brew, planned on tap within 12 months.

It’s what Mr Crocker describes as equivalent to their rose wine.

Shed men deliver a box full of honour to grateful Dot

By Gabriella Payne Members from Cardinia Men’s Shed Pakenham brought a special bespoke box for a tireless Dandenong RSL volunteer on Monday 6 December.

The men’s shed members had reached out to 97-year-old Dandenong great-grandmother Dot Wade after seeing her story on Channel Nine just a few weeks ago - and it’s clear to see why they were inspired by her.

For 60 years now, Ms Wade has been tirelessly selling red poppies to support veterans and their families for Remembrance Day and has single-handedly raised thousands of dollars for the Dandenong RSL Club.

Before her late husband Jack passed away in 2015, the pair (who were married for 70 years) used to sell poppies together throughout the local area, and it’s something she’s continued on with since his passing.

With Jack having fought in the Second World War, Dot knew firsthand the tolls war can have on a person and she and her husband were always passionate about helping other returned soldiers and their families.

Dot said that when the men’s shed reached out to her with the hopes of giving her their handmade gift, she was absolutely delighted.

“I think it’s just absolutely wonderful,“ Dot said.

“I think that’s one of the nicest things that’s ever been done for me.

“I have a little table at home which I call my remembrance table with a picture of my daughter [who passed away] and Jack and things like that on it, so this is going to sit pride of place on the table,“ she said.

Dot said that her late husband “just loved people“ and was always giving back to the community.

She said that to receive this beautiful handmade box, made from recycled timber, was just amazing and it would be the perfect place for Jack’s many war medals.

“It means so much to me,“ she said.

“To think that this has all come about now, the family is just going to be so proud - it’s his legacy living on.“ dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Dot Wade, third right, with Cardinia Men’s Shed Pakenham members Ken Hordern, Geoff Fluck, John Buckley, Thomas Turner and Roger Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Barnett.

Dot Wade, centre, with Dandenong RSL president John Wells and Cardinia Men’s Shed Pakenham members John Buckley, Russell Wade and Ken Hordern. 260398

The memory box created by Cardinia Mens’ Shed members. 260398

Dot Wade’s late husband, John ‘Jack’ Melville Wade. 260398

Dot Wade with the memory box at Dandenong RSL on 6 December. 260398

Jack and Dot Wade sold poppies together for years. 260398

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 9

FOCUS ON … CHRISTMAS ALL WRAPPED UP

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!

· ·

·

·

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 tipples - 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.

Making your own Christmas crackers is easy, economical and personal.

12525149-CG49-21

·

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

YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE! For more than 60 years, Dandenong Christmas Tree Farm has been delighting customers with that most precious of festive traditions: a real, live Christmas tree.

Customers are invited to visit the farm and take a wander amongst the rows of green until they find their perfect tree.

There is a tree for every family, in different heights to fit any house.

Staff will cut the tree and can net it for easy transportation for a small fee.

They’re easy to take care of too; just keep them watered and your tree will last the whole Christmas season.

Magnificent trees 1- 3 m (4 to 10ft)

47 years experience in growing Trees

Stands available You can come and choose your tree from:

336 Browns Rd, OFFICER

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All courses served on a 50/50 basis

Weekdays between 2pm-8pm Weekends 8pm-6pm

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ENTRÉE Calamari: Lightly fried calamari, crispy shallots, chilli, spring onion, mixed leaves and lime aioli Crispy Pork Belly: Cauliflower, pea and raisin salad, cauliflower purée, and apple chutney

DESSERT Baked New York Cheesecake: Mixed berries, vanilla cream & mint Sticky Date Pudding: Butterscotch sauce, vanilla bean ice cream and flaked almonds

MAIN COURSE Pan Seared Salmon Fillet: Ratatouille, crispy kale, potato gratin, grilled lemon & basil oil Grilled Sirloin Steak: Potato and herb rosti, thyme buttered asparagus, black garlic butter and red wine jus

1300 655 652 www.dandenongchristmastreefarm.com.au 10 STAR JOURNAL

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

Full Members $95 Non members $100 • Coffee, Tea & Petit Fours

Phone 9582 4600 • www.trybooking.com/BVOSP dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

FOCUS ON … CHRISTMAS ALL WRAPPED UP

Help Santa be toy safe Kidsafe Victoria has urged parents to follow some safe Santa tips when buying presents for their children in the lead-up to Christmas.

General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria Jason Chambers said a high proportion of all toys sold in Australia are sold in the lead-up to Christmas and that it was important for anyone buying presents for children to take safety into account.

Every year the Consumer Affairs department in Victoria confiscates and destroys tens of thousands of imported dangerous toys which do not meet Australian standards.

Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz said: “Product safety standards play a vital role in preventing harmful products ending up in the hands of children.

“Safety is not a game and Victorian traders who sell unsafe toys risk fines up to $1.1 million,” she said.

Toy buying tips: Take notice of the age recommendation.

These are linked to a child’s development and to safe use. When buying for an older child, think about a younger child’s potential to access the toy. A toy marked as not suitable for a child under three years may have small parts which a young child can swallow.

Read the label and instructions. Check that the toy is non-toxic, non-flammable, carries an age recommendation, and has the distributors contact details in case there is a problem.

·

·

the toy. Look at the quality of work · Inspect and for things that might be a danger to a child, including: -Small parts: anything smaller than a ping pong ball is a choking hazard; -Sharp edges or points; -Noisy toys: these can damage hearing; -Long strings or ribbons: should be no more than 30cm long to minimize the risk of strangulation; -Weak construction: seams that come apart or loose pieces such as eyes and buttons are a choking hazard; -Moving parts: these can trap or pinch small fingers.

Be aware of button batteries. Some toys, Christmas decorations and singing greeting cards contain lithium button batteries. If swallowed, these batteries can cause severe internal burns in as little as two hours.

Remember the safety gear! When buying a bike, scooter, skateboard or rollerblades for a child, remember to get them a helmet and other safety equipment like wrist and knee guards as well. That way they can begin riding their new toy straight away!

Be aware of toy recalls and return any faulty toys to the retailer/manufacturer.

Kidsafe Victoria has a Christmas Toy Safety fact sheet to assist parents and carers to identify possible hazards and help reduce the risk of injury for their children this Christmas.

· ·

·

Kidsafe Victoria has urged parents to follow some safe Santa tips when buying presents for their children in the lead up to Christmas.

THERE'S MORE AT PARKMORE THIS CHRISTMAS

SCAN TO FIND OUT MORE

VISIT TODAY

parkmoreshopping.com.au

317 Cheltenham Rd, Keysborough VIC 3173

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dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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STAR JOURNAL 11

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12 STAR JOURNAL

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

BUSINESS PROFILE

Helping bridge the divide At The Bridge we transform lives through empowerment, choice, support, advocacy and connections to home, work and community.

One example is Nabil, who graduated from high school last year and joined us at The Bridge straight away. He loves to spend time with his friends, go bowling, and use the computers. Nabil has gained confidence and practiced important life skills such as cooking and money handling. He has recently commenced supported employment at The Bridge Employment.

For more good news stories please visit our thebridgeinc.org.au or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. In 2020, The Bridge celebrated 50 years and is an NDIS, TAC and DHHS registered service provider supporting people with disabilities and disadvantage to develop life skills or find employment.

The Bridge offers a wide range of services across Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia Bayside, Mornington Peninsula including: Day services (group community and centrebased activities based on the choice and interests of participants).

Individual support in-home or in the community.

Getaways and community recreation including Friday night social groups, weeknight and weekend day outings and overnight short-stay holidays.

School Leaver Employment Support and transition to employment services.

Supported Employment in assembly, picking and packaging.

NDIS Support Coordination (assisting people to find the right providers and coordinate a range of supports).

· · · · · ·

· Disability Employment Services (providing ·

placement, training and support in the open labour market for young people and adults with disabilities, injuries or illnesses).

Youth employment support for people who

have been unemployed or out of study and need help to find employment.

The Bridge also partners with Jobs Victoria to provide mentors and advocates who offer employment support for people of all ages

looking for mainstream employment.

If you want to know how The Bridge can support you, get in touch today by calling Shelley or Samantha on 8710 8535 or enquiries@ thebridgeinc.org.au

FOCUS ON … MEDICALLY SPEAKING

SunSmart targets men As Victoria enters the summer months and COVID restrictions ease, SunSmart is reminding Victorians to use sun protection as they enjoy their new-found freedoms.

Launched on November 9, the campaign specifically targets men after a national Cancer Council study showed they are neglecting certain body parts when it comes to sun protection.

The campaign’s tagline, ‘when you cover things, they last longer: same goes for you,’ urges men to cover themselves just as much as they protect their loved ones and belongings. The ad depicts a dad covering up his barbeque from the sun before his son points out he should be protecting himself too.

Results from the 2019 Summer Sun Protection Survey (Life in Australia™), found males who

were sunburnt on summer weekends were more likely than females to report having been burnt on the following specific body parts: Nose (43 percent compared to females at 24 percent) Ears (28 percent compared to females at 7 percent) Legs (26 percent compared to females at 13 percent) Back of the knees (12 percent compared to females at 1 percent) Despite 79 percent of men surveyed agreeing that if they regularly protect themselves from the sun then they can avoid skin cancer, less than half agreed that sun protection was part of their daily routine (49 percent).

When it comes to the five recommended

· · · ·

forms of sun protection, it was found that when outdoors on summer weekends, less than a third of men slipped on protective clothing, slopped on sunscreen, slapped on a wide-brimmed hat, or sought out shade. However, around half of men surveyed reported they slid on a pair of sunglasses when heading outside.

Compared to women, it was found that men were worse at protecting themselves with three out of the five: sunscreen and sunglasses use, as well as seeking out shade.

Craig Sinclair, Head of Prevention Division at Cancer Council Victoria, said the new campaign served as an important reminder for men not to be complacent when it comes to protecting their skin.

“As a dad, my first instincts are to protect

my family, so I understand how easy it is to forget to show myself the same level of protection,” he said.

Head of SunSmart, Heather Walker, urged all Victorians to remember sun protection when venturing out and about this summer.

“71 percent of men know melanoma kills more men than women, so it’s alarming to see them not heeding our advice to cover up and protect themselves,” she says.

“Check your sunscreen expiry date, invest in a new broad-brimmed hat for the summer, and download the SunSmart app for daily access to the UV levels and sun protection times in your area.”

Sun protection is recommended when UV levels are 3 or higher. For more information visit www.sunsmart.com.au

Anti-Aging (Functional) Medicine Practicioner Addressing the underlying root causes of Chronic Diseases.

Our Services 12511891-DL38-21

• Bio-Identical Hormone therapy • Vital Scan for early detection of Heart Diseases • Infusion Clinic for Health & Vitality • Skin Cancer Screening Services • General Medical Services • Deep Tissue Laser Pain Treatment Call us today on (03) 8580 2441 or book online at www.zenithmedicalcentre.com.au Address: 58 Robinson St, Dandenong Vic 3175

SunSmart is specifically targeting men in its new sun safety campaign. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Picture: ISTOCK

Remember, at Zenith Medical Centre, it is all in your best interest!!!

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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FOCUS ON … REAL ESTATE

MAGNIFICENT 1880S MANSION PRESENTING an incredibly rare and exciting opportunity to become the next custodians of ‘Rossmoyne’, one of the area’s oldest and most magnificent residences. This stately 1880s mansion is being offered for the first time in over 20 years.

Nestled amongst beautiful, established gardens on a substantial 2067sqm (approx.), this elegant and impeccably maintained home simply commands attention from its elevated position on Surrey Road.

Past a sweeping driveway and deep return verandah, a grand entrance hall with exquisite leadlight, decorative plasterwork, wainscoting and original timber ceilings provides the perfect welcome, setting the scene for the calibre of the finishes that can be found within. A formal lounge (fireplace) looks out across the stunning gardens and will set hearts aflutter with its elegance and period detailing. An equally impressive formal dining room complete with stained timber panelling and separate servery room is located opposite - imagine the grand gatherings that have taken place within these walls.

An open plan living/dining zone and contemporary kitchen extend to an outdoor room with built-in barbeque, while a home office and master bedroom with semi-ensuite access complete the main residence’s lower level. Two additional over-sized bedrooms - both with ensuites are positioned upstairs along with a pretty alcove from which views to the Dandenongs can really be appreciated. Ducted heating,

split systems, a three-car garage and triple carport are among the home’s practicalities.

Former servants’ quarters and a rear cottage provide potential guest accommodation - they are both self-

contained with living areas, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, and enjoy their own private access.

This unparalleled and historically significant property is situated in the sought-

after Rosewood Downs estate and is close to schools, parks, shopping destinations and transport. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 23-25 Surrey Road, DANDENONG NORTH Description: 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 6 garage Price: On application Inspect: By appointment Contact: Michael Hall, 0434 862 640, HODGES REAL ESTATE - CHELSEA, 9584 6500

Presenting an incredibly rare opportunity to become the next custodians of one of the area’s oldest and most magnificent residences, this stately 1880s mansion is being offered for the first time in over 20 years. On a sweeping 2067sqm (approx.), its former servants’ quarters and rear cottage provide extra guest accommodation. 5 Bedrooms | 5 Bathrooms | 6 Cars

12523514-JW48-21

ROSSMOYNE A RARE AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

Auction Saturday 18th December at 11:30am Michael Hall Ph: 0434 862 640 E: mhall@hodges.com.au Paul Johnston Ph: 0419 582 035 E: pjohnston@hodges.com.au Hodges Real Estate | 450 Nepean Highway, Chelsea. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

|

STAR JOURNAL 15

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dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Consider sustainable gifts Springvale Community Hub will be hosting another clothes and toys swap on Saturday 11 December from 1pm to 3pm.

The inclusion of toys and games in this community swap encourages families to consider sustainable gifting options in the lead up to Christmas.

Shoppers can rest assured that all items are inspected by volunteers to make sure only quality items make it to the racks and tables for swapping.

The Springvale Toy Library will also be present to raise awareness of their service and to offer families a free 3-month trial membership.

Clothes and toys swap event coordinator Zoë Mohl said she was determined to make the event a staple in the community after attending last year’s clothing swap at the City of Greater Dandenong’s Forever Fest.

“The free clothing-swap event is more than just a place to trade items amongst community members,” Ms Mohl said. “It’s about

making meaningful connections with neighbours, including the kids who have a blast coming together to play while parents browse the racks.”

“It’s about educating each other around living more sustainably and talking openly about the impacts of climate change and damage done to the environment.

“I hope it will encourage our community to consider other ways they could be living a bit cleaner and greener too. Swapping clothes is

WHAT’S ON

just the beginning.”

The clothes and toy swap would not be possible without the support of volunteers, with so many people keen on giving back to the community.

Proof of a Covid-19 vaccination or exemption will be required upon entry.

For more information about the event visit greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/greater-dandenong-council/events/springvale-clothesswap.

Free festive flicks Christmas cheer is set to hit the big screen at Springvale Community Hub. A Christmas Carol and Polar Express will be screened outdoors and free at the hub this month.

Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti was “thrilled” that families and friends could be brought together for the movie season.

“The outdoor movie screenings provide a great opportunity to enjoy our green open spaces with family and friends while also supporting our local traders by bringing along meals and snacks from surrounding businesses in Springvale.”

Deck chairs are available but moviegoers are being advised to bring their own picnic rug or low chair.

The hub cafe is open for drinks and light meals. Picnics and takeaway food is also welcome.

Patrons are required to scan in via a QR code.

A Christmas Carol screens on Wednesday 15 December, 6pm and Polar Express

Men’s Shed Keysborough Men’s Shed is open for a chat and a cuppa. The 34-member group welcomes new members for companionship, building projects and gardening. A double-vax digital certificate is required for entry.

Fridays 8am-2pm at Keysborough Men’s Shed, enter via Loxwood Avenue.

Details: Geoff Wright, 0415 066 170.

· · Coffee with a Cop Share a coffee with local police to raise and discuss issues. Coffees are provided free of charge

by Muffin Break.

Tuesday 14 December, 10.30am-11.30am at Armada Dandenong Plaza, level 2 food court.

Where: Armada Dandenong Plaza – Level 2, Food Court.

· ·

Nordic walking Nordic walking is a total-body gentle exercise using specialised poles, popular among seniors in Europe. Australian Multicultural Community Services has launched a Nordic walking group for

seniors over 65 to immerse in Nature at parks such as Cardinia Reservoir, Emerald Lake Park, Jells Park and Lysterfield Lake. Bring sunscreen, backpacks, food and raincoats to prepare for all weather. Healthy breakfast, trained instructor, information in preferred languages, and transport to venue included.

Wednesdays 10am-2pm. Meet at James Cook Children’s Centre, 55-63 James Cook Drive, Endeavour Hills for transport to the walking venue.

Details: Beata Radloff, beata.radloff@amcservices.org.au or 0403 165 648.

· ·

Free Christmas movies will be staged at Springvale Community Hub on 15 December and 20 December. 259274 Picture: GARY SISSONS on Monday 20 December, 6pm.

The venue opens from 5.30pm. No bookings required.

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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.

Employment section of Network Classifieds.

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

|

STAR JOURNAL 17

SPORT

Matt Goodwright sends one down. 261692

Wooeky Medallist Michael Davies has had a brilliant start to the year, can his Bucks climb the mountain again?

Pictures: ROB CAREW

Ben Hillard is going to be key if the Hawks are going to bounce back.

261692

A smokey for the Wookey

By Tyler Lewis Berwick spearhead Andrew Perrin is emerging as an early season smokey for the prestigious Allan Wookey medal.

Perrin has started the season in outstanding fashion and continued that on the weekend in another clinical display with the ball.

After his side was forced to chase, Perrin took the new ball and bowled with sensational control and electricity, collecting the first – and massive – wicket of Kasun Niranjana.

Whenever St Mary’s appeared to re-collect its early stumble and set a reasonable total, Perrin would have another impact.

After his 11 overs, the right-armer finished with 4/28.

Amazingly, Perrin’s season average sits at just 8.90 – snaring 10 wickets for just 89 runs.

Even more impressive when he has unwillingly added seven of those runs himself through sundries.

Bears skipper James Wilcock was also terrific with the ball, claiming 3/23 from 11.5.

As a result of the neat bowling display, the Bears restricted the home side to just 102.

The Berwick opening pair of Jordan Cleland and Lachlan Brown got the visiting unit off to another brilliant start, putting 56 on the board before the fall of the first wicket.

Unlike last week, the Bears lost a trio of

wickets along the way, losing Brown (40), Cleland (26) and Brodie Emmett (4).

Matt Chasemore (27 not out) and Damith Mapa Ralalage (4 not out) guided the Bears to a second dominant victory in succession.

It was a see-sawing affair down at Straithard Reserve between Narre South and Springvale South, but it was ultimately the Lions who came away victorious.

After being sent in, the Bloods got off to a horror start, losing Mitch Forsyth (0) to a fired up Tim Phillips (4/53).

The Bloods then lost skipper Paul Hill and exciting recruit Jordy Wyatt, leaving the premiership fancies 3/35.

A resurgence from Ryan Quirk and Jackson Sketcher steered the Bloods back on track, as the pair put on a marvellous 125 run stand for the fourth wicket.

Sketcher was the first to depart from the stand, for 55 from 88 balls, a knock that included three dazzling maximums, before Quirk (73) departed in a mini collapse for the Bloods.

After losing 3/7, the Lions looked to have wrestled back some momentum late, but it was the late hitting of Blade Baxter and Akshat Buch that got the Bloods to a more than competitive 7/192 from its 45.

It may some insubstantial on paper, but 13 from nine balls with two boundaries from Baxter and nine from six balls with one bound-

ary from Buch is exactly what the visiting side needed.

The Lions too got off to a horror start with the bat, losing its first wicket for just four runs.

But it was all smooth sailing from there, with Harsha De Silva blitzing 82 from just 86 deliveries, smacking ten boundaries and two over the rope.

52 from 42 balls from Kaushalya Weeraratne guided the Lions home with time to spare, passing the Bloods target in just 40.4 overs.

Jayde Herrick bowled for the first time this season, but could only push through three overs, conceding 20 runs.

Buckley Ridges, meanwhile, secured a controlled win over reigning premiers Hallam Kalora Park.

The Bucks sent the Hawks in on their home track and the Hawks cashed in, setting 7/178 from its 45 overs.

Leigh Booth (58) and Matthew Cox (55) were the pick of the bats, while Matthew Goodwright collected the scalps of the top three bats at different stages on his way to 3/53 from 12.

On the big space that in the Hawks home deck, a wicketless start was imperial for the Bucks.

And while it seemed to have achieved so with 39 runs on the board for no loss, a minor shake was sent through the camp when it lost

3/16 – Sachith Jayasingha doing the brunt of the damage.

But the Bucks were ultimately driven to victory off the blade of Mahela Udawatte, the recruit crunched 81 from 84 deliveries, reaching the rope 11 times, and securing the Bucks victory.

Michael Davies finished with 22 not out, launching two sixes as his side passed the Hawks with three balls to spare.

North Dandenong has landed a triumphant win over Narre Warren after a clinical first innings display with the ball.

The home side won the toss and confidently sent the Narre Warren outfit in.

It paid dividends with the Maroons castling the Pies for just 86.

Each of the seven bowlers used collected a wicket, but it was Javed Khan who was the pick of the bowlers, snaring 2/16 from five over and – more importantly - the first two wickets of the match, setting the tone for the afternoon.

The home side had no troubles sinking the Pies, reaching the benchmark in just 15.3 overs.

Syed Mehmood had no interest in hanging around, or running between the wickets, whacking five fours and three sixes in his 44.

Gloveman Redwan Laghmani was terrific with 32 not out in the run chase.

Sandown recognised at local community awards Sandown Greyhounds received an award for ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ at the recent Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. It was a proud moment for the club to be recognised for not only another year of entertaining racing, but involvement in the community.

“To receive this award is a great achievement. Community engagement has been a big part of the club for years and that’ll continue to grow,” said Adrian Scott, CEO 18 STAR JOURNAL

|

of Sandown Greyhounds.

One of the club’s initiatives reached a milestone in July which was 10,000 meals donated to the community led by local charities Reaching Out Because We Can and Servants Of The Two Hearts.

“It’s something we began during one of the early lockdowns and have been committed to since. We have a great relationship with the charities as well as many other local groups and sporting clubs.”

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

Sandown Greyhounds received an award for ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ at the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT

It’s Otto’s day for Knights

By Nick Creely Keysborough captain-coach Christo Otto has fired the Knights to victory in the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 2 competition.

The prominent all-rounder did it with both bat and ball, shaking off a dogged Beaconsfield outfit at Perc Allison Oval.

The Knights were sent in, with Otto smacking 72 from the middle order to help set his side a competitive total of 142, with Jackson O’Brien also chiming in with 25.

In the context of the game, it proved to be a decisive hand.

Tigers gun Ashan Madushanka was once again a huge factor, snaring 4/33 from his 12 overs, while reliable seamer Jake Cutting (3/26) also bowled strongly.

Despite a fighting 43 from Madushanka, the Tigers fell narrowly short, bowled out for 132 in reply.

Otto snared 2/30 from 12 overs, but Hennadige Fernando took a star turn, snaring 5/44 from 8.3 overs, including the all-important final wicket.

Dandenong West and Lyndale played out a thrilling contest at Greaves Reserve, but it was the Dales that saluted off the final ball.

Westers coach Anthony Brannan was a man on a mission, striking 74 (including two sixes) to help his side post a tricky 6/176 from 45 overs.

The game ebbed and flowed, but ultimately the game came down to the final moment, with one wicket in hand, and a solitary ball left, with the visitors finding the winning runs in a huge momentum booster.

Cranbourne showed more impressive signs, comfortably defeating Parkmore Pirates despite a wobble with the blade.

The Pirates set the Eagles 159 for victory after recovering from 6/76, with Jayden Blackman (3/16) particularly impressive.

The home side were in a state of disarray in the run chase, falling to 2/0 after openers Dean McDonell and Matt Collett fell without troubling the scorers.

But experience, and a touch of class came to the fore.

Brad Stephens (47) and Pete Sweeney (52) turned the game back the Eagles’ way with a defining 81-run stand, with skipper Mick Sweeney (30 not out) also chiming in as the

Christo Otto goes whack for Keysborough on Saturday. 261695 home side ran away five-wicket winners.

In the remaining match, heroics from Triyan De Silva (83) weren’t enough to fire HSD (139) to victory against Parkfield (6/150), with the Parkers holding on in a thrilling finish.

In Turf 3, Springvale master blaster Nuwan Mendis was at it again with another century.

Mendis blasted his second century in three knocks with a rapid ton against Doveton in the Demons’ comfortable win.

After spanking 126 in the opening round, followed by 47 last week, Mendis crunched 108 against the Doves as the Demons posted a hefty 5/205 from their 40 overs.

Picture: ROB CAREW

Mendis sent nine fours to the rope and a further three over it in his brutal knock. He was supported by Harinjder Sohal (44).

Ryan Hendy did his best to keep the Doves in it with a classy 45, but the visitors were rolled for 152 with spinner Mick De Kauwe (5/19) firing with a bag of wickets.

There was another centurion, with Coomoora’s Nick Suppree putting Narre North the sword.

Suppree crunched 112 in a brilliant batting display, combining with Charith Fernando (60 not out) in a ruthless 163-run stand that saw the Roos post a huge 4/256.

Narre North posted 87 in reply.

Lynbrook got the job done in a nail-biting clash against Fountain Gate at Marriott Waters.

The Lakers put in an excellent display largely through Jay Walia (94) - who fell narrowly short of a century, but the home side posted 177 to make it a tricky chase for the Gators.

It really could have gone either way, with 14-year-old young gun Harrison Lees (51) looming as the match-winner, but the Gators fell narrowly short with two balls left and three runs required.

And Silverton (6/173) got the job done with ease against Hampton Park (85).

Panthers downed by unpredictable Swans Dandy down in a thriller

By Tyler Lewis

Dandenong head into the final match of the calendar year 1-3, after suffering a heavy loss at the hands of the unpredictable Casey-South Melbourne.

Dandenong – undermanned through Covid isolations – came into the match off the back of an impressive victory against Frankston Peninsula last week.

But this match against the Swans was a reflection of the firepower the Panthers have lost out its bowling attack.

The Swans got off to a steady start with Luke Manders (49) taking to the Panthers top bowlers.

Braeden Taeuber was impressive early, proving to be the only bowler the Casey-South Melbourne batters couldn’t get away.

Matt Wilson received some tap early, with Manders sending him over the rope to inch closer to his half-century.

But it was Wilson who had the last laugh, dismissing Manders through a short ball to bring about the Panthers first wicket.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Swans were able to build steady partnerships throughout the middle of the innings, particularly batting around in-form skipper Michael Wallace, who struck 89 from just 93 balls with three sixes.

One of those maximums came from an incredible reverse sweep that was hit flat towards the shorter boundary.

The Panthers even called upon Tom Donnell to have a trundle, sending down some offspin, finishing with figures: four overs, 0/12.

A rare sight in Victorian Premier Cricket, dandenong.starcommunity.com.au

By Nick Creely

Sometimes your greatest strength is your biggest weakness... Tom Donnell was dismissed Picture: TYLER LEWIS hooking on Saturday. 261878 Donnell finished his spell by throwing the ball to skipper Brett Forsyth – who too sent down a couple of overs.

The plan looked clear from the Panthers, rush through overs, build dots and inflict some scoreboard pressure.

Though with Wallace flying at one end and others working the ball around the long pockets of Shepley Oval, the Panthers were set a strong total of 8/258.

The chase couldn’t have started worse for the Panthers, losing champion opener Tom Donnell in the early overs for 1.

Forsyth looked to take the game on after losing his partner, but he followed him to the pavilion shortly after.

Josh Slater again got himself a start (25), before he spooned an easy catch to Nathan Lambden at cover.

Cam Forsyth’s luck – or there lack of – running between the wickets continued to be an issue for the noodler, being run out for the third time in just four hits.

After bowling well (2/45 from ten), Gehan Seneviratne landed a few lusty blows in the latter stages of the Panthers’ innings, launching three balls over the rope on his way to 29.

The Dandenong outfit fell for just 157 in the 42nd over, losing by 101 runs.

The challenges don’t get any easier for Brett Forsyth’s men, heading to the prestigious venue that is Melbourne Uni next week to take on the undefeated Students.

Dandenong’s Women’s side has fallen agonisingly short of victory, going down by just four runs in a thriller against Carlton.

The Blues won the toss and elected to bat at Shepley Oval on Sunday, and proceeded to post 171 from 48.2 overs, with Sophie Reid (40) and Nipuni Hansika (47) continuing their barnstorming seasons with strong performances.

Chelsea Moscript (3/25) and Emma ‘Gags’ Gallagher (2/32) were consistent for the Panthers in a disciplined bowling display against who has feasted on opposition attacks so far this season.

The Panthers got themselves into a strong position, with Moscript (26), Nic Faltum (29) and Kim Garth (30) all getting starts, but the visitors gradually worked back into the contest.

After breaking down through the middle order, the Blues found the wickets to surge to victory, rolling the Panthers for 167.

Cailin Green was particularly brilliant, snaring 3/29 to be a match-winner.

The reigning premiers have had a tough start to the season, falling now to a 1-3 record, and will now need to bank a win before Christmas when they travel to Box Hill on Sunday.

Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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Tuesday, 14 December, 2021

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