Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 20th September 2022

Ranges Trader

Local Westpac branches to close

Major funding from both parties for Maroondah Hospital

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

Mail Council advocates for short stay registry

Garden fit for a Queen soon to be complete

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A Star News Group Publication

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

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All about for Tulip Festival

Tractor driver Patsy Parnell about to take Tesselaar Tullip Festival visitors on a joy ride. 299089

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

The Tesselaar Tulip Festival attracts around 100,000 visitors every year to Silvan with its fields of colour, food stalls, children’s activities and celebration of culture.

After having to shut for three years, the event has returned in spring 2022.

The Tulip Festival follows the biggest Tesselaar KaBloom festival ever, held in April.

The Star Mail visited the Tesselaar Tulip Festival on Thursday 15 September to capture the return of a beloved festival in its 68th year.

Turn to page 5 for more on the story

Deer destruction

By Tyler Wright David Hoskin has been operating the Emerald nursery Telopea Gardens for 45 years, but the last two years have proved difficult as an increasing number of deer encroach on his 10acre property.

“The deerare so much work, they cause total devastation,” Mr Hoskin said.

“What they can’t reach they tend to break branches off, I’ve got bushes [where] all that’s left are sticks.” Mr Hoskin said Telopea Gardens has been able to open under the Victoria’s open garden scheme, and received a lot of local foot traffic throughout Victoria’s pandemic restrictions, but there are currently no plans to

publicly open the garden with ruined shrubs and ringbarked trees throughout the property.

“The deer are getting worse and worse, there’s more and more damage not only to my property but to the natural forest out the back... they’re damaging all the native vegetation and also causing a lot of erosion,” Mr Hoskin said.

An aerial thermal helicopter survey conducted by the Cardinia Deer Management Coalition in July 2021 found an estimated 1653 deer in the 110km squared survey in areas including in Emerald, Menzies Creek, Cockatoo and South Belgrave.

The survey also found a total of 15 feral

deer per kilometre throughout Cardinia Shire, which spanned to Upper Beaconsfield and parts of Officer.

Cardinia Deer Management Coalition member and Belgrave resident Johannes Wenzel said the results were “shocking”.

“I’m a medical doctor and having deer in a water catchment or water reservoir is absolute madness because deer have terrible diseases which they can spread and water contamination could cause huge problems for our population,” Mr Wenzel said.

“Over the last three years, it has increased dramatically and we had deer coming really not far from the Muddy Creek, which is a bushy

area coming down from Menzies Creek, going to Belgrave South and the Cardinia Creek later,” Mr Wenzel said.

“Deer live in that Cardinia Creek territory, It’s very safe for them, nobody disturbs them, and they multiply quite happily, and every so often they visit our place and they come and destroy the fruit trees. They eat all the young shoots of the fruit trees, they nibble on our roses.”

Melbourne Water began a deer management program across major catchments including Cardinia in October 2021, with the most recent operation resulting in 67 deer removed from the catchment.

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Action against feral deer From page 1 “The activities are being undertaken by accredited and authorised contractors to ensure the process is done in the most humane, safe and ethical way to eradicate deer from the fenced catchment and reduce numbers elsewhere,” Melbourne Water’s General Manager of Waterways and Catchment Operations Kirsten Shelly said.

“There are nine more operations planned.

Depending on the results, we may extend the program for another two years,” Ms Shelly said.

“Our deer management program in Cardinia Reservoir is well on track to make a significant deer environmental impact reduction at the site – potentially eradicating deer from the catchment area altogether.”

Deer are currently protected on public land under the Wildlife Act as wildlife, meaning deer can only be killed under an Authority to Control Wildlife permit, but on private land are not protected, and if causing damage and can be killed.

In March 2022, the Victorian Government introduced the Peri-urban Deer Control Plan, identifying priority areas for deer control in a coordinated approach to reduce the threat deer pose to the environment, farming, public safety and Aboriginal cultural heritage, including in the Dandenong Ranges.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is the managing authority for wildlife in Victoria, including deer on public land, and told the Star Mail while there has not been a formal survey in the Dandenong Ranges, and deer are being sighted in “higher numbers, moving into new areas and causing greater impact across the area”.

“Further control actions, informed by this plan, will build on the work undertaken to date

by Parks Victoria to control deer in the Dande-

David Hoskin’s shrubs and trees have taken the brunt of deer ringbarking and eating branches.

Picture: TYLER WRIGHT

A King Protea shrub at Telopea Gardens before deer damage.

Picture: SUPPLIED

needed to reduce deer population in the Dandenong Ranges, rather than localising certain areas.

“You should really count deer at the same time on one side of the fence and on the other side of the fence. Otherwise, it might become useless,” he said.

David Hoskin has begun putting cages around vegetation, but can’t see this as a viable solution in the long run.

“There’s a possibility of putting a big fence right around the property, but they cost a fortune,” Mr Hoskin said.

“When we open up the garden it’s usually for charitable events and things so it’s not a big money spinner here - you just get by with it.”

While agencies continue in their attempt to manage the deer population in the Dandenong Ranges, David Hoskin will weigh up whether it is worth continuing on.

“To put up big fences would stop even the wallabies and wombats and things from wandering through, which would be most unfortunate to be surrounded by fences when you’ve lived all this time without negligible fences,” he said.

nong Ranges and continue to protect wildlife and their habitats in priority areas,” a Victorian Government spokesperson said.

Mr Wenzel said current legislation has allowed deer to “basically invade suburbia”.

“Shooting is unfortunately probably the only effective method at the moment, but then there are other things like fencing and diversion and distracting [with] overflights or sprinklers or something, but they’re not really that effective in the end,” Mr Wenzel said.

Mr Wenzel said a more cohesive approach, bringing all agencies and counts together, is

Participants in the industry forum at Coonara Community House on Thursday 15 September.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE

Job challenges discussed

By Parker McKenzie An industry forum on Thursday 15 September at Coonara Community House on Thursday explored how industry and job providers could collaborate together for future opportunities, employee return strategies, the benefits of volunteering and employment pathways throughout the sector.

Coonara Community House manager Sandra Romero said the event was an opportunity to have robust conversations about the current job market.

“We all know how we’re struggling in the job market, whether we are job seekers or whether we are job providers,” she said.

“What are the gaps, the obstacles and what can we do to help each other? We know individually, it’s really difficult to make a difference, but collaboratively we can make a really huge difference.”

The major issue raised by people who attended the forum was a struggle in finding staff. One corporate representative said within their organisation —which employs around 7000 staff — there is currently 1000 vacancies Australia-wide and 550 in Victoria currently.

Swinburne University facilitator Leanne Fitzgerald said pre-accredited training programs through Learn Local were invaluable for community employment and opening opportunities for people.

Right now, there are community services jobs available where you can make a difference, helping people who have a disability, families fleeing violence, and children and families who need care and support. Plus, there is a jobs guarantee for new graduates in priority areas.

Make a difference.

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Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

The companies and organisations present at the industry forum were Smart Support, Concern Australia, MyAbility, Westfield Knox, Interchange Out East, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place, APM WorkCare, Cleanaway Hydrocarbons, WCIG, Cummins Australia and the Migrant Information Centre.

Volunteer for Knox manager Sally Dusting-Laird said volunteering is at the centre of Australia’s national identity.

“Nearly six million Australians or 31% of the population volunteer at some time in their lives,” she said.

“People volunteer for many reasons, they include building confidence, gaining work experience, giving back to the community, being happy, keeping busy, personal satisfaction, social interaction, helping others using skills, learning new skills, making a difference and practising English.”

She said half of the organisation’s volunteers have been under the age of 35 and more than 50 per cent have been born overseas. The fastest growing area for volunteering has been people with a disability.

Coonara Community House is a not-forprofit organisation offering education opportunities for adults and children through accredited courses, short courses, community programs and early childhood education. it is located at 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

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IN BRIEF

By Parker McKenzie Both the Ferntree Gully and Boronia Westpac branches will be shut by the end of the year, as the bank continues a spree of closures across the country.

The Ferntree Gully branch will cease trading on Friday 21 October and Boronia on Friday 4 November.

A Westpac Group spokesperson said with declining customer use of branches “in some instances, we may take a difficult decision to leave a branch location.”

“Westpac Boronia customers have access to Westpac Knox City 5.9 kilometres away as their supporting branch,” the spokesperson said.

“Many customers can continue to access the same cash services locally via Australia Post at Boronia Post Shop, just 120 metres away from our current branch.”

Seven staff are employed in Ferntree Gully and will be affected by the closure, while the Boronia branch employs six people.

The Finance Sector Union National Sec-

Westpac has announced it will close both the Boronia and Ferntree branches by the end of the year.

Picture: ON FILE retary Julia Angrisano said local Westpac retail and business customers will be forced to travel even further to access banking services.

“This is no longer cutting the fat from Westpac, this latest carving up of Westpac’s branches is slicing right into the core of the bank with staff morale at rock bottom as they wait for the axe to fall on what’s left of the branch network,” she said.

“And when it comes to pay at Westpac, the bank is mean and stingy, refusing to offer staff

reasonable pay rises as inflation eats away at their real wages and cost of living spirals out of control.”

Westpac has closed 225 branches since January 2021, including its Lilydale and Croydon branches.

A Ferntree Gully resident said she was concerned about the effect the closures would have on non-computer literate people in the area and community organisations.

“How many people can regularly go to Knox or Eastland?” she said.

“I can see a lot of people going to the local Bendigo Bank instead. They have to offer services for people who can’t keep up.”

The Westpac spokesperson said there are Westpac ATMs located at Knox City and Mountain High Shopping Centre.

“Westpac Ferntree Gully customers also have access to Westpac Knox City 4.3km away.” The spokesperson said.

“Australia Post at Mountain Gate Post Shop is also located right beside our current branch and we have ATMs located at Knox City.”

Negotiations start after library strike

By Parker McKenzie Eastern Regional Libraries is confident an acceptable compromise can be found in continuing negotiations over a new bargaining agreement, after union strikes shut down two Yarra Ranges Libraries on the morning of Wednesday 14 September.

Members of the Australian Service Union have been in negotiations regarding a new enterprise bargaining agreement since June 2021, as they ask for a 3 per cent pay rise, a minimum of three-hour shifts for casuals and minimum staffing levels at branches.

They escalated protected industrial action by striking at library branches from 9am to 1pm.

Eastern Regional Libraries Chief Executive Joseph Cullen told the Star Mail on Wednesday 14 September because the Your Library beneficial enterprise is supported by Maroondah, Knox and Yarra Ranges Councils, “we aren’t in a position to offer much more than the rate cap” of 1.75 per cent.

“My door is always open and we respect the staff’s right to enter protected industrial action,” he said.

“Only two libraries were closed this morning —one in Lilydale and Yarra Junction — which was a good result.”

The offer increased the pay rise from 1.8 per cent to 2 per cent per annum for three years and includes “a revised offer in relation to” the minimum staffing levels and shift lengths. The previous enterprise bargaining agreement expired on 30 June 2020.

Australian Services Union secretary Lisa Darmanin said “further disruptive industrial action can be avoided if management

Two Yarra Ranges libraries — Yarra Junction and Lilydale — were closed on the morning of Wednesday 14 September because of the strike.

Picture: ON FILE recognises the legitimate claims” of union members.

“Library staff are facing the same cost of living pressures as everyone else, and they will not accept the substantial cut to real wages that’s on offer,” she said.

“The Australian Services Union’s bargain team is continuing negotiations for a fair pay increase and greater safety for library staff and visitors.”

Union members previously launched protected industrial actions which included interrupting or stopping work to remove name badges, attaching enterprise bargaining agreement campaign material or putting on union-related clothing, an indefinite ban on performing work in clothes that doesn’t have EBA campaign material or in nonunion-related clothes, waiving photocopy-

ing or printing charges by library members and voicing campaign messages before escalating to the four-hour strike on 14 September.

Mr Cullen said the lowest paid full-time employee earns $36.88 an hour, above the minimum dictated in the Local Government Award and higher than the median pay of the three-member councils.

“We sat down with the union on Monday and put a revised offer to them yesterday afternoon,” Mr Cullen said.

“They decided to go ahead with the action, but to be fair to the union we made the offer quite late yesterday.”

Mr Cullen said Eastern Regional Libraries would continue to meet with the union — who they’ve met with 12 times since negotiations began — for further discussions and he believes an agreement is likely to be reached.

Further industrial action from union members includes an indefinite or periodic ban on undertaking library programming activities like children’s storytime and tech literacy classes, work stoppages of up to 24 hours’ duration or shorter, a ban on answering external phone calls, interrupting or stopping work for the purpose of speaking to the media and public about the campaign and a ban on staff working at locations that are not their home or contracted branch.

Your Library was created when Eastern Regional Library Corporation was wound up for administrative reasons under the Local Government Act 2020, with each of Maroondah, Knox and Yarra Ranges Councils being represented on the board by two councillors each, alongside a corporate representative from each council.

A Ferntree Gully man charged by police with multiple offences, including manufacturing explosives, possessing explosives and possessing unregistered firearms appeared at Ringwood Magistrates Court on Monday 12 September via video link with his lawyer.

The 34-year-old man appeared before the Magistrate who said a report from the Court Integrated Services Program showed he has made “very positive results” and has made “some significant steps”.

“The hard yards are ahead of you,” the Magistrate said.

“Now is when the real test starts.”

The Magistrate granted a bail extension before he appears on Tuesday 8 November at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court for a mentions hearing.

When he was charged on Monday 18 July, police allege three pipe bombs, explosives, three handguns, firearms parts and other weapons were seized from a property in Ferntree Gully, while he was also charged with possessing methamphetamine and psilocybin.

Pandemic leave extended The federal government has announced the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment (PLDP) will remain available as long as all states and territories apply mandatory isolation periods, after being set to expire.

First Ministers agreed to cap the maximum number of PLDP claims an individual can make in a six-month period to three in an effort to curb fraud related to the scheme, according to the Canberra Times.

Workers in high-risk settings unable to work during their seven-day isolation period can access $450 if they have lost at least eight hours or a full day’s pay, but less than 20 hours. $750 is available if a high-risk worker has lost 20 hours or more of work.

Those not working in a high-risk workplace who are unable to work during their five-day isolation period can access a $450 payment with the loss of at least a day’s work, but less than 20 hours.

National Cabinet also agreed the Commonwealth would continue a 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement for the payment with states and territories in a scheme that has already cost $2.2 billion to date, according to the Canberra Times.

For more information on the Pandemic Relief Disaster Payment, visit https://www. servicesaustralia.gov.au/pandemic-leave-disaster-payment

Police appeal for witnesses to power pole collision Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed a vehicle collide with a power pole on Ferntree Gully Road in the early hours of Monday 12 September.

At around 5.45am, a white Mitsubishi utility collided with the pole near Rushdale Avenue, with the 32-year-old man driving the vehicle being taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Traffic was disrupted throughout the day while power was restored after the collision.

Police said drugs and alcohol had been ruled out as a factor in the incident.

Anyone who witnessed the vehicle travelling west on Ferntree Gully Road before the collision or anyone with dashcam footage of it is asked to contact Knox Highway Patrol on 9881 7000 or make a confidential report via Crimestoppers.

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Firefighters raise the bar

By Parker McKenzie and Tyler Wright During the 2022 Melbourne Firefighter Star Climb on Saturday 10 September, Dandenong Ranges and foothills brigades helped raise over $500,000 for mental health services alongside Victorian, interstate and international emergency service personnel.

Five Kallista-The Patch members and 13 from Ferntree Gully took part in climbing the 28 floors of the Crown Metropol Hotel, with several others in supporting roles for the event, in 25kgs of gear alongside 600 emergency service personnel to fund research, improve support services, remove stigmas and raise awareness for Lifeline, Fortem and 000Foundation.

Members of the Ferntree Gully CFA brigade raised $18,491, the most out of any brigade or station taking part, while Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade raised almost $2,000, with the event raising $529,000 for charity.

Ferntree Gully CFA Captain Seamus Smith said helping fight depression, PTSI and suicide was a great cause.

“It’s no secret that emergency workers, especially across all emergency service providers, have attended traumatic scenarios,” he said.

“Especially with CFA volunteers you’re responding into your own community, which is usually full of family and friends.”

It was Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade member Luke Tyler Maclean’s first time participating in the stair climb challenge in 2022.

“It’s good to be in a room with 600 other fireys, getting ready to climb up the stairs for a good cause,” Mr Maclean said.

“It’s good to get people from all walks of life that helping [mental health services] because we do a lot of talk about getting people to re-

Members of Ferntree Gully CFA who took part in the Stair Climb.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

From left to right, Luke Tyler-MacLean, Peter Toender, Richard O’Brien, Kyle Power and Graham Barrow from the Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade at the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb at Crown Metropol on Saturday 10 September. duce the stigma and access mental health services, but often those services are pretty overwhelming... so anything that we can do to help them out is can only be a good thing.”

He said the issue of mental health is pertinent for emergency service personnel and residents of the Yarra Ranges. “[There was] the big storm in June of last year, and then a couple of other major incidents, so just having those support services around for us, but also for the community is just so important,” Mr Maclean said.

“You can’t keep doing those sort of things over and over again, without knowing there’s a bit of a safety net if things go wrong.”

Since its inception, the event has raised

more than $3 million for charitable causes like the Alfred Hospital Burns Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Lifeline, Black Dog Institute, Emergency Services Foundation and 000 Foundation. In that time, Ferntree Gully CFA has raised close to $90,000.

Mr Smith said the brigade supplemented personal donations through its yearly battery collection drive for the Stair Climb.

“We appreciate all the support we’ve had from the community and from all the people donating their batteries and dropping them off,” he said.

“We’ve been picking them up and then donating, doing tin collections. It was a really su-

per combined effort.”

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said it was great for emergency service personnel to come together in person to raise money for a great cause.

“We’re coming out of an incredibly tough few years which no doubt have taken their toll on people’s mental health in many ways, so it’s great to support these issues by finally coming together for some friendly competition and exercise,” Mr Heffernan said.

CFA brigades were joined by members from Fire Rescue Victoria, Forest Fire Management Vic, Victoria Police, South Australian Country Fire Service, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Fire and Rescue NSW, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service and Tasmania Fire Service, while Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Rescue Services joined virtually.

For more information about the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb, visit firefighterclimb. org.au

All Saints Anglican Church in Selby honours the Queen

By Tyler Wright All Saints Anglican Church in Selby honoured and remembered Vale Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with prayers and a rendition of God Save the King in a service on Sunday 11 September.

Archbishop of Melbourne, Peter Andrew Comensoli, gave the church prayer suggestions in order to thank God for the late Queen’s rule after her death on Thursday 8 September.

All Saints Anglican Church secretary Felicity Podger said Queen Elizabeth held a “ceremonial” leadership role in the Anglican Church, previously known as the Church of England.

“The head of the Church of England in England is the Archbishop of Canterbury, but it goes back to when Henry the Eighth split from the Roman Catholic Church,” Felicity said.

“He had the title of ‘defender of the faith,’ and that has come down to all the Kings or

Queens of Great Britain.

“The defender of the faith is also head of the Church of England, and that stems from Henry the Eighth, so it’s a historical thing.”

While Felicity said there are just as many ‘republicans’ as there are ‘monarchists’ in the town of Selby, it was still important to pray for the acceeding King Charles III and the royal family in their bereavement so the King would be “upheld in his time of bereavement and in the job that he’s got ahead of him”.

This comes after visitors gathered at Melbourne’s St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral to join a Choral Evensong on the evening of Sunday 11 September, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Premier Daniel Andrews and wife Catherine were in attendance, as well as Victorian Governor Linda Dessau.

On Sunday 11 September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also announced a one-off public holiday for Australians on Thursday September 22 for a national day of mourning

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at O’Shannessy Lodge, Warburton in 1954.

Picture: YARRA RANGES BUSH CAMP for the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch for 70 years and was coronated at just 25 years old in 1953, after the death of her father King George VI. The Queen’s funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday 19 September at 9pm AEST.

All Saints Anglican Church in Selby honoured Queen Elizabeth II after Her Majesty’s passing on Thursday 8 September.

Picture: ON FILE

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Crowds return for tulips

By Tyler Wright The Tesselaar Tulip Festival has returned this year after the massive event was suspended for three years due to the pandemic.

The Tesselar Tulip Festival usually sees 100,000 visitors each year, and until Sunday 9 October will display close to a million bulbs and hundreds of thousands of spring flowers; including daffodils and spring starflowers spread throughout the fields.

Food trucks, live music, tractor rides and themed weekends are among the activities for festival-goers to get involved in.

Tesselaar Tulip Festival director and fourth generation of the family run business, Paul Tesselaar, said due to a cold and wet winter, tulips have been slower to bloom and ticket sales have dropped slightly.

‘We had KaBloom earlier this year, which was our best KaBloom ever - we were inundated with people that we’re happy to get out, come up into Silvan through the forest, experience all the nature and fresh air we have out here,” Paul said.

“But with the weather it will be a bit slower this year, which happens on average about every four years where the weather is just a little bit dull.

We’re only just starting to get to the stage now where we’re happy with the amount of flowers out, so once the school holidays start, we should have a few bumper days to see us through to the ninth of October.”

Opening with Turkish weekend, followed

by Dutch weekend, and upcoming Children’s weeks throughout the school holidays, this year’s Tulip Festival will also see a food, wine and jazz weekend from Friday 23 September to Sunday 25 September.

“90 per cent of [visitors] would be Melbournians living within one hour of the farm here,” Paul said.

Paul Tesselaar in a field of tulips. 299089 “First generation Australians, Indian, Pakistanis and Caucasians as well, so it’s a massive mixture.”

One of the visitors roaming the fields of tulips on Thursday 15 September was Altona North resident Gayle Tout.

Armed with a camera and accompanied by her peers, Gayle was “making up for lost time” after the pandemic put a halt to outings such as flower festivals. “[I’ve enjoyed] the amazing colours of tulips we probably weren’t aware of...yellow is quite a common one,” Gayle said.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS From the beach-side town of Hampton also came David Oertle and his wife, who have been making trips to the Dandenong Ranges since 1990.

David has visited the Dandenong Ranges for rhododendron shows and to visit homesteads, but enjoyed the spring sun at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival last week.

“We in Victoria are used to that, right? We’ve had a rain shower, but now the sun is out and just a beautiful day to be out,” David said.

While the obvious tulip fields are a standout, Paul said there are hidden gems through-

Kim Mason and daughter Pippa, from Ferntree Gully, got their feet moving with some dutch dancing on Thursday 15 September. 299089 out the back of the farm, including rhododendrons finishing up flower and a blossom tree.

Paul does suggest bringing an old pair of shoes while exploring the damp fields, and to bring your own picnic if you’re looking to save some extra cash.

For updates on which tulips are in bloom, Tesselaar is posting updates every Wednesday on Facebook and Instagram for you to decide when the best time for you to visit.

For more information on the festival program, visit https://tulipfestival.com.au/

Nobody knows their community like you.

Don’t waste your opportunity to provide feedback on our Draft Waste Plan Yarra Ranges Council’s Draft Community Waste and Resource Recovery Plan is now open for community feedback.

The Plan outlines how we, as a community can produce less waste and send less to landfill, while maximising the recovery of recyclable materials.

Read the draft and provide your feedback by visiting shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au

1300 368 333

Scan to view

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Cash from both parties

By Parker McKenzie With Victoria’s healthcare system firming as a key issue ahead of the November 26 state election, Maroondah Hospital will receive funding for an upgrade regardless of which party forms government after both the Labor Party and the Liberal opposition made competing election commitments across the weekend.

On Saturday 17 September, Liberal Party leader Matthew Guy announced a $400 million upgrade to the hospital if his party wins the state election.

“The eastern suburbs depend on the Maroondah Hospital,” Mr Guy said.

“That’s why this $400 million announcement for ICU upgrades, for cancer centres to be upgraded, but most importantly for a training facility to be built on site is so important.”

The commitment includes a new emergency department, a new ICU and critical care unit, a new wing expanding the number of hospital beds from 100 to 426, additional and refurbished operating theatres, a training facility for nurses and doctors, an expansion for the cancer centre, an expanded mental health unit and 300 additional car spaces.

Croydon MP David Hodgett said people are talking about the hospital and its needs “all the time.”

“300 new car parks, 150 of those for staff, one of the big issues,” he said.

“I can’t tell you how big this news is, it’s great, it services the electorate of Croydon and will be people will be enormously happy.”

Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence said it was tremendous news for the community in the Yarra Ranges.

“So many people in the Yarra Ranges, our older residents and our young families with their kids come to Maroondah Hospital when they need healthcare,” she said.

“This hospital is seeing extensive wait times for surgery, wait times for emergency,

The Liberal Party announced its commitment to funding an upgrade for Maroondah Hospital on Saturday 19 September.

Picture: BRIDGET VALLENCE MP

The following day, the Labor government announced a commitment of between $850 million and $1 billion for an expansion of the hospital.

Picture: SUPPLIED and our plan we will increase the capacity of beds, build a new emergency department and of course importantly training facility for nurses.”

A day later on Sunday 18 September, the Labor Party announced an election commitment of its own: $850 million to $1.05 billion in funding for a new and expanded emergency

department, 200 new inpatient beds, a dedicated children’s emergency department, new operating theatres and day procedure units and a new mental health hub.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the upgrade would see thousands more patients being treated each year, with construction starting in 2025.

“A new hospital for the east needs a new name, that’s why it’s going to be the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,” he said.

“This is great for jobs as well. 2,500 construction workers will build this hospital for families across Melbourne’s east.”

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said the hospital will provide the modern facilities for “our hardworking nurses, midwives and doctors need to provide the very best care for families in the growing eastern suburbs.”

“We’ve made it free to study nursing and midwifery, creating a pipeline for future healthcare workers,” she said.

“When the new Queen Elizabeth II Hospital opens from 2029, we’ll have the workforce needed ready to go.”

Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor said the outer east deserves first-rate hospitals.

“Alongside our upgrade and expansion of the Angliss, this new redevelopment at Maroondah will mean our community has access to all the care they need, close to home,” he said.

“I’m proud that we’ve delivered the new public aged care facility in Wantirna, that we’re about to start work on a major upgrade of the Angliss and if re-elected we’ll rebuild Maroondah Hospital. It’s absolutely what locals deserve.”

In November 2018 — ahead of the last state election — the Labor Party announced a new emergency department for children at Maroondah Hospital, which was also included in the announcement over the weekend. It has yet to leave the planning phase of development.

Solar rebates expand to new homes under construction The State Government is expanding the eligibility for the Solar Homes program, now opening the solar panel rebate to new homes under construction.

The expansion is set to help more Victorians save on installation costs and electricity while reducing emissions.

Minister for Solar Homes Lily D’Ambrosio said they know energy prices are putting pressure on households.

“Expanding Solar Homes to new builds will help tens of thousands of Victorians save thousands on electricity costs and help us cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2030,” she said.

“We’re putting power back into the hands

of Victorian households – driving down energy costs and boosting supply, creating thousands of jobs and cutting solar installation costs for new builds by hundreds.”

The number of approved rebates in the Yarra Ranges in 2021/22 was 5139, with 4707 of those already installed, while Cardinia LGA saw 5843 approved and 5489 installed. Emerald, Avonsleigh, Clematis and Macclesfield residents in the 3782 postcode took full advantage of the rebate, with 252 approved and 226 of those installed. Solar retailers nearby include Emerald’s DPV Electrical Solutions and Monbulk’s Trademark Energy and MTCO Electrical.

The changes save homeowners up to $800

on installation costs by fitting panels as they wire the electricity to their new homes, as well as an average of $1,073 each year in energy costs.

Eligible Victorians building homes will be able to apply for a rebate of $1,400 as well as being able to access a $1,400 interest-free loan to install solar panels during construction, with 64,000 rebates available for the 2022/23 financial year.

Applicants must use a Solar Victoria authorised retailer and install a product included on the approved products list to qualify for the rebate.

For further information, including eligibility criteria, visit solar.vic.gov.au.

Yarra Ranges and Cardinia residents have embraced the solar rebates. Picture: ON FILE

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NEWS

Sandbag prep for Kallista

By Tyler Wright Emerald SES has joined forces with the Kallista Floodwatch Group in the battle against flash flooding, providing an educational meeting on how best to cope with gushes of water that in previous months have left property damaged.

The Pakenham SES Unit was also on hand to teach Kallista residents how to use sandbags, and how they could access them from local SES stations.

“Which is really good for the people here because you can only ever use the sandbags once, and they have to be replaced because they’re hessian bags,” Kallista resident Karen Kestigian said.

“They also showed us how to funnel the water using the sandbags and plastic…because the way when the water inundates the houses, to be able to create a little stream away from the house is really important,” Ms Kestigian said.

Kallista was impacted by flash flooding in January and March this year, with residents and businesses calling for an integrated water management system and better drainage to prevent property damage.

“This is exactly what we need until such time as our issues here - the water management issues, and infrastructure - are resolved; we will have to go to putting out sandbags,” Ms Kestigian said.

“Realistically because we’re in for a wet summer and they also said a wet spring, it’s really important that we get something in place to resolve some of the issues that we have.”

Emerald SES Unit Controller Ben Owen encouraged residents to purchase their own sandbags in pre-planning for flooding, but said the SES is “more than happy” to hand out sandbags in an emergency.

“All the predictions from the Bureau that

Kallista Flood Watch Group members meeting with members of Emerald and Pakenham SES units to learn how to best fill, and use, sandbags ahead of a wet summer.

Picture: SUPPLIED we’re expecting higher than average rainfall in the next three months, so with all the catchments already being full [in Kallista], it’s not going to take a lot of rain, unfortunately, to cause some flash flooding or some riverine flooding,” Mr Owen said.

A La Niña event was declared by the Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday 13 September; the third event in as many years, which is set to bring chances of above average rainfall

for northern and eastern Australia through until early 2023.

Mr Owen said the Emerald SES Unit would like to know of any road hazards in order for crews to make the road safer and avoid motor vehicle accidents.

Mr Owen also said to avoid swimming in or driving through floodwaters.

“Keep an eye on our social media site. If we

do have a declared event or were ready for that sort of response, we’ll put that stuff on our social media,” he said.

“We train Monday nights from about 6.30pm if people wanted to drop in for a chat around flooding and storm awareness...we’d be more than happy to have a chat with residents.”

The VICSES Emerald Unit is located at 277287 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald VIC 3782.

Aveo Seniors Festival

Launch Celebration Aveo Domainé 31 - 43 Victoria Street, Doncaster Friday, 7 October Seniors Festival Launch celebration morning tea with resident Q&A panel 10am - 12pm Domainé Spring Open Day and Community Tours 12pm - 2pm Creative Connections Art Show Judging, Presentation and Afternoon Tea 1pm - 3pm

Open Day 7 October

RSVP ESSENTIAL Call us on (03) 9133 8788 or visit aveo.com.au/domaine-events

To ensure the health and wellbeing of residents and staff, we are conducting the Open Home in accordance with the required COVIDSafe plan.

Aveo are requesting that all attendees to Aveo events are vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect the residents and staff in our communities.

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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NEWS

$2000 for Cockatoo shelter

By Tyler Wright

Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor at Bayswater South Primary School.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Labor commits $11 million for school

By Parker McKenzie The State Government has announced over $11 million will be spent upgrading Bayswater South Primary School if the Labor Party is reelected at the November state election.

Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor said he was “stoked to announce that a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will be delivering $11.07 million to upgrade and modernise a ripper local school in Bayswater South Primary.”

“I’m so proud to be the local voice inside the Andrews Labor Government,” Mr Taylor said.

“I’m proud to have been able to deliver over $70 million in school funding during my time in Parliament, and I don’t plan

on slowing down.”

The $11.07 million election commitment will upgrade and modernize the entirety of the school’s classroom buildings, according to the state government.

Minister for Education Natalie Hutchinson said teachers in Victoria do an amazing job educating students.

“That’s why we deliver so many new and upgraded classrooms and facilities at schools right across the state,” she said.

“We want our teachers and students to have what they need to succeed in the classroom.”

Ferntree Gully MP Nick Wakeling, who will be running as the Liberal candidate for Bayswater after his electorate was abolished

ahead of the election, said there has been underinvestment across the Knox area in education, public transport, roads and hospitals under a Labor government.

“The simple fact is that the government has had eight years to fix our health system or fix the education system,” he said.

“There are kids with two years of lost learning and have challenges with mental health and wellbeing because of the impact of lockdowns. These are daily challenges that parents are facing across the Knox community.”

The Liberal Party has also committed to funding Templeton Primary School if elected, while the Labor Party allocated $9.2 million in the 21-22 State Government Budget an upgrade to learning facilities at the school.

CFA defibrillator rollout nears completion

By Tyler Wright More than 1,195 defibrillators have been delivered to CFA districts as part of the rollout of the equipment to every fire truck and operational vehicle, including fire brigades in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.

Selby Fire Brigade Captain Ian Lewis said the brigade was “very happy” to receive extra defibrillators as part of the program.

“They’re not only useful for helping with members of the community in fire incident situations, people can be working hard and it puts stress on even firefighters...there have been occasions where people have collapsed on fire ground, and the fibs have helped,” Mr Lewis said.

“It’s not only helping the public, it’s also helping helping firefighters when they need it as well.”

Three defibrillators now on hand for Selby CFA Fire Brigade members; one in each vehicle.

“The defib has largely been on our larger tanker, which we usually use for structural type fire, because it just carries more water, but if we go out to a grass and scrub fire we generally will take the smaller lighter tanker, [which] doesn’t have a defib on it, but that’s where people are likely to keep pulling hoses up and down hills...it makes a lot of sense.

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bit of an insurance policy.”

CFA’s Yarra Valley Group Officer Fiona Burns said more broadly, the CFA has seen a wider variety of age groups involved in cardiac events.

“It’s not limited just to the older members of our community... we also have child [defibrillator] pads in most of our vehicles as well, so that if a child was to be involved in a cardiac incident - and that does happen -then the brigades are in a position to be able to use them for intervention with children as well,” Ms Burns said.

“We know defibrillators save lives, and the first few minutes are absolutely vital during first aid intervention, during a cardiac emergency, so the fact that we have those on our vehicles for members of the community and for our own members as well provides the best chance of survival for for anyone in an emergency, should we need to provide an intervention.”

One of the CFA’S defibrillators was used on a NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service firefighter during the 2019/20 fire season, with some defibrillators also available to the general public at places including shopping centres.

“I’d encourage everyone to go and undertake a CPR course so that they’re in a position to be able to provide support to someone during the cardiac event,” Ms Burns said.

Selby Fire Brigade Captain Ian Lewis with a defibrillator at the Selby CFA station.

Picture: SUPPLIED

A bunny refuge in Cockatoo has been given a welcome boost with $2,000 from consumer lending company Pepper Money, in an effort to reward selfless Australians for the work they do.

The Bluey & Alice rabbit shelter, run

by Carolyn McInnes, was nominated by a volunteer and selected as part of the ‘Shout Out’ campaign, with funds going toward the refuge’s hay supply.

While rabbits at Carolyn’s shelter are fed on a diet of salad mix and pallets, Carolyn said hay is essential for keeping the bunnies healthy.

“We buy fruit and veg, the same sort of thing that we eat, salad mix is one of their main greens... they can survive on hay and water, but the greens and the pellets help them with a bit of extra nutrition and so forth,”Carolyn said.

“I’ve got a veggie garden and we probably harvest one night’s feed every two months out of the veggie garden...I try to grow what I can and pick what I can, so we use a lot of weeds and natural forage, but it’s manpower.

We have a little shop that we try to help raise funds which helps keep the roof over our head pay the bills and so forth. But it is only a small online shop... so [we’re] constantly making things.”

Carolyn said the Bluey & Alice rabbit shelter received an influx rabbit dumpings after Covid restrictions eased, with owners deciding against owning rabbits and guinea pigs, and a part of her work is educating the community on rabbits.

“I’ve got one of my vets who’s now retired, but she’s teaching, so I’m working with her teaching the kids about rabbits and all these potential students, we taking a lot of work experience kids, VCAL, because it’s just getting it out there and getting people taught properly,” Carolyn said.

“We produce brochures trying to educate people, for vet clinics and so forth.”

Carolyn’s shelter needs between 14 to 18 shifts filled a week, and is running low on volunteers.

Carolyn also has a compost bin available to the public, and is happy to teach those interested in rabbits.

Carolyn will also be holding a ‘Save the Bunnies’ fundraising craft day at Toomah Community Centre in Pakenham, requiring a $10 donation per person.

Carolyn McInnes currently cares for around 70 rabbits under the umbrella of her shelter, and has just received a $2,000 boost.

Picture: SUPPLIED mailcommunity.com.au

COUNCIL NEWS

Draft bin plan approved

By Renee Wood Yarra Ranges councillors have voted unanimously to support the Draft Community Waste Resource Recovery Plan which will bring big changes to kerbside bin pick ups next year.

The draft plan is now out for community consultation and lists changes such as a weekly green food organics and garden organic (FOGO) bins pick up and move waste bin and recycling pickups to fortnightly, to come into affect from October next year.

Its changes fall in line with the State Government’s circular waste policy to transform the rubbish sector, which will also introduce a purple lid glass bin.

Yarra Ranges plans to introduce the glass bin from 2025, as it awaits more information regarding the container deposit scheme roll out.

Cr Johanna Skelton put forward the motion at the Tuesday 13 September council meeting and said it’s a ‘huge deal’ for our region.

“It’s a really exciting point and I’m extremely glad that we’re going to get all these great outcomes like no food waste going into landfill… and of course much greater recycling rates with the glass being recycled,” Cr Skelton said.

Cr Andrew Fullagar said the plan shows leadership and highlights the urgency.

Cr Fullagar also highlighted that council had higher priorities and shorter timelines due to the closure of Hallam Landfill planned for 2025 or 2026.

“That’s just a few years away, which is just

Councillors have voted unanimously in support of the draft waste plan. unbelievable,” Cr Fullagar said.

Residents have raised concerned over the changes, specifically the change from weekly to fortnightly pick up of waste bins and how this might promote overflowing smelly bins.

However, council is hoping that residents will come to understand that the new weekly pick ups of food and organic bins will appease this issue with food scraps and the likes to go into the FOGO green bin.

The new green organic system will allow for waste such as food scraps, seafood, meat bones and coffee grounds.

Free compostable bags will also be delivered to residents that can be used to dispose of food scraps into the FOGO bin.

Although, nappies and home sanitary and medical waste will still need to go in the waste bin, collected fortnightly.

Sustainable Victoria statistics show that by removing food and organic waste from the general waste to go to composting facilities will cut the waste bin’s deposits by 40 per cent, which is why the waste bin will be moving to a fortnightly pick up.

A further 10 per cent of waste bins content could be recycled such as plastics and paper.

It’s expected the increase in the service level and it’s affect on rates will be submitted into in the budget next year.

Extensive engagement and community consultation of the draft plan will be undertaken with pop ups at markets, shopping centres and engagement activities the community can be part of.

The plan is available for residents to read and submissions are now open and will close 9 November.

Previous waste surveys have seen an overwhelming response, with more than 7000 submissions received.

For more information visit https://shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-communitywaste-and-resource-recovery-plan

Short stay accommodation registry push by council

By Renee Wood Yarra Ranges Council is advocating for short stay rental registry to allow Victorian local governments to have better monitoring over the businesses.

Cr Fiona McAllister spoke on the topic at the Tuesday 13 September council meeting and said many residents contact councillors upset about the wellbeing and lifestyle impacts they face from holiday homes.

“I’m not the only councillor around this table that gets phone calls on a regular basis from residents frustrated about amenity impact,” Cr McAllister said.

The Council will now put forward a request for the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) to advocate to the government to make changes to the act to establish a short stay accommodation or rental registry and further define a residential rental agreement to include short stay accommodation.

Currently under the Residential Tenancies Act many short stay accommodations are exempt from registration.

Cr McAllister said if there are issues with a holiday home property, often police are called in, whereas if there is a register it would allow council to assist.

“We’re making the suggestion that there is a change to the act that would require registration that would then allow us to, as we can with many other businesses, monitor

Council is advocating for a short stay rental registry. impact, understand the extent of how many short stays are operating, better plan and better support our community.”

Councillors unanimously supported the motion to submit the request to MAV which will be discussed at the MAV State Council Meeting on 14 October 2022.

A staged 5-year framework for recovery from major disasters and an update to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to allow for resilient drainage works were also part of the advocacy requests to MAV. Belgrave South resident Adam Cornell has also been looking for regulation of short term

holiday rentals in the Yarra Ranges, starting a petition earlier this year.

On the change.org petition, Mr Cornell writes as more properties go to short term rentals, many neighbouring houses are being disturbed.

“My proposal is not to stop these short term places from operating, but to come up with a way of regulating it through local council and state government,” he writes.

Short stay business Airbnb is also in support of registration components.

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb country manager for Australia and New Zealand said they

welcome state wide rules.

“Neither Airbnb nor our Host community is opposed to short-term rentals being regulated, and we support the statewide frameworks in NSW and Tasmania, including their respective registration components,” Ms Wheeldon said.

“The regulatory framework in New South Wales provides the State Government with a very clear understanding of the number of short term rental accommodation properties across the state, where they are located, and how frequently they are used throughout the year.

“Rather than a patchwork of differing rules from council to council, we welcome statewide rules that are fair, sensible and strike a balance so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of tourism, and are sympathetic to the changing ways people are living and working given the rise of flexible and hybrid work arrangements.”

Ms Wheeldon said Airbnb is focused on growing tourism allowing for travel to be more accessible and affordable, while boosting tourism dollars for local businesses.

“Short-term rentals also provide a way for everyday people to stay afloat and combat rising costs of living and growing mortgage repayments. It’s no surprise that we’re seeing people increasingly rely on hosting to make ends meet in the face of the current economic climate,” she said.

State advocacy priorities outlined ahead of election

By Mikayla van Loon With the State election a little over two months away, Yarra Ranges Council put forward an advocacy plan at the Tuesday 13 September meeting, outlining the major projects for the shire.

Councillor Fiona McAllister said often council’s work closely with aspiring candidates to inform possible policy and funding allocations, making advocacy an important part of any election process.

“Advocacy, both as individual councillors, as a collective and certainly as an entity like Yarra Ranges Council is a really critical part of the work that we do,” she said.

“It informs the ask that we make on behalf of our community in many of the forums, mailcommunity.com.au

Yarra Ranges Council has outlined the key priorities for the region leading up to the State election in November.

Picture: YARRA RANGES COUNCIL none probably more significant than the build up to State and Federal elections.”

Cr McAllister said much of what the council

has asked for in the advocacy document relates to money because although 70 per cent of the council’s income is financed through rates, there is a shortfall for the completion of projects.

State election candidates from the Evelyn, Monbulk and Eildon districts will be made aware of Yarra Ranges Council’s priorities under its strategic plans.

“This list makes it very clear the things that are most important to our community at this time,” Cr McAllister said.

Broken down into categories, projects range from development of trails, activity centres and major structure projects, to investment in mental health services.

Seconded by Cr Andrew Fullagar, he said

this advocacy plan outlines exactly what the council’s objectives are.

“We want to secure partnerships that work for us between council and government and influence their decisions on where we’d like to go and having identified the community’s needs, we’d like to push on and do exactly that,” he said.

Advocacy projects for the Dandenong Ranges include peri-regional status, $2million for RidgeWalk stage two, Firestick Program, Belgrave Rail upgrades, Mount Dandenong Flexiride service, $19million for Storm Recovery, Telecommunications for blackspot areas, social and affordable housing and mental health outreach program.

The motion was carried unanimously.

Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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NEWS

Phillip Johnson, former leader of the Liberal Party Alexander John Gosse and Queen Elizabeth II at the 2013 Chelsea Garden Show.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Construction began in April this year, with the wet conditions the “worst” Phillip has worked in throughout his career. 298916

Garden fit for the Queen

By Tyler Wright An award winning garden being recreated in the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden will soon be open to the public after months of construction.

Olinda-based landscape designer Phillip Johnson’s Australian Garden, the first Australian-made display to win best in show at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2013, and admired by the late Queen Elizabeth II, will soon be a major attraction for residents and visitors to the Hills.

A replica 20 times the size of Phillip’s original 7000 square metre garden is being built on what used to be an old golf course in the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, which is now home to an ecosystem of 400 Australian native and 80 different endangered and threatened plant species, as well as a Billabong sustained from water off nearby rooftops, including that of the Olinda- Ferny Creek Football Club pavillion.

“Most of all, it’s a really important space to educate people about native plants the importance of growing native plants, sustainable principles, habitat creation and definitely climate change,” Mr Johnson said.

“The whole garden’s powered off the grid on solar power... and we’ve set up ways of being able to connect to this garden from anywhere around the world, through to a series of cameras that will pick up certain beautiful aspects; show the mood, the mist, the emotion that the landscape can bring, the beauty of flowers.”

Mr Johnson said when he first started designing the garden for the Chelsea Flower Show, his purpose was to create the “most incredible Australian garden” for Queen Elizabeth II; complete with authentic sounds of the landscape and flora.

Melbourne architect Dylan Brady of Decibel Architecture even helped Mr Johnson construct the ‘Waratah sculpture,’ moulded to the eyeline of Queen Elizabeth II for her to have an interrupted view of the garden’s skyline, Billabong and the rock work.

Mr Johnson also recorded frogs chirping outside his Olinda home to play within the Chelsea Garden Show display.

“There was a beautiful moment when Her Majesty came to our garden and she said ‘Phillip, what’s the story with these frogs I hear in the background?’ and I said ‘Your Majesty, one late night in my garden I got on my boardwalk and I was recording the sound of the frogs, that’s the byproduct of creating a really important healthy sustainable ecosystem...frogs come.”

“She said ‘ah, you sound like a dear friend of mine - Sir David Attenborough.”

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Phillip Johnson in the native Australian garden set to open to the public in coming months. 298916 fund, $3.83 million from the Victorian government and $340,000 worth of self-raised funds alongside the People and Parks foundation, visitors to the Dandenong Ranges and residents alike will be able to enjoy this slice of the luscious landscape for themselves.

“We’ve been building in the worst conditions of my life; so you don’t normally want to build on the most complex garden ever created in Australia, on top of the mountain, the wettest winter in history,” Mr Johnson said.

But nearing completion, Mr Johnson hopes the garden will be a place of “healing” for local residents after the June 2021 storm event.

“The Dandenongs have gone through such a difficult time in the last couple of years; Covid, the storms,” Mr Johnson said.

This is also to create an opportunity to bring tourists at different times of the year... to help our local industry recover from Covid and the storms.

It’s actually to celebrate native plants; and achieving what a group up of Australians created on the other side of the world 10 years ago.”

With the Queen’s passing on Thursday 8 September, Mr Johnson is planning to keep the Royal Palace updated with the progress of his Australian Garden.

“We have the Kings Park in WA, a famous native garden, now we might have the Queen’s Garden in Victoria... another exceptional Australian native garden that celebrates our incredible plant material.”

We will be developing web content, takeaway content [on] how you can learn and take these principles, really cool principles... concepts of landscape design and sustainable design and plant selection, how you can learn about these at home as well.

It would be a great facility for education and research and development as well.”

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

A peep through the garden will see visitors witness a Waratah sculpture initially constructed for Queen Elizabeth II, with plans to develop take away principles for people to use in their own gardens. 298916 mailcommunity.com.au

OPINION

Shadow minister visits Each and every day, I work for the people of Casey to make sure that our great community gets what it needs.

An important part of this responsibility is bringing Shadow Ministers to Casey to see and understand our challenges first hand.

One of the most consistent issues raised by individuals and community groups is the importance of reliable telecommunications infrastructure to ensure we can stay connected to one another and emergency services in times of need. One of my first priorities as an MP was to meet with both NBN and Telstra to discuss Casey’s communications challenges.

I was pleased to welcome Shadow Minister for Communications, Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson to Silvan and Kalorama in July, to speak with local community groups and see our unique environment to truly understand

From my

desk Federal Member for Casey the challenges we are facing.

The rain didn’t dampen Shadow Minister for Small Business, the Hon Sussan Ley’s enthusiasm to visit small businesses in Mooroolbark and Montrose the same month. Speaking with the local traders made it even clearer how important and vulnerable our local economy

is to workforce shortages and suppliers price rises.

One solution I am exploring is the establishment of a designated area migration agreement (DAMA). This arrangement would enable small businesses to employ visa holders to fill seasonal labour shortages.

The Shadow Minister for Immigration, the Hon Dan Tehan visited Coldstream and Wandin in August to meet with a range of hospitality, viticulture and agricultural businesses as well as with council to discuss this idea. The positive discussions were encouraging.

I was especially pleased when the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Peter Dutton and Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash accepted my invitation to visit Casey. We met businesses in

Lilydale to discuss the challenging small business environment and apprenticeship training at Ranges TEC. They saw how these local businesses are the heart of our community and have been built with the hard work and dedication of their owners and staff. I am determined to do everything I can to advocate for their success.

It has been a privilege these past four months to be your elected representative in Parliament.

I warmly welcome you to our office if you need any assistance - my staff and I are here to help with any and all concerns that you may have regarding our special community.

If you’d like to tell me about issues that are important to you, please fill out my survey at www.aaronvioli.com.au, give us a call on (03) 9727 0799 or drop into our office.

Saddest children’s books Back on January 26, 2011, I published an article titled “The Saddest Children’s Books”, recommending some of the books that help young readers understand and express grief. Eleven years and seven months later, that article came back to me just after my previous review appeared in this column. That review was of the children’s book Pink Punk Mum, written by Queensland author Kala Heinemann and published on May 23 this year.

I read about the book on April 3 and tracked it down. My review was written on August 17, sent to press on August 24, and published on August 30. Then, on September 1, I learned the sad news that Ms Heinemann passed away back in June, having lost her battle against cancer.

The news struck a chord, as I was still trying to deal with the loss of my mother-in-law on August 26. With my own family on the other side of the world, she was like a mother to me in Australia. I had felt and still feel her generous love everyday.

Now I cannot help but thinking how easy it was for me to have written in that review about the importance of having open and honest conversations about life-threatening illness.

How easy it once was indeed, to talk about the need to process what is lost while sharing a sense of belonging and being together with those left behind.

Initially I had seen grief as a personal and private thing. Even within the same family, each member’s memories about their lost loved one are unique, and each can only retreat to their own “darkroom” to process them, like printing life’s precious moments onto paper.

Then my own article came to mind, and I realised those children’s books are sad to me

CARTOON

Can one half of a good PASSION movie be enough?

Spiderhead Starring Miles Teller, Chris Hemsworth and Jurnee Smollett Rated MA15+ 3/5

FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN

A science fiction psychological thriller directed by Joseph Kosinski, Spiderhead epitomises the phrase “it gets better later”, but also somehow misses its own troubling implications.

Jeff (Miles Teller), an inmate in the Spiderhead island prison, must take part in emotion-controlling drug trials run by Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth).

Spiderhead is driven by compelling performances and has a sturdy, suspenseful second half, but the first half features mishandled intrigue and unwisely plays a disturbing development for laughs.

Hemsworth is very entertaining as Steve, the suave, laidback antagonist, but the early suspense around his true motives feels hollow, as he is clearly manipulative and shady behind the charm.

The audience is abundantly aware that Steve is untrustworthy from the start, so the film spends too long suggesting the obvious.

There are two (non-explicit) scenes of Jeff and two female inmates having sex once administered with a “love drug”.

While it is superficially funny to see char-

because I read them as an adult. For example, only those who are parents themselves can truly understand the messages conveyed in books such as Robert Munsch’s Love You Forever (1986) and Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree (1999).

And it makes sense that only those who have fought for and then lost their loved ones can comprehend the sense of disappointment and despair expressed in Chris Raschka’s The Purple Balloon (2007) and Michael Rosen’s Michael Rosen’s Sad Book (2008) Ultimately, I suppose, growing up is a process of learning how to discuss death and loss in a “matter-of-fact” way as Rosen described it. It is a process of getting used to the idea of feeling sad but having to pretend to be happy.

Unlike children, whose expressions can be short, sharp and straightforward like a punch in your face, adults often have to hide their tears. No one likes seeing a fully-grown man or woman bawling their eyes out.

Perhaps this is why we as adult readers need the saddest children’s books. They provide us with a rare chance to openly shed our tears, without having to feel embarrassed or ashamed, so we can free ourselves to process our deepest and dearest feelings afterwards.

They’re creepy and they’re kooky, The Addams Family CPP Community Theatre is presenting The Addams Family That creepy and kooky family - The Addams Family - are back with a comical feast that embraces the wackiness of every family, as well as every father’s worst nightmare Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet young man from a respectable family - a man her parents have never met! And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides to her father and begs him not to tell her mother!

What is Gomez to do? He must do something he’s never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia - or he must break his promise to his daughter, full disclosure, everything will change for the whole family on one “normal” night when they host a dinner for Wednesday’s new boyfriend and his parents Season: 7 October - 15 October. Venue: Rowville Performing Arts Centre Rowville Secondary College Rowville. Bookings: 0447 014 584.

Don’t forget: The Bakery @ 1812. The History Boys Season:

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acters who previously disliked each other fall in ravenous lust, the film doesn’t realise that influencing someone into sex beyond their control is assault.

But as mentioned earlier, Spiderhead gets much better later.

The second half has arresting scenes of Jeff and his lover Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett) confronting their past regrets and enduring the traumatic drug trials.

The trial scenes are often disquieting, but sometimes funny.

As Jeff and Lizzy bond, their loyalties are tested and the full extent of Steve’s conspiracy is revealed, leading to a tense climactic standoff.

A well-acted thriller that fumbles its suspense before getting its act together, Spiderhead’s good half is very satisfying, and is available for streaming on Netflix.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Kemp’s curtain call

CPP Community Theatre will be presenting The Addams Family this October.

Picture: CPP COMMUNITY THEATRE 6 – 28 October. Bookings 9758 3964

Basin Theatre Gentlemen Incorporated. · The Season: 6 – 16 October. Bookings: 1300 784 668.

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NEWS

Time for heroes to share

By Mikayla van Loon It’s been three years in the making and finally the stories of some of the Yarra Ranges’ Vietnam veterans will be told in the live performance of Forgotten Heroes.

After years of planning, writing and practicing, the Dandenong Ranges Music Council, with funding support from Yarra Ranges Council, will be performing the compilation of real life experiences on Saturday 24 September at the Burrinja Cultural Centre’s Lyre Room.

Bringing together music, acting and the spoken word, actor Stephen Hall said being part of such a powerful and varied performance is very different from other roles he’s played but it also taught him about a part of history that he’d never known much about.

“It was a real eye opener, I learned a lot and I learned a lot about the way they were treated especially when they came home. They were just really pariahs and treated really badly,” he said.

“Society really gave them a very rough time and so for many of them, it was very difficult even adjusting to civilian life.”

Taking on these stories to re-enact, many which were told by Mount Evelyn RSL’s former president Roger Boness, Stephen said were extraordinary moments to capture and immerse himself into.

“These were kids, 20-years-old who had never travelled and they’re thrown into these life or death situations in really difficult jungle conditions, which the enemy knows way better than they do.

Actor Stephen Hall has immersed himself into the character of Roger Boness to help portray the stories from the Vietnam War. Picture: SUPPLIED “So they were just on edge the whole time naturally and that can’t fail to give you scars.

So I also learned a lot about how the veteran movement has reinvented itself and the treatment of returned servicemen and women is very different these days.”

One of the key messages of the performance, something Stephen and director Tes Lyssiotis said, is the reflection on history and the treatment of soldiers so a repeat doesn’t happen again.

“A vet is a vet and it doesn’t matter which conflict you fought in, when you come back from the war zone, no matter if it’s Iraq or Afghanistan, you’ve been through an experience and we can’t know unless we’ve been there,” Tes said.

“They need to be treated, all of them, in a much more respectful way and I liked the fact that Roger said, a vet is a vet, it doesn’t matter.”

Directing a show such as this with all the elements it has, Tes said was a joy and each

part has an emotional power to it, whether it be sorrow or laughter.

“If we’ve all done our job properly, as professionals working in this area, you want your audiences to come away feeling informed, because a lot of people who come won’t know about what happened in that period of time in Australia,” she said.

“I would hope that there would be people who didn’t live at that time, who are from a younger generation who can perhaps learn something about the Vietnam War and from the people who were conscripted.”

Tes also hopes the performance will empower not only Vietnam veterans but also younger veterans to tell their stories and invite others to listen without judgement.

“It would be great if there was a greater understanding and empathy and compassion for the experiences of other people and shine a light on some of these stories of people in this extraordinarily difficult, challenging life and death and tragic conflict,” Stephen added.

The show has it all, from the heartbreaking personal letters that became the lifelines for many veterans to the “very funny and amusing and the suspenseful where the stakes are very high”.

Stephen and Tes said Forgotten Heroes will touch each and every person from start to finish.

Tickets can be booked via the Burrinja website here, www.burrinja.org.au/burrinjawhats-on/whats-new-theatre. The performance begins at 7.30pm.

Hills Creative Alliance looking for new ways to connect

By Liz Millman Last June, active community members from the Hills Creative Alliance invited other organisations to join up with them to stage a creative arts exhibition at Karwarra Australian Native Plant Nursery. The focus of these organisations has been to provide ongoing support the communities that still face challenges after the storm of June 2022 and the ongoing trauma facing those residents waiting to get work started on rebuilds, as well as to make creative use of some of the 25,000 tall gum trees that fell in the storm.

A range of creative artists responded to share their work in this beautiful setting and we were really delighted that they felt able to tell their difficult stories, with Hills Creative Alliance secretary Liz Millman working to set up the exhibition with other colleagues from the Hills Creative Alliance, the Yarra Ranges Storm Recovery team, as well as the Kalorama Collective, Rescue Logs and Treasuring our Trees.

The ‘Refections of the Storm’ exhibition wrapped up last weekend, and now the Hills Creative Alliance team are exploring other ways to encourage people to engage in community activities and volunteering with a range of ideas.

District 9810, and other from Rotary International across Australia, raised over $100,000 to support a variety of storm recovery projects in the Hills area. Now the Hills Creative Alliance wants to share these stories and support the set up of an active Rotary team of local people who want to volunteer to help the communities still affected by the storm from Tremont to Kalorama, during this protracted recovery time.

Liz Millman, an active Rotarian from North Wales, is currently staying with her family in a rental in Ferny Creek while their home is rebuilt. Liz has linked with the Rotary Club of Lilydale to ask for support with the idea of a Rotary eClub recovery focused project. This will start with evening Zoom sessions to engage prospective volunteers.

These weekly Zoom sessions will start on Monday 26th September at 7.30pm, with opportunities to hear stories from those who supported during the recovery, and also those who benefited from the funds that Rotarians raised.

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Sally Williams is a keen and talented local photographer and her photographs showed the days after the storm.

The organising team outside the exhibition: art therapist, Denise Rash; HCA Secretary Liz Millman; and Paige Kelsall from the Kalorama Collective.

Pictures: SUPPLIED many people are working from home. The Hills Creative Alliance members are also linking with Volunteering Victoria to explore a range of ways like this, to encourage different folks to engage in community activities that can provide the volunteer support that will revive community activities after Covid closed down so many activities and reduced community volunteering.

Rotary brings together local volunteers into a network that stretches around the world, linking people with business and professional skills to tackle local and international challenges. New Rotary groups often have a specific focus - in this case disaster response, with opportunities to explore and

learn from others. Contact Liz on 0412 970 050 to chat about possibilities.

In the past months Country Women’s Association, CWA, members have travelled to support activities put on in the small villages along the Tourist Road. Another initiative being explored is the creation of a Hills CWA, meeting monthly on a Thursday afternoon at Karwarra Garden. This would provide opportunities to invite guests to be invited to hear specialist speakers to talk about Australian native plants, birds, insects and animals, with opportunities for some of our local photographers and artists to share their work. Afternoon tea, served with freshly baked scones, is also part of the

Local artist Stella Siegelman said “the day the tress fell down, my heart broke….” plan, along with opportunities to walk and explore this amazing garden. Again, contact Liz Millman if you are interested in getting involved - 0412 970 050 or email lizmillman@yahoo.co.uk Both these activities will provide opportunities for people who may have moved from the area, to stay in touch, and may also help to maintain links with those people currently living in rentals in the surrounding areas while they wait for properties to be repaired or rebuilt.

Contact details for more information: Liz Millman: Secretary Hills Creative Alliance: 0412 970 050 or email: lizmillman@yahoo. co.uk mailcommunity.com.au

SHEDFEST 2022

You’ll get the opportunity to try some of the best drops in the Yarra Valley.

It’s all cheers for Shedfest’s return after a two-year hiatus. 299234

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Sit back and enjoy a weekend filled with great food, local wines and lots of laughter. 299234

The valley’s hidden gems After a two-year hiatus, you and your fellow wine-loving friends can finally enjoy your favourite Yarra Valley spring wine festival once again.

Get a taste of the hidden gems of the Valley with two days of wine tasting, live music, delicious bites and stunning scenery across 14 of our family-run wineries.

Falling on the weekend after Daylight Savings begins - Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 October - it’s the perfect way to enjoy the warmer weather with your whole family, best friends,

2022

and even your fur babies (with most venues being dog-friendly)!

A decadent and diverse selection of meals (all under $20 will) will be available at each winery, with menu offerings ranging from homemade apple pies and cheese platters to classic Italian fare and slow-cooked brisket.

Kids and those with special dietary requirements won’t miss out either, with most wineries catering for both.

If you would like to enjoy more than a complimentary tasting of a certain drop, there will

be glasses and bottles of wine to purchase. Not to mention, there will also be exclusive Shedfest cellar-door specials only available that weekend!

Daily tickets are $35 per person, which gives wine-lovers access to tastings at every winery for one day (Saturday or Sunday), in a complimentary Shedfest tasting glass they get to keep.

Weekend tickets are $50 per person, which gives wine-lovers access to tastings at every winery over both days (Saturday and Sunday),

14 WINERIES | MUSIC | WINES | BITES SAT 8 OCT & SUN 9 OCT 11AM-5PM

in a complimentary Shedfest tasting glass they get to keep. The weekend ticket also comes with one complimentary full glass of wine at the winery of their choice. Kids, non-drinkers and designated drivers have free entry.

A percentage of proceeds from this year’s Shedfest event will go to local community groups, with the event having raised over $90,000 shared amongst local schools and organisations since inception.

Tickets are available now via www.shedfest. com.au

TICKETS VIA SHEDFEST.COM.AU

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MAIL 13

SPRING EVENTS

It’s now time to explore SPRING INTO WEST GIPPSLAND THIS SPRING! It’s time to throw off the winter shackles and escape to the flourishing pocket of West Gippsland during Spring.

Consisting of four charming railway townships - Nar Nar Goon, Tynong, Garfield and Bunyip - the West Gippsland region offers travellers the perfect Spring day trip destination to explore and indulge in a taste of country hospitality.

With so many hidden gems to be discovered, the growing region of West Gippsland railway townships offers an abundance of food, dining, natural wonders, and entertainment experiences for visitors to enjoy and indulge in throughout the warmer Spring months.

Whether popping into Sherwood Park Orchard Bakery Cafe for that much-needed coffee on the way into the region or sampling the wealth of local seasonal Gippsland, produce direct from Country Style Meats. Or visit Lulu’s Lolly Shop for some delicious old-school treats or enjoy delicious scones from Lady Lavender Tea Rooms - West Gippsland’s country hospitality awaits you this Spring.

Must see and do: Strawberry and Cherry Picking at Sherwood Park Orchard As the weather gets warmer, Sherwood Park Orchard Bakery Cafe will be opening its fruit orchards for visitors to pick their strawberries in October and cherries in November. Keep an eye out for specific picking dates at @SherwoodParkOrchard.

Tribute Shows at the Garfield Picture Theatre Originally a movie theatre in the 1920s, the now newly renovated Garfield Picture Theatre hosts a live music tribute show each month

With so many hidden gems to be discovered, the growing region of West Gippsland railway townships offers an abundance of natural wonders.

Lulu’s Lolly Shop. and other entertainment throughout the year, including the upcoming Get Rhythm - The Johnny Cash and June Carter Show on Saturday, 10 September, 2022. Visit @garfieldpicturetheatre for more info.

Comedy Nights at The Garfield Hotel Local pub favourite - The Garfield Hotel frequently hosts comedy nights throughout the year, and the Spring season is no different.

Keep an eye out for upcoming comedy events at @Thehotelgarfield.

Live Music at Cannibal Creek Winery Enjoy live music with picturesque views at Cannibal Creek Winery. Cannibal Creek Winery will post all upcoming live music performances within Spring 2022 at @cannibal. creek.wine.

Aussie Outback Experience at Gumbuya World Every day from 1pm in Spring, join the Gumbuya World team for an hour tour as they give the whole family a glimpse into life in the Aussie

Outback. Visit @gumbuyaworld for more info.

Bushwalk through Bunyip State Park Enjoy the majestic backdrop of Bunyip State Park and Mt Cannibal Flora & Fauna Park for nature-lovers and hikers/bushwalking who enjoy soaking in the warm Spring sun.

West Gippsland truly offers something for every visitor.

For more information, visit westgippslandprogassoc.org.au/visit-westgippsland

Need local staff?

Then give us the job...

Star Mail

Need local staff?

Then give us the job... we will advertise it in our employment section and attract local staff

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SHOP LOCAL EMERALD

Lawyers to assist you Guardian Injury Law, based in Emerald and servicing the hills and surrounds, are experts in assisting people injured at work.

If you have sustained an injury, or an aggravation of an injury at work, you are entitled to benefits under the Victorian WorkCover scheme. These benefits include medical and like expenses, weekly payments for loss of wages as well as a lump sum payment if your injury becomes permanent.

If your injury is permanent and was caused by the fault of your employer or a third party, you may also be entitled to common law damages. These can include a lump sum payment for pain and suffering and economic loss.

To lodge a WorkCover claim, you should report your injury to your employer, attend your local GP and obtain a WorkCover certificate a capacity. A WorkCover claim form should then be carefully completed and lodged with your employer.

Obtaining legal advice early on and obtaining the correct information is important if you have sustained an injury at work. Tanya Neilson, the Principal of Guardian Injury Law, will take the time to get to know you so that she can get the best result for you. Approachable and accessible, Tanya provides clear legal advice in plain English every step of the way.

All work is undertaken on a no win, no fee or expenses basis, meaning that you only pay for the work undertaken on your case if you have a successful outcome.

Contact Guardian Injury Law today on 8799 3711 for a free initial appointment.

Guardian Injury Law - Emerald.

The Laughing Fox Café EXCITING NEWS!

Full Menu Available Daily until 6pm Or call in just for Drinks!

We now offer | Printing on our COOKIES - CAKES & DRINKS!

Breakfast, Lunch & Afternoon Tea • Angus Beef Burgers • Vegan Burgers • Foxy French Toast • Dine in or Takeaway

Our irresistible

GOURMET PIES Available every Thursday - only by pre-ordering made until each Tuesday

Plus many more !

• Cakes, Cookies & Ice Cream - Jumbo Coffee • Vegan & Gluten Free Available * Licensed Bar

Also see our ‘SPECIALS BOARD’ Order online via thelaughingfox.square.site

0422 668 260 13 Kilvington Drive, Emerald facebook.com/thelaughingfoxcafe

Tanya Neilson and Stevie Spaulding from Guardian Law.

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“where your car goes further”

• • • • •

Ph. 5968 2641

Affordable Tyres Vehicle Servicing & Repairs Trailer Hire • Car & Dog Wash Personalized Service Batteries

• 349 Belgrave Gembrook Road, Emerald

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24 Hr Fuel

INJURED? We are experts in: > WorkCover claims > TAC claims > Abuse law matters > Public liability claims > Super/TPD claims > Covid-19 vaccine claim scheme applications.

We’re local and we put the human element back into personal injury law.

It costs you nothing to find out where you stand No Win, No Fee*

1300 700 761 12566381-DL38-22

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guardianinjurylaw.com.au

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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MAIL 15

SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN

Family fun at the zoo If you’re looking for an opportunity to escape these school holidays, look no further than a trip up the highway to Mansfield Zoo where the family can meet many rare and exotic animals.

Open daily from 10am, visitors are invited to say hello to the zoo’s residents including two rare white lions, two tawny lions, meerkats, monkeys (capuchins, marmosets, rhesus and bonnet), deer, camels, bison, alligator, wombats and plenty more.

Meerkats are also a favourite for all, with their cute little faces and peculiar interactions sure to make you smile.

The four lions are fed at 1.30pm each weekend and Victorian school and public holidays, followed by feeding of the meerkat mob.

Take the opportunity to pat one of the friendly dingoes who walk around with a keeper while the lions are being fed.

You฀ can฀ also฀ feed฀ most฀ the฀ animals฀ by฀ hand every day while you wander the expansive grounds. A small spade is provided to feed the more gregarious animals, like the camels, who will run off with the spade if they can.

There are sambar, fallow deer and kangaroos roaming the grounds with you, along with guinea fowl and peacocks.

Bring฀ a฀ picnic฀ lunch฀ or฀ use฀ the฀ free฀ BBQs,฀just฀watch฀that฀the฀deer฀don’t฀steal฀your฀ food from you.

For฀ the฀ more฀ adventurous,฀ there’s฀ nothing like trying to sleep to the sound of the lion’s roar with camping on the grounds also available.

The inquisitive meerkats are always fun to watch as they roam around the enclosure.

Overnight campers are welcome from September 1 to May 31 each season, but you do฀ need฀ to฀ book฀ a฀ spot.฀ Bring฀ your฀ own฀ gear฀ and set yourself up for a camping trip with a difference and take the opportunity to roam the zoo after hours.

The Mansfield Zoo is open every day from฀ 10am฀ to฀ 6pm฀ (10pm฀ on฀ N.Y.E.)฀ and฀ is฀ closed on Christmas Day only.

More information is available on the website฀ www.mansfieldzoo.com.au,฀ Facebook page, facebook.com/mansfieldzoo, or calling the office on (03) 5777 3576.

MANSFIELD ZOO: White Lions

Open Daily from 10am to 6pm 1.30pm Lion feeding every Saturday, Sunday and Vic school/public holidays.

Wander with kangaroo and deer, hand feed many animals Enquire for an unforgettable overnight camping experience.

www.mansfieldzoo.com.au 1064 Mansfield Woods Point Road, Mansfield Phone 5777 3576

Come and meet the meerkats at Mansfield Zoo.

Be prepared and take the hassle out of holidays The following is a message from VACC Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Gwilym: We are approaching school holiday time and for many families that may mean the first road trip in a long while.

Driving is an economical and fun way to create a memorable holiday but, whether you’re going off-road or glamping, things won’t always turn out how you plan them.

When it comes to road safety, the two most important things you can influence are the condition of your vehicle and your ability to drive it with care and concentration.

So, here are some tips to get you there safely.

•฀You฀ should฀ regularly฀ conduct฀ both฀ internal and external visual checks of your vehicle: check whether your seatbelts, lights (including indicators and brake lights) are functioning correctly, and if there is any dangerous body or windscreen damage. Inspect all tyres for wear and ensure they’re inflated to the recommended pressure – that goes for trailers and caravans, too.

•฀Before฀heading฀off,฀check฀you฀have฀a฀roadworthy spare tyre and wheel on board, and you know how to change it.

•฀Never฀change฀a฀tyre฀on฀the฀side฀of฀the฀road฀ if there’s traffic close to your vehicle. Call a breakdown service instead.

•฀ If฀ towing฀ a฀ caravan,฀ trailer฀ or฀ boat,฀ connect it properly, checking all lights work, and you have correctly positioned the driving mirrors.

•฀It฀is฀also฀important฀to฀make฀sure฀you฀know฀ how to safely manoeuvre your vehicle and the load behind. If your skills need brushing up, be sure to practice before you leave home.

•฀Fill฀up฀your฀tank฀and฀carry฀spare฀fuel฀in฀a฀ safe container if you visit remote areas.

Make sure you and your family make it to your destination and back safely these school holidays.

Picture: SUPPLIED •฀ Keep฀ a฀ first฀ aid฀ kit฀ in฀ your฀ vehicle฀ and฀ a฀ portable phone charger. Take cash, a torch and spare batteries, blankets and water.

Carrying jumper leads is also essential.

•฀ Importantly,฀ tell฀ someone฀ where฀ you’re฀ going and when you’ll be back.

•฀There฀ will฀ be฀ lots฀ of฀ people฀ on฀ the฀ roads฀ during฀the฀holidays.฀Be฀patient,฀be฀courteous, and take regular rest breaks.

Maintaining your vehicle in optimum condition is a partnership involving you and฀ your฀ local฀ repairer.฀ ฀ Keeping฀ your฀ vehicle serviced and maintained by a trusted automotive technician is crucial. A thorough professional inspection using up-todate specialist equipment can detect dangerous deficiencies, like worn brake pads and leaking brake lines, degraded suspension components, and misaligned wheels.

Importantly, never stop learning. Road safety is not everyone else’s responsibility. It is yours. So, make sure you and your vehicle are fit for the road, and that way, we can all have a fun and safe holiday.

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SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN

Choose from one of three locations to play and show your friends who’s boss!

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Awake your competetive spirit and see who ends up on top.

Hit the mark at paintball

By Elle Cecil Established in 1988, Paintball Games has been providing Melbourne’s best paintballing experiences for over 25 years.

With courses in Coldstream, Cockatoo and Ballan, Paintball Games is a great way to burn some energy and have fun with family and friends. There are options for adult paintball, for patrons 16 years and over, and low-impact paintball (known as Splatmaster or Miniball),

for those eight years and above.

The adult paintballs are traditional, full sized .68 calibre paintball markers that travel at 300 feet per second. The low-impact paintballs are .50 calibre and use pump-action paintball markers.

Following legislation introduced in 2015, any non-prohibited person who is 16 years of age or over may participate in paintball gaming on an approved Victorian range

without a license.

There are plenty of options for different packages, with adult games including 200 paintballs starting at $50 per person, 500 paintballs for $85 per person and 600 paintballs for $100.

Kids prices start at $40 per child for 300 paintballs or $50 per child for 400 paintballs.

All prices include vests, overalls, goggles and markers, as well as a basic introduction to

how to safely conduct yourself on the course and how to use the provided equipment.

Group specials available for adult and lowimpact packages. For more information, visit www.paintballgames.com.au or phone (03) 9777 0613.

Paintball Games Ballan: 19 Aldreds Lane, Colbrook. Paintball Games Cockatoo: 200a Evans Road, Cockatoo. Paintball Games Coldstream: 5 Maxwells Road, Coldstream.

MAKE TRACKS TO THE PHILLIP ISLAND GO KARTS THIS SEPTEMBER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

> Single & Tandem Go Karts > Race Simulators > History of Motorsport Display > Champions Cafe > Slot Cars

Paintball Games 3 Locations - Ballan, Cockatoo, Coldstream

12568789-HC38-22

LOW IMPACT PAINTBALL SUITABLE FOR KIDS 8 YEARS AND OVER IS AVAILABLE STARTS AT $40 PER PERSON WITH 300 PAINTBALLS 2 HOUR SESSION OR $50 PER PERSON WITH 400 PAINTBALLS Equipment hire included 50cal low impact markers • BBQ area available

Call Daniel 9777 0613 or book online at www.paintballgames.com.au

phillipislandgokarts.com.au | +61 3 5952 9400

12568752-JC38-22

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MAIL 17

NEWS

Olinda Probus celebration

By Tyler Wright Olinda Probus Club will be able to celebrate its first in-person National Probus Day with the community on Saturday 1 October at Olinda Community House, with a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’ by the Dandenong’s Singularity Choir.

The theme of this year’s National Probus Day is ‘Probus Provides Unlimited Possibilities in Retirement,’ as the 65 members of the Olinda Probus Club aim to make the most out of their semi and full retirement with a theatre group, card group, movie group, garden group and a morning coffee group among other activities.

“One of the brilliant things about Probus groups is that you get a network of interesting friends who you can make contact with,” Olinda Probus Club secretary Helen Holliday said.

“We have so many retired teachers and nurses in our group, so it’s quite a fascinating group of people.”

The inaugural Probus Day was introduced in 2020 and coincides with the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, where clubs across Australia and New Zealand gather to celebrate.

“It is so important for people particularly when they’re retired and as we’re ageing, to have intellectual and mental stimulation, to learn new things, to get out and be sociable just to meet people,” Helen said.

“There are enormous benefits for older folk who are participating in different social activities, and that’s one of the major things that Probus offers.”

All community members are welcome at Olinda Community House for the 1 October celebrations with a ‘traditional country afternoon tea’ on offer after Singularity Choir’s performance at 2pm.

Olinda Probus Club will also be looking to recruit 10 new members on the day, to reach

Jenna Jackson, Jeanette Douglas, Helen Holliday, Annie McBride, John Fitzgerald, Stephanie Mirams, Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Graham Fly and Bunni Perich from Olinda Probus Club. 298896

Ellen Maple (left) and Roland Seidl (right) from Singularity Choir as Mabel and pirate king in a performance of The Pirates of Penzance.

Picture: SUPPLIED

to stick to regular guest speakers at monthly meetings and occasional trips out of the Dandenongs to locations like Queenscliff, and has maintained member numbers despite the transition to zoom meeting throughout pandemic restrictions. “[Zoom meetings] were obviously not as well attended as they would have been if we’d had real real life meetings, but we’ve made lots of phone calls to members and tried to keep in touch with our membership as much as we can,” Helen said.

“We were a little bit concerned that maybe people might have some sort of change their attitudes towards going out after Covid, but

we’ve found that the members have been quite happy and they’ve just bounced back and we’re back in action again,” she said.

The International Probus Day concert afternoon will be held at 79-81 Olinda-Monbulk Rd, Olinda, next to the swimming pool.

Anyone interested in joining the Olinda Probus Club or attending a meeting is advised to contact membership officer Carolyn Clark on 0455 830 000 or secretary Helen Holliday on 0438 113 122.

You can find more information on the Olinda Probus Club website, https://olindaprobus. com/ or visit the Olinda Probus Club Facebook page.

its capacity of 75 members.

“We do expect that members will arrive at least 50 per cent of the monthly meetings that we have during the year and they will participate in in some of the groups,” Helen said.

“We do hope that if somebody’s really interested in joining Probus, we’d like them to come to maybe one or two monthly meetings and then put in their membership application to join.

One Probus Club might not suit somebody, but might fit somebody...sometimes people just need to come to different progress clubs to see how well they think they fit in.”

Helen said Olinda Probus Club has tried

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

Pick up a printed copy of Yarra Ranges Kids Today Magazine from outlets everywhere.

12567208-SN37-22

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

Read it now Scan the QR CODE

OR VISIT: yarrarangeskidstoday.com.au/digital-editions 18 MAIL

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Members new and old

By Parker McKenzie Next month at The Hut Gallery, the artists of the Ferntree Gully Art Society will display their work side-by-side in the annual member’s exhibition. Some members have been a part of the society for decades, while others will be seeing their work exhibited for the first time on Sunday October 2.

Ahead of the opening, the Star Mail spoke to the members of the Art Society about their work, the exhibition and collaborating with their fellow artists.

Debbie Ball said last year’s exhibition inspired her to join the Society, where she has been learning from other members.

“When I saw the annual members exhibition last year, it’s what made me want to come to the workshops held here,” she said.

“My picture is the result of my experience within three months, I was able to do a beautiful wedding gift from my nephew and his wife.”

Two of the people she has been learning from are John Dunne and Ross Waggon, who have a combined experience in art of over 120 years.

“I’ve been doing all sorts of art for all my life in some form or another,” Mr Dunne said.

“At the present moment what interests me is teaching people, particularly people who are wanting to begin art even if they aren’t young, and Debbie is a very good example of that.”

Mr Waggon said it is important to have collaboration and group feedback when creating art.

“We all feed off one another. If you analyse all the artists throughout history, regardless of whether they had a formal or informal education, they all worked as a group,” he said.

“They all feed off one another with ideas and techniques, it’s a wonderful learning curve.”

The exhibition features the work of tutors from workshops run by the Ferntree Gully Art

Members of the Ferntree Gully Art Society will host an exhibition of their work from October 2 until October 30.

Pictures: PARKER MCKENZIE Society alongside the people they guide.

Ron Ashworth, a tutor in the workshops, said he enjoys making the viewer of his artwork hard to understand the full scale and depth of what he has created on the canvas.

“You’ve got to attract your attention in the first place, but then you need to have something behind it to make it more significant,” he said.

The exhibition will run until Sunday 30 October and is free to view, with formal awards and presentation at 2pm on Sunday 9 October.

Georgia Brain is one of the newer members of society, embracing art later in life.

Ms Brain said she loves the delicacy and the

beauty of working with oils and pastels, and as a chef by trade, she wants to build on the canvas.

“I do more sculptural aspect works. For me, art is about whatever you can find and I love textures,” she said.

“I was a life model for 18 years, so we’re only now coming on this side of the canvas. Hanging art in an exhibition is the best thing you can ever do.”

The Hut Gallery is located at 157 Underwood Road, Ferntree Gully and is open on Fridays from 1pm to 4pm and on weekends from 11am to 4pm. For more information, visit thehutgallery.com.au

Shirley Dougan recently had an exhibition at Millers’ Homestead called A Patterned World.

Georgia Brain said she encourages people to touch her art because of its sculpture-like properties (but not other people’s work).

First open-mic Words Aloud event at homestead

By Parker McKenzie Aspiring poets, writers and keen listeners of the spoken word attended the first monthly Words Aloud event on Wednesday 7 September at Millers Homestead, Boronia.

Scottish poet John McKelvie was a guest performer for the inaugural night, where he was joined by five members of the audience who read their works to the 15 people in attendance.

Mr McKelvie said he thought the event was a wonderful opportunity for people to share their work.

“The local talent was really good, they loved the opportunity of coming to somewhere local and sharing their poetry,” he said.

Millers’ Homestead officer Michelle Kemp said the event was created through collaboration with local poet Lety Renteria.

“I’ve always wanted to start a poetry night to give people an opportunity to read their work allowed to supportive members of the public or other writers,” she said. “The format will be there’ll be a guest writer each month, who will start the proceedings and share their work. And then we open it up to others who have joined us to share their own work to a group of people who are non-judgmental and supportive of their work.”

More information regarding the next Words Aloud event can be found at events. yourlibrary.com.au/event?id=32754

Millers’ Homestead hosted the first monthly Words Aloud event.

Picture: KNOX CITY COUNCIL

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“We did talk about poetry a little bit outside of the normal just standing up, reading and getting down shutting up. We explained what we’ve done and why we use particular forms.”

The next Words Aloud event will be held on Wednesday 5 October from 5pm to 7pm with another guest writer, though Mr McKelvie said he would like to attend again.

“It’s encouraged other people who have different styles of poetry to get up and try it,” he said.

“Their work wasn’t one size fits all.”

Millers’ Homestead is owned by Knox City Council, which is running a pilot program where Eastern Regional Libraries has a tenancy to run community events at the historic building.

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Tuesda

Mail

AVONSLEIGH Avonsleigh News & General Store 445 Belgrave Gembrook Road BELGRAVE Belgrave Newsagency 1704 Burwood Highway BELGRAVE Woolworths Supermarket 1629 Burwood Highway

EMERALD Bell Real Estate 313 Main Street FERNTREE GULLY Upper Ferntree Gully Newsagents, 1202 Burwood Highway FERNTREE GULLY Glenfern Road Milk Bar , 83 Glenfern Road

MONBULK Monbulk Newsagency & Officesmart 76 Main Street OLINDA Monbulk Bowling Club, 11 Moores Road OLINDA Olinda Cellars Shop 7/540 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road

BELGRAVE IGA 151 Belgrave-Hallam Road BELGRAVE Chandler & Co Real Estate 1689 Burwood Hwy

FERNTREE GULLY Coles Supermarket Mountain Gate SC Ferntree Gully Road FERNTREE GULLY Woolworths Supermarket Mountain Gate SC

OLINDA Ranges at Olinda 5 Old Main Road OLINDA IGA Supermarket 1526 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road

BELGRAVE First National Real Estate 1 Bayview Road BELGRAVE SOUTH Belgrave South Motors 138 Belgrave-Hallam Rd BORONIA Boronia Mall Newsagent Corner Floriston Road & Chandler Road

Ferntree Gully Road FERNTREE GULLY Mountain Gate Newsagency & Lotto Mountain Gate SC 9b Ferntree Gully Road FERNTREE GULLY Ferntree Gully Authorized Newsagency Shp 2/69 Station Street

OLINDA Bell Real Estate 11 Main Road SASSAFRAS Sassafras General Store 391 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road SILVAN Shell Princi Motors, 275 - 277 Monbulk Road

COCKATOO Ranges First National Shop 2, 24 McBride Street COCKATOO IGA Cockatoo 34 McBride Street

TECOMA BP Service Station 1524 Burwood Highway TECOMA Bon Ton General Store 1537 Burwood Highway

EMERALD Kaye Charles RE 12a Kilvington Drive EMERALD Ritchies SUPA IGA 342 Belgrave-Gembrook Road EMERALD Emerald Village Newsagency 4 Kilvington Drive

FERNTREE GULLY Shell Service Station 1140 Burwood Highway FERNY CREEK Ferny Creek & Post Office 195 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road GEMBROOK Gembrook Post Office& Newsagent 72 Main Street GEMBROOK IGA Supermarket 83/85 Main Street

EMERALD Woolworths Supermarket Belgrave Gembrook Road EMERALD Auto Plus More Petrol Station 365 Main Street

KALORAMA Post Office 1209 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road MONBULK Best Repairs & Accessories Monbulk - 26 Main Road

TREMONT Caltex Service Station 100 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road UPWEY Newsagent 18 Main Street

EMERALD Shell Service Station 336 Main Street EMERALD Barry Plant Real Estate 1/ 321 Main Street

MONBULK Food Express 128 Main Road MONBULK Woolworths Supermarket Main Road & Moores Road

UPWEY IGA Supermarket 62-64 Main Street UPWEY Yarra Ranges Shire Council 40 Main Street

12560832-ACM31-22

TECOMA O’Brien Real Estate 1567 Burwood Highway TECOMA McDonald’s Restaurant 1529 Burwood Highway THE PATCH The Patch Store and Post office 16 The Patch Road

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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23-09-22

William Matthews Funerals 24 HOUR SERVICE - ALL AREAS

9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au 12567433-SN37-22

20 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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LIFESTYLE RETREAT ON 10 ACRES AS you meander down the sealed driveway, past the fully fenced horse paddocks towards the charming weatherboard home, you are immediately mesmerised by the serenity and picturesque setting.

This unique property located in a sought after pocket of Gruyere boasts a beautifully presented three-bedroom home set on 10 gorgeous acres.

Built in the 1920s and exuding character, polished timber floorboards flow throughout creating a homely country feel.

Fireplaces in the lounge room and family room warm this home on those cooler winter days.

The spacious kitchen with quality appliances and walk-in pantry overlooks the spacious open plan casual living and meals area.

Each bedroom is complete with built in robes.

The centrally located family bathroom with clawfoot bath, the well appointed ensuite and laundry/mud room complete this home.

Features include reverse-cycle heating and cooling, solar panels and 50,000-litre water tank.

The vast verandah with spa, is ideal for those who enjoy outdoor entertaining, with

a perfect outlook over the paddocks and surrounds.

This property offers an abundance of storage and work from home options, from the separate studio to the office area at the rear of the garage.

There’s a massive float shed with direct access to the feed and tack room.

The six-car carport with extra height is ideal for those seeking to store a caravan, boat, car or trailer.

Plus, there is a separate driveway with large truck/car parking area, with easy access to another huge garage with storage and workshop area.

For the horse enthusiast the features are extensive and include eight paddocks, horse shelters, stables, two hot and cold wash areas, an outside laundry, two dams, electric fences and a massive floodlit sand arena suitable to hold a 60×20 dressage ring at one end and a showjumping course at the other.

With easy access to the Warburton Trail, Glenbrae Riding or Wandin Park the options for horse riding and places to explore are almost endless.

Close to local shops, schools and facilities, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Call for further information today. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 9 Maurice Road, GRUYERE Description: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 14 garage Price: $1.8 million to $2 million Inspect: By appointment Contact: Sue Jackson 0409 932 109, MAX BROWN REAL ESTATE

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

Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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MAIL 21

HOME FOCUS

GORGEOUS AND IMMACULATE WITH VIEWS THIS stunning Federation style character home has been built with quality, comfort and style in mind, creating a feeling of warmth and ambience from the moment you walk through the front door to be greeted by the endless views over the valley and distant mountains beyond.

Enjoy the elegant features of the home including 9ft ceilings, decorative cornices, ceiling roses, feature lead light windows, plantation shutters and polished floorboards.

The luxury continues with a spacious country style kitchen with integrated fridge and 20mm stone benchtops which overlooks the family room, both of which take in those amazing views. Add to this a formal dining room, (which would make a comfortable 4th bedroom if required), the formal lounge with ambient gas log fire and down the hall you will find the Master with walk in robe and ensuite effect bathroom and the spacious 2nd bedroom with built in robes.

You also have the option of relaxing on the deep verandah at the front of the home and admiring your beautiful gardens or relax and entertain on the back verandah and appreciate your gardens and the view whilst relaxing in the spa or enjoying a meal with family and friends. For added comfort the home has an array of heating and cooling options, including gas log fire, gas ducted heating, split system, evaporative cooling and double-glazed windows to assist with insulation and keep those bills low.

Downstairs is a double lock up garage with remote that provides internal access to the home, a sitting room which would make a great study and a huge rumpus/studio

complete with kitchen sink which could be converted into a further 2 bedrooms + bathroom or could even be turned into a B&B complete with private access.

Outside you will find the gorgeous, landscaped gardens with meandering

paths, a sealed drive, off street parking, an abundance of sun and all in a quiet no through road. This immaculate property needs to be seen to be fully appreciated!

Call Samantha Scott 0438 680 032 to arrange an inspection today.

Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 15 Upper Grieve Road, Avonsleigh, VIC 3782 Description: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 garage Price: $880,000-$960,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Samantha Scott 0438 680 032, BELL REAL ESTATE EMERALD 22 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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57 Caroline Avenue, Cockatoo

$600,000 - $660,000

3 Luke Place, Guys Hill

$830,000 - $890,000

Cockatoo Gem Close to Everything & Potential Plus!

Private & well positioned with a lovely view!

Perfectly located within walking distance to Cockatoo Township, parks, public transport and the Primary School, with a view of Puffing Billy. The 3 bedroom home has pitched ceilings, an open plan dining/living/Kitchen with a skylight and a wood heater. The main bathroom is centrally located for family living while the large master bedroom has built-in robes, high ceilings and a ceiling fan. The further 2 bedrooms are spacious with high ceilings and both have an elevated outlook. Outside there are beautiful views off the large back deck, perfect for entertaining family and friends, there are no rear neighbours, there is a cubby house, a 3x3m garden shed, under house storage, mains gas, NBN and power connected and the road is due to be sealed in late 2022.

Beautifully and lovingly renovated 2 bedroom, 1 Bathroom home. Nestled opposite the golf course, with a gorgeous park like view, you will notice the welcoming entertaining deck and landscaped front garden. With slate floors and character filled exposed beams, a wood heater, two split system air conditioners, and bi-fold front window that opens up onto the front entertaining deck. There is a modern and stylish kitchen, and also barn-door features leading to each of the two generous bedrooms. This home contains a European laundry, is rendered, and has a landscaped and low maintenance secure rear yard. With a great flat area for children or pets to enjoy, there is also a handy garden shed, as well as having a separate rear access to the property.

Contact: Samantha Scott 0438 680 032

Contact: Brennan Mileto 0422 996 451

15 Upper Grieve Road, Avonsleigh

$880,000-$960,000

8 Belvedere Court, Gembrook

$1,150,000 - $1,250,000

Outstanding country views await!

Lovingly Renovated Home!

Stunning Federation style home with 9ft ceilings, decorative cornices, ceiling roses, feature lead light windows, plantation shutters, polished floorboards, wide verandahs and spa.

Country style kitchen overlooks the family room. There’s also a formal dining room, (which would make a great 4th bedroom), a formal lounge, Master with WIR and ensuite effect bathroom, and 2nd bedroom with BIRs. The home has an array of heating and cooling options, including gas log fire, gas ducted heating, split system, evaporative cooling and double-glazed windows to assist with insulation.

Downstairs is a DLUG and internal access to the home, a sitting room, a huge rumpus/studio complete with kitchen sink and private access. Located on a quiet no through road, also offering off street parking.

This lovingly renovated 4 bedroom plus study home in Gembrook has a spacious kitchen with Caesar stone bench tops, modern cabinetry, an electric oven, gas cooktop, stainless steel appliances, and a walk-in pantry. The master bedroom is sophisticated with an ensuite, walk-in robe and is located away from the further spacious 3 bedrooms with built-in robes. Two additional rooms could be utilised as a work-from-home space, teenage retreat or business (STCA) with separate access, deck and powder room. Features include high ceilings, a wood heater, gas ducted heating, plush carpets, double-glazed windows and high-quality fixtures and fittings. Outside is an easily maintained flat, low maintenance back yard, shed, solar panels, carport, sealed roads, exposed aggregate driveway, cubby house, and beautiful Merbau deck with great views.

Contact: Samantha Scott 0438 680 032

Contact: Bethany Day 0438 844 968

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5968 6222

311-313 Main St, Emerald

Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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MAIL 23

HOME FOCUS

PREMIUM HILLS LIFESTYLE ON 2.47 ACRES THIS impressive 2.47 acre lifestyle property should be sitting pretty at the top of your list. Just 7 years young, built by Botanic Homes this family home is perfect for those who are looking for sophistication and style.

Entering the home through the impressive timber door, there is an immediate sense of warmth created by the recycled brick feature wall and neutral colour palette throughout.

The expansive open plan living space with impressive high ceilings is located in the heart of the home and is truly something to admire, boasting the beautiful kitchen with Caesarstone bench tops, stainlesssteel appliances, island bench, excellent storage and walk in pantry, plus adjacent dining space and oversized living area with coonara, you can entertain in complete style whilst taking in the stunning views across to the Yarra Valley.

A second living room at the front of the home versatile to your needs with the potential to be a home theatre, kids play room or home office.

There are four bedrooms in total, wake up to stunning views from the master suite, complete with walk in wardrobe and impressive ensuite bathroom, the secondary bedrooms are serviced by the family bathroom.

The laundry completes the residence.

Special features include split system heating and cooling, timber flooring, double glazing throughout, 6.6kw solar array and satellite NBN. Outside the embellishments continue, accessed through double sliding doors from the living area the decked rear verandah and outdoor entertaining takes full advantage of the outlook.

Expansive lawned areas are perfect for play. Additional features include the 6m x 9m garage with concrete floor, two fenced paddocks, water tanks (100,000L) and landscaped gardens.

Located just a stones throw from the thriving Gembrook township this is a lifestyle opportunity you do not want to miss, inspection is a must! ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 205 Ure Road, GEMBROOK Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garage Price: $1,350,000 - $1,450,000 Contact: Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 and Brittany Barry 0412 861 094, BARRY PLANT EMERALD 24 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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5 Springs Street, Cockatoo

37 Westlands Road, Emerald

195 Gembrook Road, Gembrook

CHARACTER AND CHARM ON OVER ½ AN ACRE!

PICTURE PERFECT HOME IN CENTRAL EMERALD

FAMILY LIVING ON ½ AN ACRE (APPROX.)

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FOR SALE.

FOR SALE.

FOR SALE.

GUIDE $840,000 - $890,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438683781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $875,000 - $935,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $830,000-$860,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

46 Westlands Road, Emerald

205 Ure Road, Gembrook

51 Macclesfield Road, Emerald

PRESTIGE LOCATION AND A VIEW TO THRILL

PREMIUM HILLS LIFESTYLE ON 2.47 ACRES!

MAKE YOUR HILLS DREAM A REALITY ON 1,036m2

4 T

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FOR SALE.

GUIDE $1,000,000 - $1,100,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Riley Nicholas 0488 501 218 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $1,350,000 - $1,450,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $800,000 - $880,000 INSPECT By Appoinement CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

30 Florence Avenue, Emerald

14 Bayview Road, Emerald

22 Glen Road, Cockatoo

THE ULTIMATE COUNTRY LIFESTYLE ON 1,963m2

BAY VIEWS IN CENTRAL EMERALD ON 1042m2

NEST, INVEST OR JUST SIMPLY REST!

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GUIDE $960,000 - $1,020,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $840,000 - $880,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Brittany Barry 0412 861 094 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

GUIDE $660,000-$710,000 INSPECT By Appointment CONTACT Lana Maher 0408 535 075 Barry Plant Emerald 5968 4522

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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MAIL 25

HOME FOCUS

THE PERFECT PROJECT PROPERTY NORTH facing and filled with natural light, this quaint, classic Hills home overlooks a gently sloping 1100m2 block that boasts seasonal garden surprises including an olive tree, many fruit trees and an abundance of colourful garden beds. Cosy and cute but in need of some repair, the home offers a beautiful fireplace, split system heating/ cooling, hardwood timber floorboards and an eclectic blend of stained and leadlight windows. With garden views from every room, there is a sense of elevation, space and light which can be a rare find throughout the Dandenong Ranges and within only minutes from Wellington Road and Burwood Hwy, this property offers the perfect balance between work and home life.

Three bedrooms allow more than enough room for a growing family while an extra home office/study is ideal for those who are working from home. Outside, multiple garden sheds are ideal for extra storage / studio space and will come in handy for those who have a green thumb.

An excellent opportunity and an exciting project – Here is your chance to purchase one of the most delightful cottages in the area. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 4 Currajong Avenue, SELBY, VIC 3159 Description: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 garage Price: $570,000 - $600,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Chandler & Co Real Estate 97546888, GLENN CHANDLER 0418 410 689 26 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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Real Estate you can trust!

We ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p FOR SALE

17 Peters Road, BELGRAVE

$950,000 to $1,010,000 4A 2B 1C

IDYLLIC FAMILY HOME IN PARK-LIKE SURROUNDS This exclusive no-through road between picturesque parkland and bustling Belgrave township enhances the liveability of this lovely family residence.

At one with its environment, including visiting local wildlife, while offering an elevated level of comfort, one fortunate family will find a lifetime of enjoyment here.

FOR SALE

$300,000

11/15 Anderson Street, MONBULK

2A 1B 1C

SYLVAN GLADES RETIREMENT VILLAGE – UNIT 11

A simply beautiful, light filled unit boasting two oversized bedrooms, a lovely main bathroom/ensuite plus two toilets. With an open plan design, the living room is spacious while connecting to the updated kitchen. An undercover, timber decking is a wonderful extra and allows you to sit and enjoy the view across the fully fenced rear yard and beyond.

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

Suzie Brannelly

Glenn Chandler

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

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

FOR SALE

600 Basin-Olinda Road, OLINDA

$880,000 to $930,000

PRIVATE AND PICTURESQUE “FOREST KEEP” FAMILY RETREAT

4A 2B

If you dream of owning a private, picturesque oasis in the lush Dandenong Ranges, “Forest Keep” will fulfil your heart’s desire. Ideally situated within walking distance of thriving townships and merely minutes down the mountain to major amenities, this property provides a tree-change without sacrificing convenience.

FOR SALE

$1,050,000 - $1,150,000

22 Kitchener Road, TECOMA

3A 2B

SPECTACULAR CIRCA 1920S HOME STEPS FROM TOWN

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Swans, Cats fans gear up

By Callum Ludwig

The Ryan family were all smiles ahead of the Grand Final. L-R: Daniel, Gemma, Marilyn, David and Brad.

Pictures: SUPPLIED five grand finals since the turn of the century.

The Swans claimed the ultimate prize in 2005 and 2012, while the Cats won the 2007, 2009 and 2011 premierships. Both tasted defeat in their last Grand Final outing, the Cats downed

by Richmond in 2020 and the Swans sunk by the Western Bulldogs in 2016.

Mr Ryan said this season has had its highs and lows as a team for the Swans.

“As a young team and with some of our older players retiring, we have done very well. As a proud supporter of the old South Melbourne, I’m very impressed with how the season has given our team this opportunity,” he said.

“I think the Swans will win by 10 points but

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“Our key players on the day will be ‘Buddy’ [Lance Frankin] as a mentor presence to our younger players, as well as Isaac Heeney, Tom Papley, Chad Warner, Sam Reid and Luke Parker. For Geelong, I’d say Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, Oliver Dempsey, Gryan Miers, Gary Rohan and Tom Hawkins,” said Mr Ryan.

“Marc Blicavs and Jeremy Cameron will be the key players for Geelong, while I am worried that Tom Papley could pull off a Nick Davis [former Swans player who kicked four last quarter goals in a 2005 semi-final to win the game],” said Mr Beckwith.

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it’s a hard game to pick for either side. I hope it is as close-fought a game as ours was against the Magpies.”

Each side is sweating on the fitness of a couple of solid contributors this season, as Sydney’s Sam Reid (adductor) and Geelong’s Max Holmes (hamstring) subbed out in their preliminary final clashes and each facing an uphill battle to prove their fitness this week.

Sydney legend Josh Kennedy will also miss the game after a hamstring injury prematurely ended his season and career earlier in the finals series.

Mr Beckwith and Mr Ryan gave their predictions on who will be the key players for each

12566160-ET36-22

The stage is set for the AFL season’s final showdown between the Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans.

The two winning sides from the qualifying finals, the Cats head in off the back of a thumping 71-point win over Brisbane, while the Swans survived a late surge from Collingwood to sneak a one-point victory in their preliminary finals.

Lilydale resident David Ryan is an avid supporter of the Bloods and his whole family sat through their thrilling win with their hearts in their mouths.

“At the moment, I’m heading into this week’s Grand Final with feelings of excitement, relief and plenty of nerves,” he said.

“Geelong are playing extremely well and are a hard team to play against. They are on a high with their winning streak, so I am very nervous and worried. We did beat them in Round 2, but for the Grand Final you need both physical and mental toughness.”

Sydney and Geelong only clashed once throughout the 2022 season, all the way back in Round 2 where the Swans’ accurate goalkicking was the difference, winning by 30 points 15.5, 107 to 10.17, 77.

Mt Evelyn resident Cooper Beckwith is well and truly behind the Cats and is feeling pretty confident in his side heading into the season decider.

“It’s been a great season with an 18-win and four-loss record, and with the two good finals wins,” he said.

“I think Saturday will be a much closer game [than against Brisbane] but I think we’ll get over the line.”

Both sides are no strangers to success in recent times, with both sides having featured in

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SPORT

Rangers claim VCFA final

By Tyler Wright Monbulk Rangers Soccer Club Reserve 2 team in the Men’s Premier League (MPL) took out the Victorian Churches Football Association (VCA) President’s Shield Cup Final on Saturday 10 September, defeating Lilydale Eagles in a remarkable game that saw their opposition miss four penalty kicks in a row.

Gareth Otley, player-coach of the Monbulk Reserve team said the squad were “underdogs” going into the grand final and had to win three games before the match to qualify.

“We played Lilydale in rounds three and 13, and suffered a heavy defeat 5-1 and 4-1 respectively, so we knew going into the grand final psychologically they had a big advantage,” Otley said.

“In the last few months, we had beaten the top team in one of the rounds in the president’s shield, and we’d also had some very, very good draws against second and third place on the ladder, which stood us in good stead going into the grand final,” Otley said.

“We knew we had good form and we knew [Lilydale would] be quite aggressive when they came out, considering what they did to us in the past”.

In the first 15 minutes, Monbulk played defensively to weather the storm of the Lilydale offence; a tactic which paid off.

“At about the 20-minute mark, we completely changed our tactics.... we went from a defensive formation into an offensive formation, and we knew we had Lilydale playing the way we wanted them to play,” Mr Otley said.

“We went on the attack for the next 20 minutes...10 minutes into that attack, we scored a goal... a shot from outside the 18-yard box after a nice little build-up play.”

In the first half, Lilydale were awarded two penalties, with both being expertly saved by goalkeeper Liam.

In a bit of “disbelief” the team had made it to half-time ahead of Lilydale 1-0, the Monbulk squad returned to the defensive formation they began the match with.

At the 75th minute of the second half, a Lilydale player was sent off with a red card; only for the team to recover and score a scrappy goal just before the 90-minute mark.

This led to an ensuing penalty shoot-out, potentially letting Lilydale back into the game.

For the Monbulk coach, an unwelcome feeling of dejà vu started to creep in.

“We’d already had two or three rounds that went to penalty shootouts,” Otley said.

“But we knew from that, we had not only practised penalty shootouts, but we had a game plan going into it.”

Lilydale missed their first two efforts from the spot, while Monbulk was clinical — with goalkeeper Liam stepping up to blast his penalty into the top corner — before Monbulk converted their fourth of the shootout to win 4-1.

A post-game photo in the goal net. Back left to right: Glenn Maunder - Coach, Elliott Robins, Connor Lyons, Callum Raisbeck, Patrick Price, Jonathan Farrand, Joey Whittaker, Scott Dalton, Gareth Otley - Coach. FRONT Left to right: Harry Spiteri, Daniel Spiteri, Liam Maunder (GoalKeeper GK), Cooper Gipp, Cooper Smith, Paul Torsello (captain), Stephen Torsello. ABSENT: James Latter (GK), Max Perrera Pictures: SUPPLIED

The pre-game line up before the coin toss. Left to right: Paul (captain), Elliott, Cooper G, Daniel, Jonathan, Patrick, Harry, Cooper S, Scott, Joey, Stephen, Liam (GK), Callum, Connor.

“The crowd came in and celebrated with us...even in the locker rooms afterwards, It was really quiet and surreal,” Otley said.

“No-one knew what to do whether they get changed, or go and have a photo or go to the trophy presentation.

We planned everything else but we hadn’t planned how to celebrate.”

The win was all the sweeter for Monbulk after Covid and injuries left the squad without a full team the whole season and only two

The Monbulk Rangers huddling just before the start of the game, getting the last motivational speech in.

subs every match.

“I’m really keen to see what else we can do now and whether we can go on and win the Premiership and retain the shield again next year,” Otley said.

“There’s also an opportunity to play in a higher division for us as well. So I’ve sort of given the boys a chance to sink that over and come back and let me know.”

For some reason, it doesn’t seem Otley will have any trouble getting these squad players

back for next season, starting next April.

“I’m even getting text messages now, only last week - ‘when’s training start again,” he said.

“I think the focus now is to really continue to build on the team culture, continue to build on the style of football that we want to play, continue to build on the fitness, and start with a bang next season, and get the results that continue to form into next season that we finished with this season.”

Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club catches a big Fish

By Parker McKenzie Upper Ferntree Gully Football Netball Club has appointed Mark Fisher as head coach for the 2023 Eastern Football League season, with the aim of bringing a “winning culture back,” after a challenging 2022 season.

Fisher has had previous roles as head coach of Mt Evelyn in the Outer East from 2018 until the start of 2022 and as a midfield coach with Essendon’s VFL side in 2015, alongside several other roles at Eastern Ranges and Vic Metro.

Club President Mark Godfrey said Fisher is coming to the club to make changes with the intent to have an impact.

“He’s coming in with his eyes wide open,” Godfrey said.

“He wants to go back to basics and put together a positive pre-season.”

Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club was relegated from division one after a disastrous season where they were operating out of temporary marquees without access to their club rooms, finishing bottom of the ladder with zero points from 18 games.

30 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

Mark Fisher coached Mount Evelyn in 2021.

In an online statement, Fisher said he is under no illusions about the challenges the club faces after being relegated this year.

“The club has gone back to the second di-

Picture: ON FILE vision after not winning a game in 2022,” he said.

“As a club, we need to embrace the challenges ahead and work together as one.”

Fisher last coached Mt Evelyn during the cancelled 2021 season, where they won 10 out of 12 games completed throughout the season and featured 22 homegrown players in the squad.

Godfrey said Fisher explained he wanted to promote youth players from the u19s and junior teams, making him the right man for the job.

“The boys need to get that winning culture back,” he said.

Fisher said the club seemed like the perfect fit after positive discussions about the coaching position.

“After presenting my vision, game plan, culture template and general football philosophy to the club during the interview process and listening to the club’s needs with the current playing group, it became very clear to me that UFTG was the club I wanted to coach in 2023,” he said.

“Thankfully the club, after a thorough process, offered me the senior coaching role.”

Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club play at Kings Park in Upper Ferntree Gully. mailcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Olinda Auskicker nominated

By Tyler Wright

The proud Olinda-Ferny Creek women remain unbeaten in a grand final since 2016.

Picture: ROB CAREW

A win for the ages Underdog Olinda-Ferny Creek has taken the Outer East Football Netball League netball crown with a Grand Final victory in extraordinary circumstances at Gembrook.

In what many believe is the best game of netball since the League adopted the sport in 2005 OFC and top team Narre Warren were locked together at 36 all at the end of regular time.

They then went goal for goal in Extra Time as torrential rain fell and when the buzzer sounded it was the women in red and white who prevailed 44-43.

During the season OFC and Narre Warren clashed three times with Narre, led by former Australian player Erin Bell, winning comfortably on each occasion.

However Olinda-Ferny Creek has an amazing history in the top grade of the competition winning every grand final since 2016 and taking home the Minor Premiership when there were no finals in 2021. The women in red and white had a crown, and a reputation to defend.

In the first quarter OFC made it clear they had come play and at times held a three goal lead.

OFC captain Krista Carpenter, a local schoolteacher, read the game like a Year One book and set up numerous scoring opportunities for Goal Shooter Hayley Howard and Goal Attack Taylah Werner.

Two other mid court veterans, Madeleine Guz and Alice Paget were almost faultless with their ball movement and loaded up the pressure on the Narre “mids”.

Narre Warren went to work in the second quarter and at times had their noses in front.

The top team looked to set-up a premiership victory in the third term with relentless attacks which OFC defenders Brodie Smith and Bronwyn Simpson worked overtime to stop being converted into goals.

It was more of the same in the last quarter but the OFC veterans, some of whom had played in the Club’s first flag way back in 2015, refused to buckle.

Incredibly, with the scores locked together on 36 all and three seconds left on the clock, Erin Bell missed a goal in wet and blustery conditions sending the game into overtime.

It was then that the heavens opened up and the rain bucketed down drenching players and hundreds of supporters.

OFC and Narre once more went toe to toe with Howard and Werner repeatedly scoring clutch goals to keep the red and white in the match. When the final buzzer sounded it was the veteran team which prevailed by the most slender of margins. It was certainly a win for the ages.

Fittingly it was Krista Carpenter who was named Player of the Match. mailcommunity.com.au

League Premier Division C Grade Best Player Mel Thomas.

League Premier Division Reserves Best and Fairest James Royle-Young.

OFC President Michael Hill said postmatch “ we are so incredibly proud of this group of women, they have been the benchmark for Outer Eastern netball for the best part of a decade”.

Hill said the final series had again underlined the incredible depth of talent at OlindaFerny Creek “eight of our nine teams played finals and our Women’s Football side made the Preliminary Final in the top division in just its second season. But the netball win is absolutely the icing on the cake.”

OFC Players Win Awards Meantime Olinda-Ferny Creek players were prominent at the recent Outer East League end of season awards.

James Royle-Young won the Best and Fairest Medal in Premier Division Reserves while Melanie Thomas took home the top award in Premier Division C Grade.

Another netballer, Hayley Howard, led the League scoring in the elite division- Premier A Grade.

Hayley, along with Krista Carpenter, made the Team of the Year.

In a fitting recognition for a team which finished fourth in the top division OFC ‘s Matt Scharenberg, Lachlan Taylor and skipper Kelsie Currey were selected in the football team of the year.

Olinda-Ferny Creek’s exciting young Women’s Football side also did well. Simon Gilson was named coach of the Team of the Year and four of his players won gongs in the side- captain Maddy Collins, Grace Belloni , Casey Seymour and Chelsea Wilson.

OFC’s Women’s Team was also the “Best Conducted Club”.

Season Finale To cap off a marvellous season for OFC a number of club members have been invited to the MCG this Friday morning where they’ll be a part of the Channel Seven Grand Final buildup while one of the Club’s AusKick children will present a Premiership Medallion on Grand Final day.

Olinda Auskicker Grace Fernando was nominated as one of 23 contenders for this year’s NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year award, receiving a three day grand final experience.

Grace received grand final tickets for herself and a parent, and will present a premiership medallion during the presentation ceremony.

Grace’s dad, Ross Fernando, said Grace loves playing mini games with her friends at Auskick and going to the footy to watch her team the Melbourne Demons.

“She wanted to learn how to play footy better, and she liked playing footy in the backyard with her family so thought Auskick would be lots of fun,” Ross said.

Grace’s favourite moment on the football field has been playing for the Olinda youngbloods with her friends in the Auskick Under 9 footy carnival at Woori Yallock.

Memorable moments for Grace this year have including kicking a goal in the last youngbloods mini game, and playing in the half time Auskick game during the Melbourne vs Essendon match at the MCG. Each week, an Auskick centre in Australia hands out star of the week awards, which comes with an opportunity to enter the Auskicker of the year competition.

For Grace’s entry, she recorded a short video stating she has learned how to mark and kick this year, and said she should win Auskicker of the Year because she “loves footy” and wanted to see the Demons take out the grand final.

The NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year, Archie Stockdale, was announced at the Brownlow Medal ceremony on Sunday 18 September.

Olinda Auskicker Grace Fernando was nominated for NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year award.

Picture: SUPPLIED Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

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Ph. 0419 462 814 Concrete tanks built correctly will last a life time!

Terry Miller from Terry Miller Concrete Tanks has been in the concrete tank building business for nearly 30 years. Being from country Victoria himself, Terry realises the importance of good water storage systems.

Concrete water tanks built correctly will last a lifetime. They keep your water cool, clean and algae free. This is because our tanks have 130mm walls and a 300mm base, and are poured with 40-mpa strength concrete not 25 or 30 mpa. We also use plasticiser to keep up the strength in the tanks instead of water. And after 28 days of curing the strength of the concrete will be between 48 and 52 mpa. And each tank is poured individually on site. These tanks come out white, which is a sign of the strength in the tanks. The MPA is a measure of how much concrete there is as parts per 1000. The walls of the tank are vibrated all around to ensure that there are no air bubbles and that the concrete is compacted down. Terry generally builds tanks in three sizes, 50,000, 105,000 and 120,000 either with a silo (metal) roof, concrete top or open top tanks.

The tanks will not blow away or fall apart, and this is particularly important in areas where there is high wind, or in fire prone districts. In the event of a fire, a large tank (120,000 litres) can supply water back up to the main house. By setting up a petrol powered generator and pumping water up onto the house directly, via a reverse water sprinkler system, you will keep your home cool and wet. Or if need be, you can jump into the tank to keep cool and be protected from flames and radiant heat.

Water is our most important resource, and we cannot have too much of it! So for all your water storage needs when you are thinking of installing your next tank, please call Terry for a quote on 0419 462 814 or 02 6026 7021 or check out our website, www.terrymillerconcretetanks.com.au.

Nearly four years ago, we suffered our own fire here, in Barnawartha, and we were lucky. But it made me realise how important good water storage is. We are in for a long, hot, dry summer, and fire restrictions are in. Having an ample supply of safely stored water is imperative. So why not contact Terry now about your water supply needs, BEFORE, the heat builds up and water scarce. There is nothing more refreshing than your own cool, clear, clean water!

• Buy Direct and Save • Free Quotation • A Sound Investment te r websi Visit ou com.au ct. www.tm

• All tanks are 2.26m in height • All tank walls are 130mm thick • All foundations (tank top and floor) are 300mm thick • Tanks are algae free • Cool in Summer • Won’t blow away

Sizes from 22,000 to 120,000 litres 32 MAIL

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Tuesday, 20 September, 2022

0419 4627115 814 Phone: 0419Phone: 462021 814FAX: PHONE: 0260 267 (02) 6026 Email: info@tmct.com.au Email: cjf57@bigpond.com PO BOX 372 BARNAWARTHA VIC 3688 Email: info@tmct.com.au TL1648715

www.terrymillerconcretetanks.com.au www.terrymillerconcretetanks.com.au Concrete 40 mpa fully vibrated Concrete 40 mpa & &fully vibrated

TL1648715

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