Mail - Ferntree Gully Star Mail - 14th March 2023

Ferntree Gully Belgrave

IT restored at Eastern Health hospitals

Casey MP slams federal funding

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

Mail

A Star News Group Publication

Emerald college braves the shave

Cockatoo & District Bowls Club breaks 20 year drought

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Students are ready to ride Students at Ferntree Gully North Primary School will join over 350,000 children around Australia for Ride2School Day. Turn to page 8 for more

Ferntree Gully North Primary School students Seb and Stirling are ready for Ride2School Day. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Back to the polls should represent Aston in Canberra following the retirement of Alan Tudge.

The Liberal Party’s Roshena Campbell, Labor’s Mary Doyle, Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller, Angelica Di Camillo from the Greens and independent Maya Tesa have nominated for the election.

Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom

Rogers said the AEC expects to have 30 polling booths open on Election Day. “Already the enrollment for the by-election when it closed last night, is 10,331 citizens who will be eligible to vote,” he said.

“That’s up 700 from the last election and represents 98 per cent enrollment.”

Aston, which has been held by the Liberal

Party since 1990, saw a 7.32 per cent swing towards the Labor Party at the 2022 federal election.

History isn’t on the Labor Party’s side, however, with the last time the federal government won a seat from the opposition in a by-election being over 100 years ago in 1920.

Turn to page 8 for more

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Ferntree Gully, Boronia, Bayswater and The Basin residents will return to the polls for the third time in a year on Saturday 1 April to choose their new representative in federal parliament.

After the ballot was drawn on Friday 10 March, five candidates will have less than three weeks to win over voters on why they

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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IN BRIEF

Interest rate angst

By Parker Mckenzie

The RBA announced at its meeting on Tuesday 7 March an increase in the cash rate target by 25 basis points, to 3.60 per cent in a continued bid to fight inflation. Picture: ON FILE end of 2022,” he said.

“It’s painful for households with a large mortgage, but I think it’s ultimately going to mean a lower rate of inflation, which means cheaper prices in the supermarket and shops around Australia.”

An Australian homeowner with a mortgage of $600,000 will now be paying over $13,000 more a year on their mortgage compared to a year ago, according to Finder.com.au.

Dr Gross, who also worked as an economist at the RBA from 2011 to 2013, said there are

IT restored at Eastern Health hospitals Eastern Health has stood down a Code Yellow announced on the morning of Thursday 9 March, after its hospitals experienced a “significant IT system outage” on the morning of Thursday 9 March.

At 2.45pm, the public health service — which runs both Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood and the Angliss Hospital in Upper Ferntree Gully — released an update confirming critical applications were back online.

“As such, Eastern Health Incident Command has stood down the Code Yellow – Internal Emergency. A detailed review will now be conducted,“ the statement said.

“During the IT outage, downtime procedures and business continuity plans allowed a majority of services to continue with only limited interruption.“ Eastern Health released a statement at 7.45am on Thursday 9 March detailing the issue.

“A Code Yellow Internal Emergency has been declared across our health service. The issue has been caused by a critical piece of IT infrastructure outage that we are currently working to rectify,” the statement said.

“There is no evidence of a cyber attack.

Hospital systems have reverted to downtime procedures and business continuity plans have been enacted.”

A Code Yellow internal emergency are

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Election feedback Knox City Council is asking the community to tell it what issues matter most before the Aston by-election on Saturday 1 April.

Mayor Marcia Timmers-Leitch said the council is hoping the by-election shines a spotlight on critical issues for locals.

“We’re asking our community to tell us what issues will be most important to them when they cast their votes,” she said.

“Council is meeting with candidates during the election campaign to fight for what’s important for our Knox community. It takes different levels of government working together to achieve the best results for the community that we all represent.“ Visit knox.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay to share your thoughts.

Stay alert despite mild conditions CFA expects the grassfire risk to remain across the state in the coming months so Victorians need to remain alert and prepared.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan encouraged travellers to familiarise themselves with which fire district they are travelling to and stay informed about fire conditions.

“We have seen major grassfires take hold in recent weeks, particularly in central parts of the state, so while summer is behind us the fire risk is still lingering,” he said.

“Before you hit the road, download the VicEmergency app and monitor for any potential fires happening in your area.”

To learn more about campfire safety, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/campfires and to learn more about fire restrictions, visit www.cfa.vic. gov.au/can.

Spike in road toll

Eastern Health experienced a “significant IT system outage” this morning, and is working to fix the issue.

Picture: ON FILE incidents that “threaten the safety of staff, patients, visitors or the physical structure of the facility that you are working at,” according to Healthcare Australia.

Just over three hours later, a second statement was released which said the specific cause of the issue had been identified and

“remedial action is underway.”

“Business continuity processes and the return of several systems have allowed many services to continue as planned with limited interruption,” the statement said.

“Where this has occurred, patients are being notified of any disruption.”

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At about 7.30pm on Monday 6 March, a 32-year-old male probationary driver was observed with false number plates on his vehicle on Stud Road in Knoxfield.

The man was found to have been previously disqualified from driving and also returned a positive result for illicit drugs. His vehicle was unregistered. His vehicle was immediately impounded for 30 days at a cost of $925.

The man told police that this was the second vehicle he had impounded and that his other car was still at the police impound facility.

He will face court at a future date in relation to all matters.

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Police are determined to turn around a shocking start to the year on the roads with a statewide enforcement effort to be conducted over the Labour Day long weekend.

The Assistant Commissioner of Road Policing, Glenn Weir has urged people to plan their travel at this busy time of year.

“We know the Labour Day long weekend is a busy period for events and a popular time to travel, so we’re anticipating lots of Victorians hitting the roads over the coming days,” he said.

Commencing on Friday, Victoria Police’s Operation Arid will run for four days with police targeting high-risk driving behaviour and non-compliance in an effort to reduce road trauma.

It comes as Victoria recorded 68 lives lost in the first 66 days of the year, which is 18 more than at the same time last year and a 45 per cent increase on the five year average.

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Another month, another interest rate rise.

The RBA announced at its meeting on Tuesday 7 March an increase in the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 3.60 per cent, in a continued bid to fight inflation.

In a statement, RBA Governor Philip Lowe said global inflation remains high.

“Goods price inflation is expected to moderate over the months ahead due to both global developments and softer demand in Australia. Services price inflation remains high, with strong demand for some services over the summer,” he said.

“Rents are increasing at the fastest rate in some years, with vacancy rates low in many parts of the country. The central forecast is for inflation to decline this year and next, to be around 3 per cent in mid-2025.”

The cash rate represents the interest rate on unsecured overnight loans between banks and serves as the benchmark rate for mortgages, savings accounts and exchange rates.

Dr Isaac Gross, a lecturer at Monash Business School’s Department of Economics, said he believes the interest rate rises are achieving what the RBA set out to do.

“This will be the 10th increase in interest rates over the past year or so and the RBA also expects inflation to have peaked towards the

likely to be two more interest rate rises but “it’ll be data-dependent.”

“I think what they’ll really be waiting for is to see what happens in April when we get another round of inflation data,” he said.

“That will lay down a firm market, whether it’s two more and then stop or two more and then keep on going.“ In his statement, Governor Lowe said the labour market remains “very tight,” and unemployment remains at close to a 50-year low.

“In assessing when and how much further interest rates need to increase, the Board will be paying close attention to developments in the global economy, trends in household spending and the outlook for inflation and the labour market,” he said.

“The Board remains resolute in its determination to return inflation to target and will do what is necessary to achieve that.”

Dr Gross said he doesn’t think prices will fall in the near future, but they will begin to start to increase at a slower rate.

“It’s a long process, so there’ll be parts of the economy where you start to see prices fall just because the increases were so unbelievably crazy, things like building supplies that grew exponentially in 2022,” he said.

“Hopefully, we’ll see some falls there, but for most goods, it will just be a matter of slower increases than outright falls.”

Driver caught in Knoxfield

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Boronia feedback sought

By Parker Mckenzie Knox City Council is asking for feedback on its Boronia Draft Renewal Strategy by Thursday 13 April and will be hosting drop-in information sessions throughout March.

The Draft Renewal Strategy was voted on in August 2021 alongside a planning scheme amendment, allowing for 10-storey buildings to be built in the centre of the suburb.

Knox City Mayor Marcia Timmers-Leitch said Boronia is a vital hub for shopping, services, employment, housing, public transport and social activity.

“Boronia is a growing suburb that needs work to revitalise the shopping precinct, green open spaces, pedestrian connections and local economy,” she said.

“Following extensive community consultation, we have developed a draft strategy to allow for future growth while protecting and revitalising the valued community and residential spaces around the town centre.”

The Renewal Strategy is a review of the Boronia Structure Plan adopted in 2006 and associated planning schemes. The area around the train station — referred to as the Boronia Major Activity Centre (MAC) in the Draft Renewal Strategy — has been earmarked for development to “support stimulation of the local economy.”

“Boronia MAC is transforming from a predominantly suburban centre to one with pockets of higher urban densities and built form focused on public transport at its core,” the document said.

“The residential neighbourhoods surrounding the Boronia MAC core area, previously characterised by single, one and two-storey dwellings are experiencing an increase in townhouse and villa unit developments.”

The draft document proposes allowing the

The Boronia Major Activity Centre has been earmarked for development to “support stimulation of the local economy.”

Picture: BORONIA DRAFT RENEWAL STRATEGY construction of 10-storey buildings in certain locations, such as at the intersection of Boronia Road and Dorset Road, to “deliver a substantial amount of high-quality apartmentstyle living, with amenity from the adjoining park and significant views in all directions could be gained from the upper levels.”

Mayor Timmers-Leitch said Boronia’s population is growing and over the next 20 years the suburb will need more homes and diversity in housing choices for new residents.

“Planning for moderate growth in areas surrounding shops, services and public transport allows us to protect residential neighbourhoods on the fringes of these precincts from inappropriate development,” she said.

“The amendment proposes changes to guide the design of future developments, including the height of new buildings. These changes are needed to manage population growth while protecting what our community values.”

How to leave feedback and more informa-

tion can be found at haveyoursay.knox.vic.gov. au/boronia-renewal-project and Knox City Council will host drop in on: Tuesday 14 March 10am to 1pm at Shop 28, Boronia Mall, Dorset Square, Boronia Thursday 16 March 5pm to 7.30pm at Shop 28, Boronia Mall, Dorset Square, Boronia Wednesday 22 March 10am to 1pm at Boronia Library, Park Crescent Boronia Sunday 26 March 10.30am to 12pm at Boronia Library, Park Crescent Boronia

Casey MP says mobile coverage funding political

By Parker Mckenzie

We’re removing level crossings on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re removing 110 dangerous and congested level crossings, with 67 already gone.

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions Belgrave and Lilydale lines

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On sections of the lines

Road disruptions: Closed roads Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert

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At the level crossing

Union Road, Surrey Hills

Until early May

At the level crossing

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

Casey MP Aaron Violi has condemned the latest round of federal telecommunications funding as “blatantly political” pork barreling, while the federal government has instead argued it is just levelling the playing field after previous rounds of funding favoured Liberal and National held electorates.

In the $40 million Improving Mobile Coverage Round, announced in early March, 40 Labor electorates, 11 Coalition seats and three held by independents received funding to improve mobile phone coverage through new projects. The electorate of Casey, which includes the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, was not included in the funding round.

Mr Violi said the rhetoric of the Labor Party prior to the federal election compared to their actions was “complete hypocrisy.”

“There’s no way you can give funding to 40 Labor seats out of 54 without it being pork-barreling,” he said.

“Whether it is bushfires, whether it’s flooding, whether it’s the storms that we went through, there are more emergencies than ever before and reliable communications are vital.”

He said not being able to make consistent and reliable phone calls in modern Australia is an unacceptable situation for many local residents.

“We had examples during the June storms where people couldn’t call out for help,” he said.

“Communications is something that has to be above politics because it can be life and death. It’s an essential service that should be treated as such.”

The government, however, argues that the overrepresentation of Labor seats in the funding stream is because when the former Coalition government ran a ‘Priority Round’

of funding for the Mobile Black Spot Program in 2016, 124 of the 125 towers were in Coalition-held electorates.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said she was proud to belong to a government that is improving connectivity in rural and regional Australia by substantially increasing funding for regional communications.

Ms Rowland said the Improving Mobile Coverage Round is separate from other funding like the Mobile Black Spot Program.

Funding for two new mobile base stations in Silvan and Menzies Creek, promised by the Coalition if returned to government at the 2022 federal election, was announced by Ms Rowland on Thursday 21 July and dozens of new mobile towers were announced by the Victorian Government’s $255 million Connecting Victoria program in October 2022 to help address significant mobile coverage issues throughout the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, which is one of the most bushfire-prone regions in the world.

Mr Violi said more investment was still needed to ensure the communications network is resilient ahead of disasters.

“I’ll keep making sure that we as an opposition hold the government to account on their blatant political decision, but also I’ll constructively and proactively work with the government to put together some solutions to these major issues that are ongoing for our electorate,” he said.

“With the heat predicted for next year, it’s more pressing now because the statistics show us that in the last 12 to 18 months, there have been more natural disasters across the country than ever before.”

Ms Rowland said the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia shows the government’s commitment to expanding mobile coverage and improving broadband. mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Fusion Party’s tech focus

By Parker Mckenzie Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller nominated for the Aston by-election because “the major parties are just wasting our time.”

The software engineer said his decision to run was because “there are all these opportunities being squandered in society for us to create a happier, wealthier and more harmonious world.”

“I would argue that these days, it’s money and software that’s running the world,” he said.

“Unfortunately, governments around the world still haven’t been keeping up with the technological trends happening.”

He said if the government embraced open source communities and software projects, society would see the right incentive structures “not just maximising GDP.” “I’ve been in the software industry ever since 2012 and I see how powerful it is at scaling human thought and how it can think deeper than us as well,” Mr Miller said.

“At the moment, software has this incredible power and it’s not being put to use in improving our society. The people putting software to use are exploiting us, squeezing us and lying to us.”

The Fusion Party’s policies include drug legalisation, universal basic income and climate action.

Mr Miller said he sees technological and social solutions to many of society’s issues, but believes the major parties are ill-equipped to handle progressive change.

“People overdosing on drugs, people turning to crime, I see them typically as just the sort of noticeable symptom of a deeper problem, that our society isn’t as best for people’s mental health as it could be,” he said.

“Why are people still so unhappy? I feel more effort could be done, look at New Zealand for instance. They don’t just maximize

the GDP, they also take account of the happiness index and funnily enough, they’re higher than we are in terms of world happiness rankings.”

Mr Miller, who lives in Brunswick, moved back to Australia in November 2022 after working in the United States from 2015 in the software industry.

He said he would describe himself as technologically aware and socially progressive.

“We have ideas about how to improve the world and it is a shame that Liberal and Labor have dominated the debate for decades, but I think people are starting to wake up to the fact that we’re squandering chances,” he said.

“If you ask people if are you healthier and are you happier than you were 10 years ago, I feel that many people see actually, the major parties are just wasting our time and life isn’t getting as much better as it could.”

For more information on the Fusion Party and Owen Miller, visit fusionparty.org.au

Fusion Party candidate for Aston and software engineer Owen Miller.

Picture: SUPPLIED

What you need to know ahead of Aston by-election

By Parker Mckenzie With nominations closed and the ballot drawn, five candidates will have less than three weeks to win over locals on why they should represent Aston in federal parliament.

The Liberal Party’s Roshena Campbell, Labor’s Mary Doyle, Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller, Angelica Di Camillo from the Greens and independent Maya Tesa will contest the by-election on Saturday 1 April, hoping to replace retiring member Alan Tudge.

Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the AEC expects to have 30 polling booths open on election day.

“Already for the enrollment for the byelection, when it closed last night, is 10,331 citizens who will be eligible to vote,“ he said.

“That’s up 700 from the last election and represents 98 per cent enrollment.“ Ms Campbell and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has visited the electorate three times since the by-election was announced, have attacked the government on funding for infrastructure projects in Knox since the by-election was announced.

Prime Minster Anthony Albanese’s argued that the funding cut from the Wellington Road duplication, and Napoleon Road and Dorset Road upgrades were only a small portion of the overall money required to deliver the projects, calling the funding “fake promises“ by Mr Tudge in the leadup to the 2022 federal election.

Mr Albanese was the shadow infrastructure minister at the time the funding was allocated by the former Coalition government.

While residents in the Aston electorate will be heading to the polls for the third time in less than a year, Mr Rogers said the

The ballot draw in Scoresby on Friday 10 March.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE electorate traditionally has a very high enrollment and a good turnout at elections.

“The cost of a by-election, which people often ask about, is hard to tell at this early stage but it’ll be broadly in line with the cost of other by-elections that have run which tend to bounce between two and four million dollars,“ he said.

“Early voting will be available from Monday 28 March and run for a two-week period leading up to polling day.“ Ms Doyle will also have the benefit from two of the three overlapping state electorates being held by Labor members, with Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor and Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino attending her campaign launch.

History isn’t on the Labor Party’s side however, with the last time the federal government won a seat from the opposition in a by-election being over 100 years ago in 1920.

More information about the by-election and the location of polling places can be found at aec.gov.au/aston

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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NEWS

Emerald SES volunteer Philip Pascall (centre) received a national emergency medal for his work in responding to the 2019/2020 bushfires.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Emerald Men’s Shed vice president Bob Blake (left), with president Alan Bennett and secretary Tom Connolly were able to learn how to perform CPR, and use the defibrillator at the shed, as part of an Ambulance Victoria demonstration on Thursday 9 March.

Pictures: TYLER WRIGHT

Men’s Shed members learn life saving skills

By Tyler Wright Members of the Emerald Men’s Shed were shown life saving skills in a demonstration from Ambulance Victoria staff members on Thursday 9 March.

The Call, Push, Shock session saw paramedics educate around 12 attendees about how to perform CPR and how to use a defibrillator on a patient experiencing cardiac arrest, as well as how to use the GoodSAM app which alerts the public to where the nearest accessible defibrillator is located.

“We thought it was important that we got involved and we all learn how to use it,” Emerald Men’s Shed president Alan Bennett said.

“As we are all getting older, there’s more possibility that one of us in here could have a heart attack or someone in the public could have a heart attack.

“If we can assist them or assist someone in the shed, then it’s an important thing we need to do.”

According to the Ambulance Victoria presentation, thousands of Victorians suffer a cardiac arrest at home or out of

home each year.

“For every minute without life saving intervention, a person’s chance of surviving rapidly decreases. Tragically, only one in 10 people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest,” Ambulance Victoria paramedic and community engagement officer Tim Hill said.

Men’s shed members were able to practise compressions on a dummy and use the men’s shed defibrillator, which uses spoken instructions, on the mock patient.

Senior team manager for Cardinia 2, Sharon Haslam, said bringing information into the community will help make a difference to people’s lives.

“All we want to do is give people enough confidence to put their hands on a chest... start the compressions and get someone to get a dfib, know where they are, be familiar, and then that will be the game changer,“ Ms Haslam said.

“Being a small community [with] only one ambulance. quite often we’re not up here, so at least the community can hopefully manage themselves until we can get a car into the area and take over the arrest.”

Medal for SES’s Pascall

By Tyler Wright Emerald SES volunteer Philip Pascall has been awarded a national emergency medal for his work in responding to the 2019/2020 bushfires that devastated the East Gippsland and Mallacoota areas that new year.

Mr Pascall’s medal was presented with the award by Governor-General David Hurley, VICSES CEO Stephen Griffin and VICSES COO Tim Wiebusch on Sunday 5 March in Port Melbourne, with some 300 SES members recognised for their sustained service throughout a nationally significant emergency.

Mr Pascall said he was honoured to receive the award.

“Working in the fires, you did what you did, you didn’t want recognition,“ Mr Pascall said.

“It’s nice to be recognised.“ The Belgrave local was part of a replacement road rescue crew made up of members from Knox, Upper Yarra and Pakenham units sent to assist Swifts Creek and Omeo units.

“When we got up there, the fires had already come through from the Bairnsdale side, so the community was ready for the fires,“ Mr Pascall said.

“We were finding a place of last resort [and] we were looking after the people there,“ Mr Pascall said.

Helicopters arrived to evacuate residents and emergency service crews, Mr Pascall said, with the town surrounded by fire.

A weather change saw SES crews return to the area to assist in recovery efforts; supplying hay for horses and food to residents.

“One of the things out of the experience, over everything, was the community’s resilience...and emergency services working together,“ Mr Pascall said.

“On the relief, we had ADF there with the Army, Navy, Air Force. We were working with police, with CFA fire service Victoria, everybody working together.“ The bushfires burnt nearly 1.4 million hectares of land, left four people dead and destroyed hundreds of homes.

“We’re also part of those communities, so for me I’ve gone from our community, which was around Emerald and Gembrook, which had been affected by the [Bunyip] fire.

“Those members up there, they’re part of their communities, we’re part of our local community, be we can pick up and go and help them in the same as they can come and help us.“ Mr Pascall noted one of the statements Governor-General David Hurley said at the presentation; ’we get a medal, but the medals should be for our friends and families that support us through that time.’

“We still need more people and more resources...a lot of those things are still planned by volunteers, funding by volunteers...It’s like running a business, but you need people out there all the time,“ he said.

Ambulance VIctoria paramedic and community engagement officer Tim Hill (left) and senior team manager for Cardinia 2, Sharon Haslam, were on hand to answer questions from participants.

Mr Pascall was evacuated while East Gippsland was surrounded by fire.

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NEWS

Plea to Anchor funding

By Mikayla van Loon As more people are pushed to the brink of homelessness, a funding shortfall in the sector is not ideal yet this is the reality services are facing.

Lilydale based homelessness service Anchor has joined alongside over 200 organisations to sign an open letter to the Federal government to insist on a $65 million funding commitment to be renewed come the end of June.

The federal funding has supported the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) since 2012 to ensure support workers received fair pay rises over those years.

It is estimated that without the funding up to 650 workers could lose their jobs within the sector, adding pressure to the already overrun network of homelessness organisations.

Anchor CEO Heidi Tucker said for some agencies it will mean making tough decisions they don’t want to make, nor can afford to make with the ongoing crises of housing shortages and cost of living.

“For us, for Anchor, we wouldn’t be able to do the extras, there’d be no way. The reality is when you see someone coming through the door who doesn’t have a home, they also have a lot of other issues,” she said.

“We’re not going to have time because we’re not going to have the resources to spend the time we do now, because it’s a lot more than what’s written on paper finding someone a home, there’s a lot else that we do.”

From potential office hour cuts to reducing staff hours, Ms Tucker said these are all potential implications of losing the funding.

“For people to think this is a good time to cut services when people come in for all sorts of reasons, they might come because they’re behind on their rent and we’ll get them some rental assistance,” she said.

A funding shortfall could see hundreds of staff in the homelessness sector without work or reduced hours if funding is not renewed.

Picture: ON FILE “To actually knock that out now seems ridiculous. It just seems really shortsighted.”

While Anchor provides a lot of support in transitional housing and emergency accommodation, Ms Tucker said it’s also the advice side of things that may be in jeopardy.

“Quite a bit of our traffic, if you like, is people gathering information. So to think that every person who is without a home or at risk of not having a home is often ringing saying, ‘what do I do about this?’

“We’re going to be struggling to do that and so you’re going to see no prevention work. It’s just going to be at the pointy end.”

Already with low rental numbers and the high cost of rentals, Ms Tucker said anecdotally it has become apparent across the sector that more people are living in their cars.

“Across the state more people are sleeping rough, more people are sleeping in their cars and vans, a lot of people have bought vans to live in.

“It’s always hard in the Yarra Ranges to know exactly the numbers, because there are a lot of places where people can camp out or park that

people don’t see.”

Ms Tucker said there has also been an increase in the number of women and children seeking help after fleeing a violent situation.

“In 2020-21 services were unable to assist 288 people per day, of whom two thirds were women and children, many fleeing domestic and family violence,” the open letter states.

Unfortunately too, more single men and women are approaching services and Ms Tucker said as hard as it is to turn them away or to a boarding house, there’s no funding for single people.

“We already can’t do that. So you push us that bit further and we’re going to be triaging the family. Who can we help? And who can we not?”

Ms Tucker said for homelessness services it feels as though they have been caught up in the middle of a political debate when all they are trying to do is support people. “$65 million for the Federal government is not a lot but unfortunately for Victoria in the way funding is structured, that means we have half of that.

“It’s over $30 million ‘belongs’, if you like, to Victoria. So we’re particularly hard hit, you’ll see that other states, percentage wise, don’t have the hit.”

The ERO was originally agreed upon by the State and Federal governments as a joint partnership to provide equal wages for community services workers to align them with teachers, police and nurses.

Primarily a female dominated field, Ms Tucker said not only are people on the brink of homelessness going to potentially suffer but the workers themselves will too.

“In the general population, there’s a lot of female-headed households, single women raising children, the same percentage would be across our sector.

“Many women work in the particular job they’re in because of their childcare responsibilities. Women try to work conveniently, relatively close to home, closer to kids schools, childcare.

“If they lose that job, they then have got not just the income issue, they’ve got the location or geographic issue, which is going to be key for them and it will disrupt their lives.”

Signing the letter, Ms Tucker said, was about showing power in numbers but also to stand with her staff and acknowledge their role and importance in the sector.

Understanding that the government has a number of sectors calling for funding, Ms Tucker said however, homelessness services aren’t asking for much, no more than they have already been receiving.

“Governments are under enormous amounts of pressure with social issues. We can talk about how homelessness but aged care, disability, mental health, there’s so many pressures on governments.

“I get that but our sector isn’t worth a lot. We deliver an enormous amount for pretty slim funding compared to other sectors.”

Lifeline Narrm to support urgent mental health needs Lifeline Narrm, named in consultation with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, launched on Thursday 9 March as an urgent action to address Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention for all Victorians and serve the residents of the Merri-bek to Manningham LGAs. The paid and volunteer workforce will be recruited locally from the outer eastern area and will service Melbourne’s inner city and eastern suburbs including Croydon, Chirnside Park, Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Richmond, Hawthorn and Glen Iris.

Overseen by Lifeline Canberra following their experience in responding and managing crisis calls during and post pandemic, ‘Lifeline Narrm’ will increase service delivery and answer more calls from Victorians in crisis, following the impact of the pandemic and the floods.

Within the Lifeline Narrm geography of Merri-bek to Manningham alone, three people are reported to die by suicide each week.

During the pandemic, Victorians accounted for more than 30 per cent of all national calls to Lifeline (13 11 14), despite Victoria representing just 26 per cent of the Australian population. The recent flood crisis prompted unprecedented demand for crisis support, with Lifeline receiving on average 3,200 calls per day.

Chief executive officer of Lifeline Canberra and Lifeline Narrm, Carrie Leeson said that the alarming statistics prompted the need for a greater focus on increasing crisis support training programs amongst the Melbourne community to support those struggling with mental health.

“Lifeline receives a call every 30 seconds and during the recent two-year pandemic, just 4% were answered in Victoria.

Lifeline Narrm will strengthen the support available to Victorians by providing community volunteers the necessary tools to answer calls and manage the mounting crisis by alleviating the pressure on the current services available.”

Every year more than 65,000 Australians attempt suicide. Currently, nine Australians mailcommunity.com.au

Lifeline Narrm CEO Carrie Leeson launched the new call centre on Thursday 9 March. die by suicide each day and 75 per cent of those that take their own life are men. The impact of suicide is significant with more

than 135 people, including family members, work colleagues, friends and first responders, affected by each life lost to suicide.

Picture: SUPPLIED For more information about Lifeline Narrm and to enquire about taking part in crisis support training, visit lifelinenarrm.org.au Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 7

NEWS

Small school is growing

By Tyler Wright An independent school in The Basin is one of the smallest combined primary and secondary education providers in the state, according to recent student to teacher ratio data from Schools Hub. Fernbrook School is currently home to 40 students aged from Prep to Year eight, with 10 staff members.

“The founders of the school just really wanted that environment for their children and other children to go where relationships and connection came first, and then that would mean that if our students are happy, then they’re in the best position to engage in effective learning,“ principal Matthew Nye said.

The school’s predominantly play-based junior class is made up of six foundation and Grade one students, with the middle school group made up of 14 students from grades two to six.

The high school cohort includes 17 Year seven and Year eight students combined.

There are two teachers in each of the three groups.

“In the junior class, we have two part time teachers that share the load,“ Mr Nye said.

“In the middle years we have a full time teacher and a part time teacher, but always two adults in the room, and then in the high school it’s a mixture of full time and part time as well.“ While junior students are not broken into separate classes, they are conferenced with individually.

Older students are split into small groups for English, Maths and Science.

Mr Nye said small class sizes in a multi-age setting are beneficial for students’ wellbeing and their connection with teachers.

“You get younger students who are able to learn from the older students in the class, especially in our middle years,“ Mr Nye said.

“The year sixes, for example, get an opportunity to consolidate their learning and to

Fernbrook School is home to six junior class students in Prep and Grade one, 14 middle year students from grades two to six, with 17 students in the Year seven and Year eight combined high school cohort. [self-regulate]...for the benefit of younger children.

“There’s a lot of social learning that happens behind the scenes, or covertly, within that group.“ By focusing on project based learning and student led enquiries, both individual and collaborative, students are prepared to work in teams and meet deadlines in the workforce, according to Mr Nye. “We try and provide student-led learning as much as possible, so as we do that, students are independently engaged with their task and it gives a teacher an opportunity to sit down

next to a child and to guide them through their project and talk about the next steps and to review and edit what they’ve done already,“ he said.

“You can break off into those even smaller groups that target specific students needs....it all works together really well.“ In 2022, the average student to teaching staff ratio for all schools was 13.1 students to one teacher, according to ABS census data.

Independent schools recorded the highest growth rate (3.3 per cent) last year, followed a one per cent growth rate increase for Catholic schools, ABS data showed.

Mr Nye said Fernbrook School has received approval to run a Year nine cohort in 2024 and is expected to offer Year 10 in 2025.

“We’ve got two and a half years to finalise our preparations for what is beyond Year 10 at Fernbrook. We could pursue a VCE-type journey, or we could pursue more a vocational type space for our students, or we might stop at Year 10,“ he said.

“The students that we currently have now, their future and their well being, that’s very important to us, so we want to make sure that we’re providing them with the best chances and the best future possible.“

Ferntree Gully students prepare for Ride2School Day

By Parker Mckenzie Students at Ferntree Gully North Primary School are getting ready for National Ride2School Day on Friday 24 March, an annual event in which more than 350,000 students take part.

The free event is open to all primary and secondary schools in Australia, and Ferntree Gully North Primary School has been encouraging its students to get involved ahead of the big day.

School coordinator Natalie Blenheim said students at Ferntree Gully North already stay active, but Ride2School day is an opportunity for others to embrace healthy exercise.

“We’ve got a pretty large bike shed, so that’s something the students do fairly often,” she said.

“The way the day engages families and kids who wouldn’t normally ride on these one off event days is noticeable.”

Schools that register have access to posters, promotional material, stickers and count sheets to tally up the total amount of students who ride to school on the day.

Ms Blenheim said there is a huge amount of enthusiasm for Ride2School Day. “It’s a really big event each year and we also have bike education at years three and four,” she said.

“We publicise it through the school community with posters and assemblies, and the kids will be talking about it ahead of the day.”

The event is part of Bicycle Network’s Ride2School program and has been running since 2006. In 2022, 911 schools and a record 370,000 students participated.

Bicycle Network Chief Executive Officer Alison McCormack said Ride2School Day is a day full of fun and colour where students, teachers and parents discover the joy of riding and kick-start healthy habits for the future.

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Ferntree Gully North Primary School students Seb and Stirling are ready for Ride2School Day. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS “Riding to school can help students perform better in the classroom. Students who actively travel to school are more awake and alert,” she said.

“Their concentration levels and understanding of content improves. Students who are physically active are happier and healthier, they also become more self-sufficient and

build resilience.”

According to the bicycle network, in the 1970s 80 per cent of school children rode or walked to school, but now more than 65 per cent go by car.

Ms Blenheim said it is a “really great event.”

“It’s great to see the students out and about, riding actively,” she said.

“There are so many amazing bike paths and facilities all around here anyway, so it’s just a good thing to keep active.”

For more information, visit ride2school. com.au mailcommunity.com.au

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK

The St Paul’s difference St Paul’s educates, and does a sensational job at that, but St Paul’s stands for wellbeing.

The wellbeing of all students and all members of the community is why St Paul’s exists.

When you enter St Paul’s you can see the focus on wellbeing, you can feel the connection and you can sense that belonging that exists within the beautifully refurbished buildings.

St Paul’s is inclusive, and people from every background are welcome to experience the sense of wellbeing that comes with an education at St Paul’s. As a Catholic school, the values are lived out by all members of the community. It is natural for our school community to demonstrate our values because they come from a common place. The values that form the basis for our learning are: respect, responsibility, justice, courage, wisdom and knowledge.

Our values are pivotal to the life of the school and the community, and are embedded within student support and teaching and learning programs. The outstanding staff model these values and actively look for students demonstrating them.

Student welfare is an integral part of the success and wellbeing of students and as a school, providing a safe, happy, supportive learning environment is of upmost priority for all staff.

There is a school counsellor and a wellbeing team, that includes the Principal so when parents drop their children off, they know they will be ok.

St Paul’s promotes a strong partnership between students, teachers and parents, based on mutual respect and understanding. There is a commitment to child safety and a belief that all children have a right to feel safe and be safe at all times. All staff and volunteers are required to observe child safe standards and ex-

St Paul’s is underpinned by a foundation of wellbeing. pectations for appropriate behaviour towards and in the company of our students.

All prep children are matched with a Grade 6 student as a ‘buddy’ who look out for one another in the playground and spend class time together on occasion. The Buddy Program helps the prep child’s transition into the school environment and benefits the social development of both students.

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When you tour St Paul’s you will see a balance of technology, visual arts, performing arts, physical education, chess, gardening, Italian language, structure, discipline and a sense of calm. Students experience all that a balanced education has to offer including the biennial School Musical and Art Show, inter school sport, mindfulness and meditation and focussed literacy and numeracy. Classroom programs are strategically differentiated to en-

Picture: SUPPLIED sure every student is working in their ‘point of need’ and they are given the maximum opportunity to achieve positive academic outcomes and be a successful learner.

The most important thing to remember is that an education at St Paul’s is underpinned by a foundation of Wellbeing. St Paul’s deliver the curriculum, but at St Paul’s they teach every child. Call the office on 97567201 for your personal tour today.

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MAIL 9

NEWS

Emerald SC brave to shave

By Tyler Wright Bright colours, the smell of hairspray and the buzzing sound of razors will take over Emerald Secondary College on Friday 17 March as students and staff have their hair shaved, cut and coloured as part of the World’s Greatest Shave.

Year 12 student Hollie Kee has wanted to participate in the national event raising funds for the Leukaemia Foundation since she was 10 years old, after seeing the impact skin cancer has had on her family.

“Skin cancer runs in my family and I have a very high risk of getting it,” Ms Kee said.

“My grandpa was diagnosed with a couple of types of cancer at once, so it’s always been a part of my life.”

This year, she will finally have the chance to have her hair chopped off.

“It will feel surreal for the first few days and then after that I’ll be like ‘oh, my God, I have no hair’ and I’ll be freaking out, but I know I’ll have my mates to go to...because everyone’s been really supportive of this choice.

“This has been a long time coming for me…

I’m really excited for it.”

English and drama teacher Peter McKenzie will also be cutting his locks for the cause.

“I’m just worried my hair is not going to grow back because I haven’t had it cut for four years, so has it been thinning and I just don’t know?” Mr Mckenzie said.

“If a students’ parent, for instance, is dealing with cancer or any other illness, that’s a big deal; and knowing that there’s people around them that are actually acknowledging [that] can be really, really important.“ Wellbeing coordinator Felicity Wooden said the event is a great way for students and staff to be “able to do something for someone else that’s easy, but a very brave thing to do“.

“They can raise a lot of money and understand that their little action can make a huge difference in someone else’s life,” Ms Wooden said.

The school is attempting to raise $3,000 through the event, with a sausage sizzle also running on the day.

Local hairdressers and VET beauty students

From left to right, Year 12 student Hollie Kee, English and drama teacher Peter McKenzie, English teacher Amy Donders, Year nine student Taesha Korsten, Year eight student Elijah Ling, Year 10 student Kynan Bennett and English teacher Hannah Joy from Emerald Secondary College will be taking part in this year’s World’s Greatest Shave event.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS will help give participants their new look, with the school community able to have their very own strip of coloured hair with a dollar donation.

Attendees will also be able to have their hair shaved off for $5.

“It’s also bringing in the wider community, parents and families and carers, small busi-

nesses, nearby businesses that are wanting to donate,“ English teacher Amy Donders said.

Those who participate will also receive free Emerald beanie or free Emerald cap.

Junior Ninjas eyeing off world championships in USA

By Tyler Wright Families at Ferntree Gully’s Ninja Nation gym are looking to fundraise in order to send young national qualifiers to Florida to represent Australia at the World Ninja Championships in July.

Upwey resident Taryn Campbell’s nineyear-old son Finn qualified for the world championships after competing at the Australian Ninja Games held in Brisbane in January.

Ms Campbell said the fundraiser to be held on Sunday 23 April will help cover the costs of a small team heading to an overseas venue.

“We’re all from this area and that’s why we’ve all stumbled across each other at the same gym,” Ms Campbell said.

“When my oldest son [Ash] first started, it was very unheard of...you’d say ninja warrior to people and they’d really only just think of the TV show.

“Since then, they’ve had a number of gyms pop up here and there, so it is way more popular and way more well known since maybe four or five years ago.”

Finn said he is “nervous and excited“ to compete in Florida.

“It just looked fun,“ he said when asked why he joined the sport four years ago.

The family fun day fundraiser will begin at 9.30am, with classes on offer at $20 each for attendees to get a feel of what it means to compete in ninja warrior.

There will also be photo opportunities with Ninja Warrior Australia TV stars, including Ashlin Herbert, Troy Cullin and Zak Stolz.

Ms Mitchell said ninja is an “interesting sport because while you’re out there doing 10 MAIL

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Jordy, Bryon, Zac, Tilly and Finn are hoping to compete in the Ninja World Championships in Orlando, Florida in July. 323026 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS it on your own, you are a part of the community and a team, and everyone is there supporting everyone“.

“It’s overwhelming. It makes me very nervous, but it also makes me very proud to have my kids representing Victoria at na-

tionals... but also just being able to do it and just have fun with it as well.“ To book a spot for a class at the fundraiser, visit https://www.trybooking.com/ events/landing?eid=1025596&fbclid=IwAR2 33ItkAozMIOGRmTu4HndVrjAfu3hyNwv3x-

wTUO806scKGKJIKIxJvzO4 For any questions, people are advised to email nnworldteam@outlook.com Ninja Nation is located at 716 Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully. mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Art Society display Heritage grants now in Ferntree Gully opened

By Parker Mckenzie Works by the members of the Ferntree Gully Art Society are the newest art to be featured in the light boxes at Horologist Lane, as a part of a series of art displays funded by Knox City Council.

Through the Ferntree Gully Creative Placemaking Plan, the council is installing new public art throughout the area, including the light boxes, in a $240,000 project.

Ferntree Gully Art Society President Heather King said art featured in a previous public exhibition during lockdowns was chosen to be used in the light boxes.

“We’re very grateful to the council for all the help that they give us because we are an entirely self-funded society,” she said.

“It’s a good initiative on the point part of Knox Council to try and make the area more attractive and better lit.”

The project is funded through $130,000 contributed by the council and $110,000 from the Victorian Government’s Living Local Fund suburban grant stream.

Artist Olga Megele, whose work is featured in Horologist Lane, said it’s a great opportunity to get members’ artwork out there and promote the Art Society.

“We’re so close to the area, we’re just over the railway line, so it’s very close and it’s great for the community because they get to see what we do,” she said.

“The quality of the work is great at the society, but also it’s a two-way street. They get to know about us, and we get to display our work and hopefully we get more people through the door, new members and more people inter-

The Ferntree Gully Art Society’s work in the light boxes on Horologist Lane.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE ested in making their own art.”

The first artwork to be displayed in the light boxes was a collaboration between local school children and artist Joanne Mott, depicting native flora and fauna. the Ferntree Gully Art Society holds 10 exhibitions a year and is currently running the Her

exhibition until Sunday 26 March.

Based at The Hut Gallery, located at 157 Underwood Road Ferntree Gully, the Art Society also hosts workshops and classes throughout the week.

For more information, visit thehutgallery. com.au

Funding sought for the historical Red Mill

By Tyler Wright The Sherbrooke Art Society is looking to source funding for the historic Red Mill building, meeting with the National Trust on Sunday 4 March.

Treasurer Leanne Vassallo said with no profit each year, the volunteer-led organisation has had to put plans to restore the building on hold for 10 years.

The Red Mill is listed on the Yarra Ranges heritage data base as a site of local and historical significance, with the Southern Sherbrooke Historical Society, Sherbrooke Foothills Society and Monbulk Historical Society present at the meeting.

Ms Vassallo said the Sherbrooke Art Society was able to compare history records with the historical societies and found the Southern Sherbrooke Historical Society had a photo in their archives showing the building newly built, along with a newspaper clipping of the opening in December 1925 from the Ferntree Gully News of the ’Belgrave Dance Palais’ - the earliest image of the building.

The following year the owner Mr Ferminger commissioned local artist and photographer Charlie Hammond to build a 10 foot windmill on the roof, Ms Vassallo said, renaming it the ’Red Mill’ in 1926.

“It was concluded that the general public and local community need to be made aware of the historical significance of our building and how vital it is that they help contribute funds to restore it,“ Ms Vassallo said.

“It was also highlighted that this unique cul de sac nestled at the entrance to Sherbrooke forest be recognised.“ The Sherbrooke Art Society bought the building in the 1960s.

Ms Vassallo said it costs the non-for-profit organisation run by volunteers $500 per week to keep the doors open with insurance, rates, gas and electricity costs, with the building currently stable but a decline in the building is expected if maintenance is put off for another five years.

“Bendigo Bank in Belgrave has given us $1000 which will kick-start the restoration fund,“ she said. mailcommunity.com.au

Applications are now open for the 2023 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program. The CHG program offers cash grants of up to $20,000 to community organisations. The grants support organisations to preserve and manage collections that have Australian cultural and historical significance.

“We continually see the benefits of the CHG grant program, as small, volunteer-run organisations work with professional assessors to better understand their collection and are then well placed to implement practical measures to care for the collections they look after,” Collaboration Branch Assistant Director Fiona Clarke said.

Since 1994, the CHG program has provided over $8.4 million in funding to more than 1,600 projects nationally.

Last year, $420,097 was shared between 57 regional and community groups, including Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Limited, Trafalgar Holden Museum, Queensland Braille Writing Association, Flinders Palaeontology, Mawson’s Huts Foundation, Australian Academy of Science and the Ngurratjuta/ Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation and many others.

Historical societies, regional museums, archives and galleries are invited to apply, including Indigenous and multicultural organisations. The grants enable groups to work with consultants to undertake significance assessments and preservation needs assessments and based on these reports, deliver preservation and conservation, collection management, and digitisation activities.

Funding is also available for training workshops.

“Our message to new applicants – the most competitive applications are those that are well planned and convey the strengths of their collection and commitment of their organisation. We encourage applicants to read the guidelines and then speak to our CHG team at an early stage about their proposal,” Ms Clarke said.

General applications close midnight (AEST) on Monday 8 May 2023. Previous CHG program recipients have an extended deadline, with applications closing on Thursday 1 June 2023.

To find out more and apply visit nla. gov.au/chg.

CHG is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; National Library of Australia; the National Archives of Australia; the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

The building 62 Monbulk Road in Belgrave is said to have been named the ‘Red Mill’ in 1926.

Picture: SUPPLIED

History groups and regional museums, like that in Lilydale, are able to apply for national heritage grants. 234335 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS The Sherbrooke Art Society has owned the Red Mill since the 1960s.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Teena works hard behind the bench to ensure jewellery designs and fixes are as perfect as can be. 318892 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Erimus Jewellers have just opened in Upwey. 318892

The new bling on the block Erimus jewellers are the new kids on the block!

New kids on the block we may be, however we come with years of knowledge.

We are backed by jewellers with a collective of 60 years bench experience. Each of our jewellers has various strengths and skills and when combined become a solid, strong team that is able to tend to your jewellery needs.

When looking for a place to settle our little business, we searched high and low for an area in the hills that wasn’t being serviced by a local jeweller (without the locals having to travel miles). This is where Upwey became the perfect location. From the very first day of open-

ing the local community welcomed us with open arms, as did all the other amazing stores in the strip.

We could never have imagined in our wildest dreams how amazing this community would be and with that in mind we have stepped up to help out our local area by becoming involved with all Upwey special events and donating to our local groups, such as the Upwey Men’s Shed and more recently the Belgrave South Stax of Fun Fete.

Our latest offer is on Wednesdays where we change batteries in watches for our seniors for only $5.

As jewellers, jewellery is our main area of expertise where we complete repairs and remodels to your beloved items, whether it be as small as a broken chain or as large as a complete remake. We honestly see no job as being too small.

Another one of our services is to purchase any of your broken or unwanted jewellery items in gold or silver. We have a strong belief in protecting our environment & recycling material such as gold & silver plays a big part in that.

Our store stocks a huge variety of jewellery, giftware, handbags and amazing gemstone

lamps. These lamps are made in the traditional leadlighting style with brass stands. They come in many shapes and designs. Our most popular is the sweet turtle side lamp. We have a range of different gemstones to choose from such as, rose quartz, amber, moss agate, ice crystal, amethyst and citrine. Many people believe that these gemstones lamps have relaxing and healing properties.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters and customers so far. The team at Erimus look forward to seeing you in store.

JEWELLERS TO ALL OF OUR ESTEEMED PENSIONERS

Contact us Erimus Jewellers 0448 319 713 10 Main St, Upwey Monday - Friday: 9:30am - 5:00pm Saturday: 9:30am - 2:30pm Sunday: Closed

Get your watch battery changed for only $5 on any Wednesday.

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SHOP LOCAL MONBULK

Jacks rises to occasions Monbulk Bowling Club’s bistro is the prime location for a good meal with family and friends. 304470 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Reduce your power bills We also offer a Solar Service to help local people install solar Farming & Residential

Monbulk Newsagency – Under New Management Have the best seat in the house with a view out over the pitch.

Picture: MONBULK BOWLING CLUB With an end of year jackpot and a week by week knockout, make sure you get down to the bowling club and speak to one of the staff to show off your footy knowledge.

You will find Monbulk Bowling Club at 11 Moores Road, Monbulk (just behind Woolworths) Follow us at Monbulk Bowling Club on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what’s going on and any other communications. For all bookings call 9756 6183

Lottery

Printing

Photocopying

Magazines

Scanning

Faxing

Stationery

Laminating Newspapers

Greeting Cards Ink Cartridges

We also sell •Art gifting items •Books •Pokeman Cards •Chocolates •Cold drinks •Cigarettes

Call in for friendly advice on how we can assist with all your solar needs.

Government incentives available now – (Limited time only)

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Monbulk Bowling Club is the go-to venue for good food and great customer service.

If you have been to the Bowling Club in the recent months you would have noticed the new and improved Jacks Bistro.

With modern and bright renovations, Jacks Bistro is the perfect place to dine in with the family, celebrate that special occasion or just to have a drink with friends.

Jacks Bistro has recently made some slight changes to their menu and have listened to their customers and have brought in more vegetarian options.

Wednesday Night has always been a local favourite offering $19 parmas with chips and salad.

Sundays are great for kids with Kids Eat Free per main meal purchased. You can upgrade the kid’s meal for $4.00 which includes a kids drink, ice cream and an activity pack.

With Easter fast approaching, the bowling club has an Easter Promotion running until 6 April 2023.

Spend $20 or more on Food & Beverages to receive an entry to win a Cadbury Easter Hamper.

There are 13 hampers to be won and this will be drawn at 7pm at the bowling club.

As the footy season rolls around, make sure to sign up to the local favourite footy tipping competition.

It’s just $50 to sign up which includes a free pot of beer each time you submit your tips.

76 Main Road Monbulk | Tel: 9756 6572 I monbulknewsagency@gmail.com

Open from 7.30am

MONBULK BOWLING CLUB

Weekly Specials WEDNESDAY

WED - SUN

PARMA NIGHT

SENIOR SPECIALS

All served with chips & salad

$19.00

$17.50

SUNDAY

EVERYDAY

KIDS EAT FREE

SCHOONERS

With purchase of main meal

Great Northern and Carlton Draught

FREE*

$7.00

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Monbulk Bowling Club 11 Moores Road, Monbulk 9756 6183 | T&C’s apply Open Wed-Sun from 5:30pm 12592288-RR11-23

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 13

NEWS

Shelter is raring to assist

By Tyler Wright A microbat shelter in Olinda has just set nearly 70 grey-headed flying foxes free at Yarra Bend, with the rescue’s operator looking to educate people on the native Australian species.

Fruit tree netting, barbed wire fences are human-driven causes of death for the flying fox, leaving them in the hands of shelter staff including those at Tamsyn Hogarth’s Fly By Night clinic.

In the busy months between October and March, the rescue could assist up to 300 injured flying foxes, with colonies found in Yarra Bend Park and Redwood Forest.

“It can be double that if it’s a really bad weather season for the eucalypt... if we have rain consecutively for weeks that washes the nectar out, and it can cause bats to go to substitute food, that is often human food, so they can go into people’s backyard and get caught in [netting],“ Ms Hogarth said.

“If we have massive hot days, we can get a lot of dead adults that create a lot of orphans.“ The flying fox has shown a decline from a population of 214,750 in November 2005 to 92,880 in November 2014, according to the Australian government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Mostly found in Queensland in winter months, the species - which are Australia’s number one eucalypt pollinators - with a body 23 to 29 centimetres and long and dark grey fur, become more noticeable throughout urban parts of Melbourne as they follow flowering gum.

“They are listed as a threatened species internationally… we’ve lost 30 per cent of the population in the last 30 years, so it’s a huge decrease,” Ms Hogarth said.

“People say ‘how can they be a threatened species? We should have millions’.

“There should be millions pollinating those eucalypts, but we don’t have the eucalypts anymore, and those eucalypts feed the koala.

“If you want your really cute cuddly koalas, you need to protect those other keystone species that do the pollination.”

Ms Hogarth said a common misconception held by residents is that the flying fox is a pest, with people still shooting and bashing the ani-

The grey-headed flying fox is a native Australian species - and the country’s number one pollinator or eucalypts -that is commonly mistaken as a pest.

Pictures: SUPPLIED mals and police often involved in rescues.

“They’re not scary animals. They’re actually quite affectionate, within a 48-hour period they’re totally trusting of you; that’s if you’re being nice and feeding them,“ she said.

“They’re not blind... they have better than 2020 vision... they’ll look right at you and they really take it in.“ Residents are required to use five millimetre by five millimetre netting on their trees according to Victorian regulations introduced in 2021.

“A lot of the nets now are are banned if they’ve got a large aperture, but we’re still seeing bats in netting that are under the net, and they can suffer as well as ones that are entangled,“ Ms Hogarth said.

“Things like amputations are necessary on digits, so Healesville Sanctuary or Melbourne Zoo or even Werribee Zoo will do those procedures because they’re a threatened species, and sometimes if they get hit by a car they need to be checked for X-rays.

“It can take three weeks for those wounds

to come out, so that’s why I keep them inside for a period of time and then they go out to the flight aviary.“ Education is key for residents to help the flying fox population, Ms Hogarth said.

“Next would be ’do you really need to net your fruit tree?’“ “Be aware of wildlife friendly fencing; there are other options.

“Most of the people that do it don’t realise, they’re not doing it intentionally, they’re just unaware.“ She advised residents to call a wildlife rescue group if they find a flying fox in need of assistance.

“Always call for help; don’t try and rescue a flying fox or microbat, because that’s where you might get bitten and things can really escalate from there in terms of fear or worry.“ “They’re wild, they’re petrified, so you want to step back a bit.“ If you are in need of a rescue for a flying fox, you can contact the Fly By Night shelter on 0409 530 541.

Wildlife carers, including Emma Hood from Olinda’s Fly By Night shelter, help rear flying fox pups into adulthood for them to be set free at areas including Yarra Bend Park.

Bacteria detected in Quarry Lake in Ferntree Gully

By Parker Mckenzie Knox City Council has put out a warning over the water quality at Quarry Lake in Ferntree Gully, after a bacteria strain posing a risk to humans and animals was detected during routine testing.

The warning, released on Tuesday 7 March, said routine water testing had detected the Enterococci bacteria.

“Signage has been erected at Quarry Lake Reserve warning visitors not to swim, fish or let their dogs enter the water until further notice,” the council said.

“Enterococci occur naturally in plants, sand, soil and sediments but higher enterococci levels may indicate faecal contamination. Sources could include stormwater runoff, sewage, dog poo or wildlife waste.”

The bacteria can cause a number of infections like urinary tract infections, diverticulitis and meningitis.

“Enterococci are typically not considered harmful to humans. Still, their presence in the water may indicate other disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa which can make swimmers and people who eat fish from the water sick,” the council said.

“If you have experienced any symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramps, fever, respiratory infections, ear infections or skin rashes after swimming in or eating fish from Quarry Lake please seek medical attention.”

Knox City Council is currently investigating the source of the contamination and testing will be conducted daily until the water quality returns to normal levels.

14 MAIL

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

Knox City Council has put out a warning over the water quality at Quarry Lake in Ferntree Gully, after a bacteria strain posing a risk to humans and animals was detected during routine testing.

Picture: KNOX CITY COUNCIL mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Members hooked on group

By Mikayla van Loon Just months after forming, Mount Evelyn based Veterans for Fishing has grown exponentially, reaching people across the state.

But with more veterans, and first responders, on home soil needing help, the focus is on engaging them in a family fun day coming up on Sunday 19 March.

Founder and president of Veterans for Fishing Chris McAleer said by hosting an event at Lillydale Lake, there’s an opportunity for kids and parents to learn together while being introduced to the support services of Mount Evelyn RSL. “We’re putting on our family day as a little bit of an introduction to those people who haven’t come to us yet and we can have a bit of fun, bring the kids in, that’s what we really want to do. We want it to be a family orientated group,” he said.

“We’re going to have our own members wandering around helping anybody out there who wants a hand and we’re there to have a chat with them if they just want to come down and have a chat.”

With so many returned service personnel from Afghanistan, Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble said it is important to offer an external activity to engage with younger veterans.

“We’re very excited to get some younger members into the club and an outdoor activity encourages that,” he said.

“We’re hoping to get some new members but ultimately, the most important thing is that we support this initiative because it’s about veterans’ health and we’re 100 per cent on board.”

Mr McAleer and Mr Crymble said there can often be a stigma around what an RSL club is or looks like, something that doesn’t always appeal to younger veterans.

“It’s great to let these young vets know and even me being a 49-year-old, I’m still considered a young veteran but I know a lot of younger blokes than me and they won’t step into an RSL because they have this in their head that they’re full of old blokes, sitting in a dusty corner,” Mr McAleer said.

“Now we can break that down and we can intermingle them with everyone and get them into the RSL because without the younger members coming in, RSL’s will die.”

Having experienced his own mental health challenges as a veteran, Mr McAleer knows the impact serving in the ADF can have on someone’s mind.

“There were 41 ADF service personnel that were killed in Afghanistan. There’s been at least four or four times who have taken their own lives. Mental health is the biggest threat to ex-serving ADF members.

“There’s all sorts of issues that can come from being a service member. Some people have real issues with the fact they were never deployed so they did 10 years of training on how to go to war, how to be a soldier and then we’re never given the opportunity and it eats them up.”

Although sporadic, Veterans for Fishing

Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble, Veterans for Fishing Chris McAleer, Community Bank chairman John Stroud, Amanda Barkway and Veterans for Fishing secretary Callan Moon were pleased to talk about the success of the initiative.

Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON usually gets out on the water every second week, with Mr McAleer prioritising fishing days as much as possible.

Fishing is the main form of help, promoting mindfulness, but the underlying service has been supporting people in finding financial or medical help they didn’t know they could access.

“It’s not necessarily just the fishing. We’re happy to meet with guys and just have a coffee,” Mr McAleer said.

As people catch on around the state, Mr McAleer said it has garnered interest as far as Phillip Island, Gippsland and Horsham.

“We’re creating a community. Veterans are great at looking out for other veterans. You have something in common, there is that unseen bond you don’t have to have served with each other.”

Eventually Veterans for Fishing would love to see this initiative go statewide to support veterans and their families at all ages.

With a donation of $5000 from the Mount Evelyn Community Bank, as well as community fundraising by Amanda Barkway at the David Road Christmas Lights display, Veterans for Fishing has been able to expand its offering of equipment.

“We went and brought fishing rods for those veterans that don’t have them and a lot don’t.

So we can lend stuff out now,” Mr McAleer.

Coming on board as a sponsor was really

Veterans for Fishing president Chris McAleer and Community Bank chairman John Stroud officially did the hand over of the cheque. a no brainer for Community Bank chairman John Stroud.

“We thought it was great for community wellbeing and now that we’ve seen it’s been very successful, we’re very pleased we’ve been able to help and long term we want to be able to support our vets,” he said.

“It just makes the community a better place to live. These guys are doing work out front but we’re able to provide funding that makes those things happen.”

The Veterans for Fishing family day will begin at 10am, with a sausage sizzle, fishing advice and a casting competition.

‘Eggstravaganza’ comes to Upwey in time for Easter Hills locals can expect an evening of festivities in Upwey on Thursday 30 March, as local traders look to build community spirit after the pandemic.

Arts and crafts, a wandering Easter bunny and a DJ will all be part of the Upwey Twilight Community ‘Eggstravaganza’ festivities on the town’s main street from 5pm to 8pm.

Upwey Myotherapy owner Mat Richardson said Christmas and Halloween events in 2022 have attracted “huge crows” to the area after the pandemic impacted local businesses.

“Everyone’s had a ball, so we figured we would run three events a year, and Easter is one of them,“ Mr Richardson said. mailcommunity.com.au

“We’ll be giving out Easter eggs, we’ll be decorating the main street; a lot of the shops are doing their own things for the kids and the families…there’ll be special meal deals that we’re putting together.”

“We’ve advertised it in all the primary schools...If the last two events are to go by… we pulled quite big crowds and the feedback has been amazing.”

Upwey traders will be holding an ‘Eggstravaganza’ event for the community on Thursday 30 March.

Picture: ON FILE Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 15

OPINION

Chronic pain - a few tips Healthy

living Ben Croxford

Physiotherapist, Leads the team at Form & Practice Mount Evelyn and Olinda ry and can trigger a pain warning when we do something that hurt the last time we did it. Or if we’ve had a problem with a body part before, our system can sensitise itself to that problem with new synapses (connections) in our brain and spinal cord that increase the perceived threat. These new synapses “turn up the volume” of pain sensation, can change our natural movement patterns and make us fearful of us-

Demanding yet satisfying A review of The Masochist by Katja

By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun The Masochist, written by Slovenian poet and essayist Katja Perat and translated into English by Michael Biggins, is recommended to our readers by Ljubljana UNESCO City of Literature. A graduate of Philosophy and Comparative Literature, Perat is recognised as one of the leading poetic voices of her generation in Slovenia. Her debut novel, The Masochist displays the sort of brilliant yet somehow raw ambition that is at once compelling and demanding.

Compelling, because the first-person narrator Nadezhda is an honest and forthright character calling for immediate and undivided attention to her complex and often self-contradictory life. Nadezhda is supposedly a “wild child” abandoned in a winter forest in 1874 and later found and adopted

by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the Austrian writer whom history would remember as the original and most famous masochist.

As we follow Nadezhda’s journey of selfdiscovery – or rather, one of self-administered psychoanalysis of “who she has learned she truly is” as compared to “what she thinks she truly wants to be” – we get a glimpse of the early-20th century upper-class Vienna that was known for luminaries such as Gustav Klimt and his models Adele Bloch-Bauer and Emilie Flöge, Sigmund Freud and even James Joyce.

While Nadezhda deconstructs our longstereotyped perceptions of these historical figures, she also manages to challenge a series of deep-rooted “rules” of female thoughts and behaviours that have long been imposed by both men and women.

Interestingly, it is Nadezhda’s observation of her self-imposed martyrdom under the tyranny of these “rules” that reminds her the most of her adopted father.

As a result, in her disappointing marriage

ed

Publish

y

Tuesda

ing a painful body part.

It’s important to state that all pain is real to the person experiencing it. If a patient tells me they have pain, I believe them. Always. We just need to understand that the causes and drivers of pain are so much more than just the physical injury.

Other things that influence our pain experience include our past experiences, our state of mental health and beliefs/attitudes.

The problem is that we can’t just “turn off” all these pain inputs, especially in chronic pain where the variables and drivers of the pain are so complex. So, what can we do?

Learning to manage your pain is an important step – someone like a physiotherapist can show you ways to self-manage as well as provide some relief through different therapies.

Work with professionals to understand and treat some of the drivers of your pain.

Exercise! This has some of the strongest evidence in helping to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain. Appropriate exercise can build resilience and confidence in your injured joints and decrease sensitivity to pain.

Look after your general health – things like improving your diet and sleep habits can significantly help.

There isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to treating chronic pain, and “quick fixes” never work, despite what someone may say. It takes hard work, but you can beat chronic pain!

Ben Croxford is a Physiotherapist and leads the team at Form & Practice Mt Evelyn, Olinda and Chirnside Park. His writings explore his favourite health topics, challenge common myths and aim to empower you to take control of your own health. Find out more at formandpractice.com.au

LENSCAPE

PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN and disastrous extramarital affair, Nadezhda recognises and embraces the fact that she is as much a hypocrite as those around her.

This gives her peace, as well as freedom from the mysterious loss of her voice – a health crisis that nevertheless allows her to examine her life instead of merely experiencing it.

With that said – and as much as Nadezhda’s narrative is ultimately a rewarding read – The Masochist demands the sort of patient devotion that some readers have cited as a reason why they don’t read translated literature while others thoroughly and unyieldingly enjoys it.

While Biggins’s English translation exhibits a candidness that well reflects Nadezhda’s character – a witty and energetic woman who is not satisfied of being a product of her time and who has worked hard to earn peace with her tumultuous personal development and emotional maturation – it often contains long sentences requiring diligent care to decipher.

It is worth the efforts, though, as in the case of The Masochist the translation assists rather than hinders our understanding of the troubled mind that is Nadezhda. While any individual’s life story cannot and should not be allowed to be easy and entertaining, we are grateful for this opportunity to engage in a faithful exploration of a woman’s heart conditioned as much by her own desire for discipline as for liberation.

Photographer Stewart Chambers got up close to a Female Orchard Swallowtail on a buddleja Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS flower. 321054

Dinosaur movie needs meat 65 Starring Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt Rated M 3.5/5 65 should be a fulfilling monster adventure B-movie, but it’s less exciting than an actionhorror about dinosaurs should be.

Mills (Adam Driver), a spaceship captain, crash-lands on Earth 65 million years in the past.

If Jung_e from last week is a better live-action Ghost in the Shell, then 65 is a better After Earth. Both After Earth and 65 are about crashlanding on a hostile Earth and a perilous journey to a distant means of escape.

But while 65 has an engaging plot, it fails to impress with its action or horror.

Driver plays a stoic hero with dashes of vul-

nerability and humour, and has a touching dynamic with Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), a young survivor from the crash (although Koa’s lack of English is a little tedious). Never boring but not quite thrilling either.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

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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 1660 Burwood Highway Belgrave 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

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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12588986-SN06-23

In the world of healthcare, understanding and treating musculoskeletal chronic pain conditions can be one of the most complex and frustrating tasks for all involved. Around 1 in 5 Australians live with chronic pain and it takes up the majority of my day as a community-based physiotherapist.

I can’t cure chronic pain in a short article, but I can help to highlight some of the things we are learning about chronic pain and what modern science and research evidence says we need to do to manage it better.

Pain is fundamentally a warning system – a very necessary warning system. However, and very importantly, it is not a measure of tissue damage.

We only feel pain when our system perceives there is danger. There are many influences on the ‘perception of danger’ apart from the obvious; for example, our pain system has a memo-

mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Classic plays and twists Kemp’s curtain call Gemco Theatre Much Ado About Nothing

by William Shakespeare.

Season: Friday 17 March, Saturday 18 March and Sunday 19 March.

The themes of love, mistaken identity, sexual jealousy, honour, betrayal and friendship all play a part against the background of the Sicilian countryside.

The war is over. Everyone is having fun, drinking, dancing, flirting and singing are the order of the day as Don Pedro and his entourage come to the estate of Leonato, Governor of Messina. We meet Beatrice, a clever, quick witted woman who is engaged in an endless battle of wits with the noble Benedick. We also meet the young and inexperienced Hero and Claudio. Hero is Leonato’s daughter, Claudio and Benedick are courtiers in the service of Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, a powerful nobleman.

The 1812 Theatre The Shoehorn sonata Season: 23 March – 22 April.

In 1945 Sheila and Bridie were freed from a Japanese POW camp.

Now after half a century of separation, the filming of a TV documentary forces them to relive the past.

Woven into their 50 years of separation are a shoe-horn and the threads of loyalty and love which form their uncommon bond.

· · ·

The 1812 Theatre will be playing the Shoehorn Sonata from late March into April.

Burrinja Theatre Blue Moon Marquee – Live in the Lyre: Festival of folk Season: Thursday 15 March at 8pm in the Lyre Room.

Blue Room Marquee is a thrilling genre-bending ride through American blues, folk, gypsy, jazz and more. The Canadian duo of A. W. Cardinal (vocal, guitar) and Jasmine Colette (vocal, bass/drums) are old souls, but certainly not lacking vigour.

John Smith – Live in the Lyre: Festival of folk Season: Thursday 23 March at 8pm in the Lyre Room.

With his honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerising fingerstyle guitar, John Smith has built a reputation as one of UK’s finest guitarists and songwriters. Steeped in the lineage of British folk, taking his cue from Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of finger style and slide guitar techniques. John’s intimate takes on love, loss and the journey we make has captivated audiences around the globe.

This is Us – Grigoryan Brothers A musical Reflection of Australia Season: Friday 24 March at 7.30pm. Venue: Burrinja Theatre

Picture: ON FILE Acclaimed guitarists Slava and Leonard have created a suite of music inspired by 18 objects personally selected from the National Museum of Australia’s vast collection which traces our diverse and complex history.

This Is Us takes audiences on a journey from the deep past of our indigenous Australians to the making of contemporary Australian society. The compositions are accompanied by high-definition moving projections with various artifacts including an ancient 65,000 year old ochre of the Madjebebe rock shelter. A convict love token, a lifebuoy from Tampa and Sir Donald Bradman’s famed cricket bat.

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 17

PUZZLES No. 124

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

easy

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

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

QUICK CROSSWORD US intelligence agency (1,1,1) Exercises (10) Gauge (7) Winning streak (2,1,4) Elusively (9) Simple (4) Online metropolitan guide (10) Common dog name (4) Subtle emanation (4) Involving an affair (10) Leave out (4) Reflects upon (9) Pensioner (7) Japanese warrior (7) Chutzpah (10) Prompt (3)

1 3 10 11 12 13 15 17 19 20 23 25 27 28 29 30

5 3 2 4 8 1 4 8 9

21 22 24 25 26

Of trade (10) Fine white stone used for statues and vases (9) City in Ohio, US (9)

DECODER

No. 124

5 1 6 7 2 5 2 8 7 9 3

6 4 5 6

7

6 7 8 9 14 16 18

Substance in the tusk of an elephant (5) Representations (6) False gods (5) Old sailor (coll) (4) Obligations (6) Desiring ownership (10) Settler (9) Exercises involving muscular contraction (9) Conundrum (6) Form of sound reproduction (6) Theme (5) Summit (5) Tall plant (4)

DOWN 1 2 4

medium

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ACROSS

No. 124

2 hard

7 3

5

3 4 9 1

7 2 3 5

3

4

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

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V A I K S Z OMH P R E J 19

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Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once.

No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

N

N

Today’s Aim: 11 words: Good 17 words: Very good

I

R

R

T

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

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

A

A

G

anti, arrant, atria, gait, giant, girt, gnat, grant, gratin, grit, intra, NARRATING, rant, ranting, rata, rating, taiga, tang, tarn, tarring, tiara, train, trig

2 8 6 7 3 4 5 1 9 3 4 9 1 5 2 8 7 6 1 5 7 6 9 8 4 2 3 4 2 1 5 8 3 6 9 7 5 6 8 9 1 7 2 3 4 7 9 3 4 2 6 1 5 8 6 3 2 8 7 1 9 4 5 9 7 4 2 6 5 3 8 1 8 1 5 3 4 9 7 6 2 Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

1

9-LETTER WORD

23 words: Excellent

hard

18

medium

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easy

16

4 9

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5 3 8 1

14

6 3 7 5

2

3 LETTERS ALE ARE ASH ATE BED BOA EBB EGG ELK END FBI GOO LIE MEW PAL ROE ROT RPM RYE SKY TNT VIA YEN YOU

DQ X B CWN U F T Y L G

6

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WORDFIT

4 LETTERS ALES BALD BASS BATS FEED HISS HOPE MEAN PASS PEON SASH SAVE SCUM SOON 5 LETTERS ABOVE AGAIN

No. 124

6 & 5 $ 7 & + <

AGENT ALIBI ALLAH ALLOT ATONE BALLS BASTE BESET CABLE CANOE CARTS CHANT EERIE ERRED FALLS GROWL HURTS LEAVE LLAMA LOVES LOWED LYRES

NOVEL OBOES OCTAL OPALS POETS PRONG PROWL RATES RESET RESIN SANER SEARS SEEDS SHEDS SHOVE SKITE SPICY STEWS STINK SWISH THOSE TREAD

ULTRA VENTS WHERE YEARN 6 LETTERS BEHALF ENTREE REIGNS STEREO

7 LETTERS EYESORE HOLSTER INTERNS NONSTOP OYSTERS PONTOON 8 LETTERS CORRODES ENTWINES SCRATCHY SMOOTHER

& $ 5 7 6 6 $ 1 ( 5 6 ( $ 5 6 $ * ( 1 7 $ 7 2 1 ( $ / / $ + % $ 6 7 ( 9 ( 1 7 6 6 . , 7 ( / , ( 5 < ( 6 : , 6 + % ( ' 6 7 , 1 . + , 6 6 ( 1 7 5 ( ( 3 2 1 7 2 2 1 < 2 8 6 & 8 0 + 2 3 ( 3 5 2: / 3 $ / 3 ( 2 1 6 & 5 $ 7 & + < , 1 7 ( 5 1 6 + 2 / 6 7 ( 5 & 2 5 5 2 ' ( 6 % $ 7 6 $ 5 ( 0 ( $ 1 $ / ( 6 < ( $ 5 1 ( * * 2 < 6 7 ( 5 6 % $ / ' 2 % 2 ( 6 % ( + $ / ) $ / ( 3 2 ( 7 6 ) % , % 2 $ 6 + 2 9 ( * 5 2: / / / $ 0 $ / 2 9 ( 6 ( ( 5 , ( 1 2 9 ( / 6 7 ( : 6 7 5 ( $ ' 6 ( ( ' 6

SUDOKU

17-03-23

William Matthews Funerals 24 HOUR SERVICE - ALL AREAS

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

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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BESPOKE FAMILY HOME WITH BRILLIANT STUDIO THIS versatile family dwelling wrapped in cottage gardens with single carport, hen house, and tree house for the kids affords new owners a unique and enticing lifestyle.

Positioned steps from Puffing Billy and thriving Belgrave township, this stunning home and “Hillside Guesthouse” are a rare opportunity in the right locale.

If style is at the forefront of your wish list, this property is guaranteed to impress.

Thoughtfully updated and curated to offer a bespoke aesthetic, this home is rich with character and comfort. The lounge with vaulted ceilings, ornate cornice, and warm wood fire is overlooked by the gourmet kitchen with Belling cooker, farmhouse sink, and generous breakfast bar for family to congregate at while you cook. For a formal touch, the dining room with kookaburra leadlight accent window and French doors is a lovely space to entertain.

Along the corridor with original fluted glass door, polished timber floors, and custom pendant lighting, 3 beautiful bedrooms await. The central bathroom boasts stylish tumbled subway tiles. The second bathroom offers a retreat feel with Spanish floor to ceiling tiles, rain shower, massage shower head, antique vanity, dual sinks, and an exquisite freestanding tub.

Furthermore, growing families and those

seeking a potential Airbnb income will be enamoured with the separate studio.

Equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom, and covered deck, this space will evolve with your family through the years.

This prestige property suits houseproud buyers seeking a beautiful residence with bonus space merely moments from town.

Enviable in every way, this property is truly memorable. Plan your viewing today.

1,049sqm (approx.) property in prime position steps from Belgrave Station, Puffing Billy, world-class walking trails, and the thriving local cafe Beautiful family residence with bespoke designer features throughout Lounge with vaulted ceilings, timber floors, and warm wood fire Gourmet kitchen with Belling cooker, farmhouse sink, and breakfast bar Versatile separately metered bonus studio with kitchenette, bathroom, deck Please note: All information provided has been obtained from sources believed to be accurate, however, we cannot guarantee the information is accurate. Interested parties should make their own enquiries & obtain their own legal advice. We accept no liability for any errors or omissions (including but not limited to a property’s land size, floor plans, size, building age or condition). ●

· · · · ·

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 4 Old Monbulk Road, BELGRAVE Description: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 garage Price: $850,000 to $925,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Suzie Brannelly 0490 506 910, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE

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

Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 19

HOME FOCUS

PROPERTY ‘MARIPOSA’ – CIRCA 1940 THIS grand old home in a highly regarded pocket of the Dandenong Ranges tells a story of days gone by, it was the elegant country home of the American Ambassador.

He must have enjoyed the drive on the winding roads, the lush ferns, and tall trees, get away from the city, ready to unwind.

Sitting on the veranda with an iced tea and relax, looking out over the countryside.

The next connection for ‘Mariposa’ has been a long established one, since 1956 it has been owned by generations of the same family that loved living here. The peace and quiet, the ever changing, breath-taking views across the valley and Warburton Ranges.

They have especially enjoyed the visiting wildlife and birds.

The torch is now being passed to a new person to take ‘Mariposa’ to the next level.

The home, with stunning period features throughout requires extensive renovation

and presents as wonderful ‘blank canvas’ for a passionate restorer, those looking to reinvigorate this home. High ceilings, ornate ceilings and cornice, picture rails, hardwood floors and sash windows throughout. A location and view that cannot be replicated.

Set amongst nearly two acres of beautiful gardens, around 1 acre is flat, the residence currently offers 4 bedrooms, separate living spaces, a dining room and sunroom, kitchen, and bathroom.

Also, a verandah, screened in porch, the old servants’ quarters are now an office and there is a garage.

Kallista is a fabulous place to live, as mentioned its peaceful, you live near the National Park with great walking trails. The local primary school is popular with the locals, you can ease into the cafe culture and community. You are minutes to CBD rail connections, shops, and sporting clubs. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 2 Locarno Avenue, KALLISTA Description: 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 garage Price: $1,350,000 - $1,450,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522 and Janet Hawkins 0409 117 432, RANGES FIRST NATIONAL - 9754 6111

COUNTRY ESCAPE ON 24 ACRES YOU will find country charm and classic farmhouse elements in the 1950s home perched at the top of the hill enjoying a magnificent north and westerly outlook with stunning sunsets and views over your 24 acres of rolling hillsides, surrounding bushland and beyond.

The home consists of 3 or 4 bedrooms, an open plan living area including large lounge with a wood heater, central kitchen and separate meals area and windows highlighting the views beyond. There is a central bathroom as well as a second almost complete bathroom. The home has been recently painted and newly carpeted.

The property could accommodate horses, sheep or cattle or other animals if you desire

with 5 paddocks. There is a magnificent 3 bay barn with attached side carport along with additional undercover storage and 2 shipping containers. The land is beautiful with it being mostly cleared except for trees along the creek lines.

Great for those that want to escape the rat race, the home has the potential of being ‘offgrid,’ with tank water, bottled gas, and septic tank. All you need to do is add solar, and you will have yourself an off-grid set-up. All this located within an hour of Melbourne and under 15 minutes from all the major facilities of Pakenham and the Pakenham bypass.

You will not want to miss an opportunity for a country retreat, and the potential for the home and land are endless! ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 120 Mann Road Court, PAKENHAM UPPER Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 garage Price: $1,200,000 - $1,320,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522 and Janet Hawkins 0409 117 432, RANGES FIRST NATIONAL - 9754 6111 20 MAIL

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Ranges

Thanks, Belgrave, for the warm welcome to the main street!

If you are in town, pop by!

YOUR OWN PRIVATE GARDEN HIDE AWAY

BELgrAVE 85 KAOlA STREET IDEAL CONVENIENT LOCATION

We put you first

$665,000-$695,000 3A 1B

Enter the market at an affordable level with one of the ever popular western red cedar homes. No, you can’t be seen from the road as the home has a rambling and very full 983 sqm garden. Freshly painted & renovated throughout the 3 bedrooms, massive windows allow ample light to enter the open-plan living, DG heating & all services connected and on the high side of a fully made road to capture the tranquil aspect. With the bus at the end of the street and the Belgrave train and the town centre is just 1 km away.

grant Skipsey 0418 528 102

GREAT lOCATION & USABlE 1103SQM BlOCK

USEABlE ¼ ACRE AllOTMENT

UPWEY 131 OlD BElGRAVE ROAD WALKINg DISTANCE TO UPWEY CENTrAL!

AVONSLEIgh 19 WRIGHT ROAD 4 BEDrOOMS PLUS A STUDY

$795,000-$870,000 4A 1B

Very appealing open plan home within easy walking distance to Upwey central, train station, bus stop & schools. Featuring BIR’s in all bedrooms, master with an attic ladder to large roof storage, two toilets, freshly painted throughout, leadlight feature windows, timber floorboards to the living areas & new carpet in the bedrooms, new GDH, evaporative cooling, solar panels returning to the grid, large entertaining deck, an abundance of established trees & citrus trees & under home usable shed/storage room.

Jan Brewster 0409 558 805

9754 6111

rangesfn.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

$795,000-$865,000 4A 2B 1C

This home features a fabulous renovated ensuite and a great study (home office/ playroom) The living space consists of an updated white and timber kitchen with 900mm oven/gas hotplates and a dishwasher, adjoining dining area and a lounge room with a wood fire. The property has a circular driveway, with carport access, a fenced flattish backyard and a rear deck. There are 3 split systems & ducted heating. Only minutes to Emerald Township, schools and walk into town on the trail and explore Wright Forest.

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

‘We Put You First’

Janet hawkins 0409 117 432

1660 Burwood Highway, Belgrave Shop 2/24 McBride St, Cockatoo Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 21

HOME FOCUS

FAIRYTALE HOME WITH AMAZING VIEWS THIS gorgeous two storey family home situated on approx. 8 acres, with bay windows, slate flooring, and reclaimed timber interior is a must to see! Only moments from Cockatoo and Emerald and an easy drive to Pakenham, this home is well located for all conveniences.

The ground floor offers open plan living with the kitchen, dining, and lounge room enjoying floor to ceiling glass windows and a large wood fire to keep you cosy. The lounge room also has an 8.5kW split system air conditioner. There is a downstairs toilet and a large laundry with separate door to outside and lots of storage.

Wind your way up the spiral staircase to discover three large bedrooms, all with bay windows and vaulted ceilings.

The master bedroom is spacious with an ensuite, and walk in wardrobe and it’s own 3.5kW split system air conditioner. There is a study nook, storage area and then a separate toilet and family bathroom with bath and shower. The second bedroom has outstanding views, and the third bedroom has a walk in wardrobe.

This home is on mains electricity, septic system, and has approx. 90,000L water storage over 3 water tanks. There is a 5kW Solar system with 6.5kW battery back-up, a Starlink Satellite Dish and an NBN Satellite Dish. The exterior of the home was painted in January 2021 and the oven is new in 2023.

This property has it all so don’t miss out - call to arrange a private inspection today.

Call Bethany Day on 0438 844 968 or Aaron Day 0407 365 994.

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: 309 Paternoster Road, COCKATOO Description: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garage Price: $1,200,000 - $1,300,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Bethany Day 0438 844 968, BELL REAL ESTATE EMERALD 22 MAIL

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P 5968 6222 311-313 Main Street Emerald

6 Azalea Crescent, Emerald

$930,000 - $1,020,000

121 Matters Road, Pakenham Upper

$1,200,000 - $1,300,000

Enjoy Privacy, Views and Direct Access to Wrights Forest!

Inspiring and beautiful architectural home in private yet convenient setting!

This fantastic 4/5 bedroom family home situated on approx. ¾ of an acre, enjoys uninterrupted views into the Wrights Forest. A bitumen driveway leads to the home, where you can relax & unwind on the front verandah, before entering the single-storey home. The master bedroom is located at one end of the home with a BIR & ensuite. Then the living is open plan in the centre of the home with kitchen, dining room & two living areas. The kitchen offers stainless steel dishwasher, gas stove top & electric oven, rangehood & a split system air conditioner in the dining area. At the other end of the lovely home are a further 3 bedrooms all with BIRs, a laundry, family bathroom, & a separate toilet.

Externally, there is a rear deck & a home office/hobby room. There is also a great double shed with concrete floor and power, plus workshop area.

This stunning home on approximately 20 acres, offers a unique design. With 3 generous bedrooms, all with BIRs & 2 bathrooms, close to both Emerald, Cockatoo & Pakenham. Both bathrooms are updated, with a fantastic double vanity with the master bedroom & both featuring walk in showers.

The open plan kitchen, living, dining room is a must to see! With high vaulted ceilings, & exposed timber supports. The floor to ceiling glass gives an unobstructed view out to your own natural bush.

Relax by the woodfire, sit out on the balcony & watch the wildlife meander through your block, or visit your very own creek! This home is very well insulated keeping you warm in winter & cool in summer. Externally there is a double carport next to the home, & then a large double garage with concrete floor & power, workshop area & a lean too off the garage.

Samantha Scott M 0438 680 032

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

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309 Paternoster Road, Cockatoo

A

2

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

B 4 C

$1,200,000 - $1,300,000

3

8 Carawa Street, Cockatoo

A

2

B 4 C

$950,000 - $1,040,000

Fairytale home with amazing views!

Stylish, low maintenance and move in ready, with space to park your caravan!

Two storey home on approx. 8 acres, with bay windows, slate flooring, & reclaimed timber interior.

The ground floor offers open plan living with the kitchen, dining, & lounge room enjoying floor to ceiling glass windows & a large wood fire. The lounge room has a split system AC. There is a downstairs toilet & a large laundry. The spiral staircase leads to 3 large bedrooms all with bay windows & vaulted ceilings. The master bedroom has an ensuite, WIR, & split system AC. There is a study nook, storage area & a toilet & family bathroom. There is a double shed, & a DLUG. The land is divided into 3 paddocks and then a natural bush area, with water to all paddocks & shelter sheds in 2 of the 3 paddocks. With mains electricity, septic system, & approx. 90,000L water storage. There is a 5kW Solar system with 6.5kW battery back-up, a Starlink & a NBN Satellite Dish.

With a concrete driveway, OSP, DLUG, & a second driveway for access to the rear yard. This home exudes comfort & low maintenance living, with two lounge rooms, & tiled floors in walkways, carpeted lounge room & bedrooms, evaporate cooling, instantaneous gas hot water, & ducted gas heating. The master bedroom has a WIR & ensuite. The kitchen has stone benchtops & stainless steel appliances, including an electric oven, gas stove top, dishwasher & range hood, & a walk in pantry. The kitchen is open plan with the lounge room giving views to the landscaped & fully fenced backyard. There is a study, & a further 4 bedrooms towards the rear of the home, all with BIRs. Externally, there is a paved entertaining area & grassed backyard, 10,000L water tank, garden shed, & a sizeable solar unit set up, & a DLUG with a built in bar and wood fire.

Bethany Day M 0438 844 968

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

3

A

2

B 2 C

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

5

A

2

B 2 C

bellrealestate.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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MAIL 23

HOME FOCUS

ENJOY A 37-ACRE LIFESTYLE DREAM WITHIN a comfortable, scenic drive from Emerald, Monbulk or Lilydale and only a 10 minute drive to Seville shopping precinct, this magical 37 acre property is a complete lifestyle dream and has been renovated and rejuvenated by its current owners to an exceptional standard both inside and out.

Boasting sweeping, wide views over the nearby ranges and with an ever changing skyline, the sunsets, sunrises, birdlife and peacefulness are just the start of the many reasons why this property is pure perfection.

The three bedroom home is tastefully updated and styled throughout and whilst being modest in size, provides an open floorplan with an abundance of natural light and stunning scenery through every window.

The modern kitchen contains induction cooking, wide benchtops and oversized island bench whilst heating is by way of split system heating/cooling and a charming wood heater.

From the large, undercover decking, you are surrounded by rolling green lawns, raised vegetable gardens and eight well fenced, open grazing paddocks with water access. For horse lovers, a 22m round yard, 4 shelters, stables (4 stables and 4 that have been converted to office, workshop, studio etc) plus a holding yard have all been carefully erected for ease and convenience.

A large machinery shed with power plus 120,000 litres of water, secure dog yard around the house and a long, beautiful circular drive with an abundance of parking complete this perfect picture.

Watch the occasional Platypus swim by McCrae Creek that runs along the bottom boundary and enjoy the sustainable lifestyle this property provides. Close to Kurth Kiln State Forest where you can ride, bike or trek until your heart’s content, this nature lovers paradise is ready and waiting for you to explore and enjoy. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 325 Beenak Road, YELLINGBO Description: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 8 garage Price: $1,400,000 - $1,540,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Sharyn Chandler 0439 882 442, CHANDLER & CO REAL 24 MAIL

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Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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Real Estate you can trust!

We ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p FOR SALE

82 Kaola Street, BELGRAVE STYLISH HOME CENTRAL TO BELGRAVE TOWNSHIP

$730,000 - $770,000 3A1B1C

FOR SALE

34 One Tree Hill Road, FERNY CREEK

$880,000 - $960,000

1960’S FAMILY FAVOURITE IN PERFECT HILLS ADDRESS

3A1B3C

This residence seamlessly blends period highlights, picturesque outlooks, and premium comfort to create a warm and welcoming family home. Situated central to all that this lifestyle location has on offer including bustling Belgrave township’s train station, cafes, restaurants, cinema, and shopping, a new way of life awaits new owners here.

Like a rare gem that is hard to find, this precious 1960’s brick veneer home sits in a sought after location and offers a large, sun filled 1822m2 block where children can play and families can grow. With three bedrooms and options for a fourth with little effort, plus a beautifully updated main bathroom, the versatile layout of this floorplan will impress.

Suzie Brannelly

Sharyn Chandler

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

M 0439882442 | E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

FOR SALE

$450,000 - $495,000

4/6 Pleasant Road, FERNTREE GULLY

PRIME POSITION WITH SWEEPING CITY VIEWS

2A1B1C

With options to start out, scale down, or supplement your property portfolio, this neatly presented unit promises to make any new homeowners proud. With sweeping views straight through to the sparkling city lights, this unit is truly something special.

Sam Adamson

Daniel Steen

M 0421 023 760 | E sam@chandlerandco.com.au

M 0434 979 142 | E daniel@chandlerandco.com.au

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

Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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networkclassifieds.com.au Trades & Services V Trades Business Profile

Hot Winter Specials Pensioner Discounts

0418 327 737

12415450-FA15-19

V Bathroom & Kitchens

Speak to our classified team and find out how easy it is to advertise. Start building your brand today and be seen every week in Network Classifieds Trades and Services.

BELGRAVE TREE SERVICES

9754 6686

Phone Mike 0419 887 499 www.mjbathroomrenovations.com.au

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Find work locally in the

“I advertise in the Mail since I like working locally” -Darren

A.G & E. WILLIAMS

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

Alan 5968 5191 Mob 0418 176 159

Call 1300 666 808

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- Regraveling & Concrete - Site Cuts - Retaining Walls - Footings/Holes Augered - Horse Arenas

Phone Steve Ph: 5968 2508 Mobile: 0417 723 745

CARPENTER Call Joseph - 0420 422 263

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Find it in the

General section of Network Classifieds.

5 SHERIFF ROAD, EMERALD ฀ ฀ ฀

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CALL GREG 0438 683 141 OR REGAN 0439 208 693.

CALL AFTER HOURS 5968 3140

V Fencing & Gates

General Notices section of Network Classifieds.

V Roofing

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

Free Quotes

0408 901 088 12562316-SN32-22

12436017-SN51-19

24 HOUR SERVICE ฀ ฀

Plumbing Contractor Reg No. 15348

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

12570815-AV40-22

V Carpenters

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5968 3334 or 0408 335 077 IAN WOODHOUSE

EARTHWORKS

1178985-CG14-15

12556141-NG26-22

CONTACT LAURENCE 0418 310 629

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Richard - 0419 502 949 Simon - 0417 399 750

• Excavator 5 Tonne and 15 Tonne • Bobcat Hire • Tip Truck Hire • All Types of Excavation Work • Holes Augered • Site Cuts • Driveways • Blocks Levelled and Shaped • Retaining Walls • Trenching • Free Quotes • No Jobs Too Big or Too Small

V Electricians

J.L. Hutt Electrical

Specialising in bathrooms, decking and pergolas and general home repairs.

S&V RELIABLE EARTHWORKS

CALL FRANK: 0419 894 596

BUILDER/CARPENTER Multi skilled Husband on call 40+ years experience

12551917-SG22-22

DRIVEWAYS

12438941-CG04-20

Qualified Carpenter / Builder • Carpentry & Maintenance • Tiling • Plastering Call Steve 0417 192 009

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Plumbing & Gas Fitting, Excavator Hire, Water Renewals, Metal Roof & Gutters, Hot Water Unit Repair & Replacement, All Sanitary & Stormwater Drainage, Septic, Sewer & Treatment Plants, Pumps & Rain Water Tanks.

V Excavators

Field-Shop PL Specialising In: 12586335-JC03-23

Small Job Specialist

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FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS.

1003429-PJ6-12

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12426288-LB38-19

V Builders & Building Services

12541588-SN12-22

V Plumbing

Employment section of Network Classifieds.

www.fairbairns.com.au

1170652-HM05-15

Email: daniel@topcatdriveways.com.au Visit our website at: www.topcatdriveways.com.au

9870 7059

REC 17042 PIC 38148 AU 06212

C1024520-KG18-12

Daniel Brown Mobile: 0409 395 635

From plumbers to pest control, carpet cleaning to building services, dry cleaning to computer repairs, lawn mowing and more, Network Classifieds has been connecting local businesses with the local community with our Trades and Services each week.

C683684-SJ2-9

REPLACE IT WITH ASPHALT! IT WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN!

TRADES & SERVICES

12424506-ACM33-19

• RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL DRIVEWAY WASHED OUT?

COMPLETE OR PARTIAL BATHROOM RENOVATIONS 20 Years’ Experience in all facets of the building trade RELIABLE TRADESMAN

• Brivis Gas Ducted Heaters • Daikin & Rinnai Splits • Installs - Service - Repairs • Duct inspections & Repairs

Grow your business with

5968 8493 melbourne.asphalt@bigpond.com C1039154-JM27-12

EST. 1987 All work guaranteed

12395220-HM32-18

• Driveways • Car Parks • Pathways, Tennis Courts, Draining, School Yards, Machine or Hand Laid Asphalt Repairs • Commercial & Domestic • Free Quotes • Timber & Brick Edging

V Heating

12518757-DL44-21

V Asphalting

Leak detection & repair Rebeding & Pointing High Pressure cleaning

Solar Skylights Skylight resealing Pensioner discount

Call Chris 0412 099 142 24 years in roofing leaks

12454729-SG29-20

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Trades & Services

Employment V Upholsterers

12382862-RA13-18

Specialist in Gutter Cleaning / i`ÊÀ vÊÀi«> ÀÃÊEÊ i> ÃÊUÊ,i i`ÊEÊ* ÌÊ vÊ, và 25 Yrs Experience Call Matt for a free quote

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Paul 0418 570 231

12402861-RA44-18

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paulnobes@live.com.au

Lic. 25035

Specialising in Antique Restoration Recovery & Repairs to all types of furniture

V Rubbish Removal

FREE FABRIC PROTECTION *FREE QUOTE, PICK UP & DELIVERY Luke Wilson Mob: 0402 020 554 Ph: 03 5964 2166 12378576-DJ07-18

V Adult Services

V Massage Therapists

30 MIN FUN TIME "Visit You". Mature, blonde, D-cup. Monday-Saturday, 9am - 8pm. Call Yvonne on 0491 609 933.

SWA10119XE

ESCORTS R US

Rubbish Removal & Demolition 12507097-BL33-21

• Shed Removals • Soil & Concrete Removal • Free Quotes • Fully Insured • Family-Owned Business

Andrew 0408 242 015 | Chloe 0448 393 959 www.southerncrossrr.com.au

ADVERTISERS in this section are qualified practitioners and offer nonsexual services.

V Pets & Services ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE

Ladies Welcome.

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

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

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

Mention this ad for $10 discount New Ladies from 5pm www.escortsrus.com.au

9775 3210 swa224c

12423634-SN31-19

• Rubbish Removal • Green Waste Removal • House Clean Outs • Backyard Clean-ups • Demolition Strip Outs

• 2 part time/1 combined role

General Classifieds

The Re-Roof Man All types of Roofs

V Positions Vacant

12577486-AV46-22

V Tree Lopping/Surgery

CALL US ON 0458 735 250

• Positively impact the local community • Attractive hours and hybrid work

The Cardinia Foundation was established in 2004 with the vision of building strong, healthy and diverse communities. In partnership with the Cardinia Shire Council, the Foundation primarily supports local NFP groups in the provision of Grants including older persons, disability, disadvantaged, youth, arts, environment and men’s health across the Cardinia Shire region.

Fundraising Manager

Executive Officer

Reporting to the Chair, the Fundraising Manager is a highly influential role and will be the face of the organisation.

The appointee will create comprehensive campaigns, build social media and brand awareness across the community.

Reporting to the Chair and working closely with the Fundraising Manager, the Executive Officer will provide administrative and financial stewardship, risk and governance advice, and secretariat service to the Board.

The aim is to generate revenue and a significant corpus through liaising with key stakeholders and leveraging strategic partnerships to produce sustainable philanthropic contributions for the community.

Responsibilities include policy and procedure compliance, IT and database systems, general administration, regular reporting and advising on Foundation outcomes and revenue generating activities.

If you are interested either of these exciting roles, please contact Peter Dakin on 0408 330 046 for a confidential discussion, visit our website www.dakinpartners.com.au/job board for the full job advert and to apply.

12592729-ET09-23

V Roofing

12543759-AI14-22

Announcements V Deaths

Employment

ATKINSON, Peter

DAWSONS • LARGE TREE SPECIALISTS • HEDGE TRIMMING EXPERTS • STUMP GRINDING • MULCH AVAILABLE • CONSULTING ARBORIST

12496966-LB23-21

TREE SERVICES

• No Fuss • No Mess • No Stress

Passed away peacefully in the caring attendance of Lyn and Russ.

Loving husband of almost forty years of Wilma (dec.), survived by their daughters and partners, Janine, Lyn and Russell, Carol and Mick, and James; by grandchildren and great grandchildren, Erin and Darren and Lara; Ben and Kate and Matilda, Heidi and Bowie; Sam and Mandy and Jack and Maddi; Andrew and Carly and Tyler and Mason; Duncan and Tracey; Stuart and Rosalind.

A long life, well-lived, dearly loved by us and respected by all fortunate to know him.

12593977-MS11-23

☎ 9720 5111

Place your

DIN TREE SERVICE WA•N TREES PRUNED, LOPPED, FELLED

Announcement Notice

30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE

AND REMOVED • WOODCHIPPING AND STUMPGRINDING • QUALIFIED ARBORIST FREE • PROMPT RELIABLE SERVICE QUOTES • EXCELLENT RATES

12499475-CG25-21

FULLY INSURED

Real Estate

BELGRAVE

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V Wanted To Rent

9754 6686

WANTED TO RENT KALISTA 1-2 bedroom cottage close to Perrins Creek Road Kalista. From 1st February 2024 for 6 months. Please phone Chrissie 0428 293 037

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Mountain Views Star Mail

Ranges Trader Star Mail

12395220-HM32-18

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0473 326 333

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with us.

Real Estate

V Professional

OP SHOP MANAGER • 30 hours per week • Emerald VIC location • Competitive salary with fringe benefits Fernlea Community Care provides centre-based day respite and in-home care for people with life limiting illness, chronic conditions, and dementia, across the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Our op shop ‘Fernlea Shop of Opportunities’ helps to raise awareness and funds for our work. We are seeking a passionate and committed Op Shop Manager to work in our shop in Emerald, Victoria To be considered for this role, you must have: • Experience in retail and/or sales environment, especially previous experience in an op shop • Experience in rostering and workforce management - experience managing volunteer will be highly regarded • Strong planning and organisational skills • Demonstrated commitment to customer service • Excellent communication and ‘people’ skills • Practical knowledge of Microsoft suite of products and social media platforms including Facebook This is a rewarding role for the right person and offers the chance to work for an organisation that makes a real difference. The position description is available at our website www.fernlea.com.au/workwithus and you can call 03-5968 6639 or email admin@fernlea.com.au if you have any questions or need more information.

Send your application, including your CV and a covering letter addressing the selection criteria to jobs@fernlea.com.au Applications close on Sunday 19th March 2023

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

Motoring V Auto Services/ Repair

OCR

Old Cars Removed WE PAY YOU 12593349-AP10-23

$20 MILLION INSURANCE

section of Network Classifieds.

19.01.1930 – 02.03.2023

$$$ For Any Old Car TODAY

0425 702 776 12589182-FC06-23

LMCT 10227

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• After your advertisement has run for 13 weeks you must call us each fortnight to renew it for a further 2 week period AND reduce the price of your item by a minimum 5% for items in the “For Sale” section or 3% for items in the “Motoring” section. This process may continue until you have sold your item. If we do not hear from you we will assume you have sold your item and your advertisement will not appear.

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MAIL 27

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MAIL 29

SPORT

Club keen for new team

By Parker Mckenzie Belgrave Football Netball Club is looking to fill out its women’s football team before the season kicks off in mid-April, and is looking for potential players to join the communityfocused club.

President Julian Scholl said due to work and family commitments, a few players from last season’s conference 2 grand finalist team have left and opened up spots for new players.

“The general consensus at the moment with the expansion of women’s football, it’s getting harder and harder to recruit players,” he said.

“We are looking for anyone who is going to enjoy having a game on the weekend and getting to know the sport. A club is a place for people to develop, whether it’s from scratch or from a skill base.”

The club plays and trains at Belgrave Recreational Reserve, and finished fifth out of nine teams, topping conference 2 before losing narrowly losing to Monbulk in the grand final.

Team coach Rob Morris said the club was looking to pick up seven or eight players to ensure there is cover for potential injuries and other commitments within the team.

“As a coach, I take that role as being a teaching role, so you don’t have to have years of experience,” he said.

“As long as they are willing to learn, come to training and do the best they can, then any skill level can be worked with.”

He said the club has a good culture and family atmosphere for players, coaches and volunteers.

“I was coaching at another club and Julian told me there was the opportunity to coach the women’s team and I thought I’ve never coached women before, I’ll give it a go,” Mr Morris said.

Belgrave Football Netball Club is looking to fill out its women’s football team before the season kicks off in mid-April.

Picture: BELGRAVE FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB “The ladies I’m coaching at the moment range from 16 or 17 to early 30s, there’s a good span in age there. They’re all a cracking bunch of women who want to come to training and learn.”

The women’s season begins on Saturday 15 March and the club has organised two pre-season practice matches throughout March.

If you’re interested in joining the women’s football team or would like to find out more

information, you can contact women’s coach Rob Morris on 0422 807 282, or simply turn up to training at Belgrave Recreation Reserve, Reserve Road, Belgrave, at 6:30pm on Mondays.

Women go from strength to strength at St Johns

By Parker Mckenzie Women’s cricket continues to grow at St Johns Tecoma Cricket Club, after a successful season for both its senior women’s and junior girl’s teams.

The u15 girl’s team, which competes in the Ringwood District Cricket Association Girls Stage 2 Stars, topped the ladder after an undefeated season with thirteen wins and three draws.

In the grand final on Sunday 5 March, St Johns Tecoma won by two runs against fellow hills club South Belgrave to cap off a fine season.

Team coach Elaine Kos, who also captains the senior women’s team, said the younger players have stepped up under the guidance of the senior players.

“We all trained together. We were very big on developing each other by training as a whole squad,” she said.

“It’s just been phenomenal with how much everyone has jumped on board to help out the ladies and getting the juniors going.”

Several players from the u15s team also play in the women’s team, who finished second on the ladder in the RDCA women’s A grade competition and made the grand final.

St Johns Tecoma Hall of Famer Dean Palandri said the girl’s team has been playing competitive cricket at the club for around four years.

“They’re all fairly young and vary in age.

When they first started, some of the girls were as young as seven or eight,” he said.

“Playing competitively, they now vary in age from 13 to 16 after coming through junior programs.”

Palandri coached the junior team up until this season because of his long-term involvement with St John’s Tecoma Cricket Club and his daughter playing in the team.

He said as soon as he found out the club was going to put a girls’ team together, he put 30 MAIL

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The u15 girls celebrating their grand final victory. his hand up straight away.

“They’re great learners and listeners, they put everything into place. They’re like sponges,” he said.

“The season has gone a lot better than expected. I stepped aside as coach because of my own work commitments, but helped out during the week with training.”

In the women’s and girls’ teams, there are three pairs of mothers and daughters which Kos believes contributes to the family-friend-

Picture: SUPPLIED ly atmosphere at the club.

She said the senior women’s team was restarted two years ago after more than a decade of being inactive after a nearby women’s team folded.

“I got a call from our president who asked how I would feel about getting a ladies’ team together because Upper Gully folded,” Kos said.

“We started off with three players and then made phone calls. I got my daughter

who’s never played cricket before and Dean’s daughter just to field a team.”

After assembling a team and finishing last in the 2021/2022 season, the senior women finished second on the ladder with five junior players appearing for the senior side.

Ms Kos said the results on the field are because of the “club effort” to support women’s cricket.

“It’s been building and developing the younger girls, giving them the opportunity to play,” she said.

“We’ve worked as a team, not just as a squad, and it’s done a lot for the girls’ and ladies’ cricket.”

The club is hoping to continue expanding female representation at the club with a second senior team next season.

Palandri said a testament to the club’s success is creating pathways for its players to continue developing their cricket through representative sides.

“One of our current girls is playing for Ringwood Rams in their third eleven and played a couple of games in their second eleven,” he said.

“We’ve got another girl who is looking to progress on from under 15s this year to the Ringwood Rams next season, which has been an exciting time for the club.”

He said beyond the pathway for players, the club also creates lifelong friendships.

“A lot of these girls will be playing cricket into the future for a long time based on those relationships,“ Palandri said.

“It was an absolute thrill to be front and centre and watch it unfold each week this season.”

“If you have a daughter aged between 10 and 16 interested in playing cricket in a fun, family environment next season, please contact our Junior Co-ordinator Kristen Elder on 0404 029 381 or kee35@hotmail.com“ mailcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Title to club after 20 years

By Tyler Wright The Cockatoo & District Bowls club have become champions after a year of adversity, taking out the grand final in section six of division seven in the Melbourne Metropolitan Saturday pennant season.

It’s the first time the club has won a final in over 20 years.

Cockatoo & District Bowls Club president Marin Cattanach said there was “quite a few tears” after the win at Glen Waverley.

“Everyone was just ecstatic. Absolutely estatic. We were hugging and kissing everyone,” Cattanach said.

Decimated after Covid with only 10 registered players at the start of the season, and with 16 players required to field a Saturday weekend pennant team, the Cockatoo Bowls Club was approached by the Monbulk Bowls Club with a proposal to field a combined team for the Melbourne Metro Saturday Pennant season.

After a shaky start, players were able to get into a rhythm and come back strong despite a two-shot semi final loss to Lilydale 4; the “biggest low“ of the season for the club.

“We’ve had three or four first year bowlers bowling with us,“ Cattanach said.

“At the start of the season we weren’t doing too good until we mixed the teams up, and

Cockatoo & District Bowls Club had its first grand final win in over 20 years on Sunday 5 March. found out where we were going and then we just went ahead in leaps and bounds.“ Teeing up against Yarra Glen, the Cockatoo and Monbulk players had to fight to get into the section grand dinal; and did so by securing 102 shots to their opponent’s 60.

Against Lilydale 4, Cockatoo and Monbulk prevailed to win the section Grand Final; 101 shots to 65.

But that was not the end to the determined club’s success, with players moving into the divisional finals; playing off against Melbourne

Picture: SUPPLIED

Metropolitan teams in a knockout format.

On Sunday 26 February, the club fronted up at Bundoora RSL Bowls Club to compete against Sunbury 5, defeating them 77 shots to 55.

The semi finals were held at Burden Park Bowls club Springvale Saturday 4 March where Cockatoo played Port Melbourne 3, resulting in a 101 shots to 59 win by the Hills side.

The grand final saw a tough match against Berwick 6 at Glen Waverley bowls club Sunday 5 March, with Cockatoo and Monbulk trium-

phant winning 84 shots to 73.

“During this season we have created and gelled into team, met, socialised and competed against some fantastic people and thoroughly enjoyed our journey to Division 7 champions,“ Cockatoo & District Bowls Club secretary Kevin Murray said.

“We must thank Monbulk Bowls Club for making this all possible, their continued support and looking forward to next season now and see what bigger and better things we can achieve.“

Final divisional game of the season for Monbulk Bowls

By Jack Rollings The last pennant side standing. Cockatoo/ Monbulk, aka Cocky Monbulk, aka Squawkn’ Hawks, in division 7 played in the divisional semifinal on Saturday at Burden Park against Port Melbourne. The Burden Park grass greens were running well. The weather was warm, slight breeze, and no jackets were needed. Port Melbourne had two sides playing at the same venue. Their other side, divvy 2, was playing on the adjacent green. They all arrived in a big bus/coach with a lot of supporters. It meant that wherever you looked, there were Port Melbourne shirts.

The game progressed nervously at first, with both sides getting the feel of the green. A few ends in, and the big board showed scores level at 35 shots each. Once again, the midway break wasn’t taken. It seemed to work last week, and it certainly worked this week.

Halfway in, two rinks were close, one had a good lead, and the other was behind by up to 14 shots. And, as the afternoon continued, it was the Cocky Monbulk side that controlled the pressure situation better. Mark Coulter’s team remained ruthless all day. Mark Blythman’s team took some big wins towards the end of the day to take the lead with a healthy margin. Anthony Young’s team went from level pegging to a big win. And Ken Earle’s team was able to turn the tables in the back

Cockatoo-Monbulk with the scoreboard after the grand final.

Picture: SUPPLIED half and reduce the margin. It was a strong emphatic finish and it certainly brought a hush over the Port Melbourne crowd.

Mark Coulter’s team won 30 shots to 4.

Mark Blythman‘s team won 23 shots to 16.

Anthony Young’s team won 31 shots to 15.

Ken Earle’s team lost 17 shots to 24.

Overall Cockatoo/Monbulk won the semifinal 101 shots to 59.

On Sunday, the divisional grand final was played at Glen Waverley. The divisional grand final is a match between the top two sides out of all the 64 sides in metropolitan division 7.

Each side has 16 players, making the division total at least 1024 bowlers – more when you consider the substitutes throughout the season. Out of that total, the 16 bowlers, some

· · · · ·

from Cockatoo and some from Monbulk, stepped onto the green and prepared to give their very best against Berwick 6. There were medals and a huge flag up for grabs. Many bowlers go through their whole careers without making it to a section grand final, let alone a divisional grand final. This was big.

The weather was hot and windy. Blowy enough to take off hats. The Glen Waverley grass green was in great shape, the top of the season. Berwick supporters were there in noisy strength. Cockatoo and Monbulk supporters just kept looking to the big board.

Like on Saturday, both sides started nervously. It was all about the big board – the combined overall score. If one rink was down, the others had to cover the loss. One rink showed us having a good early lead. Two rinks were close. One rink was struggling.

The break was taken at halftime, and even that was a worry – ignoring the break had seemed like a successful tactic in the last two matches.

After the break, the pattern of scores was further entrenched – the two middle rinks cancelled each other out. One end rink had fired out to a strong lead. The other end rink was trailing by around 10 shots. On the big board, the scores were close. Even though Cocky Monbulk was ahead, a couple of clangers could have closed the gap in a few minutes. But, the closer the game got to the

final eighty-four ends, it became more difficult for Berwick to make up the difference.

Mark Blythman’s team collected some good points. Anthony Young’s team stayed close.

Mark Coulter’s team was able to contain the losses. And Ken Earle’s team played positively when it was needed.

In the end: Mark Coulter’s team lost 9 shots to 33.

Mark Blythman’s team won 23 shots to 12.

Anthony Young’s team lost 18 shots to 21.

Ken Earle’s team won 34 shots to 7.

It wasn’t until the last end of the last rink that the CockyMonbulk supporters started to smile – when the game was in the bag. Overall Cocky/Monbulk won the grand final 84 shots to 73. And now they have the medals and flag to confirm it.

It had been an experiment—combining the Monbulk 6-a-side with Cockatoo’s reduced membership. They were down to 10 members this season. And Monbulk didn’t have enough players to field a full third Saturday side on their own. The combination meant a full 16-player side could be entered in the division 7 Saturday competition and still keep the two clubs’ individual identities, wearing their own club uniform. The combined side may have been an experiment this season. But the scoreboard doesn’t lie – the experiment was a success.

· · · ·

Premiership glory for Monbulk as teams turn the tide In Monbulk Cricket Club’s 125th season, the club’s third and fourth teams added a premiership to its history on Saturday.

Both matches were won when the teams looked down and out with amazing character and spirit shown.

In the thirds’ grand final, Ferntree Gully batted first at the Monbulk main ground to put on 158 runs from their 35 overs with Benny Suranga again the pick of the bowlers taking 2/12 off his seven overs.

Monbulk lost Jason Simmonds early before Aaron Gillard, Brodie Emmett and then Benny all batted well to move the score along, but at 4/61 in the 20th over things weren’t in Monbulk’s favour.

Handy partnerships from Benny and Mick Adams (33 runs), Benny and Clayton Spooner (27 runs) got the home team back in the match but at 6/121 in the 30th over it could have gone either way.

Enter 15 year old Charlie Hooper who smacked 23 off 13 balls and along with Clayton mailcommunity.com.au

Monbulk Cricket Club’s thirds premiers.

Picture: SUPPLIED Spooner hit 13 from the second last over to seal an exciting win for the Hawks.

The thirds’ grand ginal scores were: Monbulk 6/158 (S.Suranga 35, A.Gillard 26,

C.Spooner 25*, C.Hooper 23*, B.Emmett 22) defeated Ferntree Gully 7/157 (S.Suranga 2/12, C.Spooner 2/28) Monbulk batted first against Knox Boronia in the fourths grand final on the big and slow Miller Park, with Monbulk finding batting tough early.

At 3/34 in the 20th over things weren’t looking great. Matt Winzenried and Dan Blenkiron started to get the scoreboard ticking before a terrific unbeaten partnership between of 55 runs between Winza and Todd Fleming took Monbulk’s score to 4/114 which was worth a lot more on most grounds. Flem was the pick of the batsman whacking 35 from 38 balls. In reply, Knox Boronia were 1/64 and in complete control of the match, before Jake Mackay ripped through their middle order in a match winning spell of 3/5 off 5.1. Monbulk then took five for nine in three overs to bowl them out for 100 in the 33rd over to seal another memorable win.

The fourths’ grand final scores were: Mon-

bulk 4/114 (T.Fleming 35*, M.Winzenried 28*) defeated Knox Boronia 10/100 (J.Mackay 3/5, L.Tilley 2/15, A.Bowen 2/17) Three father-son pairs played in a premiership together; Chris and Jacob Defina; Craig, Jake and Todd Mackay, Dan and Sam Blenkiron with Will as 14th man in the fourths.

Ethan Blenkiron played in the thirds flag to add to their family’s collection. Charlie Hooper (thirds) and dad Steve (fourths) also both won flags.

Nine teenagers won flags; Ethan Blenkiron, Tim Rickard, Charlie Hooper and Jack Downard-Pengilly (thirds) and Jake Mackay, Todd Mackay, Jacob Defina, Sam Blenkiron and Lachlan Tilley in the fourths.

Life Members Mark Bailey and Jason Simmonds (thirds) and Chris Defina and Christian Fraser (fourths) continued to play, guide the youngsters and win another flag.

Monbulk Cricket Club’s senior presentation night will be held on Saturday 25 March.

Tuesday, 14 March, 2023

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