Mail - Lilydale Star Mail - 9th January 2024

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

Lilydale

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Animal cruelty concerns across YR

Breaking down the best of 2023

Best sporting moments from 2023

See real estate liftout inside

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Community voice Mail BEST STORIES OF

2023 From highs and lows, sporting achievements, the best photo moments and everything in between, this special edition of the Star Mail takes a look back at 2023.

What a year it was for the community as events could finally go ahead unaffected by the previous year’s pandemic.

It saw groups like the Mooroolbark Community Garden find homes, 100th birthdays, mural projects and generosity as the cost of living increased.

But like all years, it came with the sadness of the highest road death toll since 2008, fires, floods and the death of a teenager from an emerging dangerous trend.

Some of the biggest stories of the year included Yarra Ranges Council shutting its inperson meetings for months because of intimidation, changes to pharmaceutical scripts raising concerns, interest rate rises putting pressure on families, The Voice referendum ending in a no result and the potential for the Casey electorate to be abolished.

Despite the hardships, however, the com-

Montrose and Kilsyth residents Chris Dowling and Janis Floyd are leading the petition to rebuild the Kilsyth Centenary Pool. munity prevailed, with stories of kindness, donations and community spirit outshining the rest. Throughout the year, the community didn’t shy away from having a say and raising a

voice when issues impacted their lives.

That’s why, Star Mail has compiled a number of these stories as the Issue of Year, reflecting on the petitions and wins the community

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had over 2023.

See inside for a selection of the best news stories, photos, sporting moments and best of entertainment.

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IN BRIEF Child killed in Coldstream collision

Coldstream death Victoria officially recorded its worst road toll in 15 years, with a flurry of deaths over the holiday period capping a horror 2023.

The local community didn’t go unscathed with Boxing Day ending with another life added to the road death toll after a fatal collision in Coldstream.

Emergency services were called to Maroondah Highway where a car and truck collided about 1.15pm.

One of the passengers in the car, a woman, 62, from Tranmere in South Australia, sadly died at the scene.

The driver of the car, an Essendon man, 63, was taken to hospital with critical injuries.

Another passenger in the car, a 62-year-old South Australian man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The truck driver, a Frankston man, 42, was not injured and stopped at the scene.

He was charged with dangerous driving causing death and appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 29 December.

As reported by the Herald Sun, the man was released on bail and will face the County Court of Victoria this year.

A total of 16 people lost their lives on Victorian roads between 15 December and 1 January despite a statewide police operation.

It took the total number of road deaths across the state in 2023 to 296, the highest figure since 2008.

More than 310,000 preliminary breath tests and almost 9000 roadside drug tests were carried out by Victoria Police during Operation Roadwise.

Some 668 people were caught drink driving, along with another 535 for drug driving.

In all, 19,386 traffic offences were detected during the 18-day operation, including: 7631 speeding offences (5854 for between

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10km/h and 25km/h over speed limit)

· 704 unlicensed drivers · 644 disqualified or suspended drivers · 921 mobile phone offences · 374 seatbelt offences · 1728 unregistered vehicle offences While most motorists acted responsibly over the Christmas and New Year period, Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said the number of offences detected was unacceptable.

“As we enter a new year, we’re appealing to motorists to reflect on their habits behind the wheel, take responsibility for their actions and prioritise their safety, as well as the safety of their passengers and all other road users,” he said.

“We’ll be doing all we can to ensure that we don’t have another year on the roads like we had in 2023.”

Rise in Ranges animal cruelty reports

By Mikayla van Loon Reports of horse-related cruelty in the Yarra Ranges topped the rankings across the state last financial year, something RSPCA Victoria would like to see improve at the turn of 2024.

Noting the sheer size of the local government area and an increase in financial difficulty across the state, an RSPCA Victoria spokesperson said despite this, it was unacceptable for animals to be mistreated, intentionally or otherwise.

“Regardless of someone’s individual circumstance the RSPCA Inspectorate encourages people to educate themselves on what care may be necessary for their horse/s based on their location,” the spokesperson said. “[This includes] focusing on the husbandry needs of their animal and nutritional requirements, and to seek assistance if they are struggling to provide for their animals in their care, rather than allow poor welfare.

“All owners have a responsibility to ensure that their animal’s welfare needs are met.”

In total, 73 reports relating to a horse’s welfare were made in the Yarra Ranges, followed by Cardinia Shire Council with 66 reports and Greater Bendigo with 56.

Animal welfare and cruelty reports have been making a steady increase throughout the shire since the 2019/20 financial year according to RSPCA’s interactive animal cruelty map.

In that first year of recorded data, 290 reports were made in the Yarra Ranges, a number that has increased to 310 this financial year, placing the LGA in the top 10 of reports.

It is the role of RSPCA inspectors to investigate and substantiate any and all reports made regarding animal welfare.

“RSPCA Inspectors will attend a prem-

The Yarra Ranges ranked the highest for reports of horse-related cruelty.

Picture: RSPCA ise and conduct an investigation in order to determine if there are any welfare issues and potential breaches of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1986),” the spokesperson said.

“In some cases, an Inspector may determine the animal is totally fine and no action is required. Where there are welfare issues our Inspectors may work with the animal’s owner to educate and help them understand what needs to be done to help their animal; this can be informal, or it can be formal with legal notices to comply being issued.

“In some cases, if the animal is at immediate risk and an owner is not able to resolve the matter, our Inspectors may need to seize the animal to ensure it receives the required treatment to ensure its welfare.”

With the Yarra Ranges spanning close to 2500 square kilometres, with much of it being semi-rural, the RSPCA spokesperson said it has “a lot of horse properties including agistment and is a real equine hub”.

CHRIST’S RETURN

Hard waste and branch collection Yarra Ranges residents are being encouraged to make the most of their annual hard waste and bundled branch collection, by disposing of old appliances, bulky items and branches.

Between January and March, every household will have a collection of hard waste, metals and whitegoods and bundled branches.

Bundled branches, mattresses, metals, whitegoods, electronic waste – e.g. computers, televisions, monitors, all other battery and power-operated items and items with an electrical cord will be collected and sent for recycling. All other items will be disposed of in landfill.

To find out your property’s collection week, visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/WasteDate

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Floods hit much of the state over Sunday 7 January and Monday 8 January, with rescue crews responding to hundreds of call outs.

There were some 26 flood rescues in Victoria, including two by Lilydale SES, in the 24 hours to 6am on Monday, bringing the state’s total flood rescue count to 46 since 1 January.

There were 699 calls for assistance to VICSES over the same period for flooding, trees down and building damage.

Residents in Mount Evelyn recorded upwards of 60mm of rain over 24 hours to Monday morning, with some gauges catching 110mm.

A severe weather warning was still issued at 9am on Monday for Northern Country, North Central, Central, North East, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland districts, which included parts of the Yarra Ranges.

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“Its size, and being an equine hub, in combination with the number of visitors to the Yarra Valley who may report animal welfare concerns to the RSPCA means it’s no surprise it received a high number of cruelty complaints,” they said.

The most common reports relate to husbandry issues, including lameness, lack of farrier attention and overgrown hooves.

Second to that, reports of insufficient food, treatment of a sick or injured animal, shelter, and/or water rounded out common reports.

An increase in reporting of these issues statewide, the spokesperson said, could be related to the challenging financial situation many people find themselves in.

“In general RSPCA Inspectors have noticed an increase in issues of owners having financial difficulties across the state, this often results in an inability to provide the appropriate care to their animals.

“So far there has been an increase in poor living conditions and hoarding of excess animals across the state.

“This has been a consistent trend since the pandemic with RSPCA Inspectors continuing to observe financial and mental health issues as a contributing factor on people’s capacity to provide appropriate care to their animals.”

Encouraging the community to work towards better outcomes for animals and end cruelty, RSPCA Victoria said every report makes a difference to improving welfare.

Anyone with concerns for the welfare of an animal such as horses, including underweight or sick/injured animals not being provided with appropriate care, is encouraged to contact RSPCA Victoria on 03 9224 2222 or submit a report at rspcavic.org/cruelty-report/

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a second fatal collision in Coldstream since Christmas after two vehicles are believed to have collided head-on on the Maroondah Highway just after 4pm on Friday 5 January.

A primary school aged child from one of the vehicles sadly died at the scene.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson also said a woman believed to be in her 20s was treated for lacerations and taken to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition.

“A man believed to be in his 40s was treated for multiple injuries and taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition,” they said.

“A primary school aged child was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a serious condition.”

The two other occupants in the same vehicle as the fatality were the woman in her 20s and the other primary school aged child.

The circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation is ongoing.

The Maroondah Highway was closed between Melba Highway and St Huberts Road for some time while detectives from MCIU processed the scene, with traffic diverted via St Huberts Road and the Melba Highway in Yering.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, with footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www. crimestoppersvic.com.au

216 Commercial Road, Morwell VIC 3840 P: 5134 8000 E: harriet.shing@parliament.vic.gov.au harrietshingmp @ShingvWorld Authorised by H Shing, 216 Commercial Rd, Morwell.

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New driver safety focus

By Tyler Wright A local community school is helping ensure their students take safely to the roads as they obtain their driver’s licenses.

Cire Community School, with funds obtained from the Department of Transport, has spearheaded programs on car safety and prepared their students for their learner permit tests for about 10 years.

“We started off with running one program across the school for our students once a year and this year we were very fortunate to get the funding for four different programs to run across our four campuses,“ Cire’s careers and pathways leader Karen Swankie said.

The Changing Gears program, which is set to move to the new Monbulk campus on Macclesfield Road in Terms 1 and 2 in 2024, offers young adults from each campus a facilitated program in which there is three days of faceto-face learning, hands on activities and case studies as well as role playing scenarios before participants sit their learners test on the fourth and last day.

“We bundle them all up, pop them in the bus and take them up to VicRoads... [who] set our young adults up so that they are able to sit their test with minimal distractions,“ Ms Swankie said.

“They have the technology there to be able to listen to the questions being read out through them, and they have a time limit to be able to complete it and if they need extra support in regard to clarification they can easily just write them down, raise their hand and someone’s there to help them with that.

“We cater for all the different diverse needs that our cohort requires and that way we’ve had an extremely successful rate of completion; most of our students pass, I’d have to say nine out of 10. The ones who don’t pass, it’s usually nerves that get them on the day. So most of them come back either a week later or two weeks later and then re -sit the test and have success then.

On Friday 24 November, a group of students obtained their learner’s permits after taking part in the program.

“Changing Gears helped me understand the road rules better,“ a student, who chose

Students Lily, Lolita and Rihanna after graduating the Changing Gears program. Picture: SUPPLIED not to be named, said.

“I probably wouldn’t have got my learners without Changing Gears.“ Ms Swankie said students are “waiting“ to participate in the Changing Gears program each year because the school is “known for doing it“.

“A lot of our young people when they meet with their teachers at the beginning of the year, they set goals and most of them set a goal of

getting their learners [permit],“ she said.

“For some people, they’re more than happy to jump online and do the online learning program, but others like the supported program that we can provide for them through Changing Gears.

“A significant milestone in most young people’s lives is that point where they are able to get their learners because then it’s the next step towards their independence.“

Cire Community School’s Looking After Our Mates (LAOM) program also teaches students about driving with friends and the impact drugs and alcohol have had on the road toll, as well as the Safer Vehicles program which helps young people decide on selecting a safe vehicle for their first car.

Under the 2023-2024 funding stream, students across all campuses will be able to access four LAOM sessions in March and three Safer Vehicles sessions in June.

“The young people go through a program where they’re able to learn how to understand the different safety ratings on vehicles and how essentially buying a more modern car is going to be safer for them than the old hand me down through the family,“ Ms Swankie said.

“A lot of our young people [are] getting ready to be in vehicles with other people who are driving, so [learning] how to be a great passenger as well but also learning about when they are navigating and exploring their own pathway as well in regards to purchasing a car and owning a car and how to maintain a car.

“A lot of parents think buying or giving their kids or the young person a car that’s been in the family for quite a while, but solid and strong, is going to be safer when in actual fact it’s not always the case.“ Ms Swankie said the school has to apply yearly for the government funding, with “fingers crossed“ it can continue to “come through“ for it.

“I really don’t want to have to be the one that tells our students we don’t have the program running again next year; that would be pretty devastating,“ she said.

“For a lot of our young people, they do not always have success in other areas of their life, so for them to achieve this as a significant milestone is just so rewarding; we get to go through the ups and downs and the nervousness and everything while we’re waiting to do the tests and we deal with the anxiety as it comes and goes and the jubilation as the results come through as well.“ Subject to funding, the school will look to provide the programs again in 2025.

“All of our students are able to benefit from the program,“ Ms Swankie said.

Community-made mosaic launched in Lilydale

By Mikayla van Loon Lilydale Community House’s (LCH) home on Hardy Street has been brightened by a community made mosaic art installation which was unveiled on Tuesday 19 December.

Completing the mural over 10 sessions, Yarra Valley mosaic and public art artist Sioux Dollman helped bring the ideas to life.

Drawing on “what they love about Lilydale,” the mosaic emphaised the people and places that make the township shine.

LCH coordinator Suyin Chan said with just two sessions to go before the mural was finished, it looked like a lot still needed to be done but with all the participants and Sioux, it came together nicely.

For one of the participants, Angela, mosaic was always something she wanted to try and the workshops at LCH were the perfect opportunity to try a hand at the skill.

Focusing on her own Aboriginal heritage, Angela said including a connection by using symbols of First Nations culture was an important element for her.

“We all sat around the table with Sioux, having a discussion about what we would like this mosaic piece to look like and because of my heritage it was very important to embrace that and put that somewhere into the mosaic,” she said.

Two of the main focal points for Angela were the gathering place, as well as the Olinda Creek.

While the workshops were about creating the mural, Angela said there were other outcomes that “Most people were really pleased and happy to come in, number one to learn this skill but number two, to connect with people and make friends,” she said. mailcommunity.com.au

The mosaic depicts important and iconic parts of Lilydale and the broader Yarra Ranges.

Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON Now able to greet people when she sees them at work or in the streets of Lilydale, Angela said “it’s great to see your faces and now I can actually say g’day”.

“I have that connection with the community and I will be coming back here to do other classes. I just want to say a big thank you to every single one of you who has made me feel very welcome.”

Yarra Ranges mayor Sophie Todorov said it was nice to walk past the mural and be able to spot different locations and references to Lilydale.

“I could just pick up things that are so significant about Yarra Valley, Yarra Ranges and

most importantly, Lilydale, things that are iconic and things we really are grateful for,” she said.

“So well done to all of you for such creative, fun and special work on this mural.”

Also thanking the collective work of the volunteers, participants, Sioux and Suyin, Councillor Tim Heenan said “you put a lot of hard work into this and you should be very proud of it because it is very, very beautiful”.

“That level of detail makes it even more so. There’s a lot of tile art that comes together in a small space but this spans two walls and it’s just absolutely beautiful,” he said.

The mosaic was coordinated by artist Sioux Dollman and LCH manager Suyin Chan.

“There’s many different aspects of it, in particular the colour of the environment always does it for me.

“We’ve got depictions of Lillydale Lake.

We’ve got our pavilion, we’ve got to know the Melba gates, we’ve got the beautiful Indigenous art, we’ve got a beautiful memorial, the Rainbow Bridge, for a little fur baby who passed over but more importantly it is the contribution of all of you who have brought this together.”

The mosaic is located on the walls at the entrance to the community house at 7 Hardy Street Lilydale.

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Cheeky Devils play it cool As the mercury rises a Tasmanian devil duo are delighting in icy treats to cool down at Healesville Sanctuary.

Like most siblings on a warm day, they are not willing to share their ice blocks, protesting loudly by vocalising with their shrill calls.

Healesville Sanctuary Threatened Species Keeper Jessica Pulvirenti said the giant ice blocks are made up of blood, meat and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese to engage their sense of smell.

“It’s always interesting to see the interactions between the Tasmanian devils during feeding time, of course, they both want the same ice block,” Ms Pulvirenti said.

“Not only do the ice blocks help them keep cool but it’s also a great way to encourage the animals to use their full range of natural behaviours.”

In the hot weather, the Tasmanian devils will cool off by sitting in the sprinkler mist.

They also can be seen lying flat out in the sunshine.

The best time of day to see the Tassie devils at Healesville Sanctuary is the afternoon when they are most active. They live on the Woodlands Track.

Tasmanian devils are the largest living carnivorous marsupials in the world. They are classified as Endangered with a decreasing population according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

A major threat to the survival of the species in the wild is Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). The fatal disease is transmitted between individuals by biting during social interactions, feeding and mating.

Healesville Sanctuary is part of the ‘Save the Tasmanian Devil’ breeding recovery program, which aims to have a disease-free insurance population and ensure a long-term future for this species.

Tucking into a tasty treat!

Picture: ZOOS VICTORIA

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Hard waste Collection

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Back to school!

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A Star News Group Publication

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School students across Victoria made their return to school following summer holidays, while 2021’s preps got their first taste of primary school life. Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy conducted a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony for Badger Creek Primary School students and staff.

See page 7 for more back to school excitment.

Back to school!

Mail

School students across Victoria made their return to school following summer holidays, while 2021’s preps got their first taste of primary school life. Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy

By Jed Lanyon

It’s February, but Santa Claus’ gifts keep on coming for several charity organisations who benefited from a partnership between Saint Nick and Seville’s Branded Burger Bar. The burger bar came to the rescue when they partnered with Santa, who had seen his role replaced at Chirnside Park Shopping

$8400 to help make the lives of children better.

The four recipients of the funds included: Backpacks 4 Vic Kids, A Better Life For Foster Kids, HeartKids and Chum Creek’s Good Life Farm. The organisations shared how the funds had already been put to good use.

Backpacks 4 Vic Kids CEO and founder Sally Beard told Star Mail the donation came as a “delightful surprise”.

“We’re very, very grateful on behalf of the children, whose lives that it will impact,” she said. “We have absolutely put that money to good use.”

Ms Beard shared that the $8400 donation from Branded is aiding 112 children in need with care packs filled with toiletries, spare changes of clothes, a toy and more.

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Coming soon to your area

Centre in the lead up to Christmas. Many locals far and wide were able to keep up their Christmas tradition in getting a family photo with ‘The Real Santa’ who they had grown to love.

The unlikely tandem tallied upwards of $30,000 from their family Christmas photos and then selected four charities to each receive

Leave your materials, including any bundled branches, on your nature strip no earlier than a week before your collection date.

For more information and to check your collection date visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/hardwaste

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2023 ISSUE OF THE YEAR

A year of raising voices Throughout 2023, the prevalence of the community taking action into their own hands, often with a successful outcome, was too hard to ignore for Issue of the Year.

From floods to unwanted service stations and the awarding of heritage overlays, with petitions raised and voices heard, the community stood tall.

Star Mail first reported on the proposal for a service station to be built at 41 Monbulk Road in Mount Evelyn in February, when 174 objections had been received by Yarra Ranges Council.

Leading the charge, Nic Sanders, whose house would border the proposed drive through if approved, couldn’t fathom the need for another service station, let alone one that will have some services open 24/7.

“The 24 hours, seven days a week is a little over the top I think for Mount Evelyn,” he said.

With Mount Evelyn Primary School just two doors up from the site, parents and residents were concerned about the safety of the children particularly during school hours.

Carly is one of those parents who has one child at the primary school, one catching the bus to high school from Monbulk Road and one at the kindergarten opposite the school.

She told Star Mail that with a pedestrian school crossing just before the proposed driveway entrance, it seemed too risky.

“The traffic is so busy now and it will get worse and if you’re going to have big trucks coming in that don’t stop in time, there was already a crossing man who passed away years ago [of a heart attack] because a truck didn’t stop,” she said.

The matter returned to the front page when Yarra Ranges Council refused the permit application at the Tuesday 14 March meeting after

Bristol Crescent and Valencia Road residents Sonya, Lucy, Jyoti, Brendon, Beryl, Laura, Brian and Jennifer were left frustrated by ongoing flooding occurring on their streets and in their backyards.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON hearing from Mr Sanders on behalf of the 194 objectors.

“We want you, our elected representatives, to refuse this application based on the traffic issues raised,” Mr Sanders said.

“We want you to refuse this application

because of the unacceptable health risks to school children from petrol vapour and fumes based on published studies.”

Councillor Tim Heenan put forward the motion to refuse the application to build a service station.

“We don’t need another infrastructure like this in that area. I want to go on to say that I know my community. I understand how Mount Evelyn [people] feel. I’ve been listening for years to concerns on these sorts of developments,” he said.

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2023 ISSUE OF THE YEAR

Morokai Grove in Lilydale flooded again in March 2023, with water unable to flow down the drains, after experiencing similar floods in October the year prior.

Jan McGannon and Shelley Large with dogs Irene and Diesel at the ending fence line of the off-leash dog park in Kilsyth. 341230 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS “Mount Evelyn is not a suburb. It’s a township with a large rural feel.”

The applicants, Peregrine Corporation, took the matter to VCAT and is yet to be heard.

Bookending the year were the frustrations of residents who had been severely impacted by the previous year’s floods, with the drainage system incapable of holding the mass amounts of water.

In March, eight residents in and around Bristol Crescent in Lilydale remained dismayed at the lack of infrastructure upgrades to drainage and blockages which caused havoc.

Brendon and his wife Beryl have lived on Bristol Crescent for 36 years and said this was not the first time they had experienced major flooding, particularly because of the development of the area.

“If they keep building more water catching areas, it’s putting more water into the drains and we’ve always had water come through our place from houses above and I don’t know how many driveways have ended up down from my place,” Brendon said.

In the last 10 years, Brendon said he had seen severe flooding at least twice and “they call it a once in 100 year event that comes every 10 years”.

Wrapping up the year, residents of the Gateway Estate in Lilydale submitted a letter of complaint to Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water for ill maintained drains and poor infrastructure.

The letter, signed by 130 people, raised a multitude of concerns, some that have been left unheard for over 19 years.

The daughter of a 90-year-old Nimblefoot Way resident, Julie, said when her parents first moved into the property 20 years ago, it didn’t take long for instances of flooding to occur.

“Dad raised the issue when it first started and it’s been going on now for 19 years because dad went up to the council straightaway and complained,” she said.

“He was always going into panic that he had to sell the house because they were scared.”

From overgrown drains to unconnected stormwater pipes in people’s backyards, the stories of just a handful of residents brought to light the issues playing out each time it rains and the fear of flooding at each occurrence.

From the safety of peoples homes, to the safety of the urban area’s furry friends, in June a petition came to the fore to enclose the Kilsyth Dog Park.

Residents called on Yarra Ranges Council to provide a fully enclosed off-leash dog park within the current Elizabeth Bridge Reserve area only properly fenced on one side.

A petition started in May by Shelley Large reached over 250 signatures by June. It was mailcommunity.com.au

submitted to the council in September with over 700 signatures.

With very few options, aside from the new Kimberley Reverse fenced off-leash dog park in Chirnside Park and the Eastfield dog park in Maroondah, resident Jan McGannon said in order to train dogs in a safe space, better areas need to be provided.

“People don’t use this space, they go to Eastfield Road in Maroondah because that’s considered best practice, it’s got two areas,” she said.

“It’s got a small area and a bigger area. Some of the people from here, I know from there because it’s where I go, so we all use Maroondah’s.”

Also in June, a second emotional plea from Mount Evelyn resident Vanessa Walton, who had been impacted by falling trees during the June 2021 storm, was successful in having a permit approved for eight trees to be removed from her property despite them being deemed safe by the council.

After a battle of almost 13 years to remove a tree from their property, a Chirnside Park family finally received the support of councillors in November to remove an “inappropriate” native tree from their nature strip.

It was the second time the issue had been heard at a council meeting during the year, with the final tick of approval granted to the Kingswood Drive family.

“It’s not a case of we hate the tree and we just don’t want it. They’ve actually given us a situation where there’s this display of risk with people, multiple people have been injured through a slipping of the pine needles,” Councillor Richard Higgins said.

“We have to now get a planning permit to do so. And that’s what this motion is doing, getting that planning permit, so we can continue on the goodwill that we gave the residents of this area about this tree last time.”

The final step in Lilydale’s heritage overlay plea from Lilydale Historical Society’s immediate past president Sue Thompson was finally achieved in October when the council voted to protect two further items.

With discussions of protecting Lilydale’s history first beginning in December 2017, speaking on behalf of Ms Thompson, Society treasurer Phil Burton said “this final step has been a long time coming”.

The olive tree at 2-4 Albert Hill Road and Heatherlie, a property located at 57 Warburton Road, as well as the pine trees lining the driveway, were included in the planning scheme.

“This has been a very difficult and costly process but has been cheap compared to the value of the story of each of the buildings and

Kilsyth Centenary Pool was closed in March and did not reopen before its demise. 322073 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

The dome was dismantled in just three days after the decommissioning decision was made.

The site of the former Mt Evelyn Garden and Produce was proposed for use of a service station by Peregrine Corporation.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON homes and people who lived and worked in them. It is both priceless and timeless,” Mr Burton said.

Capping off the year of community action, it didn’t take long after the decision to close Kilsyth Centenary Pool for the community to come together and form a petition.

The news of the closure in October shattered the community, with it coming as quite a surprise to many.

Lead petitioner Janis Floyd was “shocked with the suddenness” of the decision by Yarra Ranges Council and the immediacy of removing the infamous dome.

Garnering over 450 signatures in a week on the petition, both online and in physical form at the Kilsyth Festival, Ms Floyd said all it asks is for the council to essentially rebuild what existed at the site.

“The council might say, ‘yes, we’ll do it. It’s a 40 year plan’. We want it now and that can’t be emphasised enough. They’ve taken it away now and we want it back now,” she said.

The petition is still running for the first half of this year.

There’s no doubt the community will stand tall yet again in 2024 and bring ideas, concerns and action to the table.

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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2023... TOP NEWS STORIES

A year of storytelling Survivor’s miracle baby Star Mail started the year on a positive note, catching up with Mount Evelyn stroke survivor Nicole Gallacher, who welcomed baby Gus into the world in early December.

“If you told me back then that in two years time, you’ll be on a family holiday with your baby I would not have believed you at all. It’s amazing how things can change, how different things can be and the difference time makes,” she said.

As a tribute to the paramedics and doctors who helped save her life, little Gus was named after the men who made split second decisions and were there throughout her time in ICU. Gus’ first name is taken from Augustus, Nicole’s brain surgeon who performed the initial surgery when she arrived in hospital.

His second names, Michael and Andrew, were chosen because of the paramedic Michael who was able to assess Nicole in the ambulance and decided instantly she needed a neurosurgeon, while Andrew monitored the ECMO machine, watching on as Nicole improved little by little.

“My only message is of hope. Life goes on after stroke and it does get better. It’s very hard at the time but it does get better but you also have to work really hard for it to get better.”

Strike teams aided Flowerdale after reflections of Ash Wednesday Just after the 40 year anniversary of the Ash Wednesday fires in February, firefighters were setting off to Flowerdale to help extinguish a major grassfire.

Members from Mooroolbark and Wonga Park CFA brigades responded as part of strike team 1378 to protect assets, back burn and provide specialist equipment.

“Nearing 800 hectares” according to

The Eastern Golf Club was left in ruins after a fire tore through the building.

Mooroolbark CFA spokesperson Phil Cuthbert, there was “going to be a lot of work in blacking out and keeping it contained.”

The first fire of the summer season, it was a timely reminder that summer wasn’t over and residents of the Yarra Ranges needed to remain vigilant.

Reflecting on Ash Wednesday with the then Lilydale Fire Brigade captain Frank Whelan, lieutenant Ron Haines said they both agreed Ash Wednesday was perhaps one of the busiest fire periods the brigade had seen

Picture: JASON EAST PHOTOGRAPHY

for many years.

“1400 hectares of land were destroyed in the Warburton fire along with 27 homes and 30 other buildings,” he said.

“More than 180 fires occurred on 16 February 1983 including eight major blazes and the CFA estimated there were more than 16,000 firefighters involved in the response efforts.”

Changing mental health After coming out the other side of his own mental health battle, Marcus Reeves used his

pain and experience for the better.

As the founder of mental health fundraising event She Won’t Be Right Mate, hosted in late 2022 for the second time at Yarra Glen Racecourse, Marcus and his team were able to raise $18,000 for the Eastern Health Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FaPMI) Program.

“We donated to Eastern Health the first year because that’s where I had to get help for the first time and then Anna (marketing manager) came to me and said there was a program to help families and kids,” he said.

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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2023... TOP NEWS STORIES “The more awareness kids can get around the issue and maybe what mum and dad are going through and to help mum and dad seemed like a really good charity organisation.”

Eastern Health Associate Program Director for Adult Community Mental Health Services Lisa Gill said the work of FaPMI has become critical in supporting children and parents through mental health.

“Victorian statistics show about a quarter of children in Victoria are living with a parent with mental illness, so it’s actually quite significant,” she said.

The donation was going to be put towards expanding programs and special offerings like camps.

Mourning Esra Haynes The death of Lilydale High School Year 8 student and Don Valley resident Esra Haynes sent ripples of shock and emotion throughout the Yarra Ranges community.

She died following the inhalation of deodorant, known as chroming, which saw her go into cardiac arrest and battle in hospital for a week.

Having been named captain of her Montrose Football Club Under 14s team in the 2023 season, the club, too, mourned her death greatly.

“In her short time at the club, Esra went from strength to strength as a leader on the field, and at training.

“Esra was determined, fun, cheeky and talented, she will be greatly missed by her teammates, coaches, and the wider community of our Club.”

Esra’s death saw renewed calls for better education around the use and risks of inhalants.

Youth Drugs and Alcohol Advice (YoDAA) manager Kellie Ferris said the 2017 Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey showed inhalant use was reported at a higher rate among younger people.

The ASSAD report showed that “18 per cent of all students had intentionally sniffed inhal-

Cammy and Rhylie hiked with a group of locals, trackmasters and tour guides to reach the Kokoda Archway on day eight.

Picture: SUPPLIED ants at least once in their lifetime”. “ Why young people use any substance is varied, one aspect of chroming may be due to accessibility and lower cost. It’s important to talk with each young person to get their experience and reasons,” Ms Ferris said.

Scholarship recipients hit Kokoda Hiking through vast jungle, trekking rocky terrain and seeing breathtaking views is what two students from Cire Community School Mount Evelyn experienced on the Kokoda Trail.

The adventure saw senior school students Cammy and Rhylie depart Melbourne for Papua New Guinea on 17 April to begin the gruel-

ling eight day trek along the iconic trail, with Star Mail checking in on their adventure when they got back on home soil.

“Getting to learn their culture and getting to learn a bit about them, to learn a bit about the language, matches with actually just walking the track,” Rhylie said.

For Cammy, being amongst the wilderness was the best highlight, even if only getting glimpses every now and then while walking, the view at the top was always worth it.

“It’s incredible. You feel like an ant and everything there is so much bigger than it is here, I think because it grows so wildly and organi-

cally. It’s just so cool,” she said.

Hanging up the high-vis after four decades A beloved crossing guard hung up the high vis in Croydon North after 44 years of service at Yarra Road Primary School.

Carmel Black devoted a lifetime to her community and decided to retire at the end of the school term.

“It’s time to pack up the uniform, fold up the flags and pass the stop sign over to someone new and retire,” she said.

“I stayed because I love the job and adore the children, they have shared so much with me and they are like an extended family.”

Farewelling a Mount Evelyn stalwart Hundreds of people gathered on Tuesday 4 July to bid farewell to a man of “nerve and courage” – Mount Evelyn’s Roger Boness.

The war veteran, father, grandfather, brother and friend died after a long battle with cancer aged 77 on Thursday 22 June.

Remembered for his determination and humour, Roger’s children Alice and Stuart said there was never a dull moment spent with him, whether it was watching the St Kilda Football team, fishing or being at the beach.

“He was a born leader. He gave loyalty and he attracted loyalty…Bones didn’t need pips on his shoulder to inspire confidence and respect. As a leader, he showed the classical military principles of being fair and firm and friendly. He hated unfairness. He hated dishonesty,” Roger’s former officer Neville Clark said.

“He was tough. He was the embodiment of the spirit of Anzac and he also had a kindness, a well of kindness in him, which out-flowed to many people.”

Vietnam War, 50 years on In August, veterans from across Mount Evelyn and Lilydale remembered 50 years since Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. On Friday 18 August, the sound of bagpipes rang throughout Mount Evelyn marking the occasion at 11am.

Continued page 12

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL 11

2023... TOP NEWS STORIES

A year of storytelling From page 11 The topic of conscription was at the forefront for many of the 60,000 men who served in the war, including Lilydale RSL president Bill Dobson who received notice in 1968.

After 10 weeks of training at Puckapunyal, Mr Dobson was sent to Vietnam.

For the next 12 months, Mr Dobson would live in a four man tent surrounded by sandbags at least four feet high and a mosquito net covering his body.

As part of the ordinance unit, Mr Dobson spent much of his time going from base to base in Nui Dat through flat, open fields, driving along made roads and past rice paddocks.

“We were a combat supply unit so we did some combat with infantry and other times we would supply all the units. One of the things we used to do is drive ammunition to the various bases,” he said.

From January 1969 to February 1970 Mr Dobson served in Vietnam and did his duty despite realising it wasn’t Australia’s fight.

“I realised not long after we arrived we shouldn’t be there, it was a civil war. So then it was a matter of surviving the next 12 months,” he said.

Mother’s fight for life With six incredible reasons to keep fighting, Mooroolbark mum Susan Mackenzie aims to defy the odds, after being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) three years ago.

In September, Star Mail spoke with the mother who battled her first diagnosis during her pregnancy with her fifth child, Jackson, after finding a lump in her breast first thought to be a blocked milk duct, Susan was on a path to chemotherapy by January 2020.

“It was surreal. It didn’t feel real to me,” she

Beloved crossing guard Carmel Black hung up the high vis in Croydon North after 44 years of service at Yarra Road Primary School.

Picture: SUPPLIED said.

When pregnant with her sixth child Cooper, Susan learnt the cancer had spread to her lungs, ribs, bones, liver and pelvis, giving her a terminal diagnosis.

“I don’t feel like I’m about to keel over and die. I’ve got so much fight and so much deter-

mination to keep going. I have to. I’ve got little people that rely on me, I need to keep fighting.”

Helping raise awareness for TNBC, which accounts for approximately 15 per cent of the 20,000 breast cancer diagnoses in Australia every year, Susan told her story in the Pink Hope

documentary Beyond the Diagnosis: Confronting Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

“One of the main reasons why I jumped on this documentary is to raise awareness. I want to help other women, even though I might not see the results of this in my lifetime, something has to change.”

Yering clubhouse left in ruins The Eastern Golf Club in Yering was left in ruins after a fire ripped through the building on Monday 16 October.

The blaze was so significant that CFA crews remained on site overnight and into the following day to monitor and extinguish hotspots.

Incident Controller and Coldstream CFA Captain Sean Bethell arrived with the first appliance on the scene and said in the end they had about 26 different appliances from CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) turned out.

“Two of those were aerial appliances to make access for water streams into the top of the building, and we also had a number of pumpers for pumping water from two different static supplies on the property,” he said.

In a media statement, the Eastern Golf Club declared the course would reopen to be played the following weekend, with plans for temporary clubhouse facilities and amenities getting underway immediately.

“As a Club with a history that extends back a 100+ years, the loss of our clubhouse is devastating, but it is the loss of irreplaceable trophies, photographs, artworks and memorabilia that hurts most deeply,” club captain Fred Jones said in the statement.

CFA life savers honoured The remarkable effort of two local CFA brigades, with help from FRV, to save two children from a burning house was recognised in midNovember.

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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mailcommunity.com.au

2023... TOP NEWS STORIES Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park firefighters received the Unit Citation for Service award on Wednesday 22 November for rescuing three unconscious people from a burning property in Mooroolbark on 5 September 2022 and performing life saving CPR on the two children.

The 17 members in total were recognised for using a “range of intricate skills in the face of [a] distressing situation” and were “commended for epitomising the spirit of CFA at its highest level”.

“I haven’t seen it awarded to this many people from one brigade but it’s only been awarded 10 times in the past, so from what I’m aware of, this is a very rare occurrence for our officers to recognise this many people from the one brigade,” Mooroolbark CFA captain Mark Drennan said.

The four bedroom home was fully alight when CFA arrived but getting the two children and their mother out of the burning house was the first thing on the agenda.

“We suspended firefighting at the time, the house fire wasn’t our priority. Our priority was to get these kids alive then we resumed firefighting,” Mr Drennan said.

“The work done by all the crews there took a massive effort. When you’re doing CPR on such a large scale like that, rotating crews through to continue CPR and continue oxygen, that’s why so many people were awarded because it took a lot of people to bring the children back.”

Chirnside Park CFA captain Ben Cash said “members don’t attend, respond or volunteer for recognition” but it was a great honour for the members who responded that night.

“This distinguished honour goes to show the incredible effort of our members during this event,” he said.

“It’s humbling and extremely honouring to receive this citation.”

Humanitarian of the Year Leave A Light On founder and Mount Evelyn resident Suzie Ratcliffe was announced as the 2023 Humanitarian of the Year at the Fred Awards.

Being honoured in the same light as some-

Mount Evelyn stroke survivor Nicole Gallacher, her husband Dave and son Gus at the Stroke Awards for 2023 where she received the Courage Award.

Picture: SUPPLIED

The Australian flag covered Roger’s coffin as a tribute to his service for his country.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

ple. That’s our ultimate goal,” she said.

Suzie’s sister Joanne Ratcliffe is the face and name of one of Australia’s most well-known, unresolved missing persons cases.

It was 50 years ago in August that Joanne, 11, and four-year-old Kirste Gordon disap-

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MAIL 13

2023... BEST OF THE VOICE

A time of heated debate The referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament was a hotly debated topic locally and throughout the country in the lead-up to voting day.

Here’s what the Casey electorate had to say on The Voice.

The referendum proposed added subsections for the Australian Constitution to include formal recognition of First Nations peoples as the traditional inhabitants of Australia and the establishment of a new constitutional power called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Two other subsections outlined the ‘representation-making’ function of The Voice and navigated the parliament’s ability to make laws in accordance with and in relation to The Voice entity respectively.

Speaking to the Star Mail ahead of the vote, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Melbourne Cheryl Saunders said what The Voice would have looked like would have been a matter for legislation and the legislation ‘wouldn’t be set in concrete’.

“The power of The Voice will be there for the parliament to use and while legally the government is not forced to use that power, politically it has to enforce it and will.”

A National Reconciliation Week event in June at The Memo in Healesville hosted two keynote speakers, — Rueben Berg and Aunty Jill Gallagher — provided an opportunity for them to share their views on The Voice with the community.

Gunditjmara man and representative for the metropolitan region First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Rueben Berg said said that the aspirations of First Nations People are leading us as a nation towards the realization of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“Victoria is already kicking goals in that area and we have made some really significant progress along the lines of voice, treaty and truth,” he said.

“Here in Victoria, we already have a Voice in the First Peoples Assembly.”

Gunditjmara woman Aunty Jill Gallagher helped design and develop the First People’s Assembly and is a former treaty commissioner.

Ms Gallagher said she was often asked whether having an Aboriginal Voice in parliament will be divisive and her response is that there is already division in this country.

“We have to look at recent times, Stan Grant had no choice but to resign due to that division, when one of Australia’s most distinguished and revered journalists decides to walk away from their profession, as a direct result of racism, it is clear that something is still very wrong in our society,” she said.

Casey MP Aaron Violi weighed in on the referendum process multiple times throughout the year.

In January, Mr Violi said he wanted to understand the details of whether local, regional and national bodies will exist within the framework and how they will interact.

“The reality is that the challenges that Indigenous Australians in Casey face are completely different to the challenges for Indigenous Australians in Central Australia,” he said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced the Opposition would be formally supporting the No campaign on Wednesday 5 April.

Following this, Mr Violi said he hadn’t yet reached a final position on a personal level, which was his “right as a Liberal backbencher.”

“I’m continuing to engage with the community here in Casey, and that involves working with an organisation called DemocracyCo, with forums and public dialogue because I’ve received a range of views,” he said.

Unlike shadow-cabinet members, Mr Violi was not bound to support the Liberal Party’s position.

On a visit to the Yarra Ranges in May, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told the Star Mail that even if the referendum was successful, the party’s position wouldn’t effect the reelection chances of MPs in marginal seats.

“If you sit on the fence in politics you end up believing in nothing and you end up, I think frankly, being a burden to your own community.”

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The panel discussion at the conclusion of the Voice for Generations event at The Memo featuring Aunty Lea Jones, Dr Andrew Peters, Aunty Jill Gallagher and Rueben Berg.

Picture: YARRA RANGES COUNCIL

Yes vote campaigner Dr Bob Rich at pre-polling in Healesville.

Picture: CALLUM LUDWIG

Indigenous studies professor Dr Andrew Peters voted yes because of the ‘bipartisan support’ a Voice to Parliament would have given First Nations people.

Picture: ON FILE

No vote campaigner Joanne van Wageningen at pre-polling in Healesville.

Picture: CALLUM LUDWIG

By the time he spoke to the Star Mail in September, Mr Violi confirmed he would be voting no.

“The moment my concerns were crystallised was when I was speaking to an Indigenous leader in our community in Casey and he expressed the same concerns I had, that he hadn’t been consulted in the process.”

Community consultation in Casey conducted by Mr Violi’s office returned a result of 39.8 per cent voting yes and 45.75 per cent voting no with 14.5 per cent yet to decide, with a community forum of 50 people returning equal results of those voting yes and no.

Labor Senator for Victoria Linda White was in communication with the over 170 volunteers of the Casey for Yes group and was a member of the initial Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum. She voted Yes alongside her fellow party members.

Before the referendum, Ms White said the most significant reason for her decision was the length of time The Voice has been called for.

“The Uluru Statement from the Heart was the culmination of probably 20 years of requests to have constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians,” she said.

“Having Indigenous bodies in legislation, which can be easily abolished, has just not worked because the bodies themselves might have but were just taken out by successive governments. That points to me that you need something strong so it can continue.”

The Committee, made up of seven Labor, three Liberal and one Nationals, Greens and Independent representatives, passed the alteration that formed The Voice referendum unamended, forming the view that the Bill is ‘constitutionally sound’ and met the requests of the Uluru Statement From the Heart.

A Casey for Yes group was formed and held in-person and online discussions in the leadup to the referendum.

Group founder and former independent

candidate for Casey Claire Ferres Miles said the group had been started specifically for The Voice and educating the community and was feeling positive when she spoke to the Star Mail in September.

“We can only comment on our recent visit to Upwey, however, we estimated around 40 per cent of people were very supportive of the yes vote, 40 per cent seemed to be undecided and looking for more information, and 20 per cent either didn’t want to engage or were supporting the no vote,” she said.

Healesville Indigenous educator Thane Garvey, a descendent of celebrated Wurundjeri leader William Barak, said Australia was well behind when it comes to recognising First Peoples, with neighbours New Zealand having ‘a long way to go over there too but they’re still way ahead of us’.

“If you look at New Zealand or if you look at other places around the planet, they’re normally known somewhat because of their Indigenous people, their Traditional Owners, whereas Australia really doesn’t want to have that identity, that relationship with Traditional Owners for some reason,” he said.

Following the referendum result, Thane said it was heartbreaking but we’ve just got to forget about The Voice for now and moving forward, we’ve just got to focus on treaty.

“As Indigenous Australians, we need to start branching out to our brothers and sisters over in New Zealand and all these other countries all over the planet, all these different places that managed to get treaty across the line,” he said.

Wurundjeri man, Indigenous studies professor and son of Aunty Dot Peters, Dr Andrew Peters, voted yes because of the ‘bipartisan support’ a Voice to Parliament would have given First Nations people.

Andrew said The Voice would’ve been a “permanent way for governments to listen to Aboriginal representative groups” especially when it comes to the expression of culture.

“Over the years, where things have been set

up to help Aboriginal people, generally speaking, they were set up by the Labor government and disbanded by Liberal governments.

It might not always be the case but generally, that’s what’s happened,” he said.

No vote campaigner Joanne van Wageningen and Yes vote campaigner Dr Bob Rich were among many across the state to give their time to assist at pre-polling, both braving pouring rain in Healesville on Tuesday 3 October.

Ms van Wageningen said she did the reading and research while also listening to what people had to say.

“My initial gut feeling was no, but then I had to do the research and actually follow that up with proof of what was right,” she said.

Dr Rich said he was involved because he is for decency.

“I want justice and redress for all the past times for our First Nations people, they have asked for in the Uluru statement for three things; Voice, Treaty and truth,” he said.

61 per cent of Australians ended up voting No in the referendum held on 14 October.

Across the Casey electorate, the No’s only just held the majority, with only 58 per cent of locals making up the majority, and a close 42 per cent voting yes.

Breaking the results down, Boronia and Rowville were the only locations in Knox that turned a ‘No’ majority.

Boronia had the biggest turnout of voters in the municipality, with the results favouring the no’s 1997 to the yes’s 1846 votes.

In the Yarra Ranges, Tecoma had the greatest count in favour of The Voice, with 1,154 votes for The Voice versus only 639 against.

The No’s held a strong majority over the Yes vote in Healesville – 2,854 to 2,256 respectively.

The polls in Menzies Creek, Mount Dandenong, and Warburton were the only other communities in the Yarra Ranges to show a Yes majority.

Lilydale provided the greatest polling numbers, with 4,350 yes votes trampled by the 9,750 who voted against. mailcommunity.com.au

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Enjoy some quite time with a book from the extensive library collection.

Breathtaking views await residents at Lilydale Valley Views. activities and social occasions, allowing them to tailor their level of engagement. At Lilydale Valley Views, we recognise the importance of social connections for overall health and wellbeing as we age. Our environment is curated to facilitate an active and connected lifestyle, fostering a sense of community that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the village.

Centrally located near essential amenities, including medical practitioners, supermarkets, and the train station – all within walking distance – Lilydale Valley Views provides a seam-

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Meet and mingle with friends in the community centre.

less blend of convenience and tranquillity. The nearby Warburton Trail offers residents the opportunity for scenic walks or bike rides, while a thriving veggie/flower garden on-site adds to the communal spirit. As a testament to our commitment to excellence, we are proud to have built a retirement village that has evolved into a close-knit community. Lilydale Valley Views is not merely a place to live; it’s a place where people flourish, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and cherished moments.

In celebration of our journey and the joy of

vibrant retirement living, we invite you to explore Lilydale Valley Views. Come and witness firsthand the beauty of terrace living, stunning views, and the warm embrace of a community that defines the essence of retirement living.

For more information, contact Lilydale Valley Views at 471 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, email manager@lilydalevalleyviews.com.au, or call 03 9735 5944 to speak with Rosemary Seymour our manager. Our doors are open from 9am to 4.30pm, welcoming you to a new chapter of vibrant retirement living.

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Enjoy the Community & the Facilities

mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL 15

2023... BEST PICTURES

Young members of the community lay a wreath at the Montrose cenotaph for Anzac Day. Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Tex and Leo from Seville enjoying making bubbles at the Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS 2023. 324618

Tonnie with Belle and Soul who were adopted through Animal Aid and have become best buds. They were prepared to take on Adventure Dog Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS 2023. 319040

A moment for the photos Photos go a long way in helping tell the important, heartwarming and major stories. This year was no different, with Star Mail’s photographers, journalists and community capturing all the best moments on camera. Here’s a selection from the year, from moments of devastation to complete joy.

Mount Evelyn reserves player Hayden Koole goes for a mark in the final against Pakenham.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Gladesville Primary School students Jayden (grade 4), Conor (grade 3), Zoe (grade 5) and Piper (grade 3) celebrated Book Week. 354424 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Mooroolbark CFA’s tanker sits on the edge of the Flowerdale blaze as firefighters battled it throughout a night in February.

Picture: MOOROOLBARK CFA

High flying defence from Mount Evelyn kept Beaconsfield at bay in the second round of A Grade netball finals. 359430 Picture: GARY SISSONS 16 MAIL

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

Over 7000 hand knitted poppies created an installation at the Lilydale Memorial Park for Anzac Day. 330598 Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Ryan Paterson completed a gruelling fitness challenge on Thursday 6 April to raise funds for the Good Friday Appeal.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Bob Craig, 89-years-old, skydived in a kilt at the end of April, fuelling his adventurous soul.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Maroondah Hospital staff Heidi Gregory, Nancy Li, Caitlin Osborne, Michael Chapman and Sukumar Navanathan were able to enjoy a new and bright mural in the hospital courtyard as a thank you from Lilydale artist Brad Colling. 315179 Picture: ROB CAREW mailcommunity.com.au

2023... BEST OF ENTERTAINMENT

Making their mark Noyes named Aussie best From humble beginnings growing up in Mooroolbark to international recognition for his first short film, Aaron Lee Noyes made waves as an up and coming talent in photography and film in 2023.

As director and writer of the film ‘Mr.Gypsie’, Noyes took home best Australian director at the London Director Awards on 9 February.

“Making this film, I was pretty naive. I didn’t write it or make it thinking about festivals whatsoever,” he said.

“I did this for me and to make something beautiful and to show the world that I can do it and get myself on the right path.”

Having made the transition from the corporate world to full time editorial and fashion photographer in May 2022, Noyes had always viewed the digital mediums as a passion project. But taking a leap of faith, the teenage dream of pursuing photography as a career came true at 34-years-old.

“To get this kind of acknowledgment so early is obviously an immensely proud feeling.

I’m proud of myself, I’m proud of the crew, I’m proud of the actors. It was a huge amount of work…I’m still coming back down to earth a little bit about it,” he said at the time.

Snowy symphony for composer Coldstream resident Bruce Rowland and The Man from Snowy River composer saw his music played live to the film for the first time by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in August.

In preparation for the event, Rowland and his team spent months digitising the original score, converting the music to a digital format for use by the orchestra.

Rowland’s career spans a number of motion pictures, cable movies, mini-series, series, animations, jingles and special live events but said that Snowy has had a long run.

“It’s had long legs,” he said.

The score is quite technical and uses signature French horns which require a full orchestra to play.

“I’ve worked with the Melbourne Symphony many times and they are a wonderful orchestra,” he said.

Major photographic exhibition on show The only Victorian showing of the finalists for the National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP) 2022 was held at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum.

Spanning three months from June to September, the exhibition brought the Archibald of photography to the region to be enjoyed by locals.

From 50 photographers named as finalists, the Yarra Ranges had two residents selected, with Tom Goldner and Ivan Gaal displaying works.

“Their inclusion highlights the high calibre of creative practitioners that call this region home. We are very lucky to be surrounded by a hugely talented creative community – it makes my job very exciting,” Yarra Ranges Regional Museum Exhibitions Curator Maddie Reece said.

Mount Evelyn’s Idol

Kemp’s curtain call Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company received high praise for its production of Cosi, among others at the Lyrebird Awards.

Picture: LILYDALE ATHENAEUM THEATRE COMPANY

Yarra Ranges Regional Museum Exhibitions Curator Maddie Reece with the two local portraits by Tom Goldner and Ivan Gaal. 352805 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Mount Evelyn resident Josh Hannan appeared on thousands of screens during his time on Australian Idol.

Picture: CHANNEL 7

Taking on the mantra ‘it’s now or never’, Mount Evelyn’s Josh Hannan graced the screens of thousands as he pursued his music career on Australian Idol.

Making it to the top three contestants, Josh bowed out with a positive spirit and Having gone into Australian Idol with a dream of one day recording his own music and taking a chance on the industry, Josh said to have made it to the end was not something he expected.

“I had no idea going into it how I was going compare to all of the competition,” he said.

“It gives me a lot of confidence going forward, regardless of the result that I’m going to be able to pursue this career with hopefully a bit of success.”

Bringing ageism to the forefront The culmination of 17 wordsmiths’ work was unveiled in a new exhibition, a milestone achievement for many of the participants, combining the two artforms of poetry and photography.

Poetic Portraits brought together individuals from all over the Yarra Ranges, both professional writers and amateurs, who were 50 or older to delve into their stories of relationships, ageing and connection to both themselves and their landscape.

Excited by the topic of ageism and being able to meet other passionate poets and storytellers, Fotoula Reynolds said speaking about age carried a sense of pride.

“A lot of people do find coming into their

senior years the challenges confronting, but I certainly have not felt that, I’ve been very excited actually. I was pleased to be part of it.”

Poetic Portraits will be on display at the Lilydale Civic Centre until 31 January and is accessible Monday to Friday.

Award success at the ‘birds The Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company (LATC) scooped the pool at the 2020-2022 Lyrebird Awards for a number of categories of theatre production.

With the 2020 production of The Full Monty taking home both Best Production (Comedy) and Best Set Design (Comedy), director Katie Jane Amey said it proved everything worked in the show.

“I view the Best Production (Comedy) award as affirmation that the entire production, on balance, just worked – all the elements, all the moments, all the people,” she said.

“We felt really good about it when it was onstage, and it was really nice to be remembered from way back in February/March 2020.”

Best Performer in a Lead Male Role (comedy) for Cosi, actor Mark Crowe said the combination of seriousness and laughter made the play special.

“It’s a comedy with heart,” he said.

“It gave them plenty of laughs and plenty to think about at the same time. With the diversity that is portrayed in the characters, they can do more than what is normally expected of them.”

Movie can’t make you care about cars Ferrari Starring Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley Rated MA15+ 3.75/5 A biopic about Italian racer and car tycoon Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), Ferrari is, ironically, less interesting when it focuses on the race-cars.

Director Michael Mann (Manhunter, Heat, Collateral) excels with anti-heroes and morally-grey narratives, and Ferrari is full of poignant, powerful performances.

Driver plays Enzo with soft-spoken intensity, playing a demanding, hyperfocused figure, while Penelope Cruz is a harried force of will as Enzo’s wife Laura.

Shailene Woodley is the weak link as Enzo’s mistress Lina, If only for her slipping accent.

The film features sumptuous cinematography mailcommunity.com.au

Calling all actors and audiences

and some clever cuts and uses of juxtaposition, and the racing sequences are dynamic and perilous (although the final Mille Miglia race is slightly hard to follow due to the identity-obscuring helmets and goggles and racers on both teams driving red cars).

Ferrari’s one major flaw is a poor balance of internal and external conflict. Enzo’s per-

sonal struggles, including his complicated relationship with his illegitimate son Piero, are quietly heartbreaking, and the plot has that slow, deliberate, immersive pacing that I enjoy.

The broader dramatic goal, on the other hand – Ferrari must win the Mille Miglia or go bankrupt – is less engaging.

It would be easy to say I have no interest in cars, but a conflict can still engage if it holds clear, pressing importance for the characters; if they care, you care.

Win the race or go broke are unconvincing stakes due to Enzo’s unflappable attitude and affluence, and even after a shocking crash in the climax, nothing sticks in terms of consequence.

An unbalanced character drama about a car tycoon in which the cars counterintuitively get in the way of the drama, Ferrari is playing in most Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Eltham Little Theatre Audition Notice Play: The Peppercorn Tree Sunday 4 February and Monday 5 February – 7.00pm – 10.15pm.

This is a moving Australian drama set in Melbourne in 1993.

Auditions will be by individual appointment, at 15 minute intervals.

Audition candidates will be asked to read specific sections of the script against other actors.

There is no need to memorise these for the audition.

Please arrive 10 minutes early so that you can fill out an audition form.

Rehearsals will be held Monday and Wednesday 7.30 to 9.30pm and Sunday 2.30 to 5pm.

Successful candidates will be required to become members of the Eltham Little Theatre.

Please contact the director with inquiries, to request a script and a list of audition pieces.

Director’s email is Audition@elthamlittletheatre.org.au Gemco Theatre – a History In the town of Emerald in Kilvington Drive one finds The Gemco Players Community Theatre.

Back in 1980 a recent arrival from England, David Greenaway was interested in forming a theatre group, so he called a meeting of like-minded people and Theatre was born that night.

The name comes from the towns in the area, Gembrook, Emerald, Menzies Creek and Cockatoo.

Like many other theatres the rehearsals were held in private homes and small halls in Emerald and Clematis.

Of course, this meant carrying all that was needed to take to the halls in the area for the actual performances.

In the years since 1980, it has performed to over 45,000 people certainly showing that the hills were bereft of entertainment.

A small hall, initially the Tecoma Uniting Church, was made into a permanent home.

Again like many other community theatres, the members volunteered to bring the old hall into a theatre.

This space proved so efficient that it saw an expansion of youth groups, so much so that the company outgrew their theatre.

So David and his cohorts set to and built the theatre that is today.

Today Gemco has had over 1899 young people involved in its youth and children programs and Gemco has raised over $29,000 for groups within the community and beyond.

REMEMBER: The 1812 Theatre Mother & Son. Season: February 22 – March 16. Bookings: 9758 3964.

The Basin theatre Hatched Matched and Dispatched Season: Friday February 23 – Sunday March 3. Bookings: 1300 784 668

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL 17

OPINION

Where to pick up your FREE Star Mail

Preparing for 2024

(While stocks last)

We are looking for outlets...

Have copies of the Lilydale Star Mail or Mount Evelyn Star Mail in your business as a service to the community. We are actively looking for businesses with high traffic flows to carry FREE newspapers for the public. Contact us on 5957 3700 if you can help!

Or, get your FREE Digital Editions, News Updates, Breaking News and competitions delivered to your email inbox.

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

Happy New Year everyone, I hope you’re all well and enjoying the holiday period, and that 2024 has some amazing things in store for you!

Summer in the Yarra Ranges can throw up a range of emotions, so I’d like to take this time to talk about the importance of preparing your property, and yourselves, for the hotter months ahead.

Clearing up anything that could be a fire hazard around your property is critical, as things like fallen tree debris, grass, twigs and excess vegetation can dry out and become very flammable in the event of a fire.

The CFA have plenty of great resources and tips available on their website about how to best prepare your property, as well as how to create a fire plan in case of emergencies.

This time of year is also when our annual hard waste collection begins.

Between January-March, every household in the Yarra Ranges will have a scheduled collection week where they can place unwanted old appliances, bulky items and branches out for collection.

The hard waste items that you place out are recycled as much as possible, but before putting them out, consider whether they are items that could be sold, given away or donated. You know what they say, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

You can find out everything you need to know about your hard waste collection, including what you can and can’t put out and

From my

desk Sophie Todorov

Mayor of Yarra Ranges when your collection is, by visiting yarraranges.vic.gov.au/hardwaste or by giving us a call on 1300 368 333.

Lastly, I wanted to highlight that later this year, we’ll be developing our next Council Plan.

The Council Plan is our key planning document for the next four years, that describes the goals and objectives we want to deliver for the community over the next electoral term.

It also describes what we as a Council stand for and explains how our performance will be measured and reported back to the community.

It is therefore vital that we get your feedback on what your priorities are for the Yarra Ranges, so please keep an eye out this year for a range of opportunities to get involved in arguably our most important document that we put together. We can’t do it without you!

Thank you for reading and I wish you all the very best for the year ahead!

This year has already brought two different acts of kindness to two different people, something to pass on.

Picture: UNSPLASH

Two acts of kindness give us all hope for 2024 Paying it forward

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CHIRNSIDE PARK Meadowgate Milk Bar 3 Meadowgate Drive CHIRNSIDE PARK Coles Supermarket 239-241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK Woolworths Supermarket 239-241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK Caltex Safeway 239-241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK EG Fuelco Service Station Chirnside Park Shopping Ctr Little Chipping Drive, 241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK 7 - Eleven 242 Maroondah Highway CROYDON NORTH Croydon Hills Milk Bar 158 Nangathan Way CROYDON NORTH Eastfield Milk Bar 11 The Mall KILSYTH Woolworths Supermarket Churinga SC, Russo Place KILSYTH Coles Supermarket 520-526 Mt Dandenong Road KILSYTH Woolworths Supermarket Canterbury Road Kilsyth LILYDALE Lilydale Marketplace SC 33-45 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE Lilydale Village SC 51-59 Anderson Street LILYDALE Woolworths Supermarket Marketplace, 33 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE Coles Supermarket Lilydale Village Castella Street & Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Lilydale Community Centre 7 Hardy Street LILYDALE Lilydale Lakeside Conference and Events Centre 1 Jarlo Drive LILYDALE United Petrol Service Station 473 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Caltex Lilydale 346 Main Street LILYDALE Caltex Woolworths 31 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE BP Service Station 87 Warburton Highway LILYDALE Shell Service Station 469 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE 7 - Eleven Lilydale Cnr Maroondah Highway & Cave Hill Road LILYDALE Coles Express 469 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Hutch & Co Cafe 251 Main Street LILYDALE Round Bird Can't Fly 170 Main Street LILYDALE The Lilydale General 110 Beresford Road LILYDALE Yarra Valley Smokery 96 Main Street LILYDALE Bee Seen Cafe 178 Main Street LILYDALE Blue Turtle Cafe 222 Main Street LILYDALE Gracious Grace Castella Street LILYDALE Melba Coffee House 33-45 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE Lilydale Munchies 7/75 Cave Hill Road LILYDALE Point of View Cafe Lilydale Lakeside - Jarlo Drive LILYDALE Freda's Cafe 2 Clarke Street LILYDALE Barry Plant Real Estate 88 Main Street LILYDALE Ray White Real Estate 164 Main Street LILYDALE Hello Harry 245 Main Street LILYDALE Noel Jones Real Estate 281 Main Street LILYDALE Professionals Real Estate 111-113 Main Street LILYDALE Grubs Up 1 Industrial Park Drive LILYDALE Mc Donalds Restaurant Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Olinda Creek Hotel Maroondah Hwy LILYDALE Crown Hotel Maroondah Hwy LILYDALE Yarra Ranges Council 61 - 65 Anderson Street MONTROSE Montrose Authorised Newsagency 912 Mt Dandenong Road MONTROSE IGA Supermarket Mt Dandenong Road MONTROSE Bell Real Estate 896 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road MOUNT EVELYN Fast Fuel 1 Hereford Road MOUNT EVELYN IGA Supermarket 38- 40 York Road MOUNT EVELYN Post Office 12 Station Street MOUNT EVELYN Authorised Newsagency 1A Wray Crescent MOUNT EVELYN Red Robyn Milk Bar 35 Hereford Road MOUNT EVELYN Library 50 Wray Cresent MOUNT EVELYN Milkbar 28 Birmingham Road MONTROSE IGA Supermarket 916 Mt Dandenong Road MOOROOLBARK Coles Supermarket 15 Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK Bendigo Bank Unit 19/66 - 74 Brice Ave MOOROOLBARK Corner Milk Bar 38 Bellara Dive MOOROOLBARK Fang & Yaoxin Mini Mart 108 Hayrick Lane MOOROOLBARK BP Mooroolbark 103 Cardigan Road MOOROOLBARK Coles Express 2 Cambridge Road MOOROOLBARK Professionals Real Estate Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK L J Hooker Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK Fletchers Real Estate 1/14 Manchester Road MOOROOLBARK Mc Donalds Restaurant Manchester Road MOOROOLBARK 7-Eleven Manchester Road MOUNT EVELYN York on Lilydale 138 York Road WANDIN NORTH Wandin Newsagency Shop 2 /18 Union Road

On 3 January, at approximately 2.50pm at the Mt Evelyn IGA supermarket my wife and I were shopping for a couple of grocery items and were directed to pay at the eight Items or less counter.

In front of us was a gentleman who paid for his items and then handed the cashier some money and he went on his way.

We went to pay for our items and were told to our complete surprise they had been paid for already by the gentleman’s generous donation.

We would like to say a huge thank you for his kindness and will do our best to pass this on to another person at a checkout.

This was a lovely experience showing one man’s generosity to another when we so often hear negative news.

B & G Woolley

An act of selflessness As it happened to be New Year’s Eve on Sunday, I took my wife out and dropped her at the shops. The object to get bargains at the end of year sales.

That started the chain of events. I toddled off to Bunnings. Several heavy garden items were required. These paid for, I

returned and loaded them into the boot.

Closing the boot, I took two steps and realised the keys were not in my pocket. They dropped in the boot along with my phone.

The loud groan and anguish on my face alerted the owners of the next two cars to my problem. Both sympathised with my predicament. One offered a lift home. The other, whose name is Peter, offered his phone to call my wife. Eventually telling her of the situation, her dismay quite evident, I prepared to accept the first offer of a lift.

The car had gone. I pondered the 10 km walk home for spare keys. Peter, however, had other ideas. Peter drove me home. We talked of family and work as we drove. He is a care worker and has family near mine in different country towns.

Thanking Peter as we arrived at my home, two things surprised me. He didn’t want a gift and he told me to get inside quickly.

Then he said ‘Hurry, get the keys, I’m taking you back’. As Peter dropped me back at Bunnings his final words were ‘be a good person’ and ‘do something for someone else’.

Amid the doom and gloom there are good people, pay it forward and enjoy 2024.

David mailcommunity.com.au

PROPERTY

CHARMING FARMHOUSE RETREAT 19

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

CHARMING FARMHOUSE RETREAT EMBRACE the timeless allure of country living at 101 Airlie Road, Healesville-a property that effortlessly captures the essence of farmhouse charm and old-world elegance.

Boasting three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two living areas, this residence exudes a warmth that is both inviting and comforting.

As you step onto the property, the self-contained bungalow with a quaint kitchenette and bathroom adds a touch of versatility, creating total of four bedrooms and three bathrooms for the property making it perfect for guests or creative pursuits.

The farmhouse style is accentuated by an abundance of shedding, providing practical solutions for storage or hobbies, while verandahs wrapping around the home evoke the nostalgic charm of days gone by.

The interior seamlessly blends modern comfort with olde world charm, offering an internal access garage and carport for added convenience. The rural setting allows for space all around, creating an idyllic backdrop for this homely retreat. The gardens, meticulously loved and cared for, contribute to the overall appeal, bringing life

and colour to the surroundings.

At the rear of the property, a covered entertaining area beckons, providing the perfect spot to enjoy the tranquillity of the rural setting. The house itself emanates a homely, relaxing feel, inviting you to unwind and savour the simpler pleasures of life. The allotment is approx. 6482sqm in size and is currently the home to two sheep, who would love to stay on with the new owners as they enjoy living here.

The location is nothing short of ideal, with Badger Creek Primary School, Healesville Sanctuary, and Badger Weir picnic grounds in close proximity. A short drive will take you to Healesville township, ensuring that essential amenities and the charm of a small town are within easy reach.

For those who appreciate the beauty of country living, coupled with the convenience of modern living, 101 Airlie Road stands as an epitome of serene, rural elegance.

Discover a haven where pets and kids can frolic freely, and the timeless appeal of a farmhouse lifestyle awaits. Arrange a viewing today and make this charming retreat your very own. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 101 Airlie Road, Healesville Description: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 garage Price: $950,000 - $1,040,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Jane Nunn 0432 375 940, INTEGRITY REAL ESTATE 20

MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

21

HOME FOCUS

MAGNIFICENT FAMILY HOME ON A 19 ACRE SECLUDED PARADISE ESCAPE the hustle and bustle of city life and discover the allure of “Iron Bark Lodge” – an impressive family residence nestled on a secluded 19-acre retreat. This picturesque property offers a private haven with a perfect blend of rustic charm and natural surroundings.

The substantial home boasts a harmonious mix of timber construction, mudbrick, and stone feature walls. Extensive shady verandahs, and large windows fill the space with light. The main living area features a cozy stone fireplace, connecting seamlessly to a spacious lounge that exudes grandeur with its huge log beams and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the unique and private landscape.

On the main level, you’ll find three bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the downstairs area surprises with a spacious bedroom, bathroom and living area, complete with a wood fireplace. In total, the residence offers four bedrooms, three toilets, and three showers.

Adding to the appeal is a fantastic triple bay shed with a mezzanine and bathroom, complemented by an additional double garage. An aviary for birds, an enclosed vegetable garden, a pool entertaining area with decking and gazebo, and a relaxing spa provide a variety of choices for enjoyment.

This property is a rare find, tucked away with a substantial frontage to the Little Yarra River. There have been many infrastructure upgrades and some additions in the last few years including a solar system and Starlink satellite dish, so call now to book an inspection to enjoy beauty of “Iron Bark Lodge” as it unfolds in person, and we invite you to experience it for yourself. Discover a lifestyle that’s often sought but seldom found in this intriguing and secluded piece of paradise. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 60 Blacksands Road, THREE BRIDGES Description: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 8 garage Price: $1,400,0000 - $1,500,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Rebecca Doolan 0401 832 068, BELL REAL ESTATE - YARRA JUNCTION, 5967 1277 22

MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

mailcommunity.com.au

P 5966 2530

3407 Warburton Highway, Warburton

1/4 Herbert Street, Yarra Junction

$760,000-$810,000

P 5967 1277

2457 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction

10 Riverside Drive, Warburton

$760,000-$800,000

Charming Family Home close to town

4 bedroom character home, large block, opposite the Yarra river

Boasting great space, convenience and easy care living for the growing family, this fantastic home is positioned to please in a quiet and picturesque location close to all facilities.Offering 4 bedrooms all with built in robes and with 3 separate bathrooms including an ensuite and walk in robe in the main bedroom. A flexible floorplan with family space in mind and conveniently spread over 2 levels, multiple living areas with separate lounge/living and family rooms offer the growing or extended family ample space to spread out. Beautiful kitchen loads of bench and cupboard space with quality appliances and fittings throughout, outside offers low maintenance established gardens and a lock up garage. A superb family home conveniently situated just a short stroll to Yarra Junctions shopping precinct, local schools, transport and the Yarra Centre, it’s a great place to call home.

Storybook living, across from the Yarra River and only a few minutes stroll into the heart of Warburton this home certainly has alot on offer. Double storey and complete with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms the versatile floorplan provides ample living options. Gorgeous formal lounge with large windows looking out onto the established cottage gardens. Amazing super-sized kitchen, fabulous space for the accomplished cook with room to move, the festive feast will be a dream to cook up. Master bedroom with ensuite and upstairs another 2 bedrooms, study nook and main family bathroom, plenty of storage and bonus ducted vacuum. Large garage with internal access will make unpacking the shopping a breeze! Plenty of space outside with fruit trees to indulge in and cottage gardens to lose yourself in, a delightful property in brilliant location to enjoy the delights of Warburton.

David Carroll M 0419 539 320 Inspection: Sat 11.30-12.00pm

13 Yuonga Road, Warburton

4

A

3

B 2 C

$550,000-$600,000

Rebecca Doolan M 0401 832 068 Inspection: Sat 10.00-10.30am

4

15 Sussex Street, Warburton

A

2

B 1 C

$780,000 - $855,000

Character and Charm – walk to the Yarra river

Ferny oasis on half an acre of land close to Aqueduct Trail

Charming home boasting unique character, strategically nestled to capture stunning views of the neighboring mountains. Ideally positioned, a leisurely stroll leads to Warburton Water Park, riverside trails along the Yarra River, and delightful cafes. Featuring four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and captivating old-world elements such as lofty ceilings, sash windows, and a bedroom adorned with a beautiful open fireplace. With a simple kitchen and bathroom, the property offers extra appeal with a bonus studio/workspace and a sunroom. Downstairs unveils what is believed to be the original kitchen, now equipped with a separate entry, a compact kitchenette, a bedroom, and a bathroom.

Situated on a spacious 1000sqm block adorned with established fruit trees, this property presents a fantastic opportunity to enter the market in a prime location.

On a large parcel of land of half an acre, this property presents you with opportunities at every turn.

The updated stylish kitchen opens onto your meals living and dining area, all with big front facing windows to admire your stunning well established garden and ferns. With 3 bedrooms plus a great size study, huge updated laundry and so much storage throughout, split system heating and cooling throughout you will be falling in love with this entire lifestyle package in no time! There is a large lock up garage and workshop at the end of the second driveway to store all your grownup toys or house your hobbies. Beautiful stone walled gardens with meandering paths full of blackwoods and other tress even a bottle tree. Only minutes walk to the Aqueduct walking track, or the Warburton golf course, with the constant sounds of the river this Warburton lifestyle is waiting for you to enjoy!

Rebecca Doolan M 0401 832 068 Inspection:

By Appointment

4

A

2

B

Rebecca Doolan M 0401 832 068 Inspection: Sat 11.00-11.30am

3

A

1

B 4 C

bellrealestate.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

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HOME FOCUS

STUNNING HOME IN PEACEFUL LOCATION SURROUNDED by majestic trees and with a spring fed permanent creek running through, this is Yarra Valley living at its best.

Set on 1 & 1/2 acres approximately in the most picturesque setting is this beautifully renovated home.

The recent renovation means almost everything in the home is brand new and never used. This includes new carpets in the four large bedrooms and all new fixtures in the two well equipped bathrooms. There’s two large living areas, one on each level, both with beautiful new hardwood flooring.

The brand new kitchen is well appointed with stainless steel appliances including large 5 burner stove, rangehood and dishwasher. A complete repaint inside and out tops off the stunning presentation.

Filtered mountain views can be enjoyed from the full length deck upstairs with access from the master bedroom and living area. Summer nights sitting here listening to the whispering of leaves in the magnificent gum trees will be bliss. Or perhaps enjoy an open fire outside in the park like setting in the cooler months.

Two sets of impressive double steel gates lead you into the bluestone bounded driveway which encircles the home and offers an abundance of outdoor parking space plus there’s a double garage and double car port.

Extras include air conditioning in both living areas, slow combustion wood heater with transfer kit and probably the only property I’ve seen with its own mine. Truly a unique and special property ideal as a permanent family home or for weekend enjoyment for all your family and friends.

Just 5 minutes from cafes and shops of Warburton Main Street along the Yarra River and offering easy access to Yarra Ranges National Park with an abundance of tracks for walking or riding. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 225 Big Pats Creek Road, BIG PATS CREEK Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 garage Price: $810,000 - $890,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Samantha Price 0438 795 190, BELL REAL ESTATE - YARRA JUNCTION, 5967 1277 24

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26 Royal Crescent, Kinglake

180 St Margett Road, Flowerdale

52 Kingswood Drive, Chirnside Park

$550,000 - $570,000

$990,000

Expressions of interest

FOR SALE 3

1

FOR SALE 2

1,597 sqm

3

200 Whittlesea-Kinglake Road, Kinglake Central

$890,000 - $940,000

FOR SALE 4

2

2

FOR SALE 2

192,581 sqm

4,378 sqm

5

3

2

747 sqm

486 Extons Road, Kinglake Central

73 Whittlesea-Kinglake Road, Kinglake

$1,900,000 - $1,950,000

$740,000 - $760,000

FOR SALE 2

4

4

FOR SALE 8

105,218 sqm

4

2

2

973 sqm

12660464-MS03-24

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

25

HOME FOCUS

MODERN AND STYLISH EQUINE PROPERTY ON APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES WHAT a fantastic opportunity. Rarely do you find a home of this quality paired with a usable nearly 5 acres of land carefully designed to maximize grazing potential and ease of care for your horses or four legged friends.

The home is located less than 5 minutes to Gembrook township, and is surrounded by farming properties offering beautiful vistas.

The expansive 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom family home is wrapped with a welcoming front verandah and has a grand entry.

There is a formal loungeroom and a master bedroom with a large walk in wardrobe and ensuite. Conveniently located near the master bedroom is a further bedroom with ceiling fan and built in robes. The home with its high ceilings, double glazed large windows, and reverse cycle air conditioning is a delight to explore.

Flow through to the central open plan kitchen/dining/lounge area to discover the hub of the home that is flooded with natural light, and offers a wood fire heater, and kitchen with a large walk in pantry.

The kitchen also has a 900mm gas stove/ oven, stainless steel appliances including dishwasher and Caesar stone benchtops.

At the other end of the home, there is a lovely laundry with it’s own external access, a study/office area, and then three further bedrooms, all with ceiling fans and built-in wardrobes. These bedrooms are serviced by the family bathroom complete with bath and shower. There is also a handy separate toilet.

Externally the acreage is divided into 5 fully fenced paddocks, fenced with either electric fencing or mesh fencing. These paddocks are connected through a central laneway which allows for ease of care by having one central hay station & water station. The main gateways are reinforced with Geohex. There is plenty of parking available making it easy to store you float for short trips out to the nearby riding trails or to the local horse riding clubs such as Gembrook Adult Riding Club and Cockatoo Pony Club.

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

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

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 100 Gembrook Tonimbuk Road, GEMBROOK Description: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Price: $1,400,000 - $1,520,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Aaron Day 0407 365 994 or Bethany Day 0438 844 968, BELL REAL ESTATE EMERALD 26

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P 5968 6222 311-313 Main Street Emerald

100 Gembrook-Tonimbuk Road, Gembrook

$1,250,000 - $1,350,000

52 Patons Road, Macclesfield

$1,750,000 - $1,900,000

Stylish Equine Property on approx. 5 acres!

Stylishly Renovated Home with Equine Infrastructure on Nearly 20 acres!

The expansive 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has a formal loungeroom & a master bedroom with a large WIR & ensuite. Near the master bedroom is a further bedroom with ceiling fan & BIRs. The home has high ceilings, double glazed large windows, & reverse cycle AC. The central open plan kitchen/ dining/lounge area is flooded with natural light, & offers a wood fire heater, & kitchen with a large walk in pantry. The kitchen has a 900mm gas stove/oven, & SS appliances including dishwasher & Caesar stone benchtops. There is a laundry with it’s own external access, a study/office area, & then 3 further bedrooms, all with ceiling fans & BIRs. These bedrooms are serviced by the family bathroom & separate toilet. Externally the acreage is divided into 5 fully fenced paddocks. This home utilizes gas bottles, tank water, has 4kW solar with 18 solar panels, & mains electricity.

Featuring a 40m*20m sand menage, day yards, electric fenced paddocks, hot wash, tack room, float storage, hay shed, a 3-bay barn, cross-country course, mains water & a comfortable 4-bedroom, 2 bathroom, ‘Hamptons’ style home with views & zoned heating & cooling. The home has 2 lounge areas, a dining area & entertaining deck. The master bedroom has a walk-through robe, ceiling fan & ensuite. The open plan kitchen/dining/living area has a wood fire & a 900mm gas stove & an electric oven, & the laundry has a drying cupboard. There are 3 further bedrooms with BIRs & a family bathroom. The stock yards have loading ramps, there are 5 paddocks with water, day yards, tack room, feed shed, hot wash bay, hay storage & machinery storage. There is a permanent creek, a Spring fed dam, a chicken run, an all-weather gravel driveway, & lock up garage.

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

Samantha Scott M 0438 680 032

5

25 Currawong Drive, Gembrook

A

2

B

C

$845,000 - $895,000

Mud Brick delight soaking in 19 acres of Gembrook nature!

This picturesque mud brick home features a cathedral ceiling lounge room with large wood fire & master bedroom in the loft! Downstairs there is a second master bedroom with a large WIR, & office/ second lounge area with a bathroom with bath & shower & separate toilet. The kitchen has a gas oven & wood fired stove. There is a fully fenced paddock perfect for a pony/goat. There is a double carport & a separate teenagers retreat/office building with toilet, shower, kitchenette, lounge area, laundry area, bedroom, two storage rooms & fenced yard. There is also a free standing room perfect as a craft room/office space. Featuring a 3 car lockable barn/workshop with power & concreted floors. This home is totally off grid, with a 9kW solar system & battery set up, supported by a generator.

There is approximately 55000L of tank water stored in three large water tanks, & a septic system.

Samantha Scott M 0438 680 032

4

49 Pakenham Road, Cockatoo

A

2

2

B 8 C

$730,000 - $770,000

Beautifully renovated home with gorgeous treed outlook, and so close to town!

This fantastic family home has 3 bedrooms, all with BIRs, & 2 lovely bathrooms. The freshly painted home with open plan kitchen/dining/lounge & plush carpet in all bedrooms is the epitome of move in ready! The kitchen is equipped with Induction electric stove & oven, stone benchtops & a great Laundry/ butlers pantry. This home will be cosy & comfortable year round, with zoneable reverse system ducted heating & Refrigerated Cooling throughout & efficient Heat Pump for hot water. Enjoy the views across to the Cockatoo trees, & the convenience of being only moments from Cockatoo main street. Extensive landscaping has been completed outside, with plenty of off street parking available. The garden beds are freshly planted, & there is a garden shed. This block has dual access.

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

3

A

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

B 5 C

3

A

2

B

C

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Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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27

HOME FOCUS

EXPANSIVE FAMILY HOME WITH VIEWS THIS peaceful property within easy reach of Belgrave township is packed with style, space, and versatility. Ideal for large families and those who love to entertain, this 1,846sqm (approx.) property offers a lifestyle second-to-none.

The elevated aspect of this home affords beautiful treetop views and a unique opportunity on the lower level. Neighbouring the extra-height single carport is a generous blank canvas space with plumbing this area could be connected to the upper level or kept as a desirable self-contained space.

Upstairs extends on each side with expansive decking while the rear yard is terraced to capitalise on the backyard. With one step inside, the sheer scale of this split-level residence makes an immediate impression that you are in a welcoming family home. The lower lounge with warm wood fire features vaulted timber ceilings, ceiling fans, and lush leafy outlooks. A few steps up, the sprawling dining area and kitchen with large clerestory windows is adorned with a gas cooktop, dual wall ovens, and inviting peninsula seating for family and friends.

Further reflecting the generous proportions of this home are the 4 spacious bedrooms on offer. Each are equipped with ample storage and the main bedroom boasts a walk-in robe and ensuite with floor to ceiling tiles. The family bathroom features a stylish barn door entry, sunny skylight, luxurious walk-in rain shower, floating vanity, and heated towel rails. A bonus guest powder room and family-size laundry complete this ultra-comfortable home.

With an exceptional list of extras including storage in the floor space, off-street parking and a stellar location, this property will impress in every way. Join us for a tour today. · 1,846sqm (approx.) property with enticing outdoor entertaining areas including a firepit area and 2 expansive decks with treetop views · Large family home with versatile lower level and extra-height single carport · Split-level interior with lower level lounge with vaulted ceilings and a wood fire · Large upper level kitchen/dining · 4 generous bedrooms including main with ensuite and walk-in robe ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 10 Banool Road, SELBY Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 garage Price: $880,000 - $950,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Brad Conder 0422 639 115 or Daniel Steen 0434 979 142, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 28

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Real Estate you can trust!

We ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p FOR SALE

2A Kumbada Avenue, UPWEY

$550,000 - $590,000

FOR SALE

$980,000 - $1,070,000

57 The Crescent, BELGRAVE HEIGHTS

NEAR-FLAT BLOCK WITH APPROVED PLANS IN PRIME LOCATION!

FAMILY HOME WITH GARAGE, WORKSHOP, AND SHED

So rarely found in Upwey, with approved plans this flat front block (500m2 approx) located on a quiet street walking distance to Upwey Main Street provides one lucky purchaser the chance to build their brand new dream home (Subject To Council Approval).

This idyllic family home on a generous 1,435sqm (approx.) allotment offers a wonderful way into this premier position. Designed for a lifestyle of abundance within an easy stroll of Belgrave Heights Christian College and picturesque Birdsland Reserve, this is a forever family home.

4A2B4C

Brad Conder M 0422 639 115 | E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

Daniel Steen

Suzie Brannelly

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

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

FOR SALE

1A Black Hill Road, MENZIES CREEK

$1,200,000 - $1,320,000

20 ACRES - A PEACEFUL, PRIVATE & PICTURE PERFECT LIFESTYLE Privately positioned on 20 glorious acres and boasting a beautiful mix of gently forested areas and cleared, useable land, this quality property is ready and waiting for its next owners to build (STCA) and enjoy the peaceful lifestyle that awaits.

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

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

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

29

HOME FOCUS

CHARMING COUNTRY LIVING WITH VIEWS SITUATED in a picturesque pocket of Gembrook, experience the charm of country living with all the modern amenities at your fingertips conveniently located just a few minutes from the Gembrook township.

The spacious family home is set on a sprawling 3,589m2 allotment and offers everything you have been searching for and so much more. Inside, discover a characterfilled home with that has been designed for those who love to entertain in style.

Multiple spacious indoor and outdoor entertaining areas have been cleverly designed for year-round enjoyment. A sunken lounge room boasts an ambient wood fire ideal for cooler evenings and split system heating and cooling for your comfort.

The adjoining kitchen and dining area features a striking cathedral ceiling and local valley views. For the chef of the family, the stylish kitchen offers an electric wall oven, gas cooktop, stone benchtops, dishwasher and ample storage space throughout. The kitchen and dining area accesses the front verandah making entertaining a breeze. The master suite is complete with a walk-through wardrobe and spacious ensuite bathroom, with views across the rolling valleys this is the ideal parents retreat where you can kick back and relax.

Bedrooms two and three are equipped with ceiling fans and built-in robes, and they share a family bathroom with a shower and corner spa. The home office is currently set up as bedroom four.

The home has had a fresh coat of paint and brand-new carpets throughout. The light and bright colour scheme is complemented by the picture windows that flood the home with natural light.

Also under roofline, the ultimate rumpus room serves as a versatile space, perfect for a teenager’s retreat, theatre room or whatever your heart desires.

Outside the embellishments continue, for those who love to entertain multiple outdoor entertaining areas make the most of the private setting. The front verandah overlooks the landscaped gardens across to panoramic views of the rolling hills of Gembrook. Whether you are enjoying your morning coffee watching the sunrise, or appreciating a glass of your favourite drink of an evening, this is the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy the serenity.

A second covered entertaining area at the rear of the home looks over the back yard, entertain all your friends and family whilst the kids and four-legged family members run and play through the garden and expansive lawned areas.

For the aspiring green thumb, there are vegetable gardens ready and waiting for

next seasons seeds.

The kids will forever be outside playing in the gardens, hiding in the cubby house or collecting eggs from the chicken coup.

Toy and tool accommodation is assured with a variety of shedding including a 10m x 9m lock-up garage with work shop space, concrete floor and power, 6m x 3m shed and a 3m x 3m shed. There is ample secure off-street parking with the added bonus of a sealed drive way and side access.

The backyard is fully fenced for added privacy and security. Located just minutes from the thriving Gembrook township, renowned restaurants, cafes, public transport, and the ever popular Puffing Billy Railway are all on your door step.

Don’t miss the opportunity to own this delightful property that seamlessly combines country living with modern conveniences ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 23 Maisey Road, GEMBROOK Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 5 garage Price: $980,000 - $1,075,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: 0412 861 094 and Justin Barrot 0438 683 781, BARRY PLANT, EMERALD 30

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37 AVON ROAD AVONSLEIGH

128 EMERALD MONBULK ROAD EMERALD

15 Clematis Park road CLEMATIS

INCREDIBLE LIFESYTLE PROPERTY

MODERN UPDATES AND COUNTRY CHARM

CENTRAL EMERALD FAMILY FAVOURITE

5A

4A

4A

3B

3D

FOR SALE $1,395,000 - $1,450,000 OFI

By Appointment

GAYLE BARROT 0408 195 767 BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

1D SUE COLIC 0421 772 610

FOR SALE $870,000-$950,000 OFI

By Appointment

BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

2B

2D SUE COLIC 0421 772 610

FOR SALE $860,000-$890,000 OFI By appointment

BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

34 Pakenham Road COCKATOO

Lot 1, 220 Mount EirEnE road GEMBROOK

5 Kitchener Parade COCKATOO

SOUGHT AFTER COCKATOO OPPORTUNITY

EMBRACE NATURE’S CANVAS ON 22.4 ACRES

YOUR FAMILY HAVEN WITH VIEWS

3A

1B

2D

FOR SALE $620,000 - $670,000 OFI By appointment

4A

LAND SIZE 9.09HA JUSTIN BARROT 0438 683 781 BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

FOR SALE $700,000 - $770,000 OFI By appointment

RILEY NICHOLAS 0488 501 218 BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

2B

2D SUE COLIC 0421 772 610

FOR SALE $820,000 - $860,000 OFI By appointment

BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

Lot 2, 230 Mount EirEnE road GEMBROOK

4 Woodlands avenue COCKATOO

23 MAISEY ROAD GEMBROOK

DISCOVER YOUR SLICE OF PARADISE

MODERN ENTERTAINER ON HALF AN ACRE

CHARMING COUNTRY LIVING

4A

4A

LAND SIZE 5.19HA FOR SALE $800,000-$880,000 OFI By appointment

mailcommunity.com.au

RILEY NICHOLAS 0488 501 218 BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

2B

2D

FOR SALE $970,000-$1,040,000 OFI By appointment

DAVE REILLY 0437 347 665 BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522

2B

2D BRITTANY BARRY 0412861094

FOR SALE $980,000 - $1,075,000 OFI

By Appointment Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

BARRY PLANT EMERALD 5968 4522 |

MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE

31

PUZZLES No. 167

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

9

3 7 8 9

8 4 3

5 4 5 1

8 2

2 4

3 4 9

5 6

2 6 8

2 3 8

9 5 5 7

4

1 6 3 9

8 7 5 6 9 8 7 4

ACROSS

DOWN

Mother (3) Deportation (11) Family name (7) Deliver commentary (7) Abstained from (8) Positive aspect (6) Earth (prefix) (3) Members (11) Punishment (10) State of agitation (3) Body (6) Shoeless (8) Exude (7) Arabic derivative of Abraham (7) Series of events (11) Sprinted (3)

1 3 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 19 20 21 24 25 26 27

No. 167

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 16 18 19 20 22 23

Courier (9) North African country (7) Delete (5) Approximately (10) Blemishes (4) Sudden violent invasion (9) Fantasise (7) Sibling’s daughter (5) Process of turning on (10) Specify (9) Athlete (9) Cyclone (7) An addition (7) Crawl (5) EU currency units (5) Historical alcoholic drink (4)

9 medium

7

QUICK CROSSWORD

9 3 7 2 1 5 8 4 4 2 3

DECODER

No. 167

7 hard

9

7 4

3 9

6 7

9 1 6 3 4

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12 13

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

W L 16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

8 7 1 4

15

4

14

5 2

Y V B G J K U Q S I AW L

1

WORDFIT 3 LETTERS AGE ANT AWE DOE EBB ERA FBI FUN ILL INN IRE LEE LEG NOD OKS ONE PEN RAT SOB TEN UPS UTE

T O R XN P CMF DH E Z 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

9

1

9-LETTER WORD

5

easy

medium

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”.

I

D

Today’s Aim: 12 words: Good 18 words: Very good

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

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

24 words: Excellent

hard

C

L

O A

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

I

H

M

clod, coal, coda, coil, cola, cold, coma, domicil, halo, hold, holm, HOMICIDAL, idiom, idol, lido, load, loam, loch, loci, macho, milo, mocha, modal, moil

2 3

4 LETTERS BEEF ENDS GAIT GOSH MOTH PEWS SLAP STEM THUS TRIM 5 LETTERS ADORE AFOOT ALIBI ALONE ALTER

No. 167

* $ , 7

ARMED AROMA AVAIL BELOW CIDER CREPE DETER DITTO DOONA ENVOY ERODE GLOVE HERDS INERT LOCAL MACED MESSY NOBLE NOOSE OATHS OMEGA

PASTY PIANO PLATE PURSE REAPS REEDS RINSE ROSES SCENE SCRAP SCRUB SLAIN SNEER STABS STALE SWATS SWEET TAPED TASTE TESTS WADES

WOMEN 6 LETTERS BAMBOO CAGIER INHALE KOALAS RELAYS SILENT 7 LETTERS AMMONIA ATLASES BLISTER

BRITTLE LIAISON RENEWAL 8 LETTERS CLEAVERS CLENCHED CRITERIA TORTILLA 10 LETTERS DISPENSING HINTERLAND

7 $ 3 ( ' 6 & 5 8 % & , ' ( 5 & 5 ( 3 ( $ / 2 1 ( $ / , % , 6 7 $ % 6 5 , 1 6 ( * / 2 9 ( 7 ( 1 3 / $ 7 ( ) % , 1 2 ' 3 ( : 6 5 ( / $ < 6 ( 5 2 ' ( , 1 1 5 $ 7 , 5 ( 6 : $ 7 6 6 , / ( 1 7 * 2 6 + 0 2 7 + $: ( 7 2 5 7 , / / $ $ 00 2 1 , $ % / , 6 7 ( 5 * $ , 7 & / ( 1 & + ( ' / ( ( ( 1 ' 6 , 1 + $ / ( 7 ( 6 7 6 2 . 6 8 7 ( 3 ( 1 % $ 0 % 2 2 6 / $ 3 5 ( $ 3 6 ( 5 $ $ 1 7 $ 9 $ , / ) 8 1 / 2 & $ / 5 2 6 ( 6 $ ' 2 5 ( , 1 ( 5 7 1 2 2 6 ( 2 0 ( * $ : $ ' ( 6 0 ( 6 6 < ' ( 7 ( 5

SUDOKU

12-01-24

William Matthews Funerals 24 HOUR SERVICE - ALL AREAS

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

32 MAIL

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networkclassifieds.com.au Trades & Services

General Classifieds

V Deadline

V Trades Business Profile

V Massage Therapists

Placing your classified advert is so easy...

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

Phone: 1300 666 808

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Grow your business with

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Ask about our discounted ongoing advertising rates and how choosing more newspapers gives your advertising more impact and saves you money...

12619653-AA28-23

0431 067 583 www.9yardsplumbing.com.au

Employment V Positions Vacant Mountain Views

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V Carpenters Lic No. 117616

Carpenter

0431 067 583

c 1FSHPMBT t %FDLT t "MM $BSQFOUSZ 8PSL t t 0WFS :FBST &YQFSJFODF t

*BO 3PCFSUT

0408 538 121

C1084033-JO31-13

www.9yardsplumbing.com.au

12570815-AV40-22

General Classifieds section of Network Classifieds.

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Solar Skylights Skylight resealing Pensioner discount

Call Chris 0412 099 142 24 years in roofing leaks

$20 MILLION INSURANCE

฀

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☎ 9720 5111

FULLY INSURED

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

0480 022 406

mailcommunity.com.au

We need an individual that has: • Experience in media or a previous sales role is preferred but not essential; • Confidence in your communication skills, oral and written; • Comfortable with computers, email, data entry, new software; • Desire to succeed and eager to learn; • Seeking out and meeting new clients; • Working with local business to meet their goals; • Understand relationship management and customer service; • Able to interact with people face to face and on the phone; • Full training provided if required; • Have a Current Driver’s license and reliable vehicle.

This position involves advertising sales, across print and digital, servicing the needs of local businesses, working closely with your clients to achieve and exceed customer expectations, maintaining and developing an extensive client base while seeking out new business opportunities.

Your current life and work skills will enable you to adapt, learn quickly and succeed in this busy and satisfying career.

We offer you an encouraging team environment with a company that will help you to be at your best.

To apply please send resume and cover letter to paul.thomas@starnewsgroup.com.au

Advertise with Trades & Services us and get better results

Find your Local Professionals in our section of Network Classifieds.

CALL JACKSON Rec: 34611

(towards Belgrave)

0473 326 333

12622965-HC30-23

$55 OFF

30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE

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

LILYDALE ELECTRICIAN • Senior Discounts • Upfront Pricing • All Electrical Work

TREE SERVICES

• No Fuss • No Mess • No Stress

Jason 1300 644 698

Local, Honest and Reliable

F E R N T R E E G U L LY 9758 9288 1158 Burwood Highway

We are seeking an advertising sales executive to service existing clients and to sell to new clients based in Healesville.

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

CALL US ON 0458 735 250 12543759-AI14-22

24 HOUR SERVICE ฀

12438941-CG04-20

J.L. Hutt Electrical ฀

Leak detection & repair Rebeding & Pointing High Pressure cleaning

luciano@atrealty.com.au I www.lucianorealty.com.au

Approved Dealer for

MEDIA SALES POSITION

DAWSONS

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About us Star News Group publishes 20 weekly news media titles, specialty publications, websites and social media.

12661871-JC03-24

• Hot water units • Blockages • Renovations • Gas fitting • Drainage

Kay Kimmitt, Jeff Blastock, Les Lane, Jim Pearce, Jackie Bramwell and Mick Kimmitt from the Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club. 348284 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Call Luciano Marcuzzi on 0423 181 161 12610836-KO26-23

V Tree Lopping/Surgery

For a free quote and fair price: Call Jack 0403 017 834

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For a no-obligation valuation on your home

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nuff said!

12641977-JC43-23

V Plumbing

Emergency medals handed out to CFA

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2023... BEST SPORT STORIES

Jess Adams wowed while over in Japan, picking up player of the match in game one.

Picture: SUPPLIED

St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School student Lilly won bronze at the state championships for shot put.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Harry Norman is the Victorian Men’s 5000m Champion.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Medals, finals and titles Gold for De Pedro Sharpshooting Warburton resident and Lilydale High School student Ben De Pedro returned from Spain after representing Australia in the Universal Trench World Championships in August.

Ben, 17, was part of the three-man Junior team which won Gold in the team rankings while he also finished a spectacular seventh overall in the individual rankings.

Ben hit a total of 185 of his 200 total targets, only nine behind first place overall.

“I’d love to keep going overseas to shoot more, I want to keep competing to be the best I can,” he said.

Senior sides make debut Senior football reached new heights in Kilsyth for 2023 with both the men’s and women’s teams making their grand final debut.

In just three seasons, the women’s side built a competitive edge to finish on top of the division three ladder, while the men’s side played in its first grand final in almost 30 years.

Having played all season at home with temporary facilities as the new club rooms get built, Van Veen said it could have been a breaking factor for the club this season but it’s only made them stronger.

“In a year that could have been a pretty tough one for us, we’ve delivered a netball team into the finals and two senior football teams in the grand finals,” club president and women’s coach Quentin Van Veen said.

“That’s been a remarkable result for a club that could have had a tough year.”

Putting her best bowl forward A Mooroolbark cricketer showed off her skill and impressed internationally when she headed to Japan for two weeks playing in the up and coming women’s big bash league.

Jess Adams helped lead her team to a 3-0 tournament victory, Jess walked away with player of the match for game one making 24 runs and bowling 4/13, only to pick up the best bowler recognition for the tournament.

As a growing sport in Japan, Jess said cricket is shaping up to be something the Japanese could be very competitive in in a few years time.

“It’s come a long way since I was last over there four years ago and it’s rapidly evolving,” she said.

“There’s definitely players who have some really good talent, some who have a little bit of experience from being half Japanese half Australian and transitioning between the two countries to play.

“Then the likes of those who have switched over from baseball or different sports who have picked it up naturally.”

Bronze medal moment for Lilly For one Lilydale primary school student, winning bronze for shot put at the School Sport Victoria state championships was more than just a medal.

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Kilsyth Football Club’s senior women made their grand final debut after just three years.

5 student Lilly was born vision impaired with a condition called nystagmus, a condition where the eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements, meaning she was often told she couldn’t play sport.

“It’s a pretty big deal to me. When I was in Grade 2 I got told I couldn’t play tag with other people and got told I couldn’t do something because of my vision,” she said.

“Now I feel like I’m showing them I can do something, I want to do it. I guess to me it’s a way of saying ‘I can do it, you shouldn’t have told me I couldn’t do something’ just because I had a visual impairment.”

A year of success for YR Athletics From state titles, to gold medals, personal bests and international competitions, Yarra Ranges Athletics athletes made their mark in 2023.

Mitch Pointon and Zoe Addinsall competed for Australia in the Laser Run World Championships Under 15 and Under 17 categories

from 19 to 21 August in Bath, United Kingdom.

Yarra Ranges athlete, Kellie Emerson was the flag bearer for the Australian team at the World Mountain Running Championships in Innsbruck Austria before putting in an amazing run in the women’s race. The event over 44km climbed a total of 3,260m getting to a height of 2,400m. Kellie had to use all her determination and skill on the tough, technical course to finish an outstanding 37th from over 150 starters.

To finish up the year on a high, Harry Norman became the Victorian Men’s 5000m Champion. A title earned with a sizzling final 500m to run away from the best athletes in Victoria. This was Harry’s first Victorian state title, hopefully the start of more to come.

Shortly after, a hard-fought win at the Athletics Victoria State Track Relay Championships in the 4 x 800m relay saw Zoe Clarke, Rori Jones, Mia Strudley and Brigette Rice combining for team relay gold.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Ben De Pedro (left) with his gold medal-winning junior teammates.

Picture: SUPPLIED mailcommunity.com.au

SPORT

AFLW scoops up Pisano It was an exciting end to 2023 for six Eastern Ranges AFLW hopefuls as they were drafted to the country’s highest football league for the 2024 season.

Melbourne picked up three of the six players, with the remaining heading to North Melbourne, GWS Giants and the Western Bulldogs to begin their careers.

At pick number five, Alyssia Pisano was drafted to the Dees as a small forward, someone who is set to bring a lot of energy as the “162cm pocket rocket packing a powerful punch in front of goals”.

“Alyssia is exactly what we were looking for, when we referenced getting elite through the door,” the club’s AFLW List Manager Todd Patterson told Melbourne Media.

“Electric around goal, Alyssia can win you a game very quickly with her dynamite left foot.

“She has dominated at U18 level since she was 15 and we think she compliments an already dangerous forward group.”

Pisano, 18, managed to kick 38 goals from 11 games during the Talent League Girls season, impressing many and making her a sought after draft, with the Dees looking to snap her up early.

The leading goal kicker will be joined by Jacinta Hose who was selected at pick 24 as a ruck.

Plagued by injury over the last 18 months, having torn both ACL’s, Hose was not expecting her name to be included in the ballot, attending as a guest of another draftee.

“Prior and in between these injuries we viewed her as the leading ruck prospect in the available draft pool with a good jumping technique and great touch,” Patterson told Melbourne Media.

“Whilst we understand Jacinta won’t be available next season, we view tall prospects in this area of the ground as extremely hard to get

Alyssia Pisano was selected at pick number five from the Eastern Ranges to head to Melbourne Football Club.

Picture: MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB access to and believe she is a great investment for us longer term.”

At 185cm tall, the Demons saw an incredible amount of athleticism in Hose, an attractive attribute to add to her ability to play up forward something the club put down to her “dangerous aerial presence”.

Hailing from Montrose Football Netball Club and joining Melbourne’s list is Delany Madigan, who at pick 55 will bring “elite physicality, a strong kick and impressive decisionmaking”.

“Delany is a key defender who had a strong end to the year, which was capped off by an impressive grand final performance,” Patterson said.

“Her aerial presence is a real strength, as is her decision-making, and she has great depth

to her kick of the footy.

“We are excited by what Delany can add, as we bring together a different looking backline group to take us forward.”

At pick number 30, fellow Montrose player Georgia Stubs will be putting on the blue and white as she heads to North Melbourne as the Roo’s second selection in this year’s draft.

Playing at the top age for Eastern Ranges, Stubs initially played off half-back before joining as a key part of the midfield.

Finding her calling, she recorded doubledigit disposals in all but two of her 14 games and also averaged 15 across her three games for Vic Metro.

“With great speed and strength, Stubs has the ability to explode away from stoppages

and create separation on her opposition,” the club said.

As the only player from the east to head interstate, Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club player Indigo Linde was chosen by the GWS Giants as a midfielder.

Impressed by Linde’s athleticism as a former high level swimmer and athlete, GWS saw great potential despite Linde missing the first half of the Ranges’ 2023 season due to stress fractures.

Capping off her attractiveness to the club was her versatility as a winger come midfielder, where she was able to finish out the season strong, averaging 17 disposals, three tackles, and three inside 50s per game to place herself on the radar of AFLW clubs.

“Her coach Ash Close moved her from the wing to play more inside as the year went on where she really showed her ability to drive her legs out of congestion and use her size around the ball,” Giants AFLW list manager Tyson Bourke said.

“Indi’s weapon is her running power and we look forward to adding that to our midfield group.”

Wrapping up the Eastern Ranges’ success in the AFLW draft was Jorja Borg, 25, who was first selected on Essendon’s inaugural list but due to injury she could not debut.

Returning to draft selection, having been playing in the Bulldogs’ VFLW program, Borg is now part of the AFLW squad and will don the red, white and blue.

The 181cm ruck averaged 30.4 hit-outs, 10 disposals and three tackles from her 14 VFLW matches and was named in the VFLW Team of the Year for her efforts.

The AFLW season will get underway later this year.

Beau’s walking tall after gold medal in New Zealand

By Jamie Strudley Yarra Ranges Athletics’ Beau McKinnon was selected as part of a 36 person team to represent Little Athletics Victoria at the annual Colgate Games in Auckland. The event runs over three days and brings together athletes aged eight to 14 from all over NZ as well as some international athletes. This was the first time Victoria has sent a team to the event.

Beau enjoyed the team aspect, staying at AUT Millennium, a high performance training centre on the North Shore. He performed well in his best event, taking the Gold Medal in the 1600m walk. He also picked up a couple of PBs in other events over the weekend.

Just prior to the Christmas break Yarra Ranges athletes competed in round 2 of the Vic Milers series. Zoe Clarke was the standout performance storming to a win in her 800m race. Results are: Women 800m: Zoe Clarke 2:21.72; Mia Strudley 2:34.26; 1500m: Brigitte Rice 4:47.97; Olivia Twining 4:51.42; Men 800m: Mitchell Pointon 2:16.02; Craig Hewitson 2:40.74; A busy last week or so has seen many YRA athletes in action. Shani Bullard and Ash Almond competed in the Victorian open Multi Event Championships held over two days at Lakeside Stadium. Shani, competing in the women’s Heptathlon, worked through the seven events to finish in seventh place with a new club record of 2197 points.

Ash finished with a silver medal in the men’s decathlon breaking an 8 year old club record recording 3659 points for the gruelling 10 discipline event. Results are: Female Open Heptathlon: Shani Bullard 2197pts: 800m: 3:36.79 (100pts); Long Jump: 4.02m (-0.1) (312pts); 100m Hurdles: 19.80 (0.9) (319pts); Shot Put: 7.14m (344pts); High Jump: 1.38m (491pts); 200m: 31.22 (1.6) (400pts); Javelin: 16.87m (231pts);

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Ash Almond in his Decathlon 400m.

Beau in action at the Colgate Games in NZ where he walked away with gold. Pictures: SUPPLIED Male Open Decathlon: Ash Almond 3659pts: Long Jump: 4.74m (2.2) (333pts); High Jump: 1.54m (419pts); Javelin: 49.66m (584pts); 400m: 62.81 (323pts); 1500m: 5:24.32 (428pts); 110m Hurdles: 23.61 (3.1) (120pts); Shot Put: 9.09m (431pts); Discus: 27.57m (417pts); 100m: 13.16 (0.4) (441pts); Pole Vault: 2.12m (163pts) Some of our sprint team were in action at Lakeside at round 2 of the High Velocity Club (HVC) series. Results are: 200m Ashleigh Rooke 27.29 (0.6); Taryn Bourke 30.00 (-0.7);

400m: Ashleigh Rooke 68.18; Liam Russell 54.23 Geelong hosted the Surf Coast Track Meet with 5000m and 10000m events held. Seamus Dwyer showed a return to form running the 5000 in 16.30.68 while Matt Morrison continued is return to racing with a solid 10,000m track race, running 40.09.9 Our little athletics competition resumes this coming weekend with action starting from 8.30am. We look forward to seeing all the smiling faces back at the track ready to chase some more PB’s.

Training for our six-12yo continues on

Tuesdays from 4pm. Seniors training (13yo plus) is on Tuesday and Thursday from 5.30pm at Morrison Reserve. Check the socials and website for more details and sessions available with our throws and jumps coaches. Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability.

If you, or someone you know, wants to join in the fun of track and field registration is now open. Go to www.lavic.com.au or www. athsvic.org.au or email info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au for information about events and registration.

For information on training, how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit the website at yarrarangesathletics.org. au or check us out on Facebook. Run, Jump, Throw…too easy!

Tuesday, 9 January, 2024

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