News - Berwick Star News - 1st February 2024

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

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Preps’ first day

Fundraiser launched after drownings

Happy 100th birthday, Elaine!

Cyclone flattens Flyers

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SPORT

Generous spirit

By Ethan Benedicto Mihiri Dissanayake was never one for recognition.

She did not provide charity while looking for something in return, or for people to owe her.

Giving was an act that came with no second thoughts for the Narre Warren South volunteer. If someone needed something, she was there to provide.

From monetary aid to food, medicine and supplies, she had a hand to give, and not just for the Sri Lankan community in Australia, but to anyone in need in the Dandenong and Narre Warren areas.

On Australia Day, Mihiri was named as a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia, or OAM, for her service to the Sri Lankan community in Victoria.

“I’m proud, I’m proud, it’s the biggest award you can get in Australia, isn’t it?

“I’m proud to be Australian, and it’s nice to be acknowledged,” she said.

Mihiri was born in East Africa to Sri Lankan parents, had moved back to their home country shortly after, and eventually settled down in the UK for roughly 10 years.

After meeting her husband Bandu Dissanayake and having her first child there, they eventually came down to Australia on 8 August 1982.

Mihiri was an active person, with her mind and her hands, she “never sat still”.

“When I put my children in school I always went and did something, like pottery, art, hairdressing, and the lot. ‘’I do lots of craft stuff, big with pottery and ceramics and such but I didn’t make it a business or anything, anything creative, put it that way,” she said.

Being creative through and engaging with multiple activities was a key strength for Mihiri, which according to her played a big role with how she was able to and continues to handle her responsibilities.

When asked how she managed her roles, she said that “you just do it, and I know how much time I need.

“I’m very good at time management, say even now, if I have a thought in my head about an activity tomorrow happening at a certain time, it will be at that time,” she said.

Narre Warren South volunteer Mihri Dissanayake has been awarded an OAM. 384960 Picture: GARY SISSONS While Mihiri’s personal charity did not begin here, the first organisation she had been heavily involved in Australia was the Sri Lankan Study Centre for Advancement of Technology and Social Welfare, or SCATS for short.

Having been a member since 1993, Mihiri made steady progress in the organisation, eventually landing the role of president from 2007 to 2008.

She was also the organisation’s treasurer in 2022, and in the same year became the Eastern Region chair.

The bigger aspect that played a role in this was that all of Mihiri’s contributions was never work, it was never a thing that needed to be done, Mihiri did what she did because she knew it helped people, and that made her feel good.

“It’s not work when you do something that you like to do.

“It’s just giving, I think it’s part of my culture and my family background,” she said.

Her involvement with SCATS saw her personally fund and advocate for fundraising in things such as cataract eye surgeries, cultural programs, tsunami relief projects, women’s and youth programs and so on.

Mihrri’s grandmother, Grace Jayawickrama had been a devoted charity and community worker, and when the Queen of England visited Sri Lanka in the 1940s, she had been awarded the Member of the British Empire, or MBE, medal for her voluntary work.

Mihiri had never seen it as a familial trait, but the more she reflected on it, the more she realised that her family and culture had a large role to play in her charity.

“When I give something, it’s never to expect something in return, so I’m just happy.

“If you do something that you love to do, since some people have asked me ‘where do you get the time’, it’s never work, you’re just happy doing it,” Mihrri said.

However, no matter the impact of her roles and contributions to SCATS, she always credited the organisation’s founder and fellow OAM awardee, Gemini Perera, as its driving force, backbone, and not just hers, but also everyone’s inspiration.

Mihiri’s roles also extended to media, taking part in multicultural mediums such as 3ZZZ Radio and Channel 31.

With a combined time of roughly 15 years of volunteer service, Mihiri’s roles involved clerical duties, being trained as a programmer to handle children’s programs, and a news presenter; with compiling and reading transcript.

A charity that Mihiri feels strongly about, and what she could consider her main avenue, is the Lions Club, specifically their SightFirst program which supports cost-effective and sustainable eye projects.

“I’ve personally funded two major eye surgeries for two people, the council in Sri Lanka is poor, not like here, so one of the guys who was going blind and was about to lose his job, I funded the eye surgery for,” she said.

The other recipient was a Sri Lankan taxi driver’s mother, who she had heard of and immediately decided to fund the process.

Continued page 10

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NEWS

Prep students Ari Batty, Felicia Ma, Ethan Suarez and Elishya Suriya Arachchcige.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Ari Batty (left) and Felicia Ma (right) wearing their backpacks.

First steps for the Preps Preps at Haileybury’s Berwick campus began their first day with smiles, goodbyes, some nerves but plenty of excitement as they poured into the school.

Welcoming 45 new preps, the new students spent the day familiarising their classrooms, exploring essential facilities such as the playgrounds and outdoor spaces and of course making some new friends while doing so.

Five-year-old Elishya Suriya Arachchigne was especially excited about wearing her new uniform.

“I’m really excited about my new uniform, and also to see my friends and play with them,” she said.

For Michele Mcgill, head of junior school in Berwick, the first day of prep is always the most exciting.

“Not only for the students but for their fam-

ilies and for the teachers, it’s an important and emotional milestone,” she said.

During their first day, the preps enjoyed some icebreaker activities, accompanied by a guided tour of the junior school and a reminder of where their classrooms and play areas were.

Felicia Ma, also five years old, said “talking to the teacher is the most exciting thing to look forward to on my first day”.

For Ethan Suarez, the only important thing he had on his mind was to enjoy the big playground, which served as his first-day highlight.

Likewise, Ari Batty said he was “looking forward to my first science lesson and seeing my big brother in the playground”.

The school day for the preps ended at 3.30pm. They were are all excited to begin their schooling journey.

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NEWS

Rallying to support families

By Violet Li Three Clyde residents are among the four who drowned at Forrest Caves Beach on Phillip Island on Wednesday 24 January.

Kirti Bedi and Suhani Anand, both nursing students aged 20, and 23-year-old nurse Jagjeet Singh Anand lost their lives in the accident.

The fourth victim is the 43-year-old Reema Sondhi who was travelling from India.

The deceased belong to an extended family.

Friends and local communities have launched a fundraising campaign to support the deceased’s families.

“This loss leaves a void for the families that can never be fully filled,” the fundraising page wrote.

“Reema had come to Australia for a holiday to visit her brother’s family and was staying with them in Clyde. Sadly, she will never return to her two children who are in India.

“Shivam, a registered nurse with a heart of gold, saved many lives throughout his career but was unable to be saved when needed himself.

“Suhani and Kriti, both nursing students, had planned to stay home and focus on their studies, but life had other plans.”

More than $77,000 has been raised with a goal of $100,000.

Forrest Caves Beach is unpatroled, and a prime spot known for surfing, according to Life Saving Victoria operations general manager Liam Krige.

He said the beach had good waves and a heightened chance of ripping.

“Rips are the leading cause of drowning in Australia,” he said.

Ambulance Victoria was called at about 3.30pm and when paramedics arrived, two offduty lifeguards who were surfing at the beach had already pulled three of the victims from

LSV state agency commander Kane Treloar speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne, Thursday, January 25, 2024.

Picture: AAP IMAGE/RACHAEL WARD the water.

CPR was administered on all four but three were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Ms Anand was airlifted to Alfred Hospital in a critical condition, where she was confirmed deceased on Thursday morning.

Victoria Police Eastern Region assistant commissioner Karen Nyholm said the victims were wading in the water when the tragedy happened, but further investigation was needed.

She said the number of deaths was horrific.

“It is a horrific sight for anybody,” she said.

“And for those people who witnessed it, I’m sure it’s something that they will unfortunately have to recall for the rest of their lives.”

Mr Krige said this tragedy brought the death toll due to drowning to 19 individuals since 1 December last year, which was already two more than the same period last summer.

“This number is too high,” he said.

He said any drowning death was preventable and he urged the public to prioritise water safety and head to a patrolled location.

When asked if there was enough warning for tourists and people unfamiliar with the beach, Mr Krige said it was difficult to say.

“The vast majority of beaches do have safety signage that does meet the Australian standard. Those signs do give clear advice about what the dangers are,” he said.

“But again, people can always do more…

They can always do a bit of research before they are heading out to those locations [beaches].

“But the easiest thing is to head to those patrolled locations, seek advice from lifeguards and volunteers, and they’ll be able to provide you with those safe swimming zones.”

The nearest patrolled beach is about 4km away.

Mr Krige said Life Saving Victoria patrolled 67 beaches across Victoria and would always explore opportunities to patrol additional locations.

“But that again is down to the landowners and local councils to determine the need for a lifeguard service,” he said.

“We need to remember that water safety is more than just rescue.

“It is about being really aware of the dangers in the first instinct, trying to prevent those rescues from even happening in the first place.”

The last comparable incident was at Stringray Bay in Warrnambool in 2005 where three adults and two children died, Mr Krige said.

The families are now organising the funeral and bringing overseas members together in Melbourne.

Police will continue investigating the incident and preparing a report for the coroner.

To assist with the families, donate at gofundme.com/f/phillip-island-tragedy-4-liveslost-pls-help

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Police have released images of a man they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries following a theft and the use of stolen bank cards.

Monash CIU detectives say the cards were stolen – along with cash and three car floor mats – from a car parked on Walker Road, Mount Waverley on the night of 8-9 January.

Police say a man used a stolen card to buy gift cards and cigarettes from a convenience store in Narre Warren about 5.50am on 9 January. About an hour later, police say he used the card to buy cigarettes, bread and a four-pack of energy drinks at a Hallam convenience store.

The man is described as Islander appearance, solid build, short brown hair with a fade cut.

He was wearing a black T-shirt with large blue-green and white vertical print, black

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AC tops off the honours

By Corey Everitt Prolific chemical engineer and Harkaway resident, David Vernon Boger AC has been named a Companion of the Order of Australia this Australia Day, honouring an authoritative voice and career with impact across the world.

Mr Boger, 84 and now retired, is one of four across the country to become a companion in the 2024 Australia Day honours. He has received numerous accolades through his career, yet this stands as the highest.

“I didn’t expect it, when I heard of it I thought it was an AO, but this was unbelievable,” he said.

“It is quite an honour to be one of four this year to be named a companion and the only one from Victoria.

“It recognises a career of achievement, it’s the highest honour I have ever gotten.”

Mr Boger’s career as an engineer within the field of Rheology (flow behaviour and mechanics) studying Non-Newtonian fluids, which have had a large impact on waste and environmental management across the world.

Non-Newtonian fluids are those that don’t follow Newton’s law of viscosity. These are fluids whose resistance can be determined by the application of such things like force.

A common example, tomato sauce is a NonNewtonian fluid, as when shaken it will thin.

Mr Boger invented a certain type of NonNewtonian Fluid which is called Constant viscosity elastic fluid, commonly known as Boger Fluids.

Invented in the 1970s, Boger fluids have both liquid and solid properties, flowing when

David Vernon Bogar AC in his study with his numerous accolades. poured and more elastic when stretched.

“It’s like slime, you know, the kids’ toy,” he describes it.

This slime would have an impact on waste management across the world, something Mr Boger couldn’t expect at the time.

His work would lead to the development of a more sustainable practice for disposing of bauxite residue, the environmentally hazardous material exhausted from the production of aluminium, also called ‘red mud’.

Red mud is diluted and deposited into massive tailing dams, such dams throughout the world have failed in the past leading to envi-

Picture: COREY EVERITT

ronmental catastrophe that has injured and killed.

Aluminium giant Alcoa, using Boger fluids, were the first to manufacture a way for red mud to be handled in a far thicker and less voluminous state which greatly minimised risk of failure.

Now Boger fluids are used throughout the world, because of this mining companies take Rheology seriously.

“They did it, but we taught them how to handle these materials,” Mr Boger said.

“It has changed the industry, there are annual meetings on mining waste and we took

Rheology to those meetings and now almost every year there is a course in basic Rheology.”

Mr Boger’s work also influenced insecticides for agriculture, allowing for sprays that applied densely and evenly to crops that minimised its drift.

Boger fluids are also used for crude oil; they were developed to help ease the flow and reduce dangerous clogging in pipelines by mitigating the drag of paraffin wax.

Mr Boger is an Emeritus Professor, serving both Monash University and the University of Melbourne for 50 years.

He was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Australia in 1965 to take up the role of lecturer at then-new Monash University.

“It was a three-year appointment, I thought I would only stay here for three years and I stayed forever,” he said.

Mr Boger would move to Harkaway in 1973 to the home he still lives in today.

He authored 367 technical publications and co-authored 5 books. He served on numerous national scientific organisations; including President of the Australian Society of Rheology to a council member of the Australian Academy of Science.

He is a fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of London, a member of the US National Academy of Engineering and an Inaugural Bragg Member of the Royal Institute of Australia.

In 2005 he received the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, in 2005 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the British Society of Rheology and he was given a Centenary Medal in 2003.

Choir brings communities together on Australia Day Edelweiss Casey Choir has celebrated Australia Day, using it to unite diverse communities in Lysterfield Park.

People of various backgrounds joined the celebration, enjoying picnics under the eucalyptus trees and engaging in spirited conversations.

The park buzzed with cultural performances, interactive games and activities, riddle-solving competitions, and a tug of war.

The highlight of the day was the ‘walking with a tennis ball on a table tennis bat’ competition, where participants demonstrated agility and precision in balancing the ball as they navigated through an obstacle course of challenges.

Cheers erupted from the crowd as participants showcased their skills, fostering an atmosphere of encouragement and support.

Chairman of the choir Emily Hu said the Australia Day celebration served as a melting pot of traditions, fostering cross-cultural exchange and appreciation.

“We extend heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to the event’s success,” she said.

“Together, we stand as guardians of a tra-

Cultural performances. dition that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion, and honours the shared journey of belonging to this great land down under.

“Until next year, may the spirit of Australia Day continue to unite us in joy, harmony, and mutual respect.”

Edelweiss Casey Choir has celebrated Australia Day, uniting diverse communities in Lysterfield Park.

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OPINION

LENSCAPE

Foundation students, back row from left, Bree, Myra, Huxley, Alara, and Ethan. Front row from left: Tahlia, Connor, Gabby, Aslan, and Mudiwa. 386189

Ready to start school

By Violet Li Foundation (Prep) students at Clyde Grammar started their first week of school in the new term on Monday 29 January and they were excited to meet their classmates and teachers.

Foundation teacher Laura Papettas said there was a happy buzz in the air on the first day.

“The students were settled and excited to start their day developing new friendships and meeting their new teachers. They particularly enjoyed building and playing in the tram,” she said.

“They are looking forward to having sports, art, performing arts, and STEM.” When asked what would be new for this term, she said the students would be exploring the community through a visit from the local police and local CFA. Principal Leanne Evans said meeting Foundation students as they commenced their educational journey was always a heartwarming experience.

“Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn remind us of all of the beauty and wonder of education,” she said.

“I feel privileged to play a part in their growth and development and look forward to seeing the amazing things they will accomplish in the years to come.“ Star News photographer STEWART CHAMBERS captured the best of the action in the first week.

Foundation teacher Miss Giles with students Bree (left) and Huxley. 386189 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Alara (Foundation). 386189

A stunning sunset after a day of both rain, sunshine, thunder and lightning.

Picture: GIRIJA DESAI

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN Mudiwa (Foundation). 386189

Thumbs up

Thumbs up

To the upcoming MIFF screening in Casey.

To kids finally back to school.

Thumbs down Thumbs down

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

Huxley (Foundation). 386189

To all Facebook post hijackers and all the negativity they bring. As well as blaming the wrong organisations for issues they are complaining about.

To Casey Council not mowing Tower Hill Park.

Thumbs down To the new speed humps on Central Park in Cranbourne West, way too sharp, they’ll damage cars. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

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Elaine now a centenarian

By Ethan Benedicto Turning 100 is no easy feat, and such a milestone for Elaine Beverly Robins was celebrated with life-long friends and over five generations of family.

While celebrated on 20 January this year, Elaine, or as her family fondly calls her, Bev, was born on 16 January 1924 in Oatlands Tasmania.

Growing up in Glenfield farm, Bridgewater, Elaine was fond of the outdoors and growing up her life was nothing short of idyllic.

Rod Robins, youngest child of Elaine, had recalled her childhood through a touching speech in the middle of the celebration.

“The memories of those days are etched in her heart, from the carefree swims in the Jordan River, the construction of rafts made from old kerosene tins, to being chased by an old boar while collecting pears from the farm’s orchards,” Rod said.

After completing school, Elaine took up her first job at a children’s home, a position which Rod recalled was the beginning of a journey filled with compassion and care. “Where she dedicated herself to making a difference in the lives of others,” he said.

Eventually, Elaine moved to Melbourne, where she met her future husband Bill at the age of 18 at a picture theatre in Caulfield.

It was also in that city where she worked as a nurse’s aide while she had eagerly waited for the opportunity to train as a nurse at the Warragul Hospital.

While she eventually chose not to pursue that career and married Bill, the testament to her caring nature continued with over 30 years of service to the Red Cross after her, Bill and their children moved to Rawson in the 90s.

Before that, however, the couple had lived in Cottesloe, Western Australia, after the birth of their first child Judith.

It was also then that Bill had left to serve the army in World War Two, in what Rod described

Elaine (middle with flowers) was surrounded by family and friends at her party.

Pictures: LJUBICA VRANKOVIC as a time where “mum’s strength and resilience was evident as she eagerly waited for dad’s return”.

“When he arrived back, mum said that it was impossible to describe the feeling to know that he was home at last and that the war was over,” Rod said.

At Bill’s return, the family grew, with the addition of Rod’s older siblings John, Trevor and Warren.

Being so far from home could only last so long, however, and homesickness eventually brought the family back to Springvale, Victoria.

While Elaine had hoped for a second daughter, Rod recalled that fate had a different plan, welcoming instead Chris and Rod into

the family.

“Raising a family is no small feat, however, mum embraced this challenge with unconditional love, patience and dedication, traits which she instilled in all her children,” Rod said.

Back in Rawson, Elaine’s service with the Red Cross saw her heavily involved with the community, a purpose which she was actively engaged in and something she devoted herself to.

During the party, a representative from the Red Cross was also present, who was more than grateful to Elaine for her contribution and awarded her a medal for 30 years of service.

Elaine Beverly Robins at 100 years and four days old.

Unfortunately, Bill passed away in 1996, a time which Rod recalled had been difficult for everyone.

“Life’s journey also includes moments of sorrow, and when we lost dad, I had the feeling that due to their love, we lost a part of mum as well.

“Despite the hardships, her strength and resilience shone through as she stayed in Rawson, surrounded by fantastic friends, where she continued to contribute to her community,” Rod said.

Elaine had eventually moved and settled down in Clyde, where she currently resides with family just a stone’s throw away.

Independent living - with a sense of community

By Ethan Benedicto The Disability Company’s Hallam branch is moving forward with its unique perspective of supported independent living, with the first of four houses set to open in February.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme, or NDIS for short, has a long-running program with supported independent living, or SIL, which sees clients receiving help while still living as an independent.

For The Disability Company, however, their new approach will tailor shared living of residents to create a sense of community within the home. Company founder Dylan Maliepaard said “we’re approaching it in a novel way, which is to try and match participants in a way that they don’t feel like they’re

in an institutionalised home.”

“Instead they can actually make friends by going away together, having meet and greets, dinners and we can try and coordinate people so they can have more of a housemate relationship than being forced together,” he said.

For Mr Maliepaard, the emphasis of their housing program is home, to not just live in a house but to have it as a space where one can feel secure.

“People can then grow and then actually explore what it means to be a human being, explore their boundaries. They can grow, challenge themselves and go into the next phase of their lives like we all do,” he said.

There are currently three key and high-

demand areas that the Disability Company has identified as where residents would like to reside, and these are Cranbourne, Dandenong and Narre Warren. The first four houses are the setting stage for Mr Maliepaard and the company, where they will then observe and adapt to further cater for future housing projects.

“We want to open those four houses in those three key areas first, and then take it to the next phase.

“From there we will decide on what tweaks and changes we want to make what other areas we might want to move into and what else we would like to do in these areas,” he said.

Comfort is a key factor, and while houses will most likely be limited to four residents

at most, it plays a huge part in feeling like a home, and not a regular housing institution.

“The question is about whether or not that has an institutional feel or if you’re crammed in like sardines. Or if the ratios are kept low, the person has space to actually live in a community and that they are actually living in their home instead of a care facility.”

Another factor is tailoring the homes to the residents, which starts from foundational aspects such as decorating to having gathering events such as house committees.

“These house events that help to bind everyone together make it feel more homely, while also still having that really good balance of your own space, your own independence, your own autonomy to do your own thing,” Mr Maliepaard said.

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NEWS

Parent help arrives Clearing An early parenting centre opened on Monday 29 January in Clyde North to provide families with free specialised support in childcare.

Located on Newgrange Blvd within walking distance to shops, cafes, parks, and a proposed police station, the Murrmbek Casey Early Parenting Centre is a brand-new and purpose-built facility for local families with children aged three years and younger, who need support with sleep and settling, feeding, strengthening of the parent-child relationship, and overall health and well-being of the child and the parents.

The centre’s Aboriginal name Murrumbek means ‘belong’ in the Bunurong language, the Traditional Owners of the land where this centre is located.

Delivered by the State Government in partnership with Monash Health, the centre provides a range of services including day stays, overnight stays, and telehealth support.

It features 10 residential family units and four day-stay places, providing both shortterm and longer residential stay programs to improve the health, well-being, and developmental outcomes of children.

The residential family units are designed with flexibility in mind and support different family structures.

Families can bring multiple children or accommodate an older sibling, grandparent, or other carer during their stay.

The centre also includes kitchen and dining areas, playrooms, and outdoor play areas.

Minister for Health Infrastructure MaryAnne Thomas visited the new facility on Thursday 25 January, accompanied by South Eastern Metropolitan MP Michael Galea, Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale, and South Eastern Metropolitan MP Lee Tarlamis.

“Becoming a parent is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful and difficult too –

planning backlog

Centre nurse manager Jackie Hopley (left), Monash Health interim chief executive Martin Keogh, Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas, South Eastern Metropolitan MP Michael Galea, and Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards are celebrating the new early parenting centre.

Picture: SUPPLIED that is why we are supporting families across the southeast through the delivery of our new Clyde North facility,” she said.

General manager of Monash Health’s Children’s Program Dani Smith said the team at Monash Health was excited to welcome families to the new centre and support them in their parenting journeys.

The team includes experienced nurses and midwives, maternal and child health nurses, a social worker, and a child life therapist.

Families can self-refer to the centre or be referred by their GP or maternal and child health

nurses.

The centre is the third of the 12 new and upgraded early parenting centres completed by the State Government as part of its $148m investment to expand Victoria’s early parenting service network, as well as $18.9 million in the Victorian Budget 2023/24 to deliver on an election commitment for a new centre in Northcote and an Aboriginal-led centre in Frankston.

To know more about the centre, visit monashhealth.org/services/child-youth-andfamily/casey-early-parenting-centre

The State Government has approved more than 40 per cent of planning permit applications for townhouses and apartments in Casey since handing down its Housing Statement.

The government has cleared 44.7 per cent of the 1400 planning permit applications for townhouses or apartments which had been sitting for more than six months waiting for a decision, including 17 permit applications for townhouses or apartments in Casey, with 21 applications remaining.

In Cardinia, the government has approved six out of the 16 applications awaiting approval.

In total, the approved developments represent 2826 new dwellings across the state.

The State Government has also begun clearing the path for more housing by fast-tracking approvals, turning well-located underused land into quality housing that’s close to public transport, jobs and critical services.

The work has been the focus of a dedicated team working with project proponents, local councils, and referral agencies to resolve issues delaying council decision-making – to avoid projects ending up in VCAT and to get homes built.

FOCUS ON … DANCE, MUSIC AND DRAMA

Two national champions for Cathy-Lea Two Cathy-Lea students have won national championships in 2023.

Malaika Geerdharry won the Australian Teachers of Dancing Intermediate Jazz Championship and Grace Rampant won the Australian Teachers of Dance Junior Tap Championship.

Malaika and Grace qualified for this national competition after each winning the Victorian championships earlier in the year. They danced against dancers form across Australia, taking part in classes then performing solos on stage to judges’ acclaim.

Five other Cathy-Lea students qualified for the ATOD National Championships. Olivia Coombe placed 3rd in the Sub- Junior Tap sec-

tion, Abi Winsall placed 4th in the Junior section and Bella Vohs placed 4th in the Senior Tap section.

Cathy-Lea Studios offer students opportunities to complete exams in ATOD Jazz and Tap and Cecchetti Ballet. These internationally recognised associations provide frameworks for teaching technical dance and are delivered by expert teachers, giving parents an assurance that their children will be taught to the highest standards.

Cathy-Lea Studios also offers an Elite Training Program for talented and dedicated students seeking further performance opportunities, and those working towards careers in performing arts.

The studio’s Recreational Program offers allabilities, ‘fun’ classes for children and adults to develop confidence, coordination, fitness and friendships.

The award-winning Ready Set Dance program for preschoolers runs at the studio 4 days a week including morning, after school and weekend sessions.

Enrolments are now open for 2024 with classes catering for students of all ages and abilities aged 18 months to adult. With over 150 classes per week in Dance, Music and Drama, Cathy-Lea is sure to have a class that meets your needs. Enrol now or book a free trial at www.cathy-lea.com.

Grace Rampant – Australian Junior Tap Champion.

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STAR NEWS 9

NEWS

Couple’s OAM honour

By Violet Li Lindsay and Lavinia Tharle were working flat out at what they had been recognised for when a national honour knocked on their door.

The Cranbourne couple was among the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipients in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List, awarded for their decades of community service.

With no time to consume and celebrate the news, the couple threw themselves into a fundraising barbecue for kids needing education at the Dandenong Valley Car Show on Australian Day and another charity event by Freemasons Victoria just one day later.

When they finally had time to sit down to savour the recognition, they were taken by surprise by the sheer number of little good things they had been engaged with since the 1970s.

“We do a lot of fundraising, a lot of barbecues, and a lot of catering for good shows,” Lavinia said.

“Whoever nominated us gave us a long list of what we’ve done over the years. It goes back a long time ago.

“We didn’t even realise people would’ve taken notice, but obviously, they were taking notice. It was quite a surprise.”

Married for 60 years, the couple has three children, aged 59, 57, and 54.

In retrospect, the voluntary act accidentally started around 55 years ago when their children went to primary school.

The couple used to have cooking stalls at school fares to help purchase sporting equipment.

“You just got into it, and you just do it. It just sort of happens,” Lavinia said.

She joked that one of their three sons, who lived in Darwin now, said they were never home.

The couple did all the same volunteer activities together.

They knitted premature baby hats for the Narre Warre Country Fire Authority in the 1970s.

They’ve been looking after the animals at

Lavinia (left) and Lindsay Tharle. 385346 the Dandy Show for nearly 40 years, making sure they are safe, watered, and fenced.

They’ve volunteered at the Breakfast Club at Kooweerup Secondary College for over 20 years. They put on barbecues at Christmas time for all the students every year.

They are now doing collections for the Uncle Bob’s Club for the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Looking back to their community dedication and fundraising efforts, Lavinia said it was the friendship that kept her going.

“The main thing to get out of it is the people that we’ve met through doing voluntary work,” she said.

Sweet start to the day Ice-cream for breakfast? Yep! Radio station 89.9 TheLight gave away free ice-cream on Thursday 25 January at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick thanks to Mastika Ice Cream.

You had to be quick, though, with the icecream going out on a first in, best dressed basis from 8am to 9am. Some adults would say it was too early for ice-cream, but kids would say the opposite - it was school holidays after all!

The 89.9 TheLight team was at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick on Thursday 25 January.

10 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Lindsay agreed with her.

“The big thing is you meet so many lovely people,” he said.

“Just looking at people put money in the charity makes you feel good for humanity.”

He said what also motivated them in the past five decades was pure passion.

“They are things that we just like doing.

If you didn’t like doing it, you wouldn’t do it, would you?” he said.

“That’s what keeps you young.”

The award no doubt brought serendipity to their lives.

“The loveliest thing about it [the award] is

the amount of people that we haven’t heard of for years who have seen it in the paper or heard about it, and they’ve rang up and congratulated us,” Lindsay said.

“You don’t look for congratulations, but it’s nice to get them.”

The couple believed nothing had changed after the award and they would keep contributing to the community as long as they could.

Though they said this should be a relaxing week, they had already planned to head out to a big sports meeting at Akoonah Park days later and Warrnambool for a charity event on the weekend.

Nod to generous spirit From page 1 Alongside these feats, with fundraising for floods and bushfires, Mihiri received the Melvin Jones Fellow award from Lions international for her volunteering efforts.

However, like the OAM, it was never something that she worked towards, but was something she would gladly accept.

“It just makes you happy you know, even the small things,” she said.

Other accomplishments and contributions from Mihiri include the Mihindu Children’s Foundation, providing a helping hand in school canteens, door to door walking with the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels with the City of Monash and the Sri Lankan Women’s Association.

Mihiri has also been a Justice of Peace for Victoria since 2010, or JP for short, and has been a volunteer in acting as an independent witness to documents people use for official or legal purposes.

“I’ve been volunteering at Dandenong City Council and recently Bunjil Library, but I’ve also dedicated time at Dandenong police station, Oakleigh police station, at Springvale and at Knox to name a few,” Mihiri said.

Contributions didn’t remain between organisations however, and using her personal time to cater to others’ needs was something that brought joy to Mihiri.

“I helped with a bypass surgery for a two-year-old in Sri Lanka, they didn’t have money and I helped with the finances,” she said.

She also made multiple donations to the Lady Ridgeway hospital in Sri Lanka, as well as funding for numerous temples, libraries,

schools and fellowship programs in Australia and overseas.

“I refurbished a 55-bed hospital ward, the beds were rotting so I asked the Lions Club there for an inspection, and then recently I also funded for a refurbishment of a 36-bed elderly home.

“I don’t publicise the stuff I do, and most of the time, if my husband were to look at the list of things I’ve done, I don’t think he’d know anything about the funding for the beds and such, I’m just happy to do it,” Mihiri said.

The only paid role that Mihiri has is the administrative position for Monash Health, a company which she has been with since 2014.

It is a role which she loves, with being able to help people and interact with them, to a degree where, even when she is eligible for retirement at 65, has no plans to do so anytime soon.

“I’m not thinking of retiring yet, because I’ll be bored to death, but I’ve cut down on work and I’m trying to get the house in a situation where it’s manageable for me,” she said.

Mihiri and her husband, Victoria’s last Honorary Consul Bandu Dissanayake, have since downsized after both their children moved away from home.

With plans to start a cake business after she retires, Mihiri said that “I’m proud to be Australian”.

“It’s nice to be appreciated for what you do, but that’s not what I do it for,” she said.

Now residing in Narre Warren South, Mihiri continues to advocate and lend a helping hand for any in need. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Art targets Gaza conflict

By Nyibol Gatluak Talented student Tina Saba is using art to express herself and raise awareness about the ongoing conflict in Palestine.

The 21 year old from Narre Warren is currently studying a Certificate IV in Visual Art at Chisholm Institute Berwick.

Her family has ancestral roots in the West Bank region of Palestine.

They migrated to Australia in the late 1990s.

“Although I was born and raised in Australia, I spent a lot of my life in Palestine with my family,” Ms Saba said.

A proud Palestinian, she is one of three siblings.

One of her siblings is still trapped in Palestine with her two young children amid all the unfolding brutality.

“I fear for their safety every day, it is even difficult to talk to them on the phone due to the heavy surveillance of the Israeli government.”

Through art, Ms Saba is hoping to spread awareness, educate others and debunk what she says is propaganda being spread about the

conflict.

Her latest artwork depicts a watermelon, which represents the Palestine flag.

“People think this is a new issue and it isn’t.

I have witnessed first-hand the violence towards Palestinians unfold most of my life.”

This started when Ms Saba was a young child and witnessed American colonists who were brought into the West Bank terrorising Palestinian families.

They allegedly displaced her family out of their home by planting landmines around their property.

Ms Saba is keen to tell her story and make a difference in her local community.

She recently won the Outstanding Achievement Award from Chisholm Institute last year, for her artwork dedicated to Palestine.

Ms Saba believes it is imperative for the Australian public to become better informed about the conflict.

She encourages people to research and become the cause for change.

Nyibol Gatluak is a student journalist at Monash University

Tina Saba, centre, celebrates her outstanding achievement award with friends.

Casey proudly celebrates Australia Day in droves The Hampton Park Progress Association hosted a family-friendly fun celebration at Arthur Wren Hall on Australia Day, with over 300 Casey residents revelling in fun activities and live entertainment.

The celebration commenced with the Australian Air League marching with the flag, followed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Children’s Choir singing the Australian National Anthem.

President of the Hampton Park Progress Association Luke DeLutis said the association had a long-held tradition of holding an event on Australia Day to bring the community together.

“We wanted our community to have a free event where they can enjoy themselves without breaking the bank,” he said.

“We were pleased to see so many families and individuals enjoying their time with us. There was a real sense of community harmony.”

Victoria Police, Hampton Park Fire Brigade, State Emergency Services, Ambulance Victoria, Neighbourhood Watch Casey, Australian Air League-Berwick and Cranbourne Squadrons, Vocal Performance School, Team Richards Rock n’ Roll, Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Children’s Choir, 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year Jo-Ann Fitzgerald, Hampton Park Uniting Church, and Hampton Park Baptist Church attended the scene.

A sausage sizzle, snacks, and kids’ activities were available on-site.

Damien Rosario hosted the celebration.

Fun kids’ activities on-site.

Casey residents are lining up at the food stall.

Hampton Park Fire Brigade.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Fun family entertainment.

State Emergency Services.

Crews of State Emergency Services are teaching kids rescue skills.

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Leader caring in a crisis

By Cam Lucadou-Wells In 45 years of service, CFA Deputy Chief Officer Ross Sullivan has witnessed and tackled some of the state’s most traumatic disasters.

Think of Ash Wednesday in 1983, Black Saturday in 2009, the 2014 Hazlewood Mine fire, the 2019-’20 East Gippsland fires and the October 2022 floods.

“Those battles, especially those large fires, involve Mother Nature doing what it does.

“Human intervention is about managing people’s safety in the line of fire. It’s an extremely challenging thing to do.”

The Lysterfield South resident has been recognised with firefighting’s highest honour in the Australia Day list - an Australian Fire Service Medal.

His considerable duties often consume the CFA leader – regarded by colleagues as knowledgeable, empathetic and humble.

But he insists he’s a “very ordinary human being”.

“There’s nothing special in my make-up. I was chuffed that someone had taken the time to nominate me and put things together about my career.

“I have the opportunity to support people doing incredible things in their communities.

I’m very fortunate to have that opportunity.”

Feeling the immense human tragedy is what drives Sullivan to forever seek improvements. There’s also the reward of reducing those devastating impacts.

He recalls firefighters risking their lives to help four people caught inside a house fire.

The bitter-sweet outcome was they saved one of the victims.

Deputy Chief Officer Ross Sullivan has received the highest firefighting honour in the Australia Day awards list.

On the night of Black Saturday, Sullivan was deployed to the Churchill fire. He remembers crews being sent to any part of the state in response to the firestorms.

“One of the issues was getting to that fire.

There were a number of fires we had to drive through to get there – fires that were active in Narre Warren and Warragul.”

There was great confusion in responding to a fire of such magnitude, coupled with communication issues and the late time of day.

“History tells us that the frequency is becoming greater for those sort of events. That’s what it feels like.

“Fires seem to be more intense these days… fires have even run on cool days with a south-

High-flying CFA trainer awarded medal From fighting fires on the ground in Springvale and Dandenong, Commander John Katakouzinos has been at the forefront of firefighting innovation in the air.

Katakouzinos says he feels “very privileged” to be recognised with an Australian Fire Service Medal for a stellar 32-year career.

He’d previously received several fire service awards for his leadership at the Commonwealth Bank fire-bombing in Springvale and a devastating house fire in Dandenong.

“I’m very proud and I feel very privileged to have been nominated and to receive the award, but that’s not what I do any of what I do.

“I do it because I always want to make sure our people are continuously improving, and our people get the best tools they need to perform the job they need for our community.”

He started as a volunteer at Springvale brigade in 1991, progressing as a career firefighter in Dandenong and currently the commander of aviation at CFA headquarters on secondment from FRV. “I’ve always been interested in aviation, but I wasn’t specifically looking for a role in fire aviation.

“During the 1997 Dandenong Ranges fires I was a volunteer on the ground, and aircraft played a big part, and that set the course for me to get involved in fire aviation.”

He first qualified as an air observer in 1997, before working his way up to air attack supervisor and air operations manager, among other roles.

His passion for training was shown by leading the research, design and delivery of an Australian-first fire-aviation flight simulator.

At Dandenong fire station, he implemented battery-operated road rescue tools, which are still widely used across the state.

“From the start, I’ve always been looking for ways to give our people in the emergency services sector the skills they need, which is what made me start to look at what was being done with aviation internationally.”

“As firefighters, we are generally turning up to the worst day of someone’s life.

“We need to turn up with the best possible skillset that we can achieve, and the only way that we can do that is by continually training to the best possible standard, which ensures that when turn up to someone’s disaster – we do what we can to make it better.

“My passion is about giving our people the 12 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

CFA aviation commander John Katakouzinos has been recognised with an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM). best tools possible so that they can give the community what they expect and what the community deserves.”

Katakouzinos is most proud of the many people he’s mentored to become leaders in their own right.

“There’s lots of little things that I’m proud of during my time as a firefighter, but I’m most proud of the people I’ve mentored throughout the journey. It always puts a smile on my face when I get firefighters I’ve trained in the past contact me telling me their achievements and thanking me.”

erly or south-westerly winds behind them.

That’s the difference.”

His career began in 1978 as a 16-year-old when he first rode on the back of the fire truck at Bolinda and Monegeeta brigade.

His parents - like much of the township were immersed in their fire brigade.

“Being a volunteer at a small rural fire brigade was about looking after friends and farms around the district,” Sullivan said.

“It meant a lot to be part of a service that made such a valued contribution to community.”

He worked up the ranks as a frontline firefighter to his current role as Deputy Chief Officer overseeing 271 brigades and 14,000 volunteers in the North East Region from Scoresby to Victoria’s northern border.

Sullivan has also been involved in upgrades such as the roll-out of a new fit-for-purpose medium pumper as well as a 44-metre ladder platforms that became a key ingredient for aerial firefighting.

He has also led post-incident recovery efforts, establishing a process for rehabilitating and repairing areas damaged by firefighting activity during the 2019-20 fires.

He’s also led relief and recovery after Upper Murray fires in 2019-’20 and the 2022 floods.

This process is regarded now as the CFA standard.

Among his many other achievements, he developed a strategy to address high fire risk and capability issues in alpine areas, and helped design CFA fleets for growing cities and towns in country Victoria.

Women targeted by tech abuse Women from migrant and refugee backgrounds are being inflicted with rising levels of ‘tech-facilitated abuse’, according to a South-East based service.

Wellsprings for Women is raising the issue ahead of Safer Internet Day on 6 February.

Chief executive Dalal Smiley says there is an “urgent need” for multilingual, culturally-appropriate TFA education in safe settings but the service lacks funding.

“Wellsprings FV case management has established a pattern of TFA in FV cases, with migrant and refugee women failing to recognise TFA as a form of abuse.

“It is not enough to raise awareness.

“What is needed is a focused, intensive approach where we can work closely with the women and co-design and produce a community-based prevention and early intervention program driven by their experiences and recommendations.”

TFA involves perpetrators using technology such as GPS tracking and social media platforms to harass and abuse women.

Migrant and refugee women are at high risk of TFA due to a lack of digital literacy as well as in understanding what constitutes TFA and what to do when it occurs, according to Wellsprings.

It also cites research findings that women with precarious migration status are less willing to seek help for family violence and engage with services.

This is partly due to perpetrators’ capacity to wield power and control over women, including through threats of deportation, shaming, revenge porn, threats to family living overseas and threats that women would lose access to their children. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

New creative hub for emerging artists

By Ava Cashmore

Muster Ambassador Andrew Swift.

Muster up A long-term connection to the Gympie Music Muster and a passion for the festival has landed Berwick-based country artist, Andrew Swift, the honour of 2024 Muster Ambassador.

Golden Guitar winner Andrew Swift, whose achievements in the Australian country music scene have earned him widespread recognition, is excited about taking on the role.

Having participated in the Muster’s talent search in 2015, Andrew fondly recalled the fun progressions in his journey, from the emerging artist showcase to sharing a set time with Gretta Ziller two years later and then having his own spot two years ago.

“This year, to be named the ambassador is truly an honour,” he said.

“Whenever I come up, I make sure I camp because I love the whole vibe of it; camping means immersing yourself in it all.” he said.

“It caters to families as well as people who

want to have a drink and have a good time; the Muster ticks all the boxes and I feel that’s what the festival does incredibly well.”

In his role as ambassador, Andrew will be actively involved on the ground throughout the Muster.

“I’m always telling people to go to Gympie and put it on their bucket lists.“ he said.

“To be an ambassador for something I’m already passionate about, is an exciting moment.“ Gympie Music Muster CEO Greg Cavanagh is excited to have the award-winning artist on board.

“His genuine love for the event and his passion for sharing it with others make him a perfect fit for this role.” he said.

Tickets are available from www.muster. com.au

Casey Council has announced a new hub for artists and creatives to be built in Narre Warren.

The Emerging Artist Creative Hub (The Hub) is designed to be a space for creatives to develop their art practice, collaborate with peers and share skills and resources.

The space will also provide resident artists the opportunity to put on small-scale exhibitions and projects, public programs and other outdoor exhibitions.

The existing hall will be transformed to accommodate small-scale exhibitions and projects, public programs and other outdoor exhibitions.

“We’re so pleased to be able to take one of our under-utilised facilities in the centre of Narre Warren and transform it into a dedicated space for our creative community to

explore their art further,” said City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff.

“The Hub is an exciting, first of its kind offering by council, allowing tenants to flourish in their practice in an accessible and collaborative space.

“We invite applicants who may be considering broadening their practice into Casey to check out the eligibility and get in touch with council to learn more about this opportunity.”

The Emerging Artist Creative Hub is supported through a $150,000 grant provided by the Victorian Government’s Creative Neighbourhood Infrastructure Support Program combined with a $75,000 investment from the City of Casey.

To apply for the available one-year leases or know more about the Hub, visit casey. vic.gov.au/emerging-artist-creative-hub

The future Emerging Artist Creative Hub (The Hub) in Narre Warren.

Picture: SUPPLIED

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Exploring identity through film Hundreds of locals and visitors flocked to last year’s Lang Lang Show ‘n’ Shine.

Picture: GARY SISSONS

By Ethan Benedicto Hafekasi will be one of the first few films from the Melbourne International Film Festival to feature at Bunjil Place’s big screen on Thursday 1 February.

Tongan for half-cast, Hafekasi is a 16-minute film that revolves around a young girl named Mona, who has a white Australian mother and a Tongan father who is not featured in the film.

Director Annelise Hickey delved into the uncertainties of familial relationships, the struggle of identity and the self, and the want to be part of something, to belong.

Loosely derived from her personal experiences as child, Ms Hickey said that “it’s pretty parallel to how I felt growing up when I was old enough to realise, feeling like you don’t fit in sometimes.”

“There’s this yearning to be part of something you don’t know anything about, this culture that you know nothing of,” she said.

Set in the 1990s, the film is vibrant, filled with colour and unravels in two places, a home and a market.

“A lot of times I went to the market as a kid growing up served as my exposure to different cultures, and I just remember the vibrancy of this ‘90s colour pallet of reds and teals.

“That was something that was really prominent when we shot the market scenes, they were full of sound and colour in comparison to being a single child living in a single mum’s home that’s quiet in sound and colour,” Ms Hickey said.

The film’s cinematography is very intimate, following Mona closely with the audience either always watching from her point of her or watching her as she interacts with others.

For Ms Hickey, as a child she didn’t know how to articulate her feelings, so for her “it was always through hearing things or watching people.”

“That was quite important for me to understand where I and Mona belong in the world or where she thinks she belongs through the comments made by the adults around her,” she said.

Hot rods, classic cars on show Annelise Hickey, director of the short film Hafekasi.

Filmed handheld, with incorporations of the shaky cam in some scenes, Ms Hickey wanted to be free with the camera so non-actors involved in the film could be as comfortable as possible to feel like they own the space while delivering an authentic experience.

As for its effects on Mona, the film had “very human camera movement to match her feelings and the way that she moves around the space,” Ms Hickey said.

The idea of the film had been brewing for a long time, but the lack of personal confidence and the thought of the contents of the story itself and how audiences would receive it had prevented Ms Hickey from going through with it.

However, with age and adulthood, Ms Hickey was able to explore her own Tongan culture and began to realise that many others like her were hafekasi or half-cast.

“I went to Aotearoa (New Zealand) about six months before we shot the film, and since it’s full of Polynesians and Tongans, just seeing how they celebrate brown people in their media was incredible.

“That sort of gave me the boost I needed, I came back and wrote the script in a couple of days which had been taking me years to write.

The 11th annual Lang Lang Show ‘n’ Shine and Swap Meet will be held on Sunday 11 February at the Lang Lang Showgrounds.

As with previous years, it is anticipated that more than 500 cars and motorbikes will be on display with about 20 per cent to be judged in various classes based on vehicle age.

This event is run by the KooweerupLang Lang Rotary Club with all proceeds being directed to Rotary-supported causes.

These causes can be local or far away, with $30,000 being donated to the fire victims of East Gippsland in 2019.

Aside from the cars and bikes, there will be plenty of action - including the iconic lawn mower racing - and many will seek out a bargain at the swap meet.

The Lang Lang Showgrounds is on the corner of Westernport Road and McDonalds Track in Lang Lang.

Gates will open at 7am for the general public and show vehicles, with swap meet stall holders entering from 6am.

General admission is $10 with children under 16 free.

For further details, visit langlangshownshine.com

Picture: SUPPLIED

“After going to Aotearoa, I was like, people might actually care about this story, and it poured out and I gave myself permission to write it after that trip,” Ms Hickey said.

As for the director’s emphasis on the film’s message, Ms Hickey didn’t want to “guilt anyone to watch anything.”

“One of the main reasons I watch films is because I enjoy watching people’s lives, and me as a director and when growing up, I didn’t see Polynesians represented in Australian television or film, or media.

“I just think it’s nice to give different stories a chance, to have a better understanding of how someone you might live near or someone you might work with might see the world so differently,” she said.

The film will premiere on Bunjil’s big screen at 8pm on Thursday 1 February, with gates opening at 6pm and a Q&A with Annelise Hickey and other directors at 7.30pm.

Tickets for the night are priced at $10 and for more information on the night and other screenings visit casey.vic.gov.au/news/melbourne-international-film-festival-comesbunjil-place

WHAT’S ON Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre

Narre Warren & District Family History Group General Meeting

Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre is a not-for-profit community managed centre, with a volunteer Committee of Management that provides strategic direction and oversight.

For more than 30 years, the centre has provided a range of high-quality childcare, community services, educational classes and spaces for hire.

Explore diverse activities and engage with fellow community members at their open day this weekend. Lots of free family fun, sausage sizzle, animal nursery, popcorn, and fairy floss.

For more details, visit merindapark.com.au or facebook.com/MPLandCC

A volunteer, non-profit group whose primary aim is to support both family and local history within the City of Casey and the Shire of Cardinia.

It serves the communities of Narre Warren, Narre Warren North and East, Berwick, Harkaway, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Beaconsfield, and surrounding areas.

The general meetings are not all online.

President Jane will be sharing the many avenues in the Lorraine Taylor Research Room to begin your family or local history research or knock down a brick wall without using Ancestry or Find my Past.

Cranbourne Library Centre, Wednesday 21 February 2024

·

MIFF Summer Screenings at Bunjil Place The program will kick off with the MIFF Shorts Program showcasing four short films each influenced by the life and cultural experiences of the filmmakers.

The next three nights will screen a feature film each from 8pm, following live music performances from 7pm.

Thicker Than Water-Cultural ConnectionsMIFF Shorts Program: Thursday 1 February, 6.30pm - 9.30pm Australia’s Open: Friday 2 February, 7pm 9.35pm Shayda: Saturday 3 February, 7pm - 10pm Ego-The Michael Gudinski Story: Sunday 4 February, 7pm - 10pm

· · ··

Balla Balla Community Centre Located in Clyde North, the centre has vacancies in the following classes: Introduction to Creative Writing, Conversational English, Yoga, Zumba, Playgroup, Balla Balla Bubs (0-12 months).

14 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

·

Cranbourne Library Centre. 173461 Morning Melodies is back! – First date for the year is 13 February. Share a morning of music, enjoy a cuppa, or scones with jam and cream, and make new friends along the way.

Enrolments can be made online at ballaballa. com.au/programs or by phoning 5990 0900.

·

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club Are you newly retired or new to the area or just wanting to enjoy your freedom or expand your social life?

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating activities such as weekly social/ chat activities with low-key in line dancing if you want to tap your feet and enjoy an afternoon tea.

Day, short and long trips away via coach and

flights, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly evening dineouts, weekly table tennis club, walking groups, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, and more.

Come along and get to know us by visiting us on a Thursday at 2pm at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House or join us on a Wednesday at 10am for a Coffee at Little Sparrow Fountain Gate. For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.

·

Cranbourne U3A We have commenced our classes and are happy that the new classes are proving to be very popular. Our Ballroom dance class has commenced

and it is a lot of fun. You do not need a partner, just come along and give it a try. The Tai Chi class is also going well. We have room for new members if you are interested. Our usual art, music, calligraphy, quilling, knitting, sewing/patchwork, chess, Italian, and Table Tennis groups are all back and enjoying lots of laughs and good company.

New members are always welcome. If you would like to join us pop into our rooms, we are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm. Our website is u3acraqnbourne,org.au for more information.

Our rooms are in the Cranbourne Library building - enter from the Casey Radio entrance next door to L’Arte Cafe.

·

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

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STAR NEWS 15

THE LOWDOWN Q&A

THREE … wetlands in the City of Casey

with Founder of the Disability Company, Dylan Maliepaard

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I was born in South Africa, but you’d never know it talking to me!

What do you love the most about your job?

The opportunity to build something that consistently tries to make the world brighter and a better place.

As World Wetlands Day is around the corner on 2 February, why not take a day off and treasure the wonder of nature in our backyard?

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

A Leopard.

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Western Port Ramsar Wetland Western Port is an internationally significant wetland under the intergovernmental Ramsar Convention, a treaty aimed at the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It is the habitat of many marine species and birds. Take a walk along the coast and you may spot some amazing creatures hanging around.

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Berwick Springs Wetlands Reserve A paradise for native wildlife, this wetlands space is a beautiful and popular community asset with a network of playgrounds, fishing spots, walking paths, and more.

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Botanic Ridge Wetlands A natural haven in Cranbourne, the wetland features lush green spaces, big trees, and a variety of flora and fauna. It is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including birds, reptiles, and other native species. These areas provide a great opportunity for families and friends to spend quality time and enjoy nature.

What was your most memorable moment?

Starting my company, the moment I committed to the journey.

What were you like as a kid?

Happy and curious, but always in my own world.

What event, past or present, would you like to witness?

The birth of my children.

Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

Jordan Peterson, Elon Musk, Socrates, Viktor Frankl, Nikolai Tesla and St Paul.

Founder of the Disability Company, Dylan Maliepaard.

What would you do on your perfect ’day off’?

Meditate/pray in the morning, go to the gym, have breakfast with my family, go and build furniture/working on a car while listening

to podcasts/audio books, sit and plan, and head into work to work on making things better and better, then come home to my family have dinner and talk, then finishing by sitting with my partner and play chess with a drink.

Where is your happy place?

Home, in the garden where I can sit and think.

If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

Well my favourite food is beef stew, so I’d probably go with that.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

Fiji or the Maldives would be amazing, on one of those grass huts on stilts over the ocean.

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SPORT

Berwick beats off Beacy

By Marcus Uhe Narre South’s outright win over St Mary’s in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 competition has vaulted the Lions into third place on a congested, tight table with just three rounds remaining before finals.

St Mary’s squeezed another 72 runs from its final five wickets, thanks in large part to a 31-run stand for the final wicket between Harrison Kidd and Mohiburhman Sherzai, forcing the Lions to bat again with a target of 52.

It was a goal the Lions reached with a minimum of fuss, requiring just 11 overs and for the loss of two wickets.

Having destroyed the home side’s batting lineup on day one, the second day felt a ‘fait accompli’ for Narre South who had one hand on the 10 points for an outright victory.

With three slips and two gullies, Kyle Hardy’s side was out for the kill with aggressive fields and attacking lines and length.

The Saints, with likely relegation staring them in the face, were in survival mode, hardly looking to score but merely attempting to string the innings out for as long as they could.

No runs were scored until the fourth over of the morning, with Callan Tout and Jawed Hussaini keeping the pressure on.

Tout made the early breakthrough with the wicket of Susantha Pradeep for 14, reducing the equation to four wickets required for an innings win, and 20 runs needed for St Mary’s to make the visitors bat again.

A sharp catch in the slips was waved-off after Hussaini overstepped, giving Navoda Haettiarachchi a much-needed life, while another chance went down in the gully shortly after.

By the time Jeevan Mendis rolled his arm over as the first change in the attack, the quicks had conceded just four runs in the opening 12 overs of the day, and were unlucky not to have more wickets to their name.

Haettiarachchi and Deeshan Umagiliyage’s 28-run stand for the seventh wicket ensured that the Lions would have to bat again, as they made it through the opening hour of the day.

The Saints’ tail played more aggressive, with scoring shots to Mendis’ bowling, but Mendis would have the last laugh with three tail-end wickets to finish the innings, assisted by sharp catching from Hardy in the slips and Hussaini on the mid-wicket boundary.

Mendis finished with 4/46 while Tout’s excellent year with the ball continued, rewarded with his first five-wicket haul of the season.

Sherzai and Kidd’s persistence ensured the Lions would require some application, but the result was never in doubt, Vineth Jayasuriya top-scoring for the second time in as many innings with 33.

The 10 points for the outright result saw Narre South leapfrog Buckley Ridges and Hallam Kalora Park, two sides now tied for points in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Just four points separate the Lions, in third from North Dandenong in sixth.

Berwick is secure in second place for another week, having easily accounted for Beacons-

Callan Tout’s fantastic season continued for Narre South on Saturday, taking 5/40 in St Mary’s second innings. 385389 field’s total of 188 in just 53 overs.

Jarryd Wills was the star for the Bears, hitting an unbeaten 110 off 145 deliveries, 78 runs coming from boundaries, courtesy of 15 fours and three sixes.

Ashan Madhushanka was the pick of the Beaconsfield bowlers with 2/29.

At Springvale South, it was a case of another challenger stepping up to facing the Bloods, and another challenger vanquished.

The defending champions’ undefeated streak continued in a one-day contest, chasing North Dandenong’s target of 160 in the 43rd over.

Only Jawid Khan and Tahsinullah Sultani had any success against the Springvale South bowling attack, hitting 45 and 43 respectively, as the Maroons’ innings was brought to a close in the 37th over.

Khan fell victim to Jarryd Straker’s introduction to the attack, two of the leading contenders for the Wookey Medal to be awarded next month, having raced to a near half-century.

Straker finished with sublime figures of 3/18 from his 11 overs, with four maidens, maintaining his status as the competition’s leading wicket taker.

Springvale South was patient in their approach to the chase, content to use the time available for some valuable centre-wicket time.

Ryan Quirk hit his first half-century of the season, the anchor of the chase with 56 off 124.

A tremendous upset win for Hallam Kalora Park over Buckley Ridges has thrown another

twist into the tumultuous Turf 1 season.

The Hawks chased Buckley Ridges’ target of 191 in the 73rd over of the afternoon, with a Jordan Hammond straight drive alleviating the nervous tension on the Hawks bench as the enormity of the result was confirmed.

It was an even spread of contributors that did the job for the Hawks, a contrast for a side that had relied on too few to carry the load on a number of occasions in this campaign.

All Hawks batters in the top seven, aside from Jagveer Hayer, reached double figures, with Ben Hillard and Matthew Cox hitting their highest scores of the season to date.

Hillard hit an important 52 in the important number three role, forming small but important partnerships with the middle order as the Hawks chipped away at the target.

At 4/131 at the tea break, the Hawks were well in-control of the contest, a mere 60 runs from victory with wickets in the shed, with Hillard and Hammond at the crease.

Hobbs and Buckley Ridges coach Manjula Munasinhge engaged in a lengthy discussion at the break to brainstorm ways of working back into the contest, settling on a concerted approach of accurate, tidy bowling in an attempt to restrict the flow of runs, on a wicket considerably better for batting than what their side faced the week before.

Hillard fell to Michael Davies, attempting a lofted shot to the leg side, the pressure built by maidens and the line bowled by the visitors appearing to frustrate the left-hander.

Ciaron Connolly joined Hammond after Hillard’s departure and copped a barrage of

Picture: ROB CAREW

balls on his pads, but survived constant pleas from the Buckley bowlers for LBW. Hammond, meanwhile, took advantage of the deliberate straight line approach, working the ball into gaps when deliveries strayed to the leg side.

Desperate for a spark, Buckley Ridges tried all sorts of options with the ball, with Hobbs turning to Jake Cronin for his first overs of the season and Silva for his second bowl in 2023/24.

Cronin had Lauchlan Gregson caught in the deep, one of three late wickets to fall to keep Buckley’s chances of snatching an unlikely victory alive.

But with Hammond at the crease, Hallam Kalora Park had a cool head in a crisis.

With each run came raucous applause and encouragement from the Hawks’ dugout, closing in on an important victory that would return them right to the heart of finals contention.

The penultimate over from Jayarathna included two hearty appeals for LBW and two near run-outs between Hammond and Charith Keerthisinghe, but Hammond remained resolute, steering his side to the safety of six points.

Hammond finished unbeaten on 43, while Dinesh and Jayarathna took two wickets each for Buckley Ridges.

The win sees the Hawks tie with Buckley Ridges on 33 points, with both sides one point behind Narre South in third on 34, while only three points ahead of North Dandenong in sixth.

Southside Flyers grounded by freakish weather event

By Marcus Uhe The development of Cyclone Kirrily in North Queensland could have serious ramifications for the Southside Flyers’ WNBL campaign, after their clash with Townsville scheduled for Saturday 27 January was postponed.

After the closure of Townsville Airport on Thursday 25 January, it was decided that Saturday’s contest between the Flyers and Fire would not go ahead.

“The league has been monitoring the Cyclone throughout the week, and been in regular communication with both Clubs regarding making a decision on whether the game will proceed,” the WNBL said in a statement on Thursday.

“With the airport closure this morning, and in the interests of athletes and community welfare, a decision was made earlier today that the game would not proceed.

“The league will now work with both berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Cheryl Chambers and the Southside Flyers did not travel to Townsville over the weekend due to the development of Cyclone Kirrily. 375856 Picture: TRE teams to attempt to find a suitable date to reschedule the game.”

If the game is unable to be rescheduled, the win/loss percentage of the teams affected by the abandoned game will be determined

by one less game.

Southside sits precariously in third position, one win/loss percentage point ahead of Sydney in fourth and nine ahead of Perth in fifth, while only two behind Melbourne in second, meaning the impact of the Townsville game will have significant ladder implications.

Just two rounds remain in the regular season. The Flyers had their three-match win streak ended by the Flames in Sydney on Thursday night in a 102-81 loss.

The home side stormed out of the blocks with a 53-35 first half before holding the Flyers at bay for the remainder of the contest, despite a near-even second half.

The two sides had met just a fortnight earlier, with Southside sneaking home by six points at home, but this result was vastly different. Sydney shot a scorching 50 per cent from the three-point line and 53 per cent from the field overall, dwarfing Southside’s 36.8 and

42.9 percentages, respectively.

Speed and sharing the basketball were the keys to the early separation of the two sides, a smaller Sydney outfit running the Flyers off their legs in transition and in the half-court with pinpoint, unselfish passing.

While the second quarter saw a healthy diet of drive and kick from the home side, collapsing the defence and finding open shooters scattered around the perimeter.

The veteran pair of Lauren Jackson and Rebecca Cole led the way for Southside in scoring 17 points apiece but were joined by only Leilani Mitchell and Jasmine Dickey in scoring in double figures.

By comparison, Sydney had six, led by reigning WNBL MVP Cayla George with 21.

Southside next faces Perth on Wednesday night at home.

The game against Townsville is yet to be rescheduled at the time of publication on Tuesday morning, 30 January.

Thursday, 1 February, 2024

|

STAR NEWS 17

SPORT

Outrights change outlook

By Jonty Ralphsmith Just seven points separate first and fifth on the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 3 ladder with three games to go in an unusually tight season.

Two teams won outright, while two other top four teams suffered an untimely stumble.

GRITTY GATORS The scorebook recorded a 68-run Silverton win over Fountain Gate but failed to capture the doughty fight the Gators put up chasing the Bakers’ 303.

Arriving at the ground at 2/41 having lost a wicket with the last ball of day one, Chanaka ‘Ted’ Sampath joined Hasindu Waduge, the visitors knocking off the first 50 runs quickly.

With so many runs to play with, Silverton skipper Rob North was quick to spread the field as the batters threw their hands at the extra pace of Dylan Hayes.

A Sampath six over deep long off typified the authoritative nature of the partnership which firmly transferred pressure back on to a team surely expecting a reasonably straight forward win upon arrival at the ground.

The batting side, particularly Sampath, took to the pace well, with Kalapu Gamage the only bowler to genuinely threaten, but the Gators’ extended attacking phase took the run-rate out of the equation: if Fountain Gate batted the overs, it would win.

The pair went at a run-rate of 5.63 for the first 18 overs.

Wanting to maintain momentum, Fountain Gate continued going hard which ultimately came unstuck.

Having already danced down and sent medium pacer Imroz Pal over his head, Sampath tried to repeat the dose and was caught at first slip for 67. On the other side of drinks, Waduge cleared cow corner before trying to go twice in a row against offie Varinder Virk and holing out for 80.

Coomoora was far too good for Hampton Park. 385390 Still, though, Fountain Gate fought valiantly.

Aware of the match situation, Karun Singh was composed as he saw off the spin and tried to establish partnerships with Rodni Kumara (23), Chanuka Pangoda (12) and Dawood Mikhael (10).

Eventually dismissed for 16, at the crease for more than an hour, Singh was one of a series of Fountain Gate batters left to rue not going bigger and playing the match-winning hand.

Gamage took the last two wickets to finish with 4/46 off 17, rewarded for his patience and consistency.

Poetically, where Fountain Gate lacked a centurion, Silverton had one last week in former Gator Davandeep Premi, who proved the difference.

Regardless of the result, the mettle shown

by Fountain Gate was the defining story line of the day, and bodes well ahead of what looms as

Picture: ROB CAREW

an even finals shootout in March.

HOW LONG CAN LIONS SUSTAIN TWO-MAN SHOW Doveton North spinner Sachith Jayasingha and medium-pacer Gayan De Silva have repeatedly shown they are a class above with the ball this season, sitting one and two in the competition wickets tally.

The pair took four first-innings wickets each in the win over Lynbrook, while they equal top-scored with 45.

De Silva was promoted to open the batting while Jayasingha is crucial in the middle order.

But the Lions shallow attack was exposed in the second innings, with Da Silva absent due to illness, with others unable to step up, allowing the opposition to get away.

While their class is undisputed, two players rarely win you a premiership, so the Lions will be hoping to get more out of the deep batting lineup they have hyped up, and first and second change bowlers.

OUTRIGHTS In such a tight competition, Berwick Springs and Coomoora simply needed to take care of business against Doveton and Hampton Park respectively.

Both gave them opportunities for outrights, and the Titans and Roos were good enough to capitalise.

After his best knock of the season, playingcoach Shalika Karunanayake was excellent with the ball, his quick wickets allowing the Titans an opportunity for an outright.

At Coomoora, the hosts looked a class above and will hope to carry the momentum forward to its match against ladder-leading Doveton North.

LUSCIOUS LAKERS Good teams don’t make the same errors two weeks in a row, nor do they deviate significantly from their DNA. Lynbrook proved getting bowled out for 82, which lost it the match last week, was an anomaly, by this week coming out and firing 4/218 off just 36 overs, opening up the opportunity for a reverse outright.

Five wickets in the first 15 overs of Doveton North’s innings put them in a strong position, before Jayasingha and Rukshan Carim stabilised. They might not have won, but the Lakers showed the gears their batting lineup can go through, their fight reinforcing their force in the competition.

Results: Coomoora 3/163d and 0/68, Hampton Park 135 and 90, Lynbrook 82 and 4/218d v Doveton North 148 and 5/97, Berwick Springs 6/322d v Doveton 91 and 57, Silverton 6/303d v Fountain Gate 235.

Table: Doveton North 50, Fountain Gate 47, Coomoora 46, Lynbrook 45, Berwick Springs 43, Silverton 30, Doveton 18, Hampton Park 9 Fixture: Doveton (7) v Silverton (6), Doveton North (1) v Coomoora (3), Hampton Park (8) v Lynbrook (4), Berwick Springs (5) v Fountain Gate (2).

Calculators at the ready as last month tells the story

By Jonty Ralphsmith With just three rounds remaining in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 3 competition, it remains tremendously difficult to get a read on which teams are pulling away and have the advantage heading into finals.

Only seven points separate first from fifth on the ladder, a series of defining matches awaiting the competition in the last month of the season.

Despite the treachery of the task, we’ve cast our eye over what is to come and what each team needs to do to qualify for finals.

Current ladder Doveton North 50, Fountain Gate 47, Coomoora 46, Lynbrook 45, Berwick Springs 43, Silverton 30, Doveton 18, Hampton Park 9 DOVETON NORTH The run home: Coomoora, Silverton, Doveton Every team plays one of the two struggling Turf 3 sides in the run home, with the Lions getting Doveton in the last round.

Provided Doveton North win that, it should hold on to qualify for finals regardless of the results across the next two weeks.

FOUNTAIN GATE The run home: Berwick Springs, Lynbrook, Hampton Park The loss to Silverton makes it a little bit tricky for Fountain Gate despite a promis-

ing season. The Gators, Lynbrook, Berwick Springs and Hampton Park all play each other across the last three rounds.

Fountain Gate has the slight upper hand given it is two and four points clear of Lynbrook and Berwick Springs respectively, but still likely needs to win against Hampton Park and one other opponent.

COOMOORA The run home: Doveton North, Doveton, Silverton The outright over Hampton Park was the result that Coomoora needed. Of the five teams in the running, Coomoora probably has the most gentle draw, and could lock in a finals spot by winning its next two games LYNBROOK The run home: Hampton Park, Fountain Gate, Berwick Springs The advantage Lynbrook has over other teams is that it has the struggling Hampton Park in a two-dayer, opening up the possibility of an outright.

The Lakers set themselves up well if they do that. If they get only the first innings points, there is every chance the round 14 clash with Berwick Springs will be a shootout for fourth spot.

BERWICK SPRINGS The run home: Fountain Gate, Hampton Park, Lynbrook Coming off two consecutive wins, includ-

ing an outright, Berwick Springs has the opportunity to build some momentum.

The way the draw falls means that, despite sitting two points outside the top four currently, winning two of its next three should still be sufficient to qualify.

SILVERTON The run home: Doveton, Doveton North, Coomoora Sits 15 points outside the top four and given how many teams vying for finals still have to play each other, it will be just about impossible to make up the difference.

We have Doveton North finishing fourth on 56 points; the maximum points Silverton can achieve is 52.

DOVETON The run home Silverton, Coomoora, Doveton North Doveton will be looking to put a dent in some finals hopes and fight hard with finals out of the equation.

HAMPTON PARK The run home: Lynbrook, Berwick Springs, Fountain Gate Winless so far, would need two wins to lift it off the bottom of the ladder.

Predicted final ladder Coomoora 64, Fountain Gate 59, Lynbrook 57, Doveton North 56, Berwick Springs 55, Silverton 46, Doveton 18, Hampton Park 12

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Shalika Karunanayake and Berwick Springs have a huge match ahead this week. 384313 Picture: LJUBICA VRANKOVIC

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

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SPORT

Shelton’s calm in a crisis

By Marcus Uhe Casey South Melbourne captain Luke Shelton has declared that there is no panic in the Swans’ dressing room, despite suffering a third straight loss in Victorian Premier Cricket on the weekend.

Shelton’s side bowled Northcote out for 298 on Saturday, before reaching 9/197 on Sunday, falling 101 runs short of the home side’s day one score with Jackson Fry not batting due to injury.

The Swans let Northcote off the hook in the first innings, after a spell for 4/5 saw Shelton and left-arm veteran quick Fry swing the momentum of the contest to the visitors’ favour, from 3/200 to 7/205.

But Fry was soon forced out of the attack and taken to hospital after splitting the webbing in his hand during that critical spell, requiring three stitches and ending his contribution to the match.

Northcote’s final three batters added a crucial 93 runs, capitalising on Casey South Melbourne being a strike bowler down in the final session on a wicket offering little assistance to the bowlers.

Shelton led the way with 4/78 from 24 overs, while Nathan Lambden went wicketless for the first time this season.

In reply, none of the Swans batters could capitalise on starts on a wicket with considerably more life for the bowlers than the day before.

Four scores in the 20s, led by Lachlan Sperling and Chris Bedenek’s 27s, told the story of the batting performance, the area of the Swans’ game that needs addressing the most, according to the skipper.

“We’re just not getting enough runs,” Shelton explained.

“There’s a lot of guys getting starts and not going on, and before Christmas there were

Jackson Fry split the webbing in his hand in the midst of a crucial spell on Saturday for Casey South Melbourne. 259762 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS guys getting hundreds, big hundreds and we were getting winning scores.

“We kept Carlton to 215, we bowled Geelong out for 220 and the bowling was good again on the weekend in a two-day game.

“Our batters were great before Christmas, we have had a couple of batters out but there’s still enough batting in there to get some decent scores.

“We’re just looking for some batters to stand up and get back into some form.”

After sitting top of the table after round 13, the prevailing three losses since have seen the Swans slip to fifth, and out of the critical top four.

But they sit just seven points behind ladder leading Prahran, six behind Carlton and two from Ringwood in third, meaning plenty can change in the final two weeks of the season.

It’s why Shelton remains confident that his side can recapture their form, and remain a threat come the pointy end of the season.

“It obviously hasn’t been the best couple of weeks for us but we’re still very positive,” he said.

“There’s no panic, it’s just a little bit of a speed-hump.

“We’re still very focused on what our end goal is and we’re still in a very good position to feature heavily, come the back end of the year.

“We’re embracing the last three games, and it’s a good indication of some areas that we need to improve.

“If we bat long, we’ll win games of cricket, I’ve got no doubt about that.

“If we can take the game deep, and hopefully get some points on the board, we can finish strong and put ourselves in a good position to have a good finals campaign.”

Shelton is hopeful that Fry will only miss one game, while opening batter Yash Pednekar is still a couple of weeks away, having suffered the same injury for a second time this season.

The Swans head to Melbourne University this week before finishing the campaign at home against Footscray.

Perfect season for Panthers NARRE WARREN BOWLS Narre Warren’s number 1 side continues on its winning way and remains undefeated after 11 rounds.

This week they beat Berwick at Berwick despite Berwick dropping players from Division One to try and avoid the second side being relegated!

Col Groom’s rink was 4-15 down after 10 ends.

His rink won the final 11 ends and finished with a 27-15 victory and enabled the side to win by eight shots overall.

Winning 23-0 over 11 ends is an outstanding effort by any standards.

Of the six sides Narre Warren field on Saturdays, five won and the only loss was to Ferntree Gully on the very difficult greens at that club.

Our six Saturday sides are well placed with finals only three weeks away.

We have one team in first position, two teams in second position and the other three teams in third, fourth and fifth positions!

The mid-week teams had mixed results with two wins and two losses.

Of the Tuesday teams, one is in first position, one is in second position and the other two are both in fourth position.

In summary, nine of our 10 teams are in the top four of their competitions with three rounds to go to finals.

Saturday Pennant – Round 11 •฀Side 1: (Away) defeated Berwick 81-73 Points: 14. Ladder: 1st Best rink: Scott Butterworth; Peter Butterworth; John Pentreath and Colin Groom: +12 •฀Side฀2: (Home) defeated Parkdale 96-60 Points: 18. Ladder: 2nd Best Rink: Michael Black; Fernando Mateos; David Wood and Wilma Stevenson: +18 •฀Side฀3:฀(Home)฀defeated฀Beaumaris฀75-70 Points: 14. Ladder: 2nd Best rink: Mitch McCauley; Glenn McCauley; Gary Farrington and Eric Sydenham: +14 •฀Side฀4:฀(Away)฀lost฀to฀Ferntree฀Gully฀61-77 Points: 2 Ladder: 5th Best rink: Reg Young; Brian Exton; Robert Beare and Norm Nosmer: +8 berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

It was a tough day on the greens for Snowy Entwistle, Narre Warren’s resident firefighter and one of the legends and inspirations of the club. 386464 Picture: SUPPLIED •฀Side฀5:฀(Home)฀defeated฀Mulgrave฀CC฀85-67 Points: 14. Ladder: 4th Best rink: Gerry Van Eerden; Paul McNamara; David DeVries and Gary Wilson: +15 •฀Side฀6:฀(Away)฀defeated฀Mulgrave฀CC฀89-54 Points: 16. Ladder: 3rd Best rink: Donna Wood; Ernesto Vergara; David Stephens and Mario Micallef: +15 RINK OF THE ROUND Side 2: Skip W. Stevenson: +18 (Div 3 Sect 8) MIDWEEK PENNANT – ROUND 10 •฀Side 1: (Away) defeated Royal Melbourne Golf 71-51 Points: 14. Ladder: 1st Best rink: Phil Howard; Jim Stewart; Michael Daly and Keith Fox: +16 •฀Side฀2: (Home) defeated Cranbourne 61-51 Points: 14. Ladder: 4th Best rink: Michael Black; Pauline Kempf; Wally Finlayson and Dennis Paul: +11 •฀Side฀3:฀(Away)฀lost฀to฀Noble฀Park฀53-66 Points: 2. Ladder: 4th Best rink: Kery Cadman; Judith Naughton; Tom O’Loughlin and Peter Lister: +6 •฀Side฀4:฀(Home)฀lost฀to฀Cardinia฀Waters฀48-55 Points: 4. Ladder: 2nd Best rink: Pam Uren; Darren Thompson; Peter Anderton and Gary Wilson: +7 RINK OF THE ROUND Side 1: Skip K. Fox +16 (Div 2 Sec 7) - Eric Sydenham

Matthew Pearson hit an important 65 for Noble Park against Balwyn. 385393 Picture: ROB CAREW

Endeavour Hills mauled

by Malvern in VSDCA

By Marcus Uhe Endeavour Hills is staring down the barrel of an outright defeat against Malvern in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association after a dismal display with the bat saw them concede first innings points on Saturday as the competition returned to two-day cricket.

Sent in to bat, the visiting Eagles were rolled for 127 in just 41 overs, before the home side reached 7/173 at stumps.

Awais Ahmed’s 69 accounted for more than half of Endeavour Hills’ runs, as Zac Perryman and Vajinder Taggar both made ducks at numbers three and four respectively.

Former Victorian and Tasmanian quick Andrew Fekete took 4/24 for the home side.

Malvern batted with aggressive intent, attacking the Eagles’ bowlers with four players’ strike rates reaching 200 or more.

Vice-captain Madurawalage Jayasundera took 3/48 by the time stumps was called on day one, Malvern already 46 runs ahead of Endeavour Hills with a second day to play.

Noble Park fared much better with the bat in its clash with Balwyn, bowled out for 236 in 80 overs at Moodemere Street.

Scores in the 40s from Janaka Liyanabadalge and Rajapakse Rajapakse mitigated minor scores from the remainder of the top order and were punctuated by Matthew Pearson’s 65 at number seven.

Sahan Perera was held to just four runs, his second-consecutive single-figure score, and was one of Balwyn opening bowler Andrew Gorvin’s five wickets.

Noble Park needs to secure a result to keep pace at the top of the table with Elsternwick, who is likely to secure a win in its clash with Bayswater after scoring a monster total of 372.

Thursday, 1 February, 2024

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STAR NEWS 19

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20 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 1 February, 2024

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au