A local senior Aboriginal elder was broken-hearted after a scheduled Welcome to Country ceremony was cancelled at the last minute on Anzac Day.
Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin was invited to Melbourne Storm’s Anzac Day round to perform the Welcome to Country.
Aunty Joy told ABC News she received a phone call from the rugby club’s chief executive officer while driving to AAMI Park.
“His words were, ‘Hello, Aunty Joy, I’ve got a decision made by the board that you don’t do Welcome (to Country) today, but you can join in the cultural performance,” she told ABC News.
“When I got in, he said (the reason for the cancellation) was about the booing that happened (in the morning) and something like protecting or looking after you.
“I said, ‘I don’t need protecting and I don’t understand it.’ but anyhow I asked, ‘Could the board reconsider?’ and he said, ‘No’.”
Earlier that day, Bunurong and Gunditjmara elder Mark Brown was interrupted by a group of people while he was delivering a Welcome to Country at Melbourne’s Anzac Day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance.
Aunty Joy’s father, Sapper James Henry Wandin, was a veteran who fought for Australia in World War 1.
She arrived at AAMI park wearing her father’s medals to honour all the service men and women who fought for Australia including her father.
Two First Nations groups were also scheduled to perform, but after the confusion, they all decided to cancel their performances.
“We spoke with Justin Rodski (Melbourne Storm’s CEO) and executives with all of us. They came back after that discussion and apologised, but after reconsidering, we all came to the decision to boycott,” Djirri Djirri dancers and Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin said in a statement.
“We strongly regard this as being totally tokenistic and goes completely against their journey of reconciliation and we feel very disrespected. We stand with and follow the directions of our staunch Elders.
“What we do isn’t a performance, it’s a cultural ceremony and protocol. We strongly feel this action taken by Melbourne Storm was unnecessary and has caused us hurt and disbelief in what we thought was a good relationship.”
The Melbourne-based rugby club acknowledged and accepted the timing and miscommunication on Friday has caused damage, and apologised for this.
The Melbourne Storm released a statement and said there was a clear misunderstanding between the board and management on Friday which caused confusion with the pre-game cultural ceremony.
“The board asked for clarification about the sequencing of the Anzac Day ceremony, and we were not aware that a Welcome to Country was to be performed. We had agreed at the start of the year that a Welcome to Country would be delivered at multicultural round and Indigenous
Round and would always have an acknowledgment of country when appropriate,” Storm Chairman, Matt Tripp, said in the statement.
“Once we understood the programming from management, we gave the green light to progress. By then, it was understandably too late for
those who had already been informed of our earlier decision.
“There was some confusion on Friday and we take responsibility for that. I know there were some disappointed groups and individuals involved and we apologise for the misunderstand-
ing and will be meeting with them to clear this up.”
The club promised to continue to have discussions with First Nations and M ori communities to understand and strengthen their ongoing relationship.
Trees will be replanted at Healesville Coles car park
By Dongyun Kwon
New trees will be replanted at the car park of Healesville Walk Shopping Centre.
There was big concern raised by Healesville residents on Facebook regarding trees being cut down at the car park of Healesville Walk Shopping Centre, widely known as Healesville Coles car park.
Since the trees were cut down, Star Mail has been contacted by several community members via email, phone calls and in-person enquiries.
Healesville resident Michael Hayes is one of them who was deeply worried about what’d been done at the car park.
He said he found all trees had been removed on Tuesday 29 April.
“Myself and many others did not see a notice anywhere to say this would happen,” the Healesville resident said.
“Trees like these take many years to grow, bring shade on those hot days when we’re shopping.
“Earth and nature bring and give us life, and here we are cutting them down.”
Star Mail was successful in contacting the property management company of the shopping centre.
TLN Commercial director Phill Harrison said the landlord’s decision to go through the process of removing the trees was due to trip hazards.
“A lot of the trees are going too big, the roots have lifted up the asphalt, and the borders surrounding the trees can also create trip hazards,” he said.
Mr Harrison confirmed they will replant trees soon.
“After we got the approval from the council to remove the trees, we’ve got to go back to the
council with our plans,” he said. “They’ve got to approve what we want to put back in there.
“We want to put some sort of trees back in there but I just don’t know what kind of these will be subject to, what council will approve for
Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin was broken-hearted after the scheduled Welcome to Country ceremony was cancelled at the last minute on Anzac Day. (Damjan Janevski: 305847)
The reason for removing trees was to make the car park safe for the community. (Dongyun Kwon: 475276)
The roots of the trees have lifted up the asphalt. (Dongyun Kwon: 475276)
$7k in meth seized
Police have seized a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine and an imitation firearm as part of a major drug investigation in Healesville.
The investigation commenced after police received intelligence regarding alleged drug trafficking in the Yarra Ranges area.
Detectives from the Croydon Divisional Response Unit, with assistance from the Dog Squad, Drone Unit, and uniform members from Healesville and Warburton, executed warrants at a Healesville property on Thursday 1 May.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Daniel Sullivan said drug trafficking doesn’t just affect those using the substances.
“It drives violence, crime and trauma right across the community. That’s why we come down hard on anyone involved,” he said.
“Our team has been relentless over the past
year. We’ve tracked offenders, followed the intelligence, and in turn have removed considerable quantities of drugs from the streets.
“Our message is clear - if you’re dealing drugs, you can expect a knock at the door — and a trip to court.”
During the search, police seized:
■Approximately $7000 of methylamphetamine
■Approximately $1000 of cannabis
■Other drugs of dependence
■An imitation firearm (revolver)
■Various rounds of cartridge ammunition
■Prohibited fireworks
■Two prohibited knives
■ $2000 of cash believed to be the proceeds of crime
A 45-year-old Healesville man was arrested at the scene.
He has been charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine, trafficking cannabis, possessing drugs of dependence, possessing proceeds of crime, being a prohibited person in possession of an imitation firearm, possessing ammunition, possessing explosives, and possessing prohibited weapons.
He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police are urging anyone with information about drug trafficking to come forward and call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppers.com.au
The recent arrest forms part of an ongoing effort by the Croydon Divisional Response Unit, which has resulted in substantial quantities of illicit drugs being removed from the streets across the Yarra Ranges over the past year.
Appeal for information on Rodney McKenzie
Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad are seeking public assistance as part of their investigation into the 2023 disappearance of Kinglake man Rodney McKenzie.
The then 71-year-old was last seen by an associate about 1.30pm on Sunday 5 March 2023 when he drove him to the local shops.
After returning home, Rodney did not access his bank accounts or his phone, or make any further contact with his family again.
He was reported missing by his daughter, Jackie, on Thursday 23 March 2023 when she became concerned she had not heard from him for longer than usual.
Missing Persons Squad Detective Acting Inspector Steve Trewavas said any information provided to detectives will be followed up thoroughly in the hope police can provide some answers for Rodney’s family.
“Rodney was known to police as he’d had significant involvement with drugs over the course of his life,” he said.
“This has provided detectives with a range of avenues of enquiry, and it’s information provided as part of those enquiries that has lead us to this conclusion.
“Initially consideration was given that he may have had a fall or a medical episode somewhere on his property as the terrain is so rugged, but a three day search utilising all resources available to police located no trace of him.”
Jackie went to check on her father at his Bald Spur Road home but found the premises unlocked, and Rodney’s phone, wallet and car still at the address.
Rodney lived a secluded life on his 20-acre property and was not known to leave his home particularly often.
Police searched the property over a three day period in March with assistance from the Air Wing, Search and Rescue, Special Solo Unit, State Emergency Services and the Country Fire Authority.
No trace of Rodney was found.
His disappearance, initially investigated by local police and then Banyule Crime Investigation Unit, is considered out of character.
Police have spoken with a number of Rodney’s friends and associates since he was report-
ed missing in the hope someone had heard from him or had information about his current whereabouts.
Over the past twelve months enquiries made by detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have increasingly lead them to believe that Rodney has met with foul play.
As such, his disappearance is now being treated as suspicious.
Police are releasing a number of images of Rodney, as well as CCTV of one of the last times he was seen in public, in the hope that someone recognises him and may be able to provide information on his likely final movements.
Anyone with any other information regarding his disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
IN BRIEF
Police seeking public assistance regarding Coldstream
Lilydale Police are seeking public assistance regarding damage at Coldstream Primary School.
Between approximately 3.30pm and 4pm on 21 April, two unknown offenders have attended the Coldstream Primary School located at Kelso Street, Coldstream on an electric motorcycles.
Two males, likely teenagers from the local area, are seen doing wheelies on the synthetic turf causing a significant amount of damage.
The damage is estimated in the range of $250,000.
Two suspects have been captured on CCTV at the school.
Male 1 is wearing a full face motorbike helmet, black tracksuit top, black tracksuit pants, and red shoes.
Male 2 is wearing black tracksuit top, black tracksuit pants, and sneakers.
Police are hoping local residents may have seen the bikes in the area and know who they are.
Any information to assist with identifying these two males would be appreciated, please contact the Lilydale Police Station on 9739 2300.
Police incident number 250177057.
Planned burns scheduled
Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) and Country Fire Authority (CFA) advise that the Chum Creek - Wesley College 1 planned burn, located at 3km northwest of Chum Creek, the Dixons Creek - PFF Track planned burn, located at 3km west of Chum Creek, the Launching Place - Wickhams Reserve planned burn, located at 2.8km east of Woori Yallock, and the Gruyere - Range Road planned burn, located at three kilometres north east of Gruyere will be ignited at any time within the next 10 days if conditions are suitable.
Weather conditions and fuel moisture levels at the burn site are being monitored and safety checks carried out in preparation for the burn.
If conditions are not suitable, the burn may be postponed.
To stay informed about this planned burn, visit plannedburns.ffm.vic.gov.au OR call the VicEmergency Hotline on freecall 1800 226 226.
Callers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment can contact via the National Relay Service on 1800 555 677.
For further information about planned burning:
Visit ffm.vic.gov.au/plannedburn for information about why planned burns are carried out on public land (including forests, national parks and state government parks and reserves).
Visit cfa.vic.gov.au/about/planned-burns for information about why planned burns are carried out on private land (including private property, council parks and reserves, railway and road reserves).
Note that some burns are carried out in stages, with part of the burn completed, and crews returning later to carry out further work within the burn area.
If so, you will receive notifications when the burn is once again scheduled to be carried out.
Kinglake man Rodney McKenzie was last seen in March 2023. (Supplied)
Candidate stays strong
By Oliver Winn
Though it was a Labor landslide across the rest of Victoria, Naomi Oakley fell short of clinching the Casey seat from Liberal incumbent Aaron Violi.
A late shift in the polls briefly put the Labor candidate ahead of Mr Violi by a slim margin, but as the count continued it became apparent Mr Violi escaped the damage dealt by Labor on a national level.
Ms Oakley said she was disappointed by the result but would continue her work with the community for the next election in 2028.
“It’s disappointing but now it’s time to reset. Labor values are still really important to me and I’ll continue to advocate with community groups and ensure that the promises that the sitting member has said will be put in place.”
Her priorities would include organising forums on community safety and family violence, helping displaced peoples, aging residents and increasing awareness surrounding police veterans mental health.
“All these things that are really important. I think people still want people to advocate for those things.”
“I’m a bit of a fighter. So I’ll just continue to sort of work with the groups.”
Ms Oakley ran for the seat of Menzies in the 2022 election and despite losing to Liberal member Keith Wolahan, she managed to close the voting margin by seven per cent.
She said she had “chipped away” at the Casey electorate for this election and hoped to capitalise on that next election.
“I know there’s some gaps that we could fill and really it’s about continuing to advocate for community groups and I’m letting them know that we’re still here,” she said.
Greens candidate for Casey Merran Blair said this year’s campaign was the strongest ever for the Greens.
“I am so proud of what our team achieved this election.”
“We brought together a great team of passionate and dedicated volunteers. Over the country, the Greens primary vote was up and this is something we are really proud of. We are a resilient bunch and we will keep working because we believe politics should be about genuinely helping people and having ambition for a better future,” Ms Blair said.
Ms Oakley said she’d also focus on recognising police veterans
Ms Oakley said she would continue her work with the community for the next election in 2028. (Supplied)
Free Kinder: Enrol for 2025.
Free Kinder is available for three- and four-year-old children in Victoria at participating services. Free Kinder is available in sessional (standalone) and long day care (childcare) settings, saving families up to $2,563 each year, per child.
At kindergarten, your child will:
• learn language, literacy and numeracy skills through play, art, music and dance
• learn to express themself and make friends in a safe and caring environment
• build skills and confidence before primary school.
Contact your preferred kinder service or local council to learn about how to enrol for 2025. Visit vic.gov.au/kinder
From election day in Kilsyth
By Callum Ludwig
Election day arrived for another year with polling booths opening at 8am and a day full of democracy on Saturday 3 May.
Kilsyth Primary School had been turned into a battleground, littered with signs from representatives of both the Casey and Deakin electorates, with voters from both allowed to join the local line at this polling booth.
Most voters were tight-lipped about what issues and initiatives were driving their vote but a few gave their thoughts:
Viv from the Casey electorate said she was most focused on green energy initiatives, especially any that help with the cost of living and was also disappointed that parties hadn’t campaigned strongly on taking action to prevent violence against women, feeling that was ‘a missed opportunity’.
One anonymous voter said she didn’t know who she wanted to vote for, but did like the Liberal Party’s policy to allow first home buyers to claim a tax deduction for the interest payments on the first $650,000 for the first five years of their mortgage, as well as access their super to help put down a deposit on a home. Despite this, she still felt all politicians are ‘much for muchness’.
Another anonymous voter said he wanted to see politicians take a pay cut and that he felt that was ‘one thing they all vote against’.
As with every election day, the most important people on election day weren’t those on the ballot paper but the hardworking volunteers on the barbecue dishing out democracy sausages. Melanie, Amy and Adam were hard at work in the morning ensuring local voters didn’t leave hungry.
The fence line had been taken over by signs spruiking Deakin independent candidate Jess Ness and Liberal candidate Michael Sukkar while Casey independent candidate Claire Ferres Miles and Labor candidate Naomi Oakley also featured.
Inside the school grounds, Casey Greens candidate Dr Merran Blair had a couple of signs while the faces Deakin Labor candidate Matt Gregg and One Nation Senate candidate Wayne Pickering could also be found. Family First, the Greens, the Labor party and the Liberal Party also had signs displaying general support for their party.
In terms of personnel, there were plenty of
coloured shirts of political volunteers. Volunteers for independent for Casey Claire Ferres Miles and for the Liberal Party were the most prevalent, with multiple teal and blue shirts handing out hand to vote cards. The Labor Party was represented by a pair of volunteers and there was a single volunteer holding down the fort for the Greens, Family First and One Nation.
By Dongyun Kwon
L-R: Melanie, Amy and Adam on democracy sausage duty at Kilsyth Primary School. (Callum Ludwig: 475811)
The duality of the Kilsyth Primary School polling booth saw Deakin and Casey candidates represented alongside each other. (Callum Ludwig: 475811)
Deakin is one of the most marginal seats in the country with only a 0.02 per cent from the 2022 election. (Callum Ludwig: 475811)
Coldstream Primary School was crowded with campaigners and voters on Saturday 3 May, the day of selecting Australia’s future for the next three years.
Democracy Sausage was also located on-site to add the election vibe. The voters at Coldstream Primary School pointed out the cost of living as one of the major issues that influenced
(L-R) Shaylah, Cooper and Mia helping out with running the Democracy Sausage. (Dongyun Kwon: 475813)
Students learn robotics
By Callum Ludwig
A generous donation from the Rotary Club of Wandin has provided students at some local schools with an opportunity to learn a crucial modern-age skill.
Through Rotary District Grants which were then distributed by the local club, Wandin Yalloc, Coldstream and Seville Primary Schools have been able to purchase Ozobots to share amongst their students and help them learn coding and robotics.
Assistant Principal of Wandin Yallock Primary School Ben Straughair said the initiative is helping to provide students with hands-on learning experiences in coding, problem-solving, and robotics—skills that are increasingly valuable in today’s world.
“Usually we are limited to using digital devices when introducing students to coding, so the Ozobots will provide a new opportunity for students to learn which is extremely important in student achievement and growth,” he said.
“As the Ozobots have just arrived, the select few students have enjoyed learning the basic controls of the Ozobots, we have seen real excitement as the students begin to use basic programming skills to control the Ozobots in a range of different ways,”
“We hope the students gain an insight into how coding can help structure programmes, online games and how this can then progress into future inventions to allow humans to live easier lives.”
Ozobots have two functions for kids to learn to code with: ‘Color Codes’ and ‘Blockly’.
With Color Codes, a screen isn’t even required, students can use coloured markers to draw paths on white paper. The Ozobots will travel along paths and are triggered to perform different functions by a change of colour, including changing speed or spinning.
While testing what they could do with the Color Codes mode, Wandin Yallock and Cold-
stream students shared some of their thoughts:
“They are interesting definitely, it’s amazing to be honest and it’s very fun,” Lucas from Coldstream Primary School said.
“I’m very grateful because we wouldn’t have had these, we probably wouldn’t have had the money to buy these ever, and it’s a cool thing we can do in STEM to use them for fun projects,” Charlotte from Wandin Yallock Primary School said.
“It was confusing at the start but then you get the hang of it, I enjoy it (STEM) a lot because it’s fun and interesting…thank you to Rotary for giving us the oney to pay for this.”
The Blockly mode is more like traditional coding; using easy-to-understand ‘blocks’ of code, students can put together a string of functions to program the Ozobots to perform, Rotarian Peter Johnson said it’s fantastic to see the kids using the Ozobots, because they
help local schools when they have different sorts of projects and this is something completely different to what they’ve done in the past.
“It’s a changing world, so we’re going to look at different opportunities and this would get their minds thinking and inspire them to look at things in a different way,” he said.
“We offered the local schools help with any projects that they wanted some help with and Alex (Harvey), the STEM teacher from Wandin Yallock approached us and said that they were looking at this robotics program and they wanted to share it with two other schools, Coldstream and Seville,”
“It’s very satisfying (to see students enjoying the Ozobots) because it’s all about getting the kids interested and inspired and looking at different ways of thinking about things and I think this is a good example of how that helps
them think a bit more outside the box.”
$2500 was raised by the Rotary Club of Wandin towards the Ozobots, which was matched by the Rotary Foundation through a Rotary District Grant.
Mr Straughair said without the generous funding from Wandin Rotary, they wouldn’t be able to afford something so valuable to the students’ learning.
“Having the idea to share and rotate different resources across the three schools as a STEM Resource Hub has increased the opportunities for learning for a much larger number of students which we believe is pretty cool,” he said.
“We are grateful for the wonderful community partnerships in our local area and want to say thank you to Peter and Wandin Rotary for assisting in the funding and organisation of receiving the Ozobots.”
Protect your business and your workers.
If your horticulture business pays a company to provide workers to pick, pack or plant fruit or vegetables, you’re probably a labour hire host.
Under Victorian law, businesses that supply these workers must hold a labour hire licence, be run by fit and proper people and comply with all relevant laws.
If you use an unlicensed labour hire provider, it could cost you – fines of over $600,000, loss of contracts, workers, your reputation, even your business.
For more information or to check your labour hire provider’s licence visit labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au/hort-host
L-R: Wandin Yallock Primary School students Charlotte, Archie, Tyler and Tyler B with Coldstream Primary School students Shaylii and Lucas testing out the Ozobots. (Callum Ludwig: 475356)
Creating more pathways
By Callum
The VCE Vocational Major (VM) was introduced to all government schools in 2023, replacing the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), and with thousands of students opting to undertake the programs since its inception.
The VM combines four core subjects: Work Related Skills, Personal Development Skills, VM Literacy/VCE English and VM Numeracy/ VCE Mathematics, combined with a vocational education and training (VET) course and three other VCE Unit 3 and 4 classes.
The VM is offered at almost all government schools, but isn’t required to be offered at private schools, so the Star Mail reached out to a number of local private schools to see which schools are offering the option to their students.
Mater Christi College in Belgrave adopted the VM in 2023 and Deputy Principal of Learning Tara Baker said it was to provide students with greater flexibility and choice in their learning.
“While we already had a successful vocational and applied learning program, it previously operated separately from our VCE offerings,” she said.
“By integrating the VCE VM pathway, we now offer a unified VCE certificate that allows students to select from a broader range of VCE, VCE VM, and VET subjects—all within a single certificate, this integration enhances students’s access to relevant vocational education and applied learning opportunities,”
“This approach has significantly benefited our students by allowing them to follow their individual pathways, it also provides an alternative for those not pursuing a traditional ATAR route, enabling them to engage in VCE subjects that genuinely interest them—without the pressure of achieving an ATAR score.”
Mater Christi has students enrolled in a range of VET subjects through the VCE VM and who are completing traineeships as part of their studies. Mater Christi College’s VCE VM dux Emma Costello chose the VM pathway as it ‘offered a practical, hands-on approach to learning that aligned with my interests and career goals. It provided real-world experience and a clear pathway to further education and work, making it a great fit for my strengths.’
Mount Evelyn Christian School (MECS) also offer the VCE VM, collaborating with Ranges TEC in their Trades Training Centre as well as onsite at the MECS campus.
MECS Head of Secondary Emma Allison and VET and Careers Coordinator Amelia Koole said MECS is committed to providing alternate pathways as society continues to wake up to the fact that the ATAR is not everything and may not be the best way to represent sound understanding of subject matter or suitability for course entrance.
“It is important for us, as a Christian school, to provide choice in students’ senior years as students discover who they are and their gifts and abilities. We believe in preparing students well for their future as well as allowing them to do real work for real people through their learning now,” they said.
“Offering a senior years program that immerses them in the skills relevant to future careers boosts students’ confidence, enhances their engagement in learning, and helps them transition into the workforce,”
“This choice for students is crucial at this late stage in their education, by this point, students must own their own learning, many parents will appreciate the struggle of trying to force their child to study when the desire or motivation isn’t there. Students who may have ended up withdrawing from school or experiencing school refusal issues, now find that their learning has purpose and relevancy for the workplace, or future TAFE studies, and they are therefore more motivated towards successful completion.”
According to the Victorian Department of Education, enrolments in the VCE Vocational Major grew by almost 20 per cent in 2024. The VCE VM
was completed by 8,290 students last year, up from 6,454 in 2023, contributing to the growth in Year 12 students successfully completing a senior secondary certificate from 91.7 per cent in 2021 to 97.5 per cent in 2024.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll said Victoria is the only state to record continued VET enrolment growth in schools for the last four consecutive years – and last year, for the first time, more than 30 per cent of Year 11 and 12 students in Victorian government schools chose vocational education.
“The VCE Vocational Major is the biggest reform to senior secondary schooling in a generation – ensuring that no matter what you want to be when you leave school, Victoria has a pathway for you to achieve it,” he said.
“Thanks to the Allan Labor Government’s investments, more and more students are choosing the Vocational Major, learning in-demand skills in health, construction, engineering and agriculture and looking at careers that help drive the future of Victoria.”
In 2023, the year the VCE VM was introduced, a total of 22,313 Year 11 and 12 students were enrolled in the VCE VM. 15.530 students were from metropolitan schools, 3635 from schools in a regional centre, 3136 in rural areas and 12 interstate.
In 2024, this jumped up to 26,611 students;
18,304 metropolitan, 4656 from a regional centre, 3636 in rural areas and 15 interstate.
Not all the feedback is glowing however, and the Star Mail understands from conversations with a local government school that wished to remain anonymous that the VM has created timetabling pressures, with classes offered by VET providers impacting other classes offered in the same timeslots. The school has also expressed concern about the impact on resources for other VCE classes.
MECS also pointed to a VCE VM graduate from last year who said choosing the VCE VM was definitely one of the best decisions of their life.
“It allowed me to get my Year 12 pass whilst focusing on an area of passion (creative design) without the stress of exams,” she said.
“There was a lot going on in my home life at the time and the VCE VM helped me cope with that and balance my life better.”
While still in Year 11, this student led the set design team for the MECS school production, coordinating students and staff to design and create multiple sets to a very high standard. This student undertook the VETDSS Cert III in Visual Arts whilst in Year 12 at her local TAFE, and upon completion of her VCE VM, she was accepted into her first preference university course, currently completing a Diploma/Degree of Graphic and Digital Design at Collarts (Australian College of
the Arts). She has also been appointed as the Digital Content Creator at her local church.
A spokesperson for Mount Lilydale Mercy College said the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum And Assessment Authority) requires all secondary schools to offer VM as part of the ’One VCE’ certification launched in 2023 and to be fully implemented by 2025.
“We welcomed this change as it offers broader choices for our VCE students and our VCAL program was highly successful in providing pathways for students so we saw the VM as the right progression for us as a College,“ they said.
“We cater to a diverse range of students who are preparing for a wide range of career pathways. it is important that we provide a variety of subject offerings that meet our students’ interests, along with their academic, pastoral and spiritual needs,“
“The rise in VM class sizes is one measure of success, the level of enquiry from parents (current and prospective) is another encouraging indicator, as they can see how this pathway has resulted in actual destination outcomes for their child, this is supported by MLMC VCE Destinations data. We have developed strong relationships with employers and they are keen to take on MLMC students who have managed their learning and wellbeing needs through the VM program.“
Seville Primary School will get a new kindergarten
By Oliver Winn
kindergarten in 2027. The announcement was made by Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn on 23 April which coincided the opening of kinder enrolments for 2026.
Seville Primary School principal Chris Dossor was excited at the development and said the kindergarten had a lot of potential to help more families as they pick up and drop off their kids.
“Co-locating the kinder at Seville Primary School will have many benefits for families including making drop-off time simpler and more convenient for some families by allowing them to avoid the dreaded double drop off, it will also
help some students transition to school more smoothly.”
He said the kindergarten will have a new facility built in the Seville Primary School.
“The 2-room kindergarten will have space for 66 children when it opens in 2027 and will be newly built on site.”
Since 2019, the Victorian Government has delivered 80 new and expanded kindergartens on
school sites while also ensuring a kinder is delivered on site or next door to every government primary school built since 2021. The on-site location also ensures seamless collaboration between early years managers and the Seville Primary School, which will enhances the partnerships between the two.
The thirteen new kindergartens will create more than 1,900 kindergarten places in the state.
Mater Christi College’s VCE Vocational Major Dux Emma Costello said the stream was a ‘great fit’ for her strengths. (Supplied)
Ludwig Seville Primary School has been named as one of the 13 schools which will get its own
Survival against all odds
By Mikayla van Loon
The tale of Joseph Leslie O’Rourke, a veteran of both World Wars, is one of luck, determination and a will to survive against all odds.
From the shores of Gallipoli to the battlefields of France, and then on home soil, Joseph spent many years of his life serving his country and eventually settling in Montrose for a little more than a decade.
Born in 1897, Joseph was no stranger to hard work, nor hardship, in the early part of his life.
At just 15 years old in September 1912, Joseph and his father were travelling by train to Coburg when it collided with a special showground train bound for Spencer Street Station.
Newspaper articles at the time said “several passengers were pinned by the wreckage” requiring extrication by rescuers.
Riding the train up near the engine, Joseph was “jammed by the leg and he groaned with pain”. Rescuers “hacked with vigour and skill” freeing him from the wreck.
Refusing ambulance care, just battered and bruised, he said “I’m alright. See where my father is”.
His father “had to be cut out of the splintered woodwork”, both legs were severely injured and he “was bleeding profusely”. He later lost one of his legs from the injuries.
This was Joseph’s first strike of luck in life. He worked as a labourer and helped his father in monumental masonry. By the time he was 17, the First World War had begun and he attempted to join up then and there.
Refused at 17, as soon as he turned 18, Joseph was back at the registry, signing up for the regular army in December 1914.
“He was sent over to Egypt and he did his training in Egypt. They thought, ‘Oh, well, this is good, we’ll have a good time here’. Then they were told ‘you’re going on a ship’ but they didn’t say where,” Joseph’s son Barrie O’Rourke said.
“When they got there, it was Gallipoli. He and his two mates that went through all the training together and everything, they went to Gallipoli.”
Joseph served under the Australian Imperial Force’s 14th Battalion, fighting in Gallipoli for the entirety of Australia’s campaign.
Surviving through illness and the horrors of Gallipoli, Joseph was reassigned to the 46th Battalion in 1916 with the rest of the remaining veterans of the 14th Battalion, destined for France and the Western Front.
Despite the awful conditions of warfare and living in the trenches with only black tea, bread and jam to live on, there was a moment of pure delight for some lucky Australian soldiers.
Barrie recalled a story of his father’s, one of few told, about the discovery of an underground cellar still stocked with wine and cheese.
“They were all starving in the trenches because they couldn’t get supplies through or anything like that,” he said.
“To keep the trenches clean, and being Aussies, they’d go for a walk in the bush or something like that (to do their business).
“On this day, the night before, there was a bombing, and they came across this hole. When they looked down in the hole, it was a cellar of a house that had been already demolished, and the cellar was full of wine and cheese. So they got all their mates and they went there for a few weeks.”
It wasn’t long, however, before Joseph’s first major injury.
In a close-quarters battle with enemy soldiers, Joseph was pierced by a bayonet in his left arm seeing him hospitalised in February of 1917 at the London General Hospital.
Barrie said once they “patched him up” they “stuck him back (on the Front) again”.
A little over a year later in April 1918, correspondence was sent home to Joseph’s mother informing the family that he had been hospitalised with a gunshot wound to the left hand.
A visit to the hospital however, wasn’t so bad for Joseph this time because it is where he met his soon-to-be wife Kate, who had been working as a nurse.
Defying the wishes of their parents, coming from different churches, Kate and Joseph married in England in December 1918.
The left side of his body was again battered when he was hospitalised with another severe gunshot wound to his left ankle in September
His ankle was pretty much shattered from the gunshot wound, requiring a brace for the early part of recovery.
“He was shot in the ankle about two months before the end of the war and the cruel part about that, it’s the only thing he’d always say to us, ‘oh, I missed out on the march’ because he was still in hospital in England,” Barrie said.
“When that happened, by the time they fixed him up and got him on the boat and got back, the marches were all over.”
Joseph was officially discharged as a Private on 22 May 1919 in Melbourne at 22 and a half years old after 1611 days in service and 1415 days abroad.
First calling a soldier settlement home, Joseph and Kate eventually moved to the Mallee region to run a chicken farm for some time, before heading out east to Montrose in the early 1920s.
Their eldest children, Desmond, Leslie, Edward and Laurence, attended Montrose Primary School.
“They used to tell us about when they got older, they’d get this old bus and it would run from Montrose to Lilydale. They’d hop on the bus and go down to Croydon, to the hall there, they used to have a big dance there on Sunday night. Other nights they’d go down to Lilydale, to the pictures,” Barrie said.
Living in Montrose, Barrie said there wasn’t much work around and so to make a living, Joseph and Desmond shipped T-Model Fords from Geelong, pulled them apart to fix up at the local garage.
In the late 1930s, the family shifted to Mitcham.
By the time the Second War began, Joseph was prepared and ready to serve yet again, signing up in 1941.
“He’s one of the lucky ones. He went all through the First World War…we can’t get over
it. He signed up again,” Barrie said.
This time, he served on home soil as a Sergeant at Mangalore providing a key role of looking after the messenger pigeons but unfortunately, Barrie said much of his work remains classified.
Barrie said the family really had no idea of his father’s involvement with the pigeons during the war and it wasn’t until afterwards that he mentioned a couple of things and the pieces fell into place.
Joseph then went on to set up the Bayswater Nunawading Pigeon Club after he was forced into retirement in 1952.
Kate and Joseph welcomed 10 children into the world, seven boys and three girls.
Desmond and Edward also served in the Second World War. Desmond in the Airforce in Singapore and Edward in New Guinea in the signals corp.
“Before he went off to war, dad said to (Edward) a few things about how he was wounded and we never knew anything about it. He just said, ‘keep your head down and don’t take any risks’,” Barrie said.
“When he came back from New Guinea, he had to talk to dad, and then dad opened up for the first time, and that wasn’t until near the end of the Second World War. We got bits and pieces but we still haven’t got the full story.”
The only time Barrie ever saw him in full uniform was when a convoy of army vehicles travelling up Whitehorse Road in Mitcham stopped by his school and who happened to hop out but Barrie’s dad.
As Joseph’s story has come together over the years, thanks to some research from one of Barrie’s aunts, he has a different view and understanding of his dad.
“We thought he was domineering and a bit rough but when you see what he went through, how he ever held that check, we don’t know because he never fought with anybody, he never got into trouble.”
After all the luck Joseph seemed to have in his life, just 10 years after exiting his service, he suffered a heart attack and died before reaching the hospital aged 65 years in 1962.
Kate and Joseph Leslie O’Rourke. (Mikayla van Loon: 475561)
Joseph photographed in uniform somewhere in Melbourne (left) and while stationed at Mangalore during the Second World War. (475561)
WINTER WARMING Evolution of wood heating
When Christian Bergmoser founded Euro Fireplaces in 2010, he brought a fresh vision to the wood heating industry: creating solutions that combine aesthetic appeal with environmental responsibility and efficient performance—a forward thinking approach that aligned perfectly with evolving energy standards.
Over the past fifteen years, Australia’s wood heater standards have tightened significantly, with emission requirements reducing from 4 grams per kilogram of wood burned in 2009 to the current 1.5 grams, with further reductions anticipated. Euro Fireplaces has consistently led this environmental evolution, with their inaugural Andorra model achieving remarkable 0.8 gram emissions—a performance still competitive today. Their latest models now achieve emissions below 0.4 grams, setting new industry benchmarks that exceed both current and future standards.
Beyond environmental credentials, Euro Fireplaces heaters deliver exceptional efficiency in heat output and wood consumption. Models like the Olbia and Uppsala can effectively heat a 280-square-meter home while consuming just 1.3 kilograms of firewood hourly—representing significant savings for homeowners. This efficiency stems from an innovative heat bank system that stores and gradually releases warmth, keeping rooms comfortable long after visible flames have subsided.
Modern wood heating requires a corresponding shift in operation practices. Today’s advanced heaters perform best with smaller, more frequent loads of well-seasoned wood, producing cleaner
burns and more effective heating. When correctly operated, these wood heaters offer a carbonneutral solution that aligns with broader sustainability goals, as wood burned properly produces similar emissions to natural forest decay.
As firewood prices climb across Australia, Euro Fireplaces’s efficient technology addresses both economic and environmental concerns by maximising heat output while minimising consumption. This translates directly to household savings while reducing pressure on firewood resources.
The future of wood heating lies in this balance of tradition and technology—combining the timeless appeal of wood fire with advanced efficiency and dramatically reduced environmental impact. When properly operated, modern wood heating systems not only save money but contribute positively to environmental sustainability.
As energy costs continue to rise and climate considerations become increasingly important, the sophisticated engineering behind Euro Fireplaces’ wood heating solutions offers a pathway for wood heat to remain a relevant and responsible option for Australian homes well into the future.
Come see Euro Fireplaces for your modern wood heating solutions. (Supplied)
Smarter operation Smarter technology,
This efficiency stems from an innovative heat bank system that stores and gradually releases warmth, similar to underfloor heating technology. The heat retention capabilities mean that rooms remain comfortably warm long after the visible flames have subsided, extending the effective heating period from each load of wood. These design principles represent a fundamental shift in how wood heat is utilised in modern homes.
Modern wood heating demands a corresponding shift in operation practices by users. The days of overfilling fireboxes and allowing wood to smoulder with heavy
smoke emissions are ending. Today's advanced wood heaters require more attentive management—smaller, more frequent loads of well-seasoned wood produce cleaner burns and more effective heating. This operational approach not only maximises efficiency but also significantly reduces particulate emissions.
When correctly operated, today's wood heaters offer a carbon-neutral heating solution that aligns with broader sustainability goals. Wood burned properly in these advanced units produces similar emissions to natural forest decay, completing a carbon cycle
rather than releasing long-sequestered carbon as occurs with fossil fuels. This principle of carbon neutrality positions modern wood heating as an environmentally sound option when sourced from sustainable forestry practices.
With firewood prices rising, Euro Fireplaces maximise heat while minimising wood use, offering an efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly solution.
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Botany
box and bench base.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Upwey artist stitches hope
By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Upwey textile artist Natasja van Wyk has spent years stitching red thread through fabric - not just as a form of art, but as a way of surviving. Now, her work has found a powerful public voice in ‘Threads of Violence’, a raw and deeply moving exhibition on display at The Memo in Healesville from Thursday, 17 April to Sunday, 6 July, 2025.
Using torn red cloth, delicate stitching, and unspoken memory, Ms Van Wyk’s work invites viewers into a space of vulnerability and reflection. But behind the striking visuals, lies something much more intimate - the lived experience of trauma, grief, and the slow, quiet process of healing.
“This started as something very private,” Ms Van Wyk said.
“I didn’t set out to make an exhibition. I was just trying to make sense of what was living in my body.”
Much of the work was born out of Ms Van Wyk’s early life in South Africa, where she grew up amid instability and violence. But one moment, in particular, marked her deeply: the loss of her brother during a violent robbery in July, 2024.
“He was shot while trying to protect someone else,” she said.
“He was my big brother. My anchor. After he died, no one in my family really knew how to speak about it. So we didn’t.”
The silence of grief and survivor’s guilt never truly left her - it settled deep in her bones, quiet but unrelenting. In the stillness of a new country, that silence resurfaced with sudden force, awakened by the news of her brother.
It pulled back the veil on everything she had tried to outrun in South Africa: the fear, the violence, the unspoken traumas that had never found a voice. In that moment, the past and present collapsed into each other, and the weight of what was lost became impossible to ignore.
It was only when she picked up a needle that the memories began to take shape. Stitch by stitch, the fabric became a place to pour what words couldn’t hold - a way to survive when silence threatened to consume her.
“Sewing gave me time. Space. It was slow, and quiet, and I could sit with what I was feeling without having to explain it,” she said.
“Every stitch became a sentence I couldn’t say out loud.”
One panel in the exhibition is dedicated to her brother. Made of dark red cloth, stitched roughly with jagged lines, it’s not pretty - and that’s the point.
“It’s not supposed to be tidy,” she said.
“Grief isn’t tidy. Trauma isn’t tidy. That piece holds the mess.”
The exhibition as a whole is stitched from similar pieces, fragments of red cloth, embroidered words, torn seams. Some panels whisper with sadness; others shout. All are part of a wider story - one that isn’t just Ms Van Wyk’s.
Alongside her solo work, Threads of Violence includes Threads of Connection - a growing, communal artwork that invites visitors to add their own fabric, messages, or stitching.
“People walk in thinking they’re just here to look,” Ms Van Wyk said.
“But then they read something that reminds them of their own story - and suddenly they’re stitching. Or crying. Or just sitting quietly, holding a piece of cloth in their hands.”
One visitor brought in part of an old uniform she wore during a violent relationship. Another stitched the name of a child she lost. Others contribute colours, patterns, or just a few quiet words. Each addition is woven into the larger tapestry.
“There’s no wrong way to participate, it doesn’t have to be ‘art.’ It just has to be honest,” she said.
Powerful works coming up
By Tanya Steele
A collection of multi-disciplinary works by 30 recent VCE art graduates from schools throughout the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges is set to take centre stage at the 2025 Creative Showcase at the Burrinja Gallery in Upwey in early May.
Providing a platform for new voices and perspectives, the exhibition includes Emerald Secondary College, Lilydale High School, Little Yarra Steiner School, Mater Christi College, Monbulk College, Upwey High School and others.
The exhibit celebrates the region’s most promising emerging visual artists and will launch on Friday 2 May at 6pm.
Former graduated art students are given the chance to show their work professionally and work with a curator, taking the next steps in their early careers.
Burrinja Community Visual Arts Producer CJ Baxter said the exhibition also gives other art students a glimpse into what’s possible.
“It’s also a way for current students to be able to see what’s possible and to feel inspired about what they can potentially create for their VCE,” said CJ.
CJ said they would invite any level of artist to come along and be inspired by what’s on show.
“Come and see what young people are saying, what they are capable of,” she said.
The exhibition offers a thoughtful and articulate display of what young artists are up to, and CJ said she has found it deeply moving.
“Young people have unique things to be saying right now – this is their future,” she said.
From themes like sexual violence, body image and the degradation of the environment, CJ said working with the group of young artists to bring together the display has been quite emotional.
“It’s so important in an art context to be able to
just stop, listen and look and respect what respect their perspectives,” she said.
The curation will feature a range of media from sculptures, to photography, light and electricity - there are even some sculptures with dynamic moving elements.
“There was such an interesting and diverse range of work and different mediums,” said CJ.
The official launch on 2 May and promises an evening of inspiration and connection, with guests invited to RSVP and support the next wave of visual storytellers.
The opening will see former showcase artists talking on the night and will offer connection and collaboration opportunities for art students across the Yarra Ranges.
“It’s some deeply personal work as well, and bold and brave for these young people to put themselves out there,” said CJ.
For more information or to RSVP for the launch, head to: https://events.humanitix.com/ creative-showcase-exhibition-launch
The gallery space reflects that honesty. It’s warm and gentle, with chairs for people to rest, boxes of donated fabrics, and small bowls of thread and needles. It’s less of an art show, and more of a shared space for reflection.
Ms Van Wyk said the process of making, and sharing, has been unexpectedly healing - not just for her, but for the people who visit.
“I think we’re all carrying something,” she said.
“And we don’t always get the chance to speak about it. This exhibition gives people permission. It says, ‘Your pain matters. Your voice matters.’ Even if it’s only whispered through a needle.”
Despite the heavy themes, the exhibition is not without hope. In fact, hope is sewn through every single piece.
“It’s about survival,” Ms Van Wyk said.
“About what happens after the worst thing. And how we carry it. Not perfectly. Not bravely, always. But with care.”
For her, the work continues to evolve. She still stitches every day, still adds new pieces, still holds space for stories - her own and others’. And while her brother is gone, he is everywhere in the exhibition.
“He’s in every thread. Every moment of silence. Every act of courage I’ve taken to keep going,” she said.
“This is for him. And for anyone who’s ever had to find a way to keep living after everything has fallen apart.” Threads of Violence is showing at The Memo in Healesville until Sunday, 6 July.
Upwey artist, Natasja van Wyk at her ‘Threads of Violence’ exhibition at The Memo, Healesville - using bold textiles to explore trauma, memory and tough conversations. (Cathy Ronalds)
Dancing People: Made from Natasja’s everyday tablecloth in South Africa, this work layers ghostly figures with stitched words of sleepless fear. Blood-red appliqué wounds mark the lingering violence etched into memory and midnight dread. (Cathy Ronalds)
Neon Gun: Neon-stitched pistols shimmer over florals and heirloom fabrics, collapsing comfort and threat into one uneasy surface. The violence is quiet, but stitched in. (Cathy Ronalds)
Hijack Hot Zone: A domestic quilt echoes state road signs, warning of everyday violence. Drawing on South African danger zone symbols, it reframes public trauma as personal - stitched into memory and masked as safety. (Cathy Ronalds)
by Kody Gates. (Supplied).
INdia Christie’s untitled work and many more will be one show. (Supplied).
Making it easier to play
By Oliver Winn
An $8,800 sponsorship will reduce uniform and registration costs at the Seville Football Netball Club (FNC), making sport cheaper for families this year. The sponsorship comes from the Community Bank Wandin-Seville and will help cover costs for the U18s men’s football team and the women’s U17s netball team.
The Seville FNC said in a Facebook post the support had left a great impact on the club.
“Your support means the world to us and helps make our teams stronger,” the post read.
Seville FNC treasurer Alistair Beyer said sponsorship will help support the next generation of players coming through to the club.
“The very kind sponsorship supported both the U17s netballers and the U18s footballers to get both teams playing sport in the community and being around a support network like our local football and netball club. It will directly help support registration fees and training/playing clothing for both teams,” Mr Beyer said.
Community Bank Wandin-Seville executive officer Leah Thompson said the sponsorship will help families pay for their children’s registration
and uniform fees, allowing more families to participate in community sport.
“This funding will have a meaningful impact at the grassroots level. It will cover registration fees for the U18s boys football team, easing financial pressure on players and their families, as well as providing them with some new training footballs. Additionally, it will help provide new uniforms for the U17s netball team, ensuring they can represent their club with pride.”
She said the bank knows it’s a tough time financially for everyone, and that how wealthy a family is shouldn’t stop them from accessing sport.
The club also received a sponsorship from the Community Bank Wandin-Seville last year and this year’s sponsorship shows a continued relationship between the two.
Established in 1972, the Seville FNC now has four football teams and five netball teams. With the sponsorship, the club aims to expand its player base and facilities so it can create a professional environment despite being a smaller club in the outer suburbs.
“Our ability to support local clubs like Seville FNC comes directly from the community banking with us,” Ms Thompson said.
LifeFlight jet pilot Amanda Deed was born to fly
LifeFlight First Officer Amanda Deed must be ready to fly at the drop of a hat.
The 29-year-old’s career in aviation has taken her into aeromedicine as a First Officer onboard the LifeFlight Brisbane-based Challenger 604 jet.
Beginning her pilot training at the Lilydale Flying School, every day can now take Amanda across the world or to some of the most rural and remote parts of Australia.
“You have to be flexible in this job. When you’re on call, the phone can ring at any time. You’re given the lowdown of where you’re going, put your uniform on and then head to the airport to get the plane ready,” she said.
“The other night, we were called out to Horn Island to go and pick a patient up. We landed at the Island at midnight and got back at 3am.”
Amanda was recently involved in a milestone flight with a record distance covered for LifeFlight
“I was very lucky to be part of the team that flew the Dubai to Switzerland return trip of the flight,” she said.
“We managed to see glimpses of the Suez Canal and the Pyramids of Giza on our way across the Middle East. We saw the changing landscape flying across Italy and into Switzerland, including seeing the Matterhorn.
“It was a magical flight to be a part of.”
Amanda’s love of aviation started when she was a kid.
Hailing from South East Melbourne, she grew up with her siblings on 15 acres of land.
“I started to be interested in aviation from a very young age,” she said.
“My dad is a pilot and I’ve grown up very fortunately flying around Australia, visiting all the outback places and towns in a small aircraft.
“Dad started his flight training when I was a baby. He caught the aviation bug and wanted to share that with his family.
“My favourite places to visit were Flinders Island to go camping with fold up push bikes
Amanda and fellow pilot Theresa, with Dawn to Dusk crew members Jessica and Gail. (Supplied)
and Coffs Harbour to see my grandpa.
“That’s where it kicked off. I think initially for me the inspiration was to become a private pilot and do the same thing, because that was the way I grew up.
“Once my hands touched the controls on my introductory flight and I started flying, I knew I’d caught the same aviation bug as my dad. I really couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”
Amanda has licenses to fly both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.
She attended Lilydale Flying School, a family-owned business located in the Yarra Valley Victoria.
She received her fixed wing Private Pilots License (PPL) in December 2019 and Commercial Pilots License (CPL) in March 2021.
For helicopters, she gained her PPL in Au-
gust 2020 and CPL in April 2021.
With a commercial license to fly both types of aircraft, she set off to Uluru to fly tourists around the spinifex studded desert until November 2022.
Along with three other pilots, she took on a challenge to fly and land a Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft in every state and mainland territory in Australia to raise funds to support other female aviators
“It’s a competition over in the United Kingdom called the Dusk to Dawn Challenge, and the objective is to complete a notable feat of aviation between those hours. Within a day, basically,” she said.
“Myself and one of the other ladies, Theresa, talked about doing it.
“She was my instructor at Lilydale for quite a while and does incredible work helping oth-
er women in aviation.
“We came up with the idea to enter this competition and we thought why not raise funds to put towards one of the scholarships for the Australian Women Pilots Association?”
The team started the journey at Flinders Island in Tasmania, at “stupid o’clock” in the morning, after a night of excitement and final checks of the plan.
“We took off and flew to Mallacoota in Victoria, and then off to Canberra,” she said.
The crew stopped in at Cootamundra New South Wales to refuel, and again at White Cliffs before heading to Moomba South Australia.
“We stopped at Birdsville in Queensland for more fuel and then across to Uluru for the Northern Territory,” she said.
They then flew to their final destination at Forrest, Western Australia.
“I think we landed 20 minutes before last light, just before dusk,” Amanda said.
“We were very excited to make it. Big smiles all around.”
The team amassed 13 hours of flying and travelled 1905 nautical miles.
They won second place in the Dawn to Dusk Challenge and also clinched the award for longest distance, presented in London in January 2024.
“We ended up raising $6000 for the Australian Women Pilot’s Association scholarship. It assists in helping any woman in aviation to achieve the next goal in their career,” she said.
“We were able to spread the funds to support doubling the scholarship for a few years.”
Amanda’s career at LifeFlight has taken her far and wide across the sky, including her first international flight from Sydney to Singapore.
Along with an enviable view of the heavens, one of her journeys put her in the ideal spot to see a comet streak across the sky during a trip from Hawaii to Melbourne.
“I absolutely love looking out the window at night at all the stars,” she said.
Whatever mission comes next, it’s safe to say Amanda is more than up to the challenge.
Seville FNC players gather in front of new Bendigo Community Bank Wandin-Seville sign. (Supplied)
New tax hits farmers hard
In 2014, Victorian Labor promised no new taxes. After 10 years in power, with net debt growing by $59.6 million per day, forecast to reach $188 billion by 2028, the Allan Labor Government introduced its 60th new tax to Parliament.
Labor’s latest proposed tax – the Emergency Services Levy – will replace the Fire Services Property Levy and will cost Victorians an additional $2.1 billion in tax over the next three years, in a cost-of-living crisis.
Rather disingenuously, Labor is spruiking this new tax as supporting volunteer services of the State Emergency Service (SES) and Country Fire Authority (CFA).
State of Affairs
Bridget Vallence Evelyn MP
In fact, Labor has refused to quarantine tax collected for the SES and CFA, instead confirming money raised from the levy will fund back-office operationsofagenciesincludingTripleZeroVictoria, Emergency Management Victoria, and Emergency Recovery Victoria.
This comes after Labor cut $38 million from Triple Zero Victoria in its last budget.
These public service agencies have always been funded from consolidated revenue; Labor now plans to double-tax Victorians for these core services.
I’ve long advocated for increased funding for
MCU gets Suicide Squad
Effectively the Suicide Squad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts follows Yelena (Florence Pugh), an elite assassin, who joins a band of antiheroes against their power-hungry boss as a godlike new threat emerges.
The ensemble cast has fantastic chemistry as bickering misfits who look out for each other.
Pugh anchors the film as a killer with a good heart, David Harbour provides levity and paternal
pathos as her adoptive father Alexei, aka Soviet supersoldier Red Guardian, and Bob (Lewis Pullman), a gentle, unassuming man with a dark past
the SES, including the Lilydale and Emerald SES Units who do tremendous work protecting our community, and the Liberals and Nationals do not oppose the SES receiving funding under the levy.
But, when we asked the government how much money raised from the levy will support SES or CFA volunteers, they flatly refused to answer.
Frankly, it’s outrageous Labor is no longer reserving funds raised by this levy exclusively for frontline emergency services and instead is increasing the tax to cover previous budget cuts to public agencies.
Further, and astonishingly, despite promising SES and CFA volunteers they would be exempt from the levy, the government has admitted volunteers will now be required to pay the levy upfront, then fill out a form for a reimbursement from the government at a later date.
Crazy!
Every Victorian will pay more under this new tax, with farmers being hardest hit.
Residential and commercial property rates will double, the industrial rate will increase 64 per cent, and the primary producer rate will increase a whopping 189 per cent.
By taxing Victorian farmers significantly more, Labor has forgotten that farmers are the very people that help with bushfires and storms in the first place, often using their own equipment. The new tax will cause extreme financial strain on local farmers and will result in higher prices for fresh produce at the shops for all Victorians.
Victorians deserve tax relief, not more taxes, in a cost-of-living crisis.
Imposing its 60th new tax is further evidence of the Allan government’s financial mismanagement, and it is Victorians that are paying the price.
Magical thinking for readers
Renowned American author Stephen King once said:“Booksareauniquelyportablemagic.”
Veronica Sullivan, director of the 2025 Melbourne Writers Festival, says books possess a special kind of magic: “They transform our understanding of ourselves and others. They animate divergent ways of seeing. They immerse us in fantastic worlds that blur the line between the real and the imagined, and offer pathways towardsnewpossiblefutures.”
More importantly: “Reading equips us to navigate the world with empathy, curiosity and imagination – to dream big and take a leap of faith. Storytelling is a transformative force – a way tonotonlyunderstandtheworldbuttochangeit, one story at a time.” To celebrate magical thinking – the power of imagination and connection throughstorytellingandreading–thisyear’sMelbourne Writers Festival (8-11 May) invites some of Australia’s and the world’s most brilliant writers and thinkers to tackle issues spanning literature,politics,philosophy,historyandpsychology. Some of the international highlights include KalianeBradley(TheMinistryofTime),ColmTóibín (Long Island), Asako Yuzuki (Butter), and Bora Chung(YourUtopia).
PASSION FOR PROSE
WITH CHRISTINE SUN
Irish novelist Marian Keyes will converse with ourownbestsellingauthorJaneHarper,whileArgentineauthorMarianaEnriquezwilldiscussher latest collection of short stories A Sunny Place for Shady People. Equally eye-catching are American author Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a reimagining of the King Arthur legend, and Dutch author Yael van der Wouden’s The Safekeep, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. Meanwhile, some of the local highlights include Kate Grenville (Unsettled), Emily Maguire (Rapture), Josephine Rowe (Little World), Jimmy Barnes (Highways and Byways), and Hannah Kent(AlwaysHome,AlwaysHomesick).
and devastating powers, has a deeply moving arc about dealing with depression.
Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) have less to do in the plot but are still engaging characters.
The fight scenes are thrilling and easy to follow, blending the characters’ diverse styles, and unlike Captain America: Brave New World, in which Falcon has no superpowers and battles fighter jets and Red Hulk with barely a scratch to show for it, Thunderbolts’ action balances superpowers with substantial tension and vulnerability.
Thunderbolts also feels cohesive and moves at a steady pace, whereas the disjointed Brave New
World reeks of reshoots.
Thunderbolts plays with unsettling dream imagery at several points, and the main villain’s design is chillingly effective in its simplicity.
As for flaws, Thunderbolts unceremoniously dumps a major character early on, the impeachment hearings against corrupt CIA director Allegra de Fontaine (a delightfully devious Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) dip in and out of relevance, and the ending feels abrupt and too clean.
An exciting and often touching characterdriven superhero movie and one of the best MCU films in quite some time, Thunderbolts is playing in most Victorian cinemas.
Thunderbolts
Starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Lewis Pullman
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
SUSTAINABLE LIVING ON JUST UNDER1 ACRE
THE birds eye view above shows the gum leaf shaped roofline, this alone intimates that quite an extraordinary residence could be yours. Curved and sophisticated this ‘one of a kind’ home excites the senses and invites those who like to minimise their carbon footprint in a residence displaying artistic innovation and thoughtful inclusions.
The residence:
• 3 bedrooms, the private master suite with bathroom and WIR
2 further bedrooms serviced by a central bathroom.
• Central kitchen with quality appliances, dishwasher, oven, and induction cooktop
• Two separate living areas, one the ‘Great Room’ with 4.5m ceilings warmed by a Euro fireplace, also a TV room.
There is a spacious laundry.
Polished concrete Hydronic floor heating operated by Stiebel Elton heat pump with 6 thermostat-controlled floor sections.
• Double glazing, walls and roof insulated.
• Two split-systems
Connectivity:
The indoors and outdoors have a fluidity between the two spaces, moving from one to the other, retreating to a certain favourite place in the garden to rejuvenate the mind. Taking in the plants that have changed since yesterday, the sublime view that looks a little different in the todays light. So much to see and discover.
Outdoors:
3,546 sq metre allotment
The front yard shaded by magnificent oak. The rear yard a tapestry of ever-changing seasonal colours
• A covered patio
• Views that will take your breath away.
• Established fruit trees and vegetable produce.
Access via remote gates
Double remote garage
Studio/wellness/work/arts and crafts/ playroom: this building has double glazed
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Inclusions:
HOME FOCUS
PRIME GENERAL RESIDENTIAL ZONE
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A GRAND FAMILY SANCTUARY ON 18 ACRES
SURROUNDED by Selby’s lush and tranquil landscape, this expansive five-bedroom, three-bathroom family residence delivers the perfect blend of timeless character, modern functionality, and rural serenity. Situated on approximately 18 acres of gently undulating, usable land with fenced paddocks, this rare lifestyle property is ideal for growing families, multi-generational living, hobby farmers, or those seeking a peaceful tree change - just a one-minute drive to Wellington Road.
At the heart of the home lies a stunning open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area, complete with a magnificent 4-metre island bench - a dream for home chefs and entertainers alike. Polished Tasmanian Oak floors, ceiling roses, and ornate cornices add warmth and character, wood fire , zoned ducted heating and evaporative cooling ensure year-round comfort.
Step outside to a large entertaining deck with a Coonara wood heater, perfect for alfresco dining and taking in the sweeping views of surrounding paddocks and native bushland.
Upstairs, the grand master suite features a walk-in robe and private ensuite. Additional bedrooms are generously sized and serviced by a spacious second living area with an inviting gas open fireplace. Downstairs offers a fully versatile area with its own bedroom, bathroom, living and study areas, separate entrance, and private firepit zone - ideal for guests, teenagers, or in-law accommodation.
A standout feature is the huge barn/ workshop, fully equipped with mains gas, water, and electricity. With a large mezzanine level and ample space, it’s ideal as a workshop, studio, teen retreat, or for secure storage of farm equipment and toys.
Located just 10 minutes from Lysterfield, Harkaway, and Narre Warren, and offering easy access back into the city, this is a rare opportunity to enjoy the best of both worldsspace and seclusion, with convenience close by.
Property Highlights:
Expansive open-plan kitchen, living & dining area with 4-metre island bench
• Large entertaining deck with Coonara heater and panoramic views
• Five generous bedrooms & three bathrooms, including a luxurious master suite with WIR and ensuite
Second upstairs living zone with open fireplace
• Character-rich features: Tasmanian Oak floors, ceiling roses, ornate cornices
• Zoned ducted heating & evaporative cooling
Versatile downstairs zone with private access - ideal for extended family or guests
Fenced paddocks - perfect for horses, livestock, or hobby farming
• Huge barn/workshop with mains gas, water, electricity & mezzanine - ideal for studio, retreat, or storage
Firepit area and beautifully landscaped surrounds
• Double garage with internal access
• Quiet, private setting just 1 minute from Wellington Road for quick commuting
• Whether you’re seeking a slower pace, space to grow, or the freedom of a self-sufficient lifestyle, 130 Old Menzies Road offers a rare and remarkable opportunity in one of Selby’s most picturesque settings.
To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.
ACROSS
1 Also known as (1,1,1)
3 Sacrilegious (11)
9 Difficult to understand (7)
10 Captivate (7)
11 Somewhat (8)
12 Smear, often with oil (6)
14 Spawn, similar to caviar (3)
15 Without aim (11)
17 Restrictions (11)
19 For this, ad – (Lat) (3)
20 Cease (6)
21 Plastic unit containing audio or visual tape (8)
24 High-protein pulse (7)
25 Middle Eastern national (7)
26 Impediment (11)
27 Televisions (abbr) (3)
1 Inherited from one’s family (9)
2 Whenever you like (7)
3 Stereotypically masculine (5)
4 Speed up (10)
5 Bars (4)
6 Designer of goods and structures (9)
7 Opening (7)
8 Separate metal from ore (5)
13 Crowning ceremony (10)
15 Metallic element (9)
16 People living together in communities (9)
18 Of the Freemasons (7)
19 Highest in temperature (7)
20 Rummage (5)
22 Wait on (5)
23 Operator (4)
Jaworski scores goal to remember
In an decimating display, Wandin senior men’s stomped all over Emerald in the fourth round with a scoreline of 141 to 17.
The dogs continue to produce a powerful brand of football that Emerald simply couldn’t contain.
Club Captains Cody Hirst and Pat Bruzzese led from the front while Jordan Jaworski relished the absence of Garner and Mullet.
Jaworski prowled on the field with a potential
goal of the year nomination among his five for the day.
The other standout performers from this exciting match of football were Harrison van Duuren, Brodie Atkins, Patrick Hodgett.
The first quarter saw Wandin dominate the field, kicking themselves a 40 point lead while Emerald could only manage one behind.
By the end of the second quarter, Wandin had nearly doubled its score to 76.
Come third, and Wandin had 15 goals and 13 behinds while Emerald only managed a meagre 15 points.
It was all out attack by the fourth - Wandin were simply too strong for this Emerald side as they managed to secure another 40 points to Emerald’s two.
Emerald’s best players were Ewan Wadsworth, Jake Pedder, Bailey Grose, David Johnson, Steven Kapahnke and Patrick Mckimmie.
Horse Talk
By Anita Prowse
This weekend most eyes were on Adelaide Equestrian Festival, with masses migrating to watch the Horse Trials.
Local rider Sam Jeffree had two rides in the 5* for a third on Wimborne Conjuror and 10th on Santoro.
Closer to home, St Andrews PC held their Dressage Day Sunday Pony Club winners were:
3.2 - Cobie Clark on Barnon Ace-Hy from Dandenong Ranges H & PC.
3.3 - Shanae Sprattling on Kosiusko Levi from Yarrambat PC Shanae also won the Grade 3 Jack-
4.2,
5.2
5.4
Todd Garner for Wandin receiving the ball. (File)
pot.
4.4 and Grade 4 Jackpot - Natasha Ramage on Arnwood Carumba from Pakenham PC.
- Grace March on Winka from St Andrews PC.
- Grace Bailey on Rachem Ezekial from Wonthaggi PC,
Cross country fences at the Adelaide Horse Trials (Supplied)
Big weekend for Warby
By Alex Woods
Warburton-Millgrove had a big day of sport this weekend, with fivenetball games and four football games.
The morning started with netball as the 17 and Under took on a strong Seville. Seville had a strong start with a halftime score of 29-4. Unfortunately for the Burras, their young team couldn’t match the experience of Seville’s. They went down 48-13, but put up a tough fight to the end. Belle Syme, Maddie Loveless and Rylee Bond. Maddie put up 12 goals, and Kaylee Feim put up 1.
D Grade faced the court next in what was set to be another tough game. Again, Seville gained an early lead with a quarter-time score of 13-2 and then a halftime score of 22-10. D Grade kept fighting until the end, but Seville was too strong. The final score was 43-19, with Mel Hancock and Tiahn Syme each shooting 8 goals, and Tayah Humphrey contributing 3. Courtney Godenzi, Amy Morris and Tiahn Syme were named top performers for the match.
C grade up next, Seville gained an 8-goal lead at the first break. The Burras kept the margin the same heading into the second half. Seville broke away in the last 2 quarters, extending their lead to take home an 18-goal win. Tayla Ferguson shot 12 goals, Cam Holland with 7, and Sienna Muir with 3. Teagan Adams, Tayla Ferguson and Nicole Winzer were named top performers. The Women’s Football started the morning on the field. The team have been working very well together, having some strong games. They started strong again with a 0.0-0 to 3.6-24 lead, and then a 0.0-0 to 11.8-74 lead heading into the halftime break. They showed no signs of slowing down and managed to keep Seville to only securing 1 point for the match, ending on a total score of 18-16-124 for themselves. Jasmine Enever and Scarlett Henderson both kicked 4 goals each. Maddi Andueza, Crystal Norris, Kylie Ockwell and Madi Ward all secured 2. Sally McIntosh and Emerson Woods both grabbed 1 goal each. Emerson Woods, Ruby Ross, Madi Ward, Maddi Andueza, Scarlett Henderson and Hollie Eckhardt were all top players for the morning.
Under-18s played their match against Yarra Glen over at Yarra Glen. Our boys have started with some tough matches for their first year. The game was close throughout, and were up by 1 point at the halftime break. Down by 15 points in the last, they secured 5 goals in the last term to give themselves their first win for the season and as a new team. The final score for the game was 5.4- 34 to 7.7-49. Nate Lucas secured 3 goals, Patrick Crunden with 2, Jai De Graaf and Kobe Wunhym both had 1 each. Top Performers were Max Blunt, Nate Lucas, Patrick Crunden, Kobe Wunhym, Blayden Tamme and Ryan Gibson.
B Grade up next against a Strong Seville side. Seville had a secure lead of 14-6 at the first break and then 31-13 at half time. Burras kept fighting strongly, but Seville were too skilful. The final score was 66-27, with Amanda Finn putting up 12 goals, Tanner McCurdy with 10 and Monique Lee with 5. Top performers for the Burras were
Aleigha Walters, J’aime Lord and Amanda Finn.
A Grade finished off the netball for the day. This was set to be a good match, being a Grand Final replay. The game was intense and goalfor-goal throughout. Seville had a 1-goal lead at first break, then Burras up one goal at halftime. Seville had a 3-goal lead heading into the last quarter and managed to secure the win by 5 goals, with a final score of 51-46. Bianca Daniels contributed 28 goals, Karly Wappett with 14 and Jordana Butcher with 4. Bianca, Karly and Selina Fotia were top players for the game.
Reserves had a tough battle ahead of them and Seville came out strong with an 8.2-50 to 1.28 halftime score. Burras kept fighting through the game but Seville were too strong. The final score was 18+6-114 to 3.4-22. Ash Taylor kicked 2 goals and Brayden Ferguson with 1. Burras top players were Brayden Ferguson, Ricky Andueza, Tom Campbell, Dale Morris, Mikey Read and Hudson Semple.
Senior Footy finished off the round. A strong start for both teams with a 2-point difference, Seville’s way at the first break. Seville gained some
momentum in the next 2 quarters and had a 16-point lead heading into the last quarter. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Burras day, with Seville taking an 8- point victory. Tom Barr and Jake Upton kicked 2 goals each, Jack Farrugia, Lachlan Hewitt, Pay Huynh, Tom Marr and Liam Westlake all had one each. Pat Huynh, Jake Upton, Tom Barr, Brock Caneva, Lachlan Hewitt and Nelson Aldridge were all top performers.
Warburton retain the Donna Buang Challenge trophy
By Ron Hottes
Monday 28 April: The Donna-Buang Challenge:
Although there was no V.V.V. Comp today, Warburton had five Ladies representing us along with over twenty men.
Healesville RACV also had over twenty members playing.
The two best scores on the day came from the blades of David Wappett, who posted a fine 40 point result for Warby, and Ben Eyton Jones, with 36 points for the RACV team.
The NTPs went home with Bob Gilbert (RACV on the 3rd), Ben (RACV on the 9th), Garth Willey (RACV on the 12th), Bruce Pollard (RACV on the 15th) and thankfully to club superintendent Paul Mason (2nd shot on the 17th).
The overall result was that Warburton Golf Club continues to hold the Donna Buang trophy, with an average score of 29.2 over Healesville's 28.6 average score.
Wednesday 30 April 30th: Stableford: An outstanding result of 40 points earned Deborah Hamment the top prize.
This was a very popular win, because most of the members realise how hard Deb has worked on her game, so this was a well justified reward. The runner up voucher was won by that young tyro, Angus Hall, with a superb 38 points.
The ball rundown extended to 34. NTP winners were as follows: Daryl Ward (3rd), Tim Jones (5th), Trevor Porter (9th) and to Deb on the 12th.
Saturday 3 May: Stroke and Monthly Medal:
It may have been election day, folks, and a couple of our members elected to hit the scoreboard impressively.
In A Grade, the voucher AND medal went home with candidate Danny Fox.
This independent member posted a fine Nett 64, although only on a countback, as Sam Dennis also recorded the same Nett 64 meaning the result was decided on preferences in the last nine holes.
It should be noted that Kevin Smith also had a fine score (Nett 68), playing off +1. Balls here reached down to Nett 71.
Merilyn Macdonald posted a superb Nett 66 to take out the B Grade top prize.
The commissioner easily accounted for the rest of the B Graders, because Ken White was the runner up here, scoring a Nett 70 and an NTP also on the 12th.
Balls ran down to Nett 73 here. The other NTP winners were Ossie McClay (3rd), Peter Fox (5th), Steuart Hawke (9th) and to Sam Dennis (15th).
Senior Captain Jack Lee in action. (Supplied)
Healesville’s four for four
By Sarah Bailey
The scent of democracy sausages was in the air on Saturday as Healesville’s soccer teams played with teamwork and grit whether win, lose or draw.
Healesville Senior Men 3-0 One FC
Healesville made it four wins in their opening four games with a gutsy display.
A saved penalty and another great save by Stu P and a shot that hit the post from the away team were sandwiched between a header, in the first two minutes, from JJ and a volley from the edge of the box from David M just before the break. Ben S scored a cracker with his weaker foot on the volley from outside the box.
Daniel T was unfairly sent off after two yellow cards before JJ scored his second and Healesville’s third.
Ben M was then given his marching orders, also for a soft second yellow card.
A nine-man Healesville held firm to keep a clean sheet and three more points.
Healesville Senior Women 0-1 Knox
In a hotly contested match against league leaders Knox, Healesville had several chances, but the game was decided with a great goal by Knox.
It was another fantastic shift from the Healesville team as they settle into the big league.
Healesville Senior Men’s Reserves 2-3 One FC
The squad had their best match of the season, so it was a hard pill to swallow to lose to a penalty.
Big thanks to Jonny H for a huge game in goals, making half a dozen big saves.
Pip M continues to illustrate the exciting depth of talent that is developing through the junior ranks.
Asha S, playing his first full season in the Senior Men’s, scored an incredible goal from outside the 18-yard box to chip the keeper and curl the ball into the top corner.
Healesville U8 Reds 7-1 Lilydale
Healesville delivered a fantastic team performance with a convincing win over Lilydale.
A series of excellent passes led to Jude finding the back of
the net multiple times, taking full advantage of the opportunities created by his teammates.
Healesville U10 Falcons 8-2 MUFC
The Falcons started on the front foot, with Mitch putting Healesville in the lead after a few minutes.
Another two quick goals followed from Conor and Nate before MUFC pulled one back.
That didn’t stop the Falcons, and goals from Maverick, Mitch and Colton gave them a 6-1 lead at half time.
Healesville continued their hard work in the second half.
Max scored a great free kick and Grey finished off the scoring for another good win.
Healesville U11 Ninjas 5-2 Mooroolbark Panthers
The Ninjas started strong in their first home game of the season.
Leo had little to do in goals during the first half and kept the sheet clean.
The half-time score was 2-0, and the team kept the pressure up in the second half.
Jacob played very well, keeping the defence together and working forward as needed.
Leroy added some great defensive work to the two goals he scored.
Felix had a great game in defence in the second half, which was needed because Mooroolbark increased forward pressure, scoring a lovely goal from centre and a penalty kick from a handball despite keeper Hayden’s best efforts.
Max’s two goals plus an own goal by the Mooroolbark keeper were too much in the end, though, and the Ninjas took the win.
Healesville U12 Diamonds 6-3 Knox
The newly formed Diamonds came back after a tough firstround match with a great team effort and goals by Saskia, Ava, Audrey, Elodie and Emmelia.
All goals were secured in true team style, with multiple players assisting.
The defence were brilliant, deflecting a number of goal attempts, and Maddie and Audrey held tight in goals.
Every player worked the ball hard up through the midfield into the attacking zone.
Healesville U14 Red Devils 4-0 Berwick
The first away trip of the season saw the Devils travel to Berwick.
Healesville dominated possession in the first half, which was a scrappy affair until Evie T continued her rich vein of form with another goal.
A superb solo run and goal from Ava H on the stroke of half time saw the visitors go into the main break 2-0 up.
The second half brought more of the same, with continued dominance of possession and pressure all over the ground.
Evie T bagged another, and Eloise W kicked her first goal of the season.
Skipper for the day Georgia C was clear best on ground with relentless running from box to box.
She set up almost every play for her team with a true captain’s performance.
Healesville U16s 1-0 Yarra Valley
Away against local rivals Yarra Valley, the U16s were expecting a tough match, especially as they again had no subs.
Both teams played fast, uncompromising football without giving an inch or dropping their heads.
Superb goal keeping from Healesville’s Charlie J kept the game at 0-0 deep into the second half.
A Healesville penalty was the best chance to change the score.
It beat the keeper but unfortunately hit the post and stayed out.
Some formation changes brought about more chances, and a very late corner with 10 minutes to go broke the deadlock after Hamish M knocked it in unconventionally.
Healesville successfully parked the bus after that, taking home a second win.
Other results:
Healesville U12 Panthers 1-1 KCSC Strikers
Goal scorer: Sol
Healesville U12 White Wolves 1-6 Knox Churches Force
Goal scorer: Flynn M
Tough battle for senior men against Camberwell
By Terv Atanasov and Paul Healey
Round 4 vs Old Camberwell Men’s firsts: Millgrove was the scene for the action today, and Valley had a point to prove against Camberwell who lifted the pre-season cup here last month, coming away 3-1 winners that day.
It was an electric start, with a ball played over the top to George Lyons, who held it up beautifully before cutting back to Josh Tomlinson.
A smart turn and low driven pass found youngster Alex Ronald’s in the box, and his quick feet were too much for the defender as he fired the ball into the net for his first senior goal for the club. 1-0 within three minutes, and it was a goal made in the Valley with two prominent juniors playing a role and earning their senior stripes.
The next 15 minutes saw a period of pressure from Valley with a host of shots and chances coming from all over the pitch, until a pivotal moment came when centre back Caleb Serci came off in-
jured halfway through the first half.
A reshuffle saw fresh legs join the fray but it cost a loss in momentum, and Valley failed to convert any more chances. 1-0 at the half.
The second half started brightly, but Camberwell grew into the game. They now placed Valley under sustained pressure, but keeper Aden Kerridge played his part and made a number of tidy saves to keep the ball out of the net, alongside captain Abela at the heart of the defence. Right back Baya Litchfield made several vital challenges, including two crucial tackles in one v one situations.
Unfortunately, further injuries meant Valley’s fitness was tested, and the team shape was changed to try and hold on for the 1-0 win, which wasn’t the plan.
Allcredit to Camberwell, who kept on playing right up to the final whistle and were rewarded with a 92nd minute equaliser, against the run of play. 1-1 on the day with points shared, as we look ahead to Hornbill next week for a must-win game.
Reserves:
The reserves hosted Old Camberwell at Millgrove in what was to be an interesting game with Camberwell a new addition to the division, and with the game underway it was clear to see Camberwell were not here to muck around.
The first ten minutes it was an even contest with neither team able to break the deadlock until Camberwell struck from a cross on the right. Two minutes later the same thing again however an unfortunate bounce coming off Josh Allender’s foot brought the score to 2-0. A mountain to climb already.
Yarra Valley got back into the game ten minutes later with a tap in finish from Toby to get his first goal in reserves football and two minutes later a perfect corner from Josh Allender found its way to the foot of Paul Healey in the box and with yet another tap in goal we went to the halftime break 2-2. The second half began and again it was an even contest.
And on a beautiful warm day in Millgrove the scoreline finished a deservedly 2-2 with both teams not able to break away and secure a winner.
Healesville’s U12 Diamonds had a strong win against Knox on Saturday 3 May. (Supplied)
FOOTY TIPSTERS
Q&A
Mick Dolphin
1. What made you barrack for the AFL team you follow today?
Nanna barracked for Collingwood and she loved the footy, taking me to my first game – VFA Preston v’s someone. From then on it was always Collingwood.
2. What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend?
Chilling out on the deck, enjoying the view, the animals and gardening, with my family nearby.
3. Do you enjoy what you do for a living?
I love it, Helping people achieve their dreams or get out of a challenging situation, I love the trust people put in me to help them navigate the change in life they are undertaking.
4. What’s your favourite type of cuisine?
I really like all good quality food
5. What are 3 words that describe you best?
Dedicated, Consistent, Reliable
6. When you were little, what did you think you were going to be?
A beach bum by the time I was 30
7. Who would you like to have dinner with and why (could be anyone, dead or alive)?
Don Bradman, I love cricket and I’d love to know his philosophy on the game but also what drove him to be so far and above the best cricketer ever, and his mindset around this.
8. What advice would you offer to your younger self?
