Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 13th May 2025

Hills Act

By Dongyun Kwon

Hills Act Theatre Company successfully brought down the curtain for its first production.

The company performed its first production, Breathless by Deborah Mulhall, twice on 27 April and 3 May, right after Anzac Day.

Through four different conflicts and the stories of four different veterans, Breathless explores the unchanging cyclic horror of war, the unnatural stress it places on soldiers at the front line and how it bleeds into their civilian lives, traumatically affecting not only them but also all those who love them.

Hills Act Theatre Company founder Phillip Stephenson, the director and stage manager of the production, said the journey of the first production was “significant”.

“I found some of it very stressful, but overall, I felt that we achieved something that I hadn’t thought we’d achieve, but we did, and we got there better than I’d thought at first,” he said.

Turn to page 19 for more

Wild dogs terror

By Oliver Winn

region.

Yellingbo landowner Mandy Sullivan recalled the day she found her German shepherd’s face “ripped up” and her maremma with a tear all the way up her front leg.

“We didn’t see them [the wild dogs], but we

heard them and we put two and two together. I’m pretty sure that she’s been attacked or went into a fight defending the property,” Ms Sullivan said.

It’s not the first encounter Ms Sullivan has had with wild dogs – she’d lost multiple sheep last year which saw her ram displaced three properties down the road, while her baby lambs were killed.

What Ms Sullivan described was a gory aftermath.

“They were just slaughtered, not even eaten. Like it was just a game for fun.”

Founder of Yarra Valley Wild Dog Action Group (YVWDAG) Steve Ross witnessed wild dogs wreak havoc over an elderly man’s farm, where in the span of a year, 30 animals were lost to wild dog attacks.

The farmer, an 80-year-old man named John, struggled with the aftermath as he euthanised dozens of animals and cleaned up their bodies.

“You could imagine the emotional trauma of that, you know. Every night he goes to bed, he’s just wondering if the dogs are coming back for the rest of his livestock,” Mr Ross said.

But a 2023 study by the University of New South Wales found limited evidence of interbreeding between wild dogs and dingoes which meant most animals previously thought to be wild dogs are likely dingoes.

Turn to page 9 to read more

The cast of Hills Act Theatre Company’s first production Breathless. (Dongyun Kwon: 476662)

Coalition’s big loss fueled by nuclear

By Dongyun Kwon

While Liberal’s Aaron Violi successfully retained his seat of Casey, turning more voters across the electorate to him, his party lost most of the bordering electorates.

Political expert Dr Zareh Ghazarian said, although he was aware that the opinion polls had shown Labor was edging ahead, the final result was a bit of a shock to him.

“How quickly the result became clear on election night and the size of Labor’s win, I think these were things that we didn’t really expect, such a clear-cut outcome for this election,” he said.

“The result of this election was a continuation of the result of the 2022 federal election. Voters were clearly giving the signal that they weren’t supportive of the Coalition’s policies or direction, and it appears that the coalition didn’t respond enough to convince voters.

“It gives us an indication that there were a lot of voters who were just not prepared to support the Coalition and wanted them to go back and do further homework for the next election.”

On election night, the Coalition faced a painful defeat.

Even Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lost his own seat of Dickson in Queensland, which he’d held since 2001.

The head-of-politics at Monash University said the Coalition’s policy program, which prioritised urban and outer metropolitan electorates, failed to resonate with the voters.

“(The Coalition’s policy program) was underpinned by two main policies,” Dr Ghazarian said.

“The first was the policy on reducing the excise on fuel for one year, and the other was to focus on nuclear energy as a source of energy for Australia.

“Both of these policies were presumably geared towards addressing cost-of-living concerns among voters, but they just didn’t resonate. As we’ve seen in many parts of Australia, there’s been a swing against the Coalition, especially the Liberal Party.”

Despite the big defeat of his party, Mr Violi ended up succeeding in retaining his seat with a 1.7 per cent point swing in two-party-preferred votes and a 5 per cent swing in first preference votes.

Dr Ghazarian said the result of Casey was one of the bright parts of the Coalition’s performance at this election.

“The performance of Mr Violi suggested that the party can take lessons from what has occurred in Casey,” he said.

“When we look at that, it wasn’t as high profile as the contest in Goldstein or Kooyong, but it does indicate to us that there is some volatility in Australian voters, how they’re voting and who they’re supporting, and that (candidates) who campaign effectively and can position themselves effectively in the local community are rewarded with support.

“It’s also interesting to remember that swings

across states, swings across all different parts of the country can happen. They’ll change, they’ll go up, they’ll go down. There’s no uniform swing, so I think that’s also what Casey is demonstrating to us.

“When incumbent candidates do well, and especially when they go against the trend for their own path, it suggests to us that there’s strong support for the candidates and the performance over the last few years.”

Although Mr Violi won the election twice in a row for the seat of Casey, most of the surrounding electorates were taken by Labor.

Labor’s Mary Doyle succeeded in defending the seat of Aston, which she gained at a byelection in 2023, against Liberal candidate Manny Cicchiello.

Liberal’s Michael Sukkar lost to Labor’s Matt Gregg in Deakin, the seat that had been held by Mr Sukkar since 2013.

Labor’s Gabriel Ng has become the first Labor member to gain the Menzies.

The electorate had been held by three Liberal members, Neil Brown, Kevin Andrews, and Keith Wolahan, since it was first contested in 1984.

Along with Mr Violi, Liberal’s Jason Wood was also one of a few Liberal members who could re-

tain the seat in Victoria.

Mr Wood successfully retained the La Trobe, which he has held since 2013.

Both Liberal members said they humbly accepted the election result and will listen to Australians to prepare for the next election.

On election night, Mr Wood said the Trump Presidency and the policy of reigning in working from home were damaging to the Liberal’s campaign.

“When Trump came to power, we thought it could lead to a Coalition, we didn’t know it would actually end up being a wrecking ball,” he told Star News.

“I’m not saying we ran a great campaign, we didn’t, but that really hurt.

“Our policy on working from home was one of the dumbest policies ever and that really hurt.”

Mr Violi said lots of reflection and reviews are required.

“A review is nice, but actions from that as a party are what is needed moving forward,” he told Sky News.

Both the Liberal Party and the National Party are now getting into the period of change to rebuild trust with Australian voters, with new leadership decided this week.

IN BRIEF

Locals urged to report dangerous driving

Residents across the Yarra Ranges are being urged to help make local roads safer by reporting hoons and dangerous drivers—anonymously—through a new initiative backed by Crime Stoppers Victoria.

The ‘See it. Share it!’ campaign encourages drivers to upload dashcam footage of reckless behaviour to a secure online portal. The reports, which can be made anonymously, are then used to assist police investigations and road safety efforts.

The community involvement is key to tackling hoon behaviour and repeat dangerous driving offences.

“Every person behind the wheel has a role to play in road safety. If you witness dangerous driving, don’t ignore it—record it, and report it safely,” a spokesperson said on Yarra Ranges Eyewatch.

Data from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) shows that over 1,200 lives have been lost on Victorian roads over the past five years, with 295 recorded in 2023, the highest number of lives lost on Victorian roads in 15 years.

Locals can upload footage at: bit.ly/roadsafety-see-it-share-it

The program is part of a broader push to reduce road trauma and improve safety in local neighbourhoods.

Planned burn notice

Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) and Country Fire Authority (CFA) advise that the the Chum Creek - Wesley College 2 planned burn, located at 2.8km Northwest of Chum Creek, the Chum Creek - Wesley College 1 planned burn, located at 3km Northwest of Chum Creek, and the Millgrove - Warburton Highway planned burn, located at None 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.

Looking for a puppy

I’m reaching out with a heartfelt request and a great deal of hope. Our beloved puppy, Saffy (also known as Saphire), has gone missing, and we’re doing everything we can to bring her home.

Saffy is a 1-year-old Italian Greyhound who went missing on 11 May near the intersection of Maroondah Highway and Boundary Road in Coldstream.

She is very timid and may be hiding or moving silently through the area.

She was wearing a rainbow collar and lead when she disappeared.

We kindly ask the community not to call or chase her, as she is extremely shy and may run. If anyone spots her, please contact us immediately on 0421 995 941.

Warm regards,

Nervada Bridge

Aaron Violi said the Coalition requires lots of reflection and reviews. (Supplied)

Race Mathews: A tribute

By Matilda McDermott

Race Mathews was nothing short of a reformer for Australia, working through all forms of Government to enact real change.

Serving as the MP for Casey and as State Member for Oakleigh, Mathews contributed to policies that still shape Australia today.

He started his career as a speech therapist, where eventually he joined the Labor Party and worked his way up in government, working as a private secretary and being a major part of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s think tank.

“He never forgot where he came from or who he was there to serve,” Premier Jacinta Allen said in a statement.

Mr Mathews contributed to the development of Labor’s policies, such as Medibank, paving the way for Medicare.

“Race helped shape the early design of Medibank – laying the groundwork for Medicare and helping build a health system that treated care as a right, not a privilege.”

“When Race became Fabian Society secretary in 1960 he commissioned Moss Cass to put his ideas into Fabian pamphlets. The first, Reform in Medicine (1961), advocated a national health scheme centred on public hospitals and health centres and staffed by full-time salaried doctors,” Iola Mathews wrote in Race Mathews: A Life in Politics.

Mr Mathews was dedicated to the local community. Throughout his career as State Member for Oakleigh he worked as Victorian Minister for the Arts, where he was a champion.

He opened the Arts Centre in Southbank, introduced the Spoleto International Festival for Arts and the Melbourne Writers Festival, all while overseeing Victoria’s 150th celebrations.

Mr Mathews also worked as Police and Emergency Minister, where he conducted a major review of Victoria Police, introduced gun reforms in the form of gun control and bettered disaster relief after the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983.

His roles as both Arts Minister and Police and Emergency Minister overlapped with the infa-

mous theft of Picasso’s Weeping Woman by the Australian Cultural Terrorists who sent letters to Mr Mathews demanding funding for young artists. The painting was returned two weeks later, unharmed.

Mr Mathews also served as Community Services Minister where he introduced an expansion of child protection.

“Race’s legacy is found in the Victoria he helped build – a fairer, more caring, more creative place,” Premier Allen said.

After a decorated career in politics, Mathews committed his life to academics, completing a PhD at Monash University, and publishing works.

Race Mathews’ legacy will be forever remembered by his family and wife, Iola Mathews who published a biography about his life, Race Mathews: A Life in Politics.

His reforms and tireless dedication will always be felt by the local community.

Race Mathews passed away on 5 May 2025 following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Victorians will soon be able to access free pads and tampons in every part of the state, as part of the government’s efforts to ease cost-of-living pressures for Victorians.

Westfield Knox will be amongst the first group of 18 shopping centres to receive vending machines that dispense free period products, along with the existing rollout scheduled for public places -which include a number of libraries in the Yarra Ranges.

Women’s Minister Natalie Hutchins announced the next 90 venues across Melbourne on Thursday 8 May.

“Period products are a basic necessity –and we’re making sure women and girls can get them for free, when and where they need them,” she said.

“This is about dignity, equality and making sure no one misses out on school, work or community life because of their period.”

Shopping centres are among Victoria’s most-visited public spaces, making them ideal locations for expanding access to essential hygiene products.

Shopping Centre Council of Australia Chief Executive Angus Mardi said shopping centres play an important role in our communities.

“Through this initiative, we are committing to improving access to free sanitary products in accessible places in almost 20 shopping centres across Victoria,” he said.

The new locations form part of the government’s statewide rollout of 1500 smart and battery-operated machines in up to 700 venues – including shopping centres, libraries, hospitals, TAFES, staffed train stations and cultural institutions.

In the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley, Belgrave Public Library, Croydon Library, Ferntree Gully Library, Knox Library (temporary location), Montrose Library, Rowville Library and Yarra Junction Library are on the list for the next venues to receive the machines.

Women across Victoria have already saved thousands of dollars, with more than 25,000 packs of pads and tampons dispensed in the first six months of the program.

This initiative builds on the government’s program that made Victoria the first state or territory in Australia to provide free pads and tampons in every government school – to reduce stigma, keep kids in class and ensure students never miss learning because they don’t

have access to period products.

Insights from 50 trial machines across 30 Melbourne sites – including Sydenham Library – have helped inform the broader rollout. Feedback from community members has already shown the difference the program is making for people doing it tough.

Access to pads and tampons is a basic need, but one in five women and girls reported struggling to afford period products.

Former Casey MP Race Mathews died on 5 May at the age of 90. (Iola Mathews)

Brewing up Belgian tastes

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

It won’t be your typical Sunday in Bayswater on Sunday 18 May.

Instead, the scent of hops and the clink of pint glasses will fill the air at Hard Road Brewing as the annual Belgian Beer Fest rolls into town, offering a celebration of craft, community, and a bit of brewing magic.

The Belgian Beer Fest is the pride project of Yarra Valley Brewers, a tight-knit, home-brew club based in Woori Yallock.

Despite being a small group that meets once a month at the local community centre, the club has a long-standing reputation for pulling off one of the most specialised beer competitions in the state - one that shines a spotlight on Belgium’s weird and wonderful brews.

Founding member and former club president Charles Johnston who helped start the club back in 2005 said Belgian beers were quirky.

“They don’t follow the same kind of rules as British or German beers. Every Belgian brewery seems to be doing its own thing, so the styles are all over the place - but that’s the fun of it, that’s what makes them exciting, and frankly, tough to brew,” he said.

That difficulty is exactly what draws in some of Victoria’s most passionate home-brewers each year.

While many beer competitions cast a wide net, this one goes all-in on Belgian styles - from saisons and tripels to wild ales and everything in between.

Mr Johnston said brewing them well takes patience, skill and a whole lot of creativity.

“You’re dealing with unusual yeast strains, sometimes even bacteria. No two are the same. That’s what makes this competition such a great test for homebrewers,” he said.

Despite its grassroots origins, the event has grown into a fully fledged statewide competition, thanks to support from VicBrew, the broader network of homebrew clubs across Victoria.

Through VicBrew’s website, the club can promote the event, share rules, collect entries and find qualified judges, many of whom are certified through the global Beer Judge Certification Program.

But bringing it all together still takes plenty of elbow grease.

“It’s a big job,” Mr Johnston said.

“You need a venue, judges, stewards, trophies, volunteers - the lot. Thankfully, we’ve built a strong base over the years and the club members always step up.”

This year’s venue, Hard Road Brewing, isn’t just a convenient location - it’s a perfect fit.

The brewery is run by Lein and Angie, former home-brewers themselves, who now brew commercially in Bayswater and still live in the Yarra Ranges.

The connection runs deep: Matt Fitch, a longtime Yarra Valley Brewers member, now works at Hard Road as venue manager and will be helping judge again this year.

“Matt’s been a part of this event for a while, and having him at Hard Road made it a natural choice for us,” club president Richard Brown said.

“They also brew a really good Belgian Pale Ale, so they understand and appreciate the style.”

Mr Brown also gives a shout-out to The Full Brew, the local home-brew supply shop in Woori Yallock.

Owned by club treasurer Daniel Fulford, it’s the go-to spot for ingredients, gear, and advice for many brewers in the area.

“Without that shop, it’d be tough to keep up momentum. It really is the heart of the brewing community in the Upper Yarra,” Mr Brown said.

Ask around the club and you’ll find home-brewers come from all walks of life, some start brewing to save a few bucks, others get drawn in by friends, and before long, they’re building their own setups and experimenting with historical beer styles from as far back as ancient Egypt.

“There’s no particular type of person - it’s just people who love to learn, to tinker, and to talk about beer.”

And while Belgian Beer Fest is definitely a treat for the more seasoned beer fans, it’s far from exclusive.

“You don’t have to be a beer nerd,” Mr Johnston said.

“If there’s one thing that unites home-brewers, it’s curiosity mixed with passion,” Mr Johnston said.

“If you like good beer and good company, that’s enough. You’ll have the chance to talk to brewers, learn about different styles, and maybe even try a few of the competition entries - once the judging’s done, of course.”

If you’re up for something a bit different this May, head down to Hard Road Brewing in Bayswater, you might just discover your next favourite beer - or get inspired to start brewing your own.

A group photo of Yarra Valley Brewers members at the close of the 2023 Belgian Beer Fest, held at Woori Community House after a last-minute venue change. (Supplied)

MoTHs flock to help mums

By Tanya Steele

Mother’s Day is just a little bit more special this year for Mums of the Hills (MotHs) as the not-forprofit group hit a massive milestone of community connection on 11 May.

As the traditions of burnt toast, smiles, cuddles and, hopefully, a sleep-in play out across the Yarra Ranges, a grassroots online community is celebrating 10 years of local impact.

Star Mail journalist Tanya Steele interviewed MotHs president, Belinda Young, about the inspiration behind the creation of the Facebook group that has been providing steady support to families all over the hills for a decade.

“MotHs is about community,” she said.

“Living in the hills means leaning on each other—dropping off meals, checking in when someone’s quiet, showing up when it matters.”

“A Mum of the Hills looks out for others, and knows someone will do the same for her.”

The Facebook group has helped mothers connect online and face-to-face in the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges, and with over 5000 members, shows no signs of slowing down.

Ms Young said initially her drive to create the online community came from a need to find out about local events on the ground.

“Like who people recommended for a haircut or where to take the kids on a rainy day,” she said.

“But deep down, I was really craving that small-town feeling - being able to walk down the main street and run into someone I knew.”

Ms Young said she had begun to miss the sense of belonging that comes from small-town living, and after an accident at home while she was looking after two small kids, the drive to connect became real.

“The real push came after I fell off a ladder while painting a wall at home,” she said.

“The kids were little - just two and four - and even though I was lucky not to be badly hurt, I remember sitting there thinking, ‘Who would I even call right now?’

“I didn’t want other mums to feel that isolated - so I decided to start something that could help bring us all together.”

Not without its challenges, MotHs began small, and Ms Young said building trust was the hardest part.

“Getting people to open up, ask questions, and feel safe enough to answer them,” she said.

“I had to go first, sharing my own experiences,

not knowing if anyone would respond.”

Extending the group into real-life connections in person was also challenging, and Ms Young said it required persistence.

“I once booked a table for 10 mums at Sooki Lounge – 10had confirmed,” she said.

“I sat there smiling at the waitstaff, saying, ‘They’ll be here soon…’ But no one showed up – I felt humiliated.”

“But I also knew I couldn’t give up - it just meant I had to try a different way to connect.”

Over the years, the group has forged bonds through its online sharing and resources both openly and quietly, and Ms Young said there have been many funny, touching and unexpected moments within the community.

“This group has seen it all - laugh-out-loud moments, quiet heartbreaks, and incredible acts of solidarity,” she said.

“There was the mum who bought g-strings for the first time since giving birth, saying it felt like paying respects to her post-labour vagina.”

“Or the one who stepped on a piece of rusted wire in her thongs before the school run, limped

bleeding across her cream carpet, only to be met with ‘Mum, I’m hungry’ and ‘I did a poo’.”

Over the years, Ms Young said there have been moments that really stick with her.

“There was a mum who shared her story of multiple miscarriages, IVF, and finally carrying her second baby,” she said.

“Her honesty gave so many others the courage to speak about their grief.”

Being a parent is not easy, and in the hills, it can hit different notes as families face regular challenges with power outages, floods and tree falls happening regularly.

In 2016, the MotHs rallied behind a local family after a gumtree crashed through a local family’s home, and it set the tone for the group onwards.

Ms Young said that to her, being a Mum of the Hills means being resourceful, resilient, and quietly tough.

“It’s whipping up a last-minute Book Week costume, running the soccer canteen, or chainsawing a tree off the driveway during the school run,” she said.

‘It’s heading into work in the city looking like

everyone else - except you’ve just survived 21 days without power and your colleagues are saying, ‘How about that wind?’, completely unaware of the devastation your neighbourhood is in.”

On top of their online group, MoThs regularly support and promote community events in the Yarra Ranges, from breastfeeding help to chainsaw workshops and have branch-out groups devoted to the individual needs of their MotHs community.

“We’ve laughed together, cried together, andwhen it mattered most - turned up for one another,” Ms Young said.

“That’s what makes this space so special.”

Soon, the group will be celebrated in a Masquerade Ball event hosted y the Monbulk Community Group to be held in Monbulk on 24 May, with a donation pledged to them.

“We are very honoured,” Ms Young said.

Support through all stages of service via Vets for Fishing

By Mikayla van

As someone who served in peacekeeping missions in the Solomon Islands and only exited the armed forces six years ago, Veterans For Fishing (VFF) founder Chris McAleer knows all too well the challenges that can come from transitioning to civilian life.

Invited back to join his former brigade, the 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse, in Sale for a training exercise on Saturday 3 May, Chris said he was both excited and nervous to return to the army environment.

But most importantly, he and fellow ex-serviceman David, were there to pass on a message of support, family and friendship to the men and women currently serving in the unit.

“Even though they’re still currently serving, they’re still veterans, and they’re still part of the family,” Chris said.

The foundations of VFF were built by many of the past serving members of 4th/19th joining in the early days, so the connection between the two entities is strong.

As a predominantly armoured reconnaissance based contingent, Chris said the unit were interested in running some water based training.

“They asked if we could help them out, because we’ve got the boats. They wanted to observe some boats on the water and put their soldiers’ skills to the task of observing boats on the water and what they’re doing,” he said.

After the exercise, Chris was given the opportunity to speak with the members about VFF, what they do, events and how they help ex serving and current serving members.

“If they feel like they’re struggling at all, we can be a support base, they’re still part of the family, so to speak,” he said.

“Once you’re in the defence force, it is really a close knit family, and then when you leave

that, you really do feel like somebody’s just torn something from you.”

With a mission to support all service personnel, whether veterans, current serving members or their families, Chris said proactive chats like this one were important to ensure soldiers can find the support and community they need throughout any stage of their service.

“It lets them know straight away that there are ex service organisations out there that they can not only reach out to when they get out, if they feel that they need to, but they can, at the moment too, that they can still get hold of us and still be a part of what we do,” he said.

“Not every ex service person has any issues. The majority are all fine, and off they go into the world but to then also show those people that we’ve created a little bit of a community here with like minded people, with a bit of an activity thrown in.”

As defence personnel, Chris said competitiveness was typically woven into their nature, that’s why the VFF model works so well.

“We like to compete. We like to be on edge and have a mission,” Chris said.

Post chat and upon arriving back home, Chris said he opened up the VFF social media accounts to find at least 40 new likes and some encouraging messages.

“Lots saying, ‘Hey, this looks great. I’m going to have to come to your next family day’ and stuff like that.

“It’d be really good to see, because I know the older diggers get a kick out of seeing the young blokes and ladies turn up and they chat to them about what they did and what’s different and how it’s new.”

Veterans For Fishing founder Chris McAleer and ex-serviceman David were invited to a training exercise for the 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse. (Supplied)

After the visit to Sale, Chris said there was hope VFF could follow this direction more by going to speak with other units and sharing the networks of support with current serving members.

As VFF continues to grow and expand, reaching more people and deepening connections, new offerings have come about like a veterans retreat and a sponsored fishing competition at Jerusalem Creek in October.

“We’ve had plenty of people contacting us saying ‘we’d like to do exactly what you’re doing, but in our state’. So we will be expanding Australia wide very soon.”

Veterans For Fishing run regular fishing days, family events and attend competitions. To find out more, visit the facebook page.

Now as a fully independent, registered not for profit organisation, VFF has plans to set up offshoots in Western Australia, Far North Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

President Belinda Young (right) was recognised in 2023 for an Australian of the Year award and was celebrated for her work founding MotHs in the Local Hero category for Victoria. (Supplied).

The group celebrates 10 years of connection in the Hills.(Pauline Klemm Sliding Door Photography).

Busy MotHs at a planting event at Belgrave Lake. (Supplied).

Loon

‘They were slaughtered’

By Oliver Winn

Yellingbo landowner Mandy Sullivan heard howls emerge from the night. She didn’t know it then, but those howls were a warning for something sinister.

The next morning, she found her German shepherd’s face “ripped up” and her Maremma with a tear all the way up her front leg.

What she’d witnessed was the aftermath of a wild dog attack - something that’s happened more often over the years in the Yarra Ranges.

“It wasn’t until the next morning where I saw her and her face was all ripped up,” Ms Sullivan said.

“We didn’t see them [the wild dogs], but we heard them and we put two and two together. I’m pretty sure that she’s been attacked or went into a fight defending the property.”

It’s not the first encounter Ms Sullivan has had with wild dogs - she’d lost multiple sheep last year which saw her ram displaced three properties down the road, while her baby lambs were killed. What Ms Sullivan described was a gory aftermath.

“They were just slaughtered, not even eaten. Like it was just a game for fun.”

Ms Sullivan found her ram limping, clearly shaken up by the barbaric attack. While the ewes survived and made it home, the baby lambs weren’t so lucky. Strewn across her property, Ms Sullivan found the baby lambs’ bodies one by one.

“The ram’s obviously run the opposite direction to everybody else, and I’m hoping that maybe he saved the females by doing that.”

Out of fear, Ms Sullivan kept her animals locked up in their homes. She can’t afford a repeat of that tragic night.

Ms Sullivan’s story is one of many which detailed gory livestock discoveries, wild dog encounters and long nights keeping watch over cattle.

Steve Ross spent the last three years attending a farmer’s property in Gladysdale after the landowner reported wild dogs attacked his sheep.

The farmer, an 80-year-old man named John, lost 30 animals to wild dogs in 2022. At his age, John struggled with the aftermath as he euthanised dozens of animals and cleaned up their bodies.

“You could imagine the emotional trauma of that, you know. Every night he goes to bed, he’s just wondering if the dogs are coming back for the

rest of his livestock,” Mr Ross said.

In the dark of the night, Mr Ross would keep watch over John’s farm. With his rifle at the ready, Mr Ross shot four wild dogs. But the rest got away.

“It’s just so difficult to hunt wild dogs. They’re not like deer or foxes or anything else, they’re very, very smart.”

These experiences led Mr Ross to form the Yarra Valley Wild Dog Action Group (YVWDAG) in an attempt to address the damage dealt by wild dogs in the area.

The group held a meeting at Wandin East Hall on 30 April and concluded the need to document the attacks in order to force the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate

WHAT’S ON AT THE MOVIES

Anora is good, but it’s not good enough for

Anora Starring Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshtein and Yura Borisov MA15+ 4/5

Written and directed by Sean Baker, Anora is a solid but slightly overrated film let down by a somewhat insubstantial main character.

Ani (Mikey Madison), a Brooklyn sex worker, falls in love with and impulsively marries Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch, but when his parents find out, they travel to America to demand an annulment.

Featuring witty dialogue and tight editing, Anora is a romantic dramedy that smoothly shifts gears to a psychological thriller later on.

The first act is a deliberately gaudy kaleidoscope of sex, drugs and partying, which makes the second-act comedown all the harsher, as the

Zakharovs’ cronies close in and Vanya turns out cowardly and unfaithful.

After the harrowing yet darkly funny home invasion scene (which took up over a quarter of the film’s 37-day shoot), the second act may drag for some viewers, but I enjoyed the begrudging camaraderie that develops between Ani and the equally miserable Zakharov henchmen as they scramble across town to find Vanya.

Yura Borisov received a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as Ivan, a burly but sensitive man of few words who clearly cares for Ani.

The third act is low-key excruciating, as the situation spirals out of Ani’s hands and she tries to stand up to Vanya’s sociopathic mother Galina (Darya Ekamasova).

It’s important to show nuanced portrayals of sex workers in media, and Madison shows incredible emotional fortitude and physical commitment to her role, but Ani just isn’t a very inter-

esting protagonist.

She is assertive, shrewd and genuinely loves Vanya, and that’s pretty much it; we only really know Ani from her job as a proactive sex worker, and the effective suspense of her agency being stripped away has the side-effect of making her very reactionary.

As with Michael Fassbender versus Leonardo DiCaprio in 2016 and Austin Butler versus Brendan Fraser in 2023, Demi Moore from The Substance should have won the Oscar this year instead of Mikey Madison.

As Elisabeth Sparkle, Moore conveys a rich emotional spectrum: from wistful nostalgia over her past glory, to self-loathing and desperation, to bitterness at the misogynistic industry that left her behind and the young clone usurping her life, to vengeful insanity, often under heavy, macabre prosthetics.

Madison does a great job in Anora, but Moore

Action (DEECA) to take action.

“We need a formal group, so we can actually make some decisions to get some local action, so then we’re in control of that local action. At the moment, DEECA is in control of our action, and we’re getting nothing,” Steve Ross said at the meeting.

Ms Sullivan hoped government organisations could pull their weight in helping landowners manage wild dog attacks.

“We’ve only got farm fencing on the perimeter of our property, it’s not dog-proof fencing. A lot of it is council border as well so it’s shared with Melbourne Water and Parks Victoria as well. I’m still waiting, it’s probably been five years now, for a new fence to go up,” Ms Sullivan said.

Wild dogs include feral dogs, dingoes and their hybrids and are considered a serious pest in Australia.

But a 2023 study by the University of New South Wales found limited evidence of interbreeding between wild dogs and dingoes which meant most animals previously thought to be wild dogs are likely dingoes.

Because of this, conservationists have called for landowners to practice non-lethal management of wild dogs as dingoes are protected threatened wildlife and have a strong cultural significance to First Nations Peoples in Australia. Regardless, landowners have bore the brunt of wild dog attacks and are desperate for help, and some see shooting the dogs as the only way to defend their livestock.

“It’s just sad that my animals can’t graze around my house,” Ms Sullivan said.

“I just feel that my poor German shepherd was out there trying to protect us, our property and the livestock - to have her little face ripped up like that, it’s pretty scary.”

best picture

in The Substance delivers a more varied and engrossing performance of a more complex character, and so deserved the Best Actress Oscar.

As for the Best Picture Oscar, Anora is a finely-crafted, cleverly-written film that only really stands out through its talented new star and (genuinely important) respectful view on sex work.

There are many great dramas like Anora every year, but you don’t get a grand but intimate space epic like Dune Part 2 or especially a feminist body horror masterpiece like The Substance very often.

While I hope I’ve made a pretty objective case for why Moore should have won Best Actress — her performance has far more dramatic meat on its bones — it doesn’t mean much to say that Anora, which is so incredibly different from Dune or The Substance, is the better film, does it?

Very good but not Best Picture good, Anora is currently playing at the Healesville Memorial Hall.

Steve Ross started the Yarra Valley Wild Dog Action Group to tackle the issue. (File)

Bush Kids picnic and play

By Oliver Winn

A family daycare from Launching Place celebrated National Family Day Care Week with a funfilled picnic.

Bush Kids Family Day Care is run by Danielle Kennedy at her home in Launching Place and she said the picnic was a hit among the children.

“It was good, the children all bought their own food to share at a similar eating time and then they enjoyed playing at the park. Afterwards we took bikes to the pump track that was available to us at the park,” she said.

The picnic aimed to celebrate family day care and raise awareness about the benefits it brings as an alternative to conventional day care centres and kinders.

Ms Kennedy said she started Bush Kids Family Day Care after working as an early childhood educator for 22 years.

“The reason why I came to family daycare is because I wasn’t happy in the long daycare or kinder setting and I wanted to branch out on my own, more so to run to the philosophy and the ethos that I cared for and enjoyed.”

“In long daycare there’s a lot of restrictions financially, the ratio is quite high, so you’re working in rooms of up to 30 children, and you’re restricted to their movement inside and outside.”

“There’s also a lot of artificial playgrounds and plastic doors, whereas for me, I like doing family day cares with low ratios and what I spend from my budget isn’t restricted,” she said.

Ms Kennedy is part of one of Australia’s largest networks of women in small business, with family day care providing early childhood professionals across the country the unique opportunity to run their own business from their own home and support local families with access to high quality early learning.

Celebrating its thirteenth year, National Family Day Care Week was held from May 5-11 and highlighted the vital role family day care educators and services play in the development and wellbeing of over 71,000 Australian children.

Chief executive officer of Family Day Care Australia Andrew Paterson said the flexibility of family day care made it just as important as other day cares.

“Family day care plays a critical role for families across Australia, in particular for families needing care outside the usual 9 to 5 or for those in regional and remote areas. The flexibil-

Cuppa for a cancer cause

By Dongyun Kwon

Le Pine Funerals Healesville and Tarrawarra CWA will work together once again for a cause.

The Healesville Biggest Morning Tea is set on Wednesday 21 May to raise much-needed funds for the Cancer Council’s life-saving research, support programs, and prevention campaigns while having fun with a cup of tea.

The Tarrawarra CWA will prepare the sweet, savoury, and tea while Le Pine Funerals Healesville will organise the raffle, game, and prize.

The two entities have collaborated to support the cause for nearly a decade.

“When we were approached by Jenny (from Le Pine Funerals Healesville) to come with her onto the journey, we said we’d love to because it fitted for us, because of our past president (who was struggling with breast cancer at the time),” Tarrawarra CWA president Anne Faulks said.

“It was just such a good fit for us.”

The day provides an opportunity for local residents to meet and socialise, and everyone’s welcome to attend the day with a $5 donation on the door all going towards the Cancer Council.

Le Pine Funerals Healesville manager Jenny Smith said it’s an event for everyone, including young mums and men.

“One year, we had a mums’ group come and it was so good. We had kids who played on the chapel floor, and they had a great time,” she said.

“We love supporting it every year. Le Pine as a company, lots of our branches do it.”

The Healesville Biggest Morning Tea will kick off at 10am at the Le Pine Funerals Healesville located on 102 Maroondah Highway.

Anne Faulks (left) and Jenny Smith are looking forward to the Healesville Biggest Morning Tea. (Dongyun Kwon: 476645)

Men are also welcome to join the event. (409442)

ity and agility of family day care and its unique approach to early learning, makes it an essential part of the education and care landscape,” Mr Paterson said.

Ms Kennedy said the ability for children to explore their environments freely at family day care is key to healthy development for the child.

“I don’t see these attachment issues with the children because they’re just so settled in the environment. There’s not four walls keeping them in one space here. We explore a lot and we don’t have a lot of boundaries as such.”

“I feel like it brings a lot more creativity and expression to the child, they’re expanding their creativity, their expression, their knowledge, it’s so much more broad in the environment rather than being stuck in a room. Their health is much better, their happiness, they’re settled,” Ms Kennedy said.

For many families, small group settings, home environments and the bond created between educators and children are a deciding factor in selecting family day care as their early learning option of choice.

“The one-on-one attention and natural home environment that family day care provides means children receive the attention they need to thrive, and educators are able to follow their passion and educate their way,” said Mr Paterson.

To find out more about National Family Day Care Week, please visit www.fdcweek.com.au

Check out local activities

Valley Youth Fest at Yarra Valley ECOSS Valley Youth Fest is scheduled on Friday 16 May at Yarra Valley Ecoss located on 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn.

Market is starting at 3.30pm, and music is kicking off at 5pm.

Valley Youth Fest is an all ages, drug and alcohol free event.

This event is supported by The Push and will provide an evening of Live Youth Music with Bothmusicc, Claire Garvey duo, DJ Bodhi and Alex from Misfitproject.

There will be food stalls and craft market.

Hope to see you there.

Help Yarra Ranges Council shape Yarra Glen’s future

Council is encouraging community members to share their ideas for Yarra Glen’s future, as we develop our first Place Plan for the town.

The Place Plan is a long-term vision and priority plan for the town – one that captures the things people love about living in Yarra Glen, and what they may like to see as their town changes into the future.

Ryrie Ward Councillor, Fiona McAllister, said this plan would help guide Council decisions for the coming decade.

“Yarra Glen is home to a connected and proud community and a town that many people visit as well as one we expect more to flock to when the next stage of the Yarra Valley Trail is complete,” Cr McAllister said.

“But despite the size of the town and its significance to all who live there and the broader Yarra Valley, there hasn’t been a cohesive plan that really maps out the values, the character and the goals of locals in town.

“That’s where this Place Plan comes in.

“To make this plan, we’re starting with a simple question – tell us what you value about living,

working and visiting in Yarra Glen; share some challenges you face, or think people will face into the future and; help us to document the opportunities that exist to make this wonderful town even better.

“We will use these insights to prepare a draft Place Plan which we will share with community again for your further comments to see if we got it right. Then, if Council adopts the plan we can commence planning projects and make sure decisions for future work in Yarra Glen are based on this plan and the community feedback that helped create it.

“I encourage Yarra Glen locals to visit shaping Yarra Ranges and take a few minutes to give us their thoughts and share their stories.”

The team will be out and about in Yarra Glen throughout May looking to have conversations with community, or you can visit the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall – 45 Bell Street, Yarra Glen, to share your thoughts on following days.

• Tuesday 13 May from 2pm to 5pm

• Thursday 22 May from 3.30pm to 6.30pm

• Monday 2 June from 3.30pm to 6.30pm Community members can share their thoughts online – no matter how short or long – at shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au until 8 June.

Bush Kids Family Day Care’s Danielle Kennedy and some of the lovely attendees at the park. (Supplied)

The kids had great fun at the picnic.

EDUCATION WEEK Nurturing the whole child

At St Brigid’s, we are committed to providing a holistic education—one that nurtures the formation of the whole child in a deeply humanising and enduring way. Grounded in the Gospel values of faith, hope, and love, our students are supported as they grow in character and learn to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

In 2025, our school community proudly introduced two innovative programs—Bush School and whole-school Explicit Instruction in Literacy—both of which are enriching student learning and wellbeing in meaningful and lasting ways.

The St Brigid’s Bush School program offers students a unique opportunity to connect with nature while developing essential life skills such as resilience, curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Through regular outdoor learning experiences, students immerse themselves in the natural environment—building cubbies, exploring ecosystems, and engaging in hands-on activities that spark creativity and environmental awareness. These experiences support their physical, emotional, and social development, encouraging considered risk-taking, building confidence, and deepening their sense of wonder and responsibility for the world around them.

Our implementation of Explicit Instruction in Literacy is equipping all students with the foundational reading and writing skills they need to thrive. This structured approach breaks learning into manageable steps, provides clear explanations, models tasks, and offers guided practice with immediate feedback. Supported by educational research from Rosenshine and Archer & Hughes, Explicit Instruction promotes strong engagement, deep comprehension, and lasting mastery. In literacy education—where clarity and consistency are key—it empowers teachers to deliver high-impact lessons that close learning gaps and foster confidence in every student.

ST BRIGID’S

Together, these programs significantly strengthen both academic achievement and student wellbeing. Parents often tell us that what sets St Brigid’s apart is our unwavering commitment to the whole child, our close-knit school commu-

Our focus on well-being and community support through initiatives such as:

A full-time Well-being Leader

Whole-school student wellbeing programs (Rock and Water, K-Clubs, etc.)

Community support during difficult times (food vouchers, crisis accommodation, etc.)

Sports opportunities (swimming, athletics, interschool competitions).

nity, and our strong focus on the common good, solidarity, and social justice.

Enrolments for Prep 2026 are now open. Applications are processed in order of receipt, and class sizes are capped at 25 to ensure person-

alised attention for every student. We warmly invite prospective families to book a personalised tour with Principal Mrs Tess Dwyer and our student leaders. Please contact the school office for more information.

Bush School program offers students a unique opportunity to connect with nature. (Supplied)The Explicit Instruction in Literacy is a new program at the St Brigid’s.

Students get to play, learn and indulge in curiosity.

EDUCATION WEEK Values-driven education

At Yarra Glen Primary School, we are committed to providing the best educational outcomes for all students, differentiating by focusing on each individual student’s point of need.

Our PERRI values reflect our culture in which Persistence, Encouragement, Resilience, Respect and Inclusiveness form the foundation of who we are. Teamwork, accountability and acceptance combine together with our PERRI Values to provide an engaging and supportive learning experience for all students.

Yarra Glen Primary School embeds and teaches the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures. SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.

Our School Council comprises caring, supportive and dedicated parents, committed to the successful running of the school – for now and into the future. We have sub-committees comprising staff and parents who are actively involved in various facets of the school, such as wellbeing, policy, fundraising and grounds development.

At the heart of our school lies an environment that supports and enhances learning, with outstanding facilities specifically designed to do just that. From modern, well-equipped classrooms to expansive outdoor play areas, a huge oval, an indoor multi-purpose space and creative arts spaces, our infrastructure is designed with student success in mind.

Our student leadership program, which includes school leaders and house captains, promotes leadership, responsibility, and student voice within the school community. Our SRC – Student Representative Council – allows all students to have a say. Student voice is crucial in the success of our school. We pride ourselves on our students contributing to decision making processes and collectively influencing outcomes by putting forward their views, concerns and ideas, and actively participating in our school, our community and the education system. Student voice allows students to engage, participate, lead and learn.

The school is led by a Leadership Team consisting of the Principal, Assistant Principal, Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, as well as team leaders and curriculum area leaders. We have a Wellbeing Officer, out of school hours care and breakfast club. Recess clubs and participation in district sporting events ensures there really is something for everyone at Yarra Glen Primary School.

Our students perform in biennial school productions and our art show always wows the crowd. These events allow students to experience multiple forms of the arts.

Yarra Glen Primary School offers all students a place to learn, to grow and to be the best they can be. We support our local community, our families and each other. Come along for a school tour to find out how we facilitate our vision; to provide all students an opportunity to reach their full potential, become life-long learners and valuable members of their community.

Planting and regenerating the natural environment is part of the learning experience. (Supplied)

Students love getting outside in the purpose built vegetable garden. (Supplied)

Smiles and happy faces can been seen across the school. (Supplied)

EDUCATION WEEK

Exciting times at Wesburn

It has truly been a busy and exciting time for Wesburn Primary School so far this year. As we strive to make learning meaningful and related to real life, our recent school activities have provided a great opportunity. Our Prep – Grade 3 students spent much time in Term One learning about the importance of our local community.

After learning about many of the different roles people have, students participated in an excursion to Yarra Junction visiting the police station, the vet, the library, the Men’s Shed and even had a delicious lunch at Slades Staples Cafe. This was a great ‘hands-on’ way to learn about the world around them.

Known for her dot artwork, Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama drew early inspiration from the family nursery, drawing flowers and vegetables.

Inspired by Kusama’s creativity, students used the idea of viewing art from various perspectives, incorporating hidden words and repeated, perfect patterns, creating artwork and sculptures.

A well-timed inquiry topic, Democracy was at its peak in 5/6 - the House of Representatives was complete with Serjeant-at-Arms, Speaker, Minister for Education and a few backbenchers.

The No Homework Bill was passed, students keen to double-check the Bill’s validity.

Our school’s Anzac Day Service was held on Thursday April 24.

As always, we marched to the Wesburn Cenotaph led by a Wesburn parent and her daughter on horseback, our piper, and a Warburton RSL representative, followed by staff, students and many others in our school community.

This is always a moving service where we pay our respects to local veterans.

We all were presented with sprigs of rosemary and enjoyed an ANZAC biscuit as the service finished with the song, ‘Spirit of the ANZACs’.

What is most significant is that many students presented stories of local soldiers or family members who served their country, and animals in war and the significance of the purple poppies.

They recited poems such as ‘In Flanders Fields’ The Ode, and ANZAC Day by D. Hunter. We continue to be proud of the way in which students respect this important time in Australia’s history.

The highlight of the year so far was the Official Opening of our All Ability Running Track.

It was a pleasure to see representatives from Active Schools, parents, staff and students attend the opening last Friday, followed by the first day of Active Autumn where students, parents and staff run the track each morning from 8.30 – 8.50am, building up laps and achieving

distances such as Lilydale, the MCG, etc. Wesburn’s Outside School Hours Care program continues to grow with students from both

Wesburn and other local schools attending. Our wonderful and highly experienced educators make before and after school care an interesting and fun place to be.

If you would like a school tour, please contact the school on 5967 1302.

The newly-opened All Abilities Running Track has proven to be a hit. (Supplied)

Learning about democracy.

Honouring those who fought for Australia. (Supplied)

Getting creative in Outside School Hours Care.

chum.creek.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Healesville in festive mode

By Dongyun Kwon

Mother’s Day weekend in Healesville was filled with a number of activities for families, thanks to the dedication of community-minded volunteers.

The inaugural Healesville Festival was organised by a not-for-profit group, Healesville Festival Incorporated.

The group was founded by Rose Herring last year with a mission to create accessible and inclusive events that invigorate Healesville and foster connections among residents and visitors, after she’d noticed a high demand for a big festival from the community after the termination of the Healesville Music Festival in 2023.

When asked about the feeling of finally unveiling the festival to the community after one year of preparation, Ms Herring said it was a mix of excitement and nervousness all at the same time.

“We brought in a lot of multicultural acts that we don’t always get in Healesville, so we partnered with The Boite, which is Melbourne’s longest standing multicultural arts supporting company,” the Healesville Festival organiser said.

“We have a wealth of incredible local performers as well, who also have a wide variety of cultural influences.”

The two-day festival aimed not only to provide entertainment for the locals but also to boost the local economy by attracting tourism to the town.

Ms Herring said the Connecting Healesville Festival was a great model.

“(Connecting Healesville Festival and Healesville Festival) work beautifully together. Connecting Healesville was an amazingly communitybased festival, providing something that was available to local community members to come along and enjoy,” she said.

“Our aim was a little bit different. We were trying to have a really nice balance between targeting

tourism and helping our economy in Healesville.

“We wanted to help all of those local businesses that we have around town. We see so many of them closing in recent years. We wanted to bring a bit of tourism into the town to keep Healesville’s economy going, but also provide a nice balance of entertainment for our local community to enjoy.”

The festival kicked off at 10.30am in The Memo, Healesville, with different cultural workshops on Saturday 10 May.

In the afternoon, the festive vibe moved onto the local businesses, where locals enjoyed drink and music together.

The first day of the festival was wrapped up with the live music at the Healesville Hotel and The Memo.

On Mother’s Day, the festival took place at the green area on 13 Green Street, starting from 10.30am.

Bohemian Nights at Watts River Brewery. (477400)

Flamenco performance at The Laneway Healesville. (477400)

Klezmer/Nigun: strings and vocal workshop with Ernie Gruner. (477400)

Peach Fuzz at Payton and Jones Winery. (477400)

Shauntai Trio at Barrique Wine Store. (Dongyun Kwon: 477400)

Healesville Festival Incorporated founder Rose Herring. (477400)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Huge success of Hills Act

By Dongyun Kwon

Hills Act Theatre Company successfully brought down the curtain for its first production.

The first production the company put on was Breathless by Deborah Mulhall.

Hills Act Theatre Company founder Phillip Stephenson, the director and stage manager of the production, said the journey of the first production was “significant”.

“I found some of it very stressful, but overall, I felt that we achieved something that I hadn’t thought we’d achieve, but we did, and we got there better than I’d thought at first,” he said.

“The actors became very close to one another. We became a family.

“When it came to the play, they did everything without complaining, and they were spot on with their cues and everything that they had to do, and I was so proud of them for that.”

Through four different conflicts and the stories of four different veterans, Breathless explores the unchanging cyclic horror of war, the unnatural stress it places on soldiers at the front line and how it bleeds into their civilian lives, traumatically affecting not only them but also all those who love them.

Harry volunteers for battle in World War 1 and encounters the love of his life while working on early models of army vehicles.

Tom, a country boy, has to endure and live with the stress and mental anguish from his experience on the Kokoda Track in World War 2.

Dave is conscripted into the military and sent to Vietnam, where he finds a political conscience.

Alan comes from a military family who gives unquestioning loyalty to the army.

He is sent several times to Iraq and Afghanistan, which creates friction with his partner.

Each of the four, all in the same army unit but years apart, finds camaraderie in the army, but each has to struggle with the demons of PTSD, as do their partners.

Adam Boswell, who played Alan, said it was incredible to be a part of the debut show of Hills Act Theatre Company.

“It’s a very special thing to be a part of, and to do a play like this about Australian soldiers and veterans all around Anzac Day is incredibly special as well,” he said.

“I’ve always known that soldiers and veterans go through a lot and struggle a lot. I think it put into perspective how difficult and hidden some of their struggles are. It brought that to light.

“It’s been a fun experience, but it’s also been very educational and emotional.”

The play was performed twice on 27 April and 3 May, right after Anzac Day.

Hills Act Theatre Company will do a comedy for the next production, but hasn’t decided the exact play for it yet.

The company will have a meeting to create a committee on Sunday 18 May.

“We’ll do a comedy, but we’re also thinking of doing other things,” Mr Stephenson said.

“We may do play readings and perhaps a talent show. We’ll just keep doing stuff and making sure that the town knows we’re here.”

The founder also thanked the sponsors who contributed to making it all happen.

Mr Stephenson said he couldn’t have a theatre group for the local actors without support from the community.

“Obviously, without the Yarra Ranges Council,

without the grant that they gave us, (we couldn’t make it happen), and I will be going for another grant with them. They’re well and truly on board,” he said.   “The

“Now,

money came in to cover the costs of this

play through the sponsorship from the Bendigo Bank Healesville, the Healesville Lions Club and private sponsors.

I’m hoping that we probably made a lit-

tle bit of a profit with this play so that the money that we’ve got will go into the kitty, and that will pay for the sets, the costumes, the advertising and everything for our next production.”

Hills Act Theatre Company successfully wrapped up its first production. (476662)

The cast of Hills Act Theatre Company’s first production Breathless. (Dongyun Kwon: 476662)

Mother didn’t want her son Harry to go to war. (476662)Tom suffering from nightmare and PTSD. (476662)

Hills Act Theatre Company founder Phillip Stephenson. (476662)Dave facing Donna, a Vietnam War opponent. (476662)

Friction between Alan and his partner Lou. (476662)

Lilydale’s Fire Bell

By Joy Gothe

As the Lilydale township developed, the need for a fire brigade, and a fire alarm system was desperately needed.

In 1904, newspapers reported yet another disastrous fire, the second for the year, which broke out at 2 o’clock on Saturday morning.

When the alarm was given by the cries of “fire” and the ringing of the Church of England bell, it was usually the only way to let the community know of the danger.

This fire had broken out in a drapery shop in Main Street and before it could be extinguished it had engulfed the two-storeyed Colonial Bank next door and threatened the next-door Crown Hotel. Up to 150 people were involved in trying to control the fire.

Obviously, a lot of time was wasted when

The Electric State fails to spark

The Electric State Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt and Giancarlo Esposito M 3.5/5

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, The Electric State is a lacklustre adaptation of the 2018 graphic novel by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag.

In an alternate 1994, following a war between humans and sentient robots that ended with the latter’s segregation inside a vast Exclusion Zone, an unruly teenager named Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) must venture into the EZ to rescue her brother Christopher (Woody Norman).

The Electric State has fun action and some quirky and poignant moments, and recreates the book’s retrofuturistic visual style juxtaposing advanced technology with rusty decay, but converts the book’s sombre road-trip narrative into a slow, meandering adventure story with awkward humour and bland characters.

Brown and Norman deliver solid performances but their characters are too thinly-written to connect with, and Chris Pratt is a generic moral scoundrel as the scrap merchant Keats.

As with Pratt playing yet another Star Lord type, Giancarlo Esposito plays yet another cold, soft-spoken antagonist as the robot hunter Colonel Bradley.

As many others have pointed out, even with the advertising imagery in Stålenhag’s books, it feels crass for the film to feature corporate mascot Mr Peanut (voiced by Woody Harrelson) as a major character.

The Electric State offers scant insight on reality versus illusion, racism and corporate greed, with Stanley Tucci giving it his all for a barely-there character as the CEO villain Skate, and save for the aesthetics, the film has almost none of the book’s quiet melancholy and fascinating existential unease.

The Electric State is also somehow one of the most expensive films ever made; it looks good, but not $320 million good.

The Electric State is streaming on Netflix, but for a better and smarter retrofuturistic robot-themed film (at quarter the budget), watch Gareth Edwards’ The Creator instead.

someone had to run up to Castella Street to ring the church bell so the push for an urgent fire bell began.

The fire bell tower, which used to stand proudly near the Lilydale Band Rotunda in Main Street, was erected in 1906.

The Country Fire Brigade Board let a tender for £16, to Messrs Brown and McClure of Warrnambool for the erection of a steel tower for the Lilydale brigade’s fire alarm bell which came from Sale in Victoria, work on the tower commenced almost immediately.

Now the bell could be rung to alert shopkeepers and residents to attend to any fire much faster.

Subsequently, when World War I had ended, and Madame Melba, who was one of the only people with privilege to own a telephone in the area, received the news, she took the initiative to rush from Coombe Cottage to Lilydale, even

CARTOON

though it was the middle of the night, and rang the new fire bell continuously to tell the community that the war had finally ended.

The bell tower served the community well, but later the bell was removed from the tower and erected at the old fire station.

It now has pride of place swinging proudly at the front of the entrance to the current fire station in Main Street.

Just recently in December last year at the ‘Lilydale Melba Festival and Street Fair’, the now significantly historical Fire Bell was rung as a tribute to Dame Nellie Melba and a reminder to the community of the Bell’s past history.

If you are interested in discovering more stories about the history of Lilydale visit Lilydale and District Historical Society’s website at lilydalehistorical.com.au or email: info@lilydalehistorical. com.au

Action-packed space opera

“Space opera” is a sub-genre of science fiction that emphasises space warfare.

According to Wikipedia, this type of work features “technological and social advancements... in faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology, on a backdrop of galactic empires and interstellar wars with fictional aliens, often in fictional galaxies”.

Traitor’s Run is the first book in Australian author Keith Stevenson’s The Lenticular Series.

In his words, this space opera trilogy portrays “species slaughter, invasion and rebellion where humanity are the bad guys”.

In this series, Earth controls a federation of worlds and civilisations called the Hegemony.

Relentless and ruthless, it will sacrifice anything – including aliens and its own citizens – to dominate the galaxy and protect humanity.

Against this backdrop, we meet Udun, a member of the Kresz, an insular and peaceful species native to their Homeworld.

Here is a description of the Kresz: “Tall and heavily armoured, like a cross between a crab and a lobster but with only two arms and two legs, although these were strangely jointed and much longer than a human’s. The eyes too were human-like, even if the thing’s mouth looked like a horror show.”

More importantly: “The cowl behind the head [like a cobra’s hood]...is an extra-sensory organ which allows the Kresz to ‘pick up’ on the empathic state of other Kresz nearby.”

As Udun explains it: “The sensation of others’ feelings was natural for a Kresz, as natural as looking up in the sky and seeing the suns, and just as assuring.”

This is why the Kresz are peaceful creatures, because “it took a deep madness to inflict [any injuries] on someone when that suffering instantly became your own”.

Simply put, such ability for one Kresz to immediately understand another in any situation is

PASSION FOR PROSE

the bedrock of their society.

Yet, when Hegemony forces invade the Kresz Homeworld, they brutally harvest the hoods from everyone who dares oppose them.

“This is not simple occupation and suppression. It’s beyond even calculated murder. It’s the malicious destruction of the soul of an entire people, something only a species that has lost its own soul could contemplate. This is the human race.”

One of the witnesses of the Hegemony’s capacity to cause carnage, destruction and suffering is Rhees Lowrans, a disgraced human pilot working for the so-called Diplomatic Corps.

But there is no diplomacy here, with the Hegemony encouraging factions in various alien societies and then launching full-scale invasions in the name of quelling local “civil disorder”.

As one character describes it: “The Hegemony always come in friendship, one hand extended but the other clutching a weapon behind their back... They move secretly wherever possible. They stay strong by driving outwards and sweeping aside all those who might challenge them. They will never stop.”

Stevenson’s representation of the human race is refreshing yet chilling.

Can Udun and Rhees help overthrow the Hegemony and restore peace and order in the universe?

We can only wait and see what happens next in The Lenticular Series.

Coming live to a stage near you

Burrinja – Live in the Lyre Grigoryan Brothers

The Grigoryan Brothers – Australia’s guitar duo return with Amistad -

A collection of Friendship and Connection.

Slava and Leonard Grigoryan have long been celebrated as Australia’s finest classical guitarists with a repertoire spanning centuries, continents.

Their unique ability to evoke deep emotion from every note and their telepathic musical bond have captivated audiences worldwide for over two decades.

Now, the Grigoryan Brothers return to Amistad, their latest album released by Decca, a heartfelt tribute to friendship and creative connection.

• Season: Thursday May 15 at 8pm.

The Round Theatre

My Fair Lady

One of the greatest musicals of all time, My Fair Lady (based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion) tells the story of a Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins who takes a bet that he can pass her off as a lady within six months. Made famous by Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison, My Fair Lady has won many awards and broken many records since its Broadway debut in 1956. The music is universally known and loved.

• Season: 2 – 16 June.

Matsudo Week 2025 Itotake

The Brandon Lee Koto Ensemble again joins forces with internationally renowned shakuhachi performer, vocalist, improvisor, Anne Norman to present Itotake. Featuring voice, shakuhachi and koto ensemble, with a variety works ranging from traditional pieces to contemporary pieces by Japanese and Australian composers,.

• Season: Friday May 16 at 7.30pm Karralyka Theatre

Victorian State Ballet – The Snow Queen

The Victorian State Ballet and the Victorian State Youth Ballet proudly present The Snow Queen in a beautiful ballet story performance. Outstanding skill, artistry and technique will be on show in this visually inspiring and highly entertaining performance.

Based on the well-known classic tale of Hans Christian Andersen, The Snow Queen is a beautiful ballet that portrays the heart-warming story of the young Gerda and her struggle against an evil and icy foe. The Snow Queen is full of magical imagery. Intrigue, drama and suspense.

Season: Friday May 16 at 7.30pm. Saturday May 17 at 2pm and 7.30pm. Sunday May 18 at 2pm.

Gemco theatre

Gemco Players Open Stage Nights 2025 Welcome one and all to Gemco’s ongoing Open Stage Night. Hosted by Carol, the popular open stage has been running for many decades. Held in a cosy hall, you are welcome to perform anything you like or just come for the lovely entertainment.

Enjoy music, poetry, singing, monologues, or anything you wish to show.

Returning the first Saturday of every month, now starting at 7pm.

Remember:

• The 1812 Theatre

• The Housekeeper

• Opening May 22 and closing June 14.

Bookings 9758 3964.

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

HOME FOCUS

TRANQUIL HILL RETREAT WITH ESTABLISHED GARDENS

NESTLED within minutes from Emerald and Monbulk townships, this charming four-bedroom home offers a rare blend of privacy, space, and natural beauty. Set on approximately 1,580m, the property is framed by lush gardens, mature trees, and a peaceful ambiance that welcomes you from the moment you arrive.

A tree-lined driveway leads to the beautifully maintained residence, where a wrap-around veranda invites you to unwind and take in the tranquil surroundings. Inside, the home is warm and inviting, featuring lightfilled interiors, polished timber floors, and a seamless connection to the outdoors.

The master suite is a private retreat, complete with an ensuite, while the additional three bedrooms are serviced by a full main bathroom, ensuring comfort and convenience for the whole family. The gardens are wellestablished and provide a picturesque setting with towering trees and lush greenery. Raised garden beds offer the perfect space to grow fresh produce, while a dedicated dog run provides a secure area for pets. There are also storage sheds for trailers, tools and equipment, while the expansive yard is ideal for entertaining, gardening, or simply enjoying the serenity of nature. Under-house storage adds an extra layer of practicality, ensuring plenty of space for seasonal items, tools, or workshop needs.

Conveniently located just moments from Emerald village, this home offers easy access to cafes, shops, parks, and walking trails, all while providing a private retreat from the everyday. Offering the perfect balance of tranquility and practicality, this residence is a rare opportunity to embrace the hills lifestyle in a setting of undeniable charm.

For more information or to arrange an inspection, please contact us today.

Woven Wire & Gates are Powdercoated in 8 standard colours.

SECLUDED 18 ACRE RETREAT IN THE HEART OF KURTH KILN STATE FOREST

NESTLED in a rare and private setting, this incredible 18-acre property offers the perfect blend of natural beauty and modern off grid living. Surrounded by the serene Kurth Kiln State Forest, it’s an opportunity that only comes around once in a lifetime, this unique property is a haven for those seeking peace, privacy, and an organic lifestyle.

The property features a harmonious mix of native bushland and cleared paddocks ideal for embracing a self sufficient lifestyle. Well equipped with essential off grid amenities, including water tanks, over 17kW solar setup, and even electric car charging facilities, you have everything needed to live sustainably in this idyllic environment.

The one of a kind home offers 3 - 4 comfortable bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and large open living spaces, designed with versatile living in mind. The expansive grounds provide ample room to relax and explore, with amazing birdlife and wildlife adding to the natural beauty.

Tomahawk Creek gracefully winds its way through the property, creating a stunning natural backdrop and a serene atmosphere. With unparalleled access to Kurth Kiln, simply cross the bridge to explore a network of tracks ideal for horse riding, cycling, or leisurely walks soaking up the blissful environment.

Additional features include large shedding and ample storage space, perfect for hobbies, workshops, or equipment storage.

Whether you’re seeking a complete lifestyle change or a private retreat, this extraordinary off grid acreage offers it all, a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the comforts of modern living.

HOME FOCUS

YOUR LUXURY OASIS: 27.5 ACRES OF PERFECTION

NESTLED in the prestigious and picturesque pocket of Macclesfield, this extraordinary property offers 27.5 acres of rolling pastures and natural bushland, creating the perfect blend of luxury, tranquility, and rural charm. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel the care and attention that has gone into crafting this exquisite, one-owner residence, designed with comfort, elegance, and functionality in mind.

The home itself is a masterpiece of design, boasting four oversized bedrooms that cater to every need. The master suite is a private haven featuring a spacious walk-in robe and a luxurious ensuite complete with a double vanity. The guest bedrooms are thoughtfully positioned at the opposite end of the home, each with built-in robes and serviced by a stunning family bathroom adorned with marble benchtops. Adding to the home’s versatility is a large office, ideal for those who work from home or easily adaptable as a fifth bedroom.

At the heart of the home lies a chef’s dream kitchen, offering an abundance of stone bench space and quality stainless steel appliances. The adjoining expansive family meals area ensures effortless entertaining and everyday living.

For larger gatherings or moments of relaxation, the home provides multiple living areas, including a main living room with soaring high ceilings and a wall of windows that flood the space with natural light while showcasing the breathtaking garden and pasture views.

An additional rumpus room with a vaulted ceiling adds an extra layer of grandeur, while a formal dining area completes the living experience with timeless sophistication.

Throughout the home, premium features abound, from the 2.7-meter ceilings and 2.4-meter-high doors to the ducted refrigerated heating and cooling system. A solid fuel fire in the family room adds warmth and charm, creating the perfect ambiance for cooler evenings.

Stepping outside, you’ll find an entertainer’s paradise. A spacious covered alfresco area leads up stunning Ironbark steps to a resort-style, self-cleaning, heated, saltchlorinated pool that overlooks rolling hills.

This incredible outdoor space is complemented by a pool house featuring its own bathroom, complete with floor-to-ceiling tiles and an oversized shower, ensuring every gathering is unforgettable.

Beyond the main residence, the property offers unmatched infrastructure for those seeking space or versatility. A massive 12 x 14 meter shed provides the perfect environment for running a business from home or catering to car enthusiasts, with additional machinery and storage sheds enhancing the functionality of the property.

Multiple paddocks, eight of which have water, are ideal for grazing livestock or horse enthusiasts, while the bushland areas and dam further enhance the property’s charm.  To the rear of the property there is an adjoining creek, perfect to sit by and relax.

Adding even more value, a separate twobedroom bungalow with its own driveway offers complete independence with a lounge room, kitchen, bathroom, solid fuel fire, split system, and separate utilities. Situated in an enviable location next to a renowned primary school and just minutes from the vibrant Emerald town centre, this property offers the ultimate in convenience. With easy access to supermarkets, schools, restaurants, cafes, shops, and public transport, this is an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy the best of rural and modern living.   Rarely does a property of this calibre come to market. Don’t miss the chance to make this extraordinary luxury oasis your own. Contact us today to secure your dream lifestyle.

HOME ESSENTIALS

Riley Nicholas 0488 501 218  • Barry Plant Emerald – 5968 4522

HOME FOCUS

THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE ON OVER 15 ACRES

POSITIONED on an elevated setting surrounded by stunning landscaped gardens this impressive home is the perfect blend of country lifestyle and modern comforts.

The home has been lovingly constructed using recycled Jarra to create a warm and inviting home. You step inside into the vast living space where vaulted ceilings and solid timber beams give you a sense of grandeur. For the cooler nights there is a coonara and a gas log fire that create a cozy ambience.

The huge timber kitchen has been designed for the chef of the family, featuring stainless steel appliances including a 900mm free standing oven, dishwasher, huge island bench, breakfast bar, an abundance of storage and adjoining spacious dining area to ensure you can entertain comfortably.

A second separate lounge room offers the potential for an additional living space, kids play room or whatever you need! For growing families there are 6 spacious bedrooms all with built in robes, upstairs you will find the master suite that boasts a gorgeous sunroom with picturesque garden views. Bedrooms two and three are also both upstairs and are all serviced by the spacious family bathroom.

An open study and retreat with a built-in bookshelf complete upstairs. The remaining bedrooms are located downstairs along with the second family bathroom. Hardwood floors, striking timber features and garden views throughout create a charming country home. To keep the bills down there is a solar array with two batteries and a generator switch for when you need it.

Outside there is a spacious decked and covered entertaining area ideal for hosting your friends and family. In the cooler months there is cafe blinds to keep the weather out.

Surrounding the home, the gardens have been meticulously designed and maintained to create a parklike setting with mudstone features, established plantings and expansive lawned areas for the kids and four-legged family members to run and play.

For the toys and tools there is a huge 12m x 20m shed with a 5.4m x 20m carport and a 4.2m x 20m carport either side for additional storage should you require it, with the added bonus of three phase power this is the man cave of all man caves!

THE balance of the 15 acre property is your own private park, with tracks meandering through ready for you and the kids to explore. Located just a few minutes from the Gembrook township and within easy access of Pakenham, this property offers the country lifestyle you have been searching for with all the modern amenities. The property is access via the service road for added privacy.

A LIFETIME OF LOVE IN YOUR PRIVATE HIDEAWAY

AFTER 49 years of love and care, the owners of this beautifully presented home are ready for the next custodians to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

After almost half a century of devotion, we are proud to present this home that oozes charm, quality and character. Meticulous attention to detail includes a long list of benefits such as hydronic heating, Tasmanian Oak floors, huge windows that provide a stunning outlook to the beauty that surrounds and the extensive use of rich timbers ensuring that the home is a welcoming and warm haven.

The living room with its crackling open fire as a centrepiece is a great place for family relaxation whilst the dining room with doors that lead to a decked area is the perfect place for family get togethers and alfresco dining.

The kitchen is the heart of the home with Smeg hotplates, under bench oven, dishwasher, loads of cupboards and bench space and has an adjoining family room

allowing the chef to prepare a culinary masterpiece whilst still being part of the goings on.

Clever planning sees two bedrooms and the family bathroom on the first level and the master bedroom with full ensuite plus the 4th bedroom upstairs. The master suite also has its own balcony where Sunday brunch will be a delight as you take in the abundance of colourful birds that visit. With updated kitchen and ensuite, there is nothing to do here but move in and enjoy.

The current owners had this haven built for them and have raised their children here, who have been able to immerse themselves in the natural environment which included exploring the nearby Menzies Creek and making the most of walking trails that go for kilometres.

Immerse yourself in the local community where schools, cafes, shops, sporting facilities and the arts are part of what makes Emerald a wonderful place to live and take advantage of this peaceful and private getaway.

HOME FOCUS

COMFORTABLE LIVING & GREAT POTENTIAL

POSITIONED in a sought-after pocket, just a short walk from Monbulk’s bustling Main Street, this functional and inviting three bedroom home offers an outstanding opportunity for first home buyers, young families, or those looking to secure a solid investment in a thriving community.

Set on a generous and usable block with convenient side road access, the property offers excellent outdoor space - ideal for children to play, pets to roam, or for creating a dream garden and entertaining area. There’s plenty of room to extend (STCA), enhance, or simply enjoy as-is, with a layout that supports everyday family.

Inside, the home is neat, well-maintained, and ready to move in with ducted heating, new flooring and blinds throughout, while also offering plenty of scope to add your own personal touch. The three bedrooms are well-sized, especially the master suite with a generous space for parents retreat, and there’s a designated space perfect for a home office setup-making remote work or study a breeze.

Enjoy the convenience of being within walking distance to shops, cafes, schools, and sporting facilities, making it easy to tap into everything that the Monbulk lifestyle has to offer. With its combination of location, living space, and excellent potential, this is a smart buy in a tightly held area-and an exciting chance to make your mark in a family-friendly neighbourhood.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to secure a home with heart, potential, and a prime position.

PUZZLES

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 One who believes in sharing evenly amongst the community (9)

6 Majestic (4)

10 Possessive pronoun (3)

11 Notorious dispute (11)

12 Of cooking (8)

13 Situate (6)

14 Without (arch) (4)

15 Hitchhiker'sGuide author, – Adams (7)

20 Enterprise (7)

21 Not genuine (4)

25 Invisible (6)

26 Tied up (8)

28 Offender (11)

29 Special effects (1,1,1)

30 US university (4)

31 Not at all sleepy (4-5)

DOWN

1 Patience (8)

2 US state, North – (8)

3 Climb (6)

4 Closest to the centre (9)

5 Duration (4)

7 Package (6)

8 Wild dog native to North America (6)

9 Infested (7)

16 Clothed (9)

17 Erased (7)

18 US actress who portrayed Allison Dubois, – Arquette (8)

19 News title (8)

22 Provide, furnish (6)

23 Of the stars (6)

24 Himalayan mountain person (6)

27 The bow of a ship (4)

Fun bowls helping others

By Dongyun Kwon

Healesville Bowling Club presented a $410 cheque to a local charity and welfare organisation on Thursday 8 May.

The sporting club hosted the Family Barefoot Bowls over five months, where local families could have a fun time on a Friday night.

Organiser Mick Featherstone said the event was to get younger people involved in the club for future memberships.

“It was to make sure that the club continues for another 50 years. Our club has gone for over 130 years now,” he said.

“Over the five that we did, we got roughly 300 people plus kids, and a lot of younger families did say that it’s giving them an opportunity to go somewhere on a Friday night with their families, have a drink, let the kids run around and enjoy themselves.”

The event was held on every second last Friday of the month for five months last summer.

The participants played for great prizes at the end of the night while enjoying barbecue, along with raffles and free giveaways, including ice poles for children.

Mr Featherstone said he was able to run the Family Barefoot Bowls thanks to support from the club members and local traders.

“With the raffles, we had Mainstreet Quality Butchers and Smokehouse, Steve Hollis, and Oakridge Wines. They got on board and they supplied the raffle prizes like meat trays and bottles of wine,” he said.

“Everyone paid a $5 entry fee for the Family Barefoot Bowls, and they were given a raffle ticket. At the end of the night, we did a lucky draw.

“Most of the nights, we had $300 plus in giveaways for the lucky draw prizes. It was the way that all the traders jumped on board, which was fantastic.”

Healesville Bowling Club successfully raised $410 through the raffles.

Ian Milgate, who supported Mr Featherstone

to run the event, said HICCI was a worthy recipient for the funds.

“They give a lot to the community, and they’re always looking for donations to help them give to other people,” he said.

“That’s why we decided to give it to HICCI.”

HICCI executive officer Alison Gommers ap-

preciated the special gift from the Healesville Bowling Club.

“We’re very honoured to work with our community and for the support of local people,” she said.

“I know what it’s like with volunteers working, and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do

AdventCare is a ‘not for profit’ organisation offering aged care that embraces Christian values.

Yarra Ranges is a 42-bed facility nestled between the Yarra River and picturesque mountains making it a popular tourist destination all year round. Yarra Ranges offers a boutique feel while providing personalised care and emotional support to people and their family and friends. We are seeking applications from Personal Care Assistants who desire to support people to achieve their optimal function and independence.

Yarra Ranges has increased care minutes and therefore finds itself in the unique opportunity of having AM and PM shifts available. If you would like to work close to home while making a difference to someone’s else day, then this may be the opportunity for you!

On offer:

• Casual and +Permanent Part time positions

• Immediate start

• Salary sacrifice

The successful applicant/s will have:

• Experience in residential aged care.

•Knowledge of Aged Care Standards and Accreditation requirements.

• Valid police check or current NDIS Check.

• Work effectively within a team.

•Possess a compassionate, care and supportive nature.

Please email yarra.ranges@adventcare.org.au or call (03)5966 4400 for a position description or if you have any queries

without our volunteers.

“That’s a very special gift and greatly received.”

The club will host the same event again this year to bring the community spirit back while raising funds for a beneficial influence on the local community.

HICCI’s Alison Gommers receiving a cheque from Mick Featherstone. (Stewart Chambers: 476354)

Healesville hosts Monbulk

By Steve Ebbels

With Healesville Senior Women having a bye this week proceedings kicked off a bit later this week with Healesville U18’s taking on Monbulk.

With Monbulk a bit short on players and the game reduced to 16 a side, and Healesville at full strength, the large expanse of Don Road ground was going to be a challenge for Monbulk.

This proved to be the case with Healesville flying out of the blocks kicking six goals straight in the first quarter to Monbulk’s one goal.

This trend continued in the second quarter with Healesville kicking another three straight with Monbulk only managing to add two behind s to their tally.

Healesville taking a commanding lead into the main break leading 9.0.54 to 1.4.10.

The second half continued in a similar vein with Healesville just proving too strong for a valiant Monbulk.

Final score Healesville 15.2.92 to Monbulk 3.5.23.

Best for Healesville T.Dunne, D.Sikorski, M.Holland, B.Collins, H.Green, J.Collins.

On the Netball front first up was our B Grade.

Another tough day on the courts for our girls with Monbulk coming out strong in the first quarter scoring 21 goals whilst hold Healesville goal less.

Healesville did manage to score in all of the next three quarters but in the end Monbulk were way too strong running out winners 94 to 10.

Best for Healesville A.Biddiscombe, Z.Vandenbroeck, E.Birch.

Following on from the U18’s good win, Healesville reserves were next up in the football and after last week’s competitive performance against Woori were looking get their first win on the

board.

With several key players out due to well deserved call ups to Senior duty, it was a struggle from the start for Healesville boys with Monbulk dominating the first half and went into the main break leading Healesville 6.9.45 to 0.2.2.

The third quarter saw Healesville finally get some goals on the board and thanks to some inaccurate kicking from Monbulk, Healesville managed to win the quarter by a point.

In the end though Monbulk to strong and run out winners 10.19.79 to 3.3.21.

Big thanks to the five U18 boys that stepped up after their game to help the Ressies out.

Best for Healesville R.Cameron, T.Tweedie, H.Watkins, M.Jones, M.Wallace, T.Cooney.

After a competitive game against Woori last week Healesville A grade netballers were looking to secure their second win for the season.

Unfortunately this wasn’t to be Healesvilles week and although Healesville girls were a little bit off their best Monbulk were just way to strong outscoring Healesville in every quarter to run out winners 74 to 44.

Best for Healesville H.Blackney, B.Erickson, K.Farrow.

This week’s Senior football game saw a little bit history in the making with the next generation of Barclay boys, in Tyler and Kyan, playing together for the first time in Senior’s football with Kyan making his debut.

Kyan and Tyler’s dad Luke and uncle Clint played over 100 games of Senior football together as siblings.

Hopefully, these two go on to do the same.

After last week’s disappointing result at the hands of Woori the Healesville team were looking to get back on track.

Healesville started strong scoring 3.1 to

Monbulk’s 0.4 in the first quarter but in the second Monbulk rallied and managed to outscore Healesville to go into the main break only seven points down, Healesville 6.1.37 Monbulk 4.6.30.

The trend of being more difficult to score at the visitors room end continued in the second half with Monbulk failing to score at all in the third quarter and although again outscored Healesville in the last, Healesville went on to secure victory 11.11.77 to 7.10.52.

Coldstream women undefeated after four rounds

By Hannah Chappell

All three Coldstream Football Netball Club teams hit the road over the weekend, facing tough matchups in Round 4.

While the men’s teams endured a challenging day, the Coldstream Women’s team continued their impressive start to the season with a dominant performance.

Playing away at Walker Park, the women overcame a sluggish start against Mitcham to deliver a powerful second half, eventually running out 54 to 14 winners.

A dominant third quarter flipped the match in Coldstream’s favour, with strong defensive pressure and clearance work setting the tone.

The win keeps the team undefeated after four rounds, cementing their status as early-season contenders.

Taleesha O’Kane was named Coldstream Brewery’s Player of the Round after a standout game, where her relentless effort and on-field pressure helped shift momentum at critical points in the match.

Over at Wally Tew Reserve, the day was far tougher for the men’s sides against a strong Ferntree Gully outfit.

The Reserves were outgunned, falling 6 to 140 in a one-sided affair.

Despite the margin, Cam Boeder was a standout and earned Reserves Player of the Round honours for his determined four-quarter effort.

The Senior Men also faced a tough battle against Ferntree Gully, going down 42 to 59 in a hard-fought contest.

Coldstream showed good signs of competitive football in the first half, but Ferntree Gully’s efficiency around the contest saw them edge ahead.

The Senior Men worked hard throughout, with Mitch Edmonds and Darcy Fritsch both kicking 2 goals each, but the team couldn’t close the gap in the last quarter.

A highlight for the seniors came in the form of Josh Powell, who was tasked with keeping Ferntree Gully’s captain Jaiden Stevenson in check.

Powell executed the role to perfection, limiting Stevenson’s impact and showcasing his leadership in a challenging match.

For his efforts, Powell was named the Yarra Valley Steel Senior Player of the Round.

Football Results:

Seniors: Coldstream: 6.6.42

Ferntree Gully: 8.11.59

Coldstream Women’s team continued their impressive start to the season with a dominant performance. (Supplied)

1, A Broughan 1

Grey Team 44 def Donvale 35

Team 28 loss

Women’s:

7.12.54 Mitcham: 2.2.14

Goal Kickers: M Stark 3, T O’Kane 2, C Gun-

Best for the Healesville B.Murphy, K.Barclay, C.Warren, A.Biddiscombe, N.Mende, D.Ebbels. Big challenge next week for all Healesville teams when they venture over to the Warby Highway to take on Premier Division front runners Wandin on their home turf.

Caleb Surplice Yarra Glen competing in a ruck contest. (Supplied)

Two wins, one loss by Yarra Glen footy teams

Yarra Glen travelled to Alexandra on Saturday 10 May.

Yarra Glen’s Seniors and U18s brought a win back home but, unfortunately, Reserves was defeated by the home team.

Here are the final scores and best players on the day.

Seniors: Yarra Glen: 12.11.83

Alexandra: 11.7.73

Best Players: Caleb Surplice, Austin Smith, James Brereton, Noah Battle, Ben Ashton, Sam Wood.

Reserves: Yarra Glen: 4.5.29

Alexandra: 6.16.52

Best Players: Ethan Murdock, Dylan Mcgaffin, Josh Tilley, braedyn crombie, Matthew McKenzie, Daniel Kelly.

U18s: Yarra Glen: 11.9.75

Alexandra: 3.3.21

Best Players: Lachlan Rutherford, Alex Toscano, Brody Adams, Callum Sanders, Sam Gloury, Spencer Boers.

Brothers Kyan (far right) and Tyler Barclay (far left) hoping to emulate their dad Luke (middle right) and uncle Clint (middle left) who played over 100 senior games together as brothers. (Supplied)

Yarra Valley oust Hornbill

By Tervel Atanasov and Thomas Langmaid

Yarra Valley travelled to Croydon for their Round 5 clash with Hornbill, in a must win game.

On paper, the visitors looked the stronger team and had high hopes for a good outcome at the end of the day.

It didn’t start that way, with Hornbill opening the scoring nine minutes in with a long ball over the top of the Valley back line.

1-0 to the hosts, Valley had to rally together to come up with an answer.

Hornbill were talented, and their close ball control meant they found a way out of tight situations.

Unfortunately, a defensive error saw the Hornbill goalkeeper pick up the ball after a pass back, giving Valley the opportunity they needed to get back on level terms.

A well orchestrated set play between Atanasov and Kinsella saw the latter smash the ball into the back of the net on the half hour mark from the edge of the area to restore equality.

Five minutes later, Valley were ahead.

A move that started from Kerridge in goal saw an attack build down the left hand side, with Litchfield, Eyssens and Atanasov involved in the build up straight from the training ground that put Winjo Williams through one on one against the keeper.

His speed and composure were necessary and he calmly slotted the ball home for a 2-1 lead.

And the party didn’t end there.

A similar move to build up the attack down the right, resulted in Williams being played through against his full back opponent.

Taking them on down the right hand side, he delivered a high quality ball into the middle, which striker Mitch Anderson cleverly let roll behind him for an onrushing Jack Eyssens to grab his second goal of the campaign and seal the comeback before half time.

3-1 at the break.

The second half was a cagey affair as Valley couldn’t replicate their first half form, but were competitive nonetheless.

Keeper Kerridge won the Player of the Game vote with his spectacular saves to keep his side in it, including a point black dive to his left hand side to keep the ball from going in at a crucial moment around the hour mark.

A new defensive pairing of Ryan and Oscar Lyons came out on top, with both putting in an excellent performance.

To cap the day off, Valley youngster Xavier Veenker made his first senior team appearance at 15-years-old, seeing the game out at right back with calm and composure beyond his years.

Three points and Valley go into next week’s cup round with seven points from the first five fixtures, a tall improvement from last year.

Reserves: The Yarra Valley reserves made the journey down to Croydon to take on Hornbill FC.

Another new challenge much like the Camberwell team so something fresh was a big opportunity to walk away with a win.

The game started with regular captain James Wolff and vice captain Francis De Varga out with injury and sickness so goalkeeper Paddy Gray stepping up to take the captains armband and lead the team.

With high vibes, the game kicked off with hornbill controlling the ball in their defensive third and gradually making their way through the Yarra valley lines and eventually 15 minutes into the half the scored.

Yarra valley bounced back with a quick goal from Jack Rinke off a Paul Healey low cross from the right and sure enough five minutes later a superb volley from coach Aden Kerridge took us to a 2-1 lead at halftime. Amongst the goals Hornbill received a red card and were down to 10 men with 20 minutes to go in the first half which allowed Yarra valley to get back into the game.

The second half started with both teams holding the ball up when they had control and it continued that way for the whole half until, with five

minutes to go, a poor challenge from Liam Spicer saw hornbill awarded a penalty and easily converted.

Sure enough, a quick counter attack and Hornbill were once again on to score again and with a chip over the keepers head took the score to a game finishing 3-2.

A very tough day, a hard pill to swallow and no one to blame but ourselves for letting slip a 2-1 lead.

We go again in a few weeks and look to get back onto the winners list.

Thirds match report: By Thomas Langmaid.

The Thirds looked to bounce back from a 4-0 drubbing last week with a trip to Kew to face the Melbourne Deaf team.

Three was the charm for Healesville’s U16s

By Sarah Bailey

On Mother’s Day weekend Healesville Soccer Club celebrated some great wins and continued its tradition of team photos featuring mums and players.

Healesville U16s 4-2 Knox U16 Force

Three was the magic number for the U16s this week, with a hat-trick scored in round three of the season.

At home against Knox, Healesville were switched on from the first kick and brought great pressure in the opening 15 minutes until Knox found their way through for a couple of shots on goal.

The home side regained the ascendancy moments later, and Gordon K scored his second goal of the season, quickly followed by Aidan C scoring his first for the club.

A late pounce on a Healesville error saw Knox score just before half time.

A keeper change and some orange slices later, Healesville launched their pressure attack again. Pip M, Gordon K and Charlie J controlled the middle of the pitch, while Griffin and Harry played superbly to cut off many attempted passes by Knox.

But it was Aidan’s day, as he went on to score a second and a third and become the U16s hattrick hero.

Healesville Senior Men 3-2 MUFC

A bright start by the away team saw Johnny C brought down in the box, but the clear penalty was waved away by the referee.

From there Healesville, controlling the game, had two lapses in concentration and found themselves two goals down at the break.

A Brian W screamer (from six yards out and no keeper to beat) finally got Healesville firing, and further goals by JJ and Johnny C sealed a gutsy, come-from-behind three points for the Seniors.

Healesville Reserves 2-1 MUFC Reserves

The first win of the season consolidated the hard work of last week.

In a welcome return, Steve made numerous interceptions with his high sweeping position as keeper.

It was a well-matched encounter with both teams sharing possession, but Healesville had more attempts on goal.

Despite this the Reserves went down 1-0 in the

first half before recovering to get an equaliser before half time courtesy of Ben S.

The second half was much the same as the first, with Andy having three slighters on goal before burying a beauty for his first goal for Healesville.

Healesville U14 Red Devils 2-0 Waverley City

The Red Devils came up against their first real test of the season against a more than handy Waverley outfit.

It was an even contest up to half time with chances for both teams.

Healesville defender Jade L and keeper Teah V were solid at the back.

The game opened up a bit more in the second half as Healesville asserted their dominance.

Strikers Evie T and Sia M put the Devils in front with two quick goals in the middle of the half, which allowed a calm finish to the game.

This win sees the Devils with three wins from three games, and even better three clean sheets to make them joint leaders of the ladder.

Next week sees them face off at home against the other undefeated team, Knox, in what is shaping up to be the tie of the round.

Healesville U12 White Wolves 4-2 Lilydale U12 Eagles

Healesville set out to make amends for last week and quickly hit the scoreboard via a terrific run and carry by Will B.

Ava H’s trademark ball control and clever usage was on full display and Max H put in a solid performance as they helped our undermanned, injury-depleted side.

Flynn Mc and Robbie K caused chaos through the midfield with some well-crafted through balls that were a delight to see.

Ardi C was in his element with the amount of on-side activity and was rewarded as he advanced the Healesville margin to 2-0 at the break.

Lilydale broke through with an advancing team goal that lifted the away side. Lilydale followed up with another goal shortly after to level the match with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Jon G had the play of the day: a very determined solo dribble down the left wing, beating multiple players and finding Robbie K, who finished with authority.

Ardi C scored his second to finish off the match and bring a smile to the Healesville supporters.

Healesville U12 White Diamonds 1-2 Heales-

ville U12 Reds 2

A great game where the two Healesville U12 girls teams played against each other.

After an even start the scores were locked in at nil-all at half time.

The second half saw a goal from the Reds followed by a goal from Keely of the Diamonds.

The teams were matching play with minutes to go and a 1-1 scoreline, before another goal from the Reds just before the final whistle saw them take a 2-1 win.

Healesville U10 Falcons 5-0 MUFC

After a slow start with both teams finding their feet, Healesville started to get the better of their opponents and created a few good chances.

Colton scored with a nice finish.

They kept up the hard work and were rewarded with goals by Ethan S and Karl S, giving them a 4-0 lead at half time.

After half time, Healesville created a lot of chances with some quick passing.

Some good saves from the keeper kept the score down.

Ben finished the scoring with a great effort into the top corner to make it 5-0.

Nate also scored two great goals, but as he was just inside the box and the mercy rule was in effect they didn’t make it into the official tally.

Other results:

Healesville U11 Goats 3-3 MSBC

Goals: Griffen 2, Oscar 1

Healesville U12 Panthers 2-2 Gideon’s Warriors

Goals: Sam 1, own goal 1

Healesville Senior Women’s 1-2 Waverley

Goal: Tess

U13 Healesville Heelers 2-3 Knox Force

Goals: Monti 1, Cooper 1

Healesville U11 Ninjas 4-6 Knox U11 Force

Goals: Jacob 1, Ollie 1, Max 1, Leroy 1

While the team started well, getting in the right positions and moving the ball constantly up the pitch, the Thirds couldn’t capitalise, and half an hour in, a calamitous minute of play saw them go behind after failing to clear a ball out of their 18-yard box.

1-0 down at the half, the lads went out there in the 2nd half to try and get back into the game, and while chances did come, they were again not capitalised on, and in the end the lack of legs cost them, with the Melbourne Deaf team counter attacking late on, sealing the game with a second goal with eight minutes left.

A tough loss which will result in some soul searching, but onwards and upwards to the next game.

Horse Talk time

By Anita Prowse

It was a gorgeous weekend - hopefully everyone got out there to enjoy it.

Preparations are underway for this year’s Yarra Valley Horse Show at Wesburn Park December 14 2025.

We have some added classes this year including side-saddle which is a fantastic addition for spectators to see our ladies historic form of horse riding.

The Eminent Turnout will be on again and we hope to get many elegant campaigners out for the $250 cash prize.

We also have the addition of Riding Pony classes in the breeds ring, joining our Welsh, APSB, Dilutes and Pinto classes. As usual open rings, Pony Club ring, topsy and HRCAV rings will be running with something for absolutely everyone.

If any Breed Societies or sponsors wish to be involved please contact Anita Prowse asap at: anita.horses@gmail.com

Next weekend sees show jumping at Shirley Heights EC starting with freshmans on Friday.

Yarra Valley first’s put on a dominant display against Hornbill FC. (File)

U16s mums-and-players photo. (Supplied)

Side-saddle rider Stacey Rusic. (Supplied)

They

FOOTY TIPSTERS

Q&A

Daniela De Martino MP

1. What made you barrack for the AFL team you follow today?

Mum grew up in North Fitzroy just near the Brunswick oval so the Fitzroy Lions it was for our family. When they merged I followed the Lions and haven’t looked back. Go Roys!

Fun Fact: I’m the only MP in the Victorian Parliament who barracks for the Lions

2. What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend?

When not out in the Community I love catching up with friends and family over a meal and a game of cards.

3. Do you enjoy what you do for a living?

I love it, It’s the best job I’ve ever had and it really is an honour and a privilege to be the Member for Monbulk – the best District in the State!

4. What’s your favourite type of cuisine?

Italian, no two ways about it. It’s in my DNA.

5. What are 3 words that describe you best?

Passionate, Loyal, Kind

6. When you were little, what did you think you were going to be?

When I was 8 – an Eygyptologist

7. Who would you like to have dinner with and why (could be anyone, dead or alive)?

Jesus - So many questions…..

8. What advice would you offer to your younger self?

Always be kind and don’t be so hard on yourself