Mail - Mt Evelyn Star Mail - 8th July 2025 by Star News Group

Home up in flames

By Evan Wolski and Mikayla van Loon

A destructive house fire tore through a 1920s-era Lilydale property last week requiring a multibrigade response.

The abandoned and boarded up house on Berwick Street went up in flames overnight, with a large majority of the house destroyed.

“Upon arrival, it was clear the fire had been developing in an abandoned house for some time without notice,” the Lilydale CFA said.

Smoke was seen billowing from the roof line before flames took hold.

Lilydale CFA captain Warren Davis said the blaze was brought under control within 15 minutes but crews stayed onsite for two hours monitoring the extinguished remnants.

Given the unoccupied nature of the house,

a Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed the fire was being treated as suspicious, with a known history of squatters using the property.

The house also became a frequented response location for firefighters, with fires often being lit in the yard by former tenants.

Mr Davis said the structural integrity of the house was most likely compromised and would require demolition.

Neighbouring brigades, including Mount Evelyn and Coldstream sent firefighters, while Yellingbo’s rehab unit and Bayswater’s breathing apparatus unit were also called in to help onsite. To

Mother’s quest for justice

By Tara Cosoleto, AAP

A mother is still seeking answers over her daughter’s cold case murder after a second coroner failed to determine who was responsible.

Joy Membrey, 85, on Wednesday asked Victoria’s State Coroner John Cain how she was meant to live without answers over Elisabeth’s disappearance.

“All I want out of life is my daughter found,” she told Judge Cain on Wednesday 2 July.

“I want justice for Elisabeth. That’s all I want.”

Elisabeth Membrey, 22, was last seen leaving her job in the Melbourne suburb of Ringwood late on December 6, 1994.

Police believe she returned home that night

and changed into a white T-shirt before she was killed inside the property.

There were significant blood stains on the floor and walls but no signs of forced entry or disturbance.

The only items missing from the home were Ms Membrey’s white T-shirt and her doona.

Police believed she was killed by someone she knew and the perpetrator tried to clean up the evidence before covering her body in the doona and taking her away.

Her body has never been found.

A coroner held an inquest into Ms Membrey’s disappearance in 2000 but could not make findings on the person or persons involved in

her death.

Police in 2010 charged Don Valley man Shane Andrew Bond with her murder, claiming he killed Ms Membrey because she rejected his advances.

After an eight-week trial in 2012, a Supreme Court jury found him not guilty of murder.

Police continued to investigate the cold case and in 2023 applied for the coroner to hold another inquest because of new forensic evidence.

TheyallegedtheDNAofMsMembrey’shousemate’s brother matched DNA found in her car.

The man, who was previously jailed for raping a woman interstate, told detectives he had moved Ms Membrey’s car when it had blocked his sister’s vehicle.

He claimed he was staying with his parents on the night of Ms Membrey’s disappearance.

Detectives believed the man was responsible for Ms Membrey’s murder because of the fresh DNA evidence and his decision to go to Queensland the day after her disappearance.

He allegedly told friends and family he knew what happened to Ms Membrey.

Detectives provided a brief of evidence to the Office of Public Prosecutions but it determined there was no reasonable prospects of convicting the man.

He has never been charged with Ms Membrey’s murder or any other offences related to her disappearance.

Judge Cain on Wednesday found he also could not determine that the man was responsible for Ms Membrey’s death.

“I have concluded the evidence falls just short of the coronial standard of proof,” he told the court.

He apologised to Joy Membrey and her family for failing to provide answers and closure, acknowledging the unimaginable grief and anguish they have experienced.

Mrs Membrey questioned the coroner in response, saying it was unfair and she was confident the accused man was responsible for her daughter’s murder.

“I cannot live another few years not knowing what happened with my daughter,” she said. Judge Cain reiterated he had reviewed all of the evidence carefully and the hearing was the final stage unless there was other new evidence.

Joy Membrey, and her late husband Roger, pictured in 2011, said she wanted justice for her daughter. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Elisabeth Membrey was 22-years-old when she was allegedly killed in her Ringwood home. (Victoria Police)

Another historic house burns down

By Evan Wolski and Mikayla van

On Sunday 29 June, a house rich in history was burned down in Lilydale.

The house, built in the 1920s, was passed down between generations, until its abrupt destruction.

Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Yellingbo, Bayswater and Coldstream firefighters responded to a call at around 10.40pm, upon arrival they could see smoke emitting from the roof, before the roof went up in flames.

The house was located right behind the Lilydale Masonic Lodge, a building that burnt down as well in December of 2023. Mr Davis said the house was also owned by the Masonic Lodge.

The brigades cleared the building and got the fire under control in around 15 minutes, and a thorough inspection confirmed there was no one

on site.

“I’d say around 80 per cent of the house was destroyed,” Lilydale CFA captain Warren Davis told Star Mail.

“It is a suspicious fire, and police are investigating.”

The house has been a site of suspicious activity before, with a previous resident having multiple complaints made against them.

“He had amassed a whole lot of junk that he picked up on the street, he used to raid the clothing bins and scatter the clothes all over the backyard and he’d set fire to them,” the captain said.

After that man was evicted, Mr Davis said another moved in and did similar thing, so the house was a familiar site for the CFA.

Mr Davis encourages anyone who has any information or knows anything about the blaze to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.

A Victoria Police spokesperson has confirmed they are investigating the fire as it is believed to be suspicious, at this time there is nothing to make the police think it is connected to any other activity.

“The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blaze remains ongoing,” the spokesperson said.

Police are aware that while the property was unoccupied it is believed to be frequented by squatters.

Mr Davis said the property had been “securely fenced off to the public” and council personnel were notified to check the integrity of the building.

He believed it likely that the building would need demolishing.

Yarra Ranges Council was contacted for comment.

IN BRIEF

Plan ahead for snow trips

Yarra Ranges residents planning to travel to alpine resorts this winter are urged to plan ahead to avoid being turned away.

Police are disappointed at the number of motorists arriving at alpine resorts unprepared, with more than 80 cars turned away each weekend from Mt Buller for failing to carry required snow chains at Alpine Resorts.

With the snow season only three weeks old, police have made 50 rescues on Mt Hotham –mostly consisting of motorists who needed to be extracted to their cars due to rapidly changing weather conditions.

“Up to 80 vehicles are being turned back every weekend by resort management at Mt Buller which is concerning. It shows some travellers are still underestimating just how serious alpine conditions can be,“ Eastern Region Commander Karen Nyholm said.

Despite clear laws, signage and repeated safety messages, police and Alpine resort management staff continue to intercept a large number of vehicles without snow chains – equipment that can be the difference between a safe trip and a serious crash.

Act on penalty reminder notice

or risk

enforcement action

Victorians who have an outstanding fine for failing to vote in the 2024 local council elections are urged to act before the matter is referred to Fines Victoria.

Victorians who failed to vote in the October 2024 elections will start receiving a penalty reminder notice this week, which carries a fee of $29.20 in addition to the original $99 fine.

“If you receive a penalty reminder notice in the mail, you have three options: pay the fine, request an internal review, or elect to go to court,“ Mr Bluemmel said.

“Please get in touch with us if you have any questions or require further clarification because once we hand it over to Fines Victoria for enforcement action, we are unable to further assist.“

Non-voters have 28 days to respond to the penalty reminder notice.

The Victorian Electoral Commission encourages people who are confused about what to do to call 1300 551 575 or visit vec.vic.gov.au/voting/ fines-and-reviews.

FWO inspections

The Fair Work Ombudsman will roll out a fresh campaign of horticulture sector inspections targeting labour hire providers, after a three-year campaign investigating more than 500 employers revealed the Australian regions with the worst rates of non-compliance with workplace laws.

The FWO’s newly-released Horticulture compliance report shows the non-compliance rates for employers targeted for surprise inspections in 15 regional hotspots under the regulator’s Horticulture Strategy 2021-2024.

Labour hire operators had notably higher breach rates than growers in every region where both were investigated.

Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley region had the highest rate of overall non-compliance, with 83 per cent of targeted employers found to have failed to meet obligations under the Fair Work Act.

Fair Work Inspectors will return to these least-compliant regions in the new campaign across the next two years, starting with Riverina businesses this month.

Firefighters were called to the Berwick Street, Lilydale property at around 10.40pm. (Lilydale CFA)

Smoke was billowing from the roof, with around 80 per cent of the house damaged.

Police are investigating the suspicious fire.

Loon

Gas phase out welcomed

By Dongyun Kwon

Local renewable energy groups welcomed the Victorian government’s plan to cut gas use.

The government had initially intended to replace gas heaters as well as hot water systems with electric appliances, however, the government amended its plan, giving some exemptions as concerns had been raised.

Premier Jacinta Allan said families will pay less on their energy bills, the industry will get the gas it needs, and Victorian jobs will be protected.

“It’s good for industry, workers, renters and families – we’re on their side,” she said.

“We are not just making sure Victoria has the gas it needs – we are reserving it for industry.”

Under new regulations from 1 March 2027, when a gas hot water system reaches the end of its life, it must be replaced with an efficient electric alternative like a heat pump.

Gas hot water systems can still be repaired if they break down. Gas systems can also be temporarily removed and reinstalled during renovations.

There are no changes to heating for owner-occupiers.

There are no changes to gas cooking in existing homes.

From 1 January 2027, all new homes and all new commercial buildings (other than industrial, manufacturing and agricultural buildings) will be built all-electric.

Rewiring Australia analysis has found that the average Australian home can save $4100 per year, over the 15-year lifetime of appliances, by going fully electric including solar panels and an electric car.

Rewiring Australia chief scientist Dr Saul Griffith said phasing out these expensive fossil fuel machines is the easy way to lower emissions and hit Australia’s carbon targets sooner.

“We call on governments across Australia to follow Victoria’s lead and deliver this climate and cost-of-living win-win to more households,” he said.

“Gas forces households to pay higher energy bills and leaves them at the mercy of volatile global energy markets.

“Electric heat pumps and space heating systems are more efficient, more reliable, don’t pollute your home and significantly reduce energy bills.”

Healesville Community Renewable Energy (Healesville CoRE) president Karen Roberts was pleased that Victoria is leading the way in phasing out gas appliances.

“It will eventually lead to lower energy bills and healthier, safer homes in our community,” she said.

“The state government is also providing significant rebates to help make the transition more affordable. Gas is no longer cheap, no longer plentiful and let’s not forget that it’s also a fossil fuel.”

Healesville CoRE supported Badger Creek Hall in replacing its heating and cooling system and improving the insulation system, thanks to a grant the organisation received from Sustainability Victoria.

“Last year, among other upgrades, Healesville CoRE removed the floor to wall gas heaters and replaced them with energy efficient electric heaters, and since then we have heard that their power bills have drastically reduced,” Ms Roberts said.

“Adam at the hall told us that the Spinners and Weavers group used to huddle around the gas heater to keep warm, but they are now ‘complaining’ that the hall is too warm.”

Healesville CoRE has run a Home Energy Efficiency Advisory program for several years, where two of the trained advisors visit people in their homes and provide advice on what they can do to make their homes more comfortable and cheaper to run.

“You can register for that on our website. Our website also has great fact sheets provided by Rewiring Australia - look for ‘Sustainable Choices’ then ‘Electrify Everything’ and you’ll see a snapshot for things such as average upfront cost, emissions saved, return on investment, rebates available etc,” Ms Roberts said.

Healesville CoRE is now planning to host another free community event, introducing the federal government’s new cheaper home battery program and how solar has become more affordable in recent years on 8 August at the Memo, Healesville.

Please visit the Healesville CoRE’s website for more information at healesvillecore.org.au/ Repower The Dandenongs, a local community group advocating renewables and electrification based in Monbulk, also welcomed the Victorian government’s move to phase out gas appliances in favour of cleaner and cheaper electric alternatives.

“These changes will not only lower energy bills for local families but also create healthier, safer homes for everyone in our community - which is what we know that people from our community want,” Repower The Dandenongs president Neil Evenden said.

“We urge governments around the country to follow Victoria’s lead.”

Mr Evenden said Repower The Dandenongs know that locals understand the benefits of electrification and welcome the savings, from the Repower Festival in March and Sustainable House Education Day held in May.

“In our community, renters are feeling locked out of the electrification benefits. Requiring landlords to electrify their investment properties when gas appliances need to be replaced is crucial in supporting renters. Including minimum insulation standards and draft-proofing makes sense, given the state of many rentals in the Dandenongs,” he said.

“We look forward to helping the local community find practical solutions and advice on how to go all-electric without worrying about frequent power outages.

“New technology means it is now affordable and practical to phase out toxic methane gas heating and hot water, even for Hills residents.”

To check the Repower The Dandenongs’ website for upcoming events, and free advice and tips to transition off gas, please visit: repowerthedandenongs.org.au/

In-pharmacy treatment program permanent

By Mikayla van Loon

The confirmation that a statewide community pharmacy pilot would become permanent and expanded was welcome news to local pharmacies.

After an 18-month pilot program, seeing pharmacists offer treatment for things like uncomplicated UTIs and resupplying the oral contraceptive pill, the initiative became permanent from 1 July.

Lilydale Amcal Pharmacy owner Frank Kazantzis said he was excited by the announcement because of “the confidence it shows in the pharmacy industry to be able to offer high-quality health services”.

“The program is in its early days, however, pharmacists have always been accessible health professionals, and so expanding our scope of practice will undoubtedly increase health service access,” he said.

The pilot was initially set up to cut out the middleman for everyday conditions like urinary tract infections (UTI), travel, or other vaccines, and mild psoriasis or shingles management.

With the permanency of the program, the State Government announced it would extend the in-pharmacy treatment options from five to 22.

Mr Kazantzis said the expansion of services would take time to roll out, given the need for training and coordination, but that it would be possible.

“I absolutely think the expansion of the program is a beneficial thing for the community,” he said.

“How will it fold into our current pharmacy offer? I think I’ll still need to wait for more information to come out, and review accordingly.

“The training to upskill to be able to provide these services is significant and it will therefore be quite some time until we see these services rolled out. However, I’m confident we’ll be able to offer the full raft of services in due course.”

The Victorian President of the Pharmacy Guild, George Tambassis, also welcomed the expansion of the program and the commitment from the government to improve health access.

“The Government’s commitment to ensure pharmacists in Victoria can provide services for the same conditions available in other States and Territories is a huge win for patients,” he said.

“Over the next two years, following the completion of training, patients will be able to see their community pharmacist for conditions such as ear infections, asthma and acute nausea and vomiting.”

Currently, Mr Kazantzis said women make up the largest cohort of people accessing the community pharmacy program in his pharmacy, with urinary tract infection treatment the most inquired about condition.

“The fact that we’re able to assist in this area, where sometimes women can’t get into their GP in a timely manner is greatly beneficial,” he said.

But despite the general understanding that pharmacies offer increased services to the community, Mr Kazantzis said more awareness of the program specifically was necessary.

“My hope is that the government will continue to promote these to the public.”

While a number of pharmacies in the Yarra Ranges now offer services under the community pharmacy program, Mr Kazantzis said the training of staff, particularly pharmacists, “is a barrier to offering the service”.

“The training modules for pharmacists are quite in-depth and so it can be difficult to have all pharmacists able to offer the service,” he said.

“We will find over time, however, and especially now that the program has become permanent, that more and more pharmacists will be completing the training.”

In the Yarra Ranges, Mt Evelyn Pharmacy, Belgrave Community Pharmacy, Seville Village Pharmacy, Launching Place Pharmacy, Healesville Walk Pharmacy and Priceline Pharmacy Mooroolbark are just some of the participating pharmacies. To find out more about what services are available and the location of participating pharmacies, visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/community-pharmacist-program

Healesville CoRE and the Badger Creek Hall committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding for an energy efficiency upgrade in February 2024. (Dongyun Kwon: 389463)

Two reverse-cycle air conditioning units in Badger Creek Hall. (Dongyun Kwon: 421368)

Electric heat pump at Badger Creek Hall. (Dongyun Kwon: 421368)

Lilydale Amcal Pharmacy staff Chloe, Kasey, Frank, Theresa and Kareen. (Stewart Chambers: 463881)

Firefighters stay firm

By Dongyun Kwon and Evan Wolski

Local firefighters clearly delivered their message to the state government, “Scrap the levy. Stop calling it a levy. And be upfront.”

They are concerned about the recently introduced Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF).

The government has introduced this legislation to raise an extra $2.1 billion for emergency services through a tax which replaces the Fire Services Property Levy from 1 July and expands coverage to other emergency and disaster response services.

The Gruyere Fire Brigade sent a tanker with

several members to support the thousands of CFA volunteers and farmers protesting against the new levy at the Victorian Parliament House on 20 May.

However, the brigade remained active over those chaotic days for the sake of community safety while many other CFAs around the state chose to strike.

David Westbury, Terry Burgi, Ray Sartori and Tom Wilkinson are firefighters at Gruyere CFA, the four have a collective experience of nearly 200 years.

Mr Burgi, who has volunteered for community safety for over 55 years, said he was disappointed with the government’s decision.

“Going back to the word volunteer, we don’t do it for any compensation. If the CFA folded tomorrow and we all stayed home and watched TV, the state would burn. Fire Rescue Victoria and Forest Fire Management are good at their job, but they can’t cover the whole state,” Mr Burgi said.

“We even have to bring firefighters from interstate because we’ve gone from 50 or 60,000 active volunteers down to somewhere in 20 or 30,000 already because of age, interest, workload elsewhere, family load elsewhere, volunteerism across the board is declining.

“You don’t do it for compensation. You do it because you are community-support.”

The ESVF was projected to lift the average annual bill for residential home owners by $63 and $678 for primary producers, sparking backlash from some farmers and firefighters.

The ESVF is calculated using the following formula: ESVF = fixed charge + variable charge –concession (if eligible) - rebate or other relief (if applicable).

is going to be certainly a lot higher, and I don’t think that’s been put out to the general public.

“What the other issue is we know that all this money that they’re going to get is not purely going to be spent on the emergency services, it’s just another tax to get more money to try and pay their debt off.”

The third lieutenant said the government hasn’t funded them enough to fit their needs.

“Our brigade has paid for two of those trucks in our station. There’s only one truck supplied by CFA, and that’s a 96 model,” Mr Westbury said.

Another firefighter Mr Wilkinson said the big issue is that the levy charges the volunteers for their work they are committing their lifetime to protect the community from fire risks.

“I’ve come here under a different emergency management scheme to support them. I volunteer just not to go out in the truck. I volunteer many, many hours in respect to training, supporting the community, fundraising with the community, engaging with them so that they actually self-manage as well,” he said.

The fixed charge is based on the property’s classification which is divided into five different categories depending on the primary use of the land: residential, commercial, industrial, primary production and public benefit.

Mr Sartori, who has volunteered as a firefighter for over 46 years, said it’s an extra charge which people in residential properties need to pay.

“All the other services currently are being financed from consolidated revenue. Now the government’s going to keep all that consolidated revenue, therefore it’s a new tax on us,” he said.

“That extra charge would put over $1000 onto my rate bill on my 40-acre property. Currently, it’s a grazing property. You can’t run any more animals on it.

“Therefore, you have no way of increasing your income or passing on the costs. It’s just an extra charge against the costs of running a property, and it could turn a profit into a loss.

“Let’s say you’ve got a 10-acre property worth $2 million with that including the house, you’ll pay nearly $2000 in the levy. If your neighbour’s got 10 acres next door and it’s not levied as a farm but as a primary producer, he is going to pay much less in levy.”

Mr Westbury, the third lieutenant, said it hasn’t been advertised that residential places are going to have to pay more.

“The emphasis has been primarily on primary producers. Because they own more land, their fees will be a great deal higher, but everybody’s fee will be higher,” he said.

“My family only lives on 11 acres, and our fee

“I am now expected to go and pay a levy for something that I actually do as a volunteer and support. If they were to actually pay the brigades, they’ll leave you the amount to go and support them to do those things, but it’s not allocated for that purpose. And we get nothing at all.

“The best they can do is probably cover us with some work cover type thing, and support us with some protection gear and those sorts of things.”

After the contentious legislation was passed at the Victorian Parliament House to come into effect from 1 July, not only voluntary firefighters but also local governments across the state expressed concerns.

Many of the councils joined a council-led revolt against the levy or at least released official statements raising worries.

Yarra Ranges Council expressed disappointment in the ESVF and joined the protest.

Mansfield Shire Council confirmed its commitment to advocating against the new ESVF tax in its meeting on 24 June.

Baw Baw Shire Council has written to the Victorian treasurer to formally oppose the ESVF, following a Notice of Motion raised by West Ward Councillor Ben Lucas at the 27 May Council meeting.

Although Cardinia Shire Council released a media release, expressing concern about the impact of the ESVF on its community and seeking clarification in May, the council decided to rule out joining any boycott or legal challenge against the controversial legislation.

Gruyere CFA firefighters are deeply concerned about the recently introduced Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund. (Stewart Chambers: 488136)

L-R: David Westbury, Terry Burgi, Ray Sartori and Tom Wilkinson, the four have a collective experience of nearly 200 years. (488136)

Gruyere CFA Fire Station in need of an upgrade. (488136)

Boronia project fast tracked

By Callum Ludwig

Introduced in 2020 and bolstered in 2023 as part of the Victorian Government’s Housing Statement, the Development Facilitation Program (DFP) was established to speed up the planning permit process for priority projects in the state.

Recent analysis by The Age has identified that more than 70 major projects have been approved though the DFP, with at least 40 more to be considered.

The DFP allows Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny or the Department of Transport and Planning to fast-track planning permits for housing, commercial and industrial projects, bypassing councils in the process.

To be approved for a ministerial permit, a project has to demonstrate that it will create significant economic development, be a significant residential development with affordable housing or be a great design fast track (facilitating desirable residential development).

A ministerial permit can be granted for projects in the advanced manufacturing and defence, agriculture and rural industry, digital technologies, education centre (excluding primary or secondary schools), health (private hospitals and day procedure centres), medical technology, mining and extractive industry, professional services, residential development with affordable housing, retail, visitor economy, arts and recreation facilities, warehouse and logistics, renewable energy or utility installation (other than a data centre) sectors.

One ministerial permit was recently granted in Boronia for the development of property investment firm Charter Hall’s Mountain Highway Logistics Hub, an industrial estate which will feature four separate warehouses.

Charter Hall was contacted for comment.

According to a publicly available but redacted Assessment Officer Report, the entire development will cost about $77.63 million on the 168,000 square metre site, with Stage 1 of the project including a 2081 square metre office space and 31,582 square metre warehouse as well as parking for 272 cars, 10 motorcycles and 12 bicycles. The report anticipates the first warehouse having as many as 225 staff on site at any one time.

A Knox City Council spokesperson said the Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for 1061 Mountain Highway, Boronia.

“Council was consulted as part of the Minister considering the application,” they said.

The applicant first lodged a pre-application through the DFP on 15 November 2024 with early consultation undertaken following before the final application was received on 15 April 2025, made public on 17 April and a permit granted 25 June, meaning the entire permit process took just over seven months.

Future stages of the development will include smaller warehouses, each around 10,000 square metres and smaller office spaces with extra parking. All warehouses are expected to operate continuously for 24 hours a day all

week once in operation. Practical completion is expected by late 2026.

The site was formerly owned by the British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GlaxoSmithKline who ceased operations at the site in October 2020 and according to a 2021 article from Real Estate Source, was

sold to Charter Hall for $106 million in 2021.

At the time, Charter Hall’s chief investment officer Sean McMahon told Real Estate Source that they intended to develop the rest of the site as a pharmaceutical manufacturing and business hub.

“In parallel, we will investigate other em-

ployment related uses in this zone that will complement the precinct,” he said.

“This increases our exposure to the rapidly growing life sciences sector and is a further demonstration of our ability to work with corporates to deliver efficient solutions to their property requirements.”

Three Yarra Valley schools receive vital funding

By Callum Ludwig

Three schools in the Yarra Valley have received funding through the Victorian Government’s Planned Maintenance Program (PMP), despite one not currently operating.

Chum Creek Primary School will receive $248,959.95, Warburton Primary School $422,059.18 and the inactive Gruyere Primary School $52,077.53.

“Both Warburton and Chum Creek Primary Schools are receiving funding to upgrade their Shelter-in-Place buildings and complete maintenance work including repainting, revarnishing and roofing and switchboard works,” a Department of Education spokesperson said.

“Essential roof maintenance work is being undertaken on three buildings at Gruyere Primary School to ensure the buildings are kept weatherproof and secure until a final decision about the school’s future is made.”

The program can fund maintenance work including fixing roofs, resurfacing floors, replacing windows, painting and installing outside lights and paths, which will be managed by either the government or the school itself depending on the size of the project.

Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence, whose district covers Gruyere, was concerned by the funding announcement for the closed school and said for years she has strongly advocated for funding to upgrade local state schools to fix faulty flooring, leaking roofs, decades-old portables, or classrooms that are no longer fit-for-purpose, to support local students and teachers.

“After the Labor Government effectively shut down Gruyere Primary School several years ago and there being no students there for years, it was surprising to see $52,000 in funding to upgrade it to a “world-class learning environment”, especially when so many currently operating schools with hundreds of students were denied any of this funding for basic maintenance and facility upgrades,” she said.

“It is disingenuous and more deceit from the Allan Government that cut $2.4 billion from public schools last financial year, with Victorian state schools receiving the lowest funding per student in the country,”

“By shutting down Gruyere Primary School then letting it fall into disrepair just shows further mismanagement and financial incompetence of the Labor Government, I will continue working with together with local school com-

munities to call on the government for school infrastructure funding that will benefit our students and teachers.”

The Victorian Government determines which projects are to be prioritised through a rolling facilities evaluation process, used to gather ‘up-to-date information’ on the condition of schools.

Warburton Primary School principal Nathan van der Monde said it’s incredibly exciting to receive this funding and it’s a real boost for the school

“Our students and staff deserve facilities that are not only safe but also inviting and functional, this support allows us to take some big steps forward,” he said.

“We’ll be upgrading our Shelter in Place building, which is crucial for emergency preparedness and safety, as well as its use as a classroom and library learning space,”

“We’re also renovating our much-loved Library room to create a more modern and flexible learning space, restoring the roof, completing critical upgrades to classrooms and other learning spaces, and refreshing outdoor areas—particularly flooring and surfaces—to make them safer and more usable.”

Chum Creek Primary School was contacted for comment.

Mr van der Monde said maintaining and improving their facilities is vital to providing a quality education.

“When students and staff walk into a space that is well cared for, it sets the tone for learning, wellbeing, and pride in our school,”

“By investing in our buildings now, we’re investing in the future of our students. We want every child who comes through our gates to feel that they belong in a place that values them.”

32 schools across the state shared in $10 million through the latest round of the program.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll said every student deserves a safe, modern, and inspiring place to learn.

“These maintenance grants are about making sure every Victorian school stays up to standard—because when we invest in our schools, we invest in our kids,” he said.

“We are constantly reviewing our schools’ buildings and facilities to make sure every single classroom and school building is modern, safe and engaging.”

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny wields the power to fast-track major planning permits, including one granted in Boronia. (File: 374160)Sonya Kilkenny(Minister for Planning of Victoria).

Decision draws division

By Evan Wolski and Callum Ludwig

National park enthusiasts are furious while other bush users are rejoicing following recent comments by the environment and outdoor recreation minister Steve Dimopoulos.

Speaking at the Electrical Trades Union Victorian Branch’s conference on Wednesday 2 July, Mr Dimopoulos is reported to have confirmed that the Great Forest National Park proposal is not a Victorian Government policy.

A Victorian Government spokesperson said they’ve been very clear that the Great Forest National Park (GFNP) is not and never has been a Government policy.

“Recreational fishing, boating and game hunting supports tens of thousands of jobs across the state, especially in regional Victoria,” they said.

“We are creating new national parks and expanding regional parks to link existing state forests, parks and reserves to ensure our great outdoors is looked after, for every Victorian to enjoy.”

The only national parks the Victorian Government is committed to were announced in 2021, creating three national parks, two conservation parks, and seven new and expanded regional parks in the state’s central west – including the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park covering more than 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.

Last year, the Star Mail reported on a 2024 survey by political consultancy firm RedBridge which found a high percentage of Victorians supported the creation of new national parks.

The Star Mail contacted the government for comment at the time and were directed to comments made at a press conference by Mr Dimopoulos regarding a review of Parks Victoria where he seemed to rule out the potential for a Great Forest National Park, where he said they were all that’s in the frame for national parks at this stage.

“We committed to three national parks at Mount Buangor, the Pyrenees and Wom-

bat-Lederberg in 2021 and it will be coming to Parliament very soon to enact and complete the promise we made to the community three years ago,” he said at the time.

“There are no new national parks on the agenda, we have two reports we’re going to respond to; one is the Eminent Panel for Community Engagement (EPCE) and the other one is the Great Outdoors Taskforce, which is yet to land,”

“The mainframe there is for more opportunities for people to get out, and enjoy the Great Outdoors… more camping, more mountain bike riding, more four-wheel driving, more bird-watching, more trail hikes, and all those other things, this is a rare opportunity to strategically plan an area which you could not previously plan because we were harvesting timber, now it’s becoming a community asset.”

Despite this, conservation and hunting organisation Field and Game Australia (FGA) and the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) have responded publicly to the latest comments from Mr Dimopolous.

“The Minister made it clear that the Great Forest National Park is not, and never has been, a Victorian Labor Government initiative,” Field and Game Australia said in a Facebook post.

“He stated they do not support and will not implement a Great Forest National Park,”

“We appreciate the clarity on this issue and will continue to represent the interests of our members in all relevant forums.”

Mr Dimopolous’ comments from the conference had not been widely shared publicly before the FGA post, with the VNPA only finding out about it from the post itself, which they said blindsided ‘conservationists, scientists, and Yarra Ranges locals who have spent more than a decade campaigning’ for the GFNP.

“The Allan Government has walked away from Labor’s promise of new parks for eastern Victoria – siding with fringe interests over families, and locking Victorians out of the nature they were promised,” GFNP campaigner and Toolangi res-

ident Sarah Rees said.

“They didn’t just break a promise, they broke faith with the public. But this won’t stop us. It’s only strengthened our resolve.”

The findings of an Eminent Panel for Community Engagement (EPCE), which began targeted conversations in late 2023, resulted in a completed report by mid-2024 but have not been made public. According to its Engage Victoria page, the report is currently being considered by the Victorian Government.

An interim report on the state forests of the Central Highlands, published by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) and which was to inform community engagement for the EPCE, found about 300,000 hectares of state forest would be suitable to be considered national parks in the wake of the transition away from

native timber harvesting.

VNPA Parks and Nature Campaigner Jordan Crook said far more Victorians visit national parks than state forests.

“National parks don’t just protect nature –they’re overwhelmingly popular and provide fair, accessible and equitable access to the bush for all Victorians,” he said.

“These bizarre attacks overturn decades of Victorian policy and put us out of step with both national and international conservation approaches,”

“The Allan Government needs to come clean and publicly release the Eminent Persons Panel report on the Central Highlands that is now nine months overdue so all Victorians can see what they are doing, instead of drip feeding information to special interest groups.”

Don’t let curiosity kill your cat

By Evan Wolski

RSPCA has unveiled its new program, Rethink Roaming, a website to help cat owners understand the risk of allowing their pets to roam the streets unattended.

While letting cats roam might seem natural, they’re up to three times more likely to die, can lose up to 10 years off their life, and cat owners who allow their cats to roam face 400 percent higher vet bills.

Speaking about the campaign, RSPCA Victoria’s Head of Prevention, Rebecca Cook, said the campaign prioritised helping people keep their cats safe.

“From being hit by cars, getting into fights, or catching diseases, the risks are so much greater than people expect.”

To use the website, and view these risks yourself, simply go to rethinkroaming.com.au

Enter your postcode, the number of hours per day and night your cat roams and the sex of your cat, and press the search button.

When you scroll down, you’ll see the true

risks of leaving your cat outside.

For example, if your male cat wanders around Healesville for eight hours, only during the day, you might think this is fine, as in the day drivers can still see him. But in reality, that cat has a 120 percent increased chance of death, 160 percent increased vet visits and bills and four years off of his life expectancy.

But don’t feel lost, if your cat really hates staying indoors, scroll further down on the site, the RSPCA has provided nearly 50 solutions to help you keep your cat contained and content.

Additionally, in the Yarra Ranges, by law, your cat must stay on your premises at all times, and if it’s found elsewhere, there’s a chance it’ll be impounded.

The RSPCA pleads with you to listen to them, and take these initiatives to protect your cat, others in your neighbourhood and native wildlife.

The Victorian Government has distanced itself from the Great Forest National Park proposal. (File: 309772)

Project that keeps on giving

By Mikayla van Loon

Two years into the project and the Rotary Club of Lilydale is still having a profound impact on the lives of inpatients at Maroondah Hospital’s mental health ward.

Delivering items for patient gift bags, like notebooks, self-care items and clothes regularly has helped ensure those who find themselves needing mental health support, are welcomed with something just for them.

Nurse unit manager Clare said it can make all the difference in how someone feels, knowing people are willing to support them.

“People aren’t coming with a lot, so just a small gift at the start helps welcome people to the unit and start their healing journey,” she said.

“I think they just generally make people feel better about themselves… the donations are much more than the bags.”

Rotary, through its Donations in Kind warehouse and other donation partners, has been able to provide branded tracksuits and shoes, something Clare said meant an incredible amount to patients.

“For months on end, they gave us Bonds tracksuits, which the patients absolutely loved. So it was a really warm tracksuit and the label seemed to mean a lot as well.

“They’ve given us a whole lot of shoes as well, which were also well-known brands which helped us get people out on their group walk.

“Some people would come in without shoes, and it was difficult for us to take them out on the walk. We’ve got an Equally Well Framework, which is trying to include physical health into mental health as well, and obviously exercise the big part of that.

“So being able to give people a pair of shoes and then they could join a group walk really meant quite a bit to people.”

Joint project leader Barb Lawrence said the success and continuation of the project would not have been possible without the dedication of

her joint leader Pam.

“The project is in its second year and now jointly led by Pam who is mainly responsible for the bi-monthly stocktake and ordering of supplies. Pam’s fantastic support has ensured this project has continued smoothly and successfully,” she said.

But like all donation-based projects, this Rotary initiative relies on the generosity of people in the community and other funding sources.

To help fundraise for this project, a raffle prize for a trip worth over $5000 to the Fijian Koro Sun

Artist’s impression

Resort is up for grabs.

By purchasing raffle tickets, not only do people go in the draw to win a five-night holiday but support two causes.

From the total money raised, 50 per cent is donated to provide solar powered energy in Fijian schools through an organisation called It’s Time Foundation, with the other 50 per cent supporting RCL’s care pack program.

You can help to support the program by buying a Fijian holiday raffle ticket by visiting itstime. org/rc-lilydaleinc

The raffle will be drawn on 25 July. Barb also wanted to particularly thank Community Bank Mt Evelyn, Rotary Club of Noble Park Dingley and Rotary Club of Oakleigh Clayton Huntingdale for their generous financial contributions to support the project in 2024-2025. If you are a motivated local member of Yarra Ranges who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world email check out Rotary Club of Lilydale’s webpage at rotarylilydale.org.au or email them at rotaryclublilydale@ gmail.com

modern terrace homes

Elevate your retirement at Cherry Tree Grove by Aveo. With just four terrace homes remaining, now is your chance to explore the final selection of two-bedroom terrace homes featuring open-plan layouts, private courtyards and seamless access to the newly revitalised community centre.

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Don’t miss this rare opportunity - book a tour today.

Lilydale Rotarians back row Simon, Barb, Des, Judith, Pam and Madalyn, with Clare and Brittany the Nursing Unit Managers from Maroondah IPU. (Mikayla van Loon: 488397)

First market day coming up

By Mikayla van Loon

The Mooroolbark Men’s Shed is busy prepping and preparing for its first major market day on Saturday 12 July.

Opening up the Shed to the community from 8am to 3pm, a range of handmade and beautifully crafted items will be sold alongside both new and used machinery.

A selection of wooden chopping boards and serving platters, different dog breed-inspired planters, pens, coasters, wooden trucks and cars, and trollies will all be available to purchase.

Having collected a number of tools, saws and screws, all in useable condition but just in need of new owners, these will all be up for sale as well, with a sausage sizzle to add to the occasion.

President Peter Gray said the idea of the market day is to fundraise for the Shed but also to clear out some stock.

“I’ve suggested we do a garage-type of sale to try and move it on a little bit more and the money we make from here will go into buying glue and blades and sandpaper and the odd tools just to replenish and update what we’ve got,” he said.

“If we can help people by buying these at a real, reasonable price, if they can use them, I’ll be happy if I can move them on.”

This is the first time the Men’s Shed will be hosting a sale of this kind, having previously held a permanent spot outside Mooroolbark Coles.

But with this tenure ending in August, Mr Gray said the Shed is looking for new ways to raise funds now that the regular bi-monthly barbecue and stall will come to an end.

“They’ve given us only two a year, instead of getting two a month. So that’s going to cut our costs down tremendously,” he said.

“So next year, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll have to try and concentrate on markets. There are only certain things you can do, because in any club, footy club, or whatever it is, it’s the same people week in and week out that help you.

“We might have to have our monthly market here and do a regular sausage sizzle outside, then Denis and the boys can sell all the goods that we make.”

Operating primarily on funds from donors, fundraising and the odd grant, Mr Gray said, like all things, the Shed’s expenses have increased, with yearly costs now adding up to around $17,000.

“With wood donations and tool donations, they come in very, very handy but apart from that, we don’t get any other support. We’re mainly on our own,” he said.

Mr Gray and the committee are hopeful the market day will be a success to ensure the equipment, supplies and facilities are at a standard suitable for the members.

While the Shed is at full capacity for membership, with 45 members and three people on the waiting list, Mr Gray said they still encourage people to inquire about joining.

No previous carpentry or woodworking experience is necessary, with Mr Gray saying he was a motor mechanic before joining over eight years ago.

“We’ve all learned through Gerry and after

you’ve been here a little while, you pick up how to use your tools, and everyone’s got different ideas. We all learn from each other. All feed off each other.”

If people have a project they need help completing, the members love a challenge or taking on custom work.

Shed is all about. Head down to the

The market day will also act like an open day, for people to see what the

on the corner of Ellen

and

The Shed is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8am to 2pm every week. To find out more, visit mooroolbarkmensshed.org

School raising money through recycling

By Evan Wolski

In early 2025, Mount Lilydale Mercy College’s beloved teacher Paul Morgan introduced a new program to help teach students about recycling and to raise money for the homeless.

Mr Morgan is working with the Missionaries of Charity, an organisation founded by Mother Teresa, originally in India, and has since spread worldwide.

The institute focuses on donating to the homeless, and showing them a new path through Chrisitanity.

Mr Morgan is encouraging students to bring in and donate recyclable products, which he then trades in for 10 cents each, and donates the money to the Missionaries of Charity.

“We wanted to increase the level of recycling at the school as a sustainability initiative, but also we wanted to support the work of the Missionaries of Charity sisters at their men’s soup kitchen and Women’s Refuge in Fitzroy,” Mr Morgan said.

The school’s goal is to raise $4000 for the missionaries of charity fund, which would mean 40,000 recyclables, and if they accomplish this goal, Mr Morgan is sure to continue “Year after year”.

“Every student in the college is involved, and their families, and every staff member and their families, if they wish.

“I want to make it very clear, it’s a team effort.”

Mr Morgan teaches religion at the school, and frequently helps out at nearby soup kitchens, and has run many programs with St Vinnies.

He has run an ongoing project in which stu-

dents go to the city after school, and help out in homeless shelters. If you want to help the initiative but aren’t involved in the MLMC community, you can still help. “We’d encourage people to (bring in donations), if they cash in cans, they can bring the

dockets to Mount Lilydale and leave them at the reception there in an envelope marked Missionaries of Charities.

“And that’ll get to the organisers, which is myself and a few others, and we’ll make sure that the goods are sent over. Also, if people want to drop in food or sanitary items or nappies or whatever for

the Women’s Refuge, that is also welcome.” This program is sure to make a huge change in the local communities, and help homeless people region-wide.

So please, if you have anything to donate, visit Mount Lilydale Mercy College at 120 Anderson St, Lilydale.

Mooroolbark Men’s

Mooroolbark Men’s Shed, located

Road

Croydondale Drive.

Mooroolbark Men’s Shed’s Peter Gray, Peter Versteegen and Denis Hough are busy preparing for its major market day. (Stewart Chambers: 487758)

The dog-inspired planters are a fan favourite. (487758)

Gerry Bakker, former trade teacher, is the go-toman for tips, tricks and trade skills. (487758)

Ted, Alec and Pat having a laugh. (487758)

MLMC introduce new recycling program to help raise money for charity. (Supplied)

Where to pick up your FREE Star Mail

CHIRNSIDE PARK Meadowgate Milk Bar3 Meadowgate Drive

CHIRNSIDE PARK Coles Supermarket239-241 Maroondah Highway

CHIRNSIDE PARK Woolworths Supermarket239-241 Maroondah Highway

CHIRNSIDE PARK Caltex Safeway239-241 Maroondah Highway

CHIRNSIDE PARK EG Fuelco Service Station Chirnside Park Shopping

CHIRNSIDE PARK 7 - Eleven 242 Maroondah Highway

CHIRNSIDE PARK Chirnside Park Country Club 68 Kingswood Drive

CROYDON NORTH Croydon Hills Milk Bar158 Nangathan Way

CROYDON NORTH Eastfield Milk Bar11 The Mall

KILSYTH Woolworths SupermarketChuringa SC, Russo Place

KILSYTH Woolworths SupermarketCanterbury Road Kilsyth

KILSYTH Kilsyth Laundrette Unit 7/87 Colchester Road

LILYDALE Yarra Valley Soul Cafe 8 William Street East

LILYDALE Aaron Violi MP Office 110 Main Street

LILYDALE Lilydale Marketplace SC33-45 Hutchinson Street

LILYDALE Lilydale Village SC51-59 Anderson Street

LILYDALE Woolworths SupermarketMarketplace, 33 Hutchinson Street

LILYDALE Coles Supermarket Lilydale VillageCastella Street & Maroondah Highway

LILYDALE Lilydale Community Centre7 Hardy Street

LILYDALE Lilydale Lakeside Conference and Events Centre1 Jarlo Drive

LILYDALE United Petrol Service Station473 Maroondah Highway

LILYDALE Caltex Lilydale346 Main Street

LILYDALE Caltex Woolworths31 Hutchinson Street

LILYDALE BP Service Station87 Warburton Highway

LILYDALE Shell Service Station469 Maroondah Highway

LILYDALE 7 - Eleven LilydaleCnr Maroondah Highway & Cave Hill Road

LILYDALE Coles Express469 Maroondah Highway

LILYDALE Hutch & Co Cafe251 Main Street

LILYDALE Round Bird Can't Fly170 Main Street

LILYDALE The Lilydale General110 Beresford Road

LILYDALE Yarra Valley Smokery96 Main Street

LILYDALE Bee Seen Cafe178 Main Street

LILYDALE Blue Turtle Cafe222 Main Street

LILYDALE Gracious GraceCastella Street

LILYDALE Melba Coffee House33-45 Hutchinson Street

LILYDALE Lilydale Munchies7/75 Cave Hill Road

LILYDALE Point of View CafeLilydale Lakeside - Jarlo Drive

LILYDALE Freda's Cafe2 Clarke Street

LILYDALE Barry Plant Real Estate88 Main Street

LILYDALE Ray White Real Estate164 Main Street

LILYDALE Hello Harry245 Main Street

LILYDALE Noel Jones Real Estate 281 Main Street

LILYDALE Professionals Real Estate111-113 Main Street

LILYDALE Grubs Up1 Industrial Park Drive

LILYDALE Mc Donalds RestaurantMaroondah Highway

LILYDALE Olinda Creek HotelMaroondah Hwy

LILYDALE Crown HotelMaroondah Hwy

LILYDALE Yarra Ranges Council 61 - 65 Anderson Street

MONTROSE Montrose Authorised Newsagency 912 Mt Dandenong Road

MONTROSE IGA Supermarket Mt Dandenong Road

MONTROSE Bell Real Estate 896 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road

MOUNT EVELYN Fast Fuel 1 Hereford Road

MOUNT EVELYN IGA Supermarket 38- 40 York Road

MOUNT EVELYN Post Office 12 Station Street

MOUNT EVELYN Authorised Newsagency 1A Wray Crescent

MOUNT EVELYN Red Robyn Milk Bar 35 Hereford Road

MOUNT EVELYN Library 50 Wray Cresent

MOUNT EVELYN Milkbar 28 Birmingham Road

MOUNT EVELYN Bendigo Bank 2/35-39 Wray Cres

MONTROSE IGA Supermarket916 Mt Dandenong Road

MOOROOLBARK Coles Supermarket15 Brice Avenue

MOOROOLBARK Bendigo BankUnit 19/66 - 74 Brice Ave

MOOROOLBARK Corner Milk Bar38 Bellara Dive

MOOROOLBARK Fang & Yaoxin Mini Mart108 Hayrick Lane

MOOROOLBARK BP Mooroolbark103 Cardigan Road

MOOROOLBARK Coles Express2 Cambridge Road

MOOROOLBARK Professionals Real EstateBrice Avenue

MOOROOLBARK L J HookerBrice Avenue

MOOROOLBARK Fletchers Real Estate 1/14 Manchester Road

MOOROOLBARK Mc Donalds RestaurantManchester Road

MOOROOLBARK 7-Eleven Manchester Road

MOUNT EVELYN York on Lilydale138 York Road

WANDIN NORTH Wandin Newsagency Shop 2 /18 Union Road

Jason’s trip up north

By Dongyun Kwon and Evan Wolski

Yarra Glen’s senior football coach is asking the Yarra Ranges community members to support his special trip to the Northern Territory.

In October, Jason De Graaf is going to travel to communities up north to give them Australian rules football opportunities.

The coach said he is going to host footy clinics and donate footy equipment to the communities.

“They love it. Football is priority number one up there. They walk around in their football jumpers all the time, kicking the footy all the time. Every minute of the day they can, they’ll play a game of football. They watch football as much as they can, sitting on iPads,” he said.

“To be able to go up there and take some more equipment, and to also give an opportunity to have a kick around, do some drills and some matches, they love it.

“It doesn’t take long as you roll into town, the word gets around and they come from everywhere, the boys and the girls. And it’s not just juniors, it’s seniors as well. They love a different face getting up there and doing things for them.”

Over the two-week journey, De Graaf is aiming to visit a few communities in the Northern Territory which don’t have a football structure program or exposure from the AFL.

“I haven’t mapped out a specific plan yet,” the footy coach said.

“I worked in Borroloola, and I know people there, some elders, teachers and students. So I’ll be going there.

“Robinson River is another place that I’ll be

going to.”

De Graaf’s journey to support the Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory via the sport of football started in 2012 working with the AFL as a regional development manager but he’s not collaborating with the AFL anymore as he’d like to reach out to the communities overlooked by the league.

“Ever since then (when I first started working with the AFL in 2012), I’ve been off and on working in communities with the AFL or with sports and rec or community development,” he said.

“I’ve seen first-hand how much or how little the kids have up there. They go without a lot.

“It was just a progression to go from just helping where I could, to reaching out to the communities to maybe throw in a little bit more and take up some equipment when I went up there.”

De Graaf is encouraging the Yarra Ranges community members to support this initiative.

“(I need) pretty much just donations and exposure. I know the more equipment I can take up there, the more kids are going to benefit from it,” the footy coach said.

“The more people hear about it, obviously, is going to allow me to be able to get more equipment, whether it be football jumpers, footballs, footy boots.

“So the more people that know about it, it creates the opportunity to get bigger and bigger. And I’d like to be able to do that each year.”

People who wish to support De Graaf’s journey or donate football equipment are welcome to contact him via email at remoteaflfooty@gmail. com

Maningrida football team at the Burunga Festival in 2018 with Jason De Graaf. (Supplied)

De Graaf’s journey to support the Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory via the sport of football started in 2012 working with the AFL as a regional development manager.

Legacy continues

When Mooroolbark’s Richard Lloyd was sixyears-old, his father, Robert (Bob) Lloyd, invented the game Squatter, a classic Australian board game designed for sheep farming simulation.

Since then, he has become familiar with the game, with what his father wanted to achieve and the feedback received.

“I came to appreciate the fact that Squatter really is a unique game, and it survived because it’s entertaining,” Richard said.

Despite decades passing since Squatter was first designed in the 1950s and released in the ‘60s, Richard said the relevance it holds today is still significant because the wool industry contributes such a large part to the Australian economy.

But not only that, “people choose to play for fun but become familiar with farming and terminology,” and the game is a way of “connecting the city to the country”.

So when his dad passed away and he took over the rights, Richard was invited to produce a game to commemorate Holden’s 70th anniversary and in accepting that, led to Supercars approaching him asking if he could do the same thing for Bathurst’s 60th.

“I could figure out a way of putting a ute on a sheep farm, but I couldn’t figure out a way of putting a race track on a sheep farm. I couldn’t see the connection. So I decided to make an entirely new game.”

Richard built Brrroom Bathurst 1000 with the same principles from Squatter in mind.

“One thing that I felt was a feature in Squatter is that there was always a chance for the underdog. There was something that could flip the tables, and I thought that sort of makes a very entertaining game,” he said.

“I wanted to build a game that honoured the people behind the scenes at Bathurst. So for anyone to compete and then win at Bathurst, it’s not a one-person job. There’s a whole team of people who have to work together seamlessly to be able to pull off a win on the day.”

Although Richard had no background in car racing, he worked for six months, usually from six in the morning until 10 at night, researching and trying to create his vision.

“I started out basically with a Squatter concept, so a track around the outside, then I overlaid the Bathurst track into the middle, and then I tried to coordinate what was happening in the squares around the outside to reflect what might be happening on the track.”

Richard tested the game by playing it with his sister, brother-in-law and wife, occasionally at events where he got feedback, and changed

To help commemorate Holden’s 70th and Bathurst 60th anniversaries, Richard designed board games with the Squatter principles. (487841)

some things from it. But it was a very convoluted process to get the final version approved.

There were also a lot of concepts Richard had to consider, for example, cars crashing and engine failures.

“You might be doing everything right. Your car might be perfect, and someone else creates a catastrophe for you. Two cars right in front of you crash and you just run into the back of them, you’ve got nowhere to go. So it’s not only your skill , there’s a measure of luck in there.”

But the chapter wasn’t closed for Richard after Bathurst, he began creating different versions of the games.

“We did Squatter. So, first, I turned Squatter into the Holden commemorative game. That’s the same game with different pictures.

“And then we did a compact version of

Airline caterer to beloved chef

After two decades in airline catering - overseeing the production of tens of thousands of meals a day - chef and food services expert Binu Krishnan could have taken his career in any direction.

But it was aged care where he found his greatest calling.

“Aged care isn’t just another job. These are people who built our communities, now it’s our turn to serve them with respect,” Binu said.

“When I walk through the kitchen and I always think this could be someone’s last meal. Did we do it justice?”

Six months into his role as food services manager at Kilsyth aged care provider MiCare, Binu has led a complete overhaul of how food is imagined, prepared and served across the organisation’s residential homes.

The transformation has earned Binu and the catering team at MiCare a national nomination for Ageing Australia’s You Are ACE! Award, which recognises individuals and teams going above and beyond in aged care.

Binu began by changing suppliers and introducing higher-quality ingredients - swapping offcuts for premium cuts like beef cheek and short rib, replacing frozen vegetables with fresh produce and locking in pricing to make these changes sustainable.

He restructured kitchen teams, hired skilled chefs and introduced standardised recipes that allowed for consistency, scale and flavour.

“There’s a perception that aged care needs home cooks but scaling home cooking to 200 meals a day doesn’t work. We needed chefs with real skill sets and systems behind them,” he said.

“We restructured the kitchens, introduced head chefs, sous chefs and demi chefs, and built accountability into every part of the process.”

Texture-modified meals, often overlooked, became a priority.

Binu even enrolled his chefs in a Harvard food science course to learn techniques like gelling and aerating purees, enhancing both texture and taste for residents with dysphagia.

“We trained chefs to use techniques like aeration and agar agar to create different textures for people with swallowing difficulties - mousse-like, gelled, light, airy. It changed the game.”

“Since the new chef started, the food has improved greatly and it’s been a very welcome change,” says Jan Tampion, resident and chair of MiCare’s Overbeek Lodge Food Focus Group.

“Binu is so approachable and always takes our feedback on board. It really shows in the quality of the meals we now enjoy.”

Ageing Australia chief executive officer Tom Symondson says Binu and the MiCare catering team represent a growing movement of aged care providers who are reimagining care as a holistic experience where innovation and dignity go hand in hand.

“Food is one of the most important experiences we share as people,” Tom Symondson said.

“It speaks to comfort, culture and care. When it’s done well, it restores dignity, especially for those in the later stages of life.”

According to MiCare chief executive officer Penni Michael, the transformation has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from elders, their families, and staff alike.

Squatter, so a big board game is a bit hard for people to take the game with them on holidays.”

Despite the fact that Richard has made games, he also appreciates the time board games bring to his family and friends.

“Squatter and board games in general provide an extremely good opportunity for a family to have time together…it can be a catalyst for opening up conversation,” he said.

“My wife (Chris) said it was the only time she could see her dad as someone other than her father, a time when they could get to know him as a person who could laugh and joke along with them.”

These games are available online on their website, The Iconic Games Company or via Amazon.

“The food, presentation, and atmosphere in our dining rooms are exceptional - every meal feels like a special occasion,” she said.

“What truly makes it work is the trust Binu and his team have built by sharing meals with elders, serving them directly, and genuinely listening.”

Richard Lloyd’s father, Robert, designed the classic Australian game Squatter, which Richard has used as the basis for a number of his own games. (Stewart Chambers: 487841)

Mikayla van Loon and Rose Leban

Residents at MiCare enjoying a meal made by Binu (Supplied)

COMMUNITY COURSE GUIDE

Programs set to expand

Lilydale Community House is excited to announce an expanded range of programs and activities for Term 3 2025, featuring exciting new additions alongside beloved returning favourites.

Located at 7 Hardy Street, Lilydale, the community house continues its mission of offering welcoming and affordable opportunities for social connection and lifelong learning.

Two standout new programs are set to debut this term. Creative Arts, a four-week program running from August 11 to September 1, offers participants the chance to explore various artistic media under the guidance of instructor Leigh. At $100 for the full program with materials provided, this hands-on experience promises to unleash creativity in a supportive environment. The second major addition is The Repair Room, a ground-breaking free eight-week women’s group program. Running Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm (July 30 to September 17), this skills-based group focuses on building practical tools for managing everyday conflict, setting healthy boundaries, and responding with confidence in work, home, and relationship situations. Facilitated by Katherine Van Ryswyk, who holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences and Certificate IV in Mental Health, this program fills a vital community need.

The term features several engaging workshops designed to teach practical skills.

The Cheese Making Workshop on Tuesday, August 12, will guide participants through creating Haloumi, Mozzarella, Paneer, and Ricotta using common household ingredients. For those with green thumbs, the Basic Floristry workshop on Thursday, August 28, offers free instruction from Nicole at Bunnings Lilydale on creating beautiful arrangements using backyard plants. Car maintenance becomes accessible with the Basic Car Maintenance for Women workshop on Tuesday, September 2, where Rich will demystify how cars work and share

maintenance tips.

History enthusiasts can join the Our History, Our Heritage – Castella Street walking tour on Tuesday, August 19, guided by the Lilydale & District Historical Society to explore the area’s rich past, including stories about St John’s Church and its Royal connection, the Primary School, the Court House, and the old theatre. Responding to increased community demand, Lilydale Community House has added a second Exercise for Older Adults class on Fridays. Both classes, running from July 25 to September 19, offer 45-minute sessions with instructor Abi, available for $90 for the full nine-week term or $10 per session. Yin Yoga and Meditation also returns with Pearl’s gentle guidance, supporting flexibility, balance, and relaxation through gentle stretches and calming breath work.

Popular programs continue to bring the community together throughout the term. Soup and Stories offers free weekly gatherings where participants learn new soup recipes while enjoying meaningful conversations. The Singing Circle with Barb provides joy and laughter every Friday for just $10 per session, encouraging people to sing simply for the joy of it. Table Tennis welcomes players of all levels for friendly competition with gold coin donations, while Cooking for One helps individuals master single-serving meal preparation over five weeks with instructor Sarah. The Step and Connect Women’s Social Walks provide a wonderful opportunity for women to enjoy relaxed walks around the area followed by a cuppa back at the House, and Paint, Draw, Create, Explore offers a non-judgmental space for artistic expression with just a gold coin donation.

The community house also celebrates a significant milestone with its Inaugural AGM on Monday, August 4, marking its establishment as Lilydale Community House Inc. This represents an important step in the organisation’s development and offers community members the chance to become involved in its direction.

For complete program details, bookings, and enquiries, visit lilydalech.org.au or call 7036 6813. The office is open Monday, Tuesday, and

Thursday from 9am-4pm, Wednesday from 10am-3pm, with Friday closures.

Read Write Now

Mountain District Learning Centre 13-15 The Avenue, Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 (03) 9758 7859 | office@mdlc.org.au | www.mdlc.org.au

Proudly a Learn Local & Registered Training Organisation | RTO 3969

Semester 2, 2025 - Adult Education Classes

English for Living and Working in Australia

Boost your literacy, numeracy, and digital skills in a supportive, fun, and personalized learning environment! Gain practical skills that fit your needs and interests.

Build your English skills for everyday life and work with our confidence-boosting class. Get practical language support tailored to your needs.

Wednesday 5.00pm – 7.00pm (MDLC), AND Thursday 10.00 am – 12.00 pm (Boronia Library)

Workshop series “Digital Skills for Work and Life”

Learn to use your phone, tablet or laptop with confidence. Join friendly, hands-on workshops to build everyday digital skills—from texting to video calls and online safety. Attend one or as many as you like.

Monday 12.30pm – 2.30pm (Rowville Library), AND Tuesday 10.00am – 12.00pm (Belgrave Library)

Learn to use your phone, tablet or laptop with confidence. Join friendly, hands-on workshops to build everyday digital skills—from texting to video calls and many 12.30pm Library), AND Tuesday 10.00am – 12.00pm (Belgrave Library)

Digital Essentials

Take your digital skills to the next level with our hands-on program! Learn to navigate technology, master various devices, and connect with others in

Take your digital skills to the next level with our hands-on program! Learn to navigate technology, master various devices, and connect with others in meaningful ways.

Tuesday 1.00pm – 3.00 (MDLC)

Health and Financial Wellbeing

Learn how small changes can improve your mental Join course discover simple, practical ways to feel more confident and in control.

Learn how small changes can improve your mental health and financial wellbeing. Join our course to discover simple, practical ways to feel more confident and in control.

Friday 12.00pm – 1.30pm (Boronia Library)

Build your English skills for everyday life and work with our confidence-boosting class. Get practical language support tailored to your needs. Wednesday 9.30am – 3.30pm (Boronia Library), OR Thursday 9.30am – 3.30pm (Boronia Library)

Wednesday 9.30am – 3.30pm (Boronia Library), OR Thursday 9.30am – 3.30pm (Boronia Library)

English Conversation Groups

Is English your second language? Do you want to improve your speaking and listening skills? Join our group where you can practice English and gain confidence in real-life conversations.

Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday Bayswater, Rowville, Croydon, and Boronia Libraries

Bayswater, Rowville, Croydon, and Boronia Libraries

Brainworks

Keep your mind sharp and improve your thinking skills with this fun and engaging course! Build focus, stay mentally active, and enjoy brain-boosting activities.

11.30 am pm (Bayswater or Wednesday 11.30 am – 1.00 pm (Knox Library), or Friday 10.30 am – 12.00 pm (Boronia Library)

Monday 11.30 am – 1.00 pm (Bayswater Library), or Wednesday 11.30 am – 1.00 pm (Knox Library), or Friday 10.30 am – 12.00 pm (Boronia Library)

Workshop series “Skills for Everyday Living”

Build real-world confidence with our “Skills for résumés, budget, cook on a budget, bank online, resolve access local

Workshop series “Skills for Everyday Living” Build real-world confidence with our “Skills for Everyday Living” workshops! Learn to set goals, write résumés, budget, cook on a budget, bank online, manage time, resolve conflicts, and access local services

Mondays 9.30 am – 11.30 am (Knox Library)

9.30 am – 11.30

Semester 2 (includes Term 3 and 4) – 13 July to 18 December

Some of our courses incur a small fee. For more information and enrolments, contact the office on (03) 9758 7859

Lilydale Community House

We offer a variety of classes, workshops and social activities at low cost or no cost

Here are some of our activities for TERM 3, 2025

MONDAYS

Paint, Draw, Create, Explore 10.30–12.30pm Gold coin donation Soup & Stories 11am–1pm FREE Make soup together and eat together Creative Arts (4 weeks) NEW August 11–September 1, 1-3pm Cost: $100 Learn about the use of a variety of media to

Qi Gong & Tai Chi 6.30-8pm. $15 a session, pay on the night.

TUESDAYS Table Tennis 1-3pm. Gold coin donation

WEDNESDAYS

The Repair Room (8 weeks) NEW September Free.

Skills Group for Women- tools for healthier relationships (NOTE: not intended as therapy)

The Repair Room (8 weeks) NEW 30 July–17 September 7-9pm Cost: Free. Skills Group for Women- tools for healthier relationships (NOTE: not intended as therapy)

THURSDAYS

THURSDAYS Social sharp.

Return for a cuppa. FREE Cooking for One weeks.

Step & Connect Women’s Social Walks Group leaves the House 9.30am sharp. Return for a cuppa. FREE Cooking for One July 31, August 7, 14, 21, 28. 11am-1pm $50 for 5 weeks.

The Singing Circle Starts 31 July, 1.30-3.00pm. $10 per session. on

The Singing Circle Starts 31 July, 1.30-3.00pm. $10 per session. Pay on the day.

FRIDAYS Yin Yoga

9.30-10.30am. $12 a session, or $90 for 9 week Term

Exercise for Older Adults (Class 1) Fridays 11–11.45am. $10 a session. Exercise for Older Adults (Class 2) NEW Fridays 12–12.45am. $10 a session.

WORKSHOPS & TALKS

CHEESEMAKING Workshop Tuesday 12 August, 10-11.30am. Cost: $50

Tuesday 12 August, 10-11.30am. Cost: $50 Basic Floristry from your own backyard Bunnings

Thursday 28 August, 10.30am-12.30pm. Cost: Free

Basic Floristry from your own backyard plants with Bunnings Thursday 28 August, 10.30am-12.30pm. Cost: Free

Basic Car Maintenance for Women Tuesday September 2, 10am-12.30pm Cost: $35

Our History, Our Heritage - Castella St Tuesday 19 August 10.30am-12pm Cost: $10 *Meet at the Court House for the walk

TALKING CAFE

Wednesdays at 2pm. Visit: https://livingourbestlife.org.au/talking-cafes/ or call us.

Our History, Our Heritage - Castella St 10.30am-12pm Cost: walk CAFE at 2pm. Visit: https://livingourbestlife.org.au/talking-cafes/ or call us. Hardy | 6813

Website: www.lilydalech.org.au enquiries@lilydalech.org.au

All smiles while exercising at Lilydale Community House. (Supplied)

Could cooking classes be for you? (Supplied)

Threat must be realised

By Damian Morgan, President Country Press Australia

This week, I step up as President of Country Press Australia (CPA), ostensibly to represent the best interests of independent regional newspaper publishers. But the responsibility is far greater than that.

The future of regional news publishing is inextricably linked to whether regional communities will continue to have a say in shaping the future of regional Australia.

In fact, regional newspapers are the metaphorical canary in the coal mine - their health signals the health of the voice of the communities they serve.

And both are under threat.

The toxic combination of ever-expanding corporations and surging city populations dominating our politics is reducing regional communities to branch office status, with their futures determined by powerful elites in our CBDs.

With every small business that’s bought out and “rolled up” into a corporate machine - or shut down to make way for a big-box competitor - a local business owner is replaced by a corporate manager. The profits are siphoned off in the first electronic transfer back to the city, and a small part of the soul of our communities dies.

As our capital cities grow, the weight of our democracy and decision-making drifts further away from the regions - away from where much of our nation’s wealth is generated, by the way.

Even local government is losing its voice.

Many locally elected councillors now fear speaking out on behalf of their communities, worried they’ll be reported by bureaucratic staff to increasingly powerful, city-based governance

bodies. When this happens, our democracy is weakened.

Regional news publishers are among the last lines of defence against these forces.

At our best, we rally and amplify the collective voice of our communities. We stand up to power and fight for a fair go.

There’s a saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease - but in regional Australia, it’s mostly the silent, hardworking wheels that keep the whole country moving.

That’s why regional newspapers promote local communities and give those doing the heavy lifting a voice.

We unapologetically champion independent regional businesses - the ones who make, grow, and fix things. The ones who only sell what they

believe in and are proud of.

We’re also here for the bush cops and singleteacher schools, the nurses and doctors who are always on duty, and the junior sports coaches who drive the bus three hours each way so kids can get a game on the weekend.

We’re up for the fight. But it’s getting harder.

A decade ago, regional newspapers were thriving. Classifieds, display ads, and community notices funded large local newsrooms filled with trained journalists.

But the landscape has changed.

When news went online - and we’re online too - global tech giants like Facebook quickly came to dominate the advertising market, using their monopolistic power to take an overwhelming share of digital ad revenue.

Yet these platforms don’t produce news. They don’t employ journalists.

And they certainly don’t hire anyone in regional communities where they glean enormous profits from the attention of local people while contributing nothing back to local newsrooms or communities.

In fact, they profit from our content, created by local journalists, without paying fairly for it - undermining the very business model that sustains local news.

And big box retail corporations making huge profits from our regional communities are now choosing to advertise with these global tech giants, not with local publishers.

Like frogs in warming water, too many Australians are unaware of the growing danger of letting corporatism control our communities - and the new media platforms and AI systems that (mis) inform them.

My top priority as president of CPA is to fight for the publishers who, in turn, are fighting for their communities.

We’ll be wearing out the boot leather lobbying governments to protect our people from exploitation by tech platforms that profit from harmful content and put our children and democracy at risk.

We’ll push back against bureaucracy that strips power from local leaders.

We’ll shine a light on the creeping reach of corporatism.

We’re proud to take on these battles.

All we ask in return is that you keep buying your local paper — or subscribe online — and support the local businesses that advertise with us.

NAIDOC Week, a time to reflect and celebrate

By Maria Millers

With so much happening both here and overseas It is easy to forget that it’s NAIDOC Week, a significant annual event that celebrates and recognises the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The failure of the 2023 Australian Voice referendum was a deep disappointment for Indigenous groups and seen as a reflection on a nation that does not fully understand its own identity. “Dropbear” – Evelyn Araluen History is just something we tell ourselves so we can sleep through the dreams.

You don’t wake up in this country without knowing how it was stolen. With that in mind, NAIDOC Week is not just for Indigenous Australians but has been described as a gift for all of us who want to live in a country that knows itself and its long history deeply, and works towards justice for all.

Its roots go way back to 26 January, 1938 when while Australia celebrated 150 years since British colonisation, Aboriginal leaders held a Day of Mourning in Sydney, protesting the treatment and dispossession of Indigenous Australians.

But it took till 1957 to encourage churches, government, and the public to recognise Aboriginal culture through a National Aborigines Day.

In 1972, the Whitlam Government’s Department of Aboriginal Affairs marked growing government recognition.

And in the same year, NADOC began organizing a week-long celebration to recognise Aboriginal history, culture, and achievements.

Finally in 1991, NADOC became NAIDOC, with the inclusion of Torres Strait Islander peoples in the committee and its mission.

From this point, NAIDOC Week officially celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

And this year, it marks half a century since its beginning.

A Letter to My Daughter” – Kirli Saunders you come from saltwater women and men who tracked with the stars who know the names of every tree every bird and fire’s spark

WOORILLA WORDS

you come from those who carried you before your bones were born (from Kindred, 2019)

NAIDOC Week 2025 is observed from 6 to 13 July.

The official theme for 2025 is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy, focusing on the strength of young Indigenous leaders, the vision of their communities, and the enduring legacy of their ancestors.

NAIDOC offers the wider white Australian community a powerful insight into a future where cultural diversity and justice are seen as national strengths.

Many white Australians have grown up with a version of our history that omits or glosses over colonisation’s violent impacts.

NAIDOC Week offers space to learn about key figures, resistance movements and survival stories and to confront uncomfortable truths in a constructive way.

It encourages understanding of topics like The Stolen Generations, Land Rights, Sovereignty, cultural practices and connection to Country.

“Intervention Payback” – Ali Cobby Eckermann the government says it is saving me from myself… but I am the daughter of a stolen child and I know what saving means It is not just a benefit but a necessity for diverse communities to come together in mutual respect.

Then and only then we can live in a peaceful society.

Despite the many areas of indigenous lives

that need urgent attention from housing to health to overrepresentation in prisons and deaths in custody, there are also many examples of those who have made huge contributions in all areas of life in the past and continue to do so in areas as diverse as academia, politics, the arts and entrepreneurship.

For many years the cause of indigenous Australians was championed by people like Marcia Langton, Noel Pearson, Pat Dodson, Megan Davies, Stan Grant and Thomas Mayo.

But Australia has also a dynamic new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who are shaping the future across diverse fields including politics, all aspects of culture from preservation to new works, to social justice and community development.

Some you may not heard of such as Jermaine Ostrofski a proud Wulli Wulli man and openly gay leaders from the NT who earned the NT Police officer of the Year Award for courageous service and dedication to public service.

And he is not alone.

Most states now have leadership programs aimed at empowering the next generation with skills and knowledge.

However it is in the arts that there is strong and growing Indigenous presence.

From opera to rap to film, theatre and literature Indigenous Australians are leaving their mark Bangarra Dance Theatre is one of Australia’s leading performing companies, renowned for its powerful fusion of contemporary dance and ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling.

The company draws on over 65,000 years of culture to create deeply moving works of theatre that blend dance, music, poetry, and design.

From opera to rap.

Opera singer, composer, founder of Short Black Opera, and mentor to First Nations musicians Deborah Cheetham Fraillon composed the first Aboriginal language opera, Eumeralla.

While Baker Boy (Danzal Bakerrapper, dancer and role model for language pride has won an Aria Award.

Actors have not only achieved critical acclaim but have also played key roles in reshaping how Aboriginal stories are told and represented in Australian media and globally.

From David Gulpill whose pioneering work in films such as Walkabout, Storm Boy, Rabbit-

Proof Fence, brought him international acclaim to the commanding performances of Aaron Pederson in roles that highlight Indigenous identity and justice to actor, playwright and director Leah Purcell and her award winning performance in The Drover’s Wife.

And there are many more.

And we must not forget those that brought these soul searching films to our screens: Warwick Thornton with films like Samson And Delilah, Rachel Perkins’ Mabo and Bran NUE Dae Similarly in sport.

Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman’s unforgettable and pride stirring performance remains an enduring symbol of reconciliation.

Tennis star Ash Barty has been a proud advocate for her Aboriginal heritage and has reflected on the occasions when she experienced racism.

Her 2022 Australian Open victory was particularly significant, as it occurred during NAIDOC Week and was celebrated as a moment of pride for Indigenous Australians.

She is now Tennis Australia’s National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador AFL footballer Adam Goodes and his stand against racism sparked a national conversation while NBA star Torres Strait Islander Patty Mills runs Indigenous Basketball Australia.

By participating in NAIDOC events white Australians can discover the depth and diversity of Aboriginal cultures, move beyond symbolic gestures to engaging meaningfully by listening, attending events and supporting Indigenous artists, voices and businesses.

Rather than just celebrating colonial milestones NAIDOC Week invites all Australians to feel pride in our common future.

Let the last words go to Oodgeroo Noonucall (1920-1993) from her Song of Hope

Now brood no more

On the years behind you

The hope assigned you

Shall the past replace

When a juster justice

Grown wise and stronger

Points the bone no longer

At a darker race.

The Woorilla Poetry Prize is now open, visit woorilla.org.au

New CPA president Damian Morgan.

Time for paintball action

Looking for a thrilling and action-packed activity these school holidays?

Paintball Skirmish has you covered with experiences tailored for all ages—yes, even the younger adventurers! While traditional paintball is an exhilarating, high-intensity sport suitable for those aged 16 and over, we haven’t forgotten about our younger adrenaline seekers.

Introducing Splatmaster, also known as “Miniball”—a premium low-impact version of paintball designed for kids and teens who are itching to jump into the action. Using a spring-loaded, shotgun- style marker instead of the usual gas-powered ones, Splatmaster delivers all the excitement of paintball with a much gentler impact. It’s the perfect gateway to the sport, giving budding players the chance to run, dodge, and shoot their way through specially designed outdoor skirmish fields—just like the pros.

Sessions are designed with safety in mind and include a full set of protective gear. Each player receives full-length overalls, a paintball mask, and a tactical vest as part of their package.

Additional safety equipment is available for purchase or hire, including:

■ New groin guards (cricket boxes)

■ Additional chest protection

■ New or hired gloves for added hand protection

Splatmaster sessions are available any day of the week (subject to numbers), with packages starting from just $45 per player—a fantastic way to burn off some holiday energy while enjoying the great outdoors in a safe, structured environment.

So whether you’re a teen ready to try fullscale paintball, or a younger player eager to dive into the world of Miniball, Paintball Skirmish offers the ultimate school holiday adventure.

Book now and gear up for a school holiday to remember!

Paintball Games

3 Locations

IMAGINE LIVE

Based

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Presented

Apprentice

Gear up for Paintball Skirmish this school holidays. (Shutterstock)

July 14-18

Stufflers Brings Teddy Bear Magic to Lilydale Marketplace These School Holidays

Parents searching for the perfect school holiday activity need look no further than Lilydale Marketplace, where the beloved Stuﬀlers experience is set to delight children from Monday 14th to Friday 18th July.

The popular teddy bear making activity, which normally costs $35, will be available for just $10 during the special holiday promotion, oﬀering families an aﬀordable way to create lasting memories while keeping the kids entertained.

“We are very excited to be able to share the Stuﬀlers experience with our customers, it’s such a unique event, and so much fun for the kids,” said Lilydale Marketplace Marketing Executive Mikaela Bek. “Parents were looking for more when it comes to school holiday entertainment, and this really delivers something special.”

The Stufflers experience begins with children selecting from a range of adorable unstuffed bears, each waiting to be brought to life. Using a footpowered mobile stuffing machine, young creators fill their new friend with soft, warm fluff, deciding exactly how firm or

cuddly they’d like their bear to be.

The magic continues with a heartwarming love ceremony, where children insert a special token and make a promise to care for their new companion. This touching ritual adds an emotional connection that transforms a simple craft activity into something truly meaningful.

For those wanting to personalise their creation further, Stufflers offers an extensive range of outfits and sound chips featuring themes like sports, princesses, and emergency services. These accessories allow children to create a truly one-of-a-kind bear with its own unique personality and voice.

The experience concludes with each child naming their new friend and receiving an official birth certificate to commemorate the special occasion. This final touch makes the moment truly memorable and gives children a keepsake to treasure alongside their new cuddly companion.

The Stuﬀlers team brings all the equipment needed for the bear-making magic, including the mobile stuﬃng machine that makes the experience possible outside of a traditional

workshop setting. This means families can enjoy the full Stufflers experience right in the heart of Lilydale Marketplace. With the school holidays offering limited entertainment options, this special pricing makes the Stufflers experience accessible to more families. However, organisers warn that once the daily limit of 200 bears is reached, the cost will increase to $14, so early arrival is recommended.

Parents should note that while the $10 special price includes the teddy bear and birth certiﬁcate, clothing and accessories are available at additional cost. Terms and conditions apply, and the oﬀer is available while stocks last.

So if you’re looking to ﬁll the school holidays with laughter, creativity, and a cuddly new friend, head to Lilydale Marketplace between July 14-18. But be warned – once children experience the joy of creating their ﬁrst bear, they might just want to build an entire bear family!

Natural medicine

Natural medicine is increasingly recognised as a safe and effective adjunct in healthcare, offering a holistic, traditional, and evidence-based approach to healing.

Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses primarily on treating isolated symptoms, natural medicine addresses the whole personbody, mind, and spirit - thereby supporting longterm wellbeing and resilience.

One of the core strengths of natural medicine lies in its holistic framework.

It considers not only physical health, but also emotional, nutritional, and lifestyle factors that influence a person’s vitality.

By restoring balance across these dimensions, natural therapies help strengthen the body’s innate healing processes, reducing the likelihood of chronic illness and enhancing quality of life.

Natural medicine also draws on centuries of traditional wisdom.

Practices such as herbal medicine, acupunc-

CARTOON

Healthy living

Tim Howden Paediatric Naturopath

ture, and nutritional therapy have been used safely and effectively across cultures for generations.

Today, many of these therapies are being validated through rigorous scientific research, bridging the gap between tradition and modern evidence-based practice.

Supporting nutritional, dietary, and emotional wellbeing has been shown to significantly improve health outcomes.

A nutrient-rich diet, tailored to an individual’s needs, can correct deficiencies, reduce inflammation, and support metabolic function.

Emotional wellness practices - such as mindfulness, counselling, or stress reduction techniques - contribute to hormonal balance, better sleep, and improved immune function.

Together, these interventions create a more balanced physiology, empowering the body to function optimally.

Importantly, when individuals feel healthier and more centred, their interaction with the world often becomes more fulfilling.

They may experience deeper connections, increased purpose, and greater capacity to engage in meaningful activities.

In this way, natural medicine not only supports physical health but also fosters emotional richness and social wellbeing - making it a truly integrative and life-enhancing part of modern healthcare.

More like Jurassic World afterbirth

Jurassic World: Rebirth

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey

M 3.75/5

A soft reboot of a soft reboot, Jurassic World: Rebirth is the middling seventh film in the Jurassic Park franchise.

At the behest of a pharmaceutical company, Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and her team of mercenaries travel to a remote island populated by dinosaurs to extract blood samples from three gigantic Mesozoic creatures.

The characters are thinly-written but wellacted, and Johansson has solid chemistry with Jonathan Bailey as Dr Henry Loomis, a nerd who shows plenty of courage and therefore avoids tired stereotypes.

Detective mystery

By Christine Sun

Book review by of The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey

The Wolf Tree, by Australian author Laura McCluskey, is set in fictional Eilean Eadar, a barren, windswept island off the coast of Scotland.

The remote rock is inhabited by an isolated community of a few hundred residents, with centuries-old traditions and much hostility towards outsiders.

When a young man is found dead at the base of the island’s lighthouse, detective inspectors Georgina “George” Lennox and Richard “Richie” Stewart are sent from Glasgow to investigate.

While Richie is happy to close the case as suicide, George suspects something is seriously wrong about the island and its tiny community.

A major driver of the plot is the tension between the two DIs, which is deftly handled.

Although they have been partners for many years, George has recently recovered from a devastating injury and still relies on medication to keep various symptons at bay – a fact that she is keen to hide from Richie.

George is also headstrong and ambitious, with a fierce sense of justice and equality.

Her tendency to act on impulse and often without regard to her own safety is a sore point in her relationship with Richie, who can see such reckless and dangerous behaviour becoming a risky – if not fatal –problem.

The novel is a slow burn, with much atmosphere and suspense.

The bulk of the investigation takes place within a time frame of five days, and those readers enjoying mysteries and police procedurals will find the multiple clues delightfully challenging, especially the deliberate and determined undermining of the investigation by the islanders.

Of particular interest is the enigmatic, omnipresent priest who holds considerable influence over the community.

Other noteworthy themes include isolation vs self-sufficiency, tradition vs modernity, community vs conformity, and Christianity vs paganism.

As the plot gradually builds up in intensity and action, long buried secrets are revealed, and the conflicts between generations of islanders become increasingly clear and urgent.

These are subtly and skilfully explored by the author, who holds the pacing steady until the end.

down a river and a scuffle with a pterosaur that looks almost like a roided-up macaw run amok.

Like the first two Jurassic World movies, Rebirth features hybrids as major antagonists, and while they have some cool moments (including a really clever visual twist with a helicopter), they lack the imposing presence of past dino dangers.

This is an impressive debut that clearly demonstrates the author’s writing talents and efforts.

While not every plot twist is a surprise, the novel exceeds reader expectations in terms of the story’s structure, its characterisation and world-building, and the richness and diversity of its content.

In an interview, the author suggests that “if you have the ability and the power to weave a message into your work, then maybe you should”.

The plot awkwardly stitches together Zora’s mission with a shipwrecked civilian family and has a lurching, episodic pace with contrived setup – making heart medication using blood from large dinosaurs is loopy logic – and watch out for a functionally useless betrayal at the end of the first act.

Rebirth has a disappointing lack of practical effects in a franchise once celebrated for its puppets and animatronics, and the original Jurassic Park trilogy (and even the slasher/haunted house-esque conclusion of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) delivered far stronger horror than Rebirth, as the action carries little peril given that only the least-developed characters get chomped (and the annoying boyfriend sadly doesn’t get eaten).

The camerawork makes eerie use of the gloomy jungle setting and the film has some exciting set-pieces, including a tense T-Rex chase

A dinosaur thriller that lacks the suspense, smarts or scares of the early Jurassic Park films, Jurassic World: Rebirth is playing in most Victorian cinemas.

In the case of The Wolf Tree: “Justice is not always black and white. There are a lot of things that come into play in the context of why someone has done a certain thing.... You should ask a lot of questions and try to learn how other people think,” Well said.

CHARMING COUNTRY RETREAT ON 2.47 ACRES

– JUST MINUTES FROM GEMBROOK

LOCATED only a short drive from the thriving Gembrook township, escape to your own private haven on a picturesque 2.47 acres.

Bursting with character and period charm, this impeccably presented property blends timeless elegance with modern comfort.

At the heart of the home, the cozy lounge room features a charming fireplace to keep you warm through the cooler months.

The adjoining dining area includes a splitsystem for year-round comfort.

For the chef of the family the well-equipped kitchen boasts a 800mm stainless steel freestanding oven, dishwasher, leadlight pendant light fixtures and extensive cupboard and bench space with direct access to the outdoor entertaining area.

The spacious master bedroom is a true sanctuary, featuring French doors opening onto return verandahs, a decorative fireplace, ample built-in storage, and a luxurious renovated ensuite with high-quality fittings.

The two additional bedrooms are generously sized and conveniently located near the main bathroom, complete with a classic clawfoot bath. Timber floors, decorative cornices, ornate ceiling roses and picture windows add to the country charm.

Outside, enjoy resort-style living, an expansive decked and covered entertaining area is the perfect place to entertain friends and family year-round.

During the warmer months, the solar heated swimming pool will keep you cool and the kids entertained.

A 10 x 10m barn offers an additional entertaining space, home office, kids retreat or additional accommodation for guests; boasting a bathroom, kitchenette, wood fire and mezzanine storage.

For the toys and tools, there is a double garage/workshop with a double carport and additional wood storage.

There is also a circular driveway and excellent off-street parking.

This picture-perfect property truly must be seen to be fully appreciated.

Don’t miss your chance to secure a slice of country paradise.

BRAND NEW TOWNHOUSE IN THE HEART OF TOWN (OFF KINGS ROAD)

ONLY 2 years young and still under builders’ warranty, this beautiful modern townhouse is perfect for those looking for a low maintenance lifestyle right in the heart of town.

Step into luxury with beautiful presentation and the knowledge that all you need to do is move in and enjoy the wonderful lifestyle on offer. Offering contemporary living at its finest, this property boasts soaring high ceilings, 2 separate living areas and modern furnishings that exude both elegance and comfort.

Walk to everything you need with ease or enjoy time surrounded by nature at Emerald Lake Park or Pepi’s land and revel in the fact that all the hard work has been done here so you as the lucky purchaser can reap the rewards.

Perfect for downsizers craving easy low maintenance living, first home buyers looking for a stylish yet affordable entry into the property market or investors who value a fantastic location! Don’t miss out on this exceptional opportunity to live in one of the most sought-after areas, located just off Kings Road, Emerald.

BUILDER’S OWN MASTERPIECE WITH RESORT-STYLE LIVING AND DUAL ACCESS

WITH every detail of this one of a kind 55m2 home carefully considered and crafted to perfection, this builder’s own, double-storey sanctuary offers exceptional space, quality and lifestyle in equal measure. Set opposite the tranquil Koolamara Waters Conservation Park and backing onto Allambie Ct with dual garage access, this quality residence sets a new benchmark in design and liveability.

You’ll immediately appreciate the uncompromising craftsmanship and high ceilings along with the flexible floorplan of 5 bedrooms, home office and three distinct living zones whilst at the heart of the home lies a chef’s dream kitchen – complete with highend appliances, integrated coffee machine, oversized pantry, and a stone-topped island bench, all designed to bring people together for both indoor and outdoor entertaining.

Outside will feel like your very own private resort with the fully tiled, heated, in-ground pool that is framed by lush, low-maintenance tropical landscaping, whilst the alfresco outdoor entertaining space makes every weekend feel like a tropical holiday.

Additional highlights include:

• Dual walk-in robes, oversized ensuite and private balcony in the luxurious master suite

Extensive built-in storage throughout

• Dual garages – Both double & single with access from both Koolamara Blvd and Allambie Ct

• Three mtr ceilings throughout ground level living and 2.7 mtrs in all upstairs rooms

• 6kw solar electric system for house

• Solar heated, fully tiled pool with in-floor cleaning system

• Spotted Gum hardwood timber floors

• Directly opposite parkland views and walking trails along Waterford Valley Golf Course Homes of this calibre and location are incredibly rare. A true statement of design, comfort and convenience – this is not just a home, it’s a lifestyle. Inspect and fall in love.

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. ●

THE ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE ESCAPE

IF you’ve been dreaming of space, freedom, and a whole lot of lifestyle perks, this is it. Set on 2.5 glorious acres in Mt Burnett, this brilliant 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom home was built in 2010 by the current owners — and it’s got all the right ingredients for country living with a luxury twist.

Electric gates open to a private world of peace and potential. Step inside and you’re greeted with a warm brick feature wall, loads of natural light, and slab heating underfoot (yep, throughout the whole house—your toes will thank you). Add in a wood fire with heat transfer, ducted vacuum, and reverse-cycle heating/cooling and you’ve got comfort sorted in every season.

The kitchen? A dream. Granite benchtops, gas cooking, a large walk-in pantry with automatic lighting, and a bi-fold servery window that opens to the sunroom—perfect for morning coffees or sunset snacks with a view. The open-plan living and dining area is ideal for family hangs, while a second lounge adds that much-needed extra space.

The master suite is your private retreat, perfectly positioned to soak up the peaceful outlook. Large glass doors let in plenty of natural light and open directly to the outdoors, giving you that morning coffee-in-the-sun moment every day. Inside, you’ll find double walk-in robes and an open-plan ensuite that feels more like a personal spa—complete with a deep spa bath, oversized shower, and loads of space to unwind at the end of the day. Four more bedrooms (with robes) and a central bathroom offer flexibility for every setup. The laundry even includes a shower and toilet — no queues here!

Now let’s talk outdoors: a huge undercover entertaining area, fully fenced salt and chlorine pool, fire pit zone, and all the shedding you could hope for. There’s an 18m x 9m powered shed with 4.3m walls, double garage, 4-car carport, and even a generator plug for backup.

Need more? How about a separate studio with a split system, wood fire and kitchenette— perfect as a teen retreat, guest space or workfrom-home setup. There’s also a fenced dog run, veggie gardens, a massive chook pen, two stables, hay storage, and two paddocks with

water and shelters.

Tucked between Emerald and Pakenham, this is more than just a home — it’s a lifestyle upgrade waiting to happen. This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today.

AcreageLifestyleAwaits –FlexibleFamilyLiving

Offeredforthefirsttimesinceitwasbuiltin1988,thismuch-lovedbrickhomeon3.2gentlyrolling acresinYellingboblendsspace,versatility,andsemi-ruralcharm.Thoughtfullydesigned,itfeaturesa sunlitfoyer,open-planlivingwitha woodfire,and agranite-toppedkitchenoverlookingthegarden. Upstairs,themasterretreatincludesa walk-inrobe,ensuite,andbalconyaccess,while asecond bedroomorofficesharestheview.Idealforduallivingorextendedfamilies,therearwingoffersits ownkitchenette,living/dining,bathroom,laundry,andthreerobedbedrooms.Outdoors,enjoya doublecarport,powered9x7mshedwithtoilet,additionalstorage,fourpaddocks(onewithdam), anda 4000Ltank.Peacefulandprivate,thisisyourchancetosecure aspaciouslifestyleproperty withflexibilityandheart. 2195HealesvilleKooWeeRupRoadYellingbo$1,150,000

EffortlessLiving –Stylish,Spacious &Move-InReady. Setona picturesque3,960m²justminutesfromCockatoo,thismove-in-readyhomeblendscomfort, style& relaxedcountryliving.Inside,newflooring&afullrepaintcomplementthelight-filledlayout. Themodernkitchen,withstainlesssteelappliances &opensto avastdeckedentertainingarea viaFrenchdoors. Astep-downloungewithsoaringceilings &a Coonarawoodfireaddswarmth &character.Therearethreebedrooms, astylishbathroomwithfreestandingbath &a near-new laundryforeverydayease.Year-roundcomfortisassuredwithsplitsystemheating/cooling,ceiling fans &woodheating.Outside,landscapedgardens,brickedging& sunsetviewssetthetone,while thehugeshed,withbuilt-inbar &verandah—offersendlesspossibilities.Witha securelyfencedyard &roomtogrow,thisisanexceptionallifestyleopportunityyou’llwanttoinspect.

RusticCharm& FutureDreamson 2AcresinPeacefulCockatoo. Tuckedawayin aquietpocketofCockatoo,thischarming2-bedroom,1-bathroomhomesetona serene2-acreparcelofferstheperfectblendofcomfort &futurepotential.Whetheryou’reseeking apeacefullifestyleretreat, aproductivehobbyfarm,ortheperfectspottobuildyourdreamhome (STCA),thispropertyhasthespace& soultoinspire.Stepthroughthedoublecarport& intothe kitchenwhererusticslatefloors, agasstovetop &timberceilingcreate acountryfeel.Theadjoining loungeischaracter-filled,with awoodfireheater &a picturewindowthatframesgardenviews. Themainbedroomsitsjustofftheloungewithitsownaccesstotheoutdoors, acentralbathroom& secondloft-stylebedroomcompletethelayout.Outside,naturelovers& greenthumbswilldelightin thelargegreenhouse,raisedveggieboxes,&2fullyfencedpaddocks

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

CountryComfortMeetsModernLivingonOveranAcreinAvonsleigh. Seton4,099sqminpeacefulAvonsleigh,thisstunning,fullyrenovatedfamilyhomeoffersspace, comfort& lifestyleinspades.Enjoyprivategardenviews,outdoorspa& undercoverentertaining areasperfectforrelaxedevenings.Inside,thegorgeouskitchenfeaturesstonebenchtops,induction cooktop&acleverbutler’spantrywithlaundry.Thelight-filleddiningareaflowstothefront verandah,while agenerousloungewithbaywindow &woodfireconnectstoa spaciousrumpus. There’sgasductedheating,tworobedbedrooms, asleekfamilybathroom,plusa luxuriousmaster suitewithbaywindow,splitsystem,dressingroom &lavishensuite.A studydoublesas afourth bedroom.Outside:manicuredgardens,veggiepatch,hugeshed,doublegarage,caravanstorage, dualdriveways,6.5kWsolar &fullyfencedgroundswithelectricgates,perfectforkids&pets.

SPACIOUS LIVING ON OVER 3 ACRES

NESTLED on just over 3 acres of highly sought after land, this immaculately presented home enjoys a peaceful and private setting surrounded by picturesque farmland. Offering a seamless blend of comfort, generous proportions, and exceptional functionality both inside and out, this property promises a relaxed lifestyle with space to grow and entertain.

Thoughtfully designed with a spacious and flexible floorplan, the home features multiple living zones ideal for families of all sizes. Step inside to discover a large formal living and dining area, great for hosting guests or unwinding in elegant comfort. The home’s four bedrooms are all appointed with built-in robes and while the privately positioned master suite at the rear offers a tranquil retreat, complete with a walk-in robe and stylish ensuite.

The expansive kitchen showcases a contemporary design with neutral tones, generous bench space, and an abundance of cupboards, a dream setup for the home chef.

Comfort is assured year round with a combination of split system air conditioning, evaporative cooling, and a cozy wood fire, catering to every season.

The inclusion of internal garage access adds versatility, providing the opportunity to create a home office space. A separate rumpus room enhances the home’s appeal further, offering a fantastic space for children, guests, or family movie nights.

Outdoors, the property continues to impress. A substantial carport and a separate powered garage with a concrete floor provide ample storage, workspace, or parking for trades, hobbyists, or those with larger vehicles and caravans. The wide horseshoe driveway ensures easy access and plenty of off street parking.

Whether you’re sipping your morning coffee on the verandah or taking in the sweeping rural views, you’ll enjoy the serenity and privacy that only a Yarra Valley lifestyle can offer all while remaining conveniently close to town amenities.

This is a rare opportunity to secure a slice of country paradise with all the comforts of modern living.

FamilyLivingin aConvenientLocation

PositionedjustminuteswalktoYarraJunctions’towncentrethischarmingpropertyoffersallthe convenienceatyourfingertips.Offering3 goodsizebedrooms,largefamilysizeliving/loungearea leadingoutto acoveredentertainingareaanda securelyfencedbackyardit’stheidealspotfor thekidsandpetstoenjoyandexplore.Thekitchenspaciousandhasplentyofbenchandcupboard spaceplusa separatemeals/diningarea,thelargefrontdeckingoffersextraoutdoorlivingand entertaining.Amplecaraccommodationwith alargedoublecarportandextracarspace, agreat propertyin aconvenientlocationandjust ashortstrolltolocalschools,shopsandtransport.

SolidHomeinPeacefulSetting –WalktoYarraRiver& Shops!

Whetheryou’rea savvyinvestororsearchingfortheperfectplacetocallhome,thisbrickhome deliversspace,comfort,andgreatvalue.Newlyrenovatedkitchenandbathroommeanthebig ticketitemsarealreadydone.Paintedthroughoutthehomehaslovelynaturallightandfeatures agenerousloungeandthreewell-proportionedbedroomsidealforfamiliesorthoseneedingextra space.Timberfloorsandsoftcarpetaddswarmth.Splitsystemwillcoveryourheatingandcooling needs.Thetranquilbackyardiscertainlythewelcominghubforeverydayliving.Outdoors,you’ll find alevel,lowmaintenanceyardand ahandyshed,greatforstorageortinkering.Nestledina quiet,familyfriendlystreet,thispropertyisjust ashortstrolltolocalshops,publictransport,andthe picturesqueYarraRiver.

TheCharmof aMudbrickina FernyOasis

Nestledonapproximately1,600m²oflush,greenlandandsurroundedbyvibrantnativegardens andserenadedbylocalbirdlife,thispropertyoffersstunningmountainviews,freshcountryair,and theultimateinoutdoorliving.Rusticandfullofcharm,thehomefeaturesthreegenerouslysized bedrooms,eachwithbuilt-inrobes.Theopenplankitchen,dining,andlivingareaboastsbeautiful timberbenchtopsand afreestandingmainsgasoven.Withsoaringceilingsandthenaturalthermal benefitsofmudbrickconstruction,thehomemaintainsa stabletemperatureyear-round.Outdoors; asinglegarageandcarport, acoveredentertainingareaidealforsummerbarbecues,andevena designatedchildren’splayzone.Thisuniqueandheartwarminghomeblendsrusticcharacterwith functionalcomfortsetinoneofWarburton’smostpicturesquepockets.

CharmingHomein aSensationalLocation

Aqualityhomeand averyspecialWarburtonpropertywith alittlebitofmusicalhistoryatthis wellknownaddress,simplystunninglocation,thisbeautifulhomeistheidealplacetosecureyou littlepieceofWarburton.Walkoutyourbackgateandyou’rerightonthewalkingtrailandin Warburton’smainstreetwithinminutestoenjoyallthemainstreeteateriesandattractions.The classicweatherboardhomeisverywellpresented,wellmaintainedandlovedandcaredforfor years,offering 2bedroomsplusa separatebungalowidealfortheB&B ortheextraweekendguests. Thelounge/familyroomisjustthespottositbackrelaxandenjoythecolorfulviewsandsurrounds andideallysituatedwiththeYarraRiverandgolfcoursejustovertheroadit’stheidealplacetocall home.

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 Infatuated (8)

5 Portable computer (6)

10 Separately (5)

11 Authorise (the use of) (9)

12 Colour points of a digital image (6)

13 Area of level high ground (7)

14 Death notice (8)

15 Seas (6)

18 A sheep’s coat (6)

20 Calamity (8)

21 Water well (7)

24 Clamour (6)

27 Arranged (9)

28 Silly; pointless (5)

29 Formally inspect (6)

30 Vegetation (8)

DOWN

1 Prejudice (4)

2 Keep steady (9)

3 Heading (5)

4 Revelation (8)

6 Old (7)

7 Doubly (5)

8 Forerunner (9)

9 Aid (4)

14 Obtrusive; meddlesome (9)

16 Sub (9)

17 Unruliness (8)

19 Purify (7)

22 Sucrose (5)

23 Bird’s bed (4)

25 Strong thread (5)

26 Refute (4)

Another coach departs

A second Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL) senior coach announced their resignation from the role in as little as two weeks.

Lilydale Football Netball Club shared on Sunday 29 June, that its senior men’s coach, Duncan Jones, resigned, effective immediately, due to personal reasons.

It follows the announcement that Montrose senior men’s coach Gary Ayres would be stepping down from the role come the end of the season.

Jones joined Lilydale as coach for the 2025 season, having previously coached Whitehorse, assistant-coached at Park Orchards and previously spent time at Williamstown VFL as head of development.

“(He) has contributed to the development of the playing group and broader football program during his time at the club,” a club statement reads.

“The club acknowledges his efforts and time committed throughout his period as senior coach and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”

Not wasting much time, just days later, the club announced the newly appointed senior coach position would fall to Mark Sandilands.

Coming to the Dales with an extensive playing and coaching career in the outer eastern suburbs, the club’s statement said he would bring an “exceptional track record in player development, team success, and leadership.

“Mark brings a strong commitment to culture, structure, and development, and while this is his first chapter with us at Lilydale, his passion for building competitive, connected teams aligns perfectly with our club’s vision

for the future.”

Sandilands played 280 senior games and six premierships as a player with Upwey-Tecoma, was the 1999 Senior Premiership Coach and Coach of the Year (YVMDFL), Senior Inter-

Barkerettes dominate top side Collingwood

By Peter Stephenson

Richmond’s Kevin Bartlett Reserve was the setting for Barkerettes’ first game of the second half of the season. Lying seventh, they travelled to Collingwood City (fourth), who had lost only one game this season, but who also had never beaten Barkers. Ash Fraraccio was back in goal, and Eleanor Ridley was also returning from injury. Barkers began well and fashioned a couple of half-chances in the first five minutes against an uncertain-looking home defence. Then on the quarter hour, chief tormentor Alizah Jones was tripped by City’s Emma Pickles, and the referee pointed to the spot – penalty for Barkers.

It was Alysha Barrueto who stepped up, and she hit the spot kick down the middle to give Barkers a deserved early lead. As it transpired, it was a lead they never looked like relinquishing.

Barkers were causing City plenty of problems, while the defence was rock solid whenever City went forward. However, the momentum shifted briefly around the half-hour, when City’s standout player, Hannah McLeod, put a shot wide after beating a couple of defenders on her own. Then Fraraccio had to come out and tackle an onrushing forward. The biggest scare came five minutes before the break, when City contrived to miss an open goal by putting the ball wide.

Half-time: Collingwood 0-1 Barkers, with Barkers fair value for the lead.

Barkers regained the initiative at the start of the second half. Charlotte Martin hit a corner from the right out to Amy D’Ortenzio, who half-volleyed over. Then a City attack broke down, Barkers sent the ball out to Jones on the right, and she cut the ball back for Emily Stokes to shoot over. Next, Jones played through for Barrueto, who lifted her shot over – surely the next goal wasn’t far away?

Indeed not. Again a long ball was played for Jones to chase down the right. She crossed into the box for D’Ortenzio, but she and her marker missed the ball and it ran through to the unmarked Martin, who hit the ball wide of keeper Chile Telford to make it 2-0 Barkers.

Barkers now gave away a series of free-kicks as the game became niggly. With 13 minutes left, City’s Holly Templeton hit a free-kick down the middle to Pickles, but she shot wide, and that was City’s best chance gone. With six minutes to go, Jones surged through the middle of the park but was forced wide and her shot was saved.

This was as comprehensive a victory as the Barkerettes have achieved all season. City complained about Barkers’ physicality, but that’s for the referee to deal with (note – no cards), and in any case, City was never in the game today. Barkers dominated all over the pitch, and if they continue this run of form, some of those top sides are in for a shock – indeed, Barkers have beaten second and fourth in the last two games.

league Coach at Yarra Valley Football League (2006–2012), AFL Victoria Country Assistant Coach and Eastern Ranges’ Assistant Coach from 2022 to 2023, where he specialised in midfield development.

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Barkers win thrilling derby

By Peter Stephenson

The Kennel was sunny and breezy for Derby Day as Barkers (sixth) hosted Knox City (third) in front of a healthy crowd. In recent weeks, Barkers had stumbled and found themselves 10 points off the pace, so this was an important game to win. Barkers named an unchanged side, having lost 0-2 at Peninsula last week.

The game began tamely for a local stoush, then exploded into life on the quarter hour.

A Barkers free-kick found Christian Porcaro on the left, who played inside to Ross Clark. He deftly backheeled the ball into the path of Danny Aye, who beat his man and squeezed the ball inside Matthew Krstina’s near post to give Barkers a 1-0 lead.

Barkers then got sloppy, conceding freekicks in dangerous areas, but Knox’s McLeod kept driving them into the Barkers wall. Then Knox floated a free-kick into the penalty area. The ball found Navin Vellupillay, who beat two men and shot, but Vladi Velikin beat the ball away. Next McLeod crossed low from the right to Yianni Kourelis, who shot narrowly wide. Both sides had chances before the break, but the half-time score remained Barkers 1-0 Knox.

Five minutes into the second half, Ray Markley brought the ball out of defence and hit a lovely ball out to Aye on the left. Barkers went forward in numbers, but instead of one of them taking charge and just shooting, they tried to pass the ball into the net and the chance was gone. Then, Clark curled a shot

beyond the far post before Tristan Walker sent Porcaro on the overlap. A dangerous cross to the far post was headed wide by Watson. After these wasted chances, Knox sliced through the home defence before a McLeod shot forced a good low save from Velikin. Maybe this was the wake-up call Barkers needed, as they did, indeed, wake up. Just before the hour, Aye had a shot parried away by Krstina. Then Clark squared the ball to Aye, who made space for himself before drilling a beauty into the bottom corner of the net for his second and 2-0 Barkers. Alas, Barkers then took another nanna nap. Clark played the ball back towards his own defence, who allowed McLeod to rob the ball and hit a crisp first-time shot beyond Velikin to make it 2-1 Barkers.

Barkers lived dangerously for a short period as Knox poured forward with intent. However, Barkers exploited this by hitting a long ball from midfield up to Watson. He was forced wide on the right, so played back to Walker. He spotted Clark steaming in at the far post. A well-weighted cross found Clark unmarked, and he had the simple task of placing the ball beyond the keeper for 3-1 Barkers. As the game wound down to its conclusion, Knox put Barkers under siege, but the final act of the game was too little, too late for Knox. Deep into stoppage time, Chris Potter jumped into Jorge Dunster – penalty to Knox. McLeod sent Velikin the wrong way for a consolation goal, but Barkers had the points. Full-time: Barkers 3-2 Knox.

Lilydale’s 2025 Division Two run has seen the side win two and lose 10 after 12 rounds, placing them tenth on the ladder out of 10 teams.

Lilydale Football Club’s senior men’s coach Duncan Jones announced his resignation on 29 June. (Supplied)

The Barkerettes dominated top four side, Collingwood, continuing their unbeaten streak against City. (Unsplash)

The Barkers had a thrilling win against Knox after a streak of losses. (File:

One big win and loss

By Callum Ludwig

The Lilydale Eagles were back at home to welcome Gideon’s Warriors on Saturday 5 July, looking to put some more points on the board ahead of a cup round break.

The Reserves took to the field first in perfect conditions and despite lacking numbers on the bench, looked the better side very early.

The deadlock was broken early by centre back James ‘Becks’ Laine, who volleyed a bouncing ball that had been cleared from the box, with his looping shot beating the keeper to make it 1-0.

Not long after, Joshua Zmegac scored his first goal for the club with a curling finish into the top corner, adding a second later in the half.

Standing in goals, Daniel ‘Dicko’ Dickson stepped up to take a free kick from inside his own half which he sent long for Lilydale forwards to chase but it carried on and a mistake from the keeper saw it register a miraculous goal.

The Eagles weren’t done for the half then either, when a mistake following a goal kick saw Byron Loveless poke home the fifth for the half through the keeper’s legs to cap off a dominant first half display for Lilydale.

Shortly after halftime, the Warriors got one back when their striker curled a delightful finish into the top corner past subbed-in keeper Nick ‘Seegs’ Seeger.

Not long after, the dreaded dodgy legs of some of the old boys for Lilydale combined with the lack of subs saw the inevitable happen when Becks hobbled off with a calf early in the half after trying to be a bit more expansive and play in midfield rather than resting in the backline, followed by Seegs’ pulling a ‘string shortly after he raced out to collect a long ball.

The Eagles continued to remain on top without adding to their lead for a little while until midfielder Mark Vanderkolk waltzed past multiple Gideon’s opponents before tucking home a simple finish into the bottom corner.

Gideon’s picked up another consolation goal when one slipped through the fingers of Dicko who came back on in goal. Dicko looked to have recovered and palmed the ball away before it crossed the line but referee Derek Murray had other ideas and gave the goal.

The last highlight from the game came when Vanderkolk secured his brace with a slightly scuffed finish still found its way into the back of the net and hopefully proving to Mark he can actually take a shot every now and then and it might just go in.

The match finished 7-2 to the Eagles.

The Seniors then took the field looking for redemption after being comfortably beaten in the away fixture earlier in the year.

Things got off to a poor start for the Eagles however when in the 11th minute, a ball was played over the top for the Warriors’ Mark Beshay who flicked the ball over the onrushing Ludwig, and despite the best efforts of Leo Blair to clear the bouncing ball off the line and Lilydale’s pleas for offside, the goal was awarded.

It went from bad to worse soon after when in the 12th minute, it was Beshay played through again who managed to finish for a quickfire brace to have Lilydale on the back foot early.

The pressure didn’t stop there with Ludwig

forced into a couple of saves to prevent the lead from being extended before the Eagles started to grow into the game and solidify defensively.

Despite some half chances that were off-target or where Lilydale didn’t get a shot off early enough, the Eagles were unable to peg back the margin before halftime.

However it wasn’t long into the second half when Ethan Emmett fired home into the bottom corner after a lovely little flick around the corner from Kaiden Deany-Smith to make it 1-2 in the 49th minute and the Eagles were up and about.

Gideon’s midfielder David Abdelmalek picked up a yellow card in the 65th minute as the Lilydale Eagles put the pressure on and eventually the dam wall broke in the 73rd minute when Lachy Hamling headed from a corner to make it 2-2.

Things started to get heated, with Lilydale’s Bailey Hone picking up a yellow card shortly after the restart for a rash challenge which started

a bit of biffo, got supporters on the sideline riled up and even had referee Derek Murray swearing, an offence that would see any player with a yellow card so it’s hoped he noted his profanity in the book.

Unfortunately for the Eagles it was another quickfire collapse similar to the first half, with the Warriors scoring two goals in as many minutes through Abdelmalek and Beshay to make it 2-4.

The Eagles weren’t prepared to give up yet however and in the 81st minute, Emmett scored again to give the Eagles a sniff.

Lilydale continued to press forward and in the last minute thought they had an equaliser when a long free kick to the back post saw a combination Hamling and Emmett bundle the ball home, only for the linesman to raise his flag and rule it out.

It ended 3-4 and the Eagles will look to try and pick up two wins away against Maroondah United after the week off.

Decisive win for Mooroolbark’s vets

By Sandra Wood

This game was postponed from the previous week, and the Vets were able to play The Basin under lights at Batterham Reserve on Friday night. The Mustangs got off to a good start kicking five goals to one point in the first quarter. The next two quarters the team struggled to score goals due to some strong defence from The Basin.

The Mustang’s cohesive performance throughout the four quarters was capped off by a five-goal last quarter resulting in a decisive 63-point win.

Final Scores Mooroolbark 13.11.89 to The Basin4.2.26

Goal Kickers: Andy Cultrera 3, Luke Chivers 2, Scott Dimitriou 2, Graeme Robinson, Jeremy Neumann, James McManus, Adam Driver Brendan Richards and Brad Bell 1 each Best players: Matt Polkinghorne, Luke Chivers, James McManus, Andy Cultrera, Brendan Richards and Michael Noonan.

The Seniors, Reserves and the Senior Women had a bye.

Women get the job done

By Hannah Chappell

It was another action-packed weekend of footy for the club, with Coldstream women’s team delivering a commanding win at home and Coldstream men taking on a tough opponent away at Oakleigh.

At home, the women faced off against Mitcham and came out firing.

The game started with a bang as Sophie Stark lit up the first quarter, kicking three goals and setting the tone early.

The team carried that momentum through the match, maintaining control and finishing with a dominant 59–18 victory.

Chany Underwood was named Coldstream Brewery Player of the Round after a standout performance across the half-back line and midfield.

Her relentless effort and composure under pressure played a key role in the team’s success.

With the win, the Coldstream women now enjoy a well-earned week off before turning their focus to a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Heathmont.

It promises to be one of the matches of the season.

Meanwhile, the Coldstream men made the trip down to Princess Highway Reserve to take on Oakleigh.

In a tough, physical encounter, both the senior and reserves sides showed plenty of heart and grit.

While the scoreboard didn’t swing in the Coldstream’s favour, the effort, work rate, and team spirit were there across the board.

Austin McInerney was named Reserves Player of the Round after a gutsy performance, showcasing his consistency and drive throughout the game.

In the seniors, Mitchell Edmonds stood tall and was awarded the Yarra Valley Steel Seniors Player of the Round.

His determination and impact around the contest were clear, earning praise from both teammates and coaching staff.

Both teams continue to build resilience and depth as they move into the business end of the season.

There’s plenty to be proud of, and they take learnings from this weekend.

Seniors:

Coldstream: 10.6.66

Oakleigh: 27.21.183

M Edmonds. 4, D. Carrigan. 1, J Hammen. 1, J Voss. 1, D Fritsch.1, A Chandler. 1, B Fenton.1

Reserves:

Coldstream: 7.6.48

Oakleigh: 8.10.58

A White.1, A Rankin.1, T Griffin.1, A McInerney.1, S Kollosche.1, R White.1, S Bennett.1

Womens:

Coldstream: 9.6.60

Mitcham: 2.5.17

S Stark.4, A Broughan.2, M Stark.1, K Hamilton.1, N Moate. 1

Joshua Zmegac passes to Mark Vanderkolk in the Reserves. (Dongyun Kwon: 488650)

Solomon Hranglung clears the ball away. (Dongyun Kwon: 488650)

Mooroolbark Football Club vets player Matt Polkinghorne. (Supplied)

Mitchell Edmonds was awarded the Yarra Valley Steel Seniors Player of the Round. (Supplied)

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With increasing energy prices around the world, people are increasingly turning to wood stoves as a sustainable solution for heating throughout the colder months. With the high eﬃciency of a Euro Fireplace, you will use substantially less wood than a traditional fan forced heater, and will save on your overall energy bills.

Natural Convection

Unlike traditional wood heaters in Australia, Euro Fireplaces do not require fans –they heat your home through natural convection. This process will heat your home more effectively and efficiently, using up to 3 times less firewood than a fan forced wood burner.

Low Emissions

In Australia, Emissions are tested in grams per kilogram of wood burned. At Euro Fireplaces, the popular Andorra range operate at just 0.8g and the Ribe at 0.4g –industry leading in Australia, and are a testament to the high eﬃciency and quality of our products.

Heat Bank

Many of our heaters utilise thermal mass to store heat whilst burning, before slowly releasing that stored heat overnight. This heat storage can either be achieved through attractive stone or tile ﬁnishes, or alternatively through optional refractory concrete blocks which are installed inside the ﬁreplaces, hidden from sight.

Designed and manufactured in the Bavarian region of Germany, Brunner fireplaces represent the pinnacle of wood heating. Each fireplace can be installed with an optional BSK installation kit, consisting of refractory concrete blocks. The BSK concrete system allows quick assembly on site and provides large amounts of thermal mass for heat storage during operation. This type of assembly can be completed in a day, saving time and money compared to other high end inbuilt installations. Once assembled, the concrete surround can be left raw, or finished off in any desired method including render or tiling.

Fresh Air Intake

With houses becoming better insulated and increasingly more energy efficient, it is important to ensure that your fireplace has good access to fresh oxygen to facilitate proper burning. Most Euro Fireplaces now come with an optional fresh air intake connection, which creates direct access from the outside air to the firebox. This ensures the air inside your house is kept not only warm, but fresh for you and your family, as well as saving even more wood during normal burning.

Buller, designed for the high country

Designed especially for the Australian market, the Buller boasts one of the largest heating capacities in the Euro Fireplaces range. Inspired by traditional Australian wood stoves, the wide window and low profile modernises the classic designs people have come to expect from wood heaters. The two variants include a stylish pedestal stand, or a functional storage space. Despite the larger firebox size, the Buller maintains high efficiency and low emissions.

Speciﬁcations

Heating capacityUp to 280m2

EﬃciencyAus 61% / EU 76%

Emissions1.4g/kg

Wood Usage2.7kg/hr

Weight158kg

H/W/D870-930/770/527 Heat Bank10kg

Ember Retention7hr+