News - Cranbourne Star News - 31st July 2025

Planting for the future

More than 340 volunteers joined Casey Council’s National Tree Day event in Cranbourne West on 27 July, planting 7000 indigenous trees and shrubs.

Melbourne Stars, Gardens for Wildlife, and the Council’s Waste Education team also participated, offering habitat and waste tips.

Councillor Carolyn Eaves, who also attended the planting, highlighted the importance of creating wildlife corridors.

The planting along powerline easements will support native species like bandicoots. Story page 5

Ramesh, Dipesh, Arika and Darshna from community group BAPS were planting trees. (Gary Sissons: 491224)

Cooling change

By Ethan Benedicto

As the City of Casey continues to grow, so too do its needs.

Following the recent Capital Works Program, the council has doubled its tree planting budget to $3.1 million, as new estates in border suburbs like Clyde North and Cranbourne West, and their vast plots of land with growing estates, remain almost bare of tree cover.

As the heat of the summer draws closer, so does the need for urban shade, with some of these fast-growing areas recording tree canopy coverage as low as one to five per cent.

A report prepared by the council, called Greening Casey, has expanded on the extent of the city’s greenery gap, highlighting the environmental and liveability challenges posed by rapid development and a lack of vegetation.

Taking the steps under this strategy, the council has committed to planting thousands of new trees annually, including roads, walking trails, and conservation zones, a healthy portion relying on the community’s input in order to thrive.

However, in places like Clyde North, it seems like the brick and mortar of industrial zones have far outpaced the growth of trees, and despite the abundance of saplings, mark the next years with spotted areas of shade.

For the full story, turn to pages 4-5

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Consultation ‘fail’

By Violet Li

As a Victorian Parliament Committee is investigating community consultation practices by the government, a community group has submitted their “serious” concerns on the alleged failures in community consultation surrounding the proposed Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station.

Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA) has traced back to the starting point of the proposed Waste Transfer Station: Hampton Park Hill Development Plan.

Star News reported before that Casey Council went against the public will to endorse the new Hampton Park Hill Development Plan at a meeting on Tuesday 18 July 2023, during the administration era.

Serving as a framework guiding land use and development proposals, the endorsed plan paved the way for the continuing operation of the current landfill, future waste and resource recovery activities, public open spaces, and light industrial activities in the designated area.

Casey Council also took the endorsed Development Plan into consideration before they approved the planning permit for the proposed Waste Transfer Station last year.

LRA claimed in its submission that no

“meaningful or direct” community consultation occurred during the early stages of the Development Plan planning process, despite that a relevant guidance document (Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan 2018, SWRRIP) stressed that community consultation must occur from the beginning.

“Engagement was limited to select ‘key stakeholders’, primarily businesses, industry operators, and regulatory bodies. This omission is particularly concerning, given the known and documented history of odour complaints, health concerns, and environmental impacts stemming from activities at the site,” LRA stated.

“The exclusion of local residents from these early phases of planning is not only inappropriate but fundamentally inconsistent with the environmental justice principles outlined in the SWRRIP.

“The community should have been engaged at the outset, as part of an inclusive planning approach.”

LRA said that the community consultation only occurred in August 2022, well after strategic planning and industry discussions had concluded, and they claimed that City of Casey officers downplayed the 1052 written oppositions, suggesting residents misunderstood the proposal.

The LRA’s submission outlines what they described as six key failures: the lack of early engagement, exclusion of residents from stakeholder lists, delayed consultation, ignored opposition, disregard for environmental justice, and failure to uphold the consultation requirements outlined in SWRRIP.

To prevent issues, the group made a series of recommendations, including mandatory early-stage consultation, transparency in stakeholder identification, documentation of how community input affects decisions, and independent oversight for high-impact developments.

When inquired, City of Casey Manager Planning and Building Tania Asper said Council followed relevant procedures in the development of the Hampton Park Hill Development Plan.

“Servicing agencies were consulted during the initial phases of preparing a draft document, a standard practice that is essential for informing the drafting of a development plan,” she said.

“Once a draft document was prepared, Council sought input and feedback from the broader community, landowners, as well as special interest groups.

“Engagement was conducted online and in-person across the engagement period.”

Jailed for kidnap role

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A19-year-oldhasbeenjailedforhisroleina group’s “terrifying” kidnapping and beating of the ‘wrong’ person.

In May 2024, Mahdi Mohammadi and two others in a white van set off from Lynbrook and drove around for two hours “waiting for an opportunity to seize” the victim, according to a prosecution summary at the Victorian County Court. In Wattle Crescent, Beaconsfield, they forced the man into the back of the van, tied him with duct tape, covered his head with a pillowcase and held him captive in a Doncaster address. The victim, who was a friend of the intended victim, was “terrorised, assaulted and tormented in a most appalling way”, sentencing judge Scott Johns said on 28 July.

The man was filmed as he was tied to a chair in his underwear, his head shaven and a sawn-off or cut-down gun was placed in his mouth by co-offender Amose Elmarkaz. Judge Johns described the footage as “terrifying”.

The captors were receiving instructions via a Signal chat group. They sent an image of the victim – and realised they had abducted the wrong person. They still carried on with the ordeal. At one point, Mohammadi punched the victim in the face.

The victim had a bullet placed in his mouth in a threatening manner.

Judge Johns noted the victim was “too overwhelmed by the experience” to make a victim impact statement. “I take into account that it was a terrifying, impactful and traumatic experience for him.”

Mohammadi was arrested while fleeing from the van in Cranbourne West – having just released the victim in Mullum Mullum Reserve, Ringwood.

Born in Afghanistan, Mohammadi remained traumatised by a violence-marred childhood. After moving to Australia at 11, he attended school in Doveton as well as an English-language school. As a result of his PTSD, he’d ‘self-medicated’ with meth, benzos and cocaine in recent years.

Judge Johns accepted Mohammadi’s traumatic background was a significant mitigating factor. He was just 18 at the time of the kidnapping with no prior convictions and “good” rehabilitation prospects.

Mohammadi pleaded guilty to stalking, common-law kidnapping, common-law assault, intentionally causing injury and possessing an unregistered gun.

Judge Johns noted that Mohammadi played a lesser role than co-offender Elmarkaz, who was jailed for up to three years and four months.

Mohammadi was jailed for two years and four months, and eligible for parole after 17 months.

His term included 450 days in pre-sentence detention, meaning he’s eligible for parole in two months.

The name of Cranbourne North’s newest school has been revealed as it prepares to open its doors next year.

Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas announced the name Kala Primary School had been chosen for the previously interim-named Casey Central Primary School following community feedback and consultation with Traditional Owner groups.

Kala Primary School is one of 19 schools set to open in Term 1, 2026.

In 2023, it was announced that new schools would be given First Nations language names to help support self-determination, language and culture across the state.

The new names were chosen following a two-week consultation process. The Victorian School Building Authority received more than 2,300 submissions from Victorians.

“I, along with so many families and students, can’t wait for Kala Primary School to open its doors next year. This brand new school will give our community the modern learning facilities it deserves,” Mr Maas said. “Schools are the heart of our communities. The new Kala Primary School in Cranbourne North will deliver quality education for our growing area while easing pressure on other local primary schools.”

Members of the Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA) and other community members rallying in front of State Parliament. (Gary Sissons: 480136)

Parking frustration looms at the shops

By Violet Li

Shoppers at a Clyde shopping centre are concerned about parking difficulties after construction works took up a row of parking spaces.

Construction works are going on for a new building at the corner of Berwick-Cranbourne Road and Morison Road, where the Shopping on Clyde and its car parks are located. It took up a row of parking spaces.

Across the road, another construction work is also ongoing behind the medical centre.

Cars can be seen circling in the car park and the nearby residential areas to look for a parking spot if you visit the shopping precinct during the peak hours.

Local Linda Dyer said she came down last Wednesday, and she couldn’t even get a parking space on the surrounding streets.

“In the end, I had to go elsewhere,” she said. “Now, all of these people who are paying high rents are losing out on business because, like me, other people are having to go elsewhere to do their shopping.”

It has not been unusual, as Ms Dyer recalled that last year, at various times of the day, the carpark was always full. Fast forward to this year, the carpark is now reduced because of building works.

Marie, a regular at the shopping centre, said it was absolutely hard to find a parking space now.

“Even before that (the construction), there was not as much because the area is growing,” she said.

“It’s going to grow more because there are a lot of houses being built in the area.”

May, owner of One Stop Variety in Shopping on Clyde, said customer complaints about parking are not a lot, but she personally experienced it when she came to work in the morning.

She said the shop owners were informed that it was going to be a construction, but no consultation of any form was conducted.

Anthony Tassone, co-proprietor of TerryWhiteChemmart pharmacy Clyde, which is in the centre, said they knew and understood there are currently challenges with car parking at Shopping on Clyde due to the construction works around.

“There has been the temporary closure of some car parks and an increased demand for existing car parks with workers and tradespeople attending the site,” he said.

“On weekends, there is car parking available at the medical centre next to Shopping on Clyde if customers are having difficulty finding a car park.

“The staff working in the centre are doing their best to ensure we all park in areas that are not within the main car park to maximise available parking for customers.

“All of the traders at Shopping on Clyde are very appreciative of the support and patience of our customers and expect the car parking to improve soon with the construction works of the aged care facility expected to be completed by November this year.”

Mr Tassone hoped that when the construction works are all completed (expected by May 2026) that the Shopping on Clyde precinct will offer more health and hospitality services for the community and be even more of a destination and attraction.

According to centre manager Ian Mitchell, the new building completes the centre’s precinct plans and is anticipated to open early next year.

“The building will include a gym, sports bar, juice kiosk and restaurant,” he said.

“The plans included professional services input on traffic flow and parking requirements, which were then endorsed by the Council.

“The new building requires the use of a row of current carparking for safety requirements. These car parks will be reopened upon completion, as well as additional spaces.”

Mr Mitchell said they are aware that it can be difficult to find a park at peak times and continue to address this.

“For example, as many as 30 per cent of the cars in the main car park were parked there all day (typically not customers). Therefore, we are encouraging these cars to park in other areas,” he said.

“We appreciate that it takes time for such adjustments, but have found that it is starting to work and anticipate that with further signage and

monitoring, many more car parks will be available for customers both now and when the new building opens.”

Ms Dyer has also been worried that parking situations are only going to get worse once the new businesses are open.

Signal setup questioned after Clyde incident

By Violet Li

A morning car crash last week at the intersection of Clyde-Five Ways and Waterman Drive has highlighted concerns over the traffic light setups.

A car crash happened at about 8.30am on Wednesday 23 July, at the intersection of Clyde Five-Ways Road and Waterman Drive in Clyde.

According to a commuter in the area, the crash caused quite a delay as the intersection had been completely closed off during the morning’s peak hours, with emergency services attending to multiple collision vehicles at the scene.

A woman in her 30s with a medical condition was transported in a stable condition, and a man in his 60s was also transported with an upper body injury, but was also in a stable condition.

The accident was not fatal or significant.

Star News visited the intersection and talked with several residents living nearby. They said they had heard about “quite a few” car crashes in this particular intersection over the years.

Resident Jag Singh said he had been living in the area for a year and a half, and he had heard about three to four accidents during the morning peak hours. One of the crashes even involved a friend of his.

He believed that the frequency of the crashes could be due to the intersection’s signalling.

He explained that when turning right from Clyde-Five Ways onto Waterman Drive, drivers don’t get a dedicated rightturn arrow. Instead, they face a single generic green light, which means they must judge when it’s safe to turn across oncoming traffic.

This becomes especially risky because the opposing traffic is coming downhill at speed, making it harder to predict how quickly cars will reach the intersection. Drivers attempting to turn right often hesitate or misjudge gaps, increasing the risk of collisions, he said.

Mr Singh believed that the lack of a controlled turn signal, combined with fast-moving downhill traffic, could lead to a crash.

Mr Singh said Waterman Drive has a school alongside, which made the traffic really heavy in the morning peak hours. He added that people nowadays can drive carelessly.

As the interview went on, a car jumped the red lights at the intersection, and Mr Singh pointed out that this was one of the reasons car crashes happened.

“Gym members will want to park for about an hour, and tavern patrons will want to park for two to three hours,” she said.

“The only solution will be to construct a multi-storey carpark, but I doubt if it is on the drawing board at this time.”

Star News has gone through the State’s Road Crash Database, which is seve months in lag, and didn’t locate any crash at the intersection on record, but it is noted that this data has been consolidated from Victoria Police reports and hospital injury information.

Construction of a new building at the front of the Shopping on Clyde has taken up a row of parking spaces. (Violet Li)

The rear of Shopping on Clyde has street parking. It was packed during a visit on Wednesday 23 July.

Shoppers parked on the surrounding residential streets.

The concept plan of the new building. (Supplied)

When turning right from Clyde-Five Ways onto Waterman Drive, drivers don’t get a dedicated right-turn arrow. Instead, they face a single generic green light, which means they must judge when it’s safe to turn across oncoming traffic. (Violet Li)

Trees key to growing areas

By Ethan Benedicto

Residents and workers near St Germain in Clyde North said that more trees in growing areas would be more than a welcome addition, as the suburb has between one and five per cent of urban forest cover.

According to the Greening Casey document prepared by the City of Casey, Clyde North, both retain spots of zero per cent tree canopy coverage and have patches of six to ten per cent coverage, in addition to the mentioned one to five per cent figure.

This means commercial and industrial lands, such as those found in the eastern border suburbs, have low levels of vegetation cover as compared to parklands that retain much higher levels.

One retail staff member at St Germain Central said that “we could definitely use more trees here”.

“I know the area is new, and there are small trees around, but you know, I think trees are always beneficial for people, and of course, it would make the place look better,” they said.

One resident, who lives in close proximity to Bells Road and the shopping centre, said that Clyde North, “doesn’t have enough trees”.

“We need more trees, really, simply because it’ll make the place look better and of course, during the summer time, keep people cool,” they said.

Other residents were of like mind, with many adding that trees being put up along estates is a practice they would like to see upheld, and even boosted for future developments.

Bells Road, which cuts directly beside the shopping precinct, is home to an abundance of saplings that were planted roughly in the same timeframe as the centre was constructed.

While the species was not directly identified, the document stated that 82 per cent of street trees are juvenile or semi-mature.

This means that a significant number of trees have been planted by either the council or the developers in the last 10 to 15 years.

Overall, development is one of the major issues facing the urban forest in Casey, where the report outlined that the majority of subdivision designs do not require the provision for trees on private lots.

The report also added that there is a development driver for lot yield to maximise outcomes for developers, which often comes at the cost of open space, gardens and the environment.

Likewise, land value is valuable and becoming increasingly more so, and the highest value land use is for residential housing; trees on private lots are often seen as a construction constraint rather than an opportunity to site dwellings within the landscape.

Another retail worker in the precinct said that, as someone who recently moved to the suburb from the Mornington Peninsula, they observed a solid balance of industrial areas and homes.

“We definitely need more trees; there are so many new buildings popping up, a lot of new estates, it just feels like we need to balance it out, you know?” they said.

As it stands, the document identified 10,135 vacant street tree sites in Casey, where a tree could be planted immediately, with Clyde North identified to have swathes of 20-26 metre priority roads for tree canopy improvements.

The majority of this coverage is in the north-western suburbs, stretching in the south and south-eastern direction, whittling, until dedicated spots rise in the south, such as Tooradin, Pearcedale, and Blind Bight.

Clyde and Clyde North, however, only have small spots where trees could be planted immediately.

On the other hand, Clyde North, in the majority, on a scale of zero to 13, scored a nine when it came to priority areas in Casey for increased canopy cover.

Clyde’s north-western areas scored the same, but the remainder, due to the lack of residential development and existing farmland, scored between one and five.

This data has been cross-referenced with areas of the city where people are out and about, and therefore are more likely to be more vulnerable to heat and extreme heat events.

One worker, who drives through Berwick Cranbourne Road and Thompsons Road, said that trees alongside roads and major roads would “be an amazing addition”.

“I’m just thinking about those days in the summer when you can see the heat literally rising from the ground.

“Now imagine if you had some shade, it would be nice, you know? And obviously it would be good for the environment,” they said.

Minta Estate in Berwick South, and just north of the border of Clyde North, began with an eight

per cent coverage in 2018, and saw growth from existing trees and new plantings.

However, this was significantly outweighed by the subsequent removal of existing trees and heavy pruning, where overall canopy decreased by almost 20 per cent of the original, resulting in a 2022 baseline of 6.5 per cent.

In 2021, the canopy cover was measured at 6.1 per cent, which is a decrease in canopy cover, at a rate of -17.63 per cent, as compared to what was measured in 2018.

The document states that this type of loss is occurring in many estates throughout the city, which significantly impacts Casey’s ability to adapt adequately to climate change, mitigate urban heat impacts and provide liveable neighbourhoods for future communities.

Each year, the council plants approximately 3000 street trees for renewal and infill, 2000 open space trees, and 20,000 tubestock in conservation areas.

This comes with regular tree inspection programs for street and park trees, significant trees and nature reserves, as well as bushlands.

As mentioned in a previous article, the goals for greening Casey include 15 per cent tree canopy cover overall by 2030, 20 per cent cover over roads by 2050, and 30 per cent cover over parkland/open space by 2050.

Trees and shrubbery in a median strip in Bells Road, just opposite St Germain Central. (Stewart Chambers: 493006_02)

The sapling trees on the larger nature strip beside Bells Road, a feature residents want more of. (Stewart Chambers: 493006_04)

More cash to green Casey

The City of Casey has doubled its budget for improving the city’s tree canopy coverage to $3.1 million, with the council aiming to reach a 15 per cent canopy coverage by 2030.

The Greening Casey report detailed that as of 2018, only 16.5 per cent of Casey’s land area is covered by shrubs and trees, while only 11.3 per cent of land in the LGA is covered by tree canopy, which means vegetation over three metres.

This is considered to be relatively low compared to the average Melbourne LGA, which records 19.26 per cent tree canopy cover.

Casey’s Mayor, Stefan Koomen, said that the council “has a significant investment in trees in the budget, and it’s a real focus of the new councillor group to try and improve our tree canopy”.

“The planting process will begin immediately; we doubled our investment in tree planting to $3.1 million, so we’ll double the number of trees to increase our canopy.”

Koomen added that through the Greening Casey endeavour, there is a goal to curate a roadmap to achieve six key actions that include: protecting and restoring species habitat and improving connectivity, as well as setting targets and tracking progress.

The other four are scaling up greening in the private realm, collaborating across sectors and regions, building a toolkit of resources to underpin implementation, and funding the protection and enhancement of the urban forest.

Looking deeper, Greening Casey aims to achieve a 15 per cent tree canopy cover target throughout the whole of Casey by 2030.

This will, in turn, contribute to the 21 per cent

regional tree canopy cover target by 2030 for the Southern Region of Melbourne as documented in the Environment Strategy 2021.

For Koomen, wanting a bigger abundance of trees is as simple as their beauty; he said that “it’s just nice to be out in green space”.

“If you’re at a playground or even looking at nature strips where we all live and come home to, it’s nice to have some green cover, these shaded areas.

“It’s good for families and it’s good for the environment too,” he said.

Looking at 2018 data from Greening Casey on the tree canopy coverage in the LGA, the only suburbs that fall under the 15 to 40 per cent range in coverage were Endeavour Hills, Lysterfield South, Harkaway, Berwick North, Junction Village, Cranbourne South, and Warneet.

Parts of Cranbourne North, Narre Warren North, Cranbourne East, Botanic Ridge, Lyn-

brook, Pearcedale and Doveton ranged from the six to 10 per cent coverage, with some spots hitting the 15 to 20 per cent coverage mark.

Clyde and Clyde North stand out the most, including Cranbourne West, Cannons Creek, Tooradin, patches of Narre Warren South, Narre Warren, Cranbourne North and Hampton Park, as well as Berwick South, which held a median coverage of one to five per cent, with some upping the threshold at six to 10 per cent coverage.

In terms of the planting process, Koomen said that the council is using a two-pronged approach, with larger trees that are already established to be handled by contractors and the council’s teams, but will also be combined through community engagement.

“We want to engage the community, the families, so we can learn about the importance and the need of tree canopies for the people,” he said.

“We have a tree planting day later this month [July] and we’re hoping to have a number of other initiatives over the next 12 months to get the community and community groups involved.”

In order to grow the city’s urban forest, the council will support the delivery of the Biodiversity Strategy Implementation Plan by planting indigenous and habitat tree and vegetation species in strategic, biodiverse locations.

Building on the canopy targets, there is a 20 per cent cover over roads goal by 2050, growing from an 11.8 per cent coverage in 2018.

By the same year, Casey aims to reach a 30 per cent coverage over shared walking and cycling paths, growing from 5.3 per cent in 2018.

Casey previously held a community survey and a series of workshops, reporting that an overwhelming message was that the people wanted

more trees and shrubs planted in the municipality.

In summary, 95 per cent of respondents supported more trees being planted in Casey, with 78 per cent wanting a lot more trees, and 17 per cent wanting a few more trees.

“Trees play an important role environmentally, in terms of the heat effects; so it really does impact the quality of life, the surrounding environment and also the liveability,” Koomen said.

“Planting these trees, it’s good for residents, it’s good for homeowners, and it’s good for the environment.”

A strong figure of 95 per cent of respondents also wanted the council to invest in more street and park trees, with the community strongly supporting trees that are resilient to climate change.

The community responses felt that the environmental benefits of trees were the most important to them, such as reducing air pollution, providing habitat, storing and capturing carbon and reducing stormwater to keep the city’s rivers and creeks healthy.

“We’re going to look at ways that the community can easily identify spots that maybe could use more trees, whether that’s public areas or nature strips - we want the community to be part of the solution,” Koomen said. He added that there are different forms of planning, such as regular trees that are more mature - ones that have grown over the last six to 12 months - being planted in areas where they can sustain against harsher weather.

There are also plans to mass-plant seedlings and saplings (which are cheaper), where, since they will be done in abundance, the community will have input on.

Hundreds plant thousands in Cranbourne West region

By Violet Li

More than 340 enthusiastic volunteers rolled up their sleeves in Cranbourne West on Sunday 27 July for Casey Council’s National Tree Day event. Representatives from Melbourne Stars attended the event, and volunteers from Gardens for Wildlife were on hand to share infor-

mation on how to provide habitat in residents’ backyards.

The Council’s Waste Education team were also on-site to discuss good waste management practices to use at home.

Casey Quarters Ward Councillor Carolyn Eaves, who also attended the day, said during the three-hour event, more than 340 volunteers planted 7,000 trees and shrubs.

“We planted a mix of indigenous trees, shrubs and ground cover plants, which will grow to provide habitat for small native birds and bandicoots in the area,” she said.

“It was a great day, that was both educational and fun.

“A big thanks also to the Rotary Club of Berwick and Sikh Volunteers Inc, who provided a tasty lunch for our hard-working volunteers.”

Ms Eaves said creating connections between patches of vegetation is essential for our native wildlife. “Important corridors, such as powerline easements where our planting took place this year, make it easier for wildlife to navigate through the urban environment,” she said. “With this newly added vegetation, it will give the local wildlife a safe place to feed, sleep and move through in the future.”

Cranbourne FRV Station 92: Sam Nalder, Max McQueen and Tim Harvey. (Gary Sissons: 491224)

A long shot of the tree planting.

Saro, Lauren, Hannah, Harvinder Singh and Prabakar.

From left to right, Mayor Stefan Koomen, Cr Carolyn Eaves and Cr Kim Ross, amongst the trees in front of Bunjil Place; an example of the ideal goal of density and growth throughout Casey. (Gary Sissons: 491539_01)

By Ethan Benedicto

BAPS: Ghanshyam, Anaya and Hetal.

Supporting our new arrivals

By Taylah Xuereb

A group of young people supported by South East Community Links have teamed up for a Bill in the Y Victorian Youth Parliament.

Madina Hakimi, Kris van der Kamp, and Hamid Tawasulli’s Increased Job Opportunities for Newly Arrived People Bill 2025 proposes further educational support and employment opportunities for those who have arrived into Australia within the past year.

The youth Legislative Council passed the Bill with 20 votes.

The Youth Governor, Lily Trethowan will present this successful Bill to the state’s Youth Minister Natalie Suleyman for consideration.

The Bill specifically aims to facilitate job application workshops, accessible English language courses, and financial incentives for businesses who employ newly arrived people.

At its core, this Bill is fighting for newly arrived people to experience a successful integration into Victoria’s local communities.

Member of the SECL team, Hamid Tawasulli opened the debate outlining the intentions of this Bill, promoting its ability to aid newly arrived people and their communities.

“Ensuring newly arrived people are given the skills they need to get employment is extremely important, ensuring that they have ongoing opportunities to proactively engage in the Australian economy,” Tawasulli said.

The SECL team’s gratitude for the experience cannot be mistaken. Their passion comes from their personal experiences as two thirds of the group were once newly arrived people themselves.

“I came [to] Australia four years ago. I was kind of lost, I couldn’t find a job,” stated Tawasulli.

Another member from the team, Kris van der Kamp saw the opposition’s criticisms as a learning experience, demonstrating the passion and drive behind this team.

“New people looking at your Bill will always give you new ideas and new ways of looking at [the Bill]”, Kamp stated.

Founder of the non-profit organisation, Third Culture, and 2023 Youth Premier of Youth Parliament, Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji recognises the importance of young people having conversations and learning experiences on diversity and equality.

The Bill mainly fights for further educational and occupational support for newly arrived peo-

City of Casey bin lid swap is kicking off this month

Casey Council will soon begin swapping bin lids to meet the State Government’s standardised household waste and recycling system.

From Monday 11 August until Friday 12 December, council will be swapping rubbish and recycling bin lids across the City of Casey – red for garbage and yellow for recycling.

In line with the State’s push for uniform kerbside services across all councils by 2027, Casey will be changing more than 250,000 bin lids across the municipality.

The new state-wide colour coding includes red lids for general rubbish, yellow for co-mingled recycling, lime green for food and garden waste, and purple for glass.

City of Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen said they are working together to update every bin lid in Casey, so they meet the statewide standard.

“From Monday 11 August, our crews will be out and about swapping lids, so keep an eye out when they’re in your neighbourhood,” he said.

“With more than 250,000 bins across our

community, it’s a big job. Thanks so much for your patience and support.

“The good news is the old lids will be recycled and turned into new kerbside bins, made using 30 per cent recycled content.

“A win for Casey and for the environment.”

According to the Council, the budget for the lid changeover is $3.6 million (ex GST), with final costs depending on two key factors, including first pass changeover completion and damage bin replacement.

The higher the percentage of lids being changed over in the first attempt, the better it is financially for Casey, Council noted.

Bin replacement is also a factor, as new bins are significantly more expensive than lid replacements, and this has been factored into the cost. Council is asking residents to leave their rubbish and recycling bins on the nature strip until 5pm on their regular recycling collection day, even if the bins have already been emptied, which is said to help contractors access and change over lids efficiently. For more information, visit: casey.vic.gov.au/kerbside-bin-changes

ple, which Ravalji believes will benefit local communities.

“We’re investing this money, all these resources but the return that you get on it is really good. Whether that’s in social economics, whether that’s in crime rates, whether that’s in the future,” Ravalji said.

The Y Victorian Youth Parliament program provides young people the platform to express the concerns they have for their local communities, whilst acting on the issues they believe de-

serve attention.

“We saw in the last federal election that young people are now more [politically] active than ever before,” Ravalji stated.

SECL team member, Madina Hakimi shared the same sentiments, which she considers a valuable takeaway from the program.

“You’re important, your voice is important,” Hakimi said.

- Taylah Xuereb is a member of the 2025 Youth Press Gallery

Snapchat, tantrums and tears

Recently, a post in a local Berwick community forum broke our hearts.

A concerned father of a Year 9 girl asked for help: his daughter, caught in the crossfire of peer pressure and digital culture, was demanding access to Snapchat.

When told no, the tears came.

The tantrums followed.

And like thousands of other parents across Australia, he was left feeling powerless.

This is not an isolated case.

The issue is not just the app.

It is the cultural shift we are witnessing: where “no“ from a parent is no longer a full sentence.

Boundaries are negotiated, not respected.

Where digital validation matters more than real-life conversation.

The Australian Government has introduced tighter regulations to address online safety and social media usage.

New policies propose a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts, and a “Digital Duty of Care“ to hold platforms accountable.

On paper, these initiatives are well-meaning.

But here is the problem: we are focusing on legislation without equipping the front-line defenders - parents and educators - with the tools, language, and cultural confidence to hold the line at home.

So, what is the real root cause?

This is not just a tech issue.

It is a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) crisis.

We have a generation of parents who are unsure on how to parent across cultures: the culture of entitlement, digital addiction, peer pressure, and performative popularity.

We are scared to be the “strict ones“.

We are afraid of damaging self-esteem.

But, as many educators will tell you, that fear is breeding a new kind of fragility - where discomfort is mistaken for danger, and guidance is mistaken for control.

Our parents once said no, and it meant no.

But in today’s landscape, where social media is both a lifeline and a liability, we need new tools:

1. Values-Based Parenting

Teach your children why you say no.

Explain values like privacy, digital permanence, emotional safety, and empathy.

If they understand the “why“, they will respect the “no”.

Take them down the rabbit hole, make them confront real stories of where it has led for others.

2. Back-to-Front Policies

Governments are legislating from the topdown, but parents need support from the ground-up.

We need schools and local councils to host digital parenting workshops, provide community-based tech mentors, and invest in CQ education.

3. Cultural Reset in Homes It is time to reintroduce etiquette. Respect. Gratitude. And responsibility.

We cannot let likes and filters replace morals and manners.

4. Family Tech Agreements

Make media-use a family conversation. Set boundaries together, and stick to them. No Snapchat till 16? Fine. But explain it, model it, and stay consistent.

You are the biggest role model to your child.

5. Empower the Village

No more parenting in isolation.

Create school-based CQ forums, teacher-parent panels, and local community groups where people can share strategies, not just complaints. The truth is, parents are being outmanoeuvred by technology and outnumbered by influence. It is no wonder we feel like we are failing. But we are not.

We just need to stop fighting alone. Snapchat is not the enemy. Nor is the child. But if we do not bridge this gap soon, we will raise a generation of young people more connected to strangers than to their own families.

If we want to restore sanity, safety, and selfworth in our homes, we must start with Cultural Intelligence: the ability to parent not just across generations, but across evolving cultural norms. Let’s raise digitally aware, emotionally intelligent, and morally grounded children.

SECL Youth Parliament team member Kris van der Kamp. (Taylah Xuereb)

Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen and contractor Jessie and Lyn the Bin are notifying the community of the bin lid changeover. (Stewart Chambers: 491853)

Morning tea and tour

You’re invited to Summerset Cranbourne North to enjoy a morning tea and a tour around the village.

Explore the beautiful brand-new homes, thoughtfully designed with ease and comfort in mind.

Enjoy a complimentary cuppa and morning tea and take the opportunity to get to know our team, as well as some of the residents who already call Summerset Cranbourne North home.

Come and envision your life at this vibrant, welcoming village. When you move to a Summerset village, you’re not just moving house - you’re joining a community.

With a range of homes available now, you could be loving the Summerset life sooner than you thought.*

Love the life you choose.

Morning tea and a village tour

Tuesday 5 August, 10am to 12pm

Summerset Cranbourne North 98 Mannavue Boulevard, Cranbourne North 03 7068 5642 | cranbourne.sales@summerset.com.au

Wellness starts right here

In Clyde North, there’s a place where health and lifestyle come together - and it’s closer than you think. The St.Germain Health & Wellness Precinctismorethanjustacollectionofservices-it’s a growing destination for care, convenience, and community connection. Whether you’re managing your health, recovering from injury, or building a new fitness routine, everything you need is right here in one location.

Forget the long drives and waiting lists. At

Marina Radiology, you’ll find advanced diagnostic services including CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, and ultrasounds - all delivered by expert staff in a modern, professional setting. With bulk billing available on eligible services, peace of mind comes without the high price tag. Fast, local, and reliable - just the way health care should be.

Need a trusted local doctor? St.Germain Superclinic is here for your everyday health needs. From general check-ups and immunisations to

chronic disease management and paediatrics, their friendly team of GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals are committed to delivering personalised care for all ages. The clinic also offers bulk billing and same-day appointments, making it easier than ever to prioritise your health.

Looking to stay active? Anytime Fitness is open 24/7, giving you the freedom to train on your own schedule. Whether you’re just getting

started or staying on track, enjoy access to topquality equipment, group fitness classes, and personalised training support.

With essential health services, advanced diagnostics, and round-the-clock fitness, the St.Germain Health & Wellness Precinct is built around your lifestyle.

Because better health starts with better access—and that’s something everyone deserves.

Learn more at stgermaincentral.com.au

Wellness starts right here at St.Germain Central.

In a moment of crisis

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A call to police to help control a juvenile’s outburst at home can often lead to the child being thrust into the family-violence legal system.

To the parents’ shock – and even against their wishes - their child has suddenly been slapped with an intervention order.

Victoria Legal Aid children’s law associate director Elicia Savvas says often the ouburst is triggered by something commonplace as controlling screen time or internet use.

But due to a lack of support services, parents felt they had no choice but to call police in a “moment of crisis”.

“These families said they were seeking de-escalation and support.

“They often didn’t support legal action being taken against their child and said the intervention order didn’t help them get access to support.”

Intervention orders against children and young people are on the rise at home and at school, according to a Victoria Legal Aid report ‘Feeling supported, not stuck’.

In the past six years, 34 per cent more children are seeking VLA legal assistance for intervention orders, the report found.

Staggeringly, a third of its young clients facing intervention orders were 10 to 14 years old.

Victim-survivors of family violence, children living with a disability, neurodiversity or mental health issues or First Nations children were highly represented.

VLA is calling for law reform so young children are no longer slapped with intervention orders.

Savvas says family-violence and personal-safety intervention orders are designed for adults, not kids.

“We question whether these children, most of whom also live with disability or have faced some sort of trauma, can fully understand and follow these orders.”

A father, Luke, told the report that his 15-yearold son was likely to lose control and not abide by an IVO – which would then put his son on the wrong side of the law.

“He’d be thinking about his anger in that moment.

“What am I supposed to do then? I’m supposed to call the police and have him charged with a crime?”

Savvas says the situation was working against families seeking help and being kept safe.

More resources for “sustainable, wrap-around support” were needed to resolve family disputes and repair harm.

Also of concern to the VLA was rising numbers of personal-safety intervention orders at schools.

Often the VLA clients were retaliating to bul-

lying. As a result of the IVOs, their education was seriously disrupted by changing schools or leaving school completely.

The VLA report recommends the state’s education department provides more resources to mediate peer disputes, as well as restorative options outside the justice system.

It also recommends restorative justice options, outside of the justice system.

IVOs don’t go to the root cause of difficult issues at schools, Savvas says.

Elena Campbell, from RMIT University’s Centre for Innovative Justice, led a national study into responses to adolescent violence in the home.

She says young-person IVO numbers have worsened since her 2020 report.

It coincides with declining mental health in young people and rising social media use, as a result of the Covid era.

The biggest factor to young people’s violence in the home was them being exposed to family violence. Early intervention was key, Campbell said.

“We step in and remove the adult perpetrator and think our job is done.

“But we don’t invest in recovery - which should be the start point not the end point.“

Campbell agreed more resources were needed to support schools.

At the moment, schools went to “Defcon 5 as soon as something dramatic happens”.

“No one feels they have the tools or the time so we end up defaulting to an IVO very quickly.”

Teachers needed training in managing conflict, student trauma and the issues behind behaviour dysregulation, Campbell said.

Schools needed better-resourced wellbeing teams, as well as strong ongoing partnerships with outside support agencies.

She says family violence laws need to be reviewed to distinguish between adults and children.

“By taking a zero-tolerance, no-excuses approach to family violence, it’s left us in the ridiculous situation we have with 11 year olds.

“Their developmental age is enough of a limitation but they may have significant trauma or may have an autism diagnosis.

“They can’t possibly understand the order or don’t have a hope of complying.”

‘Incredibly rewarding’: A day in the life...

By Sahar Foladi

Not all heroes wear capes, some are child protection practitioners helping to save our young children and families at critical times.

Three young people in their 20s take time out of their busy lives to visit Stacey because they remember the work she did for them and their families when the trio were all under the age of 10.

Stacey Villinger has worked in Greater Dandenong as a team manager for the past 16 years with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

“Child protection is not just a job, it’s who I am.

“We work hard to support families and keep them together whenever it is safe and possible to do so.

“As a child protection practitioner, you’re constantly on the move.

“One minute you could be at court, the next sitting with a child doing a visit, the next at a parent’s house helping them with day-to-day tasks, catching up on how their supports are working for them.”

Stacey has worked with parents in circumstances where children had to be removed from their care, but now some of the same parents also drop by her office well after their cases are closed and their family reunified.

These are the highlights of her job every day.

“I believe in and care about the families I work with and help them believe in themselves – it’s incredibly rewarding.

“Building resilience was difficult when I first started in the job, but it comes with time.

“Sometimes it’s hard to accept that you can’t do everything and need to learn to up skill families and children as opposed to doing it all for them.”

One of her core memories is of a young girl who was reunified with her mum after five years in and out of out-of-home care.

Her mother had her quite young and was

MCH consult room at hub

By Violet Li

A new Maternal and Child Health (MCH) consult room is now open at Smiths Lane Community Hub in Clyde North.

The new room has been officially open since Wednesday 23 July.

Property developer Mirvac, whose sales office is based at Smiths Lane Community Hub, offered the 61-square-metre interim room to Casey Council at no cost for 12 months.

“The Clyde area is rapidly emerging as one of Casey’s fastest-growing suburbs. This has resulted in an increased demand for our MCH Service. The area has limited local centres, so this new room, which Mirvac offered to Council at no cost for 12 months, will allow families in the Smiths Lane and surrounding catchment area convenient access to a vital service whilst awaiting the opening of the future Alexander Boulevard Community Hub,” Dillwynia Ward Councillor Anthony Walter said.

“With the highest birth rates in the state — 5,735 babies born in Casey in 2024-25 — rising challenges in meeting infrastructure demands due to rapid population growth, and lack of State Government funding for MCH infrastructure, we are delighted to provide this new service.”

struggling with some mental health and substance issues.

Stacey was able to work closely with the child’s mother and grandmother to establish supports.

Their case is now closed, the mother keeps in touch with Stacey and her daughter is kicking goals at school, and thriving.

The child’s mother is also re-engaging in schooling and is studying to become a drug and alcohol counsellor.

“The best relationships are sometimes built during times of crisis.

“At times the job is hard – it’s stressful, it’s busy and it’s tiring. You will cry and you will laugh but most importantly you will be proud, proud of your colleagues, proud of the children you work with and proud of the parents you engage with.”

The job keeps her on the move but this is what she always wanted.

From the early age of 16 Stacey figured out she was made for this work, connecting her passion to work with families and children with her strong advocacy for others and making positive difference.

“There are amazing professional development opportunities – you can work in intake, investigations response, long-term case management. There’s always an opportunity to learn something new.”

Removal of a child from their parents’ care only occur under the most serious circumstances involving significant harm or imminent risk.

Court orders are based on evidence presented in applications and recommendations before the Children’s Court where it’s tested against the legislation.

Mirvac’s development director for Masterplanned Communities in Victoria, Glen Greening, said they were proud to partner with the Casey Council to provide the interim MCH consult room to give local families access to vital early childhood support close to home.

Mr Greening shared that the construction was about to commence for Alexander Boulevard Community Hub in Clyde North.

“That’d be another Mirvac building. We will have the same function here, so you have a sales office. You’ll have a project office. You’ll have community space, and MCH,” he said.

“They (MCH room) will then relocate to the next Mirvac building for probably two plus years until Council’s permanent purpose-built community facility comes alive.

“So, it’s an ongoing partnership with us.” Smiths Lane Community Hub will also be home to a new Council-run first-time parent group.

Thegroup,whichwillmeetforfiveweeks from Monday 22 September, provides firsttime parents the opportunity to connect, share experiences and support each other.

To make an appointment at the consult room at Mirvac’s Smiths Lane Community Hub in Clyde North, contact 9705 5590, Monday to Friday during business hours or visit the Maternal and Child Health page on our website to complete the ‘Request to book an appointment’ form.

FormoreinformationaboutCaseyCouncil’s MCH Service, visit https://www.casey. vic.gov.au/maternal-child-health-services

Elisa Savvas says there’s rising numbers of intervention orders against young children. (Victoria Legal Aid)

Elena Campbell says support was needed for families and schools. (Supplied)

Stacey Villinger has spent over 16 years in the child protection field staying dedicated to care for children, families and communties.(Supplied)

Jessica Coenen (Maternal Childcare nurse), Ruby (17 months old) and mother Jessica Loomes were at the new MCH consult room. (Gary Sissons: 491152)

Councillor Anthony Walter addressed the public at the opening ceremony of the new MCH consult room.

Bridging the gap in housing

By Ethan Benedicto

A recent report by the Council to Homeless Persons detailed that a lack of housing and resources leaves 20 per cent of victim-survivors without crisis accommodation.

This data comes as the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance looks to officially launch on Thursday, 31 July, a collaborative effort that has a focus across Casey-Cardinia and Greater Dandenong.

The CHP report stated that years of underinvestment in social housing, coupled with the lack of resources in Victoria, are ‘fuelling’ a crisis in emergency accommodation for women and children leaving violence.

Deborah Di Natale, CEO of the CHP, said, “imagine leaving violence with your children, knocking on two different doors, and still sleeping in your car that night”.

A report called Bridging the Gap between Homelessness and Family Violence Services, which was released on 15 July, found that the 20 per cent figure of women and children was being “ping-ponged” between family-violence and homelessness services, only to end up with no crisis bed at all.

Executive manager of the Casey North Community Information and Support Services, Helen Small, said that a similar situation can be observed in Casey.

“Homelessness looks very different in Casey, and it’s because of the lack of crisis accommodation, the lack of available and affordable rentals,” she said.

“The Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance was formed because (homelessness) is different here.

“We just don’t have the services that they have in many of the other suburbs, and neither does country Victoria.”

This argument and data are not necessarily new; Small made the same argument in an interview with Star News in October 2024.

She said then that in 2024, for the Casey North CISS, there was a “huge increase in people coming to our service who are sleeping rough”.

While they were mainly men, she added that the organisation has seen a big increase in women, some of whom were “sleeping rough with their kids”.

“A lot of them are in overcrowded situations like having three families in a three-bedroom home,” she said.

Going back to the recent report by the CHP, key findings include statistics where one in five victim-survivors receives two referrals, but no accommodations, and that overloaded staff and rigid eligibility rules exacerbate the problem.

Di Natale added by saying that “a lack of social housing driven by years of underinvestment is creating a ‘bottleneck’ in crisis accommodation, and for far too many women, that can be a matter of life and death”.

In response to this, the CHP’s key recommendations, which Small said is something that the CISS actively supports, include a state commitment to an annual pipeline of around 8000 social homes each year, for 10 years.

Furthermore, the CHP wants to boost funding to Specialist Homelessness services and Family Violence services for additional frontline staff, as well as doubling the capacity of family violence refuges in Victoria to reduce the reliance on hotels.

Domestic and family violence was found to be the single biggest driver of homelessness in Victoria, with the report citing data showing more than half of all women, young people, and children who visited a specialist homelessness service reported they were also experiencing family violence in 2022 to 2023.

“A woman is killed every three weeks in a domestic and family violence-related incident in Victoria,” Di Natale said.

“Women and children are disproportionately affected by homelessness brought on by this kind of threat to their physical and psychological safety.

“We must improve our systems to protect them.”

Throughout Victoria, the CHP reported 102,000 people who sought assistance from homeless services in 2023/2024, which is up four per cent from the previous year.

In this figure, up to 60,000 of them, or 58 per cent, were women; 13,000 of them were working Victorians.

The Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance Launch will be held during Homelessness Week and will also feature a panel with a range of speakers.

We are planning a special event later in the year to honour our centenarians.

If you, a family member, client or friend has reached the age of 100 or more, we would love to send an invitation to attend this memorable celebration.

Helen Small, executive manager at Casey North CISS, said that Casey’s homelessness issue is ‘hidden’ and is something that must be systematically addressed. (Rob Carew: 332999_04)

Top awards for educators

Casey Grammar School is celebrating the recognition of two outstanding educators, Melissa Roberton and Shane Bell, who have been named on The Educator’s 2025 Most Influential Educators list.

The national accolade recognises leaders who have significantly shaped the education landscape through their commitment, innovation and impact.

Melissa and Shane were selected from a highly competitive field of nominees for their transformative work in Junior School education.

As Head of Junior School, Melissa Roberton has spearheaded initiatives that support student wellbeing, deepen academic engagement and promote inclusivity. She has led the integration of the Berry Street Educational Model, launched mentoring programs and developed a suite of learning behaviours now

embedded across the Junior School.

“I am incredibly honoured to receive this recognition,” Melissa said. “It reflects the hard work of so many people at Casey Grammar who are committed to creating a safe, supportive and inspiring environment for every student.”

Shane Bell, with over 30 years of service at

Casey Grammar, has led the development of a personalised writing assessment program, introduced a unique Sporting Heroes initiative,

and driven student agency through inclusive classroom strategies and house-based events like the Talent Cup.

“To be acknowledged in this way is very humbling,” Shane said. “Every day I come to work excited to help students find their voice, challenge themselves and grow - both inside and outside the classroom.”

Principal Mrs Fiona Williams said the dual recognition is a proud moment for the entire school community. “Melissa and Shane are remarkable educators who lead with heart and purpose. Their vision and dedication continue to shape a school culture that values excellence, inclusion and student voice. We are thrilled to see their contributions celebrated on a national scale,” she said.

The Most Influential Educators list highlights 50 individuals whose leadership is helping redefine the future of Australian education.

Celebrating banksias at your local Royal Botanic Gardens

Banksia Festival is coming to Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne in August.

Presented by the Cranbourne Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, in conjunction with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV), the Banksia Festival celebrates Australian culture inspired by the plant genus Banksia.

The week-long festival runs from Saturday 16 August till Sunday 24 August at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.

It incorporates a series of presentations, walking tours and workshops based on the science of botany and botanic art and an exhibition of artworks featuring cultural interpretations of the genus in paintings, literature, gardening, glasswork, sewn craftwork, photographs, sculpture, basketry and floral art. Exhibition entry will be free and open to

Fiona Williams

the public on weekends during the festival, along with entry into the world-renowned Australian Garden, which is open nearly every day of the year.

The Opening Day (16 August) will feature three presentations in the Tarnuk Room at the Australian Gardens Visitor Centre.

A brief launch will be followed by a presentation by Professor David Cantrill from RBGV on his work on Fossil History of the Proteaceae based on work conducted in the Antarctic when he was based at Uppsala University in Sweden.

This will be followed by a presentation on Growing Banksias by Australia’s foremost authorities on this subject, Kevin and Kathy Collins, from South-west Western Australia. The final speaker after lunch will be author Dr Inga Simpson, an award-winning nature writ-

er from the South Coast of New South Wales, speaking about Banksias specifically and Australian nature generally in Australian literature and identity.

Inga will sell and sign books after her presentation.

Additionally, there will be a plant sale featuring some 600 Banksia plants, artworks, cards, prints, glasswork, sculptures, basketry, sewn craftwork and floral art pieces.

Tours of the back of house Special Collections will be available for the able-bodied. These collections are important to the history of the Cranbourne Gardens and were experimentally planted in the 1970s to test the site suitability.

They contain many unusual and outstanding specimens.

A walking tour of the Australian Garden

Banksia collection has also been developed for the festival.

Bookings are needed for both the Special Collections visit and the Australian Garden tour as spaces are limited.

The Amanda Louden banksia vase pictured will be raffled along with a framed Banksia coccinea print personally signed by the artist Celia Rosser and a framed high-resolution photograph of the Banksia serrata plant materials collected by Banks and Solander at Botany Bay in 1770 (later chosen as the lectotype).

Raffle will be drawn at 12.30pm on Sunday 24 August. Tickets at $5 or 5 for $20 are available at the venue.

Bookings for the presentations, tours and workshops are now open, and places are limited: cranbournefriends.tidyhq.com/public/ schedule/events/71798-banksia-festival-2025

Principal Fiona Williams exemplifies her belief that education should nurture the whole child. “When children feel safe and supported, that’s when genuine learning occurs,” she explains, having assumed her role at the school in 2020.

Under her leadership, the school has adopted the Berry Street Education Model, a framework based on trauma-informed educational research aimed at creating classrooms where students feel secure and engaged. Additionally, the school has introduced Buddy, a specially trained Labradoodle. The impact has been significant, with 92% of students reporting that they feel more relaxed having Buddy’s calming presence in the classroom.

“Whilst no student is obligated to interact with Buddy, we’ve witnessed remarkable changes in student engagement and attendance during the 12 months he has been on staff,” Mrs. Williams shares.

Fiona has also been an advocate for the school’s new Nature Navigators program, inspired by research highlighting the benefits of outdoor experiences for children’s development.

“We’ve observed how nature-based approaches enhance wellbeing and develop personal and social skills,” she states. This program allows students to cultivate their abilities while enjoying an “embodied childhood” filled with unforgettable outdoor adventures.

As she oversees major facility upgrades for over 1,000 students, Fiona is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment where students can learn, explore, and pursue their passions from their very first day at the school.

“We take great pride in our warm sense of community and our commitment to excellence,” she reflects. “Together, these elements nurture students with bright minds and kind hearts.”

Head of Casey Grammar Junior School Melissa Roberton. (Supplied)

Head of Upper Primary / Year 4 teacher Shane Bell. (Supplied)

Nido Early School joins the Clyde North community

We’re delighted to announce the opening of Nido Early School Clyde North. Located just minutes from Ramlegh Reserve and Clyde Creek Primary School, our purpose-built early school is now open to families seeking care and education that’s thoughtful and inspiring for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years.

At Nido Clyde North, we believe that the little things – the warm hellos, the shared stories, the curious questions – are what shape a child’s world. That’s why we’ve created a space where every moment matters, and every day is a chance to grow, connect and discover.

“We’re excited to enrich the Clyde North community and support families as their children begin their early learning journey,” says Gaya Bandara, Executive Service Manager, Nido Clyde North. “Our vision is to provide the highest

quality of premium care and education for the children and families in our community.”

What makes Nido Clyde North unique Nido’s philosophy is inspired by the world renowned Reggio Emilia approach, which encourages inquiry-based, child-led learning that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a genuine love of learning. Educators work alongside children to cocreate their learning journey, encouraging exploration and celebrating each milestone.

This philosophy extends beyond the curriculum and into the very design of the Clyde North early school. The interiors have been carefully crafted to inspire calm and wonder, using soft textures, organic curves, natural materials, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow.

“We consider our environments the ‘third teacher’,” explains Gaya. “By creating spaces that

spark curiosity and provide comfort, we give children the freedom to explore and develop confidence in their own abilities. Purpose-built indoor spaces and dedicated atelier art studios encourage exploration, self-expression, and hands-on discovery every day, and our beautiful gardens invite learning through play, discovery, and connection with nature.”

Connection with families and community

At Nido Clyde North, we hold a deep respect for every child and are dedicated to ensuring their voices are heard, valued, and reflected in their learning journey. We build strong, collaborative partnerships with families and the wider community to support each child’s growth and development.

Nido places a strong emphasis on building genuine partnerships with parents, ensuring

each child’s needs, interests and routines are understood from the very beginning. Families are encouraged to be active participants, sharing ideas, attending events, and staying connected to their child’s learning journey.

“We value the partnership we have with families”, explains Gaya. “When we work together, what happens at Nido connects naturally with what’s happening at home. That’s when we see the biggest growth - children who are confident, settled and genuinely excited to learn. We want every child to feel secure, supported, inspired and every family to feel a true sense of belonging.”

Come and Experience the Nido Difference Nido Early School Clyde North is now open and welcoming local families for tours.

Book your tour today: https://nido.edu.au/early-schools/vic/clyde-north/

Nido Early School joins the Clyde North community.

Demons mark milestone

Melbourne Football Club’s AFLW team lit up Grill’d Casey on Tuesday 29 July, as fans turned out in force to celebrate 10 seasons of AFLW. Young supporters had the chance to meet stars like Tyla Hanks, score signed fixture posters, enjoy giveaways and snap up exclusive membership.

In a fun twist, players swapped the footy field for the kitchen, serving up burgers Demon-style to the delight of the crowd.

WHAT’S ON

Grand Opening of WellCare GG Cafe

Date: Monday, 4 August 2025

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre –Food Court (next to Subway), 125 High St, Cranbourne VIC 3977

Event Highlights:

Free Coffee from 10 AM – 11 AM

$10 Specials: Any Toastie or Burger + Medium

Coffee

Free Raffles & Giveaways

Launch of “Save a Cuppa” – a kindness-pay-itforward coffee program for the community Banksia Festival

Join the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Cranbourne Friends for an exciting series of lectures, workshops, art and craft exhibition, book and plant sales, guided walks, to celebrate the Banksia.

• Saturday 16 August to Sunday 24 August at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. Berwick Bridge Club

Enjoy playing cards? Are you looking for some exercise for your brain that is both fun and challenging?

Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. There are two free beginner’s courses.

One starting Friday morning 5 September from 10am to 12pm and the second one on Monday night starting 8 September from 7 to 9pm.

Both courses run for 10 weeks. Lessons are held at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick.

No partner is required.

• To reserve your place, please phone Maree on 9702 2348.

Scrabble in Berwick

• Fridays 9.30am-12.00pm at Berwick Neighbourhood Centre, 112 High Street, Berwick. Details: David, 0433 566 456.

U3A Casey – Activities for Seniors

Are you a senior, aged over 50, who is semi or fully retired?

Are you looking to keep your body and mind in top shape?

Then … U3A Casey is for you!

With over 580 members and 75 different classes, U3A Casey offers you a wide range of activities including Arts & Crafts, Music, Book Clubs, Social Clubs, Low-Impact Sports, Fitness, Cooking … and many more.

You can attend up to three classes for free, to see if you like the classes before registering to join with U3A Casey.

Membership from January to December is $60.00 or from July to December is $30.00, which allows you to choose to join any of our classes (subject to available vacancies).

• For more information on classes, or to join using the online enrolment form: Visit our website – www.u3acasey.org.au

• Phone our office – 0493 280 458

• Email us - caseyu3a@gmail.com

Balla Balla Community Centre

Health & Wellbeing at Balla Balla

Feel good this winter! Join us at Balla Balla Community Centre for Term 3 Health & Wellbeing classes starting in July. Choose from:

Yoga/Pilates/Zumba/Mindfulness Meditation & Compassion/Music & Guided Imagery Workshop

Move, relax, and recharge – all in your local community! Term 3 enrolments open 30 June online https://ballaballa.com.au/health-wellbeing/ or phone 5990 0900.

Morning Melodies

Are you young at heart, looking for some company, or just want to enjoy a lovely morning out? Join us at Morning Melodies for heartwarming performances filled with the songs you know and love! Enjoy live entertainment, a cuppa, and a freshly

baked scone with jam and cream - all while making new friends along the way.

• Book early to secure your spot! You won’t want to miss this uplifting morning of music and connection. Morning Melodies is held on 2nd Tuesday each month and bookings can be made online www.balla.balla.com.au or by phoning 5990 0900

U3A Cranbourne

20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne

We are a social group for people over 50 with many interesting and creative activities. We have recently started a garden group as we have lovely gardens where we can plant vegetables, herbs and flowers and enjoy a tea or coffee outdoors when the weather is nice.

We also have lots of art and craft groups, calligraphy, scrabble, singing for fun, quilling, resin making, and card making are popular classes.

On Thursday afternoons from 1 - 3pm we have a lively group of table tennis players. New players welcome, no past experience needed, come along and join in the fun.

We run a beginner ukulele and guitar group. Ray leads the ukulele group, and Maurie assists our beginner guitar group on Monday mornings.

We are a not-for-profit group, assisted by Casey Council to run our programs. Our membership fee of $50 per year entitles you to join as many classes as you wish.

Line dancing is held at Clyde Public Hall on Monday mornings, and a gold coin donation covers hire of this venue.

• Check out all our classes at www.u3acranbourne.org.au or phone 0493 991 919 for more information

Men’s Shed Junction Village Inc.

The Men’s Shed provides a facility for men’s mental health where men can come and enjoy each other’s company in a non-judgmental environment. Men are able to share ideas and life experi-

ences, plus learn new skills which benefit themselves and the local community. Our members are proud of their efforts in producing wooden toys to donate to the Salvation Army Toy Fund. However, making wooden toys is not a requirement of membership, and you can make your own projects if you prefer.

Retired men are most welcome to visit the Shed and have a chat/cuppa to check out our fully equipped Shed (lots of “toys” to play with!) and see what we do for the community. They do not need any woodwork experience as Shed members are happy to pass on their experience in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere.

Shed members can also be seen cooking a sausage at Bunnings, displaying our projects at Botanic Ridge Village, or heading off to visit other sheds around the state (All good fun!)

We are located at 41 Craig Road, Junction Village and open on Mondays from 9.00 am to 11.30 am and Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.00 am to 2.30 pm.

• For more information and a tour of our Shed, contact Garry on 0408 141 734. Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club Community Day - Social Day - Cuppa, games and chat - Lunch included. 11am-3pm, Friday 4th July. Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club meets weekly for a range of different events, including bus trips, community days, games, coffee and chat, bingo, dancing and carpet bowls. Not a member? Doesn’t matter, come along and join the fun. Weekly activity times - Line Dancing Mon.10am12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.

• For all enquiries or bookings contact Marilyn mobile 0432 107 590.

• Find us on facebook https://www.facebook. com/groups/487808127399953

Dhurba and Durja with Melbourne AFLW players Tyla Hanks, Ryleigh Wotherspoon, Maggie Mahony, Maeve Chaplin, Grace Beasley and Eden Zanker. (Stewart Chambers: 491847)

Grill’d Casey manager Vundy with Tyla Hanks.

Tyla Hanks and Eden Zanker.

Halle with Grace Beasley and Maeve Chaplin.

Public Notice

NOTICE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PLANNING PERMIT

The land affected by the application is located at: 87 James Cook Drive ENDEAVOUR HILLS VIC 3802 Lot 411 LP 112050

The application is for a permit to: Development of 2 dwellings and removal of covenant Planning

32.08-7 Construct two or more dwellings on a lot

52.02 Before a person proceeds under Section 23 of the Subdivision Act 1988 to create, vary or remove an easement or restriction or vary or remove a condition in the nature of an easement in a Crown grant

The applicant for the permit is: ABS Design & Construction

The application reference number is: PA24-0724

You may look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the Responsible Authority.

City of Casey Bunjil Place 2 Patrick Northeast Drive NARRE WARREN

Documents can also be viewed on Council’s website or by scanning the QR code.

https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/viewplanning-applications

You may also call (03 9705 5200) to arrange a time to look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the responsible authority, Casey City Council. This can be done in office hours and is free of charge.

Any person who may be affected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority.

An objection must:

•be made to the Responsible Authority in writing to, Manager Planning, P.O. Box 1000, Narre Warren 3805 or emailed to caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au

•include the application number and site address

•include the reasons for the objection, and •state how the objector would be affected.

The Responsible Authority must make a copy of every objection available at its office for any person to inspect during office hours free of charge until the end of the period during which an application may be made for review of a decision on the application.

The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 14 August 2025 If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.

Section 175, Water Act 1989

New Sewer Works 104 Shrives Road, Hampton Park (Vol. 09330 Fol. 267)

South East Water Corporation (South East Water) intends to start construction of a new sewer on or after 18 August 2025 at 104 Shrives Road, Hampton Park (Vol. 09330 Fol. 267).

A copy of the plan of works for the sewer may be inspected at South East Water’s offices at 101 Wells Street, Frankston, VIC 3199 between the hours of 9.00 am and 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.

Persons who object to the proposed construction are invited to make a submission to South East Water. Submissions must be addressed to Gavin Warner, Group Manager Development Solutions sent to PO Box 2268, Seaford, VIC 3198 or Gavin.Warner@sew.com.au, and must be received by South East Water within 14 days after publication of this notice.

Published with the authority of South East Water.

Eagles 2-12 after thrashing

By Blair Burns

Murrumbeena was victorious in the bottomteam battle at Amstel Reserve on the weekend

rubbing salt into the wounds of Cranbourne to win by 62 points.

Eagles coach Angelo Soldatos said a lack of pressure in the midfield gave the defenders no chance at keeping the ball out.

“We got smacked around the ball and gave up too much territory … that has probably been the story of the year really,” he said.

“Our midfield stuff has been below par and that was probably as bad as it has been on the weekend.”

The game was a good old-fashioned slog from the outset, and sighs of frustration echoed around the ground in the first term as both teams kicked poorly – a combined 2.9 was scored in the opening quarter.

The undermanned Eagles failed to capitalise with the breeze and the visiting Lions made them pay, getting a run-on in the second quarter to kick three goals in four minutes.

The game, season and any hope of remaining in Division 1, was slipping away with every Murrumbeena goal.

The home side looked tired and defeated in the second half, as skill execution really let the side down when trying to advance the ball forward.

After being outscored once again (20-7) when kicking with the wind, Cranbourne found itself trailing by 34 points at three-quarter time.

Tom Freyer, Jake Cowburn and Brandon Osborne worked hard in defence, but it was coming in too easily.

“We have just asked our defenders to do way too much, our best few players this year have been key defenders which sums up what the season has looked like really,” Soldatos said.

“The damage was probably done in the third quarter, to have the wind and kick one goal, and concede three.”

The Eagles’ three-quarter time message from Soldatos was firm but not without optimism, telling his team to believe – and to surge the ball forward at all costs.

You could hear players saying “it’s do or die” and hopeful shouts of “we can win this” but it was to no avail as the Lions roared in the fourth term, scoring 29-1 and extending the final margin to 62 points.

Pat Bannister had a day out for Murrumbeena, getting plenty of the ball through the middle, while Tom Buckley (three goals), Ed Standish and Steven Tolongs (two goals each) impacted the

SOUTHERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION 1 REVIEW - ROUND 14

scoreboard.

“Trying to salvage something out of the year is going to be challenging, but having a bit of selfpride in what we do is probably the big one for the group,” Soldatos said.

Results will have to go the way of the Eagles if they are to avoid relegation, they also must win against Port Melbourne this weekend to give themselves a tiny spark.

In other games, St Paul’s McKinnon held off a valiant Springvale Districts side by just eight points in what was the game of the round between a premiership contender and another likely finalist.

The Bulldogs held a 36-18-lead at half time, before the Demons came out and kicked 6.1 in the third term, including the last four of the quarter to trail by just one point heading into the fourth.

When they added the first two goals of the last quarter, Springvale Districts had an 11-point lead, but St Paul’s kicked four of the next five majors to win the match.

Bentleigh cemented its spot in fourth position after a 15-point victory over East Brighton as Jack Hastings led the way with three goals for the De-

mons.

It was a hot start for both teams with 10 goals scored in the first term, before the scoring dried up and Bentleigh held on for a crucial victory.

Dingley boasts an impressive season record of 13-1 and despite a challenge from Narre Warren, the Dingoes prevailed.

The Magpies trailed by just three points at half time, but Dingley forwards Tom Morecroft, Scanlan Lynch, Lachlan Benton and Mitchell Cook (three goals each) got on top of Narre Warren’s defence.

Tom Toner kicked three for the black and white who finds itself in unfamiliar territory in eighth place on the ladder.

A five-goal haul from Cheltenham’s Dylan Weickhardt led the Rosellas to a 69-point win over Port Melbourne.

Ex-St Kilda footballer Jack Lonie had the football on a string and kicked two goals in the big victory.

NETBALL

Narre Warren lost just its third game of the Southern Open netball season, falling short against ladder-leader Dingley 53-49 in the penultimate game of the home and away season.

The match-ups against the Dingoes have produced a close contest this season and the sides will meet again in finals, when everything is at stake.

Michelle Mashado’s team will take on Edithvale Aspendale this Saturday at Regents Park with hopes of bouncing back before finals begin the following week.

SOUTHERN DIV 1

Results R14: Murrumbeena 11.17 (83) def Cranbourne 2.9 (21), Dingley 16.12 (108) def Narre Warren 11.7 (73), Bentleigh 12.12 (84) def East Brighton 10.9 (69), Cheltenham 17.15 (117) def Port Melbourne 7.6 (48), St Paul’s McKinnon 12.12 (84).

Ladder: Dingley 52, St Paul’s McKinnon 44, Cheltenham 38, Bentleigh 34, Springvale Districts 28, East Brighton 24, Murrumbeena, Narre Warren 18, Port Melbourne 16, Cranbourne 8. Fixture R15: Bentleigh (4) v Narre Warren (8), Port Melbourne (9) v Cranbourne (10), Springvale Districts (5) v East Brighton (6), St Paul’s McKinnon (2) v Cheltenham (3), Murrumbeena (7) v Dingley (1).

Latecomer Logan wins jockey premiership at Cranbourne

By Michael Floyd

Apprentice jockey Logan Bates has ridden his way into the record books with a standout season at Cranbourne claiming the jockey premiership at his home track.

His haul of 15 winners for the season is a record for an apprentice jockey at Cranbourne and equalled the most of any rider since Michael Walker rode 18 winners in 2014/15.

“Fortunately, I’ve just been able to get on the right horses at the right time, those sort of on pace, real good cornering horses that can kick off the bend,” said Bates of his success at Cranbourne.

However, that assessment belies the work that has seen Bates become on the of the region’s most promising young talents.

Born in Christchurch, Bates was a latecomer to the saddle despite both his mother and father being jockeys, only taking to the saddle after he turned 18.

He was riding in jump outs eight months later however his path to race riding stalled when he missed the Victorian apprentice intake in his first attempt.

“It was probably a blessing in disguise,” said Bates.

“It allowed me to travel in different areas of racing.

“Working for (and now apprenticed to) Cindy Alderson – she’s a great trainer in her own right – I was just able to look at the training

side of things in that extra year. It really opened my mind up to different areas of understanding the horse especially when you go out and ride one you pull up and they want feedback.

“Ultimately, it was more improving my fitness and just my skills.

“And looking into the training side of things it just expanded that.

“So, it kept my head down and kept working and fortunately, it was enough to get me in the second year.”

Now 23, the natural lightweight has ridden 65 winners in Victoria in the first seven months of 2025 – second only to champion jockey Blake Shinn – including 20 metropolitan wins and is determined to build on that momentum as the new season approaches.

“To get that exposure to different training centres, different trainers, horses, come January this year it, all started to blow up,” he said.

“I’d rode a few winners in January and it just kept rolling all the way through to the end of the season.

“I get great feedback from a lot of trainers and a lot of jockeys and just take pieces that sort of resonate with them.

“Fortunately, I’ve got Dad who rode and there’s always a phone call on the way of the races and we sort of plan out what’s going on.

“I’ll have my plan on my head and if there’s something that he spots, he’ll pick out and correct. “Same again, on the way home we’ll go through my rides again; so, I’d say Dad’s been a massive asset to where I’m standing at now.

“It just makes it easy having someone to bounce off all the time and when you do get things wrong, as I said, I can just go back and talk to him and you get it all sorted and cleared up and you keep moving forward.”

The new racing season kicks off at Cranbourne this Friday afternoon.

Cranbourne captain Zak Roscoe evades two Murrumbeena opponents in the 62-point loss. (Gary Sissons: 492203)

Logan Bates is a star on the rise, claiming the jockey premiership at Cranbourne on his home track. (Scott Barbour/Racing Photos: 493235)

Kyden a good Keysy Vella

By Blair Burns

Kyden from Keysborough isn’t just a good Vella, but an exceptional player, as the young gun booted five goals to help the Burras defeat Doveton by 37 points in Southern Division 2.

It was a best-on-ground performance from Vella as he led his team to victory, the small forward taking his season goal tally to 34 – second in the league.

The livewire has been a huge positive for Keysborough this season, along with a host of other young stars including Ethan Bakes and Max Corbyn.

Burras’ coach Chris Smith said the side has put together a good fortnight of footy and hoped to continue it into the final three matches.

“We’ve strung two good wins together and we’ve been trending in the right direction with some of our results this past month, but just haven’t been getting the job done,” he said.

“It’s always good to play Doveton, there is a rivalry there which stems back years and years, there is always a bit of feeling but these days it’s played in good spirits.

“Now we’ve got an opportunity against Mordialloc, we want to shape the five and put some real pressure on those sides around us.”

Keysborough started well and established a 15-point lead at quarter time, which they maintained in the second, going into the main break leading 31-16.

But it was the third quarter where the Burras turned it on, kicking five goals as both Bakes and Vella kicked two each.

Vella added another two majors in the final term, as the team cruised home to victory 12.9 (81) to 6.8 (44).

Doveton’s Jake Calvert (three goals) and Matthew Rogers (two goals) were the multiple goal scorers, while Max Sheppard was impressive all day.

SOUTHERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 REVIEW - ROUND 15

Jamie Plumridge’s return to the side has been a huge boost, giving the young team some greater guidance.

The star, who won the club’s best and fairest last season, suffered a serious head injury in Round 1 which saw him miss 12 weeks of football.

“We have got the pillars in place, if we could keep these boys together for another year and put some guys around them, this could turn into something pretty exciting,” Smith said.

“We have a lot of work to do and we are very

young, we understand that, but we are trending in the right direction.

Keysborough sits in seventh position on the ladder with a 7-8 record, just four points behind Mordialloc.

Despite inaccuracy, Hampton Park won again, defeating Mordialloc by 18 points to go two wins clear on top of the ladder.

Young gun Ben Buller, who has now played 10

senior games this year, stood up for the Redbacks and kicked two goals in a best-on-ground performance.

East Malvern is in a slump and at the wrong time of year, having dropped its past three matches to sit third – just one win in front of fifth-placed Mordialloc.

The Panthers fell 24 points short against Frankston Bombers after kicking 3.8 in the second half.

Peter Mawson and Jordan Waite kicked three goals each in the win, while Isaac Morrisby (three goals) returned from injury for East Malvern.

Chelsea Heights moved into second spot on the ladder after a huge 90-point thrashing over Caulfield Bears, boosting the team’s percentage.

Erishmiilan Uthayakumar kicked six goals and is, without a doubt, the in-form player of the competition, booting 18 goals in his last three outings.

Endeavour Hills’ difficult 2025 season continued as a wayward Highett put the Falcons to the sword, winning by 79 points.

The Bulldogs had nine goal scorers but were led by Brent Dyall (four goals) and Jacob Apted (three goals) in the cruisy victory.

SOUTHERN DIV 2

Results R15: Keysborough 12.9 (81) to Doveton Doves 6.8 (44), Hampton Park 9.15 (69) def Mordialloc 8.3 (51), Frankston Dolphins 14.8 (92) def East Malvern 9.14 (68), Chelsea Heights 20.16 (136) def Caulfield Bears 7.4 (46), Highett 14.22 (106) def Endeavour Hills 3.9 (27).

Ladder: Hampton Park 48, Chelsea Heights 40, East Malvern, Highett 36, Mordialloc 32, Frankston Dolphins, Keysborough 28, Caulfield Bears 24, Doveton Doves 20, Endeavour Hills 8. Fixture R16: Caulfield Bears (8) v East Malvern (3), Chelsea Heights (2) v Endeavour Hills (10), Frankston Dolphins (6) v Hampton Park (1), Doveton Doves (9) v Highett (4), Mordialloc (5) v Keysborough (7).

Finals chances falter after hard-fought loss for Titans

By Justin Schwarze

The double-chance hopes of Berwick Springs took a hit after the Titans were undone by South Mornington in the dying stages of their clash in round 15 of Division 3 in the Southern Football Netball League.

On the road, Berwick Springs led at every change and even extended its lead to 13 points at the 18-minute mark of the last before the Tigers stormed home.

Three goals in three minutes ended the term, the last being with less than a minute on the clock, putting South Mornington in front for good.

The Tigers stole the result 8.9(57) to 7.9(51). Lyndhurst followed a similar recipe to the Titans, as the Lightning led by 11 points at three quarter time before faltering in the final term away at Hampton.

The Hammers booted 3.6 to Lyndhurst’s one behind in the fourth to secure victory 8.12(60) to 7.6(48) and move into the top three on the ladder.

Black Rock put more pressure on the finals race as the Jets escaped Roy Dore Reserve with an upset triumph over Carrum Patterson Lakes.

The visitors started on fire, leading 6.7(43) to 0.2(2) at quarter time, before a heavy retaliation from the Lions completely flipped the game.

The hosts clawed their way back, taking the lead and opening up a nine-point advantage at the 18 minute mark of the final period.

Two late clutch-time goals for Black Rock saw the game have its final twist, ending with a 10.13(73) to 10.10(70) Jets victory.

Skye kept up with St Kilda City for three quarters at home before falling to the ladderleaders 11.14(80) to 6.9(45).

In what was just a three-point ball game at the final intermission, the Saints closed out the contest by booting five goals to none in the fourth.

At Essex Heights Reserve, Heatherton got the chocolates against Ashwood 13.10(88) to 7.12(54) to keep its finals hopes alive.

put in a great performanace to lift Hallam past second-placed Dandenong West. (Gary Sissons: 492202)

With just three rounds remaining, the sprint to finals is incredibly intense.

Second to seventh is separated by just four premiership points, with matchups and percentage becoming a massive factor in deciding the top five.

SOUTHERN 4

Hallam’s grasp on Division 4 got even tighter as the Hawks disposed of second-placed Dandenong West 11.13(79) to 3.9(27).

Hallam only allowed one goal until the final term, showcasing its dominant form as finals approach.

Lyndale comfortably got by Doveton

14.17(101) to 9.6(60) thanks to seven goals from Mark Stevens to ensure the Pumas will be playing finals football in 2025.

Narre South rolled Moorabbin 17.13(115) to 6.10(46) at home but it won’t be enough to push the Saints into postseason contention.

Clayton continued to push its case for a finals double-chance by kicking accurately and outlasting South Yarra 15.4(94) to 13.8(86).

SOUTHERN 3

R15 Results: Carrum Patterson Lakes 10.10(70) def by Black Rock 10.13(73), Ashwood 7.12(54) def by Heatherton 13.10(88), Lyndhurst 7.6(48)

def by Hampton 8.12(60), South Mornington 8.9(57) def Berwick Springs 7.9(51), Skye 6.9(45) def by St Kilda City 11.14(80).

Ladder: St Kilda City 48, Carrum Patterson Lakes 36, Hampton 36, Berwick Springs 36, Black Rock 32, South Mornington 32, Heatherton 32, Skye 24, Lyndhurst 12, Ashwood 12. Fixture R16: Hampton (3) v Carrum Patterson Lakes (2), Heatherton (7) v Berwick Springs (4), Lyndhurst (9) v Skye (8), Black Rock (5) v South Mornington (6), St Kilda City (1) v Ashwood (10).

SOUTHERN 4

R15 Results: Hallam 11.13(79) def Dandenong West 3.9(27), Lyndale 14.17(101) def Doveton 9.6(60), South Yarra 13.8(86) def by Clayton 15.4(94), Narre South 17.13(115) def Moorabbin 6.10(46).

Ladder: Hallam 60, Dandenong West 40, Clayton 40, Lyndale 36, Narre South 24, South Yarra 20, Moorabbin 20,

0. Fixture R16:

Doveton

Clayton (3) v Doveton (8), Moorabbin (7) v Lyndale (4), Narre South (5) v Hallam (1), Dandenong West (2) v South Yarra (6).

Anthony Bernado

Kyan Buselli was among the best for Berwick Springs in defeat to South Mornington. (Rob Carew: 490836)

Kyden Vella starred on the weekend, booting five goals to sink the Doves. (Gary Sissons: 484174)

Cannons zone in on target

By Blair Burns

Casey Cannons Hockey Club continues to march towards the pointy end of the season after recording another huge victory in the Men’s Vic League (MVL2) competition.

The Cannons blitzed Melbourne High School Old Boys 6-2 as Tristan Chaffey led the way with three goals.

Milestone man Bryan Young also managed to find the back of the net in his 200th game, much to the delight of the fans.

While captain Craig Moore and Matthew Light also contributed at the attacking end.

Casey has 13 wins and a draw this season, sitting 10 points above second place as they look ready for a big finals campaign later in the season.

It was a closer match in the MVL2 Reserves competition as neither side could be split by the time the final whistle sounded, ending in a 2-2 draw. Sean Dack and Matt Guastella were once again focal points in the Cannons’ attacking half, scoring one goal each.

The remainder of the men’s matches were closely fought with the Men’s Pennant D South East team also playing out a 2-2 draw, but against Camberwell.

Myouren Shanmugalingam and Jesse Jelavic were the goal scorers for the Cannons in the clash, which was held at Berwick.

The Metro 2 South team was the only men’s team to fall short on the weekend and it wasn’t without a fight against the Greater Dandenong Warriors.

Casey fell short 1-0 against the formidable outfit, but it was a brilliant effort and one they should be immensely proud of.

The teams are practically at different ends of the ladder, and the Cannons gave the secondplaced Warriors a real scare.

The WVL1 had a thrilling 1-0 win against Melbourne University, with Charlotte Smith scoring the only goal of the game to win it for her team.

The reserves match produced a draw, with both sides failing to register a score due to the strong defensive units of Melbourne Uni and Casey Can-

In the women’s competition, there was just one goal scored across both of the Women’s Vic League (WVL1) and the reserves matches.

Pakenham Eels had no answer to the elite pressure of Eastern Raptors on Saturday. (Gary Sissons: 479947)

Slippery slope gets steep

By David Nagel

Pakenham Eels will need a minor miracle to play finals in the NRL Victoria Men’s Second Grade competition after a crushing loss to Eastern Raptors on Saturday.

The Eels slid down the ladder rapidly as a result of the 34-14 defeat; dropping from fourth to seventh on the table with just three rounds remaining in the season.

The Eels came into this contest with some ring-rust, having had two of their previous three matches postponed due to referee shortages across metropolitan Melbourne; but they did begin well.

David Jonassen-Hammond crossed the try-line in just the third minute of play, with Damascus Lota providing a clinical conversion to give the Eels a 6-0 early advantage.

But the Raptors soon clicked into gear, scoring three tries in quick succession to take control of the contest.

Samuel Daveta, Sione Otukolo and Ratu Lomani all crossed with purpose for the home side, opening up a match-winning lead.

Troy Pulupaki and Jharmez Royale scored second-half tries for the Eels, but answering four-pointers from Daveta, Patrick Muamua and Ifereimi Qasevakatini gave the Raptors a comfortable victory.

Pakenham’s remaining three games are all

tough, with a home game against third-placed North West Wolves followed by away trips to Truganina and Melton Broncos.

Doveton Steelers were the best of the South East teams this week, winning 18-16 in a tight finish against Truganina, while Casey Warriors went down 46-20 in a high-scoring game against North West Wolves.

Deeken Barber crossed the line twice for Casey, and Faafouina Taleo and Chad Bristow once each, but eight tries from a hungry Wolves pack saw the home side get the chocolates.

NRL VICTORIA MEN’S SECOND GRADE

Results R13: Sunshine Cowboys 0 def by Werribee Bears 44, North West Wolves 46 def Casey Warriors 20, Truganina Rabbitohs 16 def by Doveton Steelers 18, Altona Roosters 34 def Melton Broncos 18, Eastern Raptors 34 def Pakenham Eels 14.

Ladder: Melton Broncos 19, Eastern Raptors 18, North West Wolves 17, Werribee Bears 13, Altona Roosters 12, Doveton Steelers 12, Pakenham Eels 11, Casey Warriors 11, Truganina Rabbitohs 7, Sunshine Cowboys -2.

Fixture R14: Sunshine Cowboys (10) v Altona Roosters (5), Truganina Rabbitohs (9) v Casey Warriors (5), Pakenham Eels (7) v North West Wolves (3), Werribee Bears (4) v Doveton Steelers (6), Melton Broncos (1) v Eastern Raptors (2).

nons. The Cannons’ Pennant E South East team recorded a brilliant statement victory, defeating fellow top side MCC 4-0.

MCC is sitting second on the ladder, but on the same points as Casey in third so it was expected to be a tight contest. But captain Fiona Young got her side fired up for the occasion as they came out and controlled the match. Syahindah Mohammad

The Women’s Metro 1 South side capped off a strong weekend for Casey Hockey Club, holding off the winless Collegians-X 1-0. Kelly McLauchlan was influential with every possession she had, and she scored the only goal of the match to help the Cannons secure victory.

Healthy weekend for Storm

By Blair Burns

Cardinia Storm celebrated men’s mental health week and the club put in some strong performances across their three matches, winning two of them.

The Women’s Metro 1 South side kicked the weekend off with a big victory, smashing Southern United 4-0. The Storm were too strong for the visitors as the side slotted four goals for the day to register an easy win.

The backline was strong, led by Courtney Gibbons, Jen Bowtell and Sarah Dunlop. Cardinia was efficient in attack with four individual goal scorers which included captains Teagan Peterson and Alana Nancarrow (player of the match), as well as Jennifer Fallu and Bowtell. The younger girls in the team linked up all day and continued to take big strides with their development.

In a commanding performance, Cardinia Storm’s Men’s Metro 1 South team made light work of Waverley Hockey Club, winning 6-1 and cementing its spot in finals. The match was a momentum builder for the upcoming post-season, with Cardinia setting the tone with great cohesion and attacking flair.

Storm duo Taylor Rae (three goals) and Scott Burnett (two goals) were outstanding in the victory, scoring five of the team’s six goals. All goals were scored from general play as they effectively linked up and found the back of the net. MidfielderJeanBlignautplayedapivotalroleinthe victory, finding ample space and time, which culminated in him scoring the final goal of the match. Storm full-back Adam Welcome was awarded the Men’s Mental Health Medal for his outstanding defensive efforts and leadership on the field. It was a strong performance for Cardinia Storm and the side sits second on the ladder, a result of its strong form thus far.

The Storm did their best in the Men’s Metro 2 South competition, taking on the top side Glen Eira and falling just one goal short, 3-2. The fight and effort displayed by the team would’ve made the entire club proud, as they battled until the very end.

Goals were scored by Barnett and Ben Albrecht, while it was also great to see Nick Dzierbicki back on the field using his pace in attack. The three sides will shift their focus to Round 15, as they hope to maintain their form as finals near closer.

Cardinia Storm co-captain Alana Nancarrow was the player of the match on the weekend. (Stewart Chambers: 486753)

Shah was on fire, scoring two goals, while Young and Hilary Doulton also found the back of the net.

Cannons’ Elliot Stephens was a key contributor in the men’s win last weekend. (Rob Carew: 488314)

Get a sneak peek of the lifestyle you could enjoy at our free Open Home events. Explore our communities, inspect our display homes, discover our social activities, chat with our friendly team and find out if retirement living will suit you.

Hunters Green

2 Rochester Parade, Cranbourne East Saturday, 2 August (10-11am)

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With 22 events across Victoria, take the first step and RSVP today. Call (03) 9133 8788 or visit aveo.com.au/openhome/vic