Mail - Ferntree Gully Star Mail - 9th September 2025

Hidden gem in Emerald back, briefly

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

David Hoskin’s hillside garden in Emerald will open to the public for one weekend only, sharing almost 50 years of growth and change with the public.

Telopea Gardens isn’t about manicured lawns or perfect borders, it’s a working garden, full of rare plants, winding paths, and sweeping views.

“It’s a garden that’s grown with us, changed with us. It’s full of experiments and dead ends and little successes. It’s what happens when you live in a place, and you keep digging,” Mr Hoskin said.

The open weekend includes plant sales, tea, coffee and birdsong, with proceeds supporting the SES.

To read the full story, turn to page 16

Jailed for child sex

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

WARNING: This article contains descriptions of sexual assaults on minor, some readers may find distressing.

A 31-year-old woman from the Gembrook and Macclesfield area has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison after pleading guilty to grooming and sexually offending against a 15-year-old boy.

Veronica Bridge (a pseudonym) appeared in

the County Court of Victoria on 29 August, where she was sentenced on charges including grooming for sexual conduct with a child under 16, sexual assault, and sexual penetration of a child under 16.

The court heard Ms Bridge met the boy while working at a hospitality venue in July 2024. Over two and a half weeks, she sent him over 500 messages on Instagram and Snapchat, many sexually explicit, and engaged in sexual contact including intercourse in her car.

Judge Robyn Harper described the conduct as “textbook grooming” and said Ms Bridge was fully aware her actions were illegal.

Ms Bridge grew up locally, attended schools in Macclesfield and Box Hill, and disclosed childhood trauma, including sexual abuse and longterm mental health challenges.

She worked as a nurse before her registration was suspended following unrelated workplace incidents.

Due to a deprived childhood, she later developed substance dependence and engaged in selfdestructive behaviour, including multiple suicide attempts.

Her Honour said had Ms Bridge not pleaded guilty at an early stage, the sentence would have been four years and eight months.

Ms Bridge would be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Read the full story on page 3

David has turned a pine-covered land into a lively garden of flowers, plants and wildlife. (Stewart Chambers: 501289)

Nearly 40% have no fire plan

By Callum Ludwig

The CFA’s latest post-season bushfire community survey has revealed a troubling statistic about the lack of preparedness ahead of the upcoming fire season.

Of the 611 people who took this year’s survey, nearly 40 per cent living in bushfire-prone areas did not have a bushfire plan.

CFA District 13, which covers the Outer East, assistant chief fire officer David Renkin said locally we’ve seen new people moving in and certainly not having a very good understanding of the risk in certain areas.

“All these plans need to be in place early, they need to be practised with their families and the families need to know and understand what that means and what that looks like then make a decision early,” he said.

“If their area has been identified as a risk during a heightened fire danger day, then they need to make those decisions early for the safety of their own people and ensure that they are safe for anything that may occur in and around their area,”

“The weather outlook is certainly showing the potential for increased fire, now is the time to actually start to take the steps to ensure that your family is safe.”

The CFA survey has been carried out annually since 2009 and this year, 20 per cent of people didn’t believe leaving early was the safest option to protect themselves and their loved ones and 16 per cent of people planned to stay and attempt their property

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said he is concerned about the distressing statistics and warning Victorians that now is not the time to be complacent with an earlier and more active fire season predicted.

“It is never too early to prepare, don’t gamble with your safety this season, residents living in high fire-risk areas must take their preparation more seriously,” he said.

“Take a moment to sit down with your household and make a plan so everyone knows what they need to do and where they need to go if a fire threatens your local area,”

“It’s easy to panic and make poor decisions if you’re not prepared, and the last thing you want in an emergency is to become trapped, leaving early is your greatest form of protection.”

The last two years of the survey have seen a seismic shift in Victoria’s perceptions of bushfire risk from very large to small, with 50 per cent of people not showing concern and nearly 40 per cent are not alarmed enough to warrant direct interaction with CFA.

CFA are particularly worried by the survey data showing that those least concerned, and less likely to be prepared, were located just 500 metres to one kilometre from bushland.

The Montrose bushfire at the start of 2025 was a recent reminder of how important it is to have a plan, with many residents complaining at a community meeting about the adequacy of emergency warning systems.

Mr Renkin said as an organisation, they do have limitations in regards to the amount of resources they have and what they can actually provide in a major fire scenario.

“In regards to the Montrose fire, we certainly had enough resources to be able to manage the fire but it was a bit disconcerting to see some of the feedback from residents that certainly didn’t have an action plan in place or continued to monitor the fire activity at the time,” he said.

“I’m certainly seeing complacency at times come from the community…our crews are

well and well and truly prepared, ready to go, and have been undertaking training for quite a number of months to get ready for this fire season,”

“But the thing I’d probably say is that we as an organisation, we can’t do it all on our own, we rely heavily on the community to do the right thing by their families and maintain their properties and ensure that there’s opportunities to defend their property if the occasion arises.”

A further 31 per cent of survey respondents would delay leaving until threatened by a bushfire, waiting for the danger to increase or for instructions from emergency services.

Mr Renkin said people without a bushfire plan need to visit the CFA website and utilise the tools that are there, as well as be engaged with their local brigades who can provide assistance to these residents with their plans.

“A lot of people are not aware of the impact of

spotting from these fires has and that could be some distance from a main fire, which will then cause smaller spot fires to then grow into larger fires, which is something that we saw, certainly in the 09’ fires, where spotting distances were in excess of 15 kilometres,” he said.

“I think there’s a lack of understanding there from the community in regards to what fire behaviour really looks like and it’s interesting in some of the surveys where people have articulated that they would stay to protect property, as without actually being exposed to fires and seeing the behaviour of fire and being fully prepared, there is a very great risk of these people potentially being caught,”

“It’s all good and fine to say they might stay to protect but if they haven’t actually been exposed to fires, there is a risk of panic and the like setting in and that’s the unfortunate time that we possibly see people perish through making the decision to leave too late.”

Two lives lost on Yarra Ranges roads in same day

By Oliver Winn

Two drivers lost their lives on Wednesday 3 September in what was a devastating day for the Yarra Ranges.

In Sherbrooke at around 7.30am, emergency services responded to a report that a vehicle had crashed into a tree between Mount Dandenong Tourist Road and Nobles Lane.

The yet-to-be formally identified driver of the vehicle lost their life at the scene and at this stage, police are unsure of the exact circumstances surrounding the collision and have an investigation under way.

Later on at 2.30pm, a collision between a motorcyclist and a car on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road left the rider dead and four others hospitalised, including two children.

The road was closed between Syme Road and Dalry Road.

The driver of the car, a 54-year-old Scoresby man, wasn’t injured but his passengers, a woman and two children, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The car driver is assisting police with their inquiries.

Police investigations remain ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, with CCTV/dashcam footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. According to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), the number of lives lost on Rural Roads have seen a 19 per cent increase since last year.

lost their life after being struck by a truck at 12.50pm.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist carrying a pilion passenger crashed into a fence in Newborough.

Also on the same day, a female pedestrian

The male rider died while his passenger was

taken to hospital. Victoria Police took to Facebook to issue a warning to all drivers. “The days may be getting longer, and weather getting warmer, but we still need to remain vigilant behind the wheel,” the post read.

The Montrose fire in March threatened properties, with one house reportedly burned and another damaged. (Boronia CFA)

While 92 lives were lost on the road in 2024, 111 have died in 2025. Yarra Ranges was the LGA with the fourth highest amount of lives lost on the road last year.

Two people died in the Yarra Ranges due to a car crash on Wednesday 3 September. (File)

Gembrook woman jailed for child sex

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

WARNING: This article contains descriptions of sexual assaults on minor, some readers may find distressing.

A 31-year-old woman, who grew up in Gembrook and Macclesfield area, has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison on Friday, 29 August, after pleading guilty to grooming and sexually offending against a 15-year-old boy.

Veronica Bridge (a pseudonym), appeared in the County Court of Victoria where she was sentenced on one charge of grooming for sexual conduct with a child under 16, two charges of sexual assault of a child under 16, and two charges of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

She must serve a non-parole period of 23 months and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The court heard Ms Bridge met the teenage victim while working at a hospitality venue in July 2024.

Over the course of two and a half weeks, she sent him more than 500 messages on Instagram and Snapchat, many of which were sexually explicit.

She also purchased alcohol for the boy and, on multiple occasions, engaged in sexual contact with him, including kissing, oral sex and intercourse, in her car.

At the time of the offending, Ms Bridge was 30 years old.

Judge Robyn Harper said the case involved “textbook grooming” and stated Ms Bridge had full awareness of the illegality of her conduct.

“You knew what you were doing was both wrong and illegal,” Judge Harper said.

“Your behaviour quickly escalated from online contact to penetrative sex with a child half

your age.”

Ms Bridge was born in December 1993 and grew up in the Gembrook area, she attended primary school in Macclesfield and later completed her secondary education at Mater Christi College and Box Hill Senior Secondary College.

The court heard that her family struggled financially during her childhood and that she experienced bullying and body image issues from an early age.

Ms Bridge disclosed being sexually abused by her father at the age of seven and said this trauma contributed to long-term mental health difficulties.

She later developed substance dependence and engaged in self-destructive behaviour, including multiple suicide attempts.

After momentarily studying nursing in Warrnambool, Ms Bridge lived in Mount Hotham, where she entered a long-term abusive relationship.

She later completed a Bachelor of Nursing at Victoria University and worked as a nurse from 2018, however, her registration was suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) following an incident involving the unauthorised taking of medication from her workplace, which occurred prior to the offending in this case.

Following her arrest, Ms Bridge engaged in rehabilitation for drug and alcohol dependency and received mental health treatment.

A psychological assessment found she suffers from borderline personality disorder, polysubstance dependence (early remission), and adjustment disorder.

Forensic psychologist Patrick Newton assessed her as having a low risk of reoffending and identified a need for ongoing therapeutic

support.

Despite this, Judge Harper said that the seriousness of the offending warranted immediate imprisonment.

“This was serious offending,” the judge said.

“You groomed your victim from shortly after the time you met him and your behaviour escalated rapidly.

“While your plea of guilty and personal circumstances are noted, general deterrence is of paramount importance in cases involving sexual offending against children.”

The victim did not provide a personal impact statement, but his mother addressed the court in writing, describing the profound impact the offending had on their family.

“This has left lasting emotional wounds,” she said.

“Our son is still a boy, and the trauma he has experienced and we as a family have experienced will not simply fade with time.”

Instead, Ms Bridge was sentenced to a total effective term of three years and two months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 23 months.

Her Honour said had Ms Bridge not pleaded guilty at an early stage, the sentence would have been four years and eight months.

In addition to being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, Ms Bridge was declared a Serious Sexual Offender under Victorian law.

The declaration applies to the charges of sexual assault and sexual penetration and carries implications for parole eligibility and post-release monitoring.

1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732

Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114

Victims of Crime Helpline: 1800 819 817

Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491

Out of control burn-off in Upper Ferntree Gully

Saturday 6 September saw multiple CFA brigades muster to stamp out an out of control registered burn off in the vicinity of the Gilmore Reserve.

The afternoon call out saw Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey and Ferntree Gully Fire Brigades attend a registered burn off which had gotten out of control.

“Due to the combination of a steep hill, and wind fanning the fire uphill, the fire had begun to spread quickly in the direction of thicker bushland and houses,” said a post by Upper Ferntree Gully CFA Facebook.

“The owner had done everything right, but the wind picked up and the fire took off up along the hill,” said Upper Ferntree Gully CFA Captain Peter Smith.

Bayswater, Selby amd Belgrave South assisted with the extra resources requested.

The fire was successfully contained and extinguished, with crews remaining on scene for about 2 hours to ensure it was well blacked out.

“This is a timely reminder that it doesn’t take much for a small burnoff to get out of control, and how quickly things can escalate, even in the first week of spring - please, prepare your properties for the upcoming fire season.. we may be in for an early, and extended one,” said Upper Ferntree Gully’s social media.

Firewood collection opens for spring Victorians will be able to collect firewood for domestic use as collection areas have reopened this week.

Firewood collection is only allowed from state forests during the firewood season from designated firewood collection areas.

The spring firewood collection season ends on Sunday, 30 November.

More information on local firewood collection areas: ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood/find-a-firewood-collection-area

Financial assistance is available for people on low incomes who buy firewood: ffm.vic.gov.au/ firewood/energy-concession-and-support

Watch out for the birds, Yarra Ranges

Native birds enter their breeding season in spring, and some may get protective of their young.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) statewide wildlife advisory services manager Lachlan Clarke said it swooping is a normal, temporary behaviour for native birds like magpies, butcherbirds and masked lapwings to defend their eggs and chicks for a short time while their young are most vulnerable.

“Think of it as a warning sign. They’re telling you to keep your distance. While it can be a bit unsettling, it’s rare for them to make contact.”

This behaviour only lasts a short time, usually ending once the young have left the nest. If you are worried about being caught out by a protective bird this spring, there are some steps you can take to feel safe.

These include avoiding known swooping hotspots, moving quickly, and wearing protective head and eye coverings.

Don’t harass birds as it can escalate swooping behaviours.

Report a swooping incident on Victoria’s interactive swooping bird map by visiting: wildlife.vic. gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds.

A woman has been sentenced to three years and two months imprisonment after pleading guilty to grooming and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. (Shutterstock)

Boronia woman’s court clash

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

A Boronia woman’s fight for fair compensation following a workplace shoulder injury has reached a pivotal moment that could impact how similar claims are handled in the future.

The plaintiff, Danielle Jordan has battled the Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) for years, as her life was turned upside down by a significant injury that led to a series of surgeries and ongoing suffering.

Her story began on January 30, 2017, when she suffered a shoulder dislocation at work, this wasn’t her first dislocation, but it was different.

The pain was sharper, and her arm went completely limp, which was something she’d never experienced before, the shoulder had dropped backward, while previous dislocations had caused it to slip downward.

In the moments after the accident, she knew something was seriously wrong.

Ms Jordan had lived with chronic shoulder instability since her teenage years, a condition that meant her shoulder frequently slipped out of place.

Despite this, she had managed to lead an active life, working full-time, caring for her young son, and even playing basketball, but after the workplace incident, her condition worsened

rapidly.

She went from being able to manage the injury at home and work to being completely incapacitated, requiring surgery after surgery, including a shoulder fusion in 2022.

The VWA initially accepted liability for her injuries, covering medical expenses and weekly compensation, and approving a number of surgeries, including an arthroscopic labral repair in 2017 - however, in 2025, the VWA moved to terminate her benefits, citing reports from two medical practitioners, Ash Chehata (orthopaedic surgeon) and Dr Alexander Fixler (general practitioner), who argued that her current condition was no longer linked to the workplace injury.

But despite this, Ms Jordan’s legal team pointed out that the VWA had already accepted responsibility for numerous surgeries over the years, which suggested that the workplace injury was, in fact, the root cause of her ongoing suffering.

This point was crucial in her case.

The VWA had approved not just one, but several major surgeries over the years, including the fusion surgery that ultimately altered the course of her life.

To suddenly suggest that the workplace incident no longer played a role in her condition didn’t make sense.

It was clear from the medical history that the injury was the driving factor behind her need for increasingly complex surgeries.

While Mr Chehata argued that the injury in 2017 was minor and didn’t contribute significantly to her condition, other experts, like Dr Francis Ghan (orthopaedic surgeon), painted a much clearer picture.

Dr Ghan confirmed that the workplace injury remained a significant factor in Ms Jordan’s condition, and without that injury, she might never have required the fusion surgery.

His opinion, grounded in her medical history, was vital in securing the legal victory that allowed Ms Jordan to move forward with her claim for common law damages.

But beyond the physical pain and medical treatments, there was also the psychological impact of her injury.

The multiple surgeries left her with visible and permanent scarring across her right shoulder and arm, a part of her body that had previously been marked with a tattoo she’d worked hard to design.

The scars were not just a reminder of the pain she had endured but became an unwelcome feature of her appearance.

She described the scars as “ugly” and expressed how self-conscious she felt when wear-

ing certain clothes.

On hot days, the scars would become itchy and prone to sunburn, adding to her daily discomfort.

For a young woman who had always taken pride in her appearance, the scars were not just physical but a constant reminder of how much her life had changed.

Despite the pain, the scarring, and the loss of function in her arm, Ms Jordan remained determined to seek justice.

The legal battle has been tough, but the recent court decision to allow her to seek common law damages feels like a small victory for Ms Jordan.

For many, including locals in Boronia, her story is a stark reminder of the hurdles many workers face when trying to get fair treatment within the workers’ compensation system.

The emotional and physical toll of an injury can be life-altering, and the fight for fair compensation can be just as exhausting.

Ms Jordan’s journey isn’t over yet, as she continues her fight for recognition and compensation, her case underscores how vital it is for medical evaluations to be thorough and for WorkCover to fully understand the lasting effects of an injury, physically and emotionally.

AusNet grant gives Emerald battery support

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Emerald’s Gem Community Arts Centre is set to become a crucial lifeline for locals during power outages, thanks to a $50,000 grant from AusNet.

The funding will support the installation of a solar system with a backup battery, strengthening energy resilience for Emerald and the surrounding semi-rural communities.

The project will see 33 solar panels, a 12kW inverter, and a 2.76kWh usable battery installed at the Arts Centre, creating a space where residents can come together during blackouts to cook, shower, charge devices, and socialise.

The Gem Community Arts Centre, already a well-known local hub with bathrooms, a commercial kitchen, and a large meeting space, will provide much-needed comfort and connection in emergency situations.

Treasurer of Gemco Players Community

Theatre Inc, Non Blair, said the funding came at a crucial time.

“Emerald Township is particularly susceptible to unplanned outages, with 85 outages recorded on the BGE23 feeder servicing the Arts Centre in 2023–24, more than three times the network average,” Ms Blair said. “This system will increase community certainty and reduce the stress and danger that prolonged power outages bring.”

She said the project would help reduce isolation during emergencies by providing a safe and functional place to work, play, cook, shower, and connect. “Many residents work from home, especially since Covid, but unreliable mobile coverage and power outages often force people onto the roads during clean-up, increasing risks and slowing recovery,” Ms Blair said.

AusNet’s investment is part of its $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund, launched

after the storms of February 2024. To date, nearly $5 million has been granted to establish more than 40 resilience hubs across the state.

“Over the past five years, our electricity network has weathered some of the most formidable challenges in recent memory, from devastating fires to wild weather and powerful storms,” an AusNet spokesperson said. “These events have tested us but revealed the resilience and determination of Victorian communities.”

The spokesperson said the grants support a wide range of energy resilience initiatives, from powering community hubs and mobile shower centres to trailer-mounted generators and upgraded infrastructure.

“When we work hand-in-hand with communities, we unlock solutions that are not only practical but meaningful,” they said. “Together, we’re creating spaces that keep people safe, connected, and informed during emergencies.”

Boronia woman, Danielle Jordan is fighting for justice after years of injury. (173239)

Home care help is on way

By Callum Ludwig

Some respite for older Australians is incoming as the Australian Government works towards a new Support at Home program for older Australians, with 20,000 home care packages released to relieve delays in providing appropriate care to those who need it.

The decision was made in the wake of a Senate inquiry recently revealing that 87,000 are waiting close to a year to receive packages they have been approved for and over 120,000 more are still waiting to be assessed.

Delays to home care packages are nothing new in the Outer East, with Casey MP Aaron Violi having previously drawn attention to delays multiple of his constituents were facing in Parliament in June 2024.

Mr Violi said this is welcome news for many families in our community, who sacrifice their time to support their aging loved ones whilst waiting years and years for a home care package

“Home care packages are vitally important for our aging community and their families, because they support people to receive the care they need in their home,” he said.

“Tragically, almost 5000 older Australians died in the past year while waiting for care, which highlights the need for the government to do more to get this right. I have spoken on the importance of supporting our older residents and their families to ensure they get the care that they need and deserve, in the last parliament, I raised local voices and shared local stories around the real challenges our community was and is continuing to face.”

Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler and Minister for Aged Care and Seniors Sam Rae announced the release at a press conference on Wednesday 3 September following pressure from a combination of Coalition, Greens and independents to address the backlog prior to the deferred Aged Care Act coming into force from 1 November.

ment,” she had said in her speech in Parliament on Monday 1 September.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing was contacted for comment.

A number of advocacy bodies for older Australians and the aged care sector have also come out to welcome the announcement.

Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said they congratulate the Government on heading our calls, with so many Australians waiting for care in their own homes.

“We give our sincere thanks to Senator Anne Ruston and Senator David Pocock and all sides of politics for their dedication championing the needs of older Australians,” he said.

“Providers are ready to act immediately and deliver more packages across Australia, as we heard recently, 98 per cent of members tell us they have the capacity and are ready to go,”

Mr Butler said there have been good, constructive discussions with Liberal Senator Anne Ruston to ensure they configure the 83,000 home care packages funded in the first 12 months of the upcoming new system to meet the views of the two major parties and advocacy groups.

“I’m pleased to announce we’ve reached a position where we can support the position of Senator Ruston in the Senate when it comes to a vote over the course of today… we will be supporting the position that Senator Ruston has outlined,” he said. “That will mean there will be 20,000 additional Home Care Packages released between now and the end of October, which is the last time, the last date before the new aged care system comes into effect,”

“From the 1st of November, the start date of the new aged care system, until the 31st of December, there will be an additional 20,000 Support at Home packages put into the system and in the first 6 months of next year, the remaining 43,000 of Labor’s Support at Home packages

will be put into the market.”

The Aged Care Act was initially intended to take effect from 1 July this year but was deferred to give service providers in the sector more time to prepare for the overhaul.

Independent Indi MP Dr Helen Haines was one of the advocates for action and said this was a win for older Australians and showed the impact of the crossbench in the interests of the nation.

“I think we have seen a victory today that will bring practical relief to 20,000 people waiting for a home care package,” she said.

“The government had consistently rejected calls from the crossbench and peak bodies to release more packages that would help hold the waitlist steady, I’m pleased that today the government has seen sense.”

“The fact is that the waitlist for home care is getting longer, not shorter, and this is the last thing older persons and their families need –more delays and more uncertainty when they were promised the opposite from this govern-

“This is the start of the long road to getting people off wait-lists and getting the care they need.”

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) highlighted the severe risks of leaving older people without appropriate care.

OPAN Director of Policy, Education and Systemic Advocacy Samantha Edmonds said the announcement is a positive step, but more work must be done to protect and safeguard the interest of older people.

“Inadequate in-home care support can push older people into hospital and prematurely into residential aged care, which is unfair and avoidable,” she said.

“Once an older person has been approved for the appropriate level of in-home support, they typically wait another 12 months to receive it, untenable delays such as these put older people at significant risk of adverse outcomes, older people should not have to wait more than 30 days for in home support,”

“These delays have an adverse impact on a person’s dignity and wellbeing, we have a shared responsibility to alleviate this challenge.”

L-R: Crossbenchers Kate Chaney MP, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Helen Haines MP, Allegra Spender MP, Sophie Scamps MP and Senator David Pocock speak following the release of the home care packages. (Supplied)

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Anne Ruston was a key player in pushing the government to release more home care packages. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Homelessness reality

By Mikayla van Loon

Alarming numbers of young people seeking support from homelessness services on their own is a reality being felt close to home.

Despite the shock of data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) last week, indicating that 13,300 unaccompanied children sought help from specialist homelessness services (SHS) in the past year, Anchor Community Care chief executive officer Heidi Tucker said it presented a true picture of homelessness in this country.

“This is another instance where data is released that shows the shocking reality of what homelessness looks like, and the toll it takes on individuals and communities right across Australia,” she said.

The data also showed that 94 per cent of unaccompanied children were alone when they sought help, while six per cent were in a group of children. More female children, 63 per cent, presented at a service.

Ms Tucker said in the outer eastern suburbs, there was a definite increase in the number of children and young people seeking support.

In 2023, Anchor homelessness services had contact with 142 children (under 18 years of age). Last year, this rose to 174 and in the first six months of 2025 the service has seen 107 young people.

“Children and young people entering homelessness face very complex situations, and require truly holistic support that helps them to be able to escape and recover from these situations,” Ms Tucker said.

“The stats that we know is that roughly half of adults in the homelessness system will have had their first experience of homelessness as a child.

“This tells us that we need an urgent focus on preventative and early intervention approaches to start to actually see a reduction in these numbers.

“Homelessness should be rare, brief, and a non-recurrent experience.”

Anecdotally and from research, the main drivers of homelessness are family breakdowns, family violence and the housing crisis, each creating a lack of safety.

The AIHW data backs this up, with two in five, or 42 per cent, of unaccompanied children identifying interpersonal relationships as the main reason for seeking SHS assistance.

“What this data really shows is that for children and young people, homelessness is not a choice. They are not choosing homelessness, they are seeking safety, support and wellbeing,” Ms Tucker said.

Using the data as a base, Ms Tucker said it was time for a dedicated and specific youth homelessness strategy to be implemented in Victoria.

She highlighted three points that would be integral to a strategy, those being:

Dedicated youth housing options: models are created currently for adults – so it needs to be age appropriate with an increased level and length of support and be affordable to young people, and location carefully considered - in reach of public transport and other services.

Service integration/joined up approach: co-

ordinated response across government departments, like education, mental health, housing and homelessness, health and disability services, child protection and family services and youth justice.

Place based responses that incorporate all touch points that children and young people engage with to ensure that they don’t fall between the gaps. Need to identify and provide support early so as to stop the descent into homelessness.

Ms Tucker said the integration of services, to be able to identify, engage and respond, would be key to preventing and supporting youth facing homelessness.

This requires schools, sporting clubs, health and mental health and community groups working together or at least being able to recognise when a child is at risk of homelessness, and alert the right services.

“We are really wanting to put efforts into strengthening connections with other services and providers,” Ms Tucker said.

“There are red flags that happen, but if all of the services and community connections that exist in a young person’s life have no way of quickly supporting them, then that’s when they fall through the gaps.”

More concerningly, Ms Tucker said the data showed “there is a proportion that doesn’t even

Funding boost for school

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Menzies Creek Primary School is receiving a much-needed boost, with more than $1.15 million in state government funding on the way to help upgrade two of its key buildings.

The school is one of 24 across Victoria sharing in over $13 million through the State Government’s latest round of the ‘Planned Maintenance Program’ (PMP), aimed at improving school facilities across the state.

For Menzies Creek, the funding means essential upgrades to its Shelterin-Place and administration buildings - works that school leadership says will make the school safer, more compliant, and better equipped for both staff and students.

Acting principal Nadja Wood said the announcement was a welcome investment in the school’s future.

“Menzies Creek Primary School is grateful to receive more than $1.15 million in Planned Maintenance Program funding to upgrade our Shelter-in-Place and administration buildings,” she said.

The Shelter-in-Place building is a vital part of the school’s emergency readiness, it will undergo roof and electrical works, as well as bushfire safety upgrades.

“The works will include upgrades to the Shelter-in-Place building roof, and electrical switchboard as well as works such as BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) compliant mesh, and any necessary window fixtures replacements to bring the building up to the required standards,” Ms Wood said.

The school’s administration building is also getting attention, with plans for restumping, repainting and repairs to flooring and electrical infrastructure.

live long enough to transition into adulthood” because of the life-long consequences of being homeless.

“In the last decade, 520 children died while in contact with a homeless service, with suicide being the leading cause of deaths for the 12-17 year olds of this cohort.

“The figures should shock people to their core. We cannot as a society continue to accept these outcomes.”

Right now, Anchor will continue to provide youth-at-risk programs to support young people with “the safety and stability they need to connect with education and careers, while also helping to build or repair their family and social connections – all while providing stable accommodation.”

“This is what gives young people a pathway from homelessness.”

At the same time, Ms Tucker said advocacy for a Youth Housing and Homelessness Strategy for Victoria would be forefront for the organisation, while also seeking funding for specialist children’s practitioners and family therapy programs.

“The statistics provide more ammunition in our fight to raise awareness of homelessness, and the significant impact on children and young people. Victoria needs a strategy and plan in place to stop children and young people entering homelessness,” she said.

“The administration building will be restumped and repainted with maintenance works to the floors and electrical infrastructure,” she said.

The PMP funding is part of the State Government’s broader commitment to providing safe and modern learning environments for all Victorian students, with maintenance projects prioritised based on regular assessments of each school’s infrastructure needs.

Deputy Premier and education minister Ben Carroll said the program is about giving students the best possible start.

“We are making sure every Victorian school offers students a modern, safe and inspiring place to learn,” Mr Carroll said.

“Our Planned Maintenance Program invests in our schools and the future of our kids – by helping them thrive in state-of-the-art facilities.”

Statewide, $89.3 million has been allocated for 269 projects across 255 schools in 2025. Since coming to government, Labor has invested $18.5 billion in building new schools and upgrading more than 2300 others - supporting over 30,000 jobs in the process.

Children and young people presenting to homelessness services over the last year reached more that 13,000 across Australia. (Mikayla van Loon: 494773)

Anchor Community Care chief executive officer Heidi Tucker said the statistics should shock everyone. (494773)

Menzies Creek PS receives more than $1.15m to upgrade Shelter-in-Place and admin buildings. (Stewart Chambers: 499043)

Veteran foster family feted

By Tanya Steele

A Knox family were acknowledged for years of work as foster carers last week in a special ceremony attended by Member for Aston, MP Mary Doyle.

Local Boronia foster carers, Amanda and Dean Collins, have been recognised for their work in supporting vulnerable children in the foster care system, winning the Tilly Aston Carer of the Year Award.

For 20 years, the Collins’ home has been a safe and supportive home for many of the community’s most vulnerable children and young people.

“They’re born into this situation, and they have it really tough, and I think that gave me a real soft spot,” said foster carer Amanda Collins.

Amanda and Dean were recognised for their capacity to go above and beyond.

At 55, Amanda said her husband Dean and her own four biological children are a huge support and essential to her, still caring after this long.

“I have a husband who’s prepared to support me in my calling,” she said.

Amanda said that fostering has had a positive impact on her family.

“As challenging as it has been over the years for my biological children, I believe it’s made my now adult children much more resilient and better human beings as a whole,” she said.

“They understand that sh*t happens in the world, and not everybody gets a good start –they just are very they’re caring and kind and good with children, and they’ll make great fathers.”

The awards, presented by Member for Aston, Mary Doyle MP, recognise those who have exhibited unparalleled dedication, exceptional leadership, and significant impact in their chosen field or community.

“It’s bought a lot of joy, it has bought tough times, frustrating times, difficult times, but ad-

versity can add strength and resilience to your life as well. It’s not always a negative thing,” said Amanda.

Anchor CEO, Heidi Tucker said that the Collins are very deserving of the award win, saying that their home is a lifeline for vulnerable children and young people in the foster care system.

“The Collins’ work is a masterclass in creating a loving, safe and stable home,” she said.

When asked what drew her into becoming a carer, Amanda said she grew up listening to her own mother’s stories from her childhood.

“She had a very troubled childhood, and was in and out of orphanages and cared for by nuns at times,” she said. “Listening to her stories of hardship and listening to how that’s affected her and her siblings has made me very empathetic to children who don’t have a say in their situation.”

She and her husband, Dean, began the process of becoming foster parents in 2005, already a big household with four kids of their own, with around one year of training and checks required to become accredited.

“You’ve got a say in what you are prepared to

take on,” Amanda said.

The family have been busy ever since, with no day the same and Amanda said you can still work and have a full life while being a foster parent. From short-term emergency fosters to longer-term stays with the family, Amanda said she has looked after over close to 100 children over the years. Some children have been in and out of the Collins household for a long time, and the kids are always welcomed straight back, but not without challenges.

“We have one child who went home 10 times in seven years, which was very, very difficult, extremely difficult,” said Amanda. “He always came back to us,” she said. “We’d have to start again with him and get him back into a routine and teach him things that unteaching.”

Ms Tucker said that so much of what foster carers do goes unseen and unrewarded, so it is brilliant to see Amanda and Dean recognised with this award win.

“They have created a home of true care and stability for so many children and young people in the foster care system,” she said.

As to becoming a foster carer, from a practical standpoint, you need training and a requirement for a bedroom dedicated to the child and Amanda said it’s more flexible than most people would think.

“So people tend to think I work, I’m too old, or I’m too busy, or I’ve got my biological children, I’ll wait till they’re grown, all those things don’t mean you can’t foster,” she said. “You can foster when you’re single. You can foster as a couple – there are no limits to who can what you can provide and do.”

The Collins’ work is a great example of how people can make a difference as foster carers, at a time of increased need for people to step up and help.

“If you can’t take on a child, perhaps you could offer support or meals to someone you know who is a carer,” said Amanda.

Anchor supports people to begin their jour-

ney into becoming Foster Carers, offering flexible and dedicated staff who can help with all foster care enquiries. Amanda still has friends she went through training with and the network provides the family with an essential support system, with the group supporting each other daily.

“I have the best foster care friends that have become lifelong friends,” said Amanda. “They understand the system you’re working with and the frustrations behind it, and my friendships with them have been a huge bonus – I love them so much, I’m very lucky,” she said.

Self-care for a foster carer is tough, and Amanda said Victoria needs more carers, even for simple respite. “Carers get burnt out,” she said.

Some children have come to the Collins’ house with added issues to contend with, from injuries acquired from abuse to developmental disabilities, which means more intensive care is required.

“I’ve picked up a newborn from the hospital, withdrawing from drugs with a fractured skull and a fractured leg, right through to, you know, a 16-year-old that is self-harming,” said Amanda.

“I’ve had every type of child I can think of,” she said.

Amanda said she worries for the future of orphans and that the number of people who are willing to foster is dwindling.

“The needs are becoming higher, there’s a lot more mental health, there’s a lot more drugs, and there’s a lot more domestic violence and things,” she said.

“At the end of the day, what is life about? You can’t take money with you, can’t take your car with you. You’re not gonna be able to take your house with you, but what you can take with you is your emotions and your feelings and what you’ve given to this world.”

“If everyone made a difference in just one child’s life, the world would be a better place.”

From 8pm Sunday 21 September to 10pm Sunday 5 October

Eltham-Yarra Glen Road will be closed between Steels Creek Road and Mount Wise Road in Yarra Glen.

Major detours in place. Plan ahead and allow extra time.

Grace, Anchor Case Manager; Amanda Collins; Mary Doyle MP at the Awards Ceremony. (Anchor)

Crucial work is celebrated

By Callum Ludwig

Volunteers and supporters convened at St Patrick’s Community Centre on Tuesday to celebrate another winter of crucial work from Stable One, particularly the Yarra Valley Winter Shelter program.

From what started as a humble and hopeful effort in 2017 to help the homeless, the Stable One network has spread to three states while continuing to do important work at home base in the Yarra Ranges.

Chief executive Katherine Kirkwood said the event allows them to acknowledge the many lives that have been impacted by Stable One, both locally and further afield.

“We also know that Stable One is just one organisation among many working in the homelessness space, and many other charities right across our local region are doing incredible and valuable work, and each one is needed,” she said.

“The housing crisis that we find ourselves in is far bigger than any one organisation can tackle alone, in line with what is one of our core values of unity, our heart is to continue fostering a culture of collaboration,”

“When we cheer each other on, we celebrate each other’s wins, and we step in to fill the gaps where they need it, when we work together, we can achieve so much more than if we try to by ourselves.”

Board Chair Stacey Aslangul was invited up next to thank the governance team and financial supporters, including the Community Bank of Mt Evelyn, the Ricketson Foundation, the Sisters of Charity Foundation, the Lilydale Uniting Church, Gospel Resource, the St Andrews Foundation as well as the efforts of Andy Moore and fellow local homelessness support services Anchor Community Care and Holy Fools.

Operations Coordinator Sharon Jacob was invited to the stage to share some of the key statistics from the Yarra Valley Winter Shelter this year: 30 guests were approved to stay in the winter shelter and 27 did so, consisting of 14 women and 13 men, as well as two dogs.

The winter shelter was able to account for a total of 430 bed nights, serviced by 112 total active volunteers, including 34 people who did overnight shifts, for over 4000 combined volunteer hours.

After a short interval, Ms Kirkwood returned to the stage to share more about the impact of the wider network, and said it came about as an effective way to multiply the impact of their winter shelter model without having to directly facilitate

every shelter themselves.

“Over the years, some shelter projects have come and gone, and that’s the nature of the work sometimes, because the shelter does really rely on local resources and circumstances but the growth over the last 12 months has been incredibly exciting,” she said.

“One year ago, we had three active affiliates, plus our own shelter here in the Yarra Valley and since then, five new affiliates have joined the network, which is so exciting,”

“Some ran pilot programs this year, while others are planning to launch infrastructure in 2026, we’re also in active conversations with at least six communities who are going to explore what a shelter looks like so it’s been a really big deal.”

A video filmed by the organisers of the new Bass Coast winter shelter, who piloted a program for the first time this August, was shown and detailed their experiences taking the model to their community.

Training and development board consultant Dr David Wilson spoke next and said they want to be more intentional about their training as they develop more ideas.

“We’ve already been involved, of course, in volunteer training, especially for the winter shelter…we’ve had some venue-specific training which I think is really good this year, the teams that were going to be in one of the venues specifically got there and did some training about what that venue was going to look like and how to work around things and I think that was a terrific addi-

tion to the training,” he said.

“Then also we had three online sessions across the winter for ‘alongside’ training which I really enjoy, and I’ve had some very encouraging comments from some people who were there,”

“The other thing that we’ve already been doing is community training…we had a great opportunity this year of talking to police groups…I talked to these eight sergeants from our district about homelessness and our perspective on homelessness, because it’s very important for them and necessarily so and their comments towards the end of it were around how they really appreciated a different perspective and it helped them to broaden their outlook.”

Stable One operates winter shelters in the Yarra Valley, Bass Coast, Benalla, Bendigo, Frankston, Wang, Parramatta, Toowoomba and Gympie while enquiries have come from communities in Adelaide, Tasmania and Bunbury.

Stable One’s welfare coordinator Heidi Rickard shared the challenges and highlights fo her role, a new one she took on this year.

“Dealing with people experiencing immense anxiety, fragility and times of volatility on a whole new level was a definitely challenge, dealing with complex mental health issues and people with huge legal issues like removal of their children, IVOs, court appearances and domestic violence and just knowing that I can’t actually do anything in those cases was really quite overwhelming,” she said.

“My highlights have been building a relationship slowly based on trusted care with one of our guests and watching him step out has helped us on to engage with others, as well as developing skills I didn’t know I had, sometimes I felt like I had to be a detective tracking down NDIS workers in country New South Wales and somehow managing to work with information documents from Centrelink,”

“I can tell you that the experience he had at the shelter was life-changing and we saw his personality and sense of humour and he even smiled and waved as the winter progressed, and when I left him in his new home, he gave me a big hug and thanked me for everything, which for him was huge.”

To conclude the evening, Ms Kirkwood returned to the stage to soft launch Stable One’s newest initiative, in the wake of the collapse of The Village proposal for Bayswater North, the Fast Haven Collective.

The Fast Haven Collective will be a collection of Stable One supporters with a room, unit, bungalow or any form of accommodation they are willing to offer to help provide different types shelter for the homeless at an affordable and comfortable arrangement for both parties.

Stable One will provide expertise and support throughout the process if the new initiative gains traction, and anyone interested in participating or just supporting the Fast Haven Collective can find out more and express interest at stableone. org/fast-haven-collective/.

Stable One chief executive Katherine Kirkwood. (Callum Ludwig: 500996)

Board chairwoman Stacey Aslangul. (Callum Ludwig: 500996)

Venue coordinators are thanked for their efforts throughout the season. (Callum Ludwig: 500996)

Public artwork opens to all

The ‘Djirra Binak’ (Reed Basket) was the site of a celebration of Country, planting and bushwalk to activate the new dynamic art space up in Kalorama.

Newly installed, the ‘Djirra Binak’ is a dynamic sculptural installation by Murrup Biik, which is a public art practice led by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Kim Wandin and Chris Joy, along with the Collide Public Art Initiative.

Located in Kalorama along the ngurrak barring trail, the installation has been activated with an education program for children from Mount Dandenong Primary School.

Jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments and Yarra Ranges Council, the ngurrak barring | RidgeWalk is a 39km interconnected arts and culture trail running through the Dandenong Ranges.

On the day, a Smoking Ceremony was performed by Wurundjeri woiwurrung man Darren Wandin, which was then followed with words from the artists. The children were then invited to plant culturally significant plants around the sculpture and participate in a guided bushwalk on Country.

‘Djirra Binak’ honours the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of goranwarrabil (the Dandenong Ranges), their woiwurrung language and Ancestral connections.

Aunty Kim said the artwork is a celebration of Country.

“Being on Country and working with natural materials connects me to my land and Ancestors, protecting and preserving intimate knowledge for future generations,” she said. “Djirra is the reed that lives on Wurundjeri Country, providing sustenance in a broad range of ways. Binak is the basket, the symbol of women providing for family, it’s the vessel for holding, nurturing and caring.”

At the heart of the installation is a detailed photographic render of one of Aunty Kim’s woven baskets. Etched in white across several layers of glass, its intricate form hovers above a generous planting of traditional fibre plants employed in Aboriginal weaving practices.

Chris Joy said a pile of unused glass plates

on the studio floor gave her the idea to create a three-dimensional hologram of Aunty Kim’s basket. “It’s a way to honour her weaving practice, matrilineal cultural traditions, and women’s custodianship of lands and waters,” she said.

Upon reaching the central sculptural element and beholding the glass panels front on, the fragmented elements of the image are aligned, and the basket can be perceived in its entirety.

In this way, visitors become active participants in realising the work and, with that, a shared sense of custodianship and care for Country is instilled.

The artists chose the site opposite the intersection of Ridge Road and Falls Rd, Kalorama because people can enjoy being immersed in the bush while also being able to ‘look out and gaze over Country.’

The artists also acknowledged the significance of the site for the local community, as it was heavily impacted by the devastating 2021 storm, with the loss of many old trees.

Aunty Kim said the artwork is a chance to pause and reflect, and connect to the present.

“The sculpture being a reminder of Aboriginal people caring for Country. ‘Heal the people heal the land,’ as Archie Roach sang,” she said.

While the sculpture is now complete and the surrounding fencing removed, the planting is still in the establishment phase. This planting forms an integral part of the installation, calling for an appreciation and understanding that the experience of the work is ever growing and changing.

The ngurrak barring RidgeWalk project has delivered 14 kilometres of new and improved walking tracks, pedestrian crossings, permanent sculptures, and heritage interpretation across the Yarra Ranges.

The walk connects townships, supports the local economy, and celebrates the creative and cultural significance of the area, which has seen some of Australia’s most significant artists drawing inspiration from the Dandenong Ranges.

The artwork is now accessible for the public to peruse and enjoy in time for spring.

Aunty Kim Wandin and Chris Joy with Djirra Binak. (Cathy Ronalds).A striking piece of public artwork was launched with a Smoking Ceremony and education program last week in the Dandenong Ranges.

Montrose fire: Aftermath and the regeneration

By Gabriella Vukman

Forty hectares of jet black columns stand to attention in and around Montrose’ Dr Ken Leversha Reserve.

The canopy in the reserve is eerily quiet apart from the creak of burnt, brittle trunks in the wind.

The fire that tore through Montrose in March earlier this year left the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve black and bare. Now, six months later there are small signs of rejuvenation. New greenery has begun to creep its way back in among the scarred brush.

While it is still too early for heavy handed intervention, locals and the council have banded together to aid in rejuvenating the landscape.

President of the Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association (MEEPPA) Clare Worsnop has been keeping an eye out for the return of local wildlife.

“It takes a long while for the bush to regenerate. Our concerns are for the wildlife, especially the pair of Powerful Owls that used to live in the Reserve,” Ms Worsnop said.

Powerful Owls are an endangered species that are threatened by the loss of old trees with large hollows in which they nest.

Ms Worsnop said, “We are monitoring them and checking but don’t believe the pair of owls are breeding this year because the area where they were hanging out mostly, is part of the area that got burnt.”

“We do know they had twins last year and that they survived the fire, but the family of owls have moved.”

The impacts of the fire on the ecosystems and environment in and around the reserve were vast, and while carcasses of dead animals were not found, the loss of habitat bears lasting consequences for the wildlife that once called the reserve home.

Ms Worsnop said, “The ground-dwelling animals like kangaroos, wallabies and wombats have to find new food sources and places to shelter.”

“They can move a little bit further up the mountain but of course, they would be moving into someone else’s territory and animals like humans, are quite territorial, so there’s always that issue to be monitored and checked on.

“We also have to keep an eye on the animals themselves and the birds that may have got burnt and injured but didn’t die immediately. There’s always checking to see which animals are okay, which ones have survived.”

While the MEEPA group often does a lot of bush regeneration work, they have been unable to jump in and begin working on the landscape.

Ms Worsnop said, “We haven’t done a lot of bush work because we haven’t been allowed in so we have been focusing on monitoring the critters and are watching what’s happening and we can see some re-veg work happening.

“People need to remember that when you have a storm or a fire or whatever, the trees and stuff that get burnt or fall down should be left alone. Some of the creatures can then live in that and make new or temporary homes and hollows until something else grows back in. We monitor what’s happening along with other groups, to make sure that people aren’t just going in and cleaning it up.”

While Ms Worsnop confirmed that some wildlife has been returning to the reserve, she maintained that it has been a “slow process”.

“The wallabies are still coming back and coming through but they need a bigger area than they had in order to have enough food,” Ms Worsnop said.

“We’ve got a wildlife carer group who are also keeping a very close eye on the animals. We are all most concerned about the owls but we are hoping that next year the environment will be stable enough again for them to come back and breed.

“Caring for the bush and helping it to regener-

ate naturally as well as working out what is necessary in the longer term with re-vegetation is a long process.”

Working together with the council and other organisations such as Melbourne Water, MEEPA focuses on bush regeneration and the monitoring of wildlife and is scheduled to meet with the council in the upcoming months to discuss further regeneration work at the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve.

https://youtu.be/f7XbJ05EMC0

Zoologist and Chief Executive Officer of the Bungalook Creek Wildlife Shelter Dr Emma Cash has also been keeping an eye on the Reserve.

“Straight after the fire there was a lot more diurnal activity, so daytime activity from animals that are usually nocturnal,” Dr Cash said.

“A lot of our possum and glider species were

seen out during the daylight hours, simply just trying to find somewhere safe to sleep for the day.

Most of those animals lived in the reserve.”

Due to the fact that the fire began at night, many of the reserve’s nocturnal inhabitants were awake and able to escape.

Dr Cash said, “We’re probably lucky, not so much for the humans, but for the animals in the fact that the fires took off during the night.”

“The wildlife were hopefully out and about and not in the fire zone.

“Their problem now is finding safe places to sleep, so people might be seeing a little bit more activity from species around their homes. A lot of the hollows that they would have lived in can take up to 100 years to form, and so we don’t have habitats yet.”

According to Dr Cash, locals can help out the

local wildlife in a series of ways.

“People that live around the area can make their gardens as wildlife friendly as possible,” Dr Cash said.“This involves planting native trees and shrubs and ground covers so that our wildlife have something safe to eat, but also installing nesting boxes in appropriate locations and keeping cats indoors.”

The Bungalook Creek Wildlife Shelter was founded in Montrose 18 years ago and cares for and rehabilitates Australian native wildlife.

For more information on MEEPA and or to donate to the Bungalook Creek Wildlife Shelter, visit the following website and Facebook pages respectively.

MEEPA: meeppa.org.au

Bungalook Creek Wildlife Shelter: facebook. com/bungalookcreekwildlifeshelter/

A CFA member evaluates the Montrose blaze while there is still daylight. (Frank Tsai - Boronia CFA)

Night falls but the Montrose blaze shows no sign of abating. (Mooroolbark CFA) Water bombing from the air helps keep the Montrose blaze in check. (Frank Tsai - Boronia CFA)

Call for ‘soft menu’ options

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Kallista resident, Joanne Ross is calling on cafes and restaurants across the Hills and Dandenongs to introduce a dedicated ‘soft menu’ option for people with swallowing difficulties, after struggling to find suitable meals for her mother, Pauline Ross, who lives with Parkinson’s disease.

Ms Ross, a rehabilitation nurse of 30 years, moved into the family home in Kallista following the sudden death of her father 18 months ago, since then, she has become her mother’s full-time carer.

“Mum’s now in a wheelchair and needs total help with everything,” Ms Ross said.

“The Parkinson’s has affected her swallowing, so she needs specific consistencies with her food to be able to safely swallow. People with Parkinson’s, motor neuron disease and stroke survivors are at high risk of food or drink going into their lungs, which can cause aspiration pneumonia. It can be very dangerous.”

Frustrated by the lack of suitable meal options in local venues, Ms Ross recently posted in The Hills and The Dandenongs Facebook group, urging cafes and restaurants to consider more inclusive offerings.

“My mum has Parkinson’s disease with swallowing difficulties. She needs to eat soft foods. It is very difficult for us when we visit cafes as the only options are scrambled eggs and chocolate mousse. I would like to challenge you all to include soft options on your menus so people with strokes, Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease can enjoy dining out,” the Facebook post reads.

While many people take the ability to eat out for granted, Ms Ross said it’s not so simple for people with conditions that affect chewing and swallowing.

“I want to take mum to cafes. I’ve got a disabled van and I can put mum in the back, in her wheelchair. We love going out, mum was a gardener and she loved travelling. I just want to take her out for her quality of life and to enjoy the things that everyone else enjoys,” she said.

Despite her best efforts, the options remain limited.

“Scrambled eggs are usually the only savoury option. Cakes are often too dry or contain nuts. Mum needs soft, smooth food like thick pumpkin or leek and potato soup, nothing with bits that could cause choking,” she said.

Ms Ross said she has adapted meals at home to ensure they’re safe and enjoyable for her mother, and believes restaurants could do the same.

“At home I make soft meals like baked fish with sauce, mashed vegetables, cottage pie without pastry, and quiches or omelettes. I’m learning all the time, but it would be really nice not to have to bring food from home.”

The idea, she said, is not to overhaul menus, but simply to consider one or two options that people with swallowing issues could enjoy.

“There are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free op-

tions on menus and that’s great. But I’d love to see just one soft option. Maybe a crustless quiche, a soft savoury mousse, or even a nice pie without the pastry,” she said.

“Something that’s tasty and nicely presented, it’s about dignity and inclusion.”

Ms Ross said her push is also about breaking down isolation.

“People with disabilities often get forgotten, and if they can’t eat out, they tend to stop going out. It becomes socially isolating, and it’s already isolating enough,” she said.

The Patch Store’s postal manager, Natalie Collins said the cafe is open to customer feedback and tries to accommodate dietary requests where possible.

“It’s not a dedicated menu for this type of meal, but generally they can be made from our buildyour-own meal section. In this area you can add

and subtract the parts or types of food you’d rather not have and add more of what you want,” she said.

She said the cafe already offers dishes that may suit some diners with swallowing issues.

“We generally have soups available, and we have a lovely chilli scramble and another type on the way, breakfasts include eggs and avocado, feta, caramelised mushrooms. For lunch you could have quiches or frittata,” she said.

However, Ms Collins said offering a broader range of specialised meals can come with challenges.

“If soft options are popular and viable, that’s fine, but offering a large range is tricky due to costs and wastage. Maybe those seeking these options could suggest ideas, as long as they’re practical,” she said.

Ms Ross said she’s grateful for venues that are willing to listen, and that even small changes could have a meaningful impact.

“Even if it was just once or twice a week, it would make a huge difference. It’s not about creating a whole new menu. Just one soft savoury option, one proper meal, so that people like mum can enjoy going out again,” she said.

According to Speech Pathology Australia, more than one million Australians live with swallowing difficulties, known as dysphagia.

People swallow between 500 and 700 times a day, and when it’s impaired, it can lead to serious medical complications.

Symptoms can include coughing, choking, gagging, and food or drink going into the lungs, often leading to infections such as pneumonia.

Ms Ross said she was also moved by some of the responses to her Facebook post, including from a chef who could no longer eat solid food after cancer treatment.

“That made me really emotional, because it’s not just Parkinson’s. It can be cancer, motor neuron, stroke. People just want to enjoy a meal out like everyone else,” she said.

“This is just about inclusion and dignity and giving people back that simple joy.”

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Pauline Ross and Jo Ross in their Kallista home. (Shamsiya Hussainpoor: 501218)

SHOP LOCAL - MONBULK

Monbulk Bowling Club celebrates 60 fun years

For 60 years, the Monbulk Bowling Club has been more than just a place to bowl—it’s been a meeting place for friends, families, and locals to enjoy good food, great company, and plenty of laughs.

Nestled at 11 Moores Road, the club is open seven nights a week from 5.30pm, offering a welcoming spot for dinner, drinks, and entertainment all year round.

Delicious Dining, Every Night of the Week

There’s something special on the menu every evening. Mondays are all about families, with kids eating free when a main meal is purchased. Tuesdays bring flavour and spice with curry night for just $20. On Wednesdays, the classic parma and pot deal for $25 is a crowd favourite, while Thursdays keep the good times rolling with a burger and beer (or wine) for the same great price. Fridays are the perfect start to the weekend, featuring a selection of pasta dishes for only $20.

Pair these meals with Happy Hour every Friday from 4pm to 6pm, where you can enjoy $6 schooners, $7 basic spirits, and $5 house wines—a relaxed way to ease into the weekend.

Fun On and Off the Greens

Of course, bowls remains at the heart of the club. Barefoot bowls is a favourite in the warmer months, available for just $15 per person including equipment and guidance from an experienced bowler. It’s easy, social, and perfect for groups of friends or families looking to try something new.

Celebrate 60 Years with Us

This year marks a proud milestone—60 years of the Monbulk Bowling Club. On Saturday 23

November, past and present members, along with their families and friends, are invited to join the celebrations. The day will feature a mix-and-

match tournament on the greens, a BBQ lunch, raffles, and a special anniversary showbag—all included in the $15 entry. To secure your spot,

simply sign up in the Clubrooms or call 9757 6183.

A Warm Welcome to New Members

Whether you’ve played before or are completely new to bowls, the club is always welcoming of new members. Beginners are encouraged to come along, have a chat, and fill out a membership form—you’ll quickly discover a community that’s as supportive as it is social.

Stay Connected

For the latest updates on weekly specials, live entertainment, and upcoming events, follow Monbulk Bowling Club on Facebook. With a lively calendar, affordable dining, and six decades of community spirit, Monbulk Bowling Club is the perfect place to eat, play, and celebrate. Come down and discover why it has been a much- loved part of Monbulk life for 60 years— and counting.

Celebrate 60 years of the Monbulk Bowling Club. (File: 304988)

Skye is ready to pour you a refreshingly cold drink of choice at Monbulk Bowls Club. (File: 290953)

SHOP LOCAL - MONBULK

Getting back on track at stricken Neat ’N’ Clean

What started as an ordinary Thursday afternoon quickly turned extraordinary for Michael at Monbulk Drycleaners when an unexpected guest made a rather dramatic entrance through his front window.

Around 12.15pm on 21 August, a vehicle accidentally crashed through the front of the popular Main Road business, coming to rest inside the store in what can only be described as a heart-stopping moment for the local community.

Police have confirmed the crash was accidental and thankfully, no one was injured in the incident. But perhaps most remarkably, Michael himself had what can only be called a guardian angel moment – he had been standing at the front counter just minutes before the crash occurred.

“It was very lucky that I wasn’t at the front counter at the time,” he said.

“This near miss sends shivers down the spine of anyone who frequents this beloved local business.”

However, it’s sad to say, the extremely popular local (model railway) steam engine and carriages came to a sticky end amongst the glass, rubble, plants and dirt. This, of course, will go down in history as Monbulk’s worst train disaster, since the railways’ inception in 2023.

Emergency services responded quickly to the scene, drawing the attention of nearby businesses and concerned passersby who rushed to help. The extent of the building damage is still being assessed with insurance assessors having visited on 25 August though no official report has been released yet.

True to the resilient spirit that defines our hill communities, Michael has shown remarkable determination in the face of this setback. He is committed to keeping the business open throughout what will likely be a lengthy repair process. The incident has also highlighted just how

much this little business means to the community. Many local residents have already stopped by to check on Michael and moreover, ask about the train, insisting that it must be back in service as soon as possible. Michael said he is stunned that so many locals

have asked about the fate of the beloved model railway that clearly has brought joy to countless families. As Michael navigates the weeks and possibly months of rebuilding ahead, he would greatly appreciate the continued support of the community

Michael outside his shop. (File: 338558)

The much-loved model train was an unfortunate victim of the recent shopfront car crash. (Supplied)

Monbulk kids rocking on

By Tanya Steele

A special broadcast hit the airwaves last week in the Yarra Ranges, celebrating incredible young talent ahead of the Hilltop festival on Sunday 15 September.

Three different youth bands set up and performed on the radio in the 3MDR studio, giving the teens a chance to showcase their talents on community radio and gain valuable experience in the music industry.

The groups stepped into the Brassed Off on timeslot on Friday 29 August, presenter Mark Gardner, who is usually found playing a range of brass music and acts on his show, welcomed the horde of musical teens and their families into the station to perform.

“I always like to support our local acts and especially our great emerging acts I see in the local area,” he said.

Almost June, the Mountain Howlers and Paranoid and the Androids from Monbulk College performed live on the day and Station Manager Nat said the station usually plays live music in the 3MDR studios weekly.

“It was such an added bonus to host all 18 young musicians from Monbulk College and put their bands live to air,” they said.

“I hope we can get them back soon and that the on-air experience will boost their confidence heading into their performances at the Hilltop Festival.”

Kicking into gear on a Friday night, the bands set up and each played a set live in the studio.

“I felt really nervous and excited,” said Ella, drummer and vocalist from Almost June.

“But I knew it was a great opportunity, and I was super excited for the experience,” she said.

“I was very nervous to go on the radio, but I was also very excited and told all my friends and family to listen to me play,” said Tanisha from Paranoid and the Androids.

The drummer from the Mountain Howlers, Spencer, said he felt the night was great for the band.

“It was an amazing experience,” he said.

Forming in May this year after some recess and lunchtime bonding led to the idea of forming a band, Almost June is made up of year eight students, Ella, Noa, Georgia, Eliana, Miriam and Beth.

Pianist and vocalist Beth said she has been annoying her family with her singing since she was a baby, and began formal music education once she entered high school.

“Getting Almost June together with my friends has been so much fun, and I’m really proud of what we’ve done and where we’re headed,” she said.

The Mountain Howlers are Ned, Noah. Spencer, Laurie and Lennox have been established for a few years, playing their tunes across many gigs in the Dandenongs.

The bassist, Lennox, said the radio performance was a first, and the trio will return to play at Hilltop for a second year in a row this weekend.

“We are still really excited - last year was fun, but this year will be better,” he said.

A group of year 11 and 12s make up the Paranoid and the Androids, Wilbur, Campbell, Jamie,

Morgan, Ava, Kit and Eden.

Coming from a musical family, Drummer Ava said she was nervous as it was her first time on the radio.

“It was an awesome experience to see how studios work, I enjoyed it a lot, and I will definitely want to do it again,” she said.

Heavily involved with the festival, music teacher from Monbulk College, Lisa Baird, said the first Hilltop festival came to be in 2023, after there was a need identified for more performance opportunities for young people in the hills.

“We’ve always had a strong culture of creativity in the arts and music at Monbulk College, so we wanted to not only showcase our wonderful up-and-coming artists, but also create a social, welcoming creative space for them to come home to after they’d finished Year 12,” she said.

The community-driven music festival will see over 40 acts across three stages.

“All artists on our bill are connected to our school through a variety of ways,” said Ms Baird.

“This year we’re proud to host over 90 student performers and over 80 adult performers, including local legends Miss Ska Tonic, Dusthead, The Chops, The Lickspits, Flatbread and many more,” she said.

2025 will see the school raise funds for a school-based music production program so students can produce, record and distribute their own compositions.

Ava said to prepare for Hilltop, she’s practising every night.

“I’m listening to my set songs every day and working with our other drummer, Wilbur, so we both know what we’re doing,” she said.

Almost June has been prepping with weekly sessions at school with their teacher, Lisa, plus extra practice with bandmates at home.

Vocalist and pianist Beth said they’re now looking forward to Hilltop.

“We can’t wait to share new original material with everyone,” she said.

Mountain Howler drummer Spencer said the live radio gig was great for the band,

“It was an amazing experience,” he said.

Paranoid and the Android’s guitarist, Eden, said the radio gig at 3MDR was his second time at the station and he enjoyed it just as much as the first, with sights now set towards Hilltop.

“The band is doing lots of practice and rehearsal, and we are all super excited to play,” he said.

Hilltop is this Sunday 14 September at the Ferny Creek Recreation Reserve from 11am until 8pm, and tickets are available online.

Head to the Star Mail website for a special Q and A from each band.

Emerald’s Jessica Brown wins national pharmacy award

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has named Jessica Brown from Emerald Village Pharmacy in Melbourne, Victoria, as its 2025 Pharmacy Assistant of the Year (PATY).

Supported by the pain relief product Maxigesi, Ms Brown received her award during an evening event on Sydney’s harbour, which was part of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s annual conference, Pharmacy Connect.

The PATY award celebrates excellence in community pharmacy by recognising pharmacy assistants who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation and commitment to patient care within their communities.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA) said Ms Brown was a stand-out among the finalists representing their jurisdiction.

“This award was the culmination of months of preparation and competition,” the PGA’s National President Professor Trent Twomey said.

“Finalists participated in a series of rigorous assessments that tested their expertise, leadership abilities, and contributions to the pharma-

cy industry.”

The award judges, Artie Kalogeropoulos and Daniel Shalhoub from the Australian-based company AFT Pharmaceuticals, said they were impressed by the calibre of the finalists.

“Selecting a winner gets harder each year,” Mr Shalhoub said

“The finalists’ talent and dedication keep raising the standard for winning. Jessica truly embodies what the PATY award represents. Congratulations to Jessica on this well-deserved recognition.”

Professor Twomey said PATY acknowledges the exceptional dedication to patient care and proactive commitment to professional development shown by pharmacy assistants.

“And it is because of people like the PATY finalists that the future of community pharmacy is so bright.

“Their achievements serve as both inspira-

tion for what is possible, and motivation to keep finding new and better ways to support our communities.”

The Finalists:

• Victoria: Jessica Brown, Emerald Village Pharmacy

• Australian Capital Territory: Stephanie Crowe, Erindale Pharmacy

• Northern Territory: Melissa Dass, Territory Pharmacy Alice Springs

• New South Wales: Yasmin Elmawey, Hammondville Discount Pharmacy

• Queensland: Sarah Butler, LiveLife Pharmacy Plainland

• South Australia: Jorden Oschmanns, Priceline Pharmacy Goolwa

• Tasmania: Tenielle Chilcott, TerryWhite Chemmart Valley Road Devonport

• Western Australia: Sashe Austin, Priceline Pharmacy Spencer Park.

Paranoid and the Androids. (3MDR)

The Mountain Howlers chat with Brassed off presenter Mark.

Almost June live in the studio.

PGA National President Professor Trent Twomey with Pharmacy Assistant of the Year 2025

Jessica Brown. (Australasian Pharmacy)

Veteran presenter hits pause

A local broadcaster has hit pause on their weekly show for a while and took the time to chat with Star Mail journalist TANYA STEELE about her impact on the airwaves, the Yarra Ranges community and beyond.

Jules Vines put in nearly 15 years of regular broadcasting on 3MDR 97.1 on the show ‘Classically Saturday’ and is taking a little break to focus on other projects.

“I have loved my radio space, I’m really proud of it. It’s been fun,” she said. “The people, the community, the musicians, the authors, the community groups, and everybody who’s been a supporter or subscriber or a listener, I love them.”

The long-running radio show has allowed Jules to connect with her community while sharing all the things she loves, from music, theatre, environmental sustainability and more. A key to her success over the years, Jules said, is that she will talk to anyone.

“I just love people – I think my natural space is to talk to them,” she said. “I’ve always been like that,” she said.

Jules came to 3MDR when she decided she wanted to explore sound engineering and push her music skills further. Already an accomplished musician and music teacher with interests in everything from the environment to poetry, Jules said that the show wasn’t ever a dream that she had.

“I didn’t expect to be doing radio presenting for 15 years,” she said.

Beginning by doing a segment with a friend who was already broadcasting and tuning in to her local station more and more, Jules volunteered in a few different segments and was eventually offered the chance to take over a regular spot on Saturday morning - Classically Saturday.

“I didn’t really even know what community radio could do back then,” she said.

At first, staying true to its name, Classically Saturday kept to its previous broadcaster’s style, but Jules

began to infuse her ideas into the show, which evolved with her. Growing the format organically, Jules said she developed a ‘Hey, Hey, it’s Saturday’ style feel to her mornings, inspired by the style of ABC’s RN presenter Ian McNamara.

With some self-described “quirky” segments, a bit of classical and some live sessions to boot, the show often featured local music teachers and kids playing.

“I did play classical music. I would do long places, and then I loved theatre music, so I would do theatre plays,” Jules said.

From the War of Worlds play to poetry and grassroots community stories, Classically Saturday’s audience grew across Australia and worldwide, with listeners from England to America.

“One of my interviews was with an American guy. He was growing gum trees, and he talked about how he managed to grow gum trees in some sub-winter temperatures,” Jules said.

Jules pulled in many local musicians over the years to play live music and was always happy to follow any lead for a story or interview

“It sparks my enthusiasm for life, talking to people, it’s really fun, and I get to do it on air,” said Jules. “I think Tracy Roberts was one of my first key guests – I just thought she was amazing, so I was delighted when she was happy to pop on the radio,” she said.

A highlight came during Covid, in the form of an interview with Murray Tregonning, the sound engineer from ‘Hey, Hey, It’s Saturday’, which then led to a surprise call from John Blackman, the well-known voice-over talent from the same show.

“At the end of the show, John Blackman rang up, and he said: ‘That man could talk under wet cement.’” Jules said.

Jules said she thought the caller was another 3MDR presenter, John Weeks, playing a bit of a joke. “It wasn’t John Weeks, it was actually really John Blackman,” said Jules, who then went on to interview the trickster in her next show.

From Derek Steele, to the Whitlams, Dirt Girl, Greg Champion and Dean Sevenson and more, Jules has interviewed a bevvy of Aussie talent. As a broad-

ANOTHER YEAR OF TRIUMPH

With another home and away season behind us, the annual Star Mail Footy Tipping has concluded for another year.

It was again a year of heart and passion being put on the line by our tipsters who gave it their all including reputations on the line each week to be the top dog in the tipping pool .

With many times over the season seeing both good and bad tipping alike and the lead changing several times over the season but in the end, it was down to the final round of the home and away season to see this year our local MP, Cindy McLeish take out the chocolates & take out top prize to beat Greg Spence from Seville Garden Supplies by two tips.

Cindy has courtesy of Ken & Helen Hunt from Monbulk Jewellers won a great $500 voucher which Cindy has plans to donate to one of her local groups that she supports & I am sure this will be well received by the lucky recipient.

We thank you all of our loyal footy tipsters again for a great year & trust all of our readers will also be keenly following the trials & tribulations again in 2026.

caster, she said that Australia’s got so many good, wonderful music spaces to celebrate.

“I wanted to capture those stories, because those people have been really successful in the Australian music scene, but they haven’t really been celebrated enough,” she said.

Sometimes nerves played a part, especially when connecting with talents she particularly admired, and Jules said she has always tried to improve her show.

“You just look at it as a performance, as a musician, and you find you’re just doing your gig live on air for those two hours,” she said. “I actually always listened back to my show to improve it the next week, or figure out how to get rid of little sounds.”

Over the airwaves live, Jules said she’d like to thank her music partner, Greg Hunt, a musician as well, who often helped with live recordings and helped with tech support behind the scenes.

“He has often led me to bands to interview,” she said.

Jules said she was also very proud of the fundraising efforts she has done with 3MDR, which included supporting everything from land care to CFA to the helmeted honey eaters.

“I’ve done not only music for them, but I’ve had them on regular as regular guests, because, you know, they’re small organisations run by volunteers, making sure people know about them – this is important,” she said.

The show has been a commitment, made possible in collaboration with regular support from other presenters and family, Jules said she wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.

Showing up every Saturday morning and staying dedicated to the commitments for such a long-running show, Jules points to love and connection as a driver, which she said is becoming more important than ever.

“It’s a love of storytelling, other people’s stories, and then meeting people and that collaborative story that really shines a light on things that I think don’t get celebrated on mainstream,” she said.

“That is the heart and soul of a community radio station.”

KEN HUNT Monbullk Jewellers

Jules Vines came to 3MDR when she decided she wanted to explore sound engineering and push her music skills further.

From tech to track - Ferny Creek local finds his path

From a desk job to mountain biking, a Yarra Ranges resident has made a bold career move that has given him a life in a job he loves.

For Ferny Creek local Damien Taulien, stepping away from an established career in IT took a significant leap of faith. However, being stuck indoors during the pandemic made him reevaluate whether there was more to life than his nine-to-five desk job.

“I could have stayed in something safe but unfulfilling, counting down the days until retirement, but I wanted more,” said Mr Taulien.

As a working parent responsible for supporting his family, quitting his job and giving up a steady pay cheque was a bold move for Damien.

But it turned out to be the right one.

Shortly after leaving, a friend invited him to keep the wheels rolling in a program teaching primary school-aged children to ride bikes.

“I found a job I loved, and I didn’t even know what I was looking for,” said Mr Taulien.

With his newfound passion for teaching kids to ride, Damien asked around for the next steps

Box Hill Institute’s Outdoor Leadership students prepare to hit the trail in the Yarra Ranges. (Supplied).

to gain qualifications in outdoor education and leadership. Friends suggested he enrol in Box Hill Institute’s (BHI) Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership at the

This

critical skills gaps.

The outdoor recreation sector is estimated to generate $11 billion annually for Victoria’s economy.

Activities like mountain bike riding are increasing in popularity in the Yarra Ranges, creating jobs for people with outdoor leadership skills.

In fact, the new Warburton Bike Park, which recently opened its first section, is projected to create around 150 jobs and inject over $31 million annually into the local Yarra Valley economy by 2031.

As a mature-aged student, Damien feels returning to study has opened his mind to a new world of possibilities.

“I feel reinvigorated. I’m always looking for excuses to get outdoors -at last, I’m in the right place,” said Mr Taulien.

To help others like Damien discover their path, BHI is hosting a free Careers Expo at Box Hill Town Hall on Tuesday, 7 October from 4-7pm. To learn more, visit their website boxhill. edu.au/events/bhi-careers-expo/

Enjoy blooms with a view

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Snuggled between the hills of Emerald and Cockatoo, a 10-acre hillside garden that’s been quietly evolving for nearly five decades will open its gates to the public for just one weekend this spring and visitors won’t find manicured lawns or neat box hedges, instead, Telopea Gardens will offer a wilder and more surprising experience with a sweeping views, rare plants, dramatic forms, and an unmistakably lived-in charm.

The property, owned by Emerald local David Hoskin, will be open on 20 and 21 September as part of Open Gardens Victoria’s spring program.

“People come here and it’s not what they expect,” Mr Hoskin said.

“It’s not a show garden. It’s a working garden. There are weeds and piles of mulch and hoses everywhere because we’re actually using the garden, every day.”

The garden set in a natural amphitheatre was originally little more than a paddock, Mr Hoskin and his partner purchased the land in 1978 when it was covered in pine trees, blackberry tangles, and a handful of proteas.

“Back then, it was just potential, it was a blank canvas, but a difficult one. Terrible soil, steep slope, wind exposure. We had to learn what worked by trial and error. There was no grand plan,” he said.

Over the years, Telopea has evolved into a deeply personal and expansive garden, shaped by a love of plants that are anything but ordinary, every corner reflects a thoughtful mix of structure, texture, and resilience - with rare finds, striking seasonal shifts, and a blend of exotic and native species chosen as much for their character as their beauty.

“We’re not about flowers for two months of the year,” Mr Hoskin said.

“We’re about interest all year, different shapes, forms, colours, textures. Plants that hold structure even when they’re not flowering. And many of them, people won’t recognise.”

The garden features mature oaks, elms, beeches, maples, magnolias and conifers on the upper slopes, with sweeping views over the valley below.

Meandering paths lead through an understorey thick with hardy perennials, bulbs, native shrubs and unusual plantings, creating unexpected vistas at every turn.

One of the most striking areas is a two-acre succulent and cactus garden known as The Prickle Patch.

“That part of the garden is on a north-facing slope - hot, dry, exposed,” Mr Hoskin said.

“People said you couldn’t grow anything there, but succulents and heat-tolerant plants are perfect. Now it’s a whole world of form and colour and texture, and completely different from the rest of the garden.”

The name Telopea comes from the waratah, one of the first flowers cultivated on the site.

Mr Hoskin still operates a cut-flower business from the property, and proteas, leucadendrons and waratahs remain central to the garden.

“We’re not a commercial farm on a big scale, but the flower growing has always been part of it, it’s what started us, really. And it keeps us connected to the seasons,” he said.

While

Victoria offers a chance to share what has become a life’s

work.

“We don’t open often, it’s not a tourist garden, but it’s nice to open for a couple of days and let people explore. It’s a very personal place,” he said.

“There are people who come through and really connect with it. They’re not looking for

perfection - they’re looking for inspiration, or curiosity, or just a different way of thinking about gardens.”

People visiting the Telopea Garden can also expect a rich birdlife experience, with king parrots, rosellas, honeyeaters and robins often seen moving through the layered plantings and sheltered microclimates.

For those keen to take a piece of the garden home, there will be plant sales of selected varieties propagated on site, along with tea and coffee available, a portion of the proceeds from the weekend will go to the State Emergency Service (SES).

Telopea Gardens will be open from 10am to 4.30pm on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September.

Entry is $10 for adults, $6 for students, and free for under 18s - tickets are available at the gate or via TryBooking.

Whether you’re a lifelong gardener, a plant enthusiast, or just curious to see what happens when you let a garden evolve over 45 years, Mr Hoskin said the open garden weekend is a rare opportunity.

“It’s not perfect but it’s real,” he said.

“It’s a garden that’s grown with us, changed with us. It’s full of experiments and dead ends and little successes.

“It’s what happens when you live in a place, and you keep digging.”

Telopea isn’t open to the public yearround, Mr Hoskin said Open Gardens

David Hoskin with Magnolia. (Stewart Chambers: 501289)

David has turned a pine-covered land into a lively garden of flowers, plants and wildlife. (Stewart Chambers: 501289)

Telopea Garden is home to a wide variety of cacti. (Stewart Chambers: 501289)

Telopea Garden will be open on 20 and 21 September. (Stewart Chambers: 501289)

Lilydale campus, the only TAFE in Victoria that teaches mountain biking.

course is part of Victoria’s Free TAFE initiative, aimed at addressing

Spring cleaning for the mind

By Maria Millers

You can smell Spring. Spring in Victoria means changeable weather, pollen-heavy air filled with fragrances, the mix of native and imported blooms, from the gold of indigenous wattle against the dark native bush to the fields of exotic golden daffodils, fluttering and dancing in the breeze, to blossoming fruit trees.

Two Springs In Victoria, spring arrives sideways — four seasons in one day, a burst of wattle gold against grey drizzle, a sudden hailstorm pelting tulips before the sun returns to polish the leaves of plane trees along St Kilda Road. Magpies guard their nests, the air is thick with pollen and football chants, and hay fever sneezes echo louder than church bells.

Author: Year 8 student, Ameera A (Macquarie Fields High School)

It’s also a season of growth with native wildlife becoming more active—birds are nesting and returning to our backyards, reptiles are emerging from winter torpour, the resident rabbits are emerging to nibble on new grass. All harbingers of the warm weather that is not too far away. Longer daylight hours increase exposure to natural light, which regulates our circadian rhythm. This helps improve sleep quality, stabilises mood and stimulates the brain to produce more serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter),

WOORILLA WORDS

boosting energy, optimism, and sociability.

Culturally, spring is tied to ideas of rebirth, new beginnings, and fresh starts. This often translates into motivation to declutter, change habits, or start new projects. An opportunity to reset life habits. Psychologists sometimes call the boost people feel in spring the springtime effect: higher energy, greater optimism, and increased drive to engage with life.

It’s also the time when the urge to spring clean our homes is strong: to throw out accumulated clutter, open the windows, pull the winter bedding off beds, wash down smoky walls and mouldy bathrooms and let fresh spring air circulate through the house. Could this not also be the time to extend the spring cleaning to our minds.

While we can’t just wipe out thoughts like cleaning the oven, we can use spring to work towards clearing mental clutter by letting go of mental junk like guilt, comparison and other negative feelings to make space for more balanced constructive thinking. If social media makes you

feel bad about yourself, let it go. Similarly the constant overload of news or information. There has been so much unsettling news constantly impacting us.

Judith Wright often connected the natural world with emotional renewal. In the following poem, she reflected on the hard times experienced during WW2 and how spring was a counterpoint to destruction and loss of life.

Now is the springing-time of the world, the waking, the growing, the green; after the darkness, after the war, life stirs in the quickened vein.

From Spring After War

In the same spirit, Oodgeroo Noonucal’s poetry often touches on themes of personal resilience, struggle, and renewal, particularly from the perspective of her Indigenous heritage.

In The Dawn is at Hand, she speaks of hope and the strength to rise again.

The timeless beauty of the earth awakes, with each new leaf and each bird song; our hearts are lifted, and hope is born again.

The idea of mental renewal by connecting with nature runs strongly through much of her poetry. From going into the bush or woods, to planting some herbs or flowers to picking up a bunch of daffodils from a roadside stall all proof of our need for mental renewal by finding peace and perspective in connecting with nature.

So too in the poetry of Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the greatheron feeds.

Excerpt: The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

Berry expresses the idea of letting go of negative thoughts by connecting with the calmness and simplicity of nature, an act that metaphorically‘cleanses’ the mind.

These poets share an ongoing dialogue about mental and emotional cleansing, whether that’s through reconnecting with nature, working through trauma and embracing personal renewal. Their works offer a rich and diverse perspective on the process of ‘spring cleaning’ the mind and offers hope, healing, and perspective.

Just like a clean home makes us feel lighter and more in control, a ‘cleaner’ mind leads to better emotional resilience, more clarity and focus. A more hopeful, empowered outlook. However, we should perhaps also accept that one of the reasons for unhappiness is that our culture doesn’t teach us to embrace all emotions and experiences, the good and the bad, like guests that come and go.

Today confronting news reports often come with a warning that the content may distress or offend some viewers or listeners. And it’s quite common to hear people admit that they have made a deliberate choice to disengage from anything that disturbs.

Woorilla Poetry Prize is now accepting entries: woorilla.org.auwoorilla.org.au

A response for Palestine by a refugee activist

By Prue Licht

I read the article in last week’s Star Mail with dismay. Mr Goodman ‘a Jewish man’ has made some statements I believe are extremely questionable, biased and in some cases factually untrue. In this article I seek to educate, this is necessarily a brief historical response to the article.

I am a pro-Palestine activist and have been studying the situation in the Middle East for many years. In July 2023 I visited Palestine, staying in East Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem. I visited the Palestinian cities of Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem as well as Tel Aviv and other places in Israel. I spoke to both Palestinians and Jews, I visited a refugee camp in Bethlehem and a military court, among other places of political and social interest.

Some facts that cannot be disputed are those around the history of the last 77 years since the creation of Israel under the auspices of the United Nations in 1947. In 1948 Israeli paramilitary groups, (they later became the IDF) attacked more than 500 villages and killed about 15,000 Palestinians. These villages were destroyed and more than 750,000 people were displaced, as recognised by Amnesty International. People were forced to walk away from their homes and communities of

hundreds of years. They became refugees, some in their own land, in other parts of Palestine. There are several camps in Gaza, now rubble, some found refuge in the many camps in Jordan, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. At that time 56 per cent of the land became Israel. The rest was designated Palestine in two areas, The West Bank, then administered by Jordan and Gaza administered by Egypt. Jerusalem was divided 50/50. At that time there were twice as many Palestinians as there were Jews, though they were allocated less than half the land. The areas that were emptied of their Arab populations at that time are now home to Israeli Jews, many from other countries in the world, with limited or no familial or historical links to the area.

There have been ongoing hostilities between Israel and various Palestinian factions. In 1967, the Six Day war between Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, ended with Israel occupying both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Since that time there has been a steady increase in Jewish migration to Israel from other parts of the world and settlements, most but not all of them illegal under international law, have been built on stolen Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Hostilities usually from armed settlers, supported by the IDF, towards Palestinian civilians have increased exponentially

since October ‘23.

The population of Palestine up until the 1930s was approximately 86 per cent Palestinian, nine per cent Christian and three per cent Jewish, an 1878 Census indicated. It had been ruled under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years until 1917, when it was replaced by a British military occupation mandated by the League of Nations. The UN’s The Question of Palestine study estimated the Jewish population in the 1920s rose from 10 per cent to 17 per cent. This rose again after World War II. Maps of the time clearly record Palestine, contrary to Mr Goodman’s assertion. It was a culturally and socially vibrant country with the disparate ethnic groups living side by side, for the most part harmoniously.

Zionist Jewish groups, that do not represent all Jewish people, believe that they are the only people entitled to live in the land between the Mediterranean sea and the Jordan river. The Zionist view of Palestine is that it is the historic and ancestral homeland of the Jewish people based on the Old Testament. The Balfour declaration in 1917 talked about a ‘national Home for Jewish people in Palestine’, it also said ‘it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious’ rights of existing non-Jewish communities’. Palestine has for thousands of years

been the home of Arab Palestinians with Jews and Christians being a minority part of the population.

Mr Goodman’s assertion that a two-state solution has been on the table ‘throughout history’ is incorrect. It was first suggested by the British Peel commission in 1937 and the partition in 1948 created areas that were supposedly Palestinian. The Oslo Accords of the 1990s were an attempt to end the resulting conflict. Those negotiations with the involvement of Norway and America were ultimately unsuccessful.

Hamas is described as a terrorist organisation, yet they were voted the majority party in the last election in Gaza in 2006. We must not forget that the majority of the two million residents of Gaza are unable to leave, Israel controls all entries and exits, thus controlling movement of the population and enabling the control of food into The Strip causing a planned famine and genocide.

We should put the horrific events of 7 October 2023 into the context of all of the past history and the ongoing trauma and destruction wreaked by the Israeli occupation. The disproportionate response of Israel’s government has led to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians being killed in Gaza by Israeli bombing and troops, most of them unrecorded, buried under the rubble. Many of them were women and children targeted by IDF troops.

Foster carers vital

At Animal Aid, we believe every animal deserves a second chance - and sometimes, all it takes is a couch to curl up on and a human to believe in them.

That’s where our foster carers come in.

Fostering isn’t just about offering a roof. It’s about creating a safe space where an animal can catch their breath, learn to trust again, and feel what it’s like to be loved.

Whether it’s a tiny kitten needing time to grow, a dog recovering from surgery, or a shy soul overwhelmed by shelter life, foster homes help them find their paws.

aid Animal

Mark Menze Animal Aid CEO

Our shelter teams do incredible work, but there’s nothing quite like the magic that happens in a home.

Verdict: Worst film of the year

M 2/5

Put simply, The War of The Worlds is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen.

Department of Homeland Security officer Will Radford (Ice Cube) must protect his children using his computer during an alien invasion.

Nearly unrecognisable from H.G. Wells’ source novel, The War of The Worlds somehow has a breakneck pace despite being painfully dull.

The film is presented entirely through computer desktops, webcams and shaky phone footage; this disorienting visual soup renders the alien invasion distant and uninvolving (with the bursts of action almost impossible to make out), and undermines almost any suspense the film attempts.

The War of The Worlds is full of clunky, contrived dialogue, bland characters, subpar effects and blatant Amazon product placement.

So much of the run-time is Cube’s grumpy face filling the frame, and his performance is flat and stilted; moreover, Will is a rude, intrusive jerk.

The film is almost childish in how it treats data like magic (The line ‘DNA is a lot like computer code’ is so stupid), and the Disruptor hacker and Goliath surveillance system are nebulous background threats in a film of nothing but background.

The War of The Worlds has a highly malleable narrative: the original 1898 novel is set in contemporary Victorian London, but the 1953 and 2005 films are both set in America, with the latter being heavily influenced by 9/11.

My favourite adaptation is Jeff Wayne’s magnificent 1978 rock opera concept album.

With actors interacting through Zoom windows and rarely ever in the same room, this adaptation feels like a relic of the socially-distanced lockdown days (indeed, production began all the way back in 2020).

Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, The War of The Worlds is a uniquely incompetent movie that deserves all the scorn it’s received and more.

The calm. The quiet. The one-on-one time. Foster care allows animals to heal faster, show their true personalities, and be better prepared

CARTOON

for adoption.

Right now, we need more of these special humans. As the cost of living rises, more animals are finding their way to our doors, and our shelters are stretched.

If you’ve got a spare room, a quiet corner, or even just the heart for it, you could help an animal take their first step toward a better life.

We’ll sort the food, vet care and support, you just bring your love, your kindness, and the willingness to make a difference.

Because to that one animal, your home isn’t temporary, it’s the start of everything.

To learn more about becoming a foster carer please visit, animalaid.org.au/foster-care

Fun entertainments

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre

The Importances of Being Earnest

This version of The Importance of Being Ernest, as envisioned by the production team, has an unique newandfreshlook.

The gorgeous costumes, the striking set and of course the biting Wild e wit and observations of the Victorianmoresandsocialconventions.

The Importance of Being Ernest was the last play penned by Oscar Wilde; completed before being jailedfor‘grossindecency’in1895.

He was imprisoned in a number of jails but spent most of his two year sentence with hard labour at Reading Gaol-walking on a treadmill for six hours a day, or speaking to another soul then confined to his cellinsolitaryconfinement.

He was deprived of books, conversations and writingmaterials.

Atortureforacreativebrainsuchashis.

The Importance of Being Ernest is a classic piece in every way from the clever wordplay and Victorian demeanourthroughtothelavishcostumes.

• Season:11–27September.

Karralyka Ringwood Ballet

This is an annual event that showcases all the students in selections of their class work and acknowledgestheirachievementsinexaminationandassessments.

The School will also be announcing the scholarshipandAwardsduringtheevening.

• Season:Saturday6Septemberat5pm.

Donvale Christian College – Alice in Wonderland Jnr. Fall down a rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on her journey of selfdiscovery.

Along her adventure, Alice encounters the evertardy Whie Rabbit, the grinning Cheshire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, the wacky Mad Hatter, a temperamental Queen, and many more beloved Wonderland characters in this charming, updated retelling of the classicLewisCarrollstories.

Adaptedespeciallyforyoungperformers,themu-

Kemp’s curtain call

sical includes famous songs from the Disney cartoon suchasI’mLate.

The Unbirthday Song and Painting the Roses Rd, in addition to music from the 2010 Tim Burtin liveactionfilm.

• Season: 9-10 September at 7pm. 11 September at 12pm,12Septemberat7pm.

Fairfax Theatre – Melbourne’s Art Centre

The Lark

Your correspondent was invited to the opening night of the World Premiere of The Lark starring Noni Hazelhurstasaonewomanshow.

The Lark is a pub that Rose Grey was born in and nowsheistryingtoleaveherpastbehind.

The place has become what defines but also limitsher.

Rose wants to be released. Perhaps if she tells the story of her life in The Lark, if she tells it well enough, itmightbeforthelasttime.

She will be free of her past, and she will e free of herself.

The set was simple but very effective. It consisted ofanoldbar,fourstoolsinfrontofsamewithonethe floorwithabrokenleg.

A large mirror to the rear with glass shelves some broken thus giving the feeling of an old run down pub.

Rose,playedbyNoniHazelhurst,wasexcellent.

ShedescribedherDadmakingreferencesallevening,talkingaboutherpastlifewithhermotherleavingthefamilyandRosehardlyknowingher.

She further talks about her life in different jobs, her first sexual experiences and coming back to the pubwhichherDadlefther.

A thriller survivalist PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

Book review of The Chilling by Riley

Apparently there is such a thing called “Research Station Noir”.

According to Paul French via CrimeReads, this is a major sub-genre of both Arctic and Antarctic crime writing that features “research stations, invariably with their communication down and cut off”.

Indeed, with approximately 5000 people living and working in the frozen continent during the summer months and only about 1000 people in winter, primarily at research stations, it makes sense that any crime in Antarctica is worth writing about.

The most interesting part of a research station mystery is the people, which include not just scientists and researchers but also technicians and support staff of diverse backgrounds, skills and competencies.

The group dynamics is the focus, which can change dramatically in extraordinary circumstances. (That is, if freezing cold and extreme isolation is not extraordinary enough.)

And this is what Australian author Riley James intends to explore in her debut novel The Chilling, which is set in the fictional McPherson Station in East Antarctica.

The protagonist, Kit, is a forensic dentist helping to monitor the health of wild seals.

She also assists the station’s medical practitioner, Dustin, with various duties.

On their way to the station, Kit and her fellow scientists receive a distress call from a nearby ship.

They subsequently find the ship on fire and its crew missing, apart from a lone survivor named Nick, who suffers head injuries and cannot remember who he is or what has happened.

Kit becomes increasingly suspicious about Nick’s amnesia.

Meanwhile, with the winter darkness and endless blizzards setting in, life on the station takes a drastic turn, starting with Dustin’s death in mysterious circumstances. Kit’s colleagues are acting strangely, her best friend has gone missing, and the surviving crew of the aforementioned ship – if any – urgently need rescue.

As the plot thickens, we cannot help but wonder whether Kit is a reliable character.

Considering her mother’s warning about good-looking men at the start of the story, some of Kit’s decisions about Nick seem particularly absurd.

Is she suffering from paranoia and anxiety due to prolonged isolation?

What, exactly, are the “whisperings” in her head?

There is a noticeable lack of in-depth characterdevelopmentthroughoutthebook. Instead, the author relies on the activities and actions of various major characters, as well as their reflections on those events around them, to keep the plot moving.

Not only does this help to create a fastpaced story, but some readers may find it frustratingly challenging to find clues that may help them solve the story’s many mysteries.

As a result, the story is full of twists and turns, possibilities and surprises that keep readers turning the pages.

Thanks to the author’s meticulous research and vivid description of the White Continent, this is an atmospheric thriller full of tension and suspense, and the “trust no one” feeling and the sense of isolation bordering claustrophobia is almost tangible.

Highly recommended.

James.

The War of The Worlds Starring Ice Cube

‘BRAY LODGE GUEST HOUSE’ CIRCA 1930

HOMESTEAD

FLAT ACREAGE. PRIVATE, YET CENTRAL! ‘BRAY

EXTENSIVELY refurbished with a private yet central location, this property offers a golden opportunity to acquire an iconic and prime landholding in Olinda. Walking distance to the charm and allure of Mt Dandenong village yet emanating a distinct feeling of timeless country ambience. Just over 2 lush acres of predominately flat grounds dotted with European classics such as pines, elms, fir, oak, beech and pine trees this is a lifestyle or investment opportunity of grand proportions that will bring joy to future generations.

Formerly known as “Bray Lodge Guest House” the property offers beautiful grounds of over 8645m2 (2.13 Acres) that are home to an original homestead circa 1930’s including the perfectly flat lawn at the rear that was once a tennis court. The property also houses a double roller door garage, privacy fencing and abundant off-street parking for multiple vehicles.

Over the last 3 years the owners have been busy.

A list of the works undertaken include: Restumping the whole property and any joists requiring replacement were done.

• New hot water.

New large gas ducted heating system. The two new split systems are only 18 months old installed after the renovation for air con as well as heating. They are 10Kw each. All the cosmetics, lights, kitchen, oven range hood etc and the tiling

• The entire entrance veranda, electrical and lights have been completely replaced and has concrete stumps under the verandah floor now and you will see that whole section of roof is also brand new.

• Most of the core electrical wiring through the roof was replaced and quite a bit throughout the house as well. All the electrical and gas compliance testing has been done as the property was tenanted and required this. The water piping to the house underground from the meter has been replaced and nearly all the water pipes in the house were also replaced as they were original Galvanised pipes.

• A good portion of the outside wall cladding and all the base boards have been replaced Any portions of the plaster (even some areas that look “old” are actually new and were replaced in the renovation).

• All the aged insulation in the roof was removed by suction, cleaned out and all new insulation installed as part of the renovation. The owners have decided to hand the baton on, so here is your opportunity to make this property what you will, a large home, an accommodation business or whatever you have in mind (Subject to council approval of course!).

The hard work in infrastructure has been done!.

Enjoy a picnic in your own park like gardens, meander your way down the road to the Mount Dandenong Hotel for a pub meal, get a coffee and a pie from the bakery, enjoy live music at Kellys Bar or walk the trails off Ridge Road. The location is rich in lifestyle amenities and will bring a lifetime of joy to growing families. This property truly is your piece of paradise in the hills – and only around an hour from central Melbourne – so be quick, this one won’t last.

Call Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522 or Caiti Ellis 0493 136 937 to find out more or to arrange an inspection.

WELCOME TO HALF-ACRE TRANQUIL RETREAT

SET on a spacious 2,300sqm, this beautifully renovated brick veneer residence strikes the perfect balance between comfort, space, and serenity.

Tucked away on a quiet no-through road and framed by native bushland, it offers a true hill escape where nature and lifestyle meet.

Inside, the home is warm and inviting. A cosy wood heater, gas ducted heating and split-system cooling make light work of Melbourne’s four seasons in a day, while the modern yet cosy interiors create a homely feel from the moment you step in. The flexible floorplan includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms, catering to young families seeking room to grow as well as downsizers searching for a retreat.

What makes this property truly special is its setting. Wake each morning to the chorus of birdlife, enjoy evenings in the crisp hills air, and enjoy a constant sense of connection to the natural landscape that surrounds you. Sit by the running creek at the bottom of the property and let your thoughts drift away.

This is more than a home—it is a retreat, a place to recharge, slow down, and embrace the lifestyle the Dandenong Ranges are loved for.

You are minutes to Emerald township, community hub, schools and shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Contact locals Mick Dolphin on 0429 684 522 or Caiti Ellis on 0493 136 937 to find out how to easily transition into this highly desirable property. ●

A SPACIOUS FAMILY RETREAT IN A PRIME LOCATION

SET on a generous 1,820 sqm block, this exceptional 4 bedroom plus study family residence blends the charm of period features with the ease of modern living. With multiple living zones, updated interiors, and expansive outdoor entertaining areas, it offers the perfect lifestyle for families seeking space, comfort, and timeless style.

Upstairs, the heart of the home unfolds. The beautifully updated Caesarstone kitchen with polished floorboards and striking leadlight windows is filled with natural light, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Flowing seamlessly from the kitchen are the lounge, dining, and living areas, each with direct access to the expansive deck where you can relax and take in the stunning forest views in this peaceful location. The lounge boasts a feature fireplace, double glass doors opening onto the deck while the separate dining room also opens onto the deck, making entertaining effortless.

The master suite has a newly renovated ensuite, built-in robes, and double doors to a private balcony—the perfect spot for a quiet morning coffee. A guest bedroom and study complete the upstairs accommodation.

Downstairs provides excellent flexibility for the family featuring two additional bedrooms, a third bathroom, and a spacious second living room with a Coonara wood fire and double doors that lead out to the lower deck and garden.

Practicality has not been overlooked, with a large under-house workshop and storage area, ideal for hobbies, projects, or additional storage.

All of this is located just five minutes from Olinda village, giving you the perfect balance of a peaceful retreat and nearby conveniences, while abundant birdlife and visiting wildlife complete the serene setting.

Contact the agent Jan Brewster 0409 558 805 for details. ●

Setona generous1,820sqmblock,thisexceptional 4bedroomplusstudyfamily residenceblendsthecharmofperiodfeatureswiththeeaseofmodernliving.With multiplelivingzones,updatedinteriors,andexpansiveoutdoorentertainingareas,it offerstheperfectlifestyleforfamiliesseekingspace,comfort,andtimelessstyle.Flowing seamlesslyfromthekitchenarethelounge,dining,andlivingareas,eachwithdirect accesstotheexpansivedeckwhereyoucanrelaxandtakeinthestunningforestviews.

JanBrewster 0409558805

97546111

Belgrave &Cockatoo

BrayLodgeGuestHouse’Circa1930Homestead. Extensivelyrefurbishedwith aprivateyetcentrallocation,thispropertyoffers agolden opportunitytoacquireaniconicandprimelandholdinginOlinda.Thepropertyoffers beautifulgroundsofover8645m2(2.13Acres)thatarehometoanoriginalhomestead circa1930’sincludingtheperfectly flatlawnandestablishedgardens

MeetYourLocalPropertyManagementTeam

Owning arentalpropertyisa biginvestment,letourexperiencedteamensureyourpropertyisperformingatitsbest.With over33yearsofcombinedpropertymanagementexperience,ourdedicatedteamatRangesFirstNationalishereto makethingseasy.Wetakethestressoutofmanagingyourrentalbyhandlingeverydetail;tenantselection,routine inspections,maintenance,andeverythinginbetween,withcare,professionalism,anda strongconnectiontoourlocal community.Whetheryou’reanexperiencedinvestororjustgettingstarted,wetreatyourpropertyasifitwereourown. Ourteampridesitselfonclearcommunication,promptservice,anddeliveringrealresultsthatprotectandgrowyour investmentovertime.We’relocalswhoknowthearea,themarket,andwhatmattersmostwhenitcomestomanaging rentalhomesintheDandenongRangesandsurrounds.Soifyou’rereadyfora fresh,reliableapproachtoproperty management –reachout.We’dlovetochatabouthowwecansupportyouandyourinvestmentgoals.

MID CENTURY HILLS HAVEN WITH SPACE

SET on a private ¼-acre block in the heart of Emerald, this solid four-bedroom, twobathroom brick home offers space, comfort, and lifestyle appeal. A circular driveway leads to the undercover entry, finished with stone pavers, setting the tone for what’s inside. At the front of the home, the master bedroom enjoys a wide window and double built-in robes. From here, step down to the carpeted lounge, where tall ceilings, an open fireplace, and large windows frame the garden beyond. Gas ducted heating and brand-new carpets throughout add to the comfort.

The kitchen and dining zone is the true heart of the home, featuring polished parquetry floors, an integrated wall oven, electric cooktop, dishwasher, large pantry, and generous bench space. Sliding doors from the dining area open directly to the back verandah, creating a seamless indoor–outdoor connection.

A light-filled sunroom flows through to a fully self-contained one-bedroom unit with

kitchenette and bathroom — perfect for guests, extended family, or teenage retreat.

Down the hallway, two further bedrooms with built-in robes share a bright bathroom, complemented by a separate toilet and handy storage cupboards.

Outdoors, the lifestyle continues with a 6m x 8m powered shed with concrete floor, a double garage, raised veggie beds, and an established garden brimming with fruit trees. Whether it’s growing your own produce, tinkering in the shed, or simply enjoying the peaceful surrounds, this property delivers the perfect Hills lifestyle — all just moments from Emerald.

This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today.

Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

Family,GuestsorIncome,DualHomesonIdyllicAcres Justunder15minutesfromPakenhamona quietno-throughroad,thisremarkablepropertyoffers twohomes,horsefacilitiesandseriousshedding.Themainhomefeaturespolishedhardwood floors,anopenplankitchenwithvalleyviews,spaciousloungewithwoodfire,splitsystem,updated bathroom,threebedrooms,masterwithensuiteandwalk-throughrobe,plus alargecovereddeck totakeintheoutlook.Betweenthehomesis ahugegarageandworkshopwithhoist,rackingand power,plus adoublecarport.Thesecondresidencehasitsowndrivewayandpower —perfectfor family,guestsorrental— withtwobedrooms,modernkitchen,light-filledliving,bigbathroomanda sunnydeck.Enjoy10fencedpaddocks, aroundyard,dayyardsonapprox.two-thirdsclearedland, fullyfencedandreadyforyouandyourhorses. 190HarvieRoadPakenhamUpper

62KilvingtonDriveEmerald

SealedRoad,WalktoEmerald —BuildYourDream(STCA)

Setona sealedroadandwithinwalkingdistancetotheheartoftown,thisgentlyslopingblockoffers apeacefulsettingtocreateyourdreamlifestyle. Whetheryou’reenvisioning aprivatesanctuary,familyretreat,or acustom-designedhome(STCA), thisgenerous5,827sqmoflandisyourblankcanvas.There’splentyofroomforgardens,outdoor entertaining,andembracingthespaceandserenitythatthehillsareknownfor. With ararecombinationofsize,location,andnaturalbeauty,thisisyourchancetosecurea premiumpieceofEmeraldandbringyourvisiontolife. Don’tjustdreamit —buildit.

HistoricCharminGembrook. Thischarming2-bedroom,1-bathroomweatherboardhome,builtintheearly1900s,isoneof thefewremainingoriginalhomesinGembrook.Seton aspacious1239sqmblock,itcombines periodcharacterwithmoderncomfort.Theloungefeaturesoriginaltimberfloors,10-footceilings &baywindow,whilethesecondlivingareaoffers awoodfire &split-systemairconditioning.The masterbedroomhasa BIR& thekitchenincludestiledbenchtops,a gasstovetop&adoublesink overlookingthebackgarden.A sunroomconnectstothebathroom &separatetoilet.Thefully fencedbackyardisperfectforkids &pets,with apavedentertainingarea &undercoverstorage. Alargesinglegarage,3-phasepower& proximitytothePuffingBillytrainstationcompletethe package. Apeaceful,well-appointedhomewitha uniquehillslifestyle.

BethanySullivan M 0438844968

MOVE IN READY LIVING WITH UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS

TUCKED away in a quiet no-through, tightly held location and offering the perfect combination of privacy, space and style, this ‘move in ready’ property presents a rare opportunity to secure a fully renovated home on a sun-drenched, flat and fully usable ¼ acre block with breathtaking valley views and a kiwi farm as your only rear neighbour.

From the moment you arrive, this home impresses with its fresh, modern updates and thoughtful design. Step inside to discover a light-filled open plan layout featuring three freshly carpeted bedrooms, a neat and tidy central bathroom, ensuite to the main bedroom and a charming character kitchen complete with a 900mm Belling oven, farmhouse sink, ample bench space, and stunning views over the rear deck and beyond, making everyday tasks a true pleasure.

Throughout the home, fresh paintwork, new blinds and curtains, and timber-look laminate flooring enhance the style and functionality, while ducted heating and cooling ensures comfort all year round.

Outside, the appeal continues with a double carport, and a versatile studio that is ideal for use as a workshop, creative space, storage area, or home office. The fully fenced front and rear yards provide a secure and safe environment for children or pets, while the tranquil surroundings offer a true escape from the everyday.

Only minutes from the popular Emerald village, this is more than just a house, it’s a sanctuary you’ll love coming home to. With nothing left to do, you can simply move in and start enjoying the peaceful lifestyle Avonsleigh has to offer. ●

SharynChandler

PUZZLES

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

ACROSS

1 Cheeky (5)

4 Reduces expenses (4,5)

9 Tattletale (7)

10 Neat (2,5)

11 Generate out of order (9)

12 Medicinal plant (5)

13 Animal doctor (3)

14 Restrictions to how fast you may go (5,6)

16 A type of surfboard (11)

19 Video game console released in 1985 (1,1,1)

20 Plunder (5)

22 Excellently (9)

25 Endure (7)

26 OKs (7)

27 Propel (9)

28 Waits in ambush (5)

DOWN

1 Staid (5)

2 Lost momentum (9)

3 Lout (coll) (5)

4 Style of handwriting (7)

5 Rear (4,3)

6 Perpendicular breeze (9)

7 African republic (5)

8 Exceeds (9)

13 Turns into gas (9)

14 Joining (9)

15 Hotelier (9)

17 Entreat (7)

18 Bituminous road layer (7)

21 Italian physicist, Enrico – (5)

23 Perform exceptionally (5)

24 Affirmative votes (5)

the nine letters in the

how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter

be included and each letter may only be used

No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

Bin it or face years in jail

By Ethan James, Aap

Victoria’s ban on machetes has begun, with penalties of up to two years’ jail or a fine of more than $47,000 for people who break the rules.

The law change from Monday 1 September makes it illegal to own, use, carry, transport or sell the knives without an exemption or valid approval.

The state fast-tracked an interim machete sales ban after a fight between rival gangs at Melbourne’s Northland Shopping Centre sent shoppers running for their lives.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines urged people to hand in machetes as part of a three-month amnesty running until November 30.

More than 40 safe disposal bins have been installed at police stations across the state, including Lilydale and Ringwood, to allow people to hand in machetes without penalty.

“We encourage all Victorians to play their part to dry up the supply of machetes in our community,“ Mr Carbines told reporters.

The laws are among the toughest in Australia - South Australia enacted a ban on machetes and swords in July.

Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in Victoria in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police between January and July.

Since May, a task force has completed 573 in-store and online inspections, as well as 2400 market stall inspections, and found a high level of compliance with the sales ban.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has urged parents to hand in machetes belonging to their kids, noting children make up 25 per cent of knifecrime offenders in the state.

There are exemptions under the laws for agricultural workers who use machetes as part of their job and for machetes that have a genuine traditional, historical, or cultural significance. Machete safe

Lilydale

Monbulk netballers roll on

By Armin Richter FOOTBALL Seniors

Monbulk’s sole remaining football team ventured to Yarra Junction on Sunday to meet Woori Yallock in the cut-throat 1st Semi Final. A blustery wind was blowing towards the clubroom end which was to greatly impact the match.

The Hawks won the toss and elected to kick with the prevailing conditions which paid immediate dividends when Bailey Rutherford found the sticks after just a minute of play. The tricky gusts created a scrappy and congested style of play as both sides attacked the ball and contest with equal ferocity. A late goal by Hughson gave Monbulk a nine point buffer at the first change.

Woori Yallock’s ability to take contested marks and transition through the centre of the ground had them marginally ahead by half time - 2.9 v 2.6 - as the Hawks failed to register a goal into the breeze. Campbell Evans put in a herculean effort in the ruck against the Tiger’s array of tall timber, including Zach and Ryley Monkhorst. The Monbulk defenders were superb all day but the Hawks were struggling to get the ball into scoring positions. A one point lead at the last change wasn’t going to be enough as Woori broke through five times in the final quarter to end Monbulk’s season.

Monbulk 5.11.41 def by Woori Yallock 9.13.67

• Best: Lachlan Sheppard, Campbell Evans, Lochlan Beecroft, Adam Banks, Robert Savory, Aaron Hoare

• Goals: Ben Hughson 1, Lochlan Beecroft 1, Josh Wentworth 1, Bailey Rutherford 1, Ben Grimes 1 NETBALL

A Grade

Monbulk set a club record this year with five netball teams qualifying for the finals. The previous best had been four in 2018 and three in 2010. This has been aided by the club fielding seven teams this year for the first time. The previous records had been set when all teams made the finals in their given years.

In 2025 Monbulk has not just made the finals but the five teams have progressed to at least the Preliminary Final stage. The A Grade team had hovered around the top three for most of the year and needed to account for Emerald to have a crack at a Grand Final berth next week.

The match was to consist of regular momentum swings as Monbulk would break out to a small lead and then Emerald would reel them in again. The Hawks gradually worked their way to bigger leads and by three quarter time the margin was sitting at 10 goals. Light rain started to fall in the last term as the Bombers mounted another challenge and brought the game back to three goals before Monbulk steadied to claim a six goal win.

Monbulk 56 def Emerald 50

• Best: Sophie Stubbs, Stephanie Ferguson, Paige Whitworth

• Goals: Peri Reid 37, Stephanie Ferguson 19

B Grade

Monbulk met Wandin in the First Semi Final after both sides had each registered a win against each other during the home and away season. Overall the head to head tally stood at 12 wins

and 27 losses but the Bulldogs had often accounted for the Hawks since 2008, winning 26 of their last 33 clashes. Wandin had finished four games ahead of Monbulk and by half time looked to inflict another defeat when they had a 25-22 lead. The Hawks put in a blinder in the third term, scoring 18-8 and establishing a strong seven goal break. With a vocal Monbulk crowd urging the team on, the Hawks maintained their advantage and won their way through to a Preliminary Final.

Monbulk 54 def Wandin 47

D Grade

Monbulk had been third for most of the year, just marginally behind ROC and Mt. Evelyn. On Saturday morning out at Healesville they stunned the minor premiers, Mt. Evelyn, where they lead all the way, albeit by a small margin, to be the first side to claim a Grand Final spot after having disposed of ROC last week.

Monbulk 29 def Mt. Evelyn 24 Under 15s

Monbulk Maroon were beaten by ROC Blue in the 2nd Semi Final at Healesville as their opponents remain undefeated. They will now meet Monbulk Gold in the Preliminary Final, guaranteeing that a Monbulk side will be on the big stage. Monbulk Gold followed the lead of the Maroon team last week in defeating Pakenham Maroon, and bundling the home and away second placed team out in straight sets.

Monbulk Maroon 15 def by ROC Blue 35 Monbulk Gold 24 def Pakenham Maroon 20 This week all Monbulk netball preliminary finals will be at Gembrook on Sunday. Monbulk Maroon v Monbulk Gold at 9am, A Grade v Wandin at 12pm and B Grade v Mt. Evelyn at 2.25, to see if they can join D Grade at the Grand Final at Healesville on September 20.

Around the region’s football ovals and netball courts

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Football

Premier Division (Semi Finals)

• Seniors: 2SF Wandin 13.8.86 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 9.11.65; 1SF Woori Yallock 9.13.67 def Monbulk 5.11.41

• Reserves: 2SF Mt. Evelyn 5.5.35 def UpweyTecoma 4.7.31; 1SF Officer 7.9.51 def Wandin 6.8.44

• Under 18: 2SF Mt. Evelyn 9.2.56 def Officer 2.5.17; 1SF Olinda-Ferny Creek 9.5.59 def Wandin 7.6.48 Division 1 (Preliminary Finals)

• Seniors: Warburton-Millgrove 19.11.125 def Pakenham 12.8.80

• Reserves: Seville 8.5.53 def Pakenham 7.8.50

• Under 18: Seville 19.4.118 def Yarra Glen 6.5.41

Netball Premier Division (Semi Finals)

• A Grade: 2SF Mt. Evelyn 40 def Wandin 39; 1SF Monbulk 56 def Emerald 50

• B Grade: 2SF ROC 46 def Mt. Evelyn 36; 1SF Monbulk 54 def Wandin 47

• C Grade: 2SF Mt. Evelyn 45 def Wandin 27; 1SF ROC 43 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 27

• D Grade: 2SF Monbulk 29 def Mt. Evelyn 24; 1SF ROC 28 def Wandin 20

• Under 17: 2SF ROC Blue 27 def Mt. Evelyn 26; 1SF ROC White 36 def Woori Yallock 27

• Under 15: 2SF ROC Blue 35 def Monbulk Maroon 15; 1SF Monbulk Gold 24 def

Pakenham Maroon 20 Division 1 (Preliminary Finals)

• A Grade: Warburton-Millgrove 43 def Pakenham 38

• B Grade: Pakenham 50 def Warburton-Millgrove 32

• C Grade: Seville 45 def Warburton-Millgrove 28

• D Grade: Pakenham 38 def Warburton-Millgrove 33

• Under 17: Pakenham 35 def Warburton-Millgrove 12

Johnathon Hevern of Monbulk marks against Woori Yallock. (Anthea Heagney)

Monbulk goal shooter Peri Reid played a prominent roll in their win over Emerald in A Grade. (Armin Richter)

Monbulk wing attack Sophie Stubbs takes a pass with pressure from Emerald’s Casey Rhodes-Anderson. (Armin Richter)

Lochie Beecroft of Monbulk marks against Woori Yallock in the Seniors 1st Semi Final. (Anthea Heagney)

Monbulk defend against Wandin in the B Grade 1st Semi Final. (Armin Richter)

BEST PRICE, BEST TANKS WITH A LIFETIME GUARANTEE

Concrete tanks built correctly will last a lifetime!

Terry Miller from Terry Miller Concrete Tanks has been in the concrete tank building business for nearly 30 years. Being from country Victoria himself, Terry realises the importance of good water storage systems.

Concrete water tanks built correctly will last a lifetime. They keep your water cool, clean and algae free. This is because our tanks have 130mm walls and a 300mm base, and are poured with 40-mpa strength concrete not 25 or 30 mpa. We also use plasticiser to keep up the strength in the tanks instead of water. And after 28 days of curing the strength of the concrete will be between 48 and 52 mpa. And each tank is poured individually on site. These tanks come out white, which is a sign of the strength in the tanks. The MPA is a measure of how much concrete there is as parts per 1000. The walls of the tank are vibrated all around to ensure that there are no air bubbles and that the concrete is compacted down. Terry generally builds tanks in three sizes, 50,000, 105,000 and 120,000 either with a silo (metal) roof, concrete top or open top tanks.

The tanks will not blow away or fall apart, and this is particularly important in areas where there is high wind, or in fire prone districts. In the event of a fire, a large tank (120,000 litres) can supply water back up to the main house. By setting up a petrol powered generator and pumping water up onto the house directly, via a reverse water sprinkler system, you will keep your home cool and wet. Or if need be, you can jump into the tank to keep cool and be protected from flames and radiant heat. Water is our most important resource, and we cannot have too much of it! So for all your water storage needs when you are thinking of installing your next tank, please call Terry for a quote on 0419 462 814 or 02 6026 7021 or check out our website, www.terrymillerconcretetanks.com.au.

Nearly four years ago, we suffered our own fire here, in Barnawartha, and we were lucky. But it made me realise how important good water storage is. We are in for a long, hot, dry summer, and fire restrictions are in. Having an ample supply of safely stored water is imperative. So why not contact Terry now about your water supply needs, BEFORE, the heat builds up and water scarce. There is nothing more refreshing than your own cool, clear, clean water!