married is a milestone they never thought would come but did. Their love and devotion to each other was evident has they sat next to one another, always holding hands and sharing looks while the other wasn’t looking.
To read more about their love story, turn to page 9
By Callum Ludwig
Local homelessness support service Anchor Community Care reported a concerning 240 per cent rise in rough sleeper reports last financial year, made through their service or the Yarra Ranges Council portal.
Anchor crisis response worker Erin called the situation an “urgent emergency,” driven by a severe shortage of affordable housing, including social and public stock, and spiralling cost of living pressures.
The crisis is now impacting working families “priced out of the rental market,” families with young children, and a rise in individuals over 55, with some clients dedicating nearly 80 per cent of their income to accommodation.
Data showed reports involving 83 men, 36 women, 27 children, and 45 pets over the year. This increase is compounded by a “slowdown” in Anchor’s ability to place people, which Erin viewed as a “recipe for disaster.”
The issue carries an enormous mental health toll and significant health risks; according to data, individuals experiencing homelessness have a life expectancy of just 46 years.
Positively, the rise in reports suggests the community is becoming more engaged in seeking help. Anchor stresses the importance of community members making a report so their Rapid Response team can attend, assess needs, and provide basic necessities and links to services.
However, frontline workers and Specialist
Homelessness Services like Anchor are “underresourced and underfunded,” limiting them to providing material aid and advocacy, as they lack access to housing.
Both Anchor and the Yarra Ranges Council are urgently advocating for the State Government to provide more funding for assertive outreach and to build more social and affordable housing to reverse the alarming trend.
Read the full story on page 3
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
By Callum Ludwig
Local homelessness support service Anchor Community Care is reporting a concerning rise in reports of rough sleepers, highlighting the need to address pressures facing residents.
There was a 240 per cent rise in reports in 2024/25, made either directly to Anchor or via Yarra Ranges Council’s portal.
Anchor crisis response worker Erin said Anchor is very concerned about the growing number of individuals and families rough sleeping.
“We see this as an urgent emergency, and continue to advocate for more funding and support options to ensure that people are able to get out of these situations as quickly as possible,” she said.
“On top of the rise in rough sleeper reports last year, we have also experienced a slowdown in our ability to place people in accommodation. This is a recipe for disaster, and goes to explaining why rough sleeping is becoming more prevalent in the community.
“In a more positive light, the rise in reports suggest more community members are taking time to get help for rough sleepers when they encounter them in the community.”
A total of 83 men, 36 women, 27 children and 45 pets were reported rough sleeping over that year, though this data includes instances where multiple reports are made about the same person.
Erin said there is simply not enough affordable housing, including social, community and public housing to meet the increasing demand.
“We have seen growing numbers of families with young children in tents, and working families that have been priced out of the rental market, we have also seen a rise in individuals over the age of 55 rough sleeping in our area,” she said.
“The housing crisis sees working families unable to secure a private rental and falling into homelessness, which is not something we have previously seen at such rates.
“The rising cost of living means people on government assistance are priced out of the rental market entirely, some of our clients have been spending close to 80 per cent of their income on rent/accommodation alone.”
The Rapid Response program is a partnership with Yarra Ranges Council and Ngwala Willumbong.
A Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson said homelessness continues to be a significant and growing issue in the Yarra Ranges.
“The combination of cost of living pressures, low social housing stock, and the lack of enough affordable rental properties in our region, among many other issues, contribute to increases in rough sleeping and homelessness,” they said.
“It’s crucial to remember that everyone, no matter their current housing or work situation, can be a major life change away from homelessness.
“Which is why we need the State Government to increase funding and support to the community organisations locally that help people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.”
When a report of a rough sleeping location is made by a concerned community member or even rough sleepers themselves, it is sent to Anchor’s outreach team who can provide a holistic health response, explore housing options, pro-
Anchor crisis response worker Erin is ‘very concerned’ about the rising reports of rough sleepers, but also proud of the community’s care for the issue of homelessness. (Supplied)
vide material aid and link in with other vital services.
Erin said frontline workers such as herself are placed under pressure with increased crisis line phone calls, increased presentations, increased reports that are attended via outreach, with decreasing access to resources.
“Everyone experiencing homelessness deserves somewhere safe to sleep, and a roof over their head, it’s a basic human right,” she said.
“Due to homelessness services being underresourced and underfunded, sometimes all we can offer is fresh, clean bedding, a tent, material aid like food, assistance with links to services like health, and mental health.
“Specialist Homelessness Services like Anchor do not have access to housing, our role is to provide information advocacy and support to people experiencing homelessness to navigate the homelessness system.”
According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data, individuals who are experiencing homelessness have a life expectancy of 46 years and around a quarter of the people who die young as a result of rough sleeping are less than 25 years old.
Erin said the mental health toll of homelessness is enormous, living in fear, stuck in fight or flight mode and constantly needing to be aware of your surroundings.
“Long term rough sleeping has significant impacts on individuals, they experience declining health at rates well above the average population,” she said.
“Unsafe living environments cause injuries and drive chronic illnesses and there is an increased risk of assaults.
“It’s vital that more is done to stop this trend.”
Friday 10 October also marks World Homelessness Day, bringing awareness to the plight of
people experiencing homelessness internationally.
Erin said homelessness services are stretched thin with access to limited resources but the majority of people in the Yarra Ranges are very empathetic, generous and community-minded.
“The reality is, without major change, without building more social housing, without affordable homes for low-income households, without more funding for assertive rough sleeper outreach we will continue to see homelessness increase,” she said.
“People will occasionally make Facebook community posts on the Yarra Valley Noticeboard or Yarra Ranges Noticeboard trying to get help for people they encounter sleeping rough, the outpouring of goodwill and support on these posts is really positive to see.
“We just want to stress the importance of people knowing to make a report so that our Rapid Response team can assist rough sleepers. Our team will head out, make contact with someone sleeping rough, assess what their needs are, provide basic necessities and actively support them to access services and supports.”
Residents can alert Anchor’s Rapid Response team that support is needed by heading to the Yarra Ranges Council website: au.openforms. com/Form/e1ceadda-db00-4af5-974c-f84c901d40db
The council spokesperson said they’ll be advocating to the State Government and Opposition on these and other issues ahead of next year’s state election.
“We’d love to see the State Government provide more social housing properties in Yarra Ranges as part of their Big Housing Build while Council is also looking at policy and partnership pathways to encourage development of more affordable and diverse housing locally,” they said.
Police are investigating after a series of arsons in Coldstream. (Victoria
Arson investigation
Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit are investigating a series of arsons surrounding the Halley Supple Reserve (Coldstream Football / Cricket Club Oval) between 3 and 5 October.
The first fire was detected at 10.45pm on Friday 3 October where a tree had been set alight.
The second fire was observed at about 5am on Sunday 5 October, where another tree has been set alight.
It is possible that this fire had been burning for some time prior to being reported.
Police are seeking any information regarding the offences.
If you have any information regarding the incidents, please contact Yarra Ranges CIU on 9734 2401, or alternatively make a report via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersvic. com.au
Melba Hwy lane closed
From Monday 13 October, one lane will be closed on the Melba Highway in Dixons Creek between Healesville-Kinglake Road and Hunts Lane for landslip repairs until the end of January. Plan ahead and allow up to 20 minutes extra travel time.
Tips to prevent car theft
Police are urging motorists to take basic precautions to help prevent car theft. The best protection starts with locking your doors, removing your keys and keeping them out of sight. Authorities also advise never leaving your car running unattended, parking in well-lit areas, and securing your garage or driveway gates. Investing in a suitable anti-theft device and installing motion-sensor lights or security cameras can further reduce the risk.
• For more tips, visit: nhw.com.au/category/ cars-and-vehicles
Shocktober
It’s “shocktober” this month, and Ambulance Victoria are encouraging Victorians to know the location of their nearest automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Ambulance Victoria will run the below Call, Push, Shock session during Shocktober and locals are encouraged to attend.
The Lilydale Lights and Sirens – Community Helpers, takes place at Lilydale Lake, Swansea Road, on Sunday 19 October, at 9.30am.
Shocktober is also encouraging Victorians to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills and sign up to be a GoodSAM responder. If you want to find out the closest AED to you, then you can check out the map at the link: goodsamapp.org/locatorMap
By Callum Ludwig
Following a letter from Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs
Julian Hill to 537 councils across the country on 22 September, citizenship ceremonies are set to become larger and more frequent over the next 12 months.
The move will aim to reduce delays and backlogs in officially granting Australian citizenship to applicants who have already been approved by the Department of Home Affairs.
The Star Mail reached out to all Outer East councils to gauge how often they currently hold ceremonies for new residents to their region and whether they are ready to ramp them up.
A Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson said they host Citizenship Ceremonies every six weeks, on average.
“At these events, between 50-60 community members who have applied for Australian Citizenship and have been formally approved take the final step to becoming an Australian citizen by taking the Pledge of Commitment,” they said,
“We believe that our ceremonies have a personal approach and we regularly receive positive feedback from our newest citizens and their families.
“Our waitlist for ceremonies is generally about three to four months, from the time approval is granted by the Department of Home Affairs.”
According to department data that is updated monthly, there are currently 217 approved applicants in the Yarra Ranges with 65 per cent having waited less than three months and 35 per cent having waited between three and six months since their approval for a ceremony.
The Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson said that the Federal Government has indicated that, with their new streamlined approval process, councils will need to accommodate a much larger number of new citizens taking this final step.
“We will endeavour to meet this increased
demand, through larger and more frequent ceremonies,” they said.
“Citizenship ceremonies are an important part of our calendar and are deeply valued by both Council and the community.
“We look forward to working with the Department of Home Affairs, to welcome our new Australian citizens to the Yarra Ranges – a new place to proudly call home.”
The shift to speeding and sizing up ceremonies is focused on improving efficiency, reducing processing times overall and particularly supporting the increase in New Zealanders who
are choosing to take up Australian citizenship.
Knox Mayor Lisa Cooper said the council continues to seek full and ongoing funding from the Australian Government to deliver citizenship ceremonies on their behalf.
“By the end of this year, it is expected Council will have conducted citizenship ceremonies for over 1000 people across 2025,” she said.
“Next year, Council plans to increase the number of citizenship ceremonies for our newest citizens.”
There are currently 551 approved applicants in Knox with 68 per cent having waited less than
three months and 32 per cent having waited between three and six months.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Jack Kowarzik said Cardinia Shire Council currently holds citizenship ceremonies monthly, welcoming approximately 100 new residents each time.
“The ceremonies are a proud and meaningful celebration where new citizens make their pledge alongside their family and friends,” he said.
“The frequency of ceremonies is determined by waitlist numbers provided by the Department of Home Affairs,”
“As our community continues to grow and more residents choose to call Cardinia Shire home, Council will continue to monitor and adapt its citizenship ceremony processes to accommodate waitlist numbers.”
There are currently 424 approved applicants in Cardinia with 96 per cent having waited less than three months, three per cent having waited between three and six months and one per cent more than six months.
Maroondah City Council were contacted for comment.
There are currently 215 approved applicants in Maroondah with 95 per cent having waited less than three months and five per cent having waited between three and six months.
Another recent effort to streamline the citizenship process has been consolidating application streams into national caseloads, ensuring the process is more consistent and reducing delays due to administrative activities.
Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill said it’s a wonderful thing when people who have been living here for years decide to formalise their commitment to Australia by becoming citizens.
“Citizenship is an enormously significant moment in a person’s life and when someone meets the requirements of citizenship the Government expects councils to welcome them to a ceremony promptly,” he said.
Bushfire Risk Management Program underway across Victoria Bushfires are a natural part of the Victorian landscape, but with the right planning and action, we can reduce their impact on communities, the environment and critical infrastructure.
Right across the state, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) crews are working hard to reduce the risk and impact of bushfires through a combination of planned burning, non-burn bushfire risk management and strategic preparation.
use of low-intensity fire to reduce dry vegetation like leaves and small branches that build up over time and make forests more flammable. Our crews look for opportunities to carry out planned burning throughout the year, and with drier conditions in parts of the state, we’ve already been able to deliver planned burns over winter, including at Anglesea Heath in the Great Otway National Park, Boggy Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, Gellibrand Bushland Reserve, Wilson Promontory and at Mountain Creek Education Area in Shelley.
Leaves, small branches, long grass and undergrowth can fuel bushfires making them faster, more intense and harder to control. Bushfire risk management helps reduce this danger by removing excess vegetation (or fuel), protecting communities, the environment and critical infrastructure. Less fuel means it’s harder for a fire to start and spread, and easier for our crews to contain. That’s why last season we delivered bushfire risk management works across more than 109,000 hectares of public land.
The seasonal bushfire outlook for spring asks Victorians to prepare for an increased risk, particularly in the state’s west, but also the southern coast and areas around Melbourne. With low rainfall over the past 18 months, the outlook shows areas at increased risk stretching from the South Australian border across to Bendigo, the Otways, Melbourne including the Dandenongs and Yarra Valley and parts of south Gippsland.
In areas where planned burning isn’t suitable, such as near homes, on steep slopes or close to roads and towns, FFMVic uses non-burn bushfire management techniques. These include mowing and slashing long grass, mulching dense vegetation, targeted spraying of invasive weeds and maintaining public road networks in forests and reserves. Each method plays a vital role in reducing fuel loads and improving access for emergency services.
Over the coming weeks, you can expect to see our crews and contractors ramping up the mowing and slashing program. The timing of these works is important; if grass is slashed too early, before it has cured, it will only encourage regrowth.
Our top priority is to protect life, property and the environment from the risk of bushfires. While Victoria will always have bushfires, we want you to know that when fires happen, we are ready to respond.
As soon as favourable weather and forest conditions arrive, we’ll make sure all available resources are delivering planned burning and non-burn bushfire risk management works. Our bushfire risk management program is underpinned by a significant body of scientific evidence, built over more than 35 years. We acknowledge bushfire science is continually evolving, and we continue to invest in research and the best available science to inform our bushfire risk management program.
We use science and modelling tools to choose the right time and approach for delivery of our bushfire risk management program in each location or landscape, combined with our understanding of the ecological needs of our forests and the plants and animals that depend on them.
Planned burning plays a key role in our work in reducing bushfire risk. It involves the careful
We have more than 1800 personnel on the frontline, including firefighters, fire lookout observers and fire support officers; firefighting equipment, including more than 500 ultralight tankers and close to 100 heavy tankers, and more than 50 aircraft contracted for the season ahead. But being prepared for the bushfire season is a shared responsibility. While FFMVic crews are working hard on public land, all Victorians are encouraged to start cleaning up around their properties to help reduce bushfire risk in their own communities.
Visit our website to learn more about how FFMVic manages bushfire risk. And to keep up to date on planned burns near you, sign up to receive notifications at Planned Burns Victoria or download the
app.
By Mikayla van Loon
Looking to understand community sentiment and trends when it comes to policing and crime in the Yarra Ranges, a Neighbourhood Policing Forum is scheduled for next month in Mooroolbark.
Lilydale Police Acting Senior Sergeant Luke Schroder said the forum will provide an interface between the community and police, where feedback is two-way.
“The purpose behind the forum is partly to explain current crime trends and policing trends, but it’s also to get feedback from the community about the issues that are important to them and the issues that they’re noticing as the public,” he said.
“These are the people who live and work in the community. They see a lot more than they realise, and sometimes we miss that as police because we’re focused elsewhere.
“So it’s just a good way to get a gauge on community sentiment, community feeling, issues that are important to the community that we can perhaps focus our attention on.”
The primary topics to be covered include current crime trends and crime prevention, family violence, young people, road policing, and drugs and drug-related crime.
Questions from the community on other relevant topics will also be encouraged and answered on the day. These can be submitted beforehand or asked directly in a Q and A format.
Acting Snr Sgt Schroder said while police receive individual reports about certain incidents, it’s the broader trends local police are also keen to understand.
“Sometimes we miss those trends, and people might identify a trend and they think it’s not a big deal, thinking ‘it’s just the one thing, I’m not going to report that to police’, but if they’re seeing it all the time, then it becomes a trend.
“It becomes an issue that maybe we need
to address, and maybe we can try and prevent crimes from happening before they become an issue.
“It’s that proactive response to prevent the crimes from happening and prevent issues from becoming bigger than they need to be.”
With crime hitting a record high across the state, Victoria Police has set an “ambitious target of reducing serious and violent crime by five per cent each year”.
Under the guidance and leadership of Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, who, in his time as New Zealand’s police force commissioner, was able to accomplish a 20 per cent reduction in
crime, he wants to see the force “challenge ourselves to police differently.”
“It’s really important we stem the tide of increasing crime in Victoria,” he told the ABC at a Police Remembrance Day press conference.
The Yarra Ranges community can help contribute to this preventative approach by sharing concerns and asking questions at the forum.
“We’re just trying to get community leaders to come out and have their say. Understand where we’re coming from, where police are coming from, and the position we’re in, what we understand, and what we’re trying to do to address these issues,” Acting Snr Sgt Schroder said.
“So if they’ve got an opportunity, send one or two representatives from each of the groups and come along.”
The forum is taking place on Wednesday 12 November from 10am to 1pm, with doors opening at 9.45am, at the Mooroolbark Bowls Club, 170 Hull Road.
Registration is a must.
To attend, send your details to: YARRARANGES-PSA-MGR@police.vic.gov.auorregisteronline eventbrite.com/e/yarra-ranges-psa-neighbourhood-policing-forum-tickets-1584237018569
To submit a question, go to app.sli.do/event/ ntxDHEsQLRAVxFfe23FYnL/live/questions
Boral Limited (Boral) has put forward a proposal to extend Montrose Quarry, which would see the continued supply of critical construction materials to support Victorian infrastructure and the state’s growing population.
Boral’s Executive General Manager South, Duncan Harris, said the company’s application to extend Montrose Quarry, which has been in operation since 1947, provides a proposal that would continue the quarry’s role in supplying cost-effective construction materials close to markets where they are used to enable key Victorian construction and infrastructure projects.
“For decades Montrose Quarry has provided the foundations for development and growth across the greater Melbourne area, with its materials enabling many of Melbourne’s iconic buildings and infrastructure,” Mr Harris said.
“Montrose is currently one of the largest quarries in the state and is a significant supplier of raw construction materials to Big Build projects.
“The federal and state government’s infrastructure investment, which include roads, rails, school and hospital projects – along with bold
housing reforms – demand a sustainable and cost-effective continued supply of quarry materials.” The proposal would extend the extraction
boundary of Montrose
If successful, the proposal also includes an upgrade to the intersection at Canterbury and Fussell Roads to install traffic light controls to improve safety in the area.
“We know the Victorian population is projected to reach 10 million people by 2050, which will see demand for quarry materials,” Mr Harris said.
“The expansion of Montrose would see continued supply of local quarry materials to meet the projected demand from the building and construction industry, and assist with housing affordability.”
Montrose Quarry is located in a Special Use Zone (Extractive Industries) under the Victorian Government’s state planning provisions.
Boral’s submission has been lodged with the Department of Transport and Planning for a decision on the need for an Environmental Effects Statement (EES). The application is subject to the Victorian Government’s approval process, which includes opportunities for community feedback.
More information about the proposal is available at the Montrose website: boralmontrose
By Mikayla van Loon
The Mooroolbark Community Garden committee and volunteers have been left devastated after more than 100 plants, trees and seedlings were removed or destroyed.
A volunteer arrived at the garden at around 8.30am on Monday 6 October, to find someone trying to haul a bale of sugar cane mulch into their car.
Telling them to stop and leave the bale, the person fled in their car. Upon inspecting the garden beds and polytunnel, however, the devastation was far worse.
Community Garden president Tracey Langridge said they estimate that 150 plants, trees and seedlings were pulled from garden beds, pots and tubes and shoved into empty soil bags in an attempt to steal them.
“Approximately 150 plants were ripped out. So there were flowers, there were vegies, there were trees, fruit trees. It looked like a disaster zone,” she said.
“And it wasn’t a natural disaster; this was a human disaster.”
Having had “minor issues in the past” with five fruit trees being stolen late last year, Ms Langridge said “it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth” knowing that people feel the need to destroy and vandalise the garden.
“There have been so many people who invested in us, who care about what we’re trying to offer to the community, and so this really destroys our trust and makes us feel like, what part of our community could possibly do this?
“It’s a double-edged sword. We’re angry, we’re frustrated, we’re totally disgusted with what they did, but on the other side, when we put something up on social media, we got hundreds of people going, ‘oh my god, did they do this?’ and ‘I go down to the garden all the time. It’s such a wonderful place to be,’ and ‘it’s relaxing and it’s enjoyable, and it’s great to see how much work
the volunteers are putting in’.
“There’s not a single person here who volunteers that does it for themselves. We’re doing it for the community.”
It was those volunteers who didn’t waste any time on Monday to try to replant what could be saved.
Luckily, several plants and trees could be replanted, but many were too far gone or damaged to be revived and were composted.
“We wanted to make sure that they were looked after. So everybody just opened up the bags that they’d shoved them in, and they started to pull them out and go, ‘OK, this one’s still got roots on it. We could probably plant this back in. We’ll need to put some Seasol. Quick, get some potting mix’,” Ms Langridge said.
“Treat the babies with some love, so they can end up back in the beds and hopefully be OK. But they haven’t suddenly sprung back. They’re suffering from what’s happened to them.”
For the plants that were composted, Ms Langridge said they “will have value for the garden in the future”, helping replenish the soil.
But the sense of outrage, disappointment and disgust doesn’t come from the potential cost of these plants being destroyed, Ms Langridge said it was the disrespect of the garden.
Ms Langridge hopes that this was a one-time occurrence, but that it may also give the community impetus to keep an eye on things.
The Community Garden has become a cornerstone for Mooroolbark, providing education for kindergarten and primary school children, and for people to enjoy a calming space.
“We’re here giving back to the community, showing them how they can grow their vegies, showing them how they can do it at home, as well as coming down and connecting with other people,” Ms Langridge said.
“This environment is conducive to making people feel comfortable and bringing them together.”
Having lived in and around Montrose for most of her life, Bree Kuffer is no stranger to preparing for fire season.
When a bushfire broke out in March this year, Bree said it reinforced the importance of staying alert.
“I remember it feeling quite surreal to begin with, and maybe not really understanding how big a deal it was,” Bree said.
“We could see and smell the smoke and could hear the sirens…you were acutely aware that it was in your township, but I think the severity of it took a while for us to really understand.”
Living around two kilometres from where the fire originated, Bree and her family were safely outside the impacted area, but aware that the situation could change rapidly.
“We have a very clear plan to go as a family. Ultimately, we decided as a family that a house is a house, and nothing is more important than the people inside that house.”
When fire hit Montrose this year, it was the location of fire that surprised Bree and many other community members.
“What was surprising during the fire was the amount of suburban homes that were at risk. I think the Montrose fire has shown that it can happen to anyone.”
In the wake of the fire, Bree and her family have placed a heavy focus on preparing their property ahead of the upcoming season, as well as making sure they know their plan.
“We’re so fortunate to have so many beautiful gum trees that drop a lot of sticks and branches around us, so my husband will clear them regularly so it’s not as big a job when you get closer to summer,” Bree said.
“There’s an important conversation that has to happen in families about being prepared and everybody having a role and listening and doing what we need to do if we need to evacuate.”
For Bree, the most important lesson that arose from the fire was the importance of keep-
ing up to date and knowing your threshold to take action.
“We’re very fortunate now, to have real-time information provided to us in a way that perhaps wasn’t around 10 or 20 years ago. During the Montrose incident, we were very much
keeping an eye on the VicEmergency app and watching CFA on Facebook,” Bree said.
“The reinforced part for me is that the decision to leave is mine, my husband’s and our families. Fire is so unpredictable and can move so quickly that you can’t wait to be told.
“I think that that was a big lesson for everybody, they need to really think about what their role is in making decisions that are best for them.
“One of the lessons out of Montrose’s fire was that when it is widespread and there’s multiple areas at risk, it’s probably not realistic to expect in an event like that that a fire truck will
come to your house and make everything okay.
“I need to make decisions for myself, my children and my pets, the decisions that are right for us.
“Everybody that lives in an area like this has to be aware of what their risk is, what they have to take control of themselves, and ultimately when to leave.”
This October more than 530 CFA brigades across Victoria are hosting an event to help their communities Get Fire Ready. To find out more about preparing your property, creating a fire plan or to find an event near you visit: cfa. vic.gov.au/getfireready
Imagine not having to worry about home maintenance and instead being able to get the most out of your retirement years doing the things you love – like popping to your favourite vineyard in the Yarra Valley for lunch.
Once complete, Summerset Chirnside Park will offer a wide range of living options from spacious villas and assisted living apartments through to modern residential aged care suites all within the same location, so that you can feel secure that if your needs change you won’t need to leave the village.* We call this our continuum of care.
Get in touch to find out more about the brand-new Summerset village coming soon to Chirnside Park.
Love the life you choose.
Make an appointment to find out more
Summerset Chirnside Park
Visit our sales suite at 273 Manchester Road, Chirnside Park 03 8777 4242 | chirnsidepark.sales@summerset.com.au
The scenic Yarra Valley has been the route for many a road trip but a particularly special one passed through on Friday 10 October.
Daniher’s Drive, founded by AFL legend and motor neurone disease (MND) advocate Neale Daniher AO, visited the region this year, raising money and awareness for the incurable disease along the way.
Neale’s daughter Bec Daniher said her dad started a legacy, and though it’s getting harder and harder for him to lead from the front, they can just see that the community that backs what he’s trying to achieve is growing.
“We’ve come so far, but we know that we’ve got a way to go so when we see new people joining the cause, it just gives us hope that we can continue to find the brightest researchers and clinicians here in Australia, around the world, because we have to find a treatment and a cure,” she said.
“It’s been really beautiful the areas that we’ve gone through, it’s such a stunning drive, but it’s the communities, we had our first stop at Assumption College, and they just went all out, the school got right behind, it was Dad’s old school so they made such a special effort.
“Then going to Warburton, we went to Millwarra Primary School where all 50 students came out and they presented a cheque, and for us, it’s those moments where we can connect with the community that makes this drive so special.”
The 2025 Daniher’s Drive took four days, having departed from Heidelberg Golf Club on Thursday 9 October and wrapping up at RACV Torquay Resort on Sunday 12 October.
Bec said when they started the drive, they weren’t really sure what they were doing, but knew that they wanted to make a change and needed people to come along for that journey.
“So to be standing here nine years on, and with the amount of funds that they’ve raised, we’ve been able to do so much with those critical
funds we needed to keep the researchers going and we’ve been able to do that,” she said.
“We’ve visited over 50 community towns and seen and met so many people, and we’ve met so many people impacted by MND so it keeps motivating us that we know that there are so many people affected currently and that’s why we need to keep going,”
“Dad’s always said that you can’t spell fundraising without fun and so whilst we’re fighting against something that is really tough and it really is a grim disease, we are going to laugh, we’re going to smile, we’re going to have so much fun as we fight back.”
The drive also stopped by Four Pillars Gin Distillery, Warburton Bowls Club and Helen’s Hill Estate on the way through the Yarra Valley. The next stops include visits to San Remo and Phillip Island, over to Sorrento before catching the ferry to Queenscliff and finishing off with a competitive dress up night in Torquay.
Bec said the drive is a moment in time where they unify, come together as one community and have so much fun whilst they’re making a massive impact.
“The 10 new teams, most of them have MND connections, and for some of them, it has taken a little while to feel comfortable to be telling their story, but all but now they’re in a position where they feel like they can be a part of the fight as well,” she said.
“They feel the legacy of their family members who have been impacted by MND, they feel like they’re in a position now that they’ve seen what their family members have gone through in their process and are ready to fight back in a different way,”
“They want to ensure that what their parents or siblings or friends have gone through isn’t for nothing, and they’re living in their memory, trying to make a difference.”
To find out more about MND or donate to the cause, visit fightmnd.org.au/.
After a lifetime of devotion to each other and decades separating their newly married selves from their ageing bodies and minds, one thing remains evident between Mary and Frank Ruigrok: their love is pure and deep, a love that transcends distance and life’s challenges. Journalist Mikayla van Loon was privileged to peek at their love story.
Seventy years ago, a young Mary, 25, and a young Frank, 26, married just one day before they boarded a ship and sailed for Australia, leaving behind their homeland, Holland, in search of a better life.
It was 6 October 1955, 10 years since World War II ended, and life in the Netherlands was somewhat bleak for families and young couples.
Mary was from Heemstede, and Frank was from Hillegom, both regions known for tulip bulb growing.
The pair met some years earlier at a birthday party. Frank, completing his two years of national service in Indonesia at 19 years old, with his high school friend Matthew, who had formed a bond with a female pen pal during his time, said they were lucky to “come home alive”.
Little did the two know that the pen pal was in fact Mary’s sister, Anne.
Returning home to Holland, a party was thrown and games were played. Frank and Mary were paired for a particular quiz, and afterwards Frank offered to walk Mary home.
“We were the last two left over. We didn’t know each other, so we got talking,” Frank said.
The next day, a Sunday afternoon, Frank took Mary out on a date and that was the beginning of their love story and a lifetime together.
“Things just went on from there. Never looked back any more,” Frank said.
Between meeting and marriage, Frank worked at the bulb fields. Having left school at 14, after his work day, he’d attend night school to study horticulture.
“The bulb fields, it was blinking hard work and the pay was meagre,” he said.
“It has improved a lot because a few years after we left, the unions started getting involved. If we had still been there, I probably wouldn’t even have thought about going overseas.”
Waiting to marry because of the influx of couples who had all decided the same, they’re day
finally arrived just 24 hours before they were to board a ship.
Deciding to leave Holland was a choice Frank said they “never regretted”.
They embarked on the Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt cargo ship, which had been converted to a passenger ship with bunk beds three high. Men and women were separated to sleep, and during the day, you had to be up on deck.
The multi-week trip docked first in Perth and then Melbourne, where Frank and Mary disembarked, before it continued on to Sydney.
When asked what it was like moving to Australia in their mid-20s, Frank said “it was an adventure”.
The most challenging part, Frank said, was learning the language, especially pronunciation, even for simple words like lettuce.
With two of Frank’s brothers already in Melbourne, they provided sponsorship and a place to live for the first few weeks.
Unfortunately, Frank’s horticulture studies weren’t recognised in Australia, so he had to find work wherever he could.
This came at the Dunlop rubber factory in Bayswater, Frank said it paid well enough for the young couple to rent a house in The Basin for four years. They welcomed their first child, Fred, there.
Mary remembers climbing the many steps to the front door, the house on a slope, leaving the
pram at the bottom, remarking how “I was fit then”.
Saving enough money, through hard work and compensation, to buy their own house, the family moved to a two-room house in Bayswater North, with a creek running out the back and an apple orchard surrounding them.
“The harder you worked, the more you earned,” Frank said.
This would become the family home, but as Lynette and Andrew arrived, the two-room house wasn’t quite big enough, and so, Frank set about extending the house with more rooms.
Working at Dunlops for about 10 years, Frank said in the early days he didn’t have a car, so he would ride his push bike to and from work, but as a Dutchy, he was used to that.
Moving on to another rubber factory, Frank said he worked there for many years, too, but sadly, it caught fire and the whole place burned down.
Family life was simple. The neighbourhood in Bayswater North became the Ruigroks’ adopted family. Children from the street would line up their shoes at the front door and all crowd in front of the television.
Frank grew every fruit and vegetable possible in the backyard, giving Mary much to make jams and preserves with.
“Dad had the whole backyard filled with vegetables and fruit trees,” Lynette said.
“Mum was the most amazing cook, and she could turn her hand to anything.”
They kept animals, enjoyed nature and had family time. Their lives were so full with what they had created for themselves, they never wanted for anything else, nor did the desire to return to Holland ever come.
“We couldn’t afford it with a grown family, and it was expensive. And then by the time we could afford it, both of our parents had died, so the pool wasn’t there anymore,” Frank said.
When Andrew went to school, Mary picked up a Monday shift at the Croydon Market, at a cafe. Frank picked up extra work as a school cleaner and later a bread delivery driver.
Mary volunteered for St Vincent de Paul’s in Ringwood for 20 plus years, while Frank was on the committee of the Dutch Club for 30 years.
Both of them, being very community-minded, also delivered Meals on Wheels together for many years.
Saving their dollars to buy a caravan, Frank and Mary travelled all around Australia, often escaping Melbourne’s winter for Queensland, their favourite place being Maroochydore.
“There was a caravan park there and it was very good, so when we left, we booked it for the next year,” Frank said.
“We used to walk everywhere when we went on holiday. We made sure that there was a bush nearby or something where we could walk.”
With so many years spent together, by each other’s side, when Mary was diagnosed with dementia, Frank took it upon himself to care for her.
But earlier this year, Mary had a fall and damaged her hip. In March, she moved into MiCare in Kilsyth. Frank still lives independently at their family home.
Lynette said it’s one of the most challenging things they’ve had to deal with, being separated from each other.
“That’s the really hard thing, they both miss each other,” she said.
“I wish we were together,” Mary said.
Frank is able to visit three times a week, but is unable to drive himself any more; he relies on his family to take him.
Growing up, Lynette said, her parents’ relationship modelled to the children what love and devotion were, that they embodied something special.
“Mum and dad were always so happy together, they always walked hand in hand. They were always so good together,” she said.
The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by friends and family on Sunday 5 October.
Outer East residents are being encouraged to take part in some citizen science as a special species migrates over the region this spring and summer.
Locals are urged to keep an eye out for endangered Bogong moths on their way to the alpine regions of Australia and report any potential sightings to Zoos Victoria’s Moth Tracker.
Senior Conservation Biologist Dr Marissa Parrott said Bogong moths are currently migrating to the Australian Alpine regions and will be passing through the Yarra Ranges over the coming months.
“Yarra Ranges locals don’t need to go far to spot these moths, we’ve received past sightings from people’s gardens, in parks, and from the grounds at Healesville Sanctuary,” she said.
“The Bogong Moth is intrinsically linked to the Critically Endangered Mountain-pygmy possum, for which Healesville Sanctuary runs a conservation breeding program.
“If these possums are to survive, we need to ensure the Bogong Moths are thriving too.”
Moth Tracker received a record-breaking 1956 sightings from every state and territory in Australia in 2024, with more than half of those verified by species experts as Bogong moths.
Dr Parrott said Bogong Moths once numbered in the billions – they even made global headlines visiting the 2000 Sydney Olympics – but their population collapsed by an estimated 99.5 per cent in 2017-2019, likely due to severe drought.
“The moths begin their migration just as the Mountain Pygmy-possums are waking up from their annual hibernation under the snow, the possums rely on the moths as a protein-rich meal during spring when they’re busy raising litters of up to four young.
“If you think you’ve seen a Bogong Moth, even if you are uncertain, take a photo and upload it to the Moth Tracker website, and our team at Zoos Victoria will verify it for you.
“You don’t have to travel to see them, if you’re on the lookout, they may appear around your home or garden, on the street or in the bush.”
Sightings help scientists to continue to better understand the moth’s migration patterns, such as when and where they are flying, as well as observe their population trends, which will help guide actions like supplementary feeding if Mountain Pygmy-possums look likely to go hungry.
Bogong moths are only around three centimetres long with brown-grey wings and have distinctive markings: a dark band that runs vertically along each wing, intersected by two grey splotches; the lowest splotch is shaped like a kidney.
The moths may appear individually but are
known to congregate in large swarms when conditions are good.
Moths can get drawn away from their migration by bright lights, so conservationists urge locals to turn off unnecessary outdoor lights to help them on their migration and if they find their way inside, you can gently pop them outside to fly away at nightfall.
For more information on Moth Tracker, check out the website: zoo.org.au/moth-tracker.
By Dongyun Kwon
Established by the International Congress of Zookeepers in 2015, International Zookeeper Day is celebrated annually on 4 October to recognise the hard work and dedication of zookeepers in animal care and wildlife conservation.
To celebrate this special day, Star Mail interviewed a Healesville Sanctuary zookeeper to give some idea of the daily work of a zookeeper and directions on how to become a zookeeper for younger readers who’d love to work with our animal friends in the future.
Amie Hindson has been a zookeeper for 17 years, spending her career working at Healesville Sanctuary.
As a child, she loved spending time outdoors, from pottering about in the garden looking for insects to bird watching at the park.
Ms Hindson said she had a feeling she’d suit a career where she could be on her feet a lot and get to spend lots of time outside.
“So that combined with my love of wildlife naturally led me towards zookeeping as a potential option,” she said.
“I fell in love with the natural bush setting and Australia’s weird and wonderful species, and I knew pretty early on that (Healesville Sanctuary) was the place for me.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of animals over the years, and I’ve loved learning about and looking after each and every one of them.”
To pursue her dream, following what her heart led her to, she completed a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Zoology.
Ms Hindson has also completed a Certificate III in Captive Animals.
She has spent the last seven years working on Healesville Sanctuary’s Threatened Species team, where she really enjoys the challenge of working with critically endangered species.
“Zoos Victoria is a wonderful organisation committed to fighting wildlife extinction, and I am so lucky I get to play a small part in that,” the threatened species keeper said.
“Seeing an individual you’ve helped breed and raise be released back into the wild is one of the most rewarding feelings ever,”
Ms Hindson’s day starts at 8am at the local zoo, and she works primarily as a threatened possum keeper looking after two of Australia’s critically endangered nocturnal species: the leadbeater’s possum and the mountain pygmy-possum.
Her first task is to service all of Healesville Sanctuary’s possum habitats.
“This involves collecting and washing dirty food bowls from the day before, providing fresh drinking water, checking over the possum habi-
tats, and making up fresh food to feed out to the possums later in the afternoon,” the zookeeper said.
Ms Hindson’s second task is to monitor the health and well-being of the possums.
“Both leadbeater’s and mountain pygmy-possums are nocturnal and are active at night when we are sleeping,” Ms Hindson said.
“Luckily for us, though, each possum habitat has a camera that records their activity overnight and allows us to watch what they got up to the following day.
“This way we can still monitor their health and welfare, and look for certain behaviours that might let us know if a female possum has joeys.”
Her third task is to feed and provide enrichment for all possums.
“This is done as late in the day as possible,” she said.
“Any extra time is taken up with animal record keeping, habitat maintenance, meetings, individual projects, and other miscellaneous tasks.”
In light of nearly two decades of experience, she found the following skills and characters to be beneficial for zookeeping.
“Good attention to detail is a great skill to have. The animals we work with can’t necessarily tell us how they’re feeling or if they want something, so understanding the species we look after and their different behaviours is incredibly important,” Ms Hindson said.
“Zookeepers deal with a lot of cleaning and funky smells. So, if you don’t like dirt or poo, zookeeping is probably not for you.
“Good communication skills are also super handy to have. We spend lots of time chatting with our visitors about the animals we work with, as well as with our colleagues.
“And lastly, patience and compassion. A deep love of our animals is necessary to help handle the challenges and emotional demands of our role.”
When asked about some advice for future zookeepers, Ms Hindson said you’re never too young or too old to start learning.
“If you love the outdoors and getting dirty or rained on (or even pooped on), zookeeping could definitely be for you,” she said.
“If you have pets at home, take on more responsibility for them, whether that be feeding or cleaning up after them.
“Learn about our wildlife - there are so many great documentaries out there. If you’re old enough to get a casual job or volunteer, start looking at places that will help teach you the basic skills that also apply to zookeeping - animal shelters, dog walking, kennels or catteries, vet nursing, etc are all great places to learn valuable skills.”
Environmental and landcare groups across the Yarra Ranges have been given a financial boost, with 20 projects throughout the shire receiving grants.
From the restoration of cool temperate rainforest in Sassafras Creek to establishing exemplar biodiverse demonstration dams in Christmas Hills, unique projects, specific to the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, were funded through the 2025 Victorian Landcare Grant program.
The initiative is delivered via the State Government, in partnership with Melbourne Water and nine Catchment Management Authorities across Victoria to help protect and enhance our land and waterways.
“Landcare and environmental volunteer groups make a significant contribution to our communities managing projects that restore and enhance our parks, coastlines, nature reserves and waterways,” environment minister Steve Dimopoulos said.
“Over many years these grants have delivered incredible value to Victoria and we’re proud to continue supporting their work to protect our environment for generations to come.”
This year $3.6 million in grants will support 509 landcare and environmental volunteer groups across the state, helping fund on-ground works, community education and engagement activities, group development, and small grants supporting administrative functions, including insurance, incorporation and operational costs.
Melbourne Water’s contribution is over half a million dollars with the 2025 funding round supporting 32 organisations receiving Landcare Grants of up to $20,000 to improve biodiversity,
restore habitats and promote community development, partnership and educational opportunities. A further 83 groups will each receive a $500 support grant to cover administration and running costs.
In the Yarra Ranges, Friends of Sassafras Creek received $19,350, Montrose Upper Landcare Group received $5154, Monbulk Landcare Group
received $20,000, and Christmas Hills Landcare Group received $12,064.
The remaining 16 groups received the $500 contribution. These groups were: Candlebark Community Nursery, Yarra Ranges Landcare Network, Mt Toolebewong and District Landcare, Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, Upper Yarra Landcare, Macclesfield Landcare
Group, Olinda Creek Landcare Group, Friends of Upwey South Reserve, Steels Creek Landcare Group, Southern Ranges Environment Alliance, Yarra Valley Equestrian Landcare Group, Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, Healesville Environment Watch, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, Chum Creek Landcare, and Friends of Sherbrooke Forest.
“At Melbourne Water safeguarding our water, land and biodiversity is at the heart of who we are,” Melbourne Water regional landcare coordinator Barry Kennedy said.
“Protecting and revitalising our waterways, wetlands, parks and ranges is critical as they face increasing pressures from climate change and population growth.
“That’s why we’re proud to administer these grants on behalf of the Victorian Government to Landcare groups doing such vital work on the ground. From partnering on projects, to providing support via grants and training, together we’re ensuring the health of the environment now and for generations to come.”
Landcare grants deliver lasting benefits to the environment, the funding will help Landcare groups restore and protect vital habitats and waterways, and grow strong, connected communities that will continue to care for the land for generations to come.
Grants were available to all Victorian Landcare and environmental volunteer groups, including Landcare and Friends groups, Conservation Management Networks, Committees of Management, Coastcare groups and Traditional Owner or Aboriginal groups and organisations working on Country.
It is now easier for Victorians to get free, community-based mental health care, with the official opening of the permanent Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Lilydale.
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt celebrated the opening of the new Lilydale Local site on Thursday 9 October – developed with community members and people with lived and living experience.
“Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are making it simpler for Victorians to access free, walk-in support whenever they need it –with no referrals or Medicare card needed, just care that’s close to home,” she said.
The Local will support the Yarra Ranges community with a range of clinical and wellbeing mental health supports via in-person walkins and appointments, telehealth and outreach services – all free of charge with no Medicare card or GP referral required.
Acting as a ‘front door’ to the mental health system, Victoria’s network of Locals provide support and treatment for adults experiencing mental illness or psychological distress, including co-occurring substance use or addiction.
Services at the Locals are delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experienced mental
health professionals, wellbeing staff and peer support workers, and is designed to meet the diverse needs of the community.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Lilydale is led by Wellways Australia in partnership with Eastern Health, Access Health and
Community and Oonah Aboriginal Health and Community Services.
“This is a fantastic milestone for our community – this service means people in the Yarra Ranges can get the help they need locally, without having to travel far or face barriers to care,” Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino said.
A flagship reform of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, the Locals have already supported close to 28,000 Victorians to access free, community-based care.
Building on the existing Locals, the Labor Government recently announced seven new Locals will soon open across the state, bringing the total number of Locals to 22 across 24 locations.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 invested $34.4 million over two years to support the 17 existing locations, establish these seven new locations and continue community-based mental health care across Victoria.
People across the Yarra Ranges area can now access the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local located at 61-65 Anderson Street, Lilydale on weekdays from 9am to 5pm and on weekday public holidays from 10am to 4pm, with extended hours to come.
As the world marked World Mental Health Day on 10 October, Beyond Blue says strong communities and genuine human connection are key to protecting and supporting our mental health.
New data from Beyond Blue’s Australia’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Check 2024 reveals a decline in Australians’ sense of community – a shift that is associated with rising rates of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
Only 33 per cent of respondents rated their sense of being part of a community as excellent or very good – down from 37 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, more people now rate their sense of community as poor or fair (30 per cent in 2024, up from 28 per cent in 2022).
Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman AO said that while the way Australians talk about and seek support for mental health has improved over time, one thing has remained unchanged: community plays a major role in shaping our mental health.
“Mental health is nurtured through community. While clinical interventions play an essential role, most mental health support doesn’t take place in hospitals or clinics, it actually happens in our homes, workplaces, schools, social groups and in our everyday community connections. It’s really about the people and places where we feel safe, seen and heard,” she said.
“The power of community lies in its ability to accept, protect and heal. It’s in our communities that we share experiences and make contributions that give us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. It’s in our communities where we develop the social networks that help us all navigate hard times. It’s in our communities where we establish our identities and experience belonging.”
The data also found:
Young people were more likely to men-
tion loneliness or lack of connection as a stressor compared to older people, with almost one in two aged 18 to 24 identifying it as a key concern.
30 per cent reported experiencing distress from loneliness, which was more strongly associated with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts than financial hardship.
While 46 per cent reported experiencing financial hardship, people experiencing loneliness have higher rates of mental health challenges than those experiencing financial distress.
Beyond Blue lived experience speaker Roxy Aila knows first-hand the power of connection and community in supporting mental health.
In her 20s, Ms Aila struggled with depression and anxiety, often feeling ashamed for not having it all together.
“I didn’t have the tools to manage life, and I didn’t know how to strike a balance between work and wellbeing. There was a lot of shame around not feeling well,” she said.
“Now in my 40s, I still face challenges, but time and experience have helped me recognise the signs and manage my mental health better.”
While living abroad in Toronto, a series of personal and professional challenges hit all at once, and her mental health began to unravel.
“I was living my dream, working on amazing campaigns and travelling to New York on a whim – but I couldn’t shake the immense sadness that clouded my vision,” she said.
“I made a decision to return to Papua New Guinea to be with my family, where I began the slow process of healing.
“I went underground – sleeping, crying, trying to regroup. My parents and siblings were incredibly patient and their unconditional love helped me begin to recover. Family was a soft place for me to land and simply be.”
Ms Aila later moved to Brisbane.
“My sister-in-law lived there and said that the door was always open, and that there was always a bed for me. This support was my saving grace. I couldn’t and didn’t get well on my own,” she said.
“Social connections and community have been really important for my mental health. Even though not everyone has a mental health background, community does bolster one another. We’re so connected digitally these days, and yet disconnected at the same time – and loneliness is an issue that can make mental health worse.”
Ms Harman said mental health is made in the community, and that community is one of the largest providers of mental health support.
“It’s time we respect and acknowledge the
role of community alongside professionals like psychologists and psychiatrists. The increase in people turning to friends, family, teachers, managers and neighbours for support shows the importance of equipping everyday Australians with the tools to help others.
“Given more people are now turning to someone they know for help it’s vital that we provide resources to those supporters. Taking care of mental health is something we do together – it’s about connection and support.
“Social support brings us comfort as individuals, and these bonds are the making of resilient communities. Relationships can hurt us, but they can also heal us. In many ways, they lay the foundation for our mental health.”
This World Mental Health Day, Beyond Blue called on Australians to take action by creating a culture of connection – at home, at work, in schools and across communities.
“We invite everyone to take one small step to connect – whether it’s checking in on a friend, joining a local group, or simply saying hello to a neighbour,” Ms Harman said.
“In a time of rising loneliness, economic pressure, and social fragmentation, it’s important we all continue to play a role in supporting mental health, simply by showing up for each other.”
This year, the nation’s theme for World Mental Health Day, set by Mental Health Australia, was ‘Connect with your Community’, a timely reminder of the vital role that relationships and belonging play in our mental health.
For further information visit: mentalhealthaustralia.org.au/get-involved/2025-worldmental-health-day/
Beyond Blue’s free 24/7 Support Service can be reached on 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org. au/getsupport or visit Beyond Blue’s Forums.
By Tanya Steele
A Yarra Ranges duo are one week out of going on the adventure of their lives and have raised a whopping $5,600 for a good cause at the same time.
They can’t wait to participate in the incredible Sh*itbox Rally Fundraiser and have gathered with friends, family and the team that have helped them get this far recently at the Bayswater Hotel and are ready to head off to Alice Springs to start the epic race later this week.
“It’s all starting to become real, both Skip and I are extremely excited,“ said Alex Davenport.
“We hit our fundraising target (although we could always raise more!), we have our car (A magna advance) and we’ve had a great send off from some supporters,“ he said.
The team is named Do it for Stu and consists of Aidan ‘Skip’ Skipsey and Alex ‘AlDav’ Davenport, the pair are set to drive from Alice Springs to the Gold Coast and all funds they have raised will go to the Cancer Council.
The rally begins on 24 October and Alex said the event has been almost a year in the planning, but it feels like they signed up only yesterday.
“We’ve had some huge help along the way from some great in kind sponsors from Compliance Services Australia and Ultimate Offroad,“ he said.
“They’ve helped us no end, especially when getting the car road worthy!“
Theduosaidtheywouldalsoreallyliketothank the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation (RCD) for their support.
“While we are raising money for Cancer Australia, we also want to raise awareness of Paediatric and Adolescent Young Adult Brain Cancer.
“The RCD fund research, music therapy and much more specifically for paediatric brain cancer sufferers and their families,“ said Alex.
“Not many people know it but brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in chil-
dren and there’s been little to no improvements in treatment for decades,“ he said.
The two will be blogging the journey at “doitforstu.com”, where they are also still raising money.
Friends for several years and they both wanted to contribute to a charity, the rally will give them a chance to both raise funds for the Cancer Council and rise to a cross-country challenge.
On the website, the Shitbox Rally is described as not just a race but ‘rather a challenge to achieve the unthinkable’.
The pair explain on their online fundraising page that there are many reasons they are fundraising but primarily it is in honour of their mate Stu.
“Stu died in 2020 of Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a devastating brain cancer. Losing a good friend has had a huge impact on our lives and even impacted Alex’s career direction,:” read the post.
Aidan brings a background in mechanics and tinkering to the table. and Alex is a scientist working in immunotherapy and in 2022 he returned to Australia to find new cures for brain cancer,
Alex said they are looking forward to heading into the red centre, meeting some great people and raising some serious money for cancer.
“As a group we had a target of raising $2 million AUD and we’ve blown through that target.“
Their latest blog reads the following ’We are getting to crunch time with the preparations and a huge thank you to Skip’s Dad for driving us up!’
’Double thanks due to the fact he literally just didthis“Onceinalifetime”tripacoupleofmonths ago, so we are extremely grateful he is making the trip into the red centre again with us and carting the trailer back. ’
Travelling their humble sh*t box, a 2000 Magna Advance V6 covered in messages of support and love, the pair were gifted two pairs of Stu’s Sunnies and his old iPod for the trip.
“He will be with us all along the way,“ read the blog.
By Oliver Winn
With steady hands, children, parents and school council members have given a fresh coat of paint to an outdoor play space at the Wandin Yallock Primary School.
Over the term three school holidays, school council members led a small group of parents and children to revitalise some asphalt artwork outside.
Parents and Friends Committee president Melissa Berger said the painting instilled a sense of pride in the students who took part in it.
“If they’re involved, they’re definitely more proud of it and they’re more concerned about keeping it looking nice and using it,” Ms Berger said.
The children involved came to school on Monday with their friends and utilised the space during recess and lunch.
“They tend to come in and they’re like, ‘I did this on the school holidays, let’s play with it now,’ “ Ms Berger said.
Not only did the effort add a splash of colour up the old four square court, alphabet snake and outdoor chess board - it also brightened the moods of many.
“They loved it, they were really excited to see it all a bit brighter and a bit nicer and neater.
“To know that their friends had contributed to doing that as well was a really nice thing,” she said.
The painting was done over the school holidays by council members, parents and students. (Supplied)
With the funds for the paint provided by the school’s trivia night last August, Ms Berger said she was appreciative of the community fundraising efforts.
She said it was a combined effort from the school community, students’ families and other organisations separate from the school.
“It’s so nice to see our community standing alongside us and helping us out with raising the money. We understand that things are a lot harder these days financially and physically,” Ms Berger said.
“People aren’t able to help as much as they would like to or as they could, but any help we get and any money raised is super helpful and we love that for our community.”
By
Seville’s most decorated war hero and Victoria Cross (VC) recipient was once again celebrated on Sunday 5 October, with the date also marking a special addition to the treasured Seville War Memorial.
Community members gathered at the memorial to honour Lieutenant George Ingram VC as well as to see the unveiling of two new commemorative bench seats.
Seville War Memorial Committee chair Anthony McAleer OAM said they’ve been very committed to putting across the story of George Ingram post-World War One.
“The courage and the endurance that he showed there, because he was certainly came back a person who was really very affected by his war service…I went back and had a look at all of the Victoria Cross awards that were given to Australians and none is more soaked in blood than George Ingram’s was,” he said.
“On the day, he killed 44 enemy soldiers and more than likely probably looked into their faces at some stage as it was all hand-to-hand combat.. so when he comes home, because he’s won the Victoria Cross and everyone looks at it as a boy’s own adventure and they want to hear the glorious story of how he went and attacked the enemy.”
“But he couldn’t talk about it because it just was too traumatic, brought up all these terrible sort of memories for him and certainly when he came back, he spent a long time trying to adjust.”
Lieutenant Ingram was the last Australian VC recipient from World War One, awarded for his bravery in 1918 on the battlefield in Montbrehain, France.
Mr McAleer said it wasn’t until Lieutenant Ingram became one of the original Shrine Guards in 1934 that he really picked up.
“He was outside, he was walking around, so that helped his health but at the same time, he saw the effect firsthand that the beautiful Shrine of Remembrance had on families that had lost loved ones, the healing aspect of coming along and seeing such a magnificent structure that’s been dedicated to their loved ones and others,” he said.
“It certainly helped him sort of mentally as well, in fact the whole time he was there, he only had about a week off and he never took any sick leave …he was there until he enlisted again in World War Two.”
“I’m pretty sure he was aware that he wouldn’t see action, his job was to clear up a military job here in Australia so that a younger soldier could go overseas and serve and being in the building industry, they put him into the engineers and he served a number of different camps and depots around Victoria and New South Wales during the war years.”
A crowd of between 50 and 60 people visited the memorial for the ceremony including special guests Victorian Liberal Leader Brad Battin, state
Mr McAleer said the turnout consisted of a good mixture of returning and new community member.
“Seville as a township is quite a dynamic township, there’s a lot of people that have moved in in the last 15 years and certainly for a long time, cheaper housing and stuff like that has attracted a whole new generation of people who don’t have connections to the pioneers of the town,” he said.
“They’ve come to embrace the memorial, they’ve come to embrace the George Ingram story as well and this is something that we were quite keen on, we’ve worked strongly with the schools and we continue to do that by passing the story on,”
“George Ingram always considered Seville to be his home in fact his son told me that that’s why he used to always come back to visit people here, he grew up here and he lived here for a short time when he returned from the war, mainly he’d been living elsewhere, but he still considered it to be his home.”
Casey MP Aaron Violi said the newly installed bench seats at Seville War Memorial provide the Seville and Yarra Valley community with a place to sit and reflect on the sacrifices of those who served, including those who once called Seville home, like George Ingram, VC, MM and his brothers.
“Local war memorials help our community see the human toll of war and remember the sacrifice of those served. When Seville residents visit the War Memorial and these new seats, their minds turn to think about the individuals that grew up in their community, who walked the same streets and went to the same local primary school. It’s a powerful way of honouring their service and never forgetting their sacrifice,“ he said.
“We are so fortunate to have community organisations like the Wandin-Seville Community Bank. Their commitment to supporting local projects helps strengthen our community. The Seville War Memorial is a powerful place to reflect on the courage of locals who served and is a credit to the Seville War Memorial Committee and everyone involved at Wandin-Seville Community Bank who supported this project.“
By Tanya Steele
A Yarra Ranges resident delivered a heartfelt TEDx talk last week, speaking about his life as a migrant to Australia and how shared understanding could be the way forward.
Tecoma’s Divesh Sareen shared a speech on an idea he has always believed in, ‘The World’s Diversity is wasted - Unless we fuse it’ at Swinburne University on Thursday 2 October.
“This experience pushed me in ways I didn’t expect - forcing me to be vulnerable, to stand firm in my belief, and to trust myself in front of that iconic red dot,” he said on social media.
Divesh Sareen is an Indian-Australian entrepreneur, author, and technology professional, and is the founder of After The Why, Migrants Life and The Leader Speaks - online platforms dedicated to using technology, fostering personal growth, advancing leadership, and empowering migrants.
Divesh said delivering the speech brought a lot of mixed emotions, and that the experience on the night was a life-changing moment.
“It was a privilege to stand on a TEDx stage,” he said.
“I was pumped that, hey, I’m actually doing this when I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Divesh said when he successfully applied to talk at Swinburne for TEDx he was excited to present a topic he has so much passion for.
“You think of it as something you’ve got to be really knowledgeable for and at the same time, crazy enough to put yourself out there,” he said.
“I had actually never thought that that would be something that I would do.”
The talk centred around understanding and how important it is for people to understand each other and also understand each other’s perspectives.
“One is showing care through abundance and the other is showing equality through contribution – so there’s different learnings of each one of them,” he said.
Following the publication of his two-volume memoir The Indian Mate: A Journey from Namaste to Howrya at the MCG last year, Divesh has since been busy working on several other projects.
He is currently in the process of finishing another novel, Migrant’s Life.
“The book will be launched next year, which shares stories of other people like me, what they’ve gone through, and how they’ve built a life here in Australia,” Divesh said.
The book aims to inspire future migrants, whether they’re students or are thinking of moving to Australia. Divesh wants to support life for people coming here.
“I think of us, rather than trying to be who’s better or who’s right, I think if you all looked at the good parts of each other, I think it will help everyone grow,” he said.
“It’s actually very surprising to someone like me when you hear about the protests that are happening.
“You take a step back and you try to think about how you actually define migrants or what you’ve done wrong when you are Australian by choice.”
“We are all different in today’s world, even though the whole environment is centred around the assumption that we all think alike,” he said.
Using a personal example, Divesh said grow-
“Rather than choosing who’s right or wrong, I ask, how can we choose a good perspective and make a shared framework out of it? Everyone feels included, rather than choosing one over the other,” Divesh said.
ing up in India, the culture for social events is very much geared around the hosts putting on as much food as the guests can handle, stemming from the Sanskrit phrase ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, which translates to ‘Guest is God’. Divesh said in Australia, he found it more likely that everyone would bring something to share at their regular barbecues, something he had to adjust to.
Divesh said he thinks there is a bit of an education piece missing, and people coming to Australia are searching for understanding, connection and a sense of place.
“We also miss that human connection, and we are here to make friends, not take jobs,” he said.
Divesh said the night wasn’t just about giving a talk.
“It was about growth, courage, and honouring an idea that matters deeply to me,” he said.
By Maria Millers
Every parent’s worst nightmare is having a child wander off whether in a busy supermarket, street or while out in parks or bushland. Mercifully they are usually quickly reunited with a frantic parent and all is well.
But this is not always so, for when little fouryear-old Augustus (Gus) Learmont vanished from his family’s remote sheep station, he became the latest in the long list of missing and lost children and at the time of writing had not been found.
Cases of lost children span decades back to colonial times and have deeply affected how Australians think about childhood safety, freedom, and trust. Think Beaumont children, Daniel Morcombe, William Tyrell, Siriyakorn ‘Bung’ Siriboon and many more. Of the above names only the tragic fate of Daniel Morcombe is known. The lost child in the bush is an Australian trope and has continued to haunt the Australian imagination, a living symbol of Australian unease that has spanned centuries and is a recurring theme in art, folklore, song and later films.
In the 19th century the idea of losing ones child to a strange country reflected white settlers distrust of their new land and its Aboriginal inhabitants. Today the lost child continues to torment the national consciousness, but no longer as lost in the bush. Instead the lost child of modern Australia is more likely a victim of abuse, abandonment or abduction.
Colonial poet, Henry Kendall’s poem, The Lost Child was written in 1869, not long after several cases of children vanishing in the wilderness, and it captures both colonial anxiety and awe of an alien unpredictable landscape.
Excerpt:
Seven miles from Sydney’s roaring town, In the place where the station fences end, A child went lost — and the tempests brown Beat on the bush with a roaring sound, While the mother wailed for her darling friend. The Dandenongs have their own stories of lost children. Writing in the Celebrating the Dandenongs edition of the Woorilla Magazine, historian Margaret McInnes told the stories of twelve year
old Clara Crosby and six-year-old Louis Vieussieu. Clara became lost in 1885 after taking a wrong turn on Macclesfield Road. Marooned in dense scrub she survived by drinking from the Cockatoo Creek. Louis was not so lucky having wandered away from a family picnic in what is now known as Lower Fern Tree fully, never to be seen again.
The trees are kind, they cradle him from harm, the tall grasses whisper around his hair, but man’s world passes by without alarm, forgetting the child that is lying there.
In 1953 Judith Wright transformed the myth of the lost child in the bush into something symbolic where the lost child stands for White Australia and its alienation from the land and Indigenous belonging.
From “South of My Days by Judith Wright: Old Dan, with the cracked hands and full belly, Remembers the old tales.
The lost child, the bushranger, The droughts that bring the cattle down to water.
The creek’s gone dry. The day’s a dust haze. Long-gone fathers ride through sleep to mine them.
Through Dan’s reminiscences, the poem preserves the legends of Australia’s colonial past: lost children, bushrangers, droughts, endurance. Australia becomes a land that tests resilience and courage — an environment that shapes character
It was no longer about a literal lost child — but about a people adrift in a landscape they claimed but didn’t understand.
From The Gateway:
The child went wandering once, and cannot call; his cry was lost in the long bush years.
Now his bones are dust, but we — we fall through the silence he left, through our own fears.
From Kendall’s bush ballads to Judith Wright to our current crop of poets this trope continues to shape how Australians imagine loss, belonging, and connection to the land.. The motif reinforces the idea that the Australian landscape is central to identity. Today poets are rewriting this national myth. None more so than some Indigenous and multicultural voices Three of the most powerful contemporary indigenous Australian poets revisit the lost child theme, but in modern, emotionally and politically charged ways.
For Ali Cobby Eckermann the lost child becomes the stolen child taken by government policy and not the bush. She herself was part of the Stolen Generations, taken from her mother and later reunited as an adult.. Her poemsoften blend maternal yearning, loss, and reconnection with Country. Eckermann turns the myth of the innocent child lost in nature into the state’s taking of children from Indigenous families.
Excerpts from Inside My Mother:
I am the child inside my mother the one who was taken away her arms are empty her eyes still search the roads where government cars drove. I am the child inside my mother the ache that never left her bones the silence that fills her house when others sleep.
and
I tell you true
I am not the mother I thought I’d be my children are scattered like seeds from a pod blown by a wind I did not call.
The image of children scattered like seeds speaks to forced separation — a devastating reworking of the lost child myth from within Indigenous experience.
For Ellen Van Neerven what is lost is language, not physical disappearance. Her poem speaks of finding one’s way home through words — the lost children of language. She connects language loss
and cultural displacement to the lost child motif. The child is the speaker, seeking their way back through story and kinship. This poem reclaims the lost child image through language revival and survival.
Mother Tongue our tongues were taken, rolled and pressed, turned into paper, printed in someone else’s words. still we find each other, voice by voice, whisper by whisper, in the dark.
from Throat, 2020 Evelyn Araluen similarly uses language loss as a form of disappearance. each word is a child I cannot hold but still I learn their small names, trace their tracks through white noise and broken grammar.
The lost children here are words, ancestors, and the poet’s own younger self reclaiming them. The bush myth becomes an act of language survival The reimagining is not just confined to Indigenous voices, the lost child can also be a migrant child adrift in a country and lost between worlds.
We are an immigrant nation and Maxine Beneba Clarke reminds us in Evening Song of the displacement and feelings of not being accepted that some migrants experience.
Her lost child becomes a migrant child in a country that doesn’t see her the child at the bus stop / forgets her mother’s tongue. Her mouth is full of foreign air. She hums to remember / the sound of home. Clarke relocates the motif to the suburbs which becomes the cultural wilderness of migration and racism.
The child is lost between worlds.
The lost child tropes move from literal to symbolic and always reflect Australia’s evolving consciousness. It speaks to uncomfortable questions: How do we belong to this land? Who gets to call it home? It addresses Australia’s ongoing search for identity.
By Corey Everitt
Local employers and relief groups demonstrated what can be achieved with a united purpose at the annual Cardinia Business Lunch.
Hosted by the Cardinia Community Foundation, this year’s event focused on the value of purpose-driven business and highlighted the achievements of many locals through the foundation.
Comedian Dave O’Neil served as MC at the Cardinia Club and introduced business advisor from OrgMent Business Solutions Ian Ash, who presented a talk about how integrating social purpose, alongside financial success, is essential for a thriving business.
Mr Ash explained that setting goals and connecting widely with the community has led to increased staff productivity and morale, greater customer loyalty, and improved revenue in competitive environments.
Research shows that 80 per cent of staff report higher engagement with a purpose-driven employer, and 78 per cent of consumers across the world prefer companies with social responsibility.
The foundation showcased several examples of purpose-driven businesses through a panel of local partners: SJD Homes’ Simon Dunstan, Pakenham Mazda’s Wade Calderwood, and Southside Racing’s Neil Bainbridge. They explained how a community-focused business model is not only important for supporting relief efforts but is also essential for the long-term future of any enterprise.
“If it’s all about you and what’s in front of you, you are doomed to fail,” Mr Dunstan said.
Southside Racing is a giant of the South East and now a significant player in the broader racing industry, but they continue to maintain their annual round of community grants, which see $200,000 distributed to support local groups.
SJD Homes spoke about how giving staff a sense of ownership has had a “huge impact,” highlighted by the creation of multiple internal committees focused on wellness, conservation, and other initiatives.
This commitment to purpose comes along-
side being named this year’s Australian Professional Major Builder of the Year by the Housing Industry Association.
Pakenham Mazda demonstrated how a workplace can be united through community involvement, especially after finding purpose in tragedy.
Mr Calderwood said the moment showed how the community will always support a
business that brings initiative and purpose. All of these efforts have been made possible in collaboration with the Cardinia Community Foundation.
To become a partner of the foundation or to find more information, visit: cardiniafoundation.org/partnerships/
By Joy Gothe
When you wander through Melba Park again, you will notice a quiet path cutting through from Market Street to Chapel Street threading its way under the trees — Perrin Walk.
It’s a lovely name, but behind it lies the story of one of Lilydale’s earliest families and their lasting mark on the town.
Many years ago, Clarke Street ran along the western edge of Melba Park.
On the other side were the Lilydale Market and the council depot.
In the 1970s, the road was closed off, joining the two reserves into one open space.
Later the new footpath was officially named Perrin Walk in December 1998, in honour of the Perrin family who once helped build the town’s foundations.
The story begins with Henry Perrin, born in England in 1825.
For twenty years, Henry worked as a ship’s pilot for the East India Company.
Seeking a new start, he and his wife Cecelia eventually came to Australia, settling in Lilydale around 1860 with their two sons and a daughter.
Henry started as a travelling draper, walking across Victoria selling goods.
But it was Lilydale that captured his heart.
M
2.75/5
The third film in the Tron franchise, Tron: Ares is an unfulfilling sci-fi action movie that feels more like a low-rent Terminator film than a Tron sequel. Ares (Jared Leto), an elite defence AI from the Grid cyberspace realm, is dispatched to the real world to find an invaluable program. Most of the characters are one-dimensional and Leto as Ares is stiff and uninteresting, but Greta Lee stands out as Eve Kim, a clever, resourceful woman who Ares breaks his directive to protect. The contrived plot is driven by the bluntest of Macguffins – a “Permanence Code” that allows programs to exist indefinitely outside the Grid (which was under Eve’s nose all along, but not in a clever way) – and the flashy action scenes carry little sense of threat, especially since the villain can recreate Ares and other programs whenever needed. The plot even squanders a goldmine of tension: programs in the real world disintegrates after 29 minutes, and applying this terminal limit to Eve, who is reconstituted from the Grid, would have infused some muchneeded urgency. The original Tron from 1982
pioneered CGI in feature films, and the 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy rendered the Grid using more advanced versions of the tools Tron spearheaded. Ares brings Tron’s iconic hardlight and circuitry-inspired visuals into the real world for the first time, with the highlight being a fast-paced light-cycle chase through the city. Even so, the visuals are less pretty than in Tron: Legacy, Jeff Bridges fleeting fanservice return as Flynn is less special this time, and Nine Inch Nails droning, brooding score is more abrasive than Daft Punk’s score for Legacy.
Bright, loud and shallow, Tron: Ares brings the blue screen of death to the Tron franchise and is playing in most Victorian cinemas.
- Seth Lukas-Hynes
The Burrow, by Australian author Melanie Cheng, was shortlisted for the 2025 Stella Prize. The slim novel (only 185 pages) begins with this quote from Franz Kafka’s unfinished short story of the same name, which was published posthumously in 1931:
“The most beautiful thing about my burrow is the stillness. Of course, that is deceptive. At any moment it may be shattered and then all will be over.”
In Kafka’s story, the narrating protagonist is an unnamed badger-like creature who struggles to secure the labyrinthine burrow he has excavated as a home. He does so by hammering and pounding the loose, sandy soil into firm walls for his ‘beautifully vaulted chamber’:
“I had to run with my forehead thousands and thousands of times, for whole days and nights, against the ground, and I was glad when the blood came, for that was a proof that the walls were beginning to harden; and in that way, as everybody must admit, I richly paid for my Castle Keep.”
Like Kafka’s creature, in Cheng’s story, Amy and Jin live an isolated life and are terrified of change. Their partially renovated inner-city home is a sanctuary from both external risks and internal turmoil. Not just because of the pandemic lockdown – their life has been standing still and silent since the tragic death of their baby daughter Ruby four years prior.
But their other daughter, 10-year-old Lucie, is bright, curious and yearning for emotional companionship, something that the couple are still too grief-stricken to offer, so they buy a pet rabbit for her. Also coming for a temporary stay with the family is Amy’s estranged mother Pauline, who is deemed unsafe to live
by herself due to her recently broken wrist. With five members of the family crammed under the same roof, long-buried secrets – guilt, blame, shame and anger – inevitably resurface. Worse, at one stage there is an attempted break-in, which shatters the family’s feeling of false security. It forces them to honestly face themselves in order to reconnect with each other again. If this sounds bleak, then perhaps it is. Yet, as Cheng subtly and skilfully reveals, when one reaches rock bottom, the only way to go is up. In the process, we gain much insight into trauma and grief. We also get a sense of relief near the end, followed by hope, in the same way that Percy Bysshe Shelly describes how withered leaves can “quicken a new birth”: “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”
To borrow Cheng’s own words, the novel is “restorative and life-affirming” by reminding us, ever so gently, of the emotional and psychological labyrinthine burrows we often dig for ourselves in times of crisis. To this reviewer, the story is also about family and parenthood – not just how fragile and vulnerable they can be, but, more importantly, how much healing, hope, love and joy they can and will bring to our individual lives.
There he built the town’s first house and opened its first Post Office from the front room of his home.
His salary was ten pounds a year, and in those days there was no mail delivery.
The Cobb and Co coaches brought the mail to Lilydale, and residents came to the Perrins’ home to collect it.
Cecelia, a gifted musician, opened a small school and gave music lessons, adding a cultural note to the growing community.
Henry later retired from postal work but stayed deeply involved in local life, running the news agency, serving as a councillor, and helping to build the Baptist Tabernacle in Castella Street.
His son, Frederick Walter Perrin took over as postmaster in about 1880.
Henry passed away in 1886 and was buried in the Lilydale Cemetery, but his influence lived on through his family.
So next time you stroll along Perrin Walk, pause for a moment.
It’s more than just a path through the park, it’s a tribute to Henry and Cecelia Perrin, whose dedication and community spirit helped shape Lilydale into the town we know today.
If you are interested in discovering more stories about the history of Lilydale visit our Website at lilydalehistorical.com.au or think about becoming a volunteer.
Karralyka
The Troubadours – Sounds of the Seventies You’ll enjoy an unforgettable evening sharing the stories and songs of the most beloved musical storytellers of all time.
Across two acts, our talented troubadours bring to life the iconic music of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan., James Taylor, Neil young, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Van Morrison, Simon and Garfunkel, Con McLean and many more. Their songs defined a generation. Their stories changed the world. Their music will live forever.
• Season: Friday 31 October at 7.30pm.
Burrinja Theatre
Doompa Dee Doo
Presented by St Bernadette’s Primary School
A 60 Minutes Exclusive
What if one f the most loved stories written, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, was not entirely true? What if the secrets of the story have remained hidden for many years? The hard-hitting investigative journalism of 60 Minutes is here to uncover the truth.
Join the students of St Bernadette’s The Basin as we present Doompa Dee Doo. A 60 Minutes Exclusive. A full feature-length episode of 60 Minutes, the real story behind The Oompa Loompas and Willy Wonka is revealed through song and dance.
Featuring the tunes and scenes you know and love with a vitalising injection of hit music from the past, our students take to the stage and shine as we journey through a story of intrigue and betrayal to find out what really happened all those years ago.
• Season: Thursday 16 October at 5pm and 7pm.
J’adore Calisthenics 2026 Annual Concert
A time to celebrate
J’adore Calisthenics perform their routines for the final time, celebrating the fantastic year that was.
J’adore invites family, friends. Supporters and visitors to join for the day.
• Season Sunday 26 October. Time 11.30am –5pm.
The Round 2026 Midweek Matinee Season!
The carefully selected season of shows are sure to delight, evoking nostalgia for years gone by and the golden age of entertainment. In 2026, you will also be treated to elegant ballet and, of course, a Christmas sing-along. A delightful morning tea, served from 10am or afternoon tea post a 2pm performance, in our beautiful and light-filed foyer. Ample free parking and a highly accessible building will ensure you feel at home.
Season 2026 Lineup
Affinity Quartet
• Take Four: Chamber Music for Everyone
• Season: February 25
Frankly Sinatra
• Season: March 11
Spirit of the ANZACS
• Season: April 22.
• Bernadette Robinson: They Sing at Carnegie Hall
• Season: June 10
The Broadway We Love:
Promacs 40th Birthday Celebration
• Season: July 15
The Australian Ballet School
• Season: August 5
• Temori: Moment by Moment
• Season: August 26
The Australian Barbra Streisand Show
• Season: October 14
Pot-Pourri
• Season: November 18
Gina Hogan – The Christmas Belle Season: December 9
TUCKED away among leafy gardens and towering trees, with Ararat Creek winding peacefully through, Evergreen Glade is a light, airy, and character-filled mudbrick home that feels like a deep breath of fresh country air. From handcrafted timbers to wraparound verandahs and sun-drenched decks, every space invites you to slow down and enjoy the good life.
Inside, the spacious lounge sets the tone with vaulted ceilings, timber-framed windows, and a crackling woodfire. The kitchen is pure country magic — complete with stone benchtops, a farmhouse sink, loads of storage, dishwasher, split system, and not one but two stoves: a stunning Lacanche cooking range plus a second oven for those big family feasts. The open-plan living area spills effortlessly onto timber decks overlooking the sparkling, solarheated swimming pool, complete with glass balustrading for uninterrupted views.
The stunning oversized main retreat with a charming bay window, space to unwind, a walkin robe, and an ensuite featuring a handcrafted timber vanity. Two further bedrooms each with built in robes and bay windows, and a 4th bedroom/study that opens straight onto the deck. Downstairs you’ll find a wine cellar with powder room and a flexible converted garage — ideal as a rumpus, studio, or hobby space. Comfort is assured year-round with hydronic heating.
Outdoors, life gets even better — wide verandahs, shady sitting spots, and rolling lawns create the perfect setting for entertaining or relaxing. The shedding is a dream for tradies, hobbyists, or collectors: a massive 16m x 11m American-style barn with concrete floor, wood heater, television antenna, its own bar area, plus a second 14m x 11m workshop for extra storage and renovated office. There’s also 2 shipping containers for wood storage, plenty of parking, a fully fenced dog run, water tanks with a combined 75,000 litres, and four fenced paddocks with troughs producing lush pasture — an ideal setup for hobby farmers.
Bordering Appletree Lane (used as a fire trail), the property enjoys direct access to Chambers Reserve and scenic walking or riding trails — all just minutes from town.
Evergreen Glade is where rustic charm, comfort, and country lifestyle come together perfectly — a home that feels every bit as special as it sounds.
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. ●
THIS well presented family home perfectly balances generous space with the warmth and charm of a true country home.
From the feature solid timber kitchen to the expansive outdoor entertaining area, every detail has been thoughtfully designed for comfortable, practical family living.
The heart of the home is the impressive kitchen, boasting ample cabinetry, shelving, and a large feature timber island bench—ideal for gatherings and meal prep alike. A large gas cooktop and dishwasher make cooking a breeze, while the adjacent everyday dining space and casual lounge offer a relaxed, openplan atmosphere. Enjoy year-round comfort with a split system and a cozy wood fire, all complemented by gorgeous hardwood timber floorboards throughout.
The family-friendly layout includes four well-sized bedrooms, all with built-in robes, positioned off a separate formal living area, which also features a split system for additional climate control. The master suite truly feels like a retreat, offering a walk-in robe, spa ensuite with a timber vanity, and sliding door access to the rear decking—perfect for morning coffees or evening wind-downs.
The central family bathroom includes a shower, bath, and vanity, with a separate toilet for added convenience. Storage will never be an issue, with ample built-in solutions throughout the home. Rustic established gardens are certainly a nice addition.
This is a home that offers everything a growing family needs and a welcoming, countryinspired atmosphere.
Step outside to an expansive undercover entertaining area—ideal for weekend BBQs and outdoor dining.
A double garage completes the package, offering even more storage or workshop potential. Fully fenced backyard for the dogs or children and with direct access to the Warburton trail this is a absolute bonus for all the family to indulge in.
Short walk to the local pony club really does feel like you are in the country.. ●
Gareth Taylor is a dedicated Real Estate Agent with a strong connection to the Yarra Valley and Healesville region. A resident of Healesville for a number of years Gareth brings a passion for wanting to work and serve the community. He also carries a deep appreciation of the local lifestyle and property market to every client relationship
Get to know Gareth and see how he can help –ring or email to arrange an obligation free appraisal
POSITIONED on an elevated setting to capture sweeping views and bathed in natural light, this beautifully presented home offers warmth, charm, and instant appeal. From the moment you step inside, you’ll feel right at home.
At the heart of the home, the wellappointed kitchen features timber benchtops, free standing oven, great storage, dishwasher, breakfast bar and adjoining meals area. Step down into the lovely lounge area that boasts are charming wood fire for those cooler evenings. Double French doors open out to an inviting deck, ideal for weekend brunches or relaxed BBQs.
The home offers two great sized bedrooms that are serviced by the bathroom and laundry that have been tastefully updated with modern finishes for ultimate comfort and convenience.
Move-in ready with nothing left to do, the interiors are enhanced by stunning spotted gum flooring and garden vista views throughout. Enjoy year-round comfort with ducted heating and a reverse cycle air conditioner.
For the toys and tools, the property includes a double carport, garage and a workshop space. The balance of the 1,038m2 allotment offers a blank canvas for you to make your own. Located in ever-popular Emerald, you’ll love being part of this vibrant and welcoming community. ●
ON a leafy 4098sqm within walking distance to Emerald, this inviting 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home blends character, space, and flexibility for the whole family. A wide verandah wrapping around three sides creates a welcoming first impression and plenty of spots to enjoy the outdoors in every season.
Inside, the heart of the home is the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area where soaring timber ceilings and a woodfire add warmth and charm. The kitchen is both practical and stylish, with floating floors, freestanding oven with gas cooktop, island bench, dishwasher, corner pantry, and leafy garden views. Ducted heating runs throughout for year-round comfort.
Down the hall, three carpeted bedrooms with built-in robes are serviced by a central slate-floored bathroom, while the upstairs master retreat feels like a private hideaway with walk-in robe, ensuite, and a picture window overlooking the gardens.
Adding to the appeal is a self-contained one-bedroom unit complete with kitchenette, bathroom, split system, and verandah access — perfect for extended family, guests, or extra income. Outdoors, the property is fully fenced and ready for both play and practicality, with a four-car garage, single carport, cubby house, established fruit trees, a terraced entertaining area, and plenty of off-street parking to cater for family and visitors alike.
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. ●
AOne-of-a-KindOff-GridHaveninGembrook!
Seton5 privateacreswithtwospring-fedcreeks,thisremarkablefour-bedroomhomeisanoff-grid retreatlikenoother.A horseshoedrivewayleadsto awideverandahembracingsweepingviews. Inside,soaringceilings,exposedbeamsandtimberfloorsframetheopen-planloungeanddining withwoodfire,ceilingfanandbararea.Thekitchenblendsrusticcharmwithfunction,offering mahoganyandblackwoodbenches,walk-inpantry,hiddenfridge,dishwasher,gas/electriccooking andanIrishStanleyslowcombustionstove.Themasterincludes awalk-throughrobeandensuitestylebathroom,whileupstairstwofurtherbedroomsandduallivingzonescapturetreetopviews. Sustainabilityshineswitha 48vsolarsystem,generatorbackupandmultipleheating/coolingoptions. Withunder-housestorage,a 6m x6mcarportandtotalprivacy,thisisnotjusta home—it’sa lifestyle.
25EdmundsRoadCockatoo$749,000 -$820,000
CharmingCottagewithRoomtoLive,Work& Play!
Tuckedawayon a¼ acreblock,thischaracter-filledcottageofferstheperfectblendofcharm, space& versatilityforfamiliesoranyonecraving alittleextrabreathingroom.With4 bedrooms &2 bathrooms,thehome’slayouthasbeenthoughtfullydesignedforbotheverydayliving& entertaining.Warmth& personalityshinethrougheverycorner—fromthecharmingcottagefacade &highceilingsthroughouttothe2 ambientlivingareas,1 withanopenfire &theotherwitha wood fire,whereyoucanunwindorhostfamilymovienights.Outside, aseparatestudio,idealforartists, remoteworkersorweekendhobbies,while apoweredworkshop &a gamesroommeanthere’s somethingforeveryone.Thefullyfencedblockisprivate& secure,withplentyofspaceforpets, gardens,orsimplyenjoyingthefreshair. Adoublecarportcompletesthepackage.
SamanthaScott M 0438680032 4 A 2 B 2
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.
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TUCKED away in the peaceful surrounds of Belgrave South, yet only minutes from the conveniences of Rowville and Belgrave township, 47 Courtneys Road, Belgrave South offers the perfect balance of privacy, space and lifestyle. Set on a 1990m² block with a leafy outlook, this beautifully maintained family home is a true rare find, ideal for those seeking more of a country lifestyle but with connection to multiple city arterials.
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Comfortandconvenienceandpositionedjustminutesstrolltheeverpopularcafe’sandeateries inWesburn’smainstreet.Thisneathomeisbeautifullypresentedandboasts 2bedroomswithan openplankitchen/mealsandloungeroomandwithfreshpaintandfurnishingsthroughoutitoffers comfortableandeasycareliving.Outsideoffers alargelockupgarageandcarportwitheasy accesstothefrontandrearyards,landscapedareaswithamplespaceforthekidsandpetsto enjoy. Asuperbpropertywithnothingtodobutsitbackrelaxandenjoythepicturesquesurrounds andjustminuteswalktopublictransport,schoolsandtheboomingWesburnsportingcomplexit’sa greatplacetobe,fantasticvalueina greatlocation.
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Ideallylocatedwithlocalschools,shopsandtransportnearbythissuperneathomeissuperbly presentedinsideandoutandwillsuitifyou’rewantingtodownsizeorfirsthomebuyerswithanthe easycarelifestyle.Offering 2bedrooms,largeopenfamily/livingareaand agoodsizekitchen/meals area,thereisnothingtodobutjustmoveinandenjoy.Outsideoffers apavedarearearyard, securelyfencedgarden,shedandcarportplustheaddedbonusofsolarpoweraswell,situatedat theendofthecourtandsetinpicturesquesemiruralsurroundingsit’stheperfectplacetoliveand enjoytherelaxedlifestyle.
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Thisexceptionalhomeofferstheidealsmallcountrytownlifestyleandshowcasingaflexibleand thoughtfulfloorplantosuitthegrowingfamily.Boasting3 bedroomsallwithbuiltinrobesplusan ensuiteandwalkinrobeinthemainbedroom,spaciouslivingareaswith aseparateopenplan lounge/living/familyroom.Thekitchenisveryimpressivewithqualityappliances,benchtopsand amplebenchandcupboardspace,a modernwelldesignedhomeofferingfamilycomfortand space.Headoutsideandenjoythecoveredentertainingareawiththewarmereveningahead it’stheidealspottorelaxandunwind.Situatedonaneasycarelowmaintenanceblockwith landscapedgardensand alockupgaragewithsecurelyfencedrearyard,locatedjusta shortstroll tolocalschools,transportandYarraJunctionsshoppingprecinctit’stheidealplacetocallhome.
CharmingBrickHomewithMountainViews& GardenParadise Onalmost3/4acreandthoughtfullypositionedtoembracethebeautyoftheoutdoors,thisbrick homefeatureswindowsthatfloodtheinteriorwithnaturallightandoffermountainviews.Upstairs, you’llfind awarmandwelcominglayoutwiththreegenerousbedrooms, awellappointed bathroom,and acosyopen-planloungeanddiningarea.Downstairspresents afantastic opportunityformulti-generationallivingorguestaccommodation.Stepoutsideanddiscovera sun soaked,rusticcountrygardenbrimmingwithcharm.Windingpaths,matureplantings,andplentyof roomtoroammakethisoutdoorspacebothrelaxingandinspiring.Theoutdoorentertainingareais anabsolutedelight,peaceful,andperfectforhostinggatheringsyear-round.Thispropertyoffersa rareblendofversatility,character,andnaturalbeauty.Comeandexperienceitforyourself. 36DonnaBuangRd,Warburton$780,000 -$830,000
RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068
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 Wild dog (5)
4 Not at all sleepy (4-5)
9 Bituminous road layer (7)
10 Appointment to a job (7)
11 Doppelganger (4-5)
12 Offshoot (5)
13 Harden (3)
14 Having the power to make laws (11)
16 Reminding one of something (11)
19 Fuel (3)
20 Tests (5)
22 Relating to the lungs (9)
25 Set apart (7)
26 Breastbone (7)
27 Inelegant (9)
28 Saloon car (5)
1 Speak with elongated vowel sounds (5)
2 'Not to worry' (2,7)
3 Former US president (5)
4 Soaking (7)
5 Lower (7)
6 Helper (9)
7 Fact of being elsewhere (5)
8 Designer of goods and structures (9)
13 Tending to plants (9)
14 Visible features of an area (9)
15 Firmly fixed (9)
17 Highest (7)
18 Enrols in the armed forces (7)
21 Fragrance (5)
23 Auspices (5)
24 Arab state (5)
By Les Hutchings
It was a round of mixed results for Kilsyth Cricket Club on the weekend, with victories being recorded by the men’s First and Fourth XI’s whilst the other men’s teams went down narrowly. The Juniors also had some exciting finishes, including a tie in the Under 14s. Captain Coach Andy Solomons again starred for the First XI following last week’s century with a sizzling 84 off 59 balls. An opening partnership of 117 between Fourth XI co-captain Greg Gommers 78*, and Tyron Paspa 44, was another highlight. The Second XI’s Ryan Tooth took the men’s senior bowling honours with 3/29 off four overs. For the women’s team, Lecia Baldry took 3/30, including a hat-trick. Serena Gibbs did well to score 35 in her first innings for the Club, as well as taking 2/22 with the ball. Her sister Stephanie top-scored with a promising 40 not out, her highest score for the Club.
The First XI played Wonga Park at Alan Smith Oval, Pinks Reserve in a 40-over per side oneday match in the RDCA’s Wilkins Cup, Premier 1 competition. Wonga Park won the toss and elected to bat. Veteran Mark Unternahrer was brought into the Kilsyth side at the last moment due to the withdrawal of injured opening bowler Kamal Kuruppu. Andy Solomons and new recruit, Isuru Umesh, opened the bowling with Umesh switching ends after his first over and taking his first wicket for Kilsyth in his fourth over, clean bowling Jackson Ford for 26 off 32 balls, with the score now 1/40 after 8.4 overs. It was an important wicket as Ford had made 86 in round one. At the drinks break after 20 overs, Wonga Park were 1/79 with opener Ben Thompson on 28 and Thomas Hancock 15*. After drinks, the second wicket fell with the score on 89 in the 22nd over, when Hancock was caught behind by Will Beard off the bowling of Unternahrer for 19 off 39 balls. Spinner Mackenzie Scott-Thomas was reintroduced into the attack, and with the first ball of his second over in the new spell, had Ben Thompson well caught at long-on by Dylan Smith. Thompson had batted well for 41 off 71 balls, and Wonga were now 3/99 off 24.1 overs. A good partnership of 74 between Benjamin Mathews and Toby Ford took the score to 173 when Ford was adjudged lbw for 24 off 32 balls, off the bowling of Umesh in the 36th over. Then Solomons bowled Joshua White for 14 on the last ball of the 39th over. White had faced 11 balls and hit one six. With one over remaining, Wonga were 5/208 and finished on 5/219cc, with Captain Ben Mathews 75 not out off 56 balls. The wicket takers for Kilsyth were First XI debutant Umesh, 2/37 off 7 overs, Unternahrer 1/31 off eight overs, Scott-Thomas 1/36 off eight overs, and Solomons 1/29 off five overs.
Young openers Will Beard and Jack Childs steadily set about the run chase and shared an opening partnership of 62 in 14.3 overs before Beard was caught by Ben White off the bowling of Joshua White for a well-made 30 off 46 balls. This brought captain-coach Andy Solomons to the crease, and he continued on with his fine form from round one. Solomons and Childs added another 26 runs before Childs was caught by Daniel Keane, bowled by Andy Reynolds, for a fine 34 off 55 balls. Kilsyth were now 2/88 after 18.2 overs with Solomons 17 not out off 13 balls. The experienced Mark Unternahrer and Solomons then kept the scoreboard ticking and at the halfway drinks break, Kilsyth were 2/96 after 20 overs. The run rate continued to accelerate with good batting, and eventually, they put on 104 for the third wicket, when Solomons skied an attempted big hit to be caught by Thomas Hancock off the bowling of Joshua White for a superb 84 off 59 balls (seven fours and six sixes), to set the game up for Kilsyth. The Redbacks were now 3/192 off 32.2 overs with victory within sight. Congratulations to Andy Solomons, who passed 1000 senior runs for the Club during this innings. Unternahrer was the fourth wicket to fall with the score on 208 after 35.1 overs, stumped Jackson Ford, bowled Thomas Hancock for a fighting 35 off 40 balls. Mackenzie Scott-Thomas then joined the classy Panegoda, who cracked two fours during the rest of this over to win the game for Kilsyth. So, Kilsyth finished on 4/221 off 35.5 overs to record another excellent win, with Panegoda 18 not out off 14
balls, and Scott-Thomas three not out.
The Second XI played against Lilydale at Lilydale Recreation Reserve in the Meehan Shield (Premier 1 Section). The Redbacks won the toss and elected to bowl. However, an opening partnership of 109 between Elijah Prentice, 70 off 87 balls, and Cameron Thompson, 34 off 76 balls, got Lilydale off to a great start. Kilsyth did well from there to restrict the Falcons to 7/190cc off 40 overs with Luke Hands scoring 29. The best of Kilsyth’s bowlers were Ryan Tooth, 3/29 off four overs, spinner Justin Smith 2/38 off eight overs, and opening bowler Max Wills, 1/26 off eight overs. In reply, Kilsyth just fell short by 10 runs, scoring 5/180cc off their 40 overs. The chief run getters were Max Wills, 58* off 75 balls, Daniel Caton 47 off 58 balls, Sanjeev Rana 32 off 48 balls, and Tim Asbury 16* off 16 balls.
The Third XI were at home on Roy Baldwin Oval against Warrandyte in the Don Smith Shield (Premier 2 Section). Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat. After an opening partnership of 40 in 7.3 overs between Ben Nicoll and Robert Hutchings, Kilsyth lost three quick wickets to be 3/45 after 9.5 overs, with Nicoll scoring 31 off 32 balls, and Ross Damico taking all three wickets. The score progressed to 4/69 off 20 overs at the drinks break, with father-son combination Matt and Tait Harper at the crease. The fifth wicket to fall was Matt Harper. So, Kilsyth were now 5/105 off 24.3 overs. The Redbacks battled on and were eventually all out for 168 in 38.5 overs, with the injured Kamal Kuruppu 13 not out off 17 balls.
After the tea break, Kilsyth’s opening bowler Matthew Burgess struck early with two wickets in his second over to have Warrandyte 2/13 in the third over. Then, in the 15th over Kamal Kuruppu, who was playing with an injury, took the third wicket, and Warrandyte were 3/63. For Kilsyth, Matthew Burgess captured 2/33 off eight overs, Kamal Kuruppi 1/17 off eight overs, and Matt Harper 1/26 off four overs. Congratulations to Himeth Kuruppu, who played his first game for the Club.
The Fourth XI travelled to Coldstream Recreation Reserve to play Coldstream Second XI in the District 1 B Grade competition. Coldstream
won the toss and elected to bat. After an opening partnership of 73, they compiled 5/168cc off their allotted 36 overs. Coldstream’s opening batsman and captain, Ian Thompson, top scored with 61 off 102 balls and was well supported by Scott Adams, 41* off 43 balls. Kilsyth’s co-captain Greg Gommers was the best of the bowlers with 2/17 off five overs, while the other wicket takers were Jordan Relf, 1/24 off six overs, and Tegan Unternahrer 1/22 off two overs. A first wicket partnership of 117 between Tyron Paspa, 44 off 87 balls, and Greg Gommers, who finished on 78* off 87, set up the victory for the Redbacks. The match ended with Kilsyth on 3/169 after 32.4 overs to record a comfortable win.
The Fifth XI played Wantirna South Fourth XI. Wantirna South won the toss and elected to bowl. Kilsyth lost wickets steadily to be 6/115 but from there the Redbacks’ batsmen got on top, helping to lift Kilsyth’s score to an imposing 8/248cc off 36 overs. Wantirna South was able to reach 5/249 off 34.1 overs and achieve victory. The match was certainly a run feast with 497 runs being scored off 70.1 overs!
On Sunday, Kilsyth Women’s First XI played Montrose at Montrose Recreation Reserve. Montrose won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions. A bright opening partnership of 46 in 9.5 overs was broken when Tammy Pearce was caught by Monique Maassen off the bowling of Captain Ashleigh Katoa for 10 off 25 balls. The secondwicketfellinthenextoverwhenCharlotte Stevens was caught and bowled by Rhiley Unternahrer for f,our and Montrose were now 2/59 off 11 overs. It was 3/69 after 13 overs when Tegan Unternahrer trapped Belinda Harding lbw for an attacking 53 off 42 balls. At the drinks break, Montrose were 3/100 after 18 overs. In the 34th over, the fourth and fifth wickets both fell with the score on 197 and both batters were bowled by Lecia Baldry with the last two balls of her sixth over, including Grace Pearce, who had batted well for 45 off 44 balls. In the next over, captain Kaitlyn Kile was caught by Lecia Baldry, bowled Serena Gibbs for 54 off 68 balls, and then another wicket, caught and bowled by Serena Gibbs, to see Montrose now 7/198. The 36th and last over
was bowled by Lecia Baldry, who claimed another wicket, clean bowled, with her first ball of the over, to complete a hat-trick! It was Lecia’s second hat-trick for the Club, the first being taken in the 2012/13 Fourth XI Men’s Grand Final. Thus, Montrose finished on 8/199cc off their allotted 36 overs. The wicket takers for Kilsyth were Lecia Baldry 3/30 off seven overs, Serena Gibbs 2/22 off four overs, Ashleigh Katoa 1/10 off six overs, Rhiley Unternahrer 1/33 off five overs, and Tegan Unternahrer 1/26 off six overs. In the run chase, Kilsyth were 0/7 off 1.3 overs when rain stopped play. Upon the resumption, the Redbacks lost three quick wickets to be 3/48 off 9.4 overs. Then, on the last ball of the 14th over, opener Serena Gibbs, batting for the Club for the first time, was caught by Kaitlyn Kile off the bowling of Alicia Gugele for a well-made 35 off 48 balls, and Kilsyth were now 4/70. At drinks after 18 overs, the Redbacks were 4/83. The fifth wicket fell on 84 after 19.2 overs when Riley Unternahrer was bowled by Tammy Pearce for 16 off 33 balls. It was soon 6/96 off 21.5 overs when Tammy Pearce took the next wicket, caught by Kaitlyn Kile. From there, Kilsyth batted it out, finishing on 6/159cc. Stephanie Gibbs top scored with 40 not out off 57 balls, whilst Nicole Woolhouse was 17 not out off 41 balls.
After a tough first week of action, the cricketers of Mt Evelyn were looking to atone with a few more wins in week two.
The Community Bank - Mt Evelyn First XI hosted Heatherdale for the first time in club history in their first home game of the season. The visitors would win the toss and elect to bat on a ground ripe for a big score. Bohdie Jones and Darcy Fraser would keep things tight early, but the wickets would not be forthcoming and it left the Dales in a prime position to push towards a big total.
Alex Maskell was high on the Mounters recruitment list over the off season, and he would show what they missed out on peeling off a second successive unbeaten century from the first two rounds. He would feast on an under strength attack as the home team were clambering for answers. An unbeaten partnership of 137 run partnership between Maskell and Ben Joseph would propel the final total to an imposing 2/244.
Although the chase looked to be a stretch, the Mounters would’ve approached the task with some positivity knowing that with a couple of significant partnerships, the chase wasn’t impossible to achieve.
Unfortunately for the home team, the partnerships would be few and far between. Captain Campbell Mole (40) would keep things together at the top of the order, whilst a rapid fire unbeaten 43 from the recalled Mike Mawson gave the chase some starch, but there was little substance from the rest of the batting line up. When it was all said and done, the Mounters would’ve approached be dismissed for a dismal 144, consigning the home team to their second loss. Although missing a couple of key pegs in their line up, Mt Evelyn would be disappointed with the second round showing.
The Professionals Outer East Second XI would continue their unbeaten start to the season with an impressive victory on the road against a dogged Norwood outfit. Norwood would win the toss and gave the Mounters the opportunity to post a score and they duly accepted. A 96 run opening partnership between Brad Westaway (62) and Luke Jones (48) would establish the foundations of a decent total. The rest of the order had the freedom of chasing quick runs with little risk and when the overs would run out, the Mounters would’ve approached post 7/197, a useful total, but by no means dominant.
Kynan Yates would again lead the bowling attack with a steady hand at the top taking 2/38, whilst he would be ably supported by opening partner Aussie Leonard who would produce figures of 2/23. The pair would ensure that the Norseman would be behind the eight ball throughout the innings. To the home teams credit, they stayed in the contest right through the innings, but an impressive all round bowling performance from the visitors clinched them a vital 18 run victory restricting their opponents to 9/179 when stumps were drawn. Billie Laird (3/37) and Luke Shepherd (2/32) would be responsible for keeping the wicket taking pressure on after their openers had finished their bowling stints.
The Rhead Group Third XI secured them a vital most impressive victory of the weekend with a clinical victory over Mooroolbark. Batting first, the Barkers had little answers to speedsters Alex Whiting (4/14) and Caleb Doyle (3/10) as they reduced their opponents to hosts to 7/71. A rear guard innings of 63 to Mark Blackman would push the total to three figures, but the Mounters would be well pleased with a chase of just 122. Young gun Cambell Finch would be masterful in the chase as he would show experience beyond his years as he would orchestrate an
impressive chase. Finch would plunder an undefeated innings of 70, facing 51 deliveries and smoking 13 fours and one six. He would ensure it was an early finish as the Mounters closed out a strong victory before the drinks break.
The Hop Hen Fourth XI hosted Warrandyte at Gruyere and despite some improvements on last week’s showing, they still couldn’t crack it for their first win of the season.
Batting first, Warrandyte would find themselves in some early bother through some excellent bowling from Ian Hawkey, Campbell Manser and Robbie Wilson, and a couple of wickets to Alastair Churchill. The Mt Evelyn attack would have the visitors teetering at 5/89. The Bloods would respond through an excellent unbeaten 90 run partnership between Bruce Twite and Peter Hanson that would boost the final total to 5/179. A tough chase for the Mounters. Churchill would give the innings a flourishing start with a run-a-ball 20, but regular top order wickets would heap pressure on the rest of the Mt Evelyn batting line up. Lachie Robertson would be the constant steady hand throughout the innings, and with Cambell Manser (32), the pair would add a useful 63 run 6th wicket part-
nership to breathe life into a flailing innings. Unfortunately for the hosts, the required run rate had climbed to nearly ten an over. A pretty tough task. That it proved to be as the Mounters lost a glut of wickets at the end chasing victory. Eventually they would be bowled out for 154 in the last over. Although short of victory, a much improved effort with the bat from the first round.
The Lilydale Tyres Fifth XI completed a comprehensive victory against South Croydon on ‘The Postage Stamp’. Bowling first, the Mounters would restrict the Bulldogs to miserly total of 7/137. A remarkable effort considering the size of the ground and the fact that their opponents had batted out their allotted overs. There were no real standouts in an even performance with the ball, but the highlight was young Simi Cook collecting his first senior wicket.
The Mounters made short work of the chase with Craig Kenins (37), young gun Ezra Joyce (35) and Leighton Joyce (35 not out) contributing handy totals to the Mt Evelyn score. The home team would secure victory in the 23rd over with eight wickets still in hand. An impressive victory for the reining champs.
The Flowtec Sixth XI managed to muster a
team this week and took the field for the first time for the 2025/26 season as they travelled to Warranwood. The Mounters made a bright start to the game with the bat as Ian Llewellyn and Sam Vanhoogstraten would set the team on course for a handy total. Vanhoogstraten was destructive with the bat peeling off a brisk half century featuring ten 4s and one 6. When Jamie Shawn followed suit and smashed an equally impressive half century of his own, the visitors looked well set.
Unfortunately, the rest of the batting order haven’t had much of a hit over the offseason and it showed as the side slumped from 4/160 to all out for 166. Even Vanhoogstraten and Shawn couldn’t arrest the slide as they were unable to add to their retirement scores.
Although below what they looked like getting, the final total was still a competitive one. Unfortunately, despite a steady bowling display, wickets were hard to come by and Warranwood would pass the total fairly risk free.
Vanhoogstraten would complete a good game taking 2/22, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Sharks would pass the total with seven wickets in hand.
Mooroolbark Football Club is thrilled to announce David Gallagher as the new senior men’s coach, ushering in an exciting new chapter for the Mustangs. With a remarkable career that spans playing stints at Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Sandringham, Frankston, and more, Gallagher brings elite-level
experience and leadership to the role. He captained Sandringham, collected multiple premierships, and earned Best and Fairest honours along the way, making him a proven figure in both performance and culture building.
His coaching credentials are equally impressive, most recently serving as on-ball coach at Red
Hill Football Club and leadership coach at Sandringham in the VFL. Beyond his football resume, Gallagher has carved out a reputation as a mentor and personal development leader, combining philosophy-driven coaching with modern science-backed approaches to performance.
Hisworkinleadershipdevelopmentandmeditationbringsafresh,holisticedgetotheMustangs, aligning perfectly with the club’s vision of growth, unity, and long-term success. The Mooroolbark community can expect a passionate and innovative approach under Gallagher’s guidance as he helps shape the next era of Mustangs football.
Tuesday 21st October 2025,11am to 3pm