Mail - Ferntree Gully Star Mail - 14th October 2025

Wise Ones celebrate

By Tanya Steele

As Mental Health Month in Australia continues, Selby Community House and it’s over-60s social group, ‘Wise Ones’, have welcomed the news of a community grant from Australia Post.

Selby House Manager Danielle Steele said their house applied for the grant to give to be able to give their group ‘a little something more’ and to continue to address loneliness and isolation among older adults in the Selby area, the group began small then slowly grew.

Danielle said Wise Ones has become a beautiful group, with noticeable changes and connections forged.

“There are some really lovely friendships that have developed, people bake things and bring things along to share,” she said.

Read more on page 9

Family’s battle

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Bloodied, bruised and virtually unrecognisable.

This is what a Seville East family’s 18-year-old son looked like when he came home from a Dandenong Ranges school.

The now 19-year-old, Lachlan, who is non-verbal and has an autism diagnosis, was described by his father as looking “like he’d just come out of a boxing match with Mike Tyson” after an incident at school left him injured.

His parents said the school failed to notify them of their son’s escalating behaviour, and they

were never provided with an up-to-date behaviour support plan, despite clear warning signs.

“It was just so heart-breaking,” Lachlan’s father, Daryl, said.

According to Daryl, the school never called an ambulance, and the family wasn’t informed of the incident until after Lachlan came home visibly injured.

“We weren’t even told and you’ve got to understand, this is a kid who can’t tell us what happened,” he said.

“He can’t say, ‘This person did this’ or ‘This is

why I was upset.’ We rely entirely on the people around him to be transparent, and we got nothing.”

When asked for a behaviour support plan, Daryl claimed the school sent through one that was two years old which failed to outline how the school planned to prevent such behaviours.

The family is now pursuing legal action through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing their son’s treatment was not only unacceptable but part of a broader systemic failure.

The Department of Education issued the following statement:

“The safety and wellbeing of all our students is the highest priority in Victorian schools.”

“As this matter is now before VCAT, it is inappropriate for the Department to comment further.”

The emotional toll on the family has been immense.

When asked what outcome he hopes for from the legal process, Daryl had one word: “Accountability.”

Read more on page 4

Starting in 2024 with no funding, the group are excited to plan even more meaningful activities and fun outings for their Wise Ones over the next year. (Stewart Chambers)

Teen may have overdosed

By Tara Cosoleto, AAP

An expert can’t determine how a young woman died because her body was crushed in a garbage truck six weeks after she was allegedly murdered, a court has heard.

Marat Ganiev, 53, is accused of killing Isla Bell on 7 October, 2024, three days after the 19-yearold, who grew up in the Dandenong Ranges, was last seen leaving her Brunswick home in Melbourne’s north.

Her remains were found at a rubbish tip in the city’s southeast on 19 November.

Ganiev faced Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link on Monday 6 October, listening through an interpreter for the start of his committal hearing.

Eyal Yaffe, 58, who allegedly helped him dispose of Ms Bell’s body, also fronted court charged with assisting an offender.

Ganiev is accused of murdering Ms Bell before 2am on 7 October, with CCTV allegedly showing him striking the teen in the kitchen of his St Kilda East apartment.

Prosecutors allege he spent two days cleaning his home before Yaffe came over towing a trailer carrying a black fridge.

The pair was allegedly seen removing a different fridge wrapped in plastic onto the back of the trailer on 17 October.

Yaffe is accused of driving the fridge to a Caulfield South address, while police say Ganiev then moved the appliance multiple times over the course of two weeks.

Ganiev allegedly left the fridge concealed behind other items in a removalist van on 30 October, with another resident locating the appliance on 18 November.

The man found a bag inside after smelling a foul odour and threw it in the bin, believing it was a dead animal.

Ms Bell’s remains were discovered in the Dandenong rubbish facility the next day after her disappearance sparked an emotional missing-person appeal from her family.

Forensic pathologist Hans de Boer told the court on Monday he performed Ms Bell’s autopsy but was unable to determine her cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition.

There was evidence of injuries, including lacerations and fractures, but the expert said he could not ascertain if they occurred shortly before death, at the time of death or later on.

When defence barrister Ian Hill KC asked if all of the injuries could have been caused by the compactor in the rubbish truck, Dr de Boer replied: “Absolutely, yes”.

overdose.

Ms Flynn pointed to evidence from forensic experts, who outlined the drugs including methadone, MDMA and cannabis that were in Ms Bell’s system.

A toxicologist said one of those drugs or a combination of them could cause death, she noted.

The barrister argued the prosecution could not rule out that Ms Bell died from the drugs she consumed.

It could not be excluded that the multiple fractures to Ms Bell’s skull and ribs were caused by the rubbish truck compactor after her death, Ms Flynn added.

She highlighted the evidence of pathologist Hans de Boer, who conceded all of the teen’s injuries could have come from the truck’s compactor.

Ms Flynn argued if the magistrate was not convinced of her arguments around causation, she would have to accept Ganiev did not have an intention to kill.

He only met Ms Bell a couple of days before the alleged murder and there was no evidence of any physical assault or violence, she said.

Police claimed there was CCTV footage showing Ganiev striking Ms Bell, but Ms Flynn said the alleged assault was not depicted in the vision.

“If you reject our submission, even on the prosecution case it’s said the deceased is seen on the CCTV after that so it can’t be the acts that caused her death,” she said.

Ganiev’s actions after Ms Bell’s death could also not be used to prove murder, rather it was a sign he panicked, Ms Flynn said.

Police allege he put Ms Bell into a fridge and then, with help from his co-accused Eyal Yaffe, he moved the appliance to multiple different locations.

Yaffe, 58, is charged with assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Yaffe’s barrister Ian Hill KC on Wednesday also pushed for the charges against his client to be withdrawn.

He said his client did not know or hold the belief that Ganiev had killed Ms Bell, nor did he know her remains were inside the fridge.

She said she had not been informed Ms Bell’s body was compacted in the rubbish truck before the remains were discovered.

Toxicology reports showed the presence of prescription medication and illicit drugs includ-

Forensic anthropologist Samantha Rowbotham, who also analysed Ms Bell’s remains, told the court the injuries happened at or near the point of death, but she could not be more specific about timing.

ing MDMA in Ms Bell’s system at the time of her death, the court heard.

Ganiev’s barrister Sally Flynn KC argued the prosecution’s case was entirely circumstantial as she pushed for her client to be discharged.

She said the police could not prove the 53-year-old caused Ms Bell’s death and it could not be excluded that Ms Bell died from a drug

Mr Hill reiterated Ms Flynn’s submissions about the expert forensic evidence, highlighting how Dr de Boer was unable to ascertain the cause of death.

Prosecutor Nadia Kaddeche accepted the prosecution case was circumstantial but argued the issues raised by the defence should be left to a jury to decide.

Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz will hand down her decision on 31 October.

Concern grows for missing Cockatoo camper Troy Milne

Police have renewed their appeal for information to find 61-year-old man Troy Milne as concern for the missing man grows.

Troy – who is an insulin-dependent diabetic - was camping with his wife when he disappeared on Tuesday 7 October about 5.30pm.

The Cockatoo man left the caravan park in Woodside Beach to pick up supplies in his 2007 silver and black Jeep Wrangler, with registration XPZ-342.

What should have been a short errand has turned into a five-day search, involving the police Air Wing and SES volunteers.

Enquiries by police have established Troy attended a store in Sale on the day he went missing about 6.10pm.

The following day, Troy’s vehicle was picked up on automated number plate recognition technology at 9.18am in Bairnsdale.

Later that same day, it’s believed Troy purchased items from an Omeo service station at 12.46pm.

Staff have advised he appeared lost and confused, requesting directions to return to Bairnsdale.

The last known sighting of Troy’s vehicle was captured on CCTV as he travelled south through Swifts Creek on the Great Alpine Road at 1.03pm.

As Troy lives with diabetes and does not

Isla Bell’s remains were found at a dump six weeks after she was allegedly murdered. (Supplied)

61-year-old Troy Milne has been missing since 7 October. (Victoria Police)

Ex-pastor jailed for grandchild abuse

The County Court of Victoria has sentenced a former respected pastor, Michael Peele, to six months’ immediate imprisonment, as part of a total three-year sentence for sexually abusing three young girls, his granddaughters, during the 1990s.

The sentence was delivered in August 2025, following a jury conviction on multiple historic abuse charges, and revealed a disturbing breach of trust within both family and community settings.

The offending occurred between 1992 and 2000, which involved three granddaughters who were aged between three and eight years at the time, his abuse took place in locations where the children were entitled to feel safe, including his family home and the church where he held a pastoral role.

The offences ranged from indecent acts to the serious charge of incest, the latter involving digital penetration of one granddaughter while she was isolated and vulnerable.

Following the convictions, it was revealed that Peele had been employed in various roles at Belgrave Heights Christian School and Upwey High School during the mid-2000s, including as a part-time chaplain until his resignation in 2010.

Despite these positions, no complaints or reports of misconduct were made during his employment at these schools, and authorities confirmed no investigations were underway at that time.

At 86 years old, Peele entered the sentencing hearing with significant health issues, including a history of triple bypass surgery, heart failure,

osteoarthritis, chronic neck pain, hearing impairment, and other age-related ailments.

His defence argued that these factors, combined with his old age and lack of prior convictions, should weigh heavily in favour of a non-custodial sentence.

The medical reports submitted to the court detailed the strain that imprisonment would impose on Peele’s already fragile health.

Despite these mitigating factors, County Court of Victoria’s Judge, Pardeep Tiwana underscored the seriousness of the offences and the lasting impact on the victims and their families.

Mr Tiwana noted the profound betrayal of trust, especially given the familial relationship and the power imbalance involved, the judge also emphasised the necessity of a custodial sentence to reflect the gravity of the crimes, send a strong denunciatory message to the community, and act as a deterrent to others.

Peele was sentenced to a total effective term of three years, with six months to be served immediately and the remaining two years and six months suspended for three years.

This sentence balances the need for punishment with recognition of his health and age, while also ensuring community protection through ongoing supervision.

Peele was further declared a serious sexual offender under Victorian law, requiring lifetime registration and strict reporting obligations to Victoria Police, with penalties for any breaches.

The court also took into account the significant delay between the offences and prosecution, a factor largely driven by the victims’ trauma and the challenges in coming forward after many years.

The judge stated while this delay added some degree of additional punishment, it did not diminish the seriousness of Peele’s actions, moreover, Peele’s family has since disowned him and severed all contact, and he currently lives alone, significantly reducing any risk of reoffending.

The case has raised broader concerns within the community and the institutions where Peele worked.

Both Belgrave Heights Christian School and the Truth and Liberation Church have publicly condemned Peele’s conduct and reaffirmed their commitment to child safety standards, in line with Victorian Child Safe Standards.

The schools emphasised no complaints had been made against Peele during his tenure, and that his offences were historic and unrelated to his time working in educational settings.

Following the sentencing, members of the victims’ extended family expressed a complex mixture of relief and frustration, while acknowledging the significance of a custodial sentence at Peele’s age, they voiced a desire for a longer period of imprisonment given the profound and enduring impact of the abuse on their family.

The case has underscored the ongoing need for vigilance and robust child protection policies within both religious and educational institutions.

Peele will begin serving his sentence, having already spent 20 days in pre-sentence detention.

His lifetime registration as a serious sexual offender will require him to comply with strict reporting requirements, ensuring ongoing monitoring by law enforcement.

Any future breach of these conditions may result in the activation of the suspended portion of his sentence or additional penalties.

Two arrested in Monbulk over theft

Two men were arrested in Monbulk on Friday morning, after police allegedly found them in possession of a stolen Toyota Landcruiser.

Police said officers spotted the vehicle in a carpark near the corner of Main and Monbulk roads around 10am on Friday, 3 October.

Officers moved in and arrested two men without incident, with no injuries reported.

A 25-year-old man and a 28-year-old man, both from Cranbourne, were taken into custody and interviewed by police.

Investigators allege the Toyota was stolen from a Box Hill address on 26 September.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or may have dashcam footage from the area to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Teen missing

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing teenager Christina, who was last seen in Hamilton around 12pm on 5 October.

The 16-year-old is described as approximately 165cm tall, with a slim build and long black hair.

There are concerns for Christina’s welfare due to her age, and police believe she may be in the Ferntree Gully area.

Anyone who sees Christina or has information about her whereabouts is urged to contact Cranbourne Police Station on (03) 5991 0600.

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

Cardinia Shire pet registration checks begin

From Friday 10 October, trained and licensed Regi-Check ambassadors will begin door-knocking selected households across Cardinia Shire to remind pet owners about the importance of registering their cats and dogs. Operating on behalf of Council, these ambassadors will provide information, not fines, and will wear high-vis vests, carry official ID, and place signage in areas being visited.

In Cardinia Shire, all cats and dogs must be microchipped and registered once they are three months old. Registration ensures lost pets can be quickly reunited with their owners and helps protect local wildlife from roaming animals. Pet registrations must be renewed by 10 April each year and can be completed online, by phone, or in person.

Council’s Compliance Officers will follow up with properties where animals are identified. For full details or to register your pet, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/petregistration

Former pastor Michael Peele was jailed for historic abuse of granddaughters (462694)

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Montrose fire: A wake-up call for upcoming fire season

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 keeping 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

Family seeks answers over disabled son’s injuries

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

A Seville East family is demanding accountability after their 18-year-old autistic son was sent home from school in the Dandenong Ranges bloodied, bruised, and virtually unrecognisable, with his father describing him as looking “like he’d just come out of a boxing match with Mike Tyson.”

The now 19-year-old, Lachlan, who is non-verbal and lives with a significant intellectual disability, had never displayed such extreme behaviours at home.

His parents say the school failed to notify them of escalating incidents, and they were never provided with an up-to-date behaviour support plan, despite clear warning signs.

“It was just so heart-breaking,” Lachlan’s father, Daryl, said.

“We’ve got three kids, and he’s the youngest. We put so much effort into him, unfairly, probably, to the other two. 90 percent of our time was focused on keeping him happy, safe, supported and it was working, he was going well.”

“And then suddenly, he started coming home like that. He had blood on his face, bruises, a swollen lip. I just looked at him and said, ‘What the hell is going on?’ It looked like he’d just come out of a boxing match with Mike Tyson and no one could give us a straight answer.”

According to Daryl, the school never called an ambulance, and the family wasn’t informed of the incident until after Lachlan came home visibly injured.

“We weren’t even told and you’ve got to understand, this is a kid who can’t tell us what happened,” he said.

“He can’t say, ‘This person did this’ or ‘This is why I was upset.’ We rely entirely on the people around him to be transparent, and we got nothing.”

“When we asked for the behaviour support plan, they sent through one that was two years old, that’s all they had. It said things like, ‘If he hits his head once, do this. Twice, do that.’ There was nothing in there about what was causing the behaviours, nothing about preventing it, just what to do after the damage is already done.”

The family is now pursuing legal action through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing their son’s treatment was not only unacceptable but part of a broader systemic failure.

A long-time disability advocate supporting the family, Julie Phillips, said Lachlan’s case is sadly not unique.

“As a human being, I was appalled,” she said.

“And as an advocate, I’m just despairing. It is exhausting to see government schools, especially those that label themselves ‘specialist’ dealing with disability-related behaviours with such in-

competence and violence, year after year.”

“Victorian government schools, particularly the segregated ones, simply don’t have the expertise to support students with severe behaviours of concern and they don’t try to. Instead of bringing in experts or forming multidisciplinary teams, they rely on outdated, harmful responses, and that’s what happened to this boy.”

Ms Phillips said she was not surprised the school failed to notify Lachlan’s parents at the time of the incident.

“The Victorian Department of Education’s first priority is the reputation of their teachers,” she said.

“Schools know that, if they can hide what they’re doing, that is their preferred option. Many of these schools have already been sued over violent incidents involving students with disabilities and they just keep going.”

The Department of Education issued the following statement:

“The safety and wellbeing of all our students is

the highest priority in Victorian schools.”

“As this matter is now before VCAT, it is inappropriate for the Department to comment further.”

But Daryl said the school had no clear procedures and when pressed on how they planned to prevent future incidents, the responsibility was pushed back onto him.

“They kept saying, ‘Well, what do you want us to do?’” he said.

“And I’d tell them, ‘That’s your job. You tell me what your procedures are. You’re the experts, right?’ But they had nothing.”

“They couldn’t even tell me what to do if he started hurting himself. I said, if he was being attacked by another kid, you’d have to step in. If he’s attacking himself, you’ve still got to protect him. But they didn’t have a plan. And even when I begged them for one, they didn’t send it. Eventually, after I went to the Department, they gave me something and it was useless. Just a few lines about when to intervene - nothing preventative.”

The emotional toll on the family has been immense.

Daryl was forced to stop working to care for Lachlan full-time, and they are now working towards setting Lachlan up to live independently with appropriate 24/7 care.

“Most kids like Lachlan, after something like this, they end up in residential care,” Daryl said.

“The families just burn out. We’re lucky that we’ve had good people help us, but it’s been a hell of a fight.”

When asked what outcome he hopes for from the legal process, Daryl had one word: “Accountability.”

“I don’t want this swept under the rug like it has been for so many others,” he said.

“Because most parents, they don’t have the fight left in them. They’re too busy trying to survive.”

Julie Phillips echoed that sentiment.

For Daryl, the answer lies in prevention and compassion.

An autistic boy was sent home from school bloodied and bruised, with the parents now taking the case to VCAT. (File)

The fire was quick to spread, surprising many who lived near it and those who had to fight it.

(Mt Evelyn Fire Brigade)

Montrose resident Bree Kuffer, who lived just two kilometres from the bushfire, said it was a wake-up call. (CFA)

Citizenship ceremonies ramp up over backlog

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.

Siblings Josh, Jessica May and Joven Mark Mari Crisotomo Athelm receiving their citizenships at Yarra Ranges Council in 2023. (File: 317146)

Rough-sleeper reports soar

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 are 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 slow down 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 ho-

listic health response, explore housing options, provide 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 under resourced 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-db00-4af5-974cf84c901d40db

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.

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)

Forum to gauge crime trends

By

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

A Neighbourhood Policing Forum is scheduled for 12 November in Mooroolbark. (Dongyun Kwon: 433196)

Mikayla van Loon

Beyond Blue highlights the power of connection

As the world marks World Mental Health Day on October 10, 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 CEO 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 18–24 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 is calling 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, is ‘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/2025world-mental-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.

Seniors struggle to deal with a cashless society

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

As part of October’s Senior Festival Month, we turn our attention to a quiet street in Cockatoo, where a 94-year-old lives in a home he rebuilt with his own hands after Ash Wednesday’s devastation four decades ago.

Despite a lifetime of innovation, engineering excellence and community service, Ken Walton is now finding himself shut out of the very systems he once helped to build – simply because he prefers to use cash.

“I received a call,” Mr Walton said. “They told me I had to come in person to sort something out.”

“I asked, ‘Can’t we do this over the phone?’ but they said, ‘No – we want to speak to you directly.’” Mr Walton, who no longer drives, reorganised his day and travelled from Cockatoo to Pakenham with the help of his carer Christine – only to find the staff member wasn’t there, then began a frustrating back-and-forth between different offices, lunch breaks, and locked doors - all for one thing - to pay a bill.

“I had the cash ready,” Mr Walton said. “But they said, ‘We don’t accept cash.’” Debit card wasn’t an option either.

“They said, ‘Only online.’ But using a computer for me is difficult, my fingers are crooked – I can only type with one finger,” he said. Eventually, it was a bank worker who pointed Mr Walton in the right direction, the post office.

“She said, ‘Just go to the post office and pay it in cash there.’ So I gave the money to Tracy, my cleaner. She went down, paid it, brought back the receipt. Simple. But what a thorough waste of time before that,” he said.

In his working years, Mr Walton was highly sought after as an engineer, regularly travelling to sites across the country and internationally.

His quick thinking and practical solutions helped save businesses weeks, sometimes months – of downtime.

“If I was still working, my charge out rate today would be $390 an hour, including travel time,” he said.

Now, he finds himself walking further than his legs can manage, repeating the same answers to

different people, only to be told there’s no way to pay a simple bill – unless he goes digital.

“I gave up my licence ten years ago. I rely on carers or neighbours to get around. It’s awkward. You have to get as much done as possible while someone’s with you,” Mr Walton said.

Though fiercely independent, he isn’t alone, many older Australians face similar challenges as services become digital-first – or digital-only.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a survey of seniors found 32 per cent felt frustrated using digital services in 2018, a figure that rose to 46 per cent by 2021.

“The main thing is, we can usually get to a local post office,” he said.

“But it should only be necessary to go further, like Pakenham or Officer, if it’s urgent, and it’s got

to be the least amount of walking possible.”

Mr Walton has lived in Cockatoo for more than 40 years.

He helped design the very house he lives in, which he and his late wife rebuilt after losing their home in the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, despite the hardships, he spoke with pride about the community, recalling times when things were more personal.

“Back then, you knew everyone, the postmistress, the chemist, the grocer, these days, that connection is fading. It’s all ‘me, I want’ – and not much community,” he said.

Mr Walton also points to the increasing risk of being taken advantage of, especially for the elderly.

“I needed a PowerPoint fixed and a TV aerial

reconnected. One mob quoted me two and a half grand. Then another electrician came for a different job, saw the issue, and fixed both things for $25. That’s the difference – people who help, and people who try to rip you off,” he said.

Despite his frustrations, Mr Walton remains hopeful – and defiant.

“I’ll admit I’m only 94,” he said.

“But I intend to make 104. You don’t give in. The attitude’s got to be, I can do it because I’ve done it before.”

His message during Senior Festival Month is, “we don’t need tokens or gimmicks. We need actual help. Real access. Less walking. And more understanding.”

And perhaps, a world that still accepts a handful of cash.

94-year-old Cockatoo resident calls for greater understanding and real, practical support for seniors. (Shamsiya Hussainpoor: 509452)

Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman

Selby Wise Ones given a grant to forge further ties

By Tanya Steele

As Mental Health Month in Australia continues, Selby Community House and it’s over-60s social group, ‘Wise Ones’, have welcomed the news of a community grant from Australia Post.

Delivered the news at their regular meetup on Thursday 9 October, the Wise Ones of Selby House received a community grant to support more social gatherings within the house and the area for their group.

Selby Community House and Monbulk Rangers Soccer Club in the Yarra Ranges were two of 88 not-for-profit community groups Australia Post gave funding to in its 2025 Community Grants program.

With the intention to rebuild resilience, reduce isolation, and foster belonging in the wake of the 2021 storm, Selby House Manager Danielle Steele said their house applied for the grant to give to be able to give their group ‘a little something more’ and to continue to address loneliness and isolation among older adults in the Selby area.

“Out in this area, some people are limited by lack of access to transport, limited income, lots of issues that keep them isolated, and can really impact on mental health and their physical health as they age,” she said.

Australia Post General Manager of Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Nicky Tracey said applications for this year’s program showed an outstanding level of local initiatives, strengthening connection and resilience in communities across the country.

“In times of disaster, it’s local organisations that are best placed to support the recovery process, as they understand their communities, know what’s needed, and are there for the long haul,” she said.

Danielle said that the Wise Ones group began when the house recognised the need for community connection in the over-60s demographic and began holding unfunded regular meetings on-site.

“We had no extra funding, but wanted to offer the house up to them and try and bring people together,” she said.

Beginning small, then slowly growing, Danielle said Wise Ones has become a beautiful group, with noticeable changes and connections

forged.

“There are some really lovely friendships that have developed, people bake things and bring things along to share,” she said.

“I’ve seen members of the community actually really change and flourish from when they first started coming to now.”

As the group flourished, the Selby house staff and volunteers began looking at grants to offer the group a little more, with the intention of providing some more structured activities for the group to do together.

“We wanted to expand on the unfunded Wise One’s social group, and we knew that with some funding, we could provide some regular activities like facilitated chair yoga or pilates sessions, maybe some community lunches each term for the group,” said Danielle.

“The idea was really to foster connection among the group and keep the connection going,

along with some physical well-being, and to continue the community engagement among older people,” she said.

Involved in Selby House from its grassroots beginnings, committee member and Wise One member Susan brings something homemade every time to the group.

“The people who come seem to really enjoy it. I’ve had good feedback, and I think others have as well, about the value of it,” she said.

The members of Wise Ones suffered a loss within their group earlier this year, who was a well-known resident and character of Selby and a member of Wise Ones who cherished and grew within the connection the group provided.

Susan said he became a fully fledged and well-loved person in Wise Ones, and they do miss him and that the group will continue to meet, and that those who come along see its value and enjoy themselves.

“I bring homemade morning tea and check that people are happy and that sort of thing,” she said.

The Community Grants program is part of Australia Post’s commitment to mental health, which includes a partnership with Beyond Blue that has delivered 21 million Connection Postcards to households across Australia.

“Our Post Offices are at the heart of Australian communities, and we understand the important impact locally led initiatives have on the community,” Ms Tracey said.

The Wise Ones group will now set about deciding how exactly they will best use the funding.

“Wise Ones is doing the job that it was intended to do, people feel accepted,” said Susan.

“Thanks to this new funding, we’re excited to plan even more meaningful activities and fun outings for our Wise Ones over the next year,” read Selby House’s social media post.

Belgrave South Toy Library gets a welcome grant boost

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

The non-profit, Belgrave South Toy Library, has received a boost this year with the Victorian Department of Education’s Children’s Week 2025 grants.

The volunteer-run organisation, nestled in the scenic hills of Belgrave South, is now gearing up for a special community event to celebrate the importance of play in early childhood development.

The Power of Play event will take place on Sunday, 26 October, from 2pm to 4pm at the Len Jeffrey Memorial Preschool in Belgrave South.

It’s part of the broader Children’s Week celebrations running from 18 to 26 October, and it promises to be an afternoon packed with fun, creativity, and connection for local families.

Belgrave South Toy Library president, Georgina Clarke said the grant’s success allows the Toy Library to provide the community with a special opportunity to enjoy an afternoon full of family-friendly activities.

“The Belgrave South Toy Library is a notfor-profit, entirely volunteer-run organisation, so we rely on grants and the generosity of our community to provide special events on top of our regular service,” Ms Clarke said.

“We are thrilled to be successful recipients of the Victorian Department of Education Children’s Week grants this year, it means that we can welcome our community to enjoy an afternoon of fun at our ‘Power of Play’ event.”

The event will feature face painting, storytime, bubbles, crafts, and a range of exciting activities, all designed to highlight the significance of play in early childhood.

Families can look forward to two hours of free entertainment, with opportunities for children to engage in messy play, construction activities, and, of course, enjoy plenty of toys, available for everyone to play with.

“We believe in the Power of Play to help children not only learn and grow, but to thrive,” Ms Clarke said.

“Play can open up whole new worlds for children, and we want to help foster those opportunities in our community.”

Research consistently shows that play is central to a child’s development, for Ms Clarke and the team at the Toy Library, this belief is at the heart of their mission.

“Children learn through play,” she said.

“Having time and opportunities to explore their senses, develop their motor skills, and nurture their imagination in different and interesting ways is key. This year’s Children’s Week theme is all about children’s rights, and we wholeheartedly believe in the right to play. That’s why we’ve planned different activity stations in line with that theme.”

The Belgrave South Toy Library provides much more than just toys.

“Beyond providing our active membership base with cost-effective access to a large collection of varied toys, we also help build a sense of community and connection for local fami-

lies,” Ms Clarke said.

The library offers an environmentally sustainable, financially accessible way for parents to keep their children entertained, all while fostering a deeper sense of belonging.

With a dedicated but modest membership base, the Toy Library sees the Power of Play event as an important opportunity to expand their reach and raise awareness about the role of toy libraries in supporting families.

“Navigating life with young children can be incredibly challenging, so we help by providing a financially and environmentally sustainable way to keep children entertained and active,” Ms Clarke said. “This event is a wonderful opportunity to connect with more families and raise awareness of the value of toy libraries in fostering resilient and engaged children, families, and communities.”

The Power of Play event is free and open to everyone in the community.

For more information, head to the Belgrave South Toy Library’s Facebook page.

The Wise ones over 60s group meet every fortnight. (Stewart Chambers).

Free community event at Len Jeffrey Memorial Preschool, Belgrave South on Sunday, 26 October. (Stewart Chambers: 509219)

L-R: Ned (4), Belgrave South Toy Library president Georgina Clarke, Jarrah (3), and Eleanor (7). (Supplied)

Scouting back in Boronia

By Tanya Steele

A few young Scout leaders in Boronia have brought scouting back to life in their area in the last year, celebrating in their hall last month and attending a major event in late September as well.

Attending Kangaree 2025 in Mount Martha with some of their Joey Scouts in tow, Reanna Lawson, 19 and Riley Rain, along with McKenzie Lewis both aged 20 have been leading the group, bringing energy and connection to the area.

Joey Scout Leader, Ms Lawson said the year has seen the kids coming out of their shell and just getting that little bit more confident and developing and the attending Kangaree was a huge highlight.

“I was super, super happy that we got them out there, Riley and I both went as leaders as well,” she said.

Kangaree is a Joey Scout adventure that happens just once every three years and brought together 1,200 Joey Scouts from across Victoria.

The Boronia Scouts reformed with the help of their District Scout Leader in Charge, Keiron Younger in February 2025, after a decline in the beloved youth organisation in Boronia during COVID-19.

The Joey Scout leaders have launched regular activities at the Chandler Hall and have been growing ever since.

“Kieron proposed this idea in April 2024 when we read at a service for Anzac Day,” said Ms Lawson.

Starting scouts at the age of six in Monbulk, Ms Lawson herself is now a Rover, the last youth age bracket for Scouts which is for 18 to 25 year olds, said she, Riley, Mckenzie and Kieron have all grown up in the scouting world.

“Rovers are a good social thing, because once you leave school and you turn 18, a lot of people lose their social connections,” she said.

Mr Younger, who is 28 years old himself said the scouts had previously attempted to get up again in 2023, but weren’t successful at that time.

“I had learnt that Boronia, as a township, had a lack of community connections,” he said.

“No one knows their neighbours anymore, Boronia has an increasingly diverse population who traditionally are underrepresented in clubs and sports, plus an ageing demographic.”

The Scouts got to work, creating open nights throughout 2024 to show people what they could offer.

“Child safety and youth crime is a big topic in our area,” said Mr Younger.

“It can be a tricky suburb and we put a lot of effort, getting people and families in and getting us known,” said Ms Lawson.

With a few open nights, school visits, fliers and more, the Scouts have now recruited a regular group of Joeys.

“Come August 2025, we released our annual report showing that not only could these young adults lead a program for our Joey Scouts to

enjoy, but execute it for a very small cost,” Mr Younger said. “Our families are feeling the cost of living, so we have tailored our program to be affordable, all up per term activities cost us per child around $9.30 to run,” he said.

The regular program consists of the basics of the Scouting, community involvement, personal development, learning by doing as well as aspects of outdoor activities.

The unit meets at least once a week within school term dates doing a range of activities with anything from axe throwing to learning about microplastics in the ecosystem on the agenda.

The newly formed club will now face ongoing challenges ahead, with costs and maintenance for their hall an issue, with both rent raises and the fact that halls would no longer being able to host sleepovers for Scouts due to building classification codes.

Earlier this year Knox City Council told Knox District Scouts at a meeting in June that the specific arrangements for a new lease between the Scouts and Council, including their annual rental amounts, will remain in negotiation.

Scout leaders said at the time that the approach is out of step after a long history of safe, community-led practice, and the changes would see emotional and financial consequences for hundreds of families across Knox.

Scouts already do a lot of fundraising to keep themselves running, collecting 10-cent containers and running regular BBQs to keep the cost of activities down.

Ms Lawson said being a young leader in Boronia has been a fun challenge and that she plans to the vital volunteering work, enjoying the joey age bracket of five to eight year olds.

“I think they’re a lot of fun, they have a lot of energy and a good perspective on life, they are just so happy, and the smaller things make them excited,” she said.

Save the Dandenongs League’s 75-year legacy

The Save the Dandenongs League (SDL) celebrated its 75th anniversary on Saturday, 11 October, marking more than seven decades of dedicated environmental protection in the Dandenong Ranges.

President Louis Delacretaz spoke with Star Mail last week about the League’s origins.

“SDL was established in October 1950 to protect and preserve the historical and natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges as a national asset for all time,” he said.

He said early champions, Kalorama resident Miss May Moon and Melbourne University Professor of Botany John Turner, played vital roles.

“Together, they tenaciously advocated for safeguarding the Dandenongs from inappropriate development,” he said.

The pair called a public meeting at Olinda Hall, drawing 200 attendees, where the Save the Dandenongs League was officially formed.

Professor Turner went on to serve on numerous government and academic advisory boards and was influential in introducing environmental science into the Victorian school curriculum.

Mr Delacretaz added that May Moon served as SDL president until the 1970s and played a key role in the creation of Karwarra Gardens in Kalorama.

“The League has continued building on this legacy, notably through the tireless efforts of former longtime SDL president and ex-Sherbrooke Councillor Betty Marsden OAM.

Her work helped secure the purchase and transfer of private land now known as Birdsland Reserve to Sherbrooke Council, ensuring its long-term conservation,” he said.

“For decades, Betty represented SDL on various state and local government advisory committees overseeing the management of Dandenong Ranges parks and waterways.”

Other important SDL campaigns have included advocating for the sensitive protection and development of Burnham Beeches, historically built by the Nicholas family of Aspro fame and campaigning for the acquisition of private land to create a green corridor linking Lysterfield Park and Birdsland Reserve, a purchase later funded by the government.

Today, SDL continues its advocacy work with Yarra Ranges Council and the Victorian State Government, focusing on land-

Saturday’s gathering with Save the Dandenongs League members: (back row, L-R) Robert Stephen, Carolyn Ebdon, Dennis Gration, Garrique Pergl, Louis Delacretaz, Samantha Dunn, (front row, L-R) Catherine Keil, Judy Wolff, and Barbara Benson. (Supplied)

use planning strategies that impact the Dandenongs.

Most recently, the League, alongside other community groups and Yarra Ranges Council,

has opposed a proposed large landfill development on Green Wedge–zoned land in the Lysterfield Valley at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

“Green Wedge zones were established by government to protect these areas from intensive use and residential development. Such activities should be confined within the urban growth boundary,” Mr Delacretaz said. He emphasised the critical importance of these zones.

“Protecting Green Wedge areas safeguards the natural and cultural landscapes that serve as Melbourne’s green lungs, providing benefits for nature, the community, and future generations,” Mr Delacretaz said.

Reflecting on the significance of the Green Wedge and Rural Conservation Zones, minister Mary Delahunty said in 2004, “These new zones are the final plate in the armour that will protect Melbourne’s precious Green Wedge areas for all time.”

After 75 years, the Save the Dandenongs League, together with the local community, remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting and enhancing the unique natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges.

Joey Scouts start their adventures at age five. Misha has been enjoying attending Scouts in Boronia this year. (Supplied).

From Left: Joey Scout leader Reanna, with Joey’s Sebastian, Myles, MIsha and fellow leader Riley. (Supplied).

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Photographic exhibition honours Hills seniors

Long-time Emerald resident and photographer, Paul Bianco is shining a spotlight on the power, presence, and contribution of older community members in his latest exhibition ‘Life in the Senior’s Lane’.

The exhibition, which features a series of photographic portraits, nine individuals, five couples, and a large community group is on show at the Fernlea Community House Hall in Emerald from 13 to 27 October in conjunction with the Senior Festival.

Mr Bianco said the main purpose of highlighting a cross-section of Emerald’s senior citizens is to showcase those who remain actively involved in the community.

The founding member of the Hills Photographic Society and former teacher said the exhibition has been years in the making and reflects his growing awareness of how many older residents contribute meaningfully behind the scenes.

“I’ve been thinking about doing it for a few years,” Mr Bianco said.

“I wanted to photograph people who aren’t necessarily famous around town, but who get involved and do stuff, no matter how old they are.”

Each portrait is accompanied by a short biography detailing the subject’s community contributions.

Among them are former councillors, society presidents, artists, musicians, and volunteers, some well-recognised in Emerald, others less known but no less active.

“There are people here that you may already know, but there are going to be people you’re just meeting for the first time and it’s good to know about them,” Mr Bianco said.

The exhibition also highlights Emerald’s strong ties to University of the Third Age (U3A), where Mr Bianco himself teaches photography classes to fellow seniors and with over 400 members locally.

The U3A Emerald offers around 50 activities, ranging from table tennis and calligraphy to music and painting, all are run by volunteers.

“A lot of people just don’t know that U3A exists,” Mr Bianco said.

“It’s all about staying active, mentally, and physically. You don’t have to sit around at home. There’s always something to get involved in.”

It’s this very message, of staying engaged and

connected that Mr Bianco hopes visitors take away from Life in the Senior’s Lane.

“Age is no barrier to being involved and keeping active,” he said.

“You see someone in the street and think, ‘just another old person’, but that person might be heavily involved in community life, still playing table tennis at 85, still on committees, still contributing.”

Subjects featured in the exhibition include a long-serving member of the CFA, Graeme Legge, former Shire President and founder of the Emerald ambulance service, Nolene Blair, who helped establish the PAVE Festival and was named Emerald Citizen of the Year in 2012; and long-time president of the Emerald Arts Society, Russell Simpson.

The Lions Club and Emerald’s oldest Rotarian, aged 85, are also captured as part of the series.

Also featured are active members of Emerald U3A, Mac and Kay Craig.

Mac who’s a passionate poetry tutor known for reciting classics like The Man from Snowy River and The Sentimental Bloke, and Kay, who leads Botanical Art and Book Group sessions, have both contributed significantly to lifelong learning in the local community.

Mr Bianco said everyone he approached was eager to take part.

“They were quite chuffed, I think, that someone was showing an interest in them and telling their story, it means something,” he said.

Though mainly retired from commercial photography, Mr Bianco remains deeply involved in the craft.

Alongside running U3A classes and documenting community events, he continues to foster local interest in photography through the Hills Photographic Society, which he helped establish in 2016.

“You don’t have to be an experienced photographer to get out there with your phone or camera and take great photos,” Mr Bianco said.

“It gets you out of the house, away from the TV, and gives you something creative to do.” Life in the Senior’s Lane is open to the public from 13 to 27 October at Fernlea Community House Hall, located at 356 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Emerald.

Our Indian mate steps forward

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.

“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.

“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 growing 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.

“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 proj-

ects.

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.”

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.

Divesh Sareen spoke at Swinburne on 2 October. (Catherine Sareen).

The creator of ‘Life in the Senior’s Lane’ exhibition, Paul Bianco. (Supplied)

SHOP LOCAL - MONBULK

Celebrating 60 years of fun

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

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

Delicious Dining, Every Night of the Week There’s something special on the menu every evening. Mondays are all about families, with kids eating free when a main meal is purchased. Tuesdays bring flavour and spice with curry night for just $20.

On Wednesdays, the classic parma and pot deal for $25 is a crowd favourite, while Thursdays keep the good times rolling with a burger and beer (or wine) for the same great price. Fridays are the perfect start to the weekend, featuring a selection of pasta dishes for only $20.

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

Fun On and Off the Greens

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

Celebrate 60 Years with Us

This year marks a proud milestone—60 years of the Monbulk Bowling Club. On Saturday 23 November, past and present members, along with their families and friends, are invited to join the celebrations.

The day will feature a mix-and-match tour-

nament on the greens, a BBQ lunch, raffles, and a special anniversary showbag—all included in the $15 entry. To secure your spot, simply sign up in the Clubrooms or call 9757 6183.

A Warm Welcome to New Members Whether you’ve played before or are complete-

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

Stay Connected

For the latest updates on weekly specials, live en-

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

Get set for moth watch

By Oliver Winn and Callum

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 1,956 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.

Environmental and landcare groups gain grants boost

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.”

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.

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.

GrantswereavailabletoallVictorianLandcare 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.

Keep an eye out for the endangered Bogong Moths, which can migrate in swarms or individually. (Dr Linda Broome)

The Bogong Moth provides crucial food for the Mountain Pygmy-Possum, so understanding the moth’s migration is crucial. (Zoos Victoria)

Ludwig

Craft time at the library

Spring seemed to finally arrive last week in the midst of the school holidays and it’s always a time of fun activities at Emerald Library.

Mail photographer Stewart Chambers is always called up to make a stop during the holidays. This time, he captured Toddler Craft Time with all the kids enjoying a day of creation.

Knox Council funds new torches for SES volunteers

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Volunteers at the Knox State Emergency Service (SES) Unit will now be better equipped to safely respond to emergencies at night, thanks to a funding boost from Knox City Council.

The Council has provided a grant through its Community Development Fund program to cover the cost of new LED head torches for all operational volunteer members of the unit.

Knox SES volunteers, who often work in challenging conditions, previously had to either supply their own torches or rely on fundraising efforts to purchase suitable gear.

With this funding, each member now has access to the same reliable equipment, at no personal cost.

A spokesperson from the Knox SES Unit said the team is extremely grateful for the Council’s ongoing support.

“Without the generous support from Knox City Council, volunteer members would have to fundraise to raise these much needed funds or supply their own head torches using their own funds,” the spokesperson said.

“The grant funding allows us to purchase new LED head torches for all our unit’s operational volunteer members, enabling them to safely respond to incidents in their local community at night.”

Knox City Council acknowledged the vital role the SES plays in supporting the local community.

“SES Knox is a volunteer-based organisation providing essential emergency assistance in our community,” Knox Council spokesperson said.

“Council is supporting the important work of these volunteers by providing a grant valued at $7647.88 to fund the upgrade of essential safety equipment, LED head torches. The new LED head torches will help volunteers carry out night operations safely.”

The funding ensures that Knox SES volunteers can continue their work with consistency and safety, especially when every second counts.

Rosie making a rainbow at Toddler Craft Time. (Stewart Chambers: 506876)

Rachel and her daughter Marlee.

Quinn (7).

Theo.

Knox City Council funded Knox SES volunteers with new LED head torches. (Knox SES Unit)

Eli.

Endless devotion for 70 years

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.

Frank and Mary travelled to Australia in 1955 from Holland. (Ruigrok Media)

Frank and Mary Ruigrok married on 6 October 1955. (Supplied)

Nearly all the family, and many of their friends, were at the celebration. (Ruigrok Media)

Emerald student wins ceramic award at Melbourne Show

Emerald Primary School student Jack Watson has taken out first place in the ceramics section at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show, impressing judges with his creativity and craftsmanship.

Jack, who takes part in a local extra-curricular arts program, created his winning piece under the guidance of his art teacher Anna St Clair.

The judges praised his work for its balance of imagination and technical skill — no small feat for a young artist competing at a state level.

“I’m absolutely thrilled for Jack,” said Ms St Clair.

“He’s got a natural eye for form and detail, and he put so much heart into this piece. I

“t’s wonderful to see his effort recognised on

such a big stage.”

Emerald Primary School staff and students are celebrating Jack’s achievement and say it highlights the incredible creative talent growing in the Hills community.

Jack

Nightmare: Little ones lost

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 Vie-

WOORILLA WORDS

ussieu. 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.

Anonymous praise comes for Monbulk’s ‘lovely’ roundabout

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

An anonymous Monbulk resident has called Star Mail to share a heartfelt thank you to the volunteers who help keep the large roundabout, located in front of Murphy’s Mitre 10, where the C404 and C406 intersect, looking so beautiful.

The woman praised the volunteers ongoing efforts, and said they are doing a “wonderful job maintaining it and keeping it so beautiful.”

She chose not to share her name, simply wanting the spotlight to be on the volunteers and their hard work, not on herself.

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. Meanwhile a little boy is still missing under what seems more and more to be mysterious circumstances..

Emerald student

Watson with his winning ceramic creations. (Supplied)

Monbulk roundabout at the C404 and C406 intersection, looking stunning. (509199)

Thanks to dedicated volunteers, the roundabout is bursting with life. (Stewart Chambers: 509199)

Take a moment on your walk

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.

Tron: Ares is risible

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 of grief, hope

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

PASSION FOR PROSE

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.

Arts across the Yarra Ranges

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

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

Tron: Ares

Starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Evan Peters

WELCOME TO “EVERGREEN GLADE” –CREEKSIDE CHARM AND COUNTRY COMFORT

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. ●

“GIRRAWEEN” – A BREATHTAKING TREE-CHANGE

SET against the stunning backdrop of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, with filtered mountain views and colourful flowering gardens, “Girraween” is a property that defines versatile lifestyle living.

Set on a spacious 5324m2 block, tucked into one of the most picturesque pockets of the hills, this beautifully updated family home plus self-contained studio offers a rare opportunity - whether you’re seeking multigenerational living, guest accommodation, or a creative retreat.

The main home is thoughtfully designed with generous proportions and modern updates throughout, perfectly catering to relaxed family living. The heart of the home is the updated open-plan kitchen, seamlessly connecting to three distinct living zones, each offering its own charm and functionality: A sunken lounge with vaulted ceilings plus access to the expansive deck , the light-filled sunroom, perfect as a home office or reading nook and the bonus of a rumpus room / 4th bedroom, ideal as a play area, hobby space or teen retreat.

The main bedroom, complete with resort style updated ensuite, is privately positioned at the rear of the home to take full advantage of the tranquil outlook - a true sanctuary at the end of each day, whilst the other bedrooms

are privately located together off the hallway. Adding exceptional value and versatility is the separate 1-bedroom studio, complete with:

• Original polished floorboards

• Spacious living/dining area

• Large picture windows framing garden views

• Full bathroom and private entry

Private decking

For parking, you will find both a double carport plus a single carport with the addition of extra space for trailers, trucks and caravans off the circular driveway. Whether you’re accommodating extended family, hosting guests, or running a creative business, this self-contained space offers endless potential.

For those who have eco /green features on their must have list, there are two air source heat pumps that supply hot water to the property along with a 6.2kw solar system. For temperature control, there are multiple split systems throughout plus the charm of a beautiful wood fire making this home efficient and functional all year round.

Set on a stunning, usable block surrounded by lush gardens and spectacular outlooks, “Girraween” is more than a home - it’s a lifestyle. A rare chance to immerse yourself in the beauty and tranquility of the hills, just moments from local villages, walking trails, cafes, and schools. ●

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

A PEACEFUL FAMILY RETREAT ON ALMOST HALF AN ACRE

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.

From the moment you arrive, you’ll be captivated by the home’s warm and inviting character. The spacious, open-plan layout delivers seamless flow and functionality, perfect for growing families or those who love to entertain. The home comprises four generous bedrooms, including a luxurious master suite with its own ensuite and generously sized sitting area, offering a peaceful retreat for parents.

A home office/5th bedroom provides the ideal environment for remote work or a homebased business, while three light-filled living areas span the length of the house, ensuring every family member has space to relax, connect, or unwind.

Polished hardwood floors and large sunlit windows with exterior shutters create a warm and welcoming ambiance throughout, while year-round comfort is assured with multiple split systems plus a separate gas heater.

Cooking enthusiasts will fall in love with the oversized timber kitchen, boasting ample bench space, excellent storage, and a breakfast bar perfect for casual meals or morning coffee.

Step outside to discover one of the true highlights of this home - an expansive entertaining deck highlighted by sandstone tiles, ideal for outdoor living, weekend BBQs, or hosting events against the backdrop of serene farmland beyond.

A double garage, large under-house storage and workshop and a sealed driveway complete the picture and are all surrounded by tranquil, low-maintenance grounds. Calm and peaceful, this setting must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

Whether you’re after a private sanctuary to escape the daily grind or a spacious property to raise a family, this is the lifestyle opportunity you’ve been searching for. ●

ACREAGE LIVING WITH FAMILY COMFORT

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.

TheUltimateLifestyleEscape –Pool,Sheds,Views &RoomforEveryone. Seton2.5lushacresinPakenhamUpper,thissuperb5-bedroom,3-bathroomhomeblendsluxury withcountrycharm.Builtin2010,itfeaturesslabheatingthroughout, awoodfire,ductedvacuum, andreverse-cyclecomfort.Thestunningkitchenoffersgranitebenches,gascooking, awalk-in pantrywithautolights,anda bi-foldserverywindowtothesunroom.Enjoymultiplelivingareasand amastersuitewithdoublewalk-inrobesplus aspa-likeensuite.Outside,relaxunderthevastalfresco, diveintothesalt-chlorinepool,orunwindbythefirepit. Ahugepoweredshed,doublegarage,4-car carport,andgeneratorplughaveyousorted.There’salso aseparatestudiowithkitchenette,dog run,veggiegardens,chookpen,twostables,haystorage,andpaddockswithwater—everything youneedforanidylliccountrylifestyle.

15aStationRoadGembrook

$685,000 -$720,000

BethanySullivan M 0438844968

AaronDay

CHARMING HOME WITH SCENIC VIEWS MINUTES FROM EMERALD

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. ●

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)

Duo set to rally for cancer

By Tanya Steele

A Yarra Ranges duo are one week out of going on the adventure of their lives and have raised a whopping $5600 for a good cause at the same time.

They can’t wait to participate in the incredicale 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!”

The duo said they would also really like to thank 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 children 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 did this “Once in a lifetime” trip a couple of months 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.

The duo had a great send off from family, friends and local supporters at the Bayswater Hotel. (Supplied)

Foundational partnership sets up Mounters’ victory

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 them-

selves 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 partnership 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.

Mount Evelyn’s Brad Westaway scored 62 for the Second XI in an opening display against Norwood. (Supplied)

Westaway and Luke Jones totalled a 96-run opening partnership to set the Mounters on course for victory. (Supplied)

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