Star Weekly - Brimbank North West - 6th January 2026

TUESDAY, 6 JANUARY, 2026

Barro saga continues The fires burning underground at the Barro Group’s Kealba landfill have been one of Brimbank’s biggest issues for the past six years, and 2025 was no different.

The company had been facing criminal charges for its mismanagement of the site, but in July, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) announced it would drop the charges.

Then in December as residents gathered to protest before a community meeting on the issue, the EPA announced it would suspend Barro Group’s licence to operate at the site.  Story: Page 2

St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman, Brimbank mayor Virginia Tachos, and councillors Lucy Nguyen and Daniel Kruk joined residents in a protest outside the building where an EPA meeting was taking place. (Sam Porter)

YEAR IN REVIEW...

STORIES OF THE YEAR

Promises galore 2025 was a year that promised much but delivered little for Brimbank residents.

After funding was withdrawn from key projects or they were put on the backburner in previous years, there were promises galore in 2025.

And while the promises were welcomed, residents will have to wait to see the benefits.

In March in the lead up to the federal election, the Labor and Liberal parties promised funding to upgrade the Western Highway between Melton and Caroline Springs. No timeframe has been given.

Days later the state and federal

governments committed $300 million to constructing a full diamond interchange to be built on Calder Park Drive.

The Liberal Party matched the pledge in April.

In the state budget, the state government included $50 million to the project in 2025-26, just over 12 months since it withdrew the same amount of funding from the project.

Then in May, the state government committed to fast-tracking the Sunshine station superhub In partnership with the federal government, the state government will

fund the superhub in Sunshine as the key to delivering Airport Rail and the first step for electrification to Melton.

To fast-track the project, the state budget included $4 billion towards the Sunshine station redevelopment, bringing forward $2 billion of the government’s investment in Melbourne Airport Rail.

The project will also deliver a new Albion station, funded by the state government.

While the funding has been promised, the state budget papers said that work was expected to begin on the superhub in 2026 and be completed by 2030 leaving residents

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with a long wait.

Residents hoping to see the electrification of the Melton line also had their hopes dashed and will instead have to settle for longer trains from 2027, unless you catch the train from Ardeer, with plans to extend the platforms at the station shelved.

Then-Brimbank mayor Thuy Dang urged the state government to budget and schedule the construction works needed for the electrification and extension of the metropolitan train network to Melton once the works at Sunshine superhub are completed.

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Barro facing suspension 9 December Community tensions have risen around operations at the Kealba landfill after the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) announced it will suspend Barro Group’s licence to operate at the site.

The EPA informed the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) that it could no longer defend the revocation of Barro’s previous operating licence, which was based on hotspot remediation only, as three of the four hotspots have now been remediated.

Instead, the EPA has informed Barro Group of its intention to now begin the pro-

cess of suspending its licence to operate at the entirety of the site.

As reported by Star Weekly, the EPA dropped criminal charges against Barro in July for its mismanagement of the site where underground fires have been burning for six years.

At a community meeting on Monday 1 December, the EPA informed residents of its intent to pursue licence suspension, saying its new regulatory actions reflect a broader approach, beyond site remediation, to hold Barro Group to account.

Local resident Nicole Power, whose health has been negatively affected by noxious odours for years from fires at the land-

fill, said a licence suspension is not enough.

“I just feel like the EPA has failed us. The legislation has failed us and we need to look at it in another light.”

Ms Power welcomed a protest at the meeting where residents demanded more action from the EPA. Brimbank mayor Virginia Tachos and St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman joined the protest along with Brimbank councillors Lucy Nguyen and Daniel Kruk.

Ms Suleyman, who lives near the landfill, told residents she believes there’s a lot more that can be done.

Cr Tachos agreed the suspension of Barro’s licence is not enough.

“Suspension still allows for appeal. If the laws aren’t working, change the laws because our community is suffering,” she said.

EPA interim chief executive Joss Crawford said residents could be assured the prohibition notice will ensure operations and acceptance of waste at the landfill will not recommence.

Ms Crawford told residents at the meeting that “if we progressed with the current revocation and lost, [Barro] would’ve got their licence immediately.”

According to the EPA, Barro is entitled to make submissions which EPA will consider before making its decision.

Barro declined to comment.

Council clean-up 7 October

Overnewton Castle manager director and Norton family member Emma Stott. (Damjan Janevski)512081_01

Overnewton Castle goes to market 28 October A beloved icon of the west is up for sale.

The Overnewton Castle in Keilor is on the market with an asking price range between $6 million to $6,600,000.

The Scottish Baronial-style estate was purchased by the Norton family in 1975.

Overnewton Castle manager director Emma Stott said seeing her family’s property on the market is both exciting and sad.

“It is a sad time for our family. We’ve always loved living there and it’s such a beautiful place,” Ms Stott said.

“But exciting to see what new adventures might take place and whoever may take it on.”

Ms Stott’s parents bought the castle a month before she was born.

“As a child it was always fun playing hide and seek in the 35 rooms and getting up to mischief and not getting caught because your parents couldn’t find you,” Ms Sto

The castle celebrated its 175th anniversary last year after its establishment

by Scottish settler, grazier and former mayor of Keilor, William James Taylor.

The home features seven bedrooms, a grand ballroom seating 150 people, a private chapel, a lavish dining room, three bathrooms and several outbuildings, and is surrounded by English gardens with centuries-old trees.

Ms Stott said her family was selling the 5.58-acre property to downsize and so her father can focus on his health.

Houses quietly cut in development plan proposed for Cairnlea 14 October Development Victoria (DV) has quietly cut more than 300 homes as part of its proposed development in Cairnlea.

As reported by Star Weekly in 2022, DV initially proposed to develop 147a Cairnlea Drive and 26s Glenbrook Avenue into a precinct comprising 840 dwellings.

However, DV acting executive general manager housing Nemesia Kennett told Star Weekly last month the development plan, which “community feedback has

helped shape”, will “provide around 500 homes of varying sizes”.

“We appreciate the strong community interest in this project and will continue to share updates with the local community as site remediation progresses,” Ms Kennett said.

According to DV, the final development will include a mix of lot sizes and price points.

Cairnlea resident and community advocate Graeme Blore said the community welcomed the significant reduction in

2 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

density for the housing proposal “in a suburb already battling with traffic congestion”.

The housing reduction comes months after a Legislative Council petition was launched by community members, calling for a diverse range of housing options in the plan as well as an extensive multipurpose recreational facility, which Mr Blore said would improve “the health, wellbeing and social cohesion of our community.”

A report into the behaviour of the previous Brimbank council has found it “struggled to ensure good governance and demonstrate appropriate behaviour” while some councillor conduct “could be considered abusive”.

In a decision which was supported by councillors at the time, the local government minister appointed municipal monitors to oversee the council between February and December 2024 to help resolve ongoing issues.

The council in question was elected in November 2020 and sat until November 2024.

In a report to the local government minister, the monitors concluded that some councillors did not fully understand their role and responsibilities, did not respect staff and each other, and struggled to work together effectively.

Monitors highlighted some councillors demonstrated inappropriate behaviour towards the chief executive, senior staff and each other, and made the assessment that some councillors had “engaged in abusive and bullying behaviour to the extent that it caused mental distress to senior staff and to councillor colleagues”.

Some councillors and senior staff were so distressed they sought medical assistance, according to the report.

The report cited examples of behaviour between councillors including “unfounded accusations being made on social media, shouting, snide comments, ‘ambushing’ behaviour in council meetings and threats about retribution”.

Monitors noted poor councillor relations were “amplified” in the lead up to and after the 2023 mayoral election, with relationships becoming “even more toxic” after an altercation in a public council meeting erupted, resulting in a councillor walking out.

Another reason cited by monitors for the previous council’s underperformance related to how council meetings were conducted, specifically in relation to notices of motion and public question time.

While the monitors acknowledged the previous council had “good written meeting procedures and governance rules” they recommended council review its procedures for notices of motion, which monitors said were used by councillors too often and on issues unrelated to local government, or as a way to promote themselves.

In response to the issues raised in the report, the monitors presented a 10-point plan to improve governance.

Councillors in the current council undertook an intensive induction process over the first six months after the 2024 election, with monitors observing goodwill amongst the councillors throughout the program.

The monitors recommended council report regularly to the community and the minister on its performance against the revised 10-point action plan.

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2025 YEAR IN REVIEW ... PEOPLE

Basil honoured with OAM 28 January When Bassilios (Basil) Morcos is faced with a problem, he also foresees its solution.

Whether it be a lack of an appropriate educational institution for his community, hospitals in need of life-saving equipment or an overseas cataract crisis among the disadvantaged – a positive resolution isn’t far if Basil is on the case. But the Keilor resident never set out to be a visionary, he simply wanted to do whatever it took: “If you can do something good and don’t do it, that is a sin”.

It’s a motto that has led to his name being carved on countless accolades, with the most recent honour no exception. Owing to half a century worth of service and contributions to the community, Basil has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

He migrated with his family to Melbourne in 1971, and despite being on unfamiliar land Basil wasted no time in giving back to his new fraternity.

In 1973, he established the Australian Egyptian Association, which came to be known as a key organisation for migrants

seeking support.

A year later, prodded by his urge “to do”, he became one of the founding members of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria.

As the years rolled on so did Basil’s accomplishments, but one of those deeds surpasses the rest according to him.

“I tried to enrol my kids into a Catholic school when we moved here but they refused admission,” he said.

“After that I decided we needed a school for us and our community.”

Although Basil didn’t know it at the

time, that thought would revolutionise the lives of thousands of kids.

St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College opened its doors in 1991, after more than a decade of grit and perseverance by Basil and his team.

While Basil is more of a quiet achiever, his son Albert has a lot to say about his father’s work and recent recognition.

“We as a family are unbelievably proud of the work he’s done and how he has always held the community above himself — service above self is what he believes in,” Albert said.

Sydenham MP to step down 21 October

Daniel Vadnjal graduated from Tennis Victoria’s Future Leaders program which supports youngpeople to grow as leaders through a camp and community projects. (Supplied)

Vadnjal is a voice for inclusivity in sport 19 August Keilor local Daniel Vadnjal is making tennis history.

He’s the first ever graduate of Tennis Victoria’s future leaders program to identify as having a disability.

For Vadnjal, a notable part of the threeday program was an inclusion session in which participants were able to experience wheelchair tennis and blind sport by wearing goggles.

As part of this session, Vadnjal spoke about the intellectual disability and autism (IDA) pathway, which his mother Kathryn

said was eye-opening for other participants to learn about.

Since then four people with disabilities have joined the program.

“Now there’s a chance for these people to promote more of their own roots,“ Vadnjal said.

“If they do their own come and try day with the clubs they can get more numbers to come into the program.”

The project that Vadnjal undertook as part of the program led him to host and lead an all-abilities come and try day at Keilor Tennis Club.

His advocacy led to the club being ranked

third for a new inclusive facility and inspired a grant application to support ongoing inclusive events.

He has also brought his advocacy into his workplace at the Australian Open where he works in court services.

Vadnjal has been asked to return to the future leaders program by Tennis Victoria’s inclusion leader, Adam Watson, as an ambassador and facilitator too.

Vadnjal’s tennis coach Stefan Visser said continual awareness around inclusivity in sports is vital.

“The biggest thing is being able to show there are no barriers, no limits.”

Sydenham MP and Minister for Government Services, Treaty and First Peoples, Prevention of Family Violence, and Women Natalie Hutchins has announced she will not seek re-election in 2026.

In a statement, Premier Jacinta Allan said Ms Hutchin’s contribution to Victoria would leave a lasting legacy, “Born in public housing and having grown up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, she has always been a passionate advocate to create opportunities for others and has been a fierce voice for the diverse and growing communities she now represents,” Ms Allan said.

“Natalie is a feminist and a big part of her legacy will be long lasting improvements for Victorian women. She has been responsible for the rollout of free pads and tampons in public places.

“Along with her ministerial responsibilities, Natalie has been a strong local voice for families and working people in Sydenham.

“She has delivered new and upgraded schools, removed dangerous and congested level crossings, a new ambulance station at Taylors Lakes, a new car park for Watergardens station and better roads and public transport.”

Ms Hutchins was first elected to the Parliament in 2010 from the union movement, and was the first woman to be elected Assistant Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council.

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2025 YEAR IN REVIEW ... COMMUNITY

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Emmanuel Pace AKA ‘Manny the Clown’ performed at the inaugural Sunshine Collective Market in June. 481609_01

Dancers Mai Vu, Mai Nguyen, Ngoc Huynh, Thoa Tran, and Tina Nguyen and Brimbank councillor Thuy Dang (seated) brought festive fun to St Albans in November. 517610_01

Natalie Davis and Beth Johnson organised Tyldenvania to celebrate Halloween in the town of Tylden. 514408_01

Thomas Stockdale won race four at the Kyneton Cup in early November. 516055_01

2025 captured in pictures Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski was out and about across Melbourne’s western and northern

suburbs throughout 2025. He shares his favourite pictures from the past year.

Brookfield resident Jacqueline Licitra’s elaborate Halloween decorations in her front yard entertained passers-by in October. Pictured is Jacqueline with her grandsons Maddix, 3, and Zanon, 1. 511243_01

St Albans Secondary School students Paul (front), Luca, Cindy, DT, Talia, Thien, Ryan and Xai took to the stage for Spamalot in August.

496630_01 Iva Rosebud starred in Club Kabarett, Melbourne’s bold new circus-cabaret in April.

471695_01 Blacksmiths Steve Phillips (left) and Robbie Alderson (right) took part in the Blacksmiths Festival in Footscray in. 475625_01

Zoe, 11, who played Duffy in the Melbourne season of Annie the Musical at the Princess Theatre in July. 489773_01

The Ice Queens cheerleading team members Taylor Hallas, Laura Yildirim, Emily Hopkins and Bridget Bayliss used money raised by recycling drink cans to buy new bows for their uniforms.

488505_01

4 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

Winni Wizard and the Ditzy Dizzard was s a kids comedy show at Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Pictured is comedians Lisa Gatenby (Winni Wizard) and Jacob Sacher (Ditzy Dizzard).

465765_01

Elephants arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo in February. 468666_01

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2025 YEAR IN REVIEW ... COMMUNITY

‘Incredible’ fire response 7 October The community has rallied to support a Hillside family who lost their home and belongings in a house fire on Tuesday 23 September.

Thirty firefighters fought the blaze at the Whitmore Place home of James Bell, Rochelle Ellis, and their three children Zayne, 7, Izaiah, 9, and Ava-Leigh.

The family escaped the blaze but suffered burns.

Mr Bell and Ms Ellis were rushed to the Alfred Hospital in serious conditions while Izaiah and Zayne, who was in a critical con-

dition, were transported to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Neighbour and family friend Louise Sheehan said Ms Ellis and Izaiah have since been released from hospital, and that Mr Bell and Zayne – who both suffered more severe injuries – are making slow but good progress.

Ms Sheehan was asleep when the fire started.

“At the time I had no idea what had happened. The neighbour in between our two houses knocked on my door and mentioned there was a fire so I grabbed my kids and went out the front and just saw smoke ev-

erywhere,” Ms Sheehan said.

“I looked to the right and the house was just in flames.”

The day after the incident Mr Bell’s sister, Laressa Turetahi, started an online GoFundMe campaign for the family.

On the fundraising page, Ms Turetahi wrote that the fire was caused by an oil heater.

She also said the youngest child, AvaLeigh, only suffered minor burns.

After the incident, Sydenham Hillside Primary School, which is attended by Zayne and Izaiah, opened up its gym for donations and received an outpouring of items for the

family.

Ms Ellis visited the school and, in a social media post, thanked community members “for the incredible love, kindness and support” they had shown the family.

“Losing our home has been heart-breaking but the care we’ve received from this community has truly lifted us up during one of the most difficult times,” Ms Ellis wrote.

“Please know that your compassion has made a huge difference to our family. We feel very blessed to be part of such a caring school community and we will always remember the way you rallied around us in our time of need.”

Justice of a different kind at Sunshine 8 July

The flag-raising was held as part of disability pride month. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 488724_17

Disability pride flag raised in a Vic first 15 July History has been made with the disability pride flag raised in Victoria for the first time.

DRC Advocacy, which held the event with Accessible Victorian Greens and Brimbank council in partnership with local disability advocates – said the flag-raising aimed to honour and celebrate the strength, identity, and diverse experiences of people with disability, while highlighting the need for contin-

ued progress in accessibility, equity, and representation.

Local disability advocate Larissa McFarlane spoke at the event and said the flag-raising ceremony was a time “to acknowledge and celebrate that disability is a culture.” “It’s a force, a community, a history and an identity,” she said.

“It’s a time to challenge those negative stereotypes and to name and resist ableism and discrimination.”

The first disability pride flag was raised in Sydney in 2022.

Shannon Meilak, who runs Brimbank Disability Advocacy and Support, also spoke at the event.

She said disability pride is about people with disability representing themselves “authentically and unapologetically.”

“It’s about celebrating what makes us diverse rather than stifling what makes us who we are. It’s about being visible in a way where communities see the real us – not to pity us, not to be inspired by us, but just us as we are,” she said.

Faye marks 50 years of giving back to the Brimbank community 28 October A local Sunshine op-shop is celebrating a volunteer’s major accomplishment.

Eighty-eight-year-old Goss ‘n’ Shop worker Faye Noble has volunteered at the op-shop and adjoining church for over 50 years.

She also currently volunteers at the Joan Kirner Hospital, selling items of clothing and other goods.

Faye said she loves the company and meeting new people when volunteering.

“I can’t see any sense in sitting back and doing nothing,” she said.

Faye began volunteering at St Mark’s Anglican Church in 1974 after her husband died, and quickly became involved in the op-shop that operated out of the church.

She was also the church’s head of fundraising for several years and organised annual pie drives, chocolate drives and raffles.

During Easter holidays, Faye would knit baskets for children to carry their eggs in.

“I still knit and embroider,” she said.

“At the moment I’ve got a cardigan on the go for myself. I might finish it one day.

I’ve got several things on the go.”

The church eventually merged with St Peter’s and St Andrew’s in Braybrook to become the Holy Apostles Anglican Church.

Goss ‘n’ Shop manager Gail Tupua-Siliva said Faye is a joy to work with.

“We are going to have a big celebration for her 50-plus anniversary. It’s such an accomplishment.”

A specialised court, which had its first sitting day at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court last month, is helping to improve the lives of offenders with mental illnesses, cognitive disabilities and intellectual disabilities.

The Assessment and Referral Court (ARC) was recently expanded to the Magistrates’ Courts of Victoria at Sunshine as part of a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The alternative court process was formed in 2010 to reduce the number of people with mental illness and cognitive disability in court and prison systems – groups that ARC Supervising Magistrate Ros Porter said “are overrepresented in the justice system”.

“ARC is designed to provide a tailored response to those people. And it is a more structured program,” she said.

At Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, ARC sits for three days each month, with the model accommodating 25 participants at one time.

For participants, the experience is quite different to attending mainstream court.

Sessions take place in an adjusted courtroom where a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, case workers and other support people sit at an oval table. And instead of sitting at the bench, the magistrate sits at the table across from the accused.

Proceedings are carried out in an informal, conversational style to best meet participants’ communication needs. “[It] very much provides an atmosphere for open discussion and it encourages the person before the court to participate in a very full and open way,” said Magistrate Porter.

ARC Magistrate Gregory Thomas has worked at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court for three years. The magistrate – who previously worked as a solicitor and a defence lawyer – said once participants get to know the magistrates and workers, they begin to see ARC as a place they can trust.

“As [participants] get used to how the court works, they really do come in and talk to the magistrates about their serious problems,” he said.

“They’ll be sitting at the bar table, they might be crying about being in crisis, or on another occasion be celebrating an achievement such as obtaining housing or completing a program – it’s a real journey.”

Magistrate Porter said the therapeutic court also benefits local communities by addressing the participants’ underlying causes of offence.

“One of the really important things that ARC does is it provides really strong linkages for people before the court back to the local community,” she said.

Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 5

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6 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

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Keilor Basketball referee programs recognised Keilor Basketball Association (KBA) has won two Basketball Victoria 2025 awards for ‘referee program of the year (large)’ and ‘referee association of the year (tier one)’.

The awards recognised the highlights of the club’s referee program, the ability of referees, and a strong culture that promotes participation.

KBA technical officials development officer Kyra Jacobson said the association was excited about the achievement.

“Everyone’s really positive about it. It’s nice to see other people recognise it from outside [the club] as well,” she said.

The awards also took into consideration the number of officials invited to national competitions as well as representation at statewide competitions.

Ms Jacobson said KBA has had a huge representation at high level competitions while focussing on grassroots development.

She said communication is key to being a good referee.

“It’s all about effective communication and being able to explain and teach the rules, and making the game better itself,” Ms Jacobson said.

“It’s really funny because at the end of the game you don’t want to be remembered … a good referee is not thought of.”

Ms Jacobson said refereeing has grown as a career in the past five years.

“It’s a skill or a job that nobody really sees longevity in but it’s an absolute pathway for a lot of people,” she said.

“I’ve got a great number of kids that are going across the country refereeing in

NEWS

Briefs Recycler fined An industrial fire in Sunshine West has cost a recycling company a $10,176 fine, after the company failed to report the blaze to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The fire broke out in recyclables at Hart Recycling on Boundary Road during the evening of Wednesday 19 November, 2025, and burned out of control for 90 minutes.

At its peak, the blaze spread over an area of 80 square metres and flames were reaching more than five metres into the air. EPA was alerted to the incident through the state’s emergency response system.

Brooklyn company banned EPA Victoria has prohibited a recycler in Brooklyn from accepting more plastics, after finding the warehouse full of badly managed waste, obstructed firefighting equipment, discarded cigarette butts and exposed electrical equipment.

The prohibition notice bans Victorian Recyclers from accepting plastics at its factory on Clelland Road until it reconfigures and reduces its waste stockpiles to meet EPA’s guidelines. An EPA inspection on 18 October, 2025 identified an immediate risk of harm due to the significant fire load and the presence of multiple potential ignition sources. The company must report back to the EPA on its compliance by 26 January.

KBA technical officials development officer Kyra Jacobson. (Damjan Janevski). 523036_04

basketball and are really successful in their jobs but do this as a pastime.

“You take those skills of court into life.”

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Fresh food and convenience sets tone at revamped store East Keilor shoppers will enjoy a new Woolworths shopping experience with fresh food, convenience and value the cornerstones of the renewed and extended supermarket in the Milleara Shopping Centre.

Woolworths has received an extensive upgrade across the store, including a new deli department, an expanded range of fresh fruit and vegetables, electronic ticketing throughout the store and added new self scanning checkouts to assist customers paying for their groceries quicker.

A shining star of the renewed store is the new Direct to Boot service, which includes a canopy over four dedicated parking bays. After placing their order online, customers simply confirm when they’ve arrived via the Woolworths app or SMS link to notify the store team, who will then pack the order directly in the boot with no additional charge.

The store has undergone a multi-million dollar renewal and extension over the last seven months and now showcases an extensive range of Australian fruit and vegetables, with a selection of 100 per cent Australian beef and an array of fresh seafood from the fish market.

The store’s new look bakery offers fresh stone baked bread made from Australian wheat flour, as well as a number of pastries and cakes prepared daily by the bakery team.

A Macro Wholefoods market range and a dedicated offering of plant-based protein and gluten free foods can also be found in store. Customers will also find an array of international groceries, as well as a number of locally made products across the fresh, frozen and dairy departments in the store.

The team are ready to welcome you to the revamped store. (Pictures: Supplied)

Woolworths Milleara store manager Christina Prestipino is looking forward to showcasing the new look store.

“My team and I are excited to offer our customers a new shopping experience with an extensive range of groceries to choose from across the store, as well as a number of innovative new features to provide convenience and value,” she said.

“This renewal and extension has been a number of years in the making and it’s been great to be part of the supermarket’s transformation.

The new look store will significantly benefit our team members, our customers and the local community.”

Woolworths Milleara is also committed to growing greener, reducing its impact on the environment and operating more

The store now offers a Direct to Boot service.

sustainably. The store has been fitted out with LED lights to reduce power usage and includes carbon-efficient

refrigeration systems.

Opening hours for Woolworths Milleara are 7am-10pm, 7 days a week.

Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 7

COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

Al-Anon Family Groups Al-Anon Family Groups is offering help and hope to anyone living in an unhappy home because a loved one drinks too much. There are no contracts to sign, just a voluntary donation to cover room rental.

Confidentiality is protected. Confidential meetings held at the Delahey Community Centre, 70 Copperfield Drive every Wednesday, from 1-2.30pm. New members welcome. No appointment necessary.

Helpline, 1300 252 666

Probus meets The Avondale Heights Probus Club meets at Doyle Street Community Centre Avondale Heights on the third Wednesday of the month at 9.30am. For retired or semi-retired people from January to December. The club offers lunches, bus trips, card and games day, walking group.

New members welcome.

0400 886 758

Women’s only conversation English Duke Street Community House is inviting locals to make friends, learn new skills and practice English in this fun and free women’s social group. Tuesdays during school terms, 9.30am-noon, at Duke Street Community House, 27 Duke Street, Sunshine.

9311 9973, or dukest@dsch.org.au

Crafternoons Duke Street Community House is inviting locals to a free adult social opportunity to get together and be creative. Learn a new craft or bring along your own craft projects. Tuesdays during school terms, 12.30-2.30pm, at the Duke Street Community House, 27 Duke Street, Sunshine.

9311 9973, or dukest@dsch.org.au

Over 50’s club The Keilor Over 50’s Recreation Club meets at Kealba Hall, 24 McShane Drive, Kealba, on Tuesdays, from 10am-3pm, and Wednesdays, from 7-10pm. Have a coffee and a chat, play social table tennis, pool and card games, go on organised outings and enjoy barbecues. First two visits are free then annual membership fees apply.

Graeme, 0404 809 640, keilorover50@ gmail.com, www.keilorover50.com.au

Sunshine Community Brass Sunshine Community Brass is looking for trumpet and percussion players to join its vibrant band of musicians. With more than 90 years of history, the band rehearses at 45 Furlong Road, North Sunshine, on Tuesdays, from 7.30pm.

Andrew, 0419 444 620

Deer Park Probus Club The Deer Park Probus Club meets at the Deer Park Club, 780 Ballarat Road, Deer Park on the second Wednesday of the month from February to December. Meet at 10am followed by lunch available from 12pm. The club offers bus trips, lunches, morning melodies etc. New members welcome.

0427 495 584

Keilor Park Tennis Club social night Join the club on Monday nights for a free social hit and get to know other club members. All levels are welcome. Female players are also required for Thursday competition from 10am-2pm and also for the B-grade mixed team on Wednesday, 7-9pm. keilorparktennis@gmail.com

Brimbank Book Group Be inspired by thought-provoking books with a group of like-minded, literary fans with our Brimbank Book Group. All welcomed. This group, for adults, meets on the first Monday of the month, from 2-3 pm, at Deer Park library. Bookings are not

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of St Monica’s Primary School students Jonah, 12, Vivien, 8 and Carlos, 11, who helped the school win a statewide science award for the second year in a row. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 523766_01

essential, but please feel free to register your interest. library@brimbank.vic.gov.au

Create & Chat Dig out your craft projects and get inspiration from fellow like-minded crafters with the create and chat sessions at Sunshine Library, from 10-11am, on the first Tuesday of every month. All skill levels are welcome. library@brimbank.vic.gov.au

Women working together A program connecting women aged 50 and above and in need of assistance, with mentors and mentees. Open to women across the western suburbs, including Brimbank.

9655 2131, EmploymentSupport@ cotavic.org.au, or cotavic.org.au/ our-programs/employment-support/

National seniors meeting On the first Wednesday of every month

8 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

at 1.30pm, the metro west branch of national seniors meets at the Deer Park Club, with meals available to purchase.

The group also holds lunches on different Fridays each month, as well as activities such as theatre visits, bus trips and more.

0425 713 004, or lesley1.collins@ outlook.com

St Albans senior citizens St Albans Senior Citizens group meet at the centre at the corner of Alfrieda and William streets, St Albans, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9am-2pm.

Annual membership: $10. Cost: $1 entry on attendance day.

Roma, 0435 991 064

Caroline Springs Rotary Card games Love playing the card game 500? Card games are played every Monday, from 7-10pm, at the Sunshine RSL offices, 99 Dickson Street, Sunshine.

Leisa, 0425 768 808

The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs is inviting new guests to join its meetings in person or via Zoom. Meetings are held every Wednesday at the Western Emergency Relief Network in Ravenhall, from 7pm. rotarycarolinesprings@gmail.com

Keilor Day View Club The Keilor Day View Club meets at 11am on the first Thursday of each month at Green Gully Soccer Club, Green Gully Reserve, Club House Place, Keilor Downs. The club is inviting locals to come along and enjoy a meal and fun with a friendly group of ladies.

Robyn, 0425 387 880

Deer Park Lions Club Deer Park Lions Club is looking for new members. It holds dinner meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at the Deer Park Senior Citizens Club, 119 Station Road, Deer Park.

Michael, 0417 307 572

SECTION 12740599-MC02-25

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

From Cornwall with love

By Tania Phillips Cornwall is considered one of the most remote and yet beautiful counties in England.

And the county’s North Coast with its dramatic cliffscapes, craggy coves, boundless white-tipped breakers and kilometres and kilometres of golden sands is a jewel in the crown, a hikers paradise – beloved by it’s local residents including local fisherman Jeremy Brown, who is more than happy to extoll it’s beauty, heritage and culture.

Part of a five-generation fishing family Jeremy lives in Port Isaac – a quintessential Cornish Fishing village – known for its narrow, winding streets lined with charming, whitewashed cottages that overlook a picturesque harbour – locally referred to as the Platt.

It has gained fame as the fictional village of Port Wenn in the BBC series Doc Martin with many a visitor searching the historic village for the “Grumpy Doc’s” landmarks according to the seasoned fisherman and part-time singer.

However, Jeremy and his fellow members of Fisherman’s Friends – a group of local men who have been taking sea shanty’s to the world through their two successful movies, musicals and their forthcoming first Australian tour – are slowly changing that. Bringing the tourism focus back on the beautiful landscape and vibrant living culture.

Fishing heritage dates back to the early fourteenth century in Port Isaac. It’s a village that has always been deeply connected to the sea, with fishing continuing to play a significant role in the lives of its residents.

The village’s name comes from the Cornish Porthysek, meaning ’corn port’, a nod to its historic role in the grain trade.

“People actually do turn up now and look for someone from the Fisherman’s Friends and not just the grumpy old Doc,” Jeremy laughed.

“It’s been a goal of mine in a way – to have some people come to Port Isaac to see the home of Fisherman’s Friends. People have always come to Port Isaac it’s such a pretty place – but then we got a certain amount of the Tourism which was just people looking for the Doc’s House and what have you.

“Even though we’ve got members in from other Ports now – Padstow and Boscastle – it is the home of the Fisherman’s Friends and people do make a beeline for it but of course the village sells itself - it’s so pretty.”

And on Wednesday nights Jeremy, an

Down on the Platt at Port Isaac where Fisherman’s Friends first performed. If it looks familiar its probably because it’s better-known to a lot of the world as Port Wenn thanks to the TV Show Doc Martin.

original member of the group, formed to raise a bit of money for charity back in the 90s, can often be found in the pub singing sea shanties with the rest of the community. The band on stage on those nights is The Yarnigoats who do a lot of the Fisherman’s Friends repertoire as well as their own music. Local gigs are few and far between for the Friends these days.

“Very occasionally about three times this year – on our group WhatsApp chat – we just say is anyone free on Friday and we just do an impromptu gig,” he said.

“But we can’t advertise it these days because it causes chaos down there. If we advertise it we get 2000 people turn up – paramedics, police and marshals have to come because there’s no parking in the village – it’s all out of the village.

“The old sea shanties are obviously from the days of sail so we’re going back hundreds of years.

“But for some reason they’ve got some sort of resonance with people. When we first started singing we had no ambition other than to raise a few pounds for charity.

We started singing in the open air at Port Isaac – it’s a bit of an amphitheatre and it sort of lends itself to it.”

The beauty and setting of the village evokes the past and the fishing culture.

“Everything rolls downhill to the harbour,” Jeremy says.

“It’s a very small harbour and it’s straight into the open ocean from there. You’ve got the North Atlantic right out there and the

No need to make rustic backdrops for photos, movies or TV shows in Port Isaac in the breathtaking county of Cornwall in the UK.

gales literally come right on through and they sweep up the streets and we have to move all the boats.”

He said visitors invariably always find themselves at the bottom of the village at The Platt – a concreted area where the fishermen (like Jeremy’s son who is one of just a few professional fishermen left in the town) keep their dingy. The Platt is also where Fisherman’s Friends got their start and still pop up from time to time.

“You can get a beer and just sit on the Platt or you can go up to our local pub where some of the filming in our films took place and enjoy the atmosphere and have a sing.”

Jeremy believes the best thing that has come out of the adventure of Fisherman’s Friends is the revival of pub singing – of singing just for the joy of it at your local

Fisherman’s Friends original member Jeremy Brown is part of a long-standing fishing family in the Port Isaac District. He’s also a staunch supporter of his home village and keeping the fishing culture alive and vibrant. (Supplied)

and of keeping that part of Cornish Culture alive. Of course, the band’s trip to Australia is another bonus – and it helps that it’s in the English winter when work is not so busy.

“Singing has not really taken us around the world because we’ve all still got our regular jobs,” he said.

The group’s first Australian tour starts in Adelaide on 7 January and closes out in Perth on 25 January and takes in all States and the ACT. Tickets on sale head to the fishermans-friends website for more information.

Dedicated travel content delivered to an untapped audience weekly.

To advertise in our Travel Today section, please contact Gayle Williams e: gayle.williams@starweekly.com.au t: (03) 8318 5777

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Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 9

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which Twenty20 cricket team defeated Perth Scorchers in the 202526 Women’s Big Bash League final?

3. In which NBA season did the Los Angeles Lakers become the inaugural winners of the NBA Cup in-season tournament?

4. Owen Wilson’s character in the television series Stick formerly played what sport professionally?

2. Nelson Asofa-Solomona played for Melbourne Storm before quitting rugby league to pursue a career in what sport?

5. NBL CEO David Stevenson has suggested a new team would likely be based in one of which three states or territories?

6. For breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, Quentin Folliot was suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency for how many years?

7. After not playing for almost five years, 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers recently signed with which NFL team?

8. Townsville-born Alex Ferlazzo competes in the men’s singles of which winter sport?

Coco Gauff

Ilia Malinin

10. Sherrone Moore most recently coached which US college football team?

11. Which Australian athlete was nicknamed ‘The Boy from Bowral’?

12. What sport is El Capitan associated with?

25. And in which year did they add a women’s event?

20. Alongside Russia, what was the only other country banned from competing in the 2024 Olympics?

13. Who is the oldest active NRL player?

14. Who was presented the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize?

26. What is a lacrosse ball made out of?

21. The ANBF governs which sport?

15. Oracle vs. Emirates is a famous rivalry in which competition?

22. US athlete Ilia Malinin recently became the first figure skater to land how many quad jumps in a single program, subsequently beating his own world record score by almost 10 points?

16. What is Tiger Woods’ real first name?

17. At which Olympics did Michael Phelps win his first gold medal?

18. And which event did he first win gold in?

23. On a dartboard, are the inner sections of the number 10 red or green?

19. What is Coco Gauff’s highest achieved singles ranking: world No.4, world No.2 or world No.1?

27. Which sport is nicknamed ‘chess on ice’?

28. Which fielding position in cricket stands beside the wicketkeeper?

29. How many New York teams are in the NHL? 30. Which sport does Zac Efron’s character Troy Bolton play in the High School Musical film franchise?

24. In which year was handball added to the Olympic program?

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Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 13

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 271

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

easy

8 2 3 1 4 5 8 2 3 6 4 2 9 4 9

9 1 5 6 1 2 3 2 8 6

7 9

DECODER 18 3

20

22

21

18

17

25

10

17

13

4

10

13

20

15

10

14

26

X

23

22

3

23

18 15

25

S

4

18

20

17 21

25

6

12

10

17

23

14

12

25

5

22

S 23

7

8

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22

9

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17

S

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5

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T

Today’s Aim: 14 words: Good 21 words: Very good

9 4 5 7 8 2 6 3 1 7 3 6 1 4 9 5 8 2 1 8 2 5 3 6 4 9 7 6 9 4 3 5 1 7 2 8 8 5 7 2 9 4 3 1 6 2 1 3 6 7 8 9 4 5 4 7 8 9 1 5 2 6 3 5 6 1 4 2 3 8 7 9 3 2 9 8 6 7 1 5 4

2 1 5 3 4 9 6 8 7 3 7 4 8 2 6 1 5 9 6 9 8 5 7 1 4 2 3 5 2 7 4 3 8 9 1 6 8 3 9 1 6 2 5 7 4 4 6 1 9 5 7 2 3 8 1 8 3 2 9 4 7 6 5 7 4 2 6 8 5 3 9 1 9 5 6 7 1 3 8 4 2

Y

I O

E

S

P

3 LETTERS ADD ADO ADS AID BOW EEL EGO FED GEE IDS ILL IOU IRE LIE MAR NIP NOR OFF OKS ORE PEN TEE WHO YOU

No. 271

A C C O R D

5 LETTERS ABATE ABODE ALIGN ALIVE AMISS AWARE BEARS BERET CANAL CRATE DEALT DYING EAGER EATEN EDGES EERIE ELUDE EVERY EXUDE FLORA HOSTS

4 LETTERS EARL EBBS FLEE GULP KEEL LILY MEET MIEN POPE SASH SLAM TALL TRAY USES

INANE KNOTS LADLE LAPEL LEERY LOVES NOTED PIXIE RISER SATIN SCANT SEDAN SHREW SLAIN SLEPT SLEWS SOLED SPEAK STAFF START STEAM STUDY

SWING TEASE TENET TENOR TILDE TOILS ULTRA

7 LETTERS ANTENNA APOSTLE GOATEES LEOTARD REALISE SNUFFER

6 LETTERS ACCORD ASSURE FRONTS ORIENT

8 LETTERS CELLISTS HANGOVER HYSTERIA TABLOIDS

09-01-26

No. 378

QUICK QUIZ

1

Who was the first wife of Roman emperor Nero?

4

The smoky spirit mezcal is derived from which plant?

2

Which band had hits with the songs Dreams (1993), Linger (1993) and Ode to My Family (1994)?

7

Dorothea Brooke is the heroine of which 19th century English novel?

8

3

Comedians James Acaster and Ed Gamble co-host which podcast?

True or false: the shoe company Dr. Martens was founded by a British doctor?

9

6

What long-distance hiking trail spans 4,265 kilometres from Canada to Mexico?

How many US states begin with the letter ‘n’?

Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

E T

14 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

F R A N K R O B I N A T O N E N O V E L C R E S T

K

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WORDFIT

chip, chips, chit, city, hips, hiss, hits, itch, itchy, physic, PHYSICIST, physics, pitch, pith, pithy, pits, pity, schist, ship, ships, sips, sits, spicy, spit, spits, this, tips, tipsy, yips

4 7 2 5 8 1 6 9 3 8 3 6 7 9 2 4 5 1 5 9 1 6 4 3 8 7 2 9 1 3 8 5 4 7 2 6 6 8 4 9 2 7 3 1 5 2 5 7 3 1 6 9 8 4 1 2 8 4 6 9 5 3 7 7 4 9 2 3 5 1 6 8 3 6 5 1 7 8 2 4 9

A

I

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Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

E

S

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once.

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

29 words: Excellent

hard

O

25

12

10 11 12 13

3

medium

A

S

23

2

easy

O

15

9-LETTER WORD

8

F

S

1

18

1 6 5

25

5

J W M V T Y Z K P O Q D U

7

S

2

16

S

6

13

19 22

25

14

13

22

10

23

25

11

25

S

7

15 20

S

12

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17

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25

22

19

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2

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19 25

14

16

23

18

X

17

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1

24

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

8 4 6

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26

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9

2 1

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9

No. 303

5

The 2006 film She’s the Man, starring Amanda Bynes (pictured), is a modernday retelling of which of Shakespeare’s comedies?

10 What was the name of artist Frida Kahlo’s spouse?

ANSWERS: 1. Claudia Octavia 2. The Cranberries 3. Off Menu 4. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) 5. Twelfth Night 6. Agave 7. Middlemarch 8. False; he was a German doctor 9. Eight 10. Diego Rivera

6 8 6 1 5 7 4 5 4 9 3 1 2 7 1 7 8 3 9 4 2 6 5 6 1 3 4

S P E A K S C A N T A B A T E T I L D E T E N O R S O L E D U L T R A S W I N G E X U D E A I D L A D L E Y O U G E E M E E T D Y I N G F R O N T S O K S S N U F F E R S L A I N T A L L E A R L T A B L O I D S P O P E L I E A P O S T L E R E A L I S E S L A M H A N G O V E R F E D F L E E L I L Y E V E R Y G O A T E E S I R E A C C O R D N O T E D S A S H M A R I O U T E A S E W H O I N A N E S T A R T B E A R S E E R I E B E R E T S A T I N S L E P T S E D A N S L E W S

3 4

8 5

17 18 19 21 22 23 26

5

medium

1

Inhabitant (8) Abstinence (8) Childish (7) Pressurised dispenser (7) Light rainfall (6) Holiday spot (6) Fringe (4) Tableland (7) Meeting for an exchange of ideas (7) Sheath (8) Sing to (8) Unaffected (7) Settle (7) Help (6) Slip-on shoe (6) Ballot choice (4)

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 16

15

6

DOWN

Formula (6) Large rope (6) Climb (5) Light-headed (9) Disadvantage, disservice (9) Impugn (5) A spice (6) Plummet (4) Require (4) Source of wisdom (6) Schnoz (5) Incapable of being seen (9) Provider of information (9) Tropical climbing plant (5) Slave (6) Interfere (6)

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No. 271

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QUICK CROSSWORD

High quality, bargain price

By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring Yet another new name for Australian buyers to grapple with, Jaecoo is one of three sub-brands from the Chinese Chery brand.

Chery is the leading exporter of Chinese vehicles worldwide with Australian sales more than tripling over the past 12 months.

Marketed as the group’s premium brand, Jaecoo was launched here in March 2025 with the J7, a mid-sized SUV powered by either petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

It was joined recently by our test vehicle, the J8 family-size SUV. Although they are built on different platforms, they do share many of the same design elements, most noticeable being what Chery describes as its Waterfall Grille with 20 vertical chrome and piano black bars and the Jaecoo name in the centre.

The J8 differs also in that it only comes with a single power option, a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine although it seems likely that a PHEV will follow.

Although J8 is significantly larger in all dimensions than the J7 both are five-seaters.

It’s highly likely that a third row will be added later to allow it to compete against similarly-sized vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail, Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger.

Jaecoo J8 comes with two variants, the Track 2WD priced at $49,990 and the AWD $54,990 Ridge. Both prices are driveaway.

The Jaecoo J8 is one of the best offerings yet from China, certainly the best SUV. (Pictures: Supplied)

RATINGS Looks: 9/10

Styling

Performance: 7.5/10

Chery’s design team, headed by a former Mercedes-Benz stylist, have done an impressive job with its two Jaecoo vehicles.

Both have an understated but stylish appearance, one that proved to be real head-turners wherever we drove, invariably followed by the need to explain that Jaecoo was the upmarket version of the Chinese carmaker Chery.

The 320mm extra length of the J8 over the J7 is the most obvious difference between the two siblings with its stretched, slightly tapering roofline just crying out for that extra row of seats.

There’s LED lighting all round, both external and internal, with a light bar connecting the tail lights.

Safety: 8/10

Interior The quality and premier feel of the Jaecoo J8 extends into the cabin.

The front seats are heated and ventilated with massage function and four-way lumbar support. The Ridge variant adds heating and ventilation to outer second row seats.

The driver gets an eight-way powered seat with extended thigh support, four-way lumbar support and memory function.

The front passenger has six-way power adjustment.

The rear seats get their own air conditioning controls and a folding centre armrest.

There’s even an in-built fragrance system in the Ridge that uses replaceable cartridges, located below the dashboard to release a choice of scents through the interior of the vehicle.

One feature that we haven’t encountered are speakers built into the front seat headrests. We received a few phone calls during our test – backseat drivers indeed.

Boot space is a huge 738 litres expandable to a van-like 2021 litres with the rear seatbacks folded. Note that these measurements are to the roof.

Both variants come with a full-sized spare wheel.

Engines/transmissions The Jaecoo J8 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 183kW of power and 385Nm of torque from 1750rpm. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes in either

Thirst: 7/10 Practicality: 8/10 Comfort: 8.5/10 Tech: 8/10 Value: 8.5/10

front-wheel drive in the Ridge and all-wheel drive in the Track.

The engine requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded fuel.

Safety Jaecoo J8 was yet to be tested by ANCAP, however given that it shares all of its safety features with the J7 which was tested in May 2025 and received the maximum five-star rating, that would seem to be assured.

Track has eight airbags including front centre and driver’s knee. Ridge adds side airbags for the outside rear seats.

Both variants get Chery’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) package that includes forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, integrated cruise assist, blind spot detection, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and braking, lane departure prevention with emergency lane keeping, driver monitoring system and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Range variant adds extra drive modes, torque vectoring and continuous damping control.

There are also four lane deviation and three driver inattention/speed limit monitoring systems. All can be turned off temporarily although, fortunately, they are nowhere near as intrusive as others we have come across One thing that impressed us, with both the Jaecoo models that we’ve tested, was that the vehicle will not move unless the driver’s seatbelt is fastened.

Such an obvious safety but one that very few other manufacturers have adopted.

We understand that ANCAP may add to its testing regime in future.

Infotainment In contrast to the portrait format of the Jaecoo J7’s infotainment screen the J8 reverts to the conventional landscape design. The touch screen is 12.3-inch and

is butted up against a driver’s information cluster of the same size to display as a single, panoramic screen.

Both screens are crisp, clear and easy to access. There’s inbuilt satellite navigation that can be displayed on both screens.

There are USB-A ports at both front and rear with fast-charge USB-Cs in both locations. 12-volt power outlets are located in the front and in the boot and there is a 50W wireless charger in both variants.

Audio is through an impressive 14-speaker Sony surround sound system.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless.

Driving There are retractable handles on all four doors that open automatically when the key fob comes in range. Unlike most other vehicles with such door handles that can be awkward to open those in the J7 open fully square for easy opening.

Visibility isn’t great with about half of the narrow rear window blocked by the rear seat headrests. The A-pillar is wide and sharply angled which, together with the large side mirror, does restrict left-side vision for the driver.

As is rapidly becoming the norm, almost all vehicle functions are accessed through the touchscreen rather than using physical controls.

While these are among the many important safety features in the vehicle, and no doubt many drivers will appreciate them, they can be quite intrusive and frequently require the driver to look at the touchscreen instead of the road ahead.

They can be turned off although with most vehicles they then default back on when the engine is stopped. Fortunately, with the Jaecoo that’s not the case and, apart from the driver distraction alert, they remain off until turned on again.

Another problem we found was the

location of the gear selector on the right-hand steering wheel stalk. Typically, that is the location of the right turn indicator or windscreen wiper controls. On a number of occasions, we inadvertently moved the vehicle into neutral when we went to use either the indicator or wipers.

The drive experience from the Jaecoo J8 is predictable enough for a large boxy and relatively heavy vehicle but that applies equally to most vehicles in the medium SUV field. It does what the typical family owner wants and does it well.

It provides a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride both around town and on the motorway. Steering is light Note that, unusually for a relatively large vehicle, J8 does not have any towing rating.

Both variants get an adjustable head-up display.

Summing up Although the Jaecoo brand doesn’t have the badge prestige of European vehicles of similar size the J8’s driveaway price starting from just under $50,000 it offers incredible value for money.

The standard Jaecoo warranty covers eight years and unlimited kilometres.

There’s also 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance, that can be with the opportunity of extending for the full warranty period provided that the vehicle is serviced throughout at authorised Jaecoo dealers.

Another Jaecoo initiative is a ‘Future Price Promise’ that guarantees a minimum resale value subject to specific conditions being met including the aforementioned servicing criteria.

The Jaecoo J8 certainly gets our nod as one of the best offerings yet from China, certainly the best SUV. The combination of its, excellent interior space and comfort, safety equipment and pricing make it well worth checking out.

Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 15

2025 YEAR IN REVIEW ... SPORT

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Gisborne’s Elijah Bretherton. 496381_17

Craigieburn’s Darren Wotu. 518147_02

Ashleigh Palmer won the women’s 400m at the Lancefield Gift in November. Also pictured as Grace Carter, Genevieve O’Brien, Lucy Zotti, Ella Tobin and Alex Tzilantonis. 517333_26

Myra Wood in action in for Craigieburn in August. 497759_32

Sport through the Star Weekly photography lens Star Weekly photographer Ljubica Vrankovic captured all the sport action across Melbourne’s western and northern

suburbs throughout 2025. She shares her favourite pictures from the past year.

Footscray’s Paula Nailovolovo in June.

481972_18

Ameir Majur on the court for Melton. 508552_12

Keilor’s Daniel Poelsma. 488186_10

16 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

Don Geodes in action in November.520809_21

Footscray’s Kerry Nease during the women’s grand final in August. 499386_04

Lalor United’s Solomon Sunray. 488179_09

Keilor’s Adetomi Ayilara. 488186_27

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

2025 YEAR IN REVIEW ... SPORT

Eagles claim promotion 5 August There has been no drop in motivation for Keilor Park despite having secured promotion with five rounds left in the Victorian Premier League women’s competition.

The Eagles set the aim of going at least one spot better this year to ensure promotion and a spot in the National Premier League women’s, the top competition in the state.

Sitting behind Avonalde, the two teams have already secured their spots in the NPLW for 2026.

Eagles coach Liam Drury said a lot of hard work had been done over the years to get them to this point.

“It is really nice to get it done and it’s so exciting for the club to move forward next year,” he said.

“This has been many years in the making. It’s been the last two for me and a lot of the team.

“It’s a really good program and we’ve been in a good position.”

Drury said this strong season started back in pre-season and their pre-season camp.

He said they thought they had a strong squad heading into the season, but never expected to have secured promotion this early.

“We thought we had a strong start and the expectation was to be promoted,” he said. “A couple of months in, we knew we were in a good spot but never imagined that we would have earned promotion with five weeks remaining.”

The Eagles were sitting five points behind Avondale in the battle for top spot,

heading into the weekend’s matches, which were after deadline.

Including that match there were four rounds remaining.

Drury said they would do everything they could to finish the year off strongly and see what happens.

The top two sides face each other in the second last round.

“We want to try and win the last four games,” he said. “We want to keep the pressure on Avondale and we have an eye on finals after that.

“You could think that the group may lose motivation for the remaining matches, but it is far from it.”

The Eagles were set to face Monash University on Friday night, after deadline.

Drury said that planning is already underway for next year and there’s lots of

thoughts on what they want to do.

Now set to be in the top flight, Drury said it would help boost the club even further.

“Hopefully people will see a youthful thinking club and people will hopefully want to join.”

While the Eagles women have sealed promotion, the Eagles men are still in the fight in state league 1 north-west.

Aiming for a second straight promotion, Keilor Park was two points clear on top of the ladder, before the weekend’s matches.

They were set to face second placed Banyule City on Saturday, after deadline.

There are now four rounds remaining with only the top side earning straight promotion, with the side to play off in a final against the second placed side in state league 1 south-east.

Double EDFL joy for Sharks 16 September

Sunshine celebrates their win. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 465514_26

Sunshine back on top after 37 years 18 March It’s been 37 years between top flight premierships but the Sunshine Eagles are now back on top in the Baseball Victoria summer league premier 1st nine competition.

The Eagles, who have been one of the teams to beat all season, were able to find that little bit extra in Saturday’s grand final to beat the Williamstown Wolves, 2-1.

Eagles coach Stuart Clayton said it was a pretty special feeling.

“We’re ecstatic,” he said. “It was an amazing result in the end and it’s something you can not imagine after 37 years between premierships.

“We’ve won multiple division 2 and 3 premierships and won different grades but it’s been 37 years in the top level.

“It’s really special and the club is ecstatic. The feeling around the club was amazing.”

The Eagles entered the grand final after a week off, while the Wolves had to win two midweek clashes to make the decider.

A win on Saturday would give the Ea-

gles the title, a loss and the two sides would have been back on Sunday with the winner to claim the championship.

There was no high scoring affair, with both sides playing some really good baseball.

“It was a great game and a lot of credit has to go to Willy,” Clayton said. “They did it the tough way playing Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

“Their pitchers were amazing yesterday [Saturday].”

Clayton said they had a big advantage after having the week off with a few players struggling with a few niggles.

On Saturday, a Darryl George home run late was what was needed to get the Eagles home, with one of his teammates also on base to take give the Eagles their two runs.

Jamie Young pitched well early on, before brother Jeremy Young finished it off.

Clayton said all their leaders had stood strong in the whole finals series to get them over the line.

Jamie Young was named the most valuable player of the finals series.

“He has been with us for seven to eight years now,” Clayton said. “He had four or five years at college and then came back.

“The whole family has been fantastic and been a big part of this and where we are now.”

Just one member of the premiership side from 37 years ago is still involved at the Eagles now.

A young Clayton was part of that side.

“I was a 20-year-old on the bench,” he said. “I’ve been the only one to stick around all these years.

“It’s a relief and amazing. I love baseball and I’ve been involved for 42 years. I can not even put into words what it means.”

Celebrations continued into Sunday, with some of the group partying through the night.

Now with that much wanted championship, Clayton said they hope this is only the beginning.

“We think we have a core group of players that will hopefully keep coming back,” he said. “We want to keep pushing for the next few years.”

For Hillside, the conclusion of the Essendon District Football League 2025 season marked a historic era defined by dramatic triumphs over the Oak Park.

The celebrations began on 31 August when the women’s team claimed its first premier division premiership under remarkable circumstances.

Leading by five points as the final siren sounded, Hillside’s title hopes rested entirely on the final kick of the day: a free kick awarded to Oak Park’s Rhianna Nunn.

Ash Thorneycroft smothered the kick with the very hand she had broken against Oak Park in the season’s first round to give her side the win.

Coach Blaise Ferraro described the deflection as “symbolic,” securing a nail-biting 3.4 (22)-2.5 (17) victory, with Annalise Wilkie named best on ground.

“We just had to make sure that we didn’t panic,” Ferraro said. “No matter what happens, you know that they are going to come and you have to absorb that pressure.

“Get a break and reset from there.

They came in the third quarter.”

A fortnight later, the men’s team arrived at Coburg City Oval looking to replicate this success in the division 1 grand final.

Despite not having won a grand final since 2013, the Sharks upset Oak Park a 9.12 (66)-5.14 (44), earning promotion to the premier division for the first time,.

The match’s emotional peak arrived in the fourth quarter when full forward Josh Covelli kicked his 100th goal of the season, causing fans to swarm the field in celebration.

While the women’s reserves narrowly missed their title, the men’s reserves were victorious, capping off a massive month for the club.

Men’s coach Mo Kaakour noted that the victories were the result of a cultural build spanning three years.

With Khalil Kaakour earning best on ground for the men, the club solidified its place in history, ensuring Hillside Recreation Reserve will be rocking for days.

Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 17

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STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Eagles secure promotion 16 September Keilor Park has secured back-to-back promotions with victory in the final round of the FV state league 1 north-west season getting the job done.

The Eagles had been the team to beat for the most of the season before a late season slip up left the race for the championship to the final round.

Keilor Park had a 2-1 win against Corio on Saturday to make sure it didn’t have to rely on other results.

Eagles coach Sergio Sabbadini said it was a pretty amazing feeling to go backto-back after winning the state league 2 north-west title last year.

“It was a massive ride,” he said. “To be honest, going back-to-back is one of the

hardest things I have done.

“We led for so long and then had a slump for four or five weeks and we allowed everyone to catch up to us and we had our backs against the wall.

“We won every game from then on.

“The players were fantastic and the club was fantastic.”

Sabbadini said coming out of the mid-season slump was a test of character for the group.

He said everyone passed that with flying colours.

While the Eagles’ own fate remained in their own hands, Sabbadini said it was still a challenge.

“We were stressed to the max,” he said.

“Corio had been flirting with relegation, so it was a live game for both sides.

“We kept our feet on the ground and scored a goal when we had to and then defended.”

The Eagles opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Sam Litchfield before Banyule got one back six minutes later.

Ren Furuyama scored what would be the winner in the 70th minute.

Sabbadini said they then looked to shut the game down.

“We thought that was enough,” he said.

“The ground was rock hard and the ball was spending a lot of time in the air.

“We put an extra midfielder back and we would be the one looking to hit them on the break.”

The Eagles finished two points clear of Banyule City and Sydenham Park.

Banyule will face the second side from

the state league 1 south-west competition for the third promotion spot.

Sabbadini said they had added two or three players this season but the core group had been together for the past two years making the feat more remarkable.

The Eagles will now play in the Victorian Premier League 2 competition next season.

He said he didn’t think they had played at that level before.

“We’re having meetings this week to sort a few things out and then it’s a bit of a break,” he said.

The championship caps off a big year for the Eagles.

The club’s top women’s side has earned promotion into the National Premier League Women’s competition for next season.

Balmoral’s stunning season 9 September

Caroline Springs George Cross celebrate promotion. (Mark Avellino)

Georgies return to National Premier League 2 September Caroline Springs George Cross had one of the more remarkable victories to send the club back into the National Premier League for the first time in 15 years.

The Georgies have been one of the stories of the Victorian soccer scene in recent years as it’s risen up from state league 1 back in the Victorian Premier League 1.

There were absolute scenes on August 24, as an 8-0 win against Western United gave them automatic promotion back up into the top flight for next season.

Georgies’ coach Eric Vassiliadis said it was just an amazing feeling.

“There’s an incredible sense of pride,” he said. “For the club, the community and the sponsors it’s been a long, long journey.

“What this group has achieved is nothing short of amazing. The willingness, the desire and the sacrifice.

“The support staff, the board that funds it and the fans, we’ve all going to celebrate tonight [Sunday].”

Vassiliadis said there was a lot of ambition in the group and it was about executing

the plan and staying calm in the chaos.

The Georgies knew that they needed to get the win in the final round and hope that other results went their way to get automatic promotion.

The Georgies entered the round in third spot one point behind Bentleigh Greens and goal difference behind Melbourne City.

The top two teams earned automatic promotion, while the side that finished third would play off in finals for the last promotion spot.

Melbourne City suffered a final round loss but the Georgies victory put them ahead on goal difference as well.

Vassiliadis said when the dust settled they would look back at that final round result.

“We were so determined and people believed in us,” he said. “We had to make sure all those hard days meant something.

“We had to focus on ourselves and hope the results went our way. We delivered what we had to and won 8-0.

“It was so amazing and was synonymous of the whole season. We went on the front foot and it was a reward for effort.”

18 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 January, 2026

The Georgies led 2-0 at half time before piling on the goals in the second half.

Joshua Whiteley and Michael Tzoutzidis scored two goals each.

Vassiliadis said they defended brilliantly and could have easily put a few more goals in the back of the net.

With all the final round games being played at the same time, there were plenty of people on the edge of their seats.

Vassiliadis said how he found they were going up was pretty special.

“I didn’t want to know the other scores [while the game was going],” he said. “There were supporters around the bench and they started celebrating nothing, which meant that Brunswick City [which was playing Melbourne City] had scored a second goal.

“The supporters told me and it was a special feeling.”

The promotion is the Georgies third in four years.

Vassiliadis, who has led all three promotions, said they would let this one settle and start thinking about next year.

“We want to enjoy this,” he said. “We don’t want to set any limits.”

Balmoral was eagerly preparing for the celebrations on Saturday night after aiming to claim its second championship in three years.

The team entered the final round of the FV state league 4 west season, having all but secured the title.

The side was three points clear of Bell Park, with a 24-goal advantage in goal difference. This meant that only an absolute disaster could prevent them from claiming the title.

Speaking before Balmoral’s final game against Barnstoneworth United, president Enver Malkic expressed confidence that the title was within reach, stating that Bell Park would have to make up the goal difference and win while Balmoral lost, which he deemed highly unlikely.

Balmoral had all but locked in the championship with a top-ofthe-table clash in the second-last round. After drawing 4-4 with Bell Park earlier in the season, they drew 2-2 in the rematch, with Malkic describing the atmosphere as filled with “a lot of nerves and excitement in the grandstands.”

The work for this title had begun 12 months earlier, after Balmoral finished third in their first season back in state league 4.

With a new coaching staff of Dave Winton and Emme Sheehan, the team had a strong finish to the season. Malkic praised the young squad, most of whom were playing in their first championship, and expressed excitement about the team’s future.

In addition to their strong state league 4 west season, Balmoral had also made it through to the final four of the Cecil Earley Cup and had a good Australia Cup run.

With the upcoming restructuring of the competition, Malkic emphasised the importance of getting promoted this year, as only one team would be promoted, while the next five sides would be in the new state league 4 north-west competition.

Malkic looked forward to the challenge of competing in state league 3 north-west, the highest level the club has been in the state league era, and expressed excitement about facing new teams and venues.

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2025 YEAR IN REVIEW .... SPORT

Back-to-back premierships 25 March Deer Park is not only the kings of the jungle but are the kings of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division.

On Saturday, the Lions made it back-toback premierships with a commanding win against Yarraville Club in the grand final.

After a strong bowling performance on day one, the Lions batters got the job done early on on day three to see the game called with more than a day’s play remaining.

Lions opener Aaron Shellie said it was pretty special.

“It was good, you always play the game to win flags,” he said. “For me it was good to repay the faith after a tough year.”

Shellie said they were rapt to have kept the Clubbers to 184 on day one with their batting line up.

Shellie opened the batting on Saturday with Angelo Emmanuel and they set the tone.

It had taken some time during the season to sort out the batting line, but Shellie said they had all found their roles late in the season.

“Angelo is a weapon,” he said. “I’m down the other end and he keeps me calm and level headed.

“I can lose it a little bit at the other end.”

The task at the start of play on day three was simple.Day two had been washed out.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Shellie said. “It was pretty sticky.

“We wanted to get through the first hour and we knew it would flatten out. We wanted to be none down after the first hour to be in a good position to chase down the runs.”

The openers put on 125 for the opening partnership and were just two wickets down when they passed the Clubbers total.

Shellie ticked off a century and earned himself the nickname from his teammates Mr Centurion, before going out on 103.

The Lions were 4-248 when the game ended.

Shellie said this century was more special than the others he had made.

Deer Park’s premiership team. (Supplied)

“I had a year to forget,” he said. “I don’t get emotional, but this one meant a lot coming from Coburg to Deer Park.

“It has been a tough ride and I haven’t performed how I would have liked. They kept the faith, the side, supporters and the coach.”

Shellie said playing in his first four day grand final, he wasn’t sure what to expect with how the game would end.

He said they thought they might have played a bit longer, but knew the Clubbers were a long way back still needing 16 wickets and some runs to get the win.

The Lions partied through the night, with many not sleeping as they celebrated their third premiership in four years.

Shellie, who had the premiership flag and medal around his neck on Sunday morning as he chatted, said they were heading back

for more celebrations.

He said the club had become a home for him.

“When I come over, I wanted it to be somewhere I would never leave and my kids would play at,” he said.

“They are a good family club and the guys have been great.

“All the kids are best mates and throwing cricket balls at each other.”

Lakers hold their nerves to secure a second premiership 9 September Caroline Springs is finally back on top in the Western Football League women’s competition.

After a couple of near misses and grand final heartbreak the past two years, the Lakers completed the perfect season on Saturday.

Yarraville-Seddon, which had come from fourth, gave the Lakers a few nervous moments late in the grand final.

There was a goal in it the match early in the last quarter before the Lakers were able to find some composure to dominate the dying minutes.

A goal to Mira Diab sealed the win on the siren and the premiership for the Lakers, 10.8 (68)-8.3 (51).

Lakers coach Alex O’Shea said it was a pretty special moment.

“It feels relief to be honest,” she said.

“We’ve worked hard all year, minor premiers, and Yarraville came into this game with a lot of momentum and we knew that.

“The girls had to be really on today [Saturday]. It was a four quarter performance of footy and we played our game.”

It was a high scoring affair early on with both sides hitting the scoreboard in the opening quarter.

The Lakers led by a goal at the first break.

A five goal to two second quarter really set up the win for the Lakers, who led by 23 points at half time.

The Eagles kept themselves in the game

Mira Diab celebrates one of her goals. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 501140_53

Caroline Springs. (Kel Rowe)

with the only goal of the third quarter with the margin 18 points at the final break.

When the Eagles kicked the first two goals of the last quarter with the margin back to just a goal.

Jacinta Kondis finally got the Lakers first goal of the second half in the 12th minute of the final quarter to steady her side.

The Lakers then had their opportunities as they scored the next four points.

It meant the Eagles needed two goals to win.

They managed to get one back before

Diab scored one on the siren to seal the win.

O’Shea said that the Eagles had put them under pressure all day. She had not much voice after a lot of yelling late.

“It wasn’t an easy game, especially in that last quarter,” she said. “There were moments where they took that opportunity “It got close there. Credit to our girls we got challenged in the game and we kept fighting and fighting, it shows our spirit of our team.

“I’m very proud of the girls.”

O’Shea said they had used the lessons

from the past two grand finals, where they had fallen short late.

“From a coaching aspect, you can’t do much when you’re not out there,” she said.

“Just see how it is, make changes if needed be, and some changes needed to be made lucky enough to come up with the win.

“We’ve been in those scenarios before, been challenged late and haven’t been able to get over the line.

“This year we focused on our preparation and as a coaching staff looked at different scenarios and so forth.

“It was good to compose ourselves and get over the line.”

Diab finished with six goals for the Lakers. Akima Manoah was awarded the best on ground medal.

The premiership is the Lakers second having made the last six grand finals.

The premiership caps off a few big weeks for O’Shea.

Just six weeks ago, O’Shea gave birth to a baby daughter.

Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 BRIMBANK & NORTHWEST STAR WEEKLY 19

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