Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 12th May 2026

Met Gala wow-factor explained

From the red carpet runway of the Met Gala to the hallowed wardrobes of two Dandenong Ranges locals, Michelle Trebilco, also known as Veteran Vamp, and Cat Herine, shared their thoughts and feelings on this year’s fashion statement event.

The pair, who are no strangers to thrifting unique clothing and creating something fun and fantastic, had some clear favourites when it came to the celebs who graced the steps of the Met.

They agreed that some aced the dress code, Fashion is Art, while others just didn’t “wow” them.

Read the full story on page 18

Hub at crossroads

By Tanya Steele

A community hub is gone, childcare is struggling, and no one knows when or even if it is coming back after extensive termite damage forced Selby Community House to close late last year.

One of Victoria’s oldest community houses is facing an uncertain future, scattering its vital services across the hills and leaving families without certainty.

A cornerstone of the house, Selby Childcare is now operating from Menzies Creek Primary

School and Monbulk, with enrolments dropping as families seek stability elsewhere.

“The community has lost its hub,” said Selby House manager Danielle, who is now coordinating programs across multiple venues.

Before the closure, the childcare service supported around 40 families. That number has now fallen to about 10.

Assistant director Zoe said beyond the logistical challenges, the move has fractured the sense of connection that made Selby unique.

“We’re fragmented,” she said.

Selby Childcare, which offers occasional care for children from 18 months old, provides respite for local parents, but operating from the temporary site has brought extra costs and staffing pressures.

Yarra Ranges Council acting director of built environment and infrastructure Vincenzo Lombardi said the council has been supporting the relocation and covering out-of-pocket costs.

“We know that being away from the Selby Community House building has had, and contin-

ues to have, an impact on staff, families and the wider community,” he said.

Councillors recently endorsed a five-year partnership program for neighbourhood houses, including $45,000 per year for Selby to deliver free and low-cost activities, while State Government informed neighbourhood houses that funding would not be restored in real terms to the sector after months of campaigning by Neighbourhood Houses Victoria.

Turn to page 4 to read more

Locals fashionistas Michelle Trebilco and Cat Herine chatted all things Met Gala. (Stewart Chambers: 551555)

Billy Timber Technology

Ratepayer hit twice

A Knox resident hit with a double-charge on their rates has expressed their frustrations after trying to be reimbursed by the council.

A number of Knox City Council ratepayers who pay on a 9-month direct debit cycle were slammed with a second deduction this week, which the council claims was due to bank error.

An Upper Ferntree Gully resident who wished not to be named said Knox’s notification to residents by email came too late, arriving 24 hours after the issue.

“I was assured the funds would be in my account by 6 May, but that has not occurred,” they said.

“Based on this experience, I find Knox City Council unreliable, lacking transparency, and disconnected from the needs of local residents.

“Where did Knox City Council advertise the duplicate rates deduction, and was this communication adequate for residents who are not on social media?”

Dinsdale Ward councillor Robert Williams was the first to publicly acknowledge the issue with a post on Facebook at 10.30am on Wednesday 6 May and an alert was up quickly on the

Knox City Council website.

“We have been informed this morning that the councils direct debit provider may have double debited instalments on rates this week,” Cr Williams wrote.

“The Council finance team are aware of this and going to provide a resolution shortly.”

Knox City Council apologised and clarified the issue in a media release on their website by the end of the same day.

The Upper Ferntree Gully resident said they were concerned about their mother, a pensioner, who could not afford to be charged duplicate rates due to an error by Knox council.

“The Council has also proposed reducing the council-funded pensioner rate rebate from $100 to $75, which will really impact the most vulnerable,” they said.

“Knox council should ensure that all residents affected by the duplicate rates payment are informed about the measures being implemented to prevent this from happening again.”

An alert on the Knox City Council website advises that duplicate deductions have been refunded today, Thursday 7 May, and will be visible in customers’ accounts shortly, depending on their bank’s processing times.

In their statement, Knox City Council assured they are working closely and as a priority with the bank to resolve this as quickly as possible and to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

“We are actively seeking more information from the bank, including when and how refunds can be processed, including any additional bank fees,” the statement reads.

“Once this situation is resolved, we will investigate what occurred to prevent this from happening again.

“Council sincerely apologises for this bank error. We understand the importance of reliable payment processing and maintaining community trust, and we will continue to provide updates as required.”

Macedon Ranges Shire Council were hit with a similar issue in March this year that affected about 1040 customers.

Anyone impacted by this is urged to register via confirmsubscription.com/h/ y/73C5EF672D4BB638 to be kept informed, especially about any actions they might need to take.

Anyone else who needs help is urged to contact the council on 9298 8000 or email knoxcc@ knox.vic.gov.au.

IN BRIEF

Protect your belongings in your car Yarra Ranges Eyewatch have notified outer east tradies how they can prevent thefts from their utes and trailers.

Tradies should always secure their utes and trailers and pack away any tools.

If it’s quick to get to, it’s quick to take.

Tradies are also reminded to park off street if they can, while locking up properly and keeping tools out of sight can make a real difference.

If anyone has had anything stolen, report it online at police.vic.gov.au/palolr.

To report information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.

If the crime is happening right now, always call Triple Zero (000).

Tree planting commenced

The Yarra Ranges Council’s Trees Team has begun its planting program this year, with 1600 new trees to be planted between May and September.

New trees will go into the ground across streets and parks in Woori Yallock and Healesville, adding more shade and colour to these neighbourhoods.

“We’re planting a mix of indigenous, native and exotic species, with smaller varieties carefully selected for areas under powerlines to minimise future pruning and keep streets looking their best,” the council said on social media.

“More trees mean cooler streets in summer, cleaner air, better habitats for wildlife and even helping manage stormwater when the rain hits.”

New recycling hubs

From mid-May, community members will be able to recycle items such as small e-waste and light bulbs in recycling hubs located across the municipality.

In partnership with Sustainability Victoria, Council will soon establish six recycling hubs, located at Council’s five Community Links in Upwey, Lilydale, Healesville, Monbulk and Yarra Junction, and at the Belgrave Library.

The recycling hubs will collect household batteries, small e-waste and vapes, light globes, fluorescent tubes, x-rays, CDs, DVDs, VHS and cassette tapes.

The recycling hubs will be opening in late May. For more information on recycling items correctly, please visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/waste.

Collections will be trialled over a 12-month period to make sure they achieve safe and efficient recycling of waste and meet the needs of the community.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Cr Richard Higgins said the recycling hubs will mean more items being recycled, and less batteries and e-waste ending up in landfill.

“In 2019, the State Government announced a ban on e-waste in kerbside bins, meaning that anything powered by a battery or a power plug was not allowed to be put in household bins, and had to be taken to a transfer station or put out for hard rubbish collection,” Cr Higgins said.

“However, the Yarra Ranges is an incredibly large area; waste transfer stations aren’t always accessible for people for several reasons, and people can’t always store items for hard rubbish. Meanwhile, we know that the prevalence of battery-powered items has risen dramatically.”

Knox City Council has apologised and clarified that a bank error is to blame for duplicate deductions faced by some ratepayers. (File: 471256)

By Callum Ludwig and Tanya Steele

Selby ‘hub’ hangs in balance

By Tanya Steele

One of the oldest community houses in Victoria, Selby Community House continues to face a real threat of closure after extensive termite damage was discovered in its building late last year.

A vital service at the house, Selby Childcare is running out of Menzies Creek Primary School, with no idea of when they will return to Selby.

With classes now across Monbulk and Menzies Creek, the childcare arm of the house has suffered with enrolments significantly down.

“The community has lost its hub,” Selby House manager Danielle said, who is now running the house’s programs remotely and on the road.

On staff for a decade, director of childcare at Selby Community House, Lisa, said the move to Menzies Creek Primary, along with the uncertainty around the future of the house, has been very challenging.

After the sudden news of the house’s damage late last year from Yarra Ranges Council, staff had to figure out how to move their childcare set-up, as well as their staff.

“I had families on the phone over the Christmas holidays asking for childcare and we needed something local,” Lisa said.

“The reason we do this is for the local community.”

The ball only really got rolling on reopening the service after school began in 2026, leaving staff without pay and local families forced to choose between waiting or finding another option.

With a previous client list of around 40 local families, Lisa said they are now down to about 10.

Selby Childcare assistant director Zoe said she is concerned about what’s next.

One of the things she is missing is the regular community interactions for the kids that the Selby House allowed, particularly special was the intergenerational meet-ups the childcare had with the Wise Ones - a social group for people over 60 that runs through the house.

“We’re fragmented,” she said. “I have so much belief in what we are, and I want to fight for it.”

Gaining approval from the Department of Education and working with the Yarra Ranges Council, Selby Childcare reopened on 20 April at the Menzies Creek childcare location, amid some issues, but enrolments are still down.

Local families have left the childcare partly because they want stability and assurance that they can access the service in the long term and while the newly outfitted space at the primary school has been a lifeline, the staff are still worried.

“I call this centre the little hidden gem, because we’re not known,” Zoe said.

Lisa said the Menzies Creek space has been amazing but also inconvenient, and the financial viability isn’t there.

“We also need an extra staff member on because of the outside toilets,” she said.

Selby Childcare offers occasional care, which means families can access regular (not drop-in) sessions for their kids and gives parents with kids around 18 months old and up a much-needed respite.

The staff are passionate and devoted, but stressed by the move from Selby.

“That’s why we’re here, and that’s why we love our job, and that’s why we want Selby to keep going, because we’re giving those families a break,” Lisa said.

The childcare centre lost a few of its staff through the changes because they needed fulltime work, and while Selby is actively recruiting for staff members, they do so while operating on the temporary arrangement at Menzies Creek.

Acknowledging the impact on the house, acting director of built environment and infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council, Vincenzo Lombardi, said the council is covering out-ofpocket expenses incurred by the House to support its relocation.

“Including assisting programs such as childcare to move,” he said.

“We know that being away from the Selby Community House building has had, and continues to have, an impact on staff, families and the wider community.

“Our staff have provided extensive support to relocate and re-establish the community house, including upgrading buildings to be fitfor-purpose and helping obtain licensing for daycare.”

Through the Neighbourhood House Campaign, Selby Community House has been one of many neighbourhood houses across Victoria asking for higher support across government.

The campaign, led by Neighbourhood Houses Victoria (NHVic), started in October 2025, but as of 5 May, the State Government had declined to restore funding in real terms to the sector, disappointing neighbourhood houses across Victoria as they too struggle to stay in

operation.

Waiting for the word they can return to Selby, Danielle said the house is struggling, and the childcare provides vital income to the house.

“We are going to struggle to make a profit here,” said Danielle.

Mr Lombardi said that since damage was uncovered at the Selby Community House in December 2025, the council has been in constant contact with the team at the House and provided extensive support to relocate their services.

“We’re continuing to assess the full extent of the damage, but can confirm that the termite damage is extensive,” he said.

“Our teams are working through the Building Regulation requirements and finalising a comprehensive plan to determine the cost and feasibility of restoring the building to a safe condition for community use.

“Community houses, like Selby, contribute to the social cohesion of our region by providing social spaces where people can learn and take part in activities together.”

At a local government level, Mr Lombardi said they are extremely appreciative of the work local houses do.

“Councillors endorsed a five-year partnership program for neighbourhood houses at their meeting on 28 April, which includes $45,000 (indexed yearly) for Selby Community House to offer free and low-cost activities,” he said.

“We are in regular contact with the Selby Community House team and will continue to provide updates as we progress with building assessments and as the next steps are confirmed.”

The local community are concerned that the Selby House will go the way of others in the area, like Belgrave South and Kallista and close down due to disrepair, and Danielle said that if the worst-case scenario unfolds and the house has to shut down, it would be a massive loss to the community.

Childcare staff at Selby Community House are now working out of a modified location at Menzies Creek Primary School. (Tanya Steele: 522705).

Yarra Ranges Council has outfitted a portable bathroom, fencing and other upgrades to make the site a viable option for childcare service. (Tanya Steele: 522705).

Hills road budget boost

Congestion and speed have been targeted for road projects across Ferntree Gully and Cockatoo as the State Budget rolls out.

State Budget will see a number of road safety initiatives funded in the outer east to increase safety and reduce congestion.

Making changes across the State, Premier Jacinta Allan said the funding would impact roads from Melbourne to Gippsland to Bendigo,

“We are upgrading roads to cut congestion and get you home safer,” she said.

Members for Bayswater and Monbulk Jackson Taylor and Daniela De Martino, along with the Labor candidate for Bayswater Julie Buxton, have welcomed the Victorian Budget 2026/27 investment of $102.6 million for vital road projects across Victoria.

MP Jackson Taylor said he was excited to announce funding to help people get home safer and sooner in our part of the world while Labor Candidate for Bayswater Julie Buxton said the Ferntree Gully and Burwood Highway area is an important road corridor that is one of the busiest in Knox.

“This funding will help Knox locals cut their

travel times,” she said.

With the intent to boost reliability and safety, and cut congestion, this budget will provide funding to undertake a signal network optimisation (SNO) review at Burwood Highway and Ferntree Gully Road.

The process means the Department of Transport (DTP) will monitor and review the traffic corridors and then make changes to signal phasing to improve performance.

Over in Cockatoo, there are plans for the Belgrave-Gembrook Road to receive illuminated school zone lights, upgrading the signage for the Cockatoo Primary School community.

·Electronic signs can help raise driver awareness of variable speed limits like the ones in the Cockatoo area.

The road has a 60 km/h speed limit that reduces to 40 km/h during school start/finish times to help create a safer environment for children walking or cycling to/from school.

Member for Monbulk Daniela De Martino is thrilled that the signs will be funded in this year’s budget.

“Many within the Cockatoo community

have asked for these illuminated speed signs, and I have advocated strongly for these over the past couple of years,” she said.

Across Melbourne, Across Melbourne, the budget will invest $29.2 million to upgrade crossings, intersections and road surfaces, including Ryans Road/Wallowa Road/Allendale Road in Eltham North, Dohertys Road/Woods Road in Truganina, East Boundary Road in Bentleigh East, the Al Iman College school crossing in Melton South, Blackburn Road/ Station Street in Blackburn, North Road in Oakleigh South, Pound Road in Hampton Park, Cheddar Road/High Street and Cheddar Road/ Cuthbert Road in Reservoir.

There will also be investment in planning and development of Toomuc Valley Road/ Princes Highway in Pakenham and Frankston-Dandenong Road in Carrum Downs to improve those areas.

In regional Victoria, the Budget invests $73.4 million to develop projects, tackle congestion and improve safety on key highways and roads from Dadswells Bridge to Buninyong, Trafalgar to Connewarre, and Delacombe.

Hills schools score upgrades in state budget

By Callum Ludwig

Two schools in the Hills are big beneficiaries of the 2026-27 Victorian budget.

Both Sherbrooke Community School and Monbulk College are set for upgrades to facilities in the near future.

Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino said she’s beyond grateful to be able to fund the upgrades, having met with Sherbrooke Community School Principal Sue Holmes in 2023 to discuss the school’s needs.

“This major upgrade and modernisation at Sherbrooke Community School will transform this wonderful local school which caters for students across the primary and secondary years,” she said.

“Both of the schools truly need the upgrades they will receive through this State Budget and in particular, Sherbrooke Community School… there is much excitement from the students, staff and families, past, present and future about the works that will come through the $9.29 million investment, it will have a huge impact.

“The upgrades to Monbulk College’s toilets will also make a huge difference to the daily experiences of students, especially with the inclusion of an all-abilities toilet, this ensures every student has access to good facilities.”

In the 2025–26 State Budget, Sherbrooke Community School received $429,000 to begin

planning with this year’s budget announcing the total funding for the project at $9.719 million.

“Investing in these new buildings at Sherbrooke Community School is an investment in our students’ future – creating spaces that inspire learning, creativity, and growth for generations to come,” Ms Holmes said.

“These new facilities represent more than bricks and mortar-it reflects our community’s commitment to education and to the success of every child.”

Monbulk College’s bathroom upgrades are expected to be delivered by the second quar-

State debt tipped to touch $200b as relief runs dry

By Callum Godde,

Debt is forecast to nudge $200 billion by the end of the decade in one state as a long-time Labor government walks a financial tightrope.

Handing down her second budget on Tuesday 5 May ahead of the November state election, Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes narrowly avoided posting a $200 billion net debt projection.

Net debt is instead expected to hit $175.6 billion by the end of next financial year and top $199.3 billion by mid-2030.

By that point, annual interest repayments to service Victoria’s growing debt pile and cash deficits are forecast to rise to $11.8 billion, equating to more than $32 million a day.

The state’s operating surplus for next financial year has been shaved from $1.9 billion to $1 billion.

Treasury expects to post operating surpluses totalling $6.8 billion over the next four years and net debt as a share of the state economy to marginally fall from a high of 24.9 per cent in 2026/27.

There were no other major cost-of-living relief measures left to announce after Premier Jacinta Allan splashed billions of dollars in the lead up budget day, including on free and half-price public transport and discounted car registration.

Ms Symes described it as a restrained and responsible Labor budget to make life “easier, safer and more affordable for every Victorian”.

She pointed to Victoria joining Western Australia and South Australia as the only jurisdictions in the country with an operating surplus.

“This budget confirms Victoria’s first operating surplus in seven years, the only surplus on the eastern seaboard,” Ms Symes said in her address to parliament.

Nonetheless, the budget papers show Victoria is forecast to record more than $30 billion in cash deficits over the next four years.

A leading economist warned budget-watchers not to confuse the operating surplus, which includes federal government grants and excludes all spending on capital infrastructure projects, as a cash surplus.

“The bottom line is that until you start running cash surpluses, you can’t begin to repay debt - indeed you can’t stop adding to debt,” independent economist Saul Eslake told AAP.

Three credit rating agencies class Victoria’s economic outlook as stable but several have flagged the recent flurry of spending measures could weaken fiscal metrics, if not offset.

Revenue from stamp duty is forecast to fall by almost $900 million next financial year due to a declining property sales stemming from higher interest rates, Ms Symes said.

Despite the Allan government committing to cut more than 1000 public service jobs, treasury estimates employee expenses will rise to $45.5 billion by 2029/30.

ter of 2028. Monbulk College was contacted for comment.

The 2026/27 state budget included upgrade funding of $294.8 million across 31 government schools, including Sherbrooke Community School, while there was a further $25.4 million for targeted works at 24 government schools, including Monbulk College, as well as an open grant round for schools to apply for.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll said great local public schools make life more affordable for families and give our kids the opportunities they deserve.

“Victoria is building and upgrading more schools than anywhere else in the country, and we’re not stopping,” he said.

Ms Symes pushed back on the suggestion Victoria’s public sector wages bill remained out of control, declaring growth was in line with population.

“We back our teachers, our nurses, our police - we want more of these people employed,” she said.

Victoria’s health system will account for a quarter of budget spending next financial year, the biggest total expense.

Infrastructure spending is slated to continue to dive from its dizzying heights during the Covid pandemic, falling from $24.2 billion in 2023/24 to $15.3 billion in 2029/30.

There remains no completion date for a long-awaited rail line to Melbourne airport, while the contentious Suburban Rail Loop remains on track to cost between $30 billion to $34.5 billion and be completed by late 2035.

School signs in Cockatoo will receive upgrades in this year’s State budget, a move welcomed by MP Daniela De Martino. (Supplied).

L-R: Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino and Sherbrooke Community School principal Sue Holmes in 2023. (Supplied)

Sherbrooke Community School is set for an upgrade. (Supplied)

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes delivers the State Budget 2026/27 speech at the State Parliament, Tuesday, 5 May, 2026. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

AAP

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Broken healthcare promise?

By Gabriella Vukman

Healthcare investment across the Yarra Ranges and Melbourne’s outer east has again become a political flashpoint, with renewed scrutiny over the long-promised redevelopment of Maroondah Hospital after the project failed to receive a dedicated capital works allocation in this year’s Victorian Budget.

Despite repeated election commitments dating back to 2018, the major rebuild, later rebranded by the State Government as the proposed Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, remains in the planning phase.

The Angliss Hospital in Upper Ferntree Gully garnered a mention, however, with $44.8 million cited to “open the new and redeveloped Angliss Hospital later this year”. The hospital previously received $112 million for redevelopment, with budget papers indicating an estimated expenditure of $13 million in the 2026-27 year.

As of now, no clear construction timelines have been announced, and no new construction funding has been specifically identified in the 2026-27 budget papers for Maroondah Hospital.

The omission has sparked criticism from opposition and independent MPs, particularly as Victoria moves closer to another state election.

Years in the making, the redevelopment was promised by the Labor Government ahead of the 2018 Victorian election, where Labor pledged $62.4 million for a new emergency department at Maroondah Hospital.

These works included a dedicated children’s emergency department.

In the 2021-22 Budget, the Government allocated part of a broader $102.4 million package for paediatric emergency departments at some of Victoria’s busiest hospitals, with Maroondah included among the sites earmarked for upgrades.

Later in September 2022, former Premier Daniel Andrews announced a much larger commitment between $850 million and $1.05 billion to completely redevelop the Maroondah Hospital.

The project was pitched as a transformational rebuild for Melbourne’s outer east, including over 200 new inpatient beds, a new emergency department, a dedicated children’s emergency department, new operating theatres, a day procedure unit, and a mental health hub.

Construction was originally slated to begin in 2025, with the completed hospital expected to open in 2029.

The redevelopment was also accompanied by a proposal to rename the hospital the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital following the monarch’s death, a move that triggered strong backlash from Aboriginal organisations, community groups and some residents who argued the Woi Wurrung name ‘Maroondah’ should remain.

Nearly four years after the billion-dollar promise was announced, the latest state budget contains no explicit capital funding allocation for construction of the redevelopment.

The only mention of the project appears within broader existing project expenditure figures tied to the Hospital Infrastructure Delivery Fund.

Opposition MPs say that is not enough.

North Eastern Metropolitan MP Nick McGowan described the lack of funding as “heartbreaking.”

In a social media post, Mr McGowan said: “Today’s silence represents a betrayal of trust. Not a cent of funding to construct a toilet, much less an entire hospital which locals were told would start being built last year.”

Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence said the Government had repeatedly overpromised and underdelivered on health infrastructure in the outer east.

Ms Vallence told Star Mail: “A significant concern is that this budget scraps the Maroondah Hospital rebuild.

“There is no mention of the promised rebuild and no funding allocated.

“Labor promises big before an election but fails to deliver time and again, leaving our community and the Maroondah Hospital health workforce to pay the price.”

With a growing population of 160,000, in the Yarra Ranges Shire alone, for many residents living in the rural outer east, the Maroondah Hospital is their only option for addressing serious emergency healthcare needs.

According to the Victorian Health Building Authority, the developments to the Maroondah Hospital will be funded out of the allocated resources from previous years.

In a separate statement, Ms Vallence said it was “astonishing” the redevelopment appeared to have been “dumped” from the budget altogether.

“It is disgraceful. Labor totally misled eastern suburban families by promising a new hospital they will not deliver,” she said.

The State Government has strongly rejected

RBA raises interest rates for third straight meeting

By Jacob Shteyman, AAP

The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates for a third straight meeting amid fears the Middle East oil crisis could make inflation worse before it gets better.

The central bank’s monetary policy board voted in a split 8-1 decision to raise the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35 per cent, as it wrapped up a two-day meeting on Tuesday 5 May.

For an average borrower with a $600,000 mortgage, the three consecutive hikes since February will cumulatively add more than $270 a month in interest repayments.

The move was tipped by the majority of economists and financial markets, which had priced in the chance of a hike at about three quarters.

Inflation was well above target before the Middle East conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending global energy markets into chaos.

Surging fuel prices have only amplified the

central bank’s inflation headache.

But some analysts cautioned the decision was no slam dunk.

The RBA also has to take into account the risks to employment as part of its dual mandate and the Middle East conflict is likely to hit economic activity.

Even as the RBA board was considering its decision overnight, tensions in the vital shipping lane continued to escalate.

Cargo ships and oil infrastructure were reportedly damaged as hostilities briefly resumed in the vital shipping lane, driving up oil prices and exacerbating fears that inflation could be higher for even longer.

Headline inflation surged to 4.6 per cent in the year to March, although many analysts believe the worst is yet to come as fuel prices flow through across the economy in coming months.

The decision was announced as the Reserve Bank released updated economic forecasts, in which the bank’s staff economists lifted their near-term predictions for inflation.

claims the project has been abandoned.

Star Mail approached the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) for input on the hospital agenda, asking what the timeline was for the promised upgrades, and what the latest correspondence regarding the upgrades had been with the State Government.

The VHBA responded: “While local MPs attempt to score cheap political points and spread misinformation, we’re getting on with delivering the QEII Hospital.”

“Delivering a project of this scale requires significant planning - this work is well under way,” a spokesperson said.

“While we’re upgrading and building hospitals across Victoria, Jess Wilson’s Liberals have an $11.5 billion budget blackhole which means one thing: cuts. Because the only thing the Liberals have done for hospitals in generations is close and sell them.”

According to the government, substantial planning and due diligence has been completed over the past 12 months including; structural integrity assessments, plant and services condition reviews, clinical planning, property and traffic impact assessments, along with a redevelopment constraint analysis.

The Victorian Health Building Authority, which oversees major hospital infrastructure projects across the state, has also continued to list the Maroondah redevelopment among existing health infrastructure projects.

Despite this information, key questions remain unanswered, including when and how the construction funding will be allocated and whether the original 2029 completion timeline remains achievable.

Star Mail also reached out to the Department

of Health, but they did not supply a comment.

The uncertainty surrounding Maroondah Hospital comes amid broader concerns about Healthcare demand throughout the Yarra Ranges and Melbourne’s outer east.

Population growth, increased emergency department demand, and the topic of ambulance response times have all intensified pressure on local health services in recent years.

The State Government’s latest budget includes $50.7 million aimed at boosting Ambulance Victoria operations including; $28.6 million to continue boosting ambulance capacity, $9.7 million to improve Triple Zero triage systems, $10 million to continue emergency department offload pilots, and $2 million for clinical triage support services.

The above mentioned pilot programs are designed to improve ambulance transfer times by allowing multiple ambulances to offload patients simultaneously during peak emergency periods.

Questions remain over whether Maroondah Hospital will receive additional emergency department infrastructure as part of the Ambulance Victoria funding initiative.

In response to questions about emergency care in the Yarra Ranges, Eastern Health confirmed that Healesville Hospital does not provide emergency department services.

A spokesperson from Eastern Health told Star Mail: “Ambulance access is less critical in this location.”

Eastern Health did not provide further comment regarding broader budget allocations.

While political debate has focused heavily on Maroondah Hospital, the broader Victorian healthcare sector has cautiously welcomed the government’s overall 2026 $32 billion healthcare investment package.

The Victorian Healthcare Association (VHA) described the budget as a “positive step” toward future-proofing healthcare, particularly through investments in virtual care, preventative health programs and hospital maintenance.

Chief Executive at the VHA Leigh Clarke said the budget supported innovation and care closer to home.

“These investments will enable the system to deliver the essential care and services Victorians require now and into the future” Ms Clarke said. However, the organisation also warned the budget missed opportunities around mental health, digital infrastructure and long-term funding certainty.

Importantly, the VHA noted the need for coordinated, system-wide infrastructure, strategically aligned with population growth and community demand.

This warning may have some weight for residents of the Yarra Ranges who continue to wait for clarity on whether Maroondah Hospital’s long-promised redevelopment will move beyond the planning stage.

With another state election approaching, healthcare infrastructure is once again emerging as a defining issue for communities throughout the Yarra Ranges and across Victoria.

Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has announced a rate hike. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP)

Yarra Ranges residents are left waiting for confirmation on Maroondah Hospital upgrades. (Stewart Chambers : 274922).

Doctor up for Greens

By Callum Ludwig

The Greens candidate for Monbulk has been announced and it’s a familiar face putting her hand up again.

Dr Merran Blair is running for the district in this year’s state election, just a year on from her campaign in the federal seat of Casey.

Dr Blair said through her previous campaign, she spent a huge amount of time listening to local residents across the Hills and Outer East.

“Those conversations reinforced for me just how passionate people are about protecting the place they call home and how frustrated many are feeling about governments failing to properly listen to communities on planning, environmental protection, and climate action,” she said.

“One of the biggest things I learned is that people are keen for politics that is honest, community-driven and future-focused.

“Across Casey, I met so many people who felt the major parties were taking safe seats and outer suburban communities for granted.”

Dr Blair has lived in the Monbulk district for over half of her life, having been born and raised in Emerald. She is a keen bushwalker, enjoys local social events and cafes and deeply values ‘the natural environment, strong sense of community, and local character’ of the region.

Dr Blair said people here care deeply about protecting our forests and wildlife, preparing for climate change, supporting local businesses, and ensuring that growth and development happen in a way that genuinely respects the community and environment.

“Climate change came up constantly in conversations, people in the Hills are already experiencing more extreme weather, storm events, bushfire risk, insurance pressures, and environmental degradation,” she said.

“There is a real understanding in this community that climate action is no longer an abstract future issue, it is affecting daily life right now.

“I was also struck by how many people are concerned about recent changes to environmental and planning laws in Victoria that appear to weaken proper environmental oversight and community consultation, many residents feel decisions are increasingly being centralised and fast-tracked without communities having a meaningful voice.”

Dr Blair is a dietitian who currently works as a lecturer and practice academic at Monash University.

Dr Blair said issues such as cost of living, quality services, environmental protection and climate action are too important to sit on the sidelines.

“There is strong and growing support for the Greens across the hills and outer east, particularly among people who care deeply about climate action, environmental protection, integrity in politics, housing affordability, and social justice,” she said.

“I spoke with young people worried about their future, long-term residents concerned about overdevelopment and loss of habitat, families struggling with cost-of-living pressures, and older residents frustrated that governments continue to delay meaningful climate action.

“People in Monbulk understand that protecting the environment and building a fairer society are connected, they want practical solutions that improve people’s lives while also protecting the natural systems we depend on.”

In 2022, the Greens received 14.97 per cent of the first preference vote in Monbulk. In Casey last year, Dr Blair received 10.95 per cent of the first preference vote.

Dr Blair said if elected, she would work hard to be a strong voice who genuinely listens to the com-

munity and advocates for the protection of the hills environment and local character.

“I would push for stronger environmental protections, better climate adaptation planning, improved public transport connections, and more investment in essential local services,” she said.

“I think many people are feeling increasingly anxious about the future, whether that’s cost of living, climate change, housing affordability, or trust in politics itself… but I also think communities like Monbulk show the incredible strength and resilience that exists when people come together around shared values.”

“I’m excited to continue listening to the community and having those conversations throughout the campaign.”

Incumbent De Martino has high hopes

By Callum Ludwig

With challengers for her seat starting to pop up, Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino has taken the time to reflect on her first term in parliament in the lead-up to this year’s state election.

Ms De Martino replaced retiring former deputy premier James Merlino at the 2022 election and went on to win the seat comfortably with 57.55 per cent of the vote after the distribution of preferences.

Ms De Martino said in her first term she has learnt that the Monbulk district has an incredible network of community organisations filled with wonderful volunteers who give up their time to help others.

“Their vital work often goes unnoticed by many but once you see what they do for us, you realise how impactful their contributions are,” she said. “The sense of community is incredibly strong from the Gully to Gembrook - the generosity of people across the Hills and Foothills cannot be understated. It’s a truly great place to live.”

Labor has held the district of Monbulk since Mr Merlino was first elected back in 2002.

Ms De Martino said there are so many Government investments which have been made across the district since my term started, through either the advocacy of James Merlino in the previous term or her own, and she’s proud to have been able to deliver them.

“From the Angliss Hospital’s newest wing which will open this year, to Belgrave Station

Car Park, the upgrading and modernisation of several schools, supporting our arts, sports and community organisations with funding, it is hard to point to just one delivered project,” she said.

“But if there is one thing I am above all proud of achieving, it has been bringing together organisations across the eastern and western parts of the Dandenongs who have rarely interacted in the past and watching those partnerships flourish. That’s the best aspect of the new boundary for the District of Monbulk - it has pulled the two halves of the hills together and that’s been wonderful to help facilitate.”

Ms De Martino highlighted a number of initiatives in the recently-announced state budget that will be a big benefit to residents of the

Fitzmaurice is the Liberal candidate for Monbulk

By Callum Ludwig

Clare Fitzmaurice has been named as the Liberal Party’s candidate for Monbulk at the 2026 state election.

Having grown up in Upwey and Kalorama, Ms Fitzmaurice moved back to the Hills in 2022 to be closer to family, settling in Belgrave Heights.

Ms Fitzmaurice said she also wanted to be able to raise her family in a lovely environment with a tight-knit community.

“We just love the physical environment, both my husband and I grew up in essentially country towns where there was lots of space, there was lots of greenery, lots of opportunities to be outside, and though we wanted to be close enough to a city for work reasons, we wanted to make sure we had that access to nature,” she said.

“That’s really important to us in the Hills and the Foothills, and then because we also both grew up in country towns for a lot of our childhood and adolescent years, we really value community, and what we love about living in the Monbulk district is that it is essentially a lot of towns that have got quite close-knit communities.

“You go to the supermarket, and you bump into someone, and you’ll be hanging out with the same people at a sporting club and a community event that you go to on the weekend, and that just really helps to make you have a sense of belonging.”

Ms Fitzmaurice was a physiotherapist for 15 years in regional Victoria and Canberra before moving into public policy with the National Rural Health Alliance and then as a policy advisor to Nationals MP Anne Webster.

Ms Fitzmaurice said the future for her three kids is what really drives her.

“Their generation will be the first in modern Australia facing lower living standards than their parents on average and I strongly believe that we need to turn things around in this state so that young people have a bright future ahead of them, full of hope and opportunity and where they can be proud of their state and their country and I’m in a position where I’ve got the skills, the experience, and the opportunity to change that,” she said.

“In that work (physiotherapy), it was my job to help people to help reach their own goals and solve their problems, essentially to help them to help themselves, and that is my interpretation of the Liberal Party’s approach to government, that it’s about creating the circumstances that empower people to improve their own circumstances.

The extra month of free and half-prices fares until 2027 for public transport and the 20 per cent rego rebate available between 1 June and 31 July will provide “immediate relief for people feeling the pinch.”

Fast-tracking for children who need to see specialists and surgeons as well as $2.2 billion to support students with a disability at public schools will be “life-changing for many” and help

Ongoing support for families through Free Kinder, expanded Free TAFE, and further investment in community safety, with additional resources for frontline services and programs aimed at reducing violence.

Ms De Martino said it is a true privilege to be the Member for Monbulk in the Victorian Parliament.

“My key priorities are to continue to advocate for our community’s needs and in order to do that I need to keep engaging with constituents through conversations across the District,” she said.

“Ensuring our schools are well-resourced, free and affordable healthcare is easily accessible, our local economy is strong, our community is safe and our environment is valued, underpins my advocacy for the Hills and Foothills.

“Representing our community is an honour and one I have never taken for granted, I have worked hard every day to help improve people’s lives and I hope to continue doing so in the next term.”

“If elected, I would fight to ensure that the government provides the services that are required for a functioning and democratic society, but otherwise gets out of the way so that individuals and families have got the agency to run their own lives the best they can.”

Key concerns for Ms Fitzmaurice ahead of the election are the cost of living, the challenges facing small businesses, community safety and crime, service delivery of projects such as roads, reducing the state’s debt and support for emergency services and disaster preparedness.

Ms Fitzmaurice said she would really like to see a Monbulk that is made up of flourishing communities where people feel safe and where people feel like they’re getting their fair share of investment.

“Essentially a place where people have got pride and hope about the future,” she said.

“It’s really a do-or-die moment for Victoria, and this is one of the most important elections coming up in a generation, and the decisions made in November will leave their mark on future generations.”

Dr Merran Blair has put her hand up for the Greens in Monbulk. (Supplied)

Monbulk District:

Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino hopes to continue to represent Monbulk beyond 2026. (Supplied)

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Merger marks anniversary

It was a year ago that one of the Yarra Ranges’ leading community health services, Inspiro, merged with Access Health and Community (AccessHC).

May marks the first anniversary of the merger and with it, the growth of essential health and wellbeing services for the region.

AccessHC chief executive officer Anna Robinson said the merger allowed the organisation to expand quality services for the district and provide closer-to-home care.

“Since merging, we have grown to provide more health and community services for Yarra Ranges communities, while continuing to provide the Inspiro services that the community knows and loves,” she said.

“A merger is no easy undertaking – particularly in such a rapidly changing sector – and, while there’s still more work to be done, we are proud to be delivering these vital services for the community.”

Two additions in particular were the expansion of child and family services and the opening of the Lilydale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) in December last year.

“We have significantly grown our child and family services, improving access for local families, who previously had to travel, pay for private

services or miss out on care,” Ms Robinson said.

“Paediatric speech pathology and occupational therapy are now available to school-age children, which recognises the complexity of this life stage. In the last 12 months, we have almost dou-

bled the amount of speech pathology on offer.”

In its first three months, the Lilydale UCC saw over 2000 people in need of urgent care and demand continues to grow month-by-month. The clinic bulk-bills and is open seven days

a week for extended hours, without the requirement of a referral or appointment.

The Federal Government’s data indicated that around 32 per cent of presentations in 2023-24 to Maroondah Hospital’s Emergency Department were for semi-urgent or non-urgent conditions.

Urgent Care Clinics were designed to treat injuries and illnesses on the severe end of the scale, but that did not require hospitalisation.

“Lilydale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) has filled a gap in local services. We treat a high number of injuries, which tells us that this type of service is vital in the outer east region,” Ms Robinson said.

“The clinic is helping people in the Yarra Ranges get the care they need, when and where they need it, and is reducing pressure on emergency departments.”

Inspiro still operates its Belgrave and Lilydale locations, providing essential health services to the community.

For more information on local community health services, call (03) 9738 8801 or visit inspiro. org.au

For information about the Lilydale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, visit accesshc.org.au/ urgent-care-lilydale/ or health.gov.au/urgent-care

Journey to motherhood transformed by local support

By Mikayla van Loon

For first time mum Celeste and her now fourmonth-old boy, Teo, having access to one of Inspiro’s newest program offerings, Healthy Mums, Healthy Babies, made a huge difference during and after her pregnancy.

After connecting with Eastern Health’s Specialist Maternity Services (SMS), the Lilydale mum was referred to Inspiro for extra support, both financially and for her mental wellbeing.

Celeste and her partner were going through significant financial difficulties at the time and were under a lot of stress.

“(My partner) was going through mental health struggles, and I was supporting him, and the family, and obviously having a baby, and shifting the way you work, not being able to work, all the changes, it’s a lot of change and transition,” Celeste said.

“They were able to make us feel more prepared and ease that anxiety and that stress, because (Teo) was due Christmas day, so it was a combination of that time of year as well.”

Initially, just seeking financial help to purchase a car seat, Celeste said what they received instead was completely beyond what she expected and made a world of difference.

The service included a mixture of phone call check-ins and house visits during and after her pregnancy. Each time health professionals Gab-

by or Anna visited, they’d “really go above and beyond”, bringing food, nappies or a carload of baby items, things Celeste hadn’t even thought of, mostly donated through St Kilda Mums.

Having an emergency caesarean, Celeste said in the weeks after Teo was born, they even offered to walk the dog, fold washing or take her shopping.

“I cried a few times because I didn’t expect the generosity.

‘We’ve had a lot of different services supporting us with different things, and I honestly feel

like their service provided us the most helpful support.

“Financially, it just really saved us, because you need a lot of stuff for a baby. Both Gabby and Anna, in particular, I think, between them they have at least eight kids or something, so they were very validating as well.”

Knowing she was always meant to be a mum, Celeste said she loves being Teo’s mum, but it was everything else that came with pregnancy, birth and the adjustment to motherhood that was the most challenging.

“I feel like being the mum is the easy part. It’s everything else that’s the hard part.

“It’s a big adjustment and transition, trying to figure out how to go about living life and what we’re going to do with certain areas of our life. Obviously, you lose a lot of your time as a mum, but that’s never been the hard part.”

Being on the receiving end of community support and donations of essential baby items, Celeste said, once she was done with Teo’s newborn essentials, she was going to donate those back to a service like St Kilda Mums and encouraged others to do the same.

She also wanted to encourage mums to seek help and support from their community or family because “if one thing can help you along the way, it’s worth it”.

“I think a lot of mums struggle and suffer in silence and expect to just have it all put together. But I think if you just say, ‘Hey, I’m not coping

Four-month-old Teo was born on 2 January 2026. (551856)

so well’ or ‘I’m not doing so good’, you actually can seek the help you need and make it easier for everyone.

“You don’t have to sit there and struggle or be a martyr. I’ve noticed a lot of new mums have this lost energy about them. It’s like they’re trying to grapple with all the newness, and they’re struggling internally, but think they have to figure it out for themselves.”

Learning from her own experience, Celeste said, “connect with your community”.

Healthy Mums, Healthy Babies is a State Government program, facilitated in the Yarra Ranges by Inspiro and Eastern Health, to provide region-wide support for women who need additional help during pregnancy and up to six weeks after birth.

Urgent care hits 3000 presentations in five months

By Mikayla van Loon

Having just ticked over 3000 visits to Lilydale’s urgent care clinic in as little as five months, the figures attest to the use and benefit of having this middle-ground health service in the region.

Urgent care manager Katelyn said from day one, when there was a line of people waiting to access the 17 Clarke Street clinic, it filled a gap in healthcare access for the Yarra Ranges.

“It’s become evident that it’s a program and a service that’s really needed in the Yarra Valley because of how busy it’s been since day one,” she said.

From minor burns and breaks to soft tissue injuries and dog bites, as well as flus and Covid, the small team of doctors and nurses has seen lots and at all hours of their general 8am to 10pm day.

Katelyn said, aside from treating injury and illness, the key benefits of the clinic have gone beyond physical care and become a place in between when people don’t know where to go or what to do.

“When you’re injured, or you’re really unwell, the whole system can be really confusing, particularly because there are lots of layers, and it’s really hard to know the right place to go,” she said.

“Being able to have an open door where you’re met with really lovely and engaging staff who at

least can help you navigate that, whether we were able to treat you in-house, which is our aim, but even for the times where we have to send patients down to the hospital or to their GP, we’re able to help patients navigate that.”

This was especially true for parents with young children, who might need after-hours care or reassurance, or people who can’t get in to see their normal doctor.

Urgent care clinics were designed to treat non-life-threatening conditions to keep hospitals clear for emergency cases.

Katelyn said, “We’ve certainly been able to help a lot of people stay out of ED” by treating as many people as possible at the clinic, as well as using their relationship with Eastern Health to ensure people who do need emergency care can access it.

“There will be times when we might have to send people on who really do just need the hospital, but even in those cases, we’re still able to help them initially and then get them ED.

“So it’s never a waste to turn up to our clinic, because we’re able to help you navigate what the right place for you is. We obviously aim as much as we can to service people in-house.

“We’re helping the community understand that urgent care is not an emergency department, and there will be times when people do need emergency, but we’re still able to help them get

Urgent care manager Katelyn said the clinic has been so well-received by the community. (Stewart Chambers: 551806)

there.”

Coming into winter and the peak of the infectious disease season, Katelyn said the clinic was preparing for a rise in presentations.

This includes increasing stock levels for testing equipment, setting up an isolation room to help separate infectious diseases from the general waiting room and having everything on hand to treat conditions like asthma and acute exacerbations of colds and flus.

Each morning and afternoon shift has one doctor, one nurse and a customer service officer onsite.

While a small team, Katelyn said they all feel positive about what the service has been able to achieve so far and were encouraged by the community’s feedback.

“Being able to treat people quickly in-house on the day, get to a resolution on the day, and then being able to discharge them home, usually in pretty good spirits, or after a very positive experience, it’s really rewarding.

“It’s really exciting to be part of a service that’s really impacting the community in a good way.”

Only being five months into providing this service, Katelyn said there were, of course, some teething issues and “we’re still improving every day”.

“We’re still growing. We’re still working out how many staff we need and what facilities we need.”

Looking to grow both in staff and services, Katelyn said it was expected that by the end of the year, the clinic would be able to provide radiology and ultrasound onsite.

Being connected to a community health organisation, Katelyn said, also came with benefits, enabling urgent care clinic staff to refer people on, should they need further care or assistance.

People are invited to call the clinic on 9738 8888 before attending or pop in without an appointment or referral.

More information can be found at: accesshc. org.au/urgent-care-lilydale/ including a live tracker of wait times in the clinic.

Lilydale’s Urgent Care Clinic team Casey, Carla, Katelyn, Reece and Alex have been supporting the community since December 2025. (Stewart Chambers: 551806)

Celeste and her partner received financial and mental health support through Inspiro’s Healthy Mums, Healthy Babies program. (551856)

A mother’s mission rewarded with OAM

By Mikayla van Loon

Rita Brown’s daughter was 15 years old when she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), something that changed both their lives and sent them on a learning path.

It was this diagnosis and subsequent navigation of the healthcare system that ignited Ms Brown’s advocacy and lived experience work in the BPD space.

It also landed the Bayswater North resident an Order of Australia Medal, which was presented to her at Government House on Tuesday 5 May, alongside several other Australia Day Honours recipients.

“I feel really deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Order. I just feel that I’ve been doing what lots of people do in this space,” she said.

“It feels a bit overwhelming to be singled out, and I think also to be acknowledged that what you’ve done has made a difference.”

Ms Brown said in the lead up to her daughter’s diagnosis, “her behaviours just weren’t making sense to me”.

This led them on a somewhat frustrating learning curve to find answers and engage with the right services.

“I experienced how the system let us down, both me and my daughter, and I felt in that process, there were some learnings that I thought were really important for other people to know.”

It became her mission as an inaugural board member and current chair and president of the Australian BPD Foundation, as well as associate director of lived experience at Eastern Health’s Spectrum, to create change, spark conversations and encourage deeper understanding of BPD.

“I’d really like to see a change that people living with a personality disorder are really acknowledged and recognised for the intense distress they’re feeling, and the understanding shift to why they’re actually responding to distressing situations in this way.

“Too often, you hear really negative comments: ‘You’re too sensitive’, ‘you’re being manipulative’.

“But when you try to boil it down to what the person is feeling, which may or may not make sense to me as an outsider, I really think it helps to draw the narrative around to something that’s much more compassionate.”

A common misconception of personality disorders, Ms Brown said, was that people were simply “too emotional”.

“It’s more about having a really sensitive emotional system where that person feels deeply and it actually takes longer for them to calm down. It’s recognising this as an emotional pain rather than a character flaw.”

While everyone’s experience was different, Ms Brown said most people go through a roller coaster of emotions, particularly sadness, guilt, anxiety and despair.

“They often describe fears of being left alone or abandoned and having to cope with unbearable pain alone.

“They often find relationships very challenging. Often struggle to maintain friendships due to

ceremony

interpersonal conflicts or idolise or devalue another person, and this can be really challenging when one person loves you one moment and the next hates you.

“There’s a deep sense of shame and self hatred and feelings of unworthiness, and fluctuating sense of self, or they often feel empty, or experi-

FOFA fundraiser set to roll

Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming Make A Difference lunch, the annual fundraising event hosted by Feed One Feed All (FOFA), to be held on Sunday 31 May at Cathies Lane Receptions in Wantirna.

Feed One Feed All (FOFA) is a 100 per cent volunteer-driven not-for-profit organisation based in Scoresby. The organisation rescues surplus food destined for landfill, and supplemented with purchased ingredients, transforms it into nutritious, high-quality meals for members of the local community experiencing food insecurity.

FOFA currently supports 28 partner agencies across the local government areas of Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges. These agencies collect meals on a weekly basis for distribution to individuals and families facing a range of challenges, including mental and physical illnesses, homelessness, family and domestic violence, and ongoing financial hardship.

Founder and President, Lillie Giang, said the organisation remains committed to responding

to community needs wherever they arise.

“Since January, FOFA has extended its support to communities in Yarck, Yea and Longwood,” Ms Giang said.

“When we received the call for assistance, we responded without hesitation. We are proud to provide meals to those working tirelessly to combat bushfires and support recovery efforts, as well as to families who have been significantly impacted.”

The Make A Difference lunch promises an engaging and memorable afternoon, featuring entertainment by Josh Williams, Aubrey Junkeer and Anna Cimino, along with a dance performance from Lily Ong and Friends.

Guests will enjoy mocktails and canapes on arrival, followed by a delicious three-course meal, with complimentary soft drinks, tea and coffee available throughout the afternoon.

The event will also feature a range of fundraising activities, including a mega raffle, silent and live auctions, and a lucky dip, with all proceeds

Celebration proves great success

By Armin Ritcher

ence feelings of detachment from their emotions, body or surroundings.”

That continual change of emotion, Ms Brown said, can sometimes be so deeply felt that suicide ideation was not uncommon because it becomes a “coping mechanism”.

Unfortunately, Ms Brown said the healthcare system’s structure meant a first point of engagement for someone experiencing suicidal thoughts was typically an emergency department but they are “more attuned to physical conditions rather than mental health conditions”.

“Currently, there is nowhere else for people experiencing suicidal distress to really go and get support when doctors etc are closed, so they tend to utilise emergency departments, and often experience the revolving door.”

Another important advocacy point having experienced firsthand the challenges families face when a loved one was accessing care was exclusion from the care plan.

“It’s just been a gradual journey of learning, assimilating and having a real belief that health systems tend to work better if the person with the condition, and whoever is supporting them and the clinicians are all on the same page and working together, rather than having artificial silos.

“It’s not uncommon in the mental health space for people who have a complex mental health concern to not want family to be involved.

“There’s often fractures in family, and it made my life as a carer, and I’d like to think as a loving mum, really challenging when you’re not allowed to get any information, to speak to the doctors.”

If there was anything Ms Brown wanted people to know and understand about BPD it was that people living with personality disorder were really misunderstood.

They are usually extremely empathetic, passionate and creative people with so much to offer.

Ms Brown said BPD was a treatable mental health condition. She said, however, it could be challenging to access this help through the public system, with the private system easier to navigate but people had to have the resources and ability to fund this.

She wanted people know there was “hope with accessing appropriate treatment and support”.

supporting FOFA’s mission to alleviate food insecurity within the community.

Tickets are $110, which includes a $35 donation to FOFA; a receipt for taxation purposes will be emailed. To purchase tickets, please visit: events.humanitix.com/mad2026

For enquiries, text or WhatsApp Veronica on 0488 773 133 or text or WhatsApp Lynn 0434 111 823.

For those unable to attend, but would like to make a donation to FOFA, please visit fofa.org. au/donate

When the Yarra Valley Italian Cultural Group released an award winning book Dreams From A Suitcase in 2009 it planted a seed in the mind of Maria McCarthy, a past mayor of the Shire Of Yarra Ranges. Maria has held various positions in the YVICG, and more recently also being president of the Lilydale Historical Society. To be able to tell the stories of Italian migrants coming to the Yarra Valley opened up the possibility of extending that project to another group of migrants who settled in large numbers, being the Dutch. Within the last year Maria got in contact with Helen Darvell, who in turn brought in Anne and Gerry van Horick.

With a large Dutch population having settled around Monbulk, contact was made with the Monbulk Historical Society, in particular past president Jill A’Vard who had long been planning to tell the story of Monbulk’s Dutch history. This created the nucleus of an energetic committee, along with Mary Gibson, Karin Seamer and more recently Michael Gijsberts, Rita and David Sandfort.

Plans were formulated to gather information about the families, create storyboards for about 30 families from around the Monbulk district and have a big celebration close to the Netherlands Koningsdag (King’s Day - 27 April) with music and food. The Dutch embassy was very supportive and provided a $10,000 grant towards the costs, along with local businesses also contributing.

Sunday 3 May was booked in for the event, titled From The Lowlands To The Ranges, to be held at the Monbulk Hub (Living and Learning Centre). Despite inclement weather, the people came in their hundreds and packed the venue, with long queues at the food stalls outside. Costumes for the day for the organising committee were provided by Tesselaar’s.

The event was launched with speeches from Janna McCurdy, representing the Dutch Heritage Centre, Yarra Ranges mayor Richard Higgins, Monbulk MP Daniela de Martino and Casey MP Aaron Violi.

The display will be at the Monbulk Hub until the end of June. Jill A’Vard is now working on gathering stories from more of Monbulk’s Dutch community to compile into a book to be launched later this year.

Rita Brown received her Order of Australia Medal from the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC on Tuesday 5 May. (Supplied)

Governor Margaret Gardner presenting Rita Brown with OAM.

Recipients receive their medal. (Supplied)

The

takes place at Victoria’s Government House. (Supplied)

Natasha, Rhonda, Lay Hong and Ashley pause from kitchen duties to prepare silent auction, raffle and lucky dip prizes for the upcoming event. (Supplied)

The organising committee in costumes supplied by Tesselaar’s. (Armin Ritcher)

Maria McCarthy with Casey MP Aaron Violi.

EDUCATION WEEK

Connection and curiousity

Set in a beautiful natural environment, Menzies Creek Primary School is proud to be at the heart of a connected and welcoming community, providing a high-quality education that supports both academic growth and student wellbeing. With engaging learning programs, thoughtfully designed spaces and a strong sense of belonging, our school fosters curiosity, confidence and a love of learning in every child.

At Menzies Creek Primary School, we are committed to building strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, while also encouraging creativity, critical thinking and collaboration across all areas of the curriculum. Our students benefit from a broad and engaging curriculum, including a wide range of specialist programs such as Auslan, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Library, along with our much-loved Kitchen Garden Program. These experiences allow students to discover their interests, develop new skills and engage in hands-on, real-world learning.

We pride ourselves on offering a calm, supportive and inclusive environment that provides the pre-conditions for learning. As a Berry Street Model School, we prioritise wellbeing, ensuring every student feels safe, regulated and ready to learn. This is strengthened through our involvement in the URSTRONG Friendology program, where students develop the skills to build positive friendships, show kindness and respect, and navigate social situations with confidence. Our consistent routines and strong relationships between staff and students create a settled and nurturing learning environment.

Our spacious grounds and diverse play areas make the most of our natural surroundings, providing opportunities for active play, exploration and connection with the environment. We also value strong partnerships with families and the wider community, recognising that working

together supports each child to thrive. We offer a fully funded Messy Play playgroup that runs every Wednesday from 9.30am - 11am for children aged 0 - 5 years old, creating a welcoming space for young children to learn through play while building early social skills, confidence and a sense of belonging, and for families to connect and become part of our school community.

In Term 2, we are also opening our doors to the community with our First Steps to Prep Program, offering families the opportunity to experience a little taste of school life at Menzies Creek Primary School by engaging with our wonderful staff and experiencing some of our specialist classes. More information about this program can be found below or by calling the school on 9754 3695. This program is in addition to our Term 4 Transition Program, ensuring a smooth and positive start to school and helping Foundation students feel comfortable, familiar and ready to begin their learning journey.

Our annual school production is a much-loved highlight of the year, bringing the whole school together in a shared creative experience. It provides students with authentic performance opportunities, building confidence, encouraging teamwork and collaboration, and allowing our students to express themselves creatively, all while fostering a strong sense of pride and achievement. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for our 2026 school production announcement.

At Menzies Creek Primary School, we offer a well-rounded and enriching educational experience, where every child is known, supported and encouraged to succeed. Foundation enrolments for 2027 are now open. School tours are held every Monday and Wednesday at 9.15am, or we are happy to arrange an alternative time to suit your family. We look forwardto meeting you and showcasing our wonderful school.

All smiles at Menzies Creek Primary School. (Supplied)

EDUCATION WEEK

Wellbeing the Avenue focus

At The Avenue School, student wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do. We provide ongoing mental health support through regular check-ins with the young people, the development of individualised wellbeing plans, and weekly mindfulness sessions across different groups. In addition, qualified psychologists visit the school fortnightly to conduct cognitive assessments and offer mental health support. Our approach is grounded in fostering safe relationships, using positive language, and encouraging healthy friendships within the schoolcommunity.Byprioritisingawellbeing-first approach, we aim to ensure students feel mentally present and supported, recognising that this is essential for meaningful engagement in learning. We believe that wellbeing and fitness go hand

in hand, supporting both the mind and body as part of a holistic approach to student development. The Avenue School’s FIT program officially commenced this year, offering students a diverse range of movement and outdoor education opportunities. The FIT curriculum emphasizes both physical activity and practical life skills. This includes activities focusing on water safety such as kayaking and beach excursions alongside specialised self-defence and First Aid certification courses. By integrating these new experiences, the FIT program remains dedicated to fostering confidence and physical wellbeing through adventurous learning

Animal therapy in schools can provide emotional support to students, helping reduce stress

and anxiety during the school day. Interacting with therapy animals often improves students’ mood and encourages positive social behaviour. These programs can also boost confidence, especially for children who struggle with communication or learning difficulties. Additionally, animal therapy has been linked to better focus and engagement in classroom activities. Overall, incorporating therapy animals into schools can create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment.

Dogs and chickens can both play meaningful roles as therapy animals at The Avenue School, supporting students in different ways. Therapy dogs are often used to help students feel calm and safe, making it easier for them to manage stress and build positive relationships. Spending time

with a gentle dog can also improve students’ confidence and willingness to participate in classroom activities, our therapy dogs are in at least once a week and provide much love and joy.

Chickens, while less traditional, can be just as beneficial. Caring for chickens teaches responsibility and routine, which can be especially helpful for students who thrive on structure. Watching and interacting with them can have a calming effect, and collecting eggs or helping with their care can give students a sense of achievement.

At The Avenue School, incorporating both dogs and chickens into therapy programs can create a unique, hands-on learning environment that supports emotional wellbeing, social development, and practical life skills.

Find out if The Avenue School is for you. (Supplied)

Keeping school a colourful and welcoming place to be.

EDUCATION WEEK Voices bring lunch to life

At Gembrook Primary School, lunchtime is filled with a wide range of clubs and activities that keep students engaged, connected and excited to be involved each week.

One of the most popular initiatives is Playtime Pals, a student-led program in the school’s “Circle of Harmony” area where student volunteers provide games, toys and activities to create a calm, welcoming space for students to make friends, connect and enjoy positive play together.

Grade 4 student Harry said he enjoys helping with the program because “it is fun to be with my friends and help others.” Fellow Playtime Pal volunteer Eloise shared, “I want people to have an opportunity to play with toys when they don’t have anything to play with and I believe that if one person does the right thing, other people will follow.”

Students can choose from a wide range of weekly lunchtime clubs including Garden Club, Art Club, Chess Club, Band and Choir, and STEM Club, where students design and create solutions to fun and engaging challenges.

For many students, these clubs have become a highlight of the school week.

“I love Garden Club because you get to grow your own food and it tastes so much better than at the shops,” said Lyla in Grade 6. Amelia shared, “I love Art Club because everyone cares for each other and it’s a fun, warm place to be at lunchtime,” while Claire from Grade 2 added, “I like creating and making things in Art Club. It’s lots of fun!”

The school’s STEM Club is also inspiring students to think creatively and tackle exciting challenges. Grade 1 student Blake explained, “I love going to STEM club. I had to make a car-boataeroplane to try and get off a glacier. I like the challenge of making things.” Ivy, also in Grade 1, said, “I love going to STEM club because it’s fun. We get inspiration and we make things.”

In addition to their weekly Music lessons as a class, many students have joined the Band and Choir. “I play drums in the band. We get to learn new songs every few weeks. We’re currently learning ‘Walk of Life’ by Dire Straits,” said Rocco. Fellow student Henry added, “It’s fun to play music with new kids. It’s something I’ve been doingand a dream I’ve been holding onto for seven years.”

Another student favourite is Tuesday Trading Day, an initiative guided by rules developed by the Student Representative Council. With parent permission, students can bring along trading cards or squishies to trade in a fun and supervised environment that encourages fairness, responsibility, and social interaction. “I like trading good stuff with other kids. I liked the cards I swapped,” said Grade 1 student Billy. By providing students with meaningful opportunities to connect, create, collaborate, and play, Gembrook Primary School continues to build high levels of student engagement and ensures every child has something exciting to look forward to each week.

The Avenue School provides an alternative learning environment for young people who may feel disconnected from mainstream education. With a strong focus on wellbeing and engagement, the school supports students to rebuild confidence and reconnect with learning. Smallclasssizes

Bringing lunchtime to life.

Happy to be at Gembrook Primary School. (Supplied)

Lifetime of fighting for justice

By Callum Ludwig

The Yarra Ranges has lost a humble, hard-working man who dedicated his life to his critical work and his family.

John Kelleher AM PSM spent over 30 years living in the Hills before his death this April, but his career as an arson chemist for Victoria Police Forensic Services Department’s Fire and Explosion Unit took him far beyond the community.

John’s daughter Erin, reflecting on both her mum’s and her memories of her dad, said he was a leader, a role model, a protector, a provider.

“John was the epitome of a hard-working, middle-class man raised in the 1960s-70s, born in 1954 to a naval medic turned public service member and a mother completing home duties while raising three rambunctious boys and a precious little girl,” she said.

“The family was poor, but he was a kid, he didn’t know that, growing up they spent most of their days playing in the neighbourhood, footy, cricket, swimming at the Oakleigh pool, where John would become a lifeguard and president of the lifeguards eventually.

“John was a brilliant mind from a very young age; he had a prodigious memory, the work ethic of a post-war household and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.”

Erin said her Mum described John as being two people in one body: his work self and his home self.

“She saw what was left of him after work, ex-

hausted, shut down, the representation of the toll it takes to do the work he did…long hours, little support, combing through scenes of death and destruction,” she said.

“He didn’t talk much at home before he retired; he wouldn’t place that weight on his family…if Dad was going to talk, it was going to be on his terms about subjects he found interesting, once you found that way in, there was no stopping him.

“Mostly she thinks of him as a good man, you’d hope so after nearly 40 years of marriage.

John’s reliability in adversity and steadfastness in tragedy were clear to see when his younger son had a lengthy hospital stay before he passed away at only 15 years old, and Erin said her eldest brother, Brendan, put it best: ‘He knew that Dad would carry us through.’

John started university at only 16 years old, studying veterinary science, but didn’t enjoy it at first, deferring until he was older after working for a fireworks company, which paved the way for his transition into fire and explosives investigation.

Erin said John established himself as a world-renowned forensic scientist in his field; if someone couldn’t make sense of an explosion or arson scene, they wouldn’t call the FBI, they’d call John.

“John was humble and he kept the family protected from the often gruesome work, John’s career was largely based in tragedy, he held the weight of that solely on his shoulders,” she said.

“We knew he was great at his work, only really

finding out to what extent he was renowned after his passing, he spent time in many countries assisting with investigations, conferences, creating courses and setting industry standards.

“He often left for work in the dark and got home well after dark, was often on call, a frequently understaffed unit left little time for recreation.”

John’s career saw him investigate cases such as the Russell Street bombings, be flown from America to the Bali bombings, helping the ANZCTC (Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee) on numerous cases and attending the Black Saturday fires, visiting every scene, most more than once.

Despite his busy schedule, Erin said he consistently showed up as a father, though he certainly wasn’t a hugger, even if she did wear him down eventually.

“He attended most of our events as kids, he would read to us, he led by example, letting us help in the garden or fixing the car, he was a real handyman, a perk of being so smart, if he didn’t know how to do something he knew he could learn,” she said.

“On the rare weekend with opportunity, we’d take road trips and John would always have facts to share, we’d do quizzes instead of bedtime stories, he loved history and in his lifetime, he read more books than many libraries contain.

“He had wished to one day open a bookshop in a country town, a dream he would sadly not achieve as he only retired after getting his cancer

diagnosis and his health quickly declined.”

John only retired at age 70, after a diagnosis of an aggressive oesophageal cancer. As reported by The Age’s John Silvester, both before and after John’s death, he was forced to fight for compensation after his claim that his illness was work-related was rejected due to being a smoker over 30 years ago. Just days before his death, the decision was reversed, hopefully setting a precedent for any of his future colleagues down the line.

Erin said his last fight was for people he loved.

“John’s extended family are colleagues….Dad made an indelible mark on people he respected and those who respected him,” she said.

“In the lead up to his death, he sought compensation for his cancer, not with financial incentive but to set a precedent so that when inevitably another member of his team from work becomes unwell, they will be covered.”

John’s sense of justice was strong, with cases that he felt should have gone another way really sticking with him throughout his life.

It’s hard to do such a brilliant man justice himself, but Erin said he probably would have done a much better job than she.

“Although he probably would have declined, he didn’t like much fuss, but he deserved more recognition than he got,” she said.

“His colleagues are making sure his legacy lives on in the world of fire and explosive investigation, and we will do what it takes to make sure he achieves his goal of getting his colleagues presumptive rights like they deserve.”

World-renowned fire and explosions specialist John Kelleher died in April after a short battle with oesophogeal cancer. (Supplied)

Always hard at work. (Supplied)

John Kelleher spent his final days fighting for fair compensation for himself and his colleagues. (Supplied)

John Kelleher spent over 30 years living in the Hills. (Supplied)

Now that’s not ‘just’ a quilt

By Tanya Steele

Australian mixed media artist Sue de Vanny made a special appearance and talk in Sherbrooke over the weekend as part of a local gallery’s Mother’s Day festivities.

The beautiful, cool day on Sunday 10 May saw the Sherbrooke Art Gallery host their annual Mother’s Day high tea fundraiser with their special guest and attendees left inspired by the unique style and enjoyed the chance to learn and network at the same time,

Planning to deliver a talk on mixed media and the surprising, intricate and often misunderstood world of art quilting, artist Sue de Vanny said lots of people still don’t know what an art quilt is.

Around 30 attendees attended the tea, talk and workshop and a raffle raised over $700 towards the Sherbrooke Art Society building restoration fund.

Sue’s work combines sewing, painting, layering and mixed media techniques into richly detailed portraits, and she said she fell into the textile side of things after seeing some at an exhibition.

“I was quite taken aback by some of the quilts, and so I got more involved and investigated further,” she said.

“I use fabric and thread as another form of medium, whether it be in like an oil or acrylic, putting it on canvas, and putting the lot together.”

Sue’s experimentation with thread and canvas has evolved into a distinctive style that has won her awards across Australia, the UK and the United States, and many of them are inspired by her travels and her love of animals.

“I keep coming back to painting,” she said.

Her artistic roots go back to childhood, learning to sew alongside her mother and sketching fashion drawings with her sister from pattern books.

“Mum was always sewing - my sister and I used to copy the fashion drawings from pattern books as kids,” she said.

“We just kept practising and making marksthat’s where the passion came from.”

On the day, the talk attracted several local artists from the area, and Ms De Vanny said that when she has visited Sherbrooke before, it always generated a lot of discussion.

“I get excited when I go and see artists talking about what they do,” she said.

Beloved antique fair in Upwey

By Tanya Steele

The hills will soon see a first time event unfold as collectors, vintage lovers and treasure hunters get ready to hit the steps of the Upwey High School for an antique fair hosted by local Rotary volunteers.

Sunday 17 May will see the inaugural Belgrave and Hills Antique and Collectables Fair arrive to Upwey.

Proudly powered by the Rotary Club of Belgrave, the event plans to bring together a wide range of quality antique and collectable dealers from across Victoria for a full day of browsing, buying and discovering unique pieces of history.

“We’re excited to bring a quality antique and collectables fair to the Hills community,” a Rotary Club of Belgrave spokesperson said.

“There’s a real passion in the region for vintage items, history and unique treasures, and we believe this will become a fantastic annual event for both locals and visitors.”

After continued success across town hosting the Berwick Antique and Collectables Fair every year in October, organisers are excited to bring the concept to the Dandenong Ranges with a larger venue and strong community focus.

Rotary Club took on the task of running the show in Berwick from locals John and Coosje Dubacharound 2024 and the antique scene

continues to bring novel history and artefacts for people too look at up close.

Visitors can expect antiques and vintage furniture of all kinds, retro and mid-century collectables , coins, stamps, memorabilia, vintage books and vinyl records, estate jewellery, curios, unique treasures and rare finds.

Designed to appeal to serious collectors, casual browsers and families alike, the fair also supports local community initiatives through Rotary and there are still currently stall holder enquiries and community partnership opportunities for the fair.

Entry is five dollars for adults and free for kids, The fair will run at Upwey High School from 9am to 3.30pm, with food and refreshments available.

Head to the Belgrave Rotary website for more information. https://belgraverotary.com.au/

Ms de Vanny said she was looking forward to the talk and is currently busy finishing off a few portraits for several exhibitions.

“I’ve just got a few pieces that will go in an exhibition around the world with ‘Soul stories’, which is an environmental exhibition,” she said.

“I’m always working on something.”

The Sherbrooke Arts Society volunteers said the high tea with Sue was their best year yet, and are now busy planning to have a ‘Textile Art’ Exhibition at the Gallery in 2027.

“I’ve got one piece in there, and it’s with about 20 other artists, mainly from the US, but they’re a museum in New England, and that will be travelling across to the UK later this year, and then back to the US again.”

Turnout for climate resilience

A cold and wet Sunday afternoon did not deter local residents, with 33 community members attending The Adaptation Game at the Burrinja Cultural and Community Centre last Sunday.

The interactive workshop, organised by the Belgrave Tecoma Township Group (BTTG) was strongly supported by Yarra Ranges Council and focused on building community resilience and preparing for local climate-related emergencies.

Participants worked in small groups over four hours to explore realistic scenarios such as storms, floods and heatwaves, sharing ideas on how individuals and communities can prepare for, respond to and adapt to these challenges.

President of the Belgrave Tecoma Township Group, Emma Blomkamp, said the strong turnout highlighted the importance of the topic for local residents.

“The turnout on a wet Sunday afternoon is a real testament to the level of interest in building community connections and preparing to respond to crises in Belgrave and Tecoma,” she said.

Feedback from participants reflected both enthusiasm and a strong sense of purpose. Many spoke about the value of networking and sharing ideas, with one attendee noting the session provided inspiration to make changes themselves and become more involved in community initiatives.

Others highlighted the practical benefits, including how they got ideas on how to build resilience and a deeper awareness of the need to take action and prepare now.

The Adaptation Game itself, known as TAG is a table-top workshop game that simulates a community respond to the next ten years of climate change in their town.

PLaying over a few hours, the game involves inclusive storytelling experience that scales climate change and disaster preparedness down from overwhelming global fears to local, human risks and realities.

The game stretched the attendees own ideas on risk, with participants recognising that communities need to be ready for a range of emergencies, not only bushfire.

“There are quite varying emergencies that can happen, not only fire to be prepared for,” one participant said.

Organisers said the event demonstrated the

power of community-led initiatives to bring people together, build connections and translate concern about climate change into practical and local action.

BTTG is a volunteer-led group made up of local residents, businesses, and representatives of community organisations. The group advocates for local issues, supports community projects, and works to strengthen resilience across the township. They now continue to explore opportunities to support community resilience, with plans to launch Community Resilience and Climate Action (CRaCA) Working Group later this month. For more details go to the BTTG website www. bttg.org.au.

Australian mixed media artist Sue de Vanny took the crowd through her unique style of textile art. (Sherbrooke Art Gallery)

Inspired by travelling and a love of animals, Sue’s work blends multiple mediums

Sue’s work has captured a lot of overseas interest and she enjoys talking about the development of the unique medium.

High tea and a talk on mixed media and textile art at the 2026 Mother’s Day event at Sherbrooke Art Gallery.

Glenda Van Trojen and Leonie Summerfield in the kitchen preparing the High Tea treats.

The Upwey event is a first for the Antique Fair volunteers from Rotary across Belgrave and Ferntree Gully that have taken on the Berwick event in recent year. (Steward Chambers)

Local stall holders can contact Rotary if they are interested in the antique scene in Upwey.

BTTG President Emma Blomkamp at the TAG Adaptation Game day on 3 May. (Half Glass Studios)

Community played over a few hours, coming up with ideas and working together.

Our fashionistas have a say

By Claudia Mather

This year’s Met Gala theme aimed to bring art to life, bodies became the canvas, and Hill’s local fashionistas, Michelle Trebilco, also known as Veteran Vamp, and Cat Herine, had a lot to say about it.

Both Michelle and Cat pride themselves on living a thriftilicious lifestyle. Bringing donated items back to life and expressing their truest selves through the outfits they create.

With her orange felt fox purse in hand, Michelle said, “to me, the Met Gala is about drama, over-the-top-ness - although I don’t think that’s a real word,” she giggled, “and creativity.”

The Met Gala is an annual fashion charity event that is held in New York at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on the first Monday in May.

The event’s purpose was created primarily to celebrate the opening of the institute’s annual exhibition and has become one of the most prestigious and exclusive events.

Vogue’s ex editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, has been the host since 1955 and has shaped it into an exclusive pop-culture extravaganza.

This year’s theme was Costume Art, and the dress code for guests was Fashion is Art. Inviting guests to ‘express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout history’.

The outfit that was most inspiring and best aligned to the theme for Michelle was Emma Chamberlain’s hand-painted custom Mugler dress.

“Her dress looked like paint, dripping down and pooling at the bottom,” she smiled, “and the fringing hanging down on the bottom of her sleeves also looked like dripping paint. Fabulous!”

It was co-created, over 40 hours of painting, with Anna Deller-Yee and Mugler’s creative director, Castro Freitas. The dress took approximately four days to dry.

Another combined favourite of Michelle and Cat’s was Iris van Herpen’s bubble dress, which was worn by Olympic Gold medallist, Eileen Gu.

Cat explained it was her favourite, “for being completely out there and creative, and I do love that designer. She’s done some really cool things.”

“For me, it was art, art on her body,” she said.

The ‘bubble dress’ is an admiration-at-firstsight piece for not only the local fashionistas but the online world, too. Made from up to 15,000 glass globes, it was accompanied on the red carpet by real bubbles.

Through shared observation and excited smiles, both Michelle and Cat fangirled over English singer-songwriter Sam Smith’s outfit.

“It was their Billy Porter moment, that’s what I call it!” Michelle smiled.

“They were the living embodiment of art, which is what they were all meant to be.” Cat nodded in agreement.

A recurring issue that has been highlighted online in recent years is that many of the avantgarde pieces don’t align with the theme. Cat and Michelle both agreed.

“There were a lot of dresses I would wear, but not many embraced the theme,” Michelle said with a shake of her head.

Though they admired many pieces worn by the A-listers, they said some designers just missed the point. The theme was about actualising art, giving it a vessel to be seen on, not “just a lot of

pretty frocks!”

“You should be wowed, the Met Gala is about the wow,” Cat said. She explained that the first impression of an outfit at the Met Gala should not only capture the theme but also evoke some sort of emotional response.

“Katy Perry, for example, she had a fencing mask on, that’s what it looked like,” Michelle shook her head. “She had a very ‘meh’ white dress, it’s like she thought ‘oh what’s the theme again? I’d better add this mask!’, it just didn’t go with the dress at all.”

While beautiful, many outfits were not immediately understandable. A lot of designers made the creative decision to recreate a famous piece of art and incorporate it into a piece of clothing.

For Michelle and Cat, this meant going back to reference check outfits to clarify what the pieces were meant to be, “Some others I revisited after

I knew what they were representing,” Michelle said.

“To me, if I’m not blown away by it at my first look, then it’s not doing it!” Cat exclaimed.

With an imaginative and thoughtful smile, Michelle noted that if she had the power to pick the theme for the Met Gala, it would be spaceinspired.

“I don’t think that’s been done before, and maybe even sci-fi would be great”.

Romantasy is another theme idea that Cat suggested. Saying that it would encourage designers to think outside the box and create a live fantasy world through fashion.

One thing is for sure: if either Michelle or Cat had a hand in next year’s Met Gala, fully thrifted outfits would play the lead role in what they wore to walk down that

carpet.

red

Emma Chamberlain in her hand-painted custom Mugler dress for the 2026 Met Gala. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Eileen Gu’s bubble dress for the Met Gala was made from 15,000 glass globes. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Cat loved Eileen Gu’s bubble dress the best at this year’s Met Gala. (551555)

Sam Smith at the 2026 Met Gala embodies the theme of Fashion is Art. (Photo by Evan Agostini/ Invision/AP)

Locals Michelle Trebilco and Cat Herine take fashion thrifting seriously and revealed all their thoughts on the more extreme end of fashion at the Met Gala. (Stewart Chambers: 551555)

Michelle Trebilco, also known as Veteran Vamp, dons her orange felt fox purse. (551555)

Still nuts about the Festival

By Tanya Steele

Community came together to work, roast and play their way through the day for a beloved local festival that draws a people from all over Melbourne and into the hills to celebrate the humble chestnut.

The Kalorama Chestnut Festival celebrated its 41st year of free family fun through some damp weather up at the Kalorama Memorial Reserve on Sunday 3 May.

Festival Coordinator Kellie Herrmann said the festival had a great turnout despite the healthy dose of rain the area got that day.

The Mount Dandenong school community had put up a massive effort beforehand, picking around 800 kilograms of chestnuts ahead of the big day, joined by lots of other community groups like the Ferny Creek Netball Club, Olinda Football Club, the Kallista and Ferny Creek Scouts and more.

“It was in the two weeks before, during the beautiful weather,” said Ms Herrmann.

With community volunteers on hand to roast and score the chestnuts on the day, the kids’ activities, such as rides, crafts, and face painting, were popular with visitors.

An annual drawcard for tourists, Ms Herrmann said that the festival still always tries to keep a community feel.

“We involve families and local talent as much as possible,” she said.

Talented local performers, young and old, from both school bands and beyond, performed as crowds wandered the grounds in Kalorama.

Chestnuts have grown in the cool-climate region for over one hundred years, and the seasonal festival raises funds for the local school and preschool in Mount Dandenong.

With a wrap up video in the works, the organisers thanked all their supporters and volunteers on social media.

“To our incredible festival committee and family volunteers… this simply wouldn’t happen without you,” it read.

Damp conditions didn’t throw off crowds. (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

Crowds gather to enjoy local musicians through a bout of rain. (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

The long running festival keeps its local ties to the area strong. (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

Kids had lot of free activities to get up to from bubbles to live animal displays. (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

Local bands kept the vibes up on the stage throughout the festival. (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

People come from near and far across the Dandenong Ranges and further to enjoy the annual festival (Lauren Bianchi, Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

Chestnuts grow well in the region, with a huge community effort in the preparation for the festival. (Kalorama Chestnut Festival)

Melba’s World War I efforts

By Joy Gothe

When the guns of August 1914 thundered across Europe, the world’s reigning Queen of Opera found herself far from the glittering stages of Paris and London.

Dame Nellie Melba was at home in Australia, resting at her beloved Coombe Cottage.

The news that her “Beloved Belgians” were under attack struck her with absolute horror.

Prevented by the chaos of war from returning to Europe, the diva refused to sit idle, declaring that she would do something right there in Australia to aid the war effort.

Throwing herself into the cause with a fierce energy, she tried her hand at local relief, becoming joint president of the newly formed Lilydale Red Cross.

Their very first gathering was a traditional

knitting circle with a spectacular mismatch of talents.

Melba, who could barely hold a knitting needle, lasted exactly one day in the circle.

Realising the socks that she made would never have fitted any human being, she quickly decided that she could never knit a single sock for the soldiers, and chose to do what she did best, instead she would sing the money right out of people’s pockets.

Thus began a legendary crusade of patriotic fundraising concerts.

Melba soon earned a cheeky new title.

During a 1915 interview in America, the laughing soprano confessed that the public had stopped calling her the “Queen of Song” and had crowned her the “Queen of Pickpockets” instead.

It was a well-deserved title.

Healesville mini film festival

On March 29, the Healesville Memorial Hall hosted the twelfth annual Healesville Mini Film Festival.

The Yarra Ranges Film Society has organised a triple-feature of films every year since 2014, and this year’s Mini Film Festival had a very large, enthusiastic turn-out and the theme of great British cinema.

Directed by Lisa Mulcahy and based on the 1864 novel Uncle Silas by Sheridan Le Fanu, Lies We Tell sees orphaned heiress Maud Ruthyn (Agnes O’Casey) grapple with her cruel, domineering uncle Silas (David Wilmot) and his family.

Lies We Tell features sumptuous cinematography, an elegant score, witty dialogue laced with venom, and a low-key but gut-wrenching atmosphere of genteel passive-aggression boiling over into violence.

Wilmot juggles a nurturing front and cruel narcissism with ease as Silas. O’Casey is captivating as Maud, who is stiff and unlikeable at first, but you quickly sympathise with her as Silas insidiously exerts his authority, his family invades her life and her fine manor becomes a prison, tightening the patriarchal straitjacket already imposed upon her as a woman in the nineteenth century.

At a tight, lean hour-and-a-half, Lies We Tell is an enthralling historical psychological thriller (and miles better than Emerald Fennell’s own Gothic literature adaptation Wuthering Heights), and the audience gave it 4 stars out of 5.

The Old Oak, directed by veteran British filmmaker Ken Loach, follows TJ Ballantyne (David Turner) as his pub becomes the focal point of tensions between a Durham County village and an influx of Syrian refugees. The Old Oak is an immersive, comfortable tapestry of small-town charity, legacy, the prejudice that drives us apart and the struggles that unite us.

Ebla Mari delivers an achingly moving performance of compassion and dignified pain as Yara, a young Syrian woman Ballantyne befriends, and Ballantyne has a satisfying little arc of gaining a backbone and launching a charity program by tapping into his past as a mining union member.

Ballantyne’s racist pub regulars are a source of both conflict and dry humour as they fester in

their bitter bigotry and loopy rationalisations for it. The Old Oak scored even higher than Lies We Tell, reaching 4.8 stars out of 5.

In And Mrs, a lighthearted comedy with a macabre premise, Gemma (Aisling Bea) resolves to use a forgotten legal precedent to marry her recently-deceased boyfriend Nathan (Colin Hanks; Tom Hanks’s son). And Mrs is a cute caper movie that fully commits to its bonkers premise, and has many funny and moving moments. Bea, who is primarily a comedian, equips herself well to a somewhat dramatic role as Gemma, but the endearingly crazy highlight of And Mrs is Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher’s daughter) as Nathan’s sister Audrey, a crazy girl who would die for those she loves.

There just isn’t enough insight into Gemma and Nathan’s relationship, and they have too little chemistry in the flashbacks, to fully invest yourself in Gemma’s mission to posthumously marry him. The audience gave And Mrs 3.75 stars out of 5. I would have preferred a less Anglocentric, more diverse selection of films from the United Kingdom. And Mrs and The Old Oak are English productions – Britain isn’t just England, but also Scotland and Wales – and while Lies We Tell was the best film of the day, including an Irish film is a little problematic, given that Ireland has been fully independent from the UK since 1949. Many Irishmen would be justifiably offended if you called them British.

Setting aside my minor program misgivings, this year’s Healesville Mini Film Festival offered a very enjoyable and well-received trio of films.

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Seth Lukas Hynes

Melba was a ruthless, brilliant auctioneer.

In Sydney, she auctioned her very last farthing for a staggering £100.

In Geelong, her concerts raised double that of other major cities through the sales of Belgian flags and massive bales of wool.

The financial results from her efforts were extraordinary.

Concerts held in Sydney, Melbourne, and Geelong raised thousands of pounds each, supporting the Red Cross and various international relief funds.

Subsequent tours in North America and Europe extended her reach even further, with estimates suggesting her total wartime fundraising was over £100,000, a remarkable sum of money for the period.

Melba’s wartime service earned her prestigious honours, including Dame Commander

(DBE) and later Dame Grand Cross (GBE) of the British Empire, awarded not for her musical achievements but for her humanitarian work. After the war, Dame Nellie Melba continued performing and supporting music in Australia and overseas.

Eventually, changing social conditions and her advancing age gradually brought her career to a close.

Her legacy endures not only as a world-renowned soprano but also as a dedicated patriot and philanthropist whose wartime efforts had a lasting impact.

Proving that when her world was in crisis, her greatest masterpiece wasn’t performed on a stage, but forged in the fires of wartime charity.

If you are interested in discovering more stories about the history of Lilydale visit our Website at: lilydalehistorical.com.au.

A great introduction

Doctor Who: Dracula!, by English author Paul Magrs, is the eighth and last title included in the Doctor Who Puffin Crossovers series.

The story features the First Doctor and his companions Susan, Barbara and Ian, who are inadvertently transported by the TARDIS to the seaside town of Whitby.

As readers would know, in Bram Stoker’s renowned 1897 novel Dracula, Whitby, in North Yorkshire, England, is the town terrorised by Count Dracula after his ship runs aground on the shore below the East Cliff on the 8th of August.

In his novel, Stoker did not specify in which year the vampire descended on Whitby.

But the author is known to have holidayed in that town in 1890, where he found the name “Dracula” in a book while visiting the local library. It turns out that the Doctor and his companions have arrived in Whitby in 1901, ten years after a certain monster descended on the town and caused despicable madness and mayhem. Now the locals are getting worried because gruesome murders are once again occurring – and all the victims have puncture wounds on their necks.

As one of the townsfolk speculates, could it be someone deliberately copying a popular

PASSION FOR PROSE

theatre production based on Stoker’s novel that is currently performing at the local opera house? “Either that, or these performances are summoning evil back to our shores!”

Treating the two stars from the theatre production as suspects, the Doctor teams up with the “dapper and elegant” Professor Abraham Van Helsing to investigate the mysteries.

“Of course! Van Helsing! The vampirehunter in the novel,” Ian thinks at one stage. “So, he was real!” Thus ensues a thrilling adventure full of twists and turns, with fiction and “facts” overlapping each other in typical fast-paced and happily chaotic Doctor Who fashion.

Theatre round-up

The 1812 Theatre

The Ladykillers

The Ladykillers is a black comedy that follows the hilarious capers of a group of small-time crooks taking on more than they can handle in the form of sweet elderly landlady, Mrs Wilberforce.

This group of seedy misfits are planning a security van robbery and rent a room from Mrs Wilberforce in her rickety Victorian house next to Kings Cross station from which to base theiroperation.

To conceal their purpose, they pose as an string quartet, though they cannot play a note andareinfactmimingarecordingofBoccherini’s Minuet.

Thegangpullofftherobberybutnoneofthem could have predicted that their greatest obstacle to escaping with the loot would be their tiny hostess.

Season: 21May–13June.

Karralyka

An Afternoon with Silvie

Spend some time with the inimitable Silvie Paladino,assheperformsherfavouritesongs.

Silvie is one of Australia’s most versatile and talented performers. She is a popular concert performer and recording artist and has starred in musicals such as Mumma Mia, Cats and Les MiserablesinAustraliaandLondon’sWestEnd.

SheisalsowellknowntoAustralianaudiences asaregularonCarolsbyCandlelight.

Season: Tuesday23Juneat1.30pm.

The Round Phantom–ATributetoMichaelCrawford.

Experience the magic of Michael Crawford, Andrew Lloyd Weber and the West End’s most iconic performances all in spectacular celebration.

Keith McNamara presents Phantom – a breathtaking tribute to the power, passion, and unmistakable brilliance of Michael Crawford’s greatestperformances.Hearhisplatinumrecords andstagemusicalsonstage.

A lifelong labour of love, Keith McNamarafirst foundhisvoicesingingalongtoCrawford’siconic recordings - and went to build a jaw-dropping career of his own, performing over 20 stage musicals including The Phantom of the Opera, Les MiserablesandMissSaigon.

Season: Sunday14Juneat1.30pm.

The Magic Pudding: The Opera – Victorian Opera VictorianOperabringsadoredadaptationofNorman Lindsay’s classic The Magic Pudding live on stage. Filled with equal measures of catchy musicaltunes,deliciouslyplayfulcostumesandhearty helping of the theatrical craft, this dinky-delight brings Lindsay’s larrikin spirit to joyous life! Perfectforpudding-loversofallages.

Season: Friday15May –Saturday16May.

Amusing ourselves to death

WOORILLA WORDS

By Maria Millers

The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it. - George Orwell Winter crept in prematurely last week, sending us indoors and to face an avalanche of news stories both local and from overseas.

From the death of Kumanjaya Little Baby whose body was found on the outskirts of Alice Springs, and the emotionally charged mourning ceremonies and vigils that followed, to the ongoing daily wave of crime with attacks on bars and other businesses.

Then there was the Reserve Bank’s decision on interest rates and speculations about the coming Budget and the constant commentary about the Farrer by-election and its consequences while the Middle East conflict remained bubbling in the background,

And last Thursday the arrival of the so called Isis Brides and their children played out on our screens.

In the past we would have waited to learn about all these events from our newspapers, either picked up from our front lawn or from the newsagent.

Then watch the nightly news programs together, which would provide more information, analysis and context.

This week the death of Ted Turner, CNN founder, media mogul and father of the 24 news cycle reminds us how different accessing news has now become.

Today the amount of news generated is impossible to follow closely in a time poor society.

Or be able to distinguish between analysis, opinion, or propaganda, often with downright misinformation and no attempt at contextualizing an event.

Human brains are naturally drawn to drama, conflict, celebrity stories, outrage, humour and fear. We now have a myriad of sources available at a click, updated constantly and in a format that does not require much concentrated effort to consume.

Emotionally charged so called Breaking News is usually low in importance, delivered to us constantly via our phones and other devices.

Media organizations compete for clicks, views, and advertising revenue, so sensational content performs better than careful analysis.

A heated argument on TV may attract more viewers than a detailed explanation of economic policy. So the Reserve Bank raises interest rates but where is the calm explanation behind the decision?

So what we are constantly seeing is celebrity

and sports scandals and exaggerated political conflicts dominating the headlines.

Politicians of all persuasions reflect an established party line even if it no longer reflects reality, but merely exploits vulnerabilities to serve their interests.

Just think of the level of debate around immigration, magnified by those claiming that diversity undermines national culture and social cohesion. Or that certain kinds of migrants from certain countries should not be allowed and that language proficiency and commitment to Australian values must be a pre-requisite for entry.

Where is the rational analysis of these claims and where should it take place?

With humanities courses degraded in schools and universities, most people generally are not equipped to cope with the onslaught of various forms of media on offer: television, social media, news outlets, streaming platforms, advertising, and online influencers.

These sometimes prioritise distraction and entertainment over truthful, informative reporting.

On platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X, algorithms are designed to keep users engaged as long as possible with content that is provocative, simplistic, divisive or shocking

Accurate information is usually slower, more nuanced, and less emotionally stimulating.

In this atmosphere the public ceases to be able to recognize a hero from the anti-hero, and in what direction their leaders are taking them. The world as a whole also becomes an ever more abnormal, irrational place.

There is disquiet about the future of democracy, most see it as failing at the institutional level only, but it happens within the individual as well

The average voter hardly knows what is going on beyond official proclamations of politicians and what they learn in the mass media.

Social media is not a substitute for these flawed sources because it’s full of conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated opinion.

Democracy will not come

Today, this year

Nor ever

Through compromise and fear - Langston Hughes from Democracy

This poem argues that democracy requires active struggle, not passive hope.

When attention is fragmented, people may consume large amounts of content without gaining deep understanding.

Most media companies depend on advertisers. Because of this, content is designed to maximize audience size and keep the sponsors happy. This dictates what shows are offered with a reliance on the sensational.

Think of the ratings the reality show Married at First Sight achieved, a show which could be seen as giving positive exposure to some but could also be accused of dangerously exploiting the vulnerabilities of others.

Everything now is a form of entertainment: food, exercise, spirituality, news—you name it.

And it’s all smoke and mirrors.

The Roman poet Juvenal criticized political leaders for keeping citizens distracted with en-

tertainment and material comfort instead of civic responsibility. The phrase “bread and circuses” is still used today to describe media distraction and mass entertainment.

...already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything — now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses.

A famous line from T S Eliot’s Four Quartets : Distracted from distraction by distraction, feels so strikingly current in the age of constant media.

Aldous Huxley was worried that we are so controlled through pleasure, entertainment distraction and consumption comfort that we avoid speaking up about the wrongs we see around us.

Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth.

And how many times have you heard someone saying there is no point in becoming involved as there is nothing we can do to bring about effective change Distraction leads to indifference and can sever connection with others and their situation and problems not only do people become indifferent to the suffering in Gaza or Iran or Alice Springs for example, they also become indifferent to never having been consulted about government policy and actions in the first place. In fact it doesn’t even bother them that governments don’t do it.

When you’re incessantly encouraged to not

notice or think critically about what your government is doing at home or elsewhere, you lose all inclination to do so. The most widespread belief is that as long as you turn up on Election Day for your democracy sausage you are a good citizen.

Distraction becomes a form of pacification. People learn not to want the responsibilities of freedom, the responsibility that democracy demands of its citizens.

In the early days of factory work, workers stood on assembly lines for hours at a time, focusing on repetitive tasks and moving at a merciless pace. As physically strenuous as the work could be, it was even more punishing mentally. This left them exhausted and passive.

Today the same effect happens with social media, our brains drained by volumes of distractions and unable to make room for much else.

Accurate information is usually slower, more nuanced, and less emotionally stimulating. And who has the time or energy to become informed?

And when attention is fragmented, people may consume large amounts of content without gaining deep understanding. Moreover people sometimes choose distraction or denial over uncomfortable truth.

So what is the best way tackle this growing problem? Obviously spending less time online doom scrolling and more time reclaiming the in person social life we are losing. And actually connecting with people. As well, allowing yourself to sit with your own thoughts, doing things that once were normal, is an act of defiance now, Critical thinking is one of the strongest protections against distraction based content.

A good first step is to improve media literacy in schools and universities by teaching how to distinguish reporting from commentary and opinion, how to check primary sources and identifying emotionally exploitive content.

One of the biggest democratic problems is that national outrage media has replaced local reporting.

When people lose coverage of local councils, courts and corruption investigations they become more politically polarized and less informed about what directly affects them.

One cannot underestimate the importance of ‘the local rag’ in keeping communities informed and that is why it is so lamentable to see so many local regional papers no longer published.

A society can lose its connection to truth not only through censorship and force, but also through endless distraction, entertainment, noise, and emotional manipulation.

As American sociologist, Neil Postman, wrote ‘We are amusing ourselves to death’ and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti reminds us that The World Is a Beautiful Place but to achieve happiness we must be prepared to do the hard yards as well.

The world is a beautiful place to be born into

if you don’t mind happiness not always being so very much fun

The current landscape rewards speed, outrage, tribal identity, and attention capture. Democracies work better when information systems reward credibility, accountability, and shared reality.

Winter creeps in prematurely.... Tyre tracks last week along Mt Donna Buang Rd. (Mountain Tucker)

SHOP LOCAL - MONBULK

Monbulk’s mini-rail

By Tanya Steele

A beloved miniature train display has returned to a Main Street shop front in Monbulk, some months after the original was destroyed in an accident last year.

Thanks to a local hobbyist, the new setup is already drawing crowds of kids and families up to the window of the Monbulk Dry Cleaners.

Since the grand reveal on Sunday 3 May, the shopfront has had a steady stream of visitors, big and small, who pause to watch the miniature trains make their way around the display.

“There’s a procession of kids,” said shop owner Michael Alexander, who has been enjoying the sight of faces squishing up to the window to watch the trains go.

Monbulk local and hobbyist John Riethof built the detailed model railway display for the Monbulk business after the original set was damaged beyond repair in an accident last year.

The new display was rebuilt at Mr Riethof’s home before being carefully dismantled and transported into the shop over the weekend.

“It was a big undertaking,” he said.

“Everything really is new.”

Mr Alexander said he had installed the original, simpler train display because it was nice to have something dynamic in the window, but was surprised by how attached the community became to the miniature railway.

“When it was gone, people kept asking me, ‘Is the train OK? When is the train coming back?” he said.

“For nine months, people have been asking about it.”

The train-loving duo had become friends through the first display and after the car accident, Mr Riethof offered to build a larger set-up for the shop, the process taking over a month.

Mr Riethof, who has been building model railways for about 15 years, said the project had become far bigger than he originally imagined.

“It grows on you,” he said. “You start doing it, and then you just want to put more in and more in.”

He first became interested in model railways as a child but only had the time to pursue the hobby seriously after retiring.

“I knew nothing about it, absolutely nothing,” he said.

“I went to a shop in Bayswater, and they gave me some advice on where to start.

Mr Alexander is also being drawn into the hobby and has started putting together smaller set ups in his own time.

Adding lots of different bits and pieces, the miniature railway has a fun feature, a small Jurassic Park section with dinosaurs, with plans for some signs and possible changes over time.

Mr Riethof said additions have to work to a particular scale.

“There are about three different scales in model railway, but you can not mix them,” he said.

Mr Riethof said one of the key features he wanted included was a tunnel because children loved watching the trains disappear and reappear.

The project has also sparked fresh interest from other model railway enthusiasts, with locals offering old trains and accessories to contribute to the layout.

“It gives a lot of joy to people,” Mr Riethof said.

John, miniature train hobbyist has rebuilt Monbulk’s miniature train set up for the local storefront. (Stewart Chambers: 551769)

SHOP LOCAL - MONBULK

The welcome’s always warm

Found in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges, Monbulk Bowling Club offers far more than just a place to play bowls. It is a welcoming community hub where locals and visitors alike can come together to enjoy good company, great food, and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere that reflects the spirit of the region.

Open seven days a week, the club provides a space where people of all ages can unwind and connect. Whether you are dropping in for a casual meal, meeting friends for a drink, or looking to try something new, the doors are always open, and the welcome is always warm. The club has built a reputation for its easy-going environment, where everyone feels at home from the moment they arrive.

One of the standout experiences on offer is barefoot bowls, a fun and accessible way to enjoy the sport without any prior experience. For just $15 per person, guests can step onto the green and enjoy a relaxed game, complete with guidance from one of the club’s experienced bowlers. It is an ideal activity for families, groups of friends, or even work colleagues looking for something a little different. The combination of fresh mountain air, friendly competition, and plenty of laughs makes barefoot bowls a popular choice for both locals and visitors exploring the area.

Beyond casual play, Monbulk Bowling Club is also an excellent venue for functions and celebrations. Whether it is a birthday, anniversary, corporate event, or community gathering, the club offers flexible spaces and catering options to suit a variety of occasions. The team works closely with guests to ensure each event runs smoothly, creating a relaxed and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. With its scenic surrounds and welcoming atmosphere, it is a venue that naturally lends itself to memorable moments.

For those who are curious about taking up bowls more seriously, the club provides a supportive and inclusive environment to get started.

build lasting friendships.

New members are always welcome, regardless of experience level. In fact, many members first discovered the sport through a casual visit or a game of barefoot bowls. With guidance from seasoned players and a strong sense of camaraderie, newcomers quickly feel part of the community. Bowls is a sport that can be enjoyed at any age, offering both gentle physical activity and a chance to

Of course, no visit to the club would be complete without enjoying the food on offer. With a menu designed to cater to the whole family, there is something for everyone to enjoy. From hearty meals to lighter options, the focus is on satisfying, approachable dishes that complement the relaxed setting. It is the kind of place where you can linger over a meal, share stories, and simply

enjoy the moment. At its core, Monbulk Bowling Club is about connection. It is a place where sport, socialising, and community come together in a way that feels genuine and unpretentious. Whether you are rolling up for a game, planning a special event, or just stopping by for a meal, you will find more than you expect and likely leave already planning your return.

With the current cost of living, there’s never been a better time to review your home loan.

We’ll look at your rate, term, repayments, and equity, giving your loan a full check-up to make sure it’s still right for you and your current needs. Enquire online at bendigobank.com.au/healthcheck or visit your nearest branch.

Enjoy a warm welcome from Skye and Lee while unwinding with a warm meal in the Monbulk Bowling Club bistro. (Stewart Chambers: 331071)

PUZZLES

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

ACROSS

1 Graceful bird (4)

3 South Asian republic (10)

10 High-protein food pulses (7)

11 Largest of the Ryukyu islands, south of Japan (7)

12 Rump (8)

13 Of the nose (5)

14 Summit (4)

15 An automatic weapon (7,3)

18 Actually, truthfully (10)

20 Devoted followers (4)

21 Step-by-step guide (3,2)

23 Relating to cultivated land (8)

26 Of that (7)

27 Continuing (7)

28 Black and white (10)

29 Just (4)

DOWN

1 Senior barrister (coll) (4)

2 Said or done so often as to become tiresome (2,7)

4 Partner; colleague (9)

5 Shine (5)

6 City in southern France (7)

7 Tests (5)

8 Front-page stories (9)

9 Perfect condition (4)

14 Indifferent (9)

16 Mirthful (9)

17 Subtle change by degrees (9)

19 US writer (1817–62), Henry David – (7)

22 Revolver (5)

23 Horrible (5)

24 Carpets (4)

25 Unsightly (4)

BRAND NEW ARCHITECTURAL LIVING

BRAND NEW ARCHITECTURAL LIVING IN THE HEART OF UPWEY

WELCOME to 15 Belbrook Road, Upwey a striking, never lived in residence that delivers cutting edge design, refined finishes and effortless family functionality in one of the Hills’ most desirable pockets.

Designed with modern living at its core, this brand new four bedroom, three bathroom home showcases clean architectural lines, soaring ceilings and an abundance of natural light throughout. The sleek façade makes a bold first impression, while inside, warm timber floors and soft neutral tones create a calming, contemporary aesthetic.

At the heart of the home, the open plan living and dining domain flows seamlessly to the expansive outdoor entertaining deck perfectly positioned for weekend gatherings, summer barbeques and relaxed evenings surrounded by nature.

The kitchen is a true statement space, featuring quality Bosch appliances, stone benchtops, dishwasher, generous storage and a sophisticated modern finish that will impress even the most discerning buyer.

Multiple living zones provide flexibility for growing families, work from home professionals or multi-generational living. Whether it’s a formal lounge, upstairs retreat or secondary sitting area, the thoughtful floorplan ensures space and

separation when needed.

Accommodation is equally impressive. Four generous bedrooms and a study are complemented by three beautifully appointed bathrooms, with the choice of two luxurious master suites one upstairs and one downstairs both complete with designer ensuites and walk in robe space. Every bathroom reflects the same modern Scandinavian inspired aesthetic seen throughout the home clean lines, quality fixtures and timeless finishes.

Outdoors, the entertaining area extends your living space and enhances the lifestyle appeal this property delivers. Surrounded by established greenery and positioned for privacy, it offers the perfect balance of indooroutdoor living that the Dandenong Ranges are renowned for.

Additional features include Midea ducted heating and cooling, 2 air conditioning split systems downstairs and ceiling fans in every bedroom as well as the main living area and double glazed windows all throughout.

Located just moments from Upwey Village, cafes, schools, train station and walking trails, this home offers the rare combination of brand new luxury and genuine Hills convenience.

A turn-key opportunity with nothing to do but move in and enjoy 15 Belbrook Road is modern family living, redefined. ●

PRESENTATION, PRICE AND POSITIONING IN VIBRANT SOUTHBANK

POSITIONED on the 21st floor boasting spectacular bay views, this modern 2 bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment delivers an airy and open plan living space in the stylish Epic building.

Entering through a tiled entrance, discover a stone-finished kitchen flaunting a glass splashback, quality stainless-steel appliances including a 4-burner gas cooktop. Spacious open-plan living and dining connects with a sheltered full-length balcony showcasing captivating views over Port Phillip Bay, the Yarra River, and the towering skylines of Southbank, the CBD, and the Docklands. The main bedroom with full ensuite & study nook is filled with natural light is generously proportioned, both are serviced by mirrored built-in robes and a powder room including serviceable laundry, toilet and shower all in one.

As you exit the lobby/concierge, Melbourne Square Woolworths, Nido childcare, Boyd Community Hub, Crown, Queens Bridge Road trams to the city, the lively arts precinct, South Melbourne Primary School, and the dining choice lining the Yarra River are a short stroll away.

Comprehensive features include secure car parking, ducted heating and cooling, double glazing, slimline Venetian blinds, and recessed down-lighting. Graced with an impressive 8-star energy-efficiency rating, Epic comes complete with intercom security, 24/7 concierge, high-speed lifts, and access to a heated indoor pool, a fully fitted gym and a tennis court. Inspect to be impressed! Outgoings:

Council Rates: $380.27 per quarter approx.

• Water Rates: $170 per quarter approx.

• Owners Corporation Fees: $1,138.94 per quarter approx.

• Potential Rental Income: $700 per week approx.

* Photo identification will be required upon entering the property. Please contact Mike Rosario on 0400972032, for your personal tour of this apartment over the weekends. ●

WHERE MODERN COMFORT MEETS COUNTRY FREEDOM ON 58 ACRES (APPROX.)

PRIVATELY set across an impressive 58 acres (approx.), this beautifully balanced lifestyle property delivers the best of both worlds. Refined modern living wrapped in timeless country character, with space to breathe, explore and truly unwind.

The home itself is warm, inviting and thoughtfully designed, framed by an expansive under-roofline verandah that almost wraps the entire residence. It’s here you’ll find yourself starting the day with a quiet coffee as the sun rises over the landscape, or unwinding in the evening as golden light spills across the grounds, your own ever-changing backdrop.

Inside, the heart of the home is a stylish and functional kitchen with a walk-through pantry, complete with a stone island benchtop and striking mirrored splashback, seamlessly connecting to generous open-plan living and dining zones. Natural light pours in, while bamboo timber floors and soft neutral tones create a welcoming, homely feel throughout, enhanced by the comfort and ambience of a wood heater, perfect for cosy winter nights.

Designed for families and entertainers alike, the home offers well-zoned accommodation with four bedrooms, including a master complete with ensuite and walk-in robe. Multiple living areas provide flexibility for growing families, including a versatile rumpus room that could easily serve as a fifth bedroom if desired.

Step outside and the lifestyle truly opens up. The land offers a beautiful balance of open, usable space alongside pockets of established trees and natural bushland, creating privacy, serenity and a true sense of escape. Whether it’s room for recreation, animals or simply enjoying the outdoors, the setting invites you to make the most of it.

No wonder the current owners fondly refer to it as their “playground.”

For those needing space for work, hobbies or storage, the property is exceptionally wellequipped with extensive shedding, including a large shed complete with lock up bays, additional shedding for storage or workspace, woodshed, as well as stables, offering further versatility for animals or rural pursuits. A highclearance carport provides the perfect solution for caravan, truck or machinery storage.

This is a property that offers more than just a home, it’s a lifestyle of space, freedom and connection to nature, without compromising on comfort or quality.

If you’ve been searching for something with soul, scale and versatility… this is it. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

TRANQUIL HILLS LIVING JUST MOMENTS FROM TOWN

TUCKED away in a serene, leafy setting, this charming home offers a warm and inviting lifestyle with a perfect blend of character, comfort, and practicality. Surrounded by established gardens, the property delivers a true sense of privacy and tranquillity from the moment you arrive, while still being conveniently located close to local shops, cafes, and amenities.

The home’s welcoming façade is complemented by a generous covered verandah, ideal for relaxing while enjoying the peaceful outlook. Inside, the residence features three well proportioned bedrooms, including a spacious main, all filled with natural light and complemented by soft, neutral tones.

The cosy lounge is rich in character, highlighted by beautiful timber detailing and a classic fireplace with gas insert that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for those cooler Hills evenings. Large windows frame the surrounding greenery, bringing the

outdoors in and enhancing the home’s relaxed feel.

Flowing through, the kitchen and dining area showcase charming timber cabinetry, ample storage, and a practical layout, offering a comfortable space for everyday living. The updated bathroom adds a modern touch, featuring quality finishes, a sleek walk-in shower, and a fresh, contemporary design.

Step outside to the covered rear deck looking out to the lush surrounds. The gardens further enhance the home’s appeal, creating a peaceful sanctuary to unwind in.

Additional features include a separate laundry, second toilet, excellent storage options, and ample car accommodation with a garage, carport, and additional shed space which is a huge bonus in the area.

Set on a generous dual allotment in a tranquil yet convenient location, this property presents an exceptional opportunity for first home buyers, downsizers, or those seeking a relaxed Hills lifestyle. ●

HOME FOCUS

ENDLESS SPACE AND COUNTRY

LIVING ON OVER 27 ACRES

SET across more than 27 natural bush acres in sought-after Pakenham Upper, this wellestablished lifestyle property offers space, privacy and the freedom of true country living, all centred around a comfortable four-bedroom brick home designed for family life.

Inside, the carpeted lounge provides a welcoming place to relax, enhanced by large windows that draw in plenty of natural light and showcase the surrounding landscape. A heat transfer woodfire brings warmth and atmosphere through the cooler months, while a split system maintains comfort year-round.

The generous kitchen and dining area forms the heart of the home, offering a gas stovetop, extensive bench space and excellent storage, making it ideal for everyday cooking and family gatherings.

The master bedroom includes built-in robes, a second bedroom also offers built-in robes, with both rooms conveniently serviced by the central family bathroom. A practical laundry with a separate toilet adds everyday convenience.

Upstairs, two additional bedrooms with built-in robes are serviced by a shared bathroom and accompanied by a lounge area that opens to a small verandah, creating a quiet retreat with views across the property.

Outdoors, an enclosed undercover entertaining area provides a versatile space for gatherings in any season. Window shutters add privacy and practicality, while infrastructure includes a 6m x 10m shed with power, a hot house for garden enthusiasts and approximately 55,000 litres of water storage across several tanks. A 4kW solar system helps support energy efficiency, while a three-car carport provides ample vehicle accommodation.

The land itself offers plenty of opportunity, complete with a dam and expansive open areas ideal for enjoying the outdoors, hobby farming or simply soaking in the peaceful rural surroundings.

With substantial acreage, practical shedding and a comfortable family home, this property presents a fantastic opportunity to embrace the space and lifestyle Pakenham Upper is known for.

This property has it all so don’t miss outPlease 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.

AnAcreageEstateofElegance,BeautyandEndlessPossibility!

Beyond asealed,tree-lineddriveway,thisbreathtakingcountryestateunfoldsacross39.5lush north-facingacreswithsweepingmountainviews,rollingpastures& absoluteprivacy.Immaculately designed,thisstunningfive-bedroomcharacterresidencecombinestimelesselegancewithrefined moderncomfort. Agrandchandelier-litentrysetsthetone,leadingtoexpansivelivingzones,a chef’skitchenwithbutler’spantry,luxuriousmasterwing&aspectacularenclosedalfrescowith soaringceilings,travertinefloors,swimspa &panoramicoutlooks.Ornatefeatures,Blackbuttfloors, doubleglazing,zonedheating &cooling. Aseparatestudiowithensuite,over584sqmofhigh-bay sheddingwith3-phasepower,100,000Loftankwater,12kWsolar,10kWbatterystorage &5-megalitre creeklicence.

SpaciousFamilyLivingin aPeacefulGembrookSetting –WalktoTownon 1,117sqm

PositionedinGembrookwithinwalkingdistancetothemainstreet,schools &publictransport,this 4-bedroomhomeoffersmultiplelivingzones &relaxedfamilyliving.Floatingfloorsflowthroughthe mainareas,themasterincludesa walk-inrobe& ensuite. Asecondbedroomnearbyisidealas anursery,guestroomorhomeoffice.Theopenplankitchen/living/diningareaformstheheartof thehome,featuringa gasstovetop,walloven,dishwasher,islandbench,walk-inpantry& internal garageaccess.Theloungeincludesa splitsystem,withgasductedheating& evaporativecooling throughout.Slidingdoorsopentotheundercoverentertainingareaoverlookingthefullyfenced backyard.2 furtherbedrooms,rumpusroom,gardenshed& doublegaragecompletethehome.

SpaciousHillsLivingwithDualAccessandFlexibleFamilyLayout. Seton6,236sqmin asought-afterEmeraldpocketwithdualaccess &leafyviews,thisspacious double-storeyhomeoffersflexibilityforfamiliesofallstages.Twomastersuitesmakeitidealformultigenerationallivingorguests.Downstairsfeatures aprivatezonewith amastersuite(ensuite,walk-in robe,splitsystem),plustwobedroomswithbuilt-inrobesservicedby acentralbathroom.Upstairshas beenfullyrenovated,withlight-filledlivingcentredaround astrikingdouble-sidedwoodfireshared withthemainmasterretreat,completewithwalk-inrobe &luxeensuitewithfreestandingbath& oversizedshower.Theopen-plankitchen& diningincludestimberbenchtops,farmhousesink,double ovens&alargeisland.Slidingdoorsopentoanundercoverentertainingarea.Freshpaint,new carpets& ampleparkingcompletethisprivate,lifestyle-focusedproperty. 1LaddSquareEmerald $1,100,000 -$1,210,000

AaronDay M 0407365994

BrennanMileto M 0422996451

4 A 3 B 2 C

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Ann, FTG tennis club feted

By Callum Ludwig

The Ferntree Gully Tennis Club has been recognised as one of the best in the state with two nominations in the upcoming Victorian Community Tennis Awards.

The club itself is one of three finalists for Most Outstanding Club or Centre while treasurer Ann Bailey is in the running for Volunteer of the Year.

Ms Bailey said it’s daunting but a bit of a thrill to be nominated.

“I’m happy and I love the club, I think (secretary) Rebecca (Redfern) might have done a really good story of me to put my name up there to be nominated so that’s very nice,” she said.

“I’ve been playing for 40 years and been at the club for 40 years, I’m still playing midweek ladies tennis…and I’ve been treasurer for just over 20 years.

“It’s been a great place to be at, nice people to play with or be part of who help do all sorts of things.”

The club has been nominated for the top award for it’s efforts to boost its inclusivity, sustainability, strong partnerships and governance.

Ms Bailey said she thinks volunteering is the best thing to do.

“All of the different things that we get ourselves involved in to be part of the community is really good, my husband and I have always been volunteers in football clubs, cricket clubs and that sort of thing anyway over the years,” she said.

“I just make sure that the place is nice and clean and tidy for everyone to come in, we play socially on a Monday so it’s nice to be there greeting people to be part of the club.

“There’s also working bees that we have and just little things that happen around the club that we help with all the time.”

Ferntree Gully Tennis Club ranks highly on Tennis Victoria’s Health Indicator Tool (HIT), supported by a clear 2025–2027 Strategic Plan focused on participation growth, financial sustainability and quality facilities.

The club’s Tennis Hot Shots, social and competition play, Cardio Tennis and Book-a-Court access are all big positives but a standout strength is the club’s All Abilities Tennis program on a Thursday, which provides weekly opportunities for players with disability and clear pathways into Special Olympics participation.

Ms Bailey said she didn’t quite knoe to explain what’s so special about the club but it starts with the people.

“We’re a friendly bunch… when you meet all these people and just get involved with everyone, it’s just something that you do and you enjoy and it’s the people that are part of the club that you work with too,” she said.

“Starting from juniors, we’ve got a great young coach that has classes every day of the weekend

helps the junior convener on a Saturday with the junior sides as well.

“It’s a good club for anyone to come down to and we’d like a few more ladies to come down and have a hit with us.”

Initiatives such as the Sunflower Hidden Disability program, Auslan training, completion of

an Accessibility Audit and implementation of a Gender Equity Action Plan are all worthy of commendation at the club while collaboration with Prestige Tennis Academy, support from Knox City Council and partnerships with Special Olympics, local service organisations and volunteer networks have further strengthened participation and engagement.

Around the Outer-East footy ovals and netball courts

By Armin Richter

Round 5 Outer East Football Netball League Results. Football:

- Premier Division

• Seniors: Wandin 29.23.197 def GembrookCockatoo 11.4.70; Monbulk 12.6.78 def Warburton-Millgrove 9.9.63; Mt. Evelyn 13.13.91 def Officer 10.6.66; Upwey-Tecoma 18.13.121 def Healesville 7.14.56; Olinda-Ferny Creek 11.10.76 def Woori Yallock 4.10.34.

• Reserves: Wandin 10.6.66 def GembrookCockatoo 7.11.53; Woori Yallock 13.7.85 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 9.6.60; Monbulk 13.14.92 def Warburton-Millgrove 4.1.25; Mt. Evelyn 17.9.111 def Officer 3.3.21; UpweyTecoma 9.12.66 def Healesville 9.8.62.

• Under 18 (combined): Monbulk 8.11.59 def Warburton-Millgrove 8.4.52; Healesville 11.9.75 def Upwey-Tecoma 7.8.50; Officer 7.15.57 def Mt. Evelyn 4.5.29; Wandin 24.15.159 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 2.4.16; Woori Yallock 19.12.126 def Alexandra 6.4.40; Pakenham 8.13.61 def Seville 6.6.42; OlindaFerny Creek 20.11.131 def Yarra Glen 5.1.31.

• Women (Div One): Mt. Evelyn 16.11.107 def Pakenham 0.1.1; Healesville 3.2.20 def Upwey-Tecoma 2.7.19; Warburton-Wesburn 10.13.73 def Belgrave 1.2.8; Olinda-Ferny Creek bye

Division One:

• Seniors: Yarra Glen 28.20.188 def Yarra Junction 4.4.28; Pakenham 8.13.61 def Seville 7.3.45; Emerald 29.23.197 def Yea 7.5.47; Belgrave 32.19.211 def Powelltown 1.1.7; Alex-

andra bye.

• Reserves: Yarra Glen 5.12.42 def Yarra Junction 2.2.14; Pakenham 18.8.116 def Seville 2.3.15; Emerald 11.7.73 def Yea 6.3.39; Belgrave 26.21.177 def Powelltown 0.2.2; Alexandra bye.

• Women (Div 2): Wandin 4.19.43 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 0.0.0; Seville 8.3.51 def Woori Yallock 0.3.3; Yea 5.2.32 def Emerald 2.7.19; Officer 13.11.89 def Thornton-Eildon 0.0.0. Netball.

- Premier Division:

• A Grade: Olinda-Ferny Creek 48 def Woori

Yallock 41; Healesville 84 def Upwey-Tecoma 22; Wandin 74 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 38; Monbulk 46 def Warburton-Millgrove 38; Mt. Evelyn 57 def ROC 33.

• B Grade: Woori Yallock 76 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 40; Healesville 48 def Upwey-Tecoma 26; Wandin 64 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 45; Monbulk 51 def Warburton-Millgrove 39; ROC 44 def Mt. Evelyn 43.

• C Grade: Woori Yallock 55 def OlindaFerny Creek 24; Wandin 47 def GembrookCockatoo 18; Warburton-Millgrove 41 def Monbulk 35; Mt. Evelyn 33 drew ROC 33; Healesville bye.

• D Grade: Wandin 35 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 19; Monbulk 22 def Warburton-Millgrove 20; Mt. Evelyn 23 def ROC 22; Woori Yallock 42 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 20; Healesville bye.

• Under 17: ROC White 29 def Monbulk Maroon 14; Woori Yallock 85 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 3; Wandin 30 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 20; Monbulk Gold 36 def Warburton-Millgrove 22; Mt. Evelyn 28 def ROC Blue 17.

• Under 15: Wandin Blue 30 def Woori Yallock 23; Pakenham Gold 28 def ROC White 14; Pakenham Maroon 27 def ROC Blue 24; Monbulk Maroon 28 def Wandin Red 27; Monbulk Gold bye. Division One:

• A Grade: Yarra Glen 52 def Yarra Junction 35; Emerald 48 def Yea 30; Powelltown 47 def Belgrave 39; Seville 54 def Pakenham 39; Alexandra bye.

• B Grade: Yarra Glen 57 def Yarra Junction 39; Emerald 59 def Yea 31; Belgrave 52 def Powelltown 37; Seville 58 def Pakenham 45; Alexandra bye.

• C Grade: Yarra Glen 45 def Yarra Junction 29; Emerald 47 def Yea 28; Belgrave 54 def Powelltown 17; Pakenham 33 def Seville 27; Alexandra bye.

• D Grade: Yarra Junction 28 def Yarra Glen 27; Emerald 30 def Yea 12; Powelltown 28 def Belgrave 25; Pakenham 39 def Seville 29.

• Under 17: Pakenham Maroon 27 def Seville White 26; Seville Blue 32 def Pakenham Gold 24; Alexandra, Emerald + Yarra Junction byes.

It was Liam Barnard’s 300th game for Warburton-Millgrove. (Armin Richter)

L-R: Ferntree Gully Tennis Club President Paul Proctor and Treasurer Ann Bailey. (Supplied)

Early goal secures the win

On Saturday, Monbulk Rangers travelled to Donvale Reserve for a top-of-the-table clash against Templestowe Wolves, who were sitting third on the ladder and in strong form.

Monbulk Reserves came up against a strong Templestowe side that was looking to turn around its poor form.

Despite Theo Hodgkinson making some excellent saves, Monbulk found themselves 3–0 down. Miles Baker slotted home a quality finish late in the game to give Monbulk some hope, but it wasn’t enough, with the Wolves running out 3–1 winners.

Monbulk Seniors got off to a flyer, securing an early lead from a beautifully weighted Jack Hig-

gins free kick, which was expertly controlled and finished by Luke Baker. Monbulk nearly doubled their lead soon after when Ollie Grujic fired a volley at the Wolves keeper. For the rest of the half, both sides created some good chances. The Wolves keeper was lucky to stay on the pitch after handling the ball outside the box to stop Brayden Jones from running through on goal. Steve McRae was causing the Wolves backline plenty of trouble, finding space to shoot and testing the keeper on multiple occasions. Near the end of the half, Higgins and McRae both saw shots narrowly miss across the face of goal. At the other end, Monbulk’s defence had to work hard, at one stage defending

four consecutive in swinging corners. It was a physical and high-intensity first half, with Monbulk happy to head into the break holding the lead. In the second half, the Wolves were playing downhill and applied pressure straight away in an attempt to level the game. They had the majority of possession, often working the ball down the wings and whipping crosses into the box.

Monbulk’s defence, along with Brad Cutts in goal, stood up to the challenge and repeatedly cleared the danger. Towards the end of the half, they came extremely close to equalising, with a shot crashing into the post. Rangers’ chances were few and far between in the second period.

The Wolves keeper gifted Monbulk their best opportunity when he ventured out of goal and misplaced a pass. Higgins launched the ball towards the empty net, but it was cleared off the line.

It may not have been the prettiest win, but Monbulk showed plenty of grit to maintain their 100% winning record with a hard-fought 1–0 victory.

The result keeps them at the top of the ladder, now six points clear of third place. They will look to continue their dream start to the season next week in an away clash against fourth-placed Lyndale United.

Close matches, strong performances across the courts

By Rebecca Redfern

Ferntree Gully Tennis Club teams were back in action across a busy week of competition, with several close contests and strong performances highlighting the round.

In Tuesday Midweek Eastern Metropolitan Ladies’ Tennis Association Section 6 competition, Ferntree Gully went down to Koonung Park, losing 4 sets to 2 despite a determined effort by our ladies. Meanwhile, the club’s KDNTA Tuesday Section 3 side unfortunately had to forfeit against Miller Park.

Thursday night saw one of the closest matches of the week, with Ferntree Gully’s Knox District Night Tennis Association Section 7 team edged out by Mooroolbark Heights 23 games to 22 in a thrilling contest.

In Section 5, Ferntree Gully faced strong competition, with Emerald taking the match 4 sets to 1 and 29 games to 14. Despite the result, Ferntree Gully battled hard throughout the night and showed plenty of persistence against tough opposition.

There was better news in Section 8, where Ferntree Gully produced a dominant display to defeat Miller Park 26 games to 8, winning 4 sets to 1.

In the Ferntree Gully and District Ladies’ Tennis Association Section 4, Ferntree Gully fought hard in another close encounter but fell just short against Wantirna, with 3 sets all and 38 games to 35.

Saturday competition provided tough challenges for the club’s senior teams in the Waverley competition, with Tennisray, Oakleigh and Templeton all recording wins over Ferntree Gully in their Sections A1, A7 and A8 respectively.

One of the highlights of the weekend came from the juniors, with Ferntree Gully’s Eastern Region Tennis JOSD 8 team defeating Mooroolbark Heights, 3 sets all and 26 games to 21 in an exciting match-up.

The club continues to see strong participation across both junior and senior competitions, with players showing plenty of determination and sportsmanship throughout the round.

Ashima and Will from the JOSD8 team. (Supplied)

End of hard fought win. (Supplied)

Monbulk defenders close down a Wolves player.

Burras, Hawks entertain

By Armin Richter

Monbulk met Warburton-Millgrove for the first time since 2019, the last time that the Burras had been in the same division.

After a few days of rain, the Saturday morning fog lifted to reveal a perfect autumn afternoon at Warburton.

Statistically the Hawks came away with their best ever visit to Mac Sparke Oval, winning in seven of the eight games there, although most were tight struggles.

Football.

Seniors:

Warburton-Millgrove have always been a tough nut to crack for Monbulk, particularly on their own ground, which happened to be in superb condition.

It was Warburton who did most of the attacking early but they missed some opportunities in the first term. The Burras’ backline was proving hard to penetrate and it was just a couple of late goals by the Hawks that managed to reduce the gap to two points at the main break.

More missed opportunities by Warby in the third allowed Monbulk to edge ahead by three quarter time.

The Burra’s started the last term better and established a ten point lead before a strong fightback by Monbulk yielded five late goals as the Hawks surged to their second successive win.

It had been a hard fought and physical encounter played in good spirits throughout.

Two milestones matches were played by Nic Wall, with his 100th senior/reserve appearance, and Ziggy Hatherley notching game 50.

Monbulk 12.6.78 def Warburton-Millgrove 9.9.63.

• Best: Lachlan Sheppard, Ryan Burleigh, Kai Linde, Joshua Spencer, Will Henderson, Caleb Quirk.

• Goals: Josh Wentworth 2, Ryan Burleigh 2, Joel Wensley 2, Nicholas Wall 1, Taylor Joyce 1, Ziggy Hatherley 1, Will Henderson 1, Caleb Quirk 1, Joshua Dawson 1. Reserves:

Monbulk fielded their strongest line up for the year so far, which included a number of players who had been squeezed out of the seniors.

The Hawks controlled the game from quarter time, showing too much ability for their opponents and running out winners by 67 points.

Monbulk 13.14.92 def Warburton-Millgrove

4.1.25.

• Best: Hamish Emmett, Lachlan Smith, Adam Banks, Daniel Cleary, Thomas Berman, Finn Horsfall.

• Goals: Thomas Berman 3, Lachlan Smith 3, Nicholas Heron 2, Adam Banks 1, Finn Horsfall 1, Jacob Defina 1, Daniel Cleary 1, Steven Shankly 1. Under 18s

These two teams began the day’s proceedings with an early start at 9am.

Monbulk began strongly but squandered shots at goal, at one stage having a return of 1.7. The match was tight throughout and a Warburton lead of eight points midway through the last quarter looked to be a match winning buffer in the low scoring clash. The Hawks then had a barrage of attacks to finish the game, scoring 2.3, as they snatched a thriller by seven points.

Monbulk 8.11.59 def Warburton-Millgrove 8.4.52.

• Best: Finley Ede, Arley Gray, Isaac Mullinder, Ryder Koelewyn, Thomas Hill, Ben Pratt.

• Goals: Finley Ede 3, Arley Gray 2, Jonah Van Seters 2, Lucas Ibarra 1. Netball.

A Grade:

In a danger game Monbulk were missing Jorga and Nicole, although Asha and Dayna, who stepped up from B Grade, played great matches against a Warburton side that had been a strong combination for the past decade.

It was to be goal for goal exchanges for the first three quarters until the Hawks unleashed a 15-8 final term to eventually clinch the match.

This week they face the other unbeaten side, Mt. Evelyn, at home.

Monbulk 46 def Warburton-Millgrove 38.

• Best: Grace Scott-Thomas, Georgia Himmelreich, Asha Jones.

• Goals: Peri Reid 35, Dayna Walsham 6, Sophie Stubbs 5.

B Grade: The Hawks had a great first quarter where they established a seven goal lead. From there they were able to hold their opponents at bay as they claimed a solid win against a team that had started the day level on points with them.

Monbulk 51 def Warburton-Millgrove 39.

• Best: Chloe Baker, Georgia Wilson, Clementine Nicholas.

• Goals: Chloe Baker 43, Dayna Walsham 5, Chloe Carmichael 3.

C Grade:

For the third time this year the C Grade team played a great game but just came up short. If they continue with this intensity then a win won’t be far off.

Monbulk 35 def by Warburton-Millgrove 41.

• Best: Grace Sands, Candice Freeling, Maddy Buckland.

• Goals: Maddy Buckland 16, Grace Sands 13, Macy Giling 6.

D Grade:

This team keeps delivering when the chips are down and the pressure is on. For the third time in four matches they have won a game by less than four goals in another thriller.

Monbulk 22 def Warburton-Millgrove 20.

• Best: Bronte Passingham, Caitlin Utting, Chelsea Borkowski.

• Goals: Jamie Sands 16, Ella Flynn 6. Under 17s:

The Monbulk Gold team was the only junior side to venture to Warburton on the weekend. They controlled the match throughout and

scored a solid win over the Burras. The Maroon team travelled to Mount Evelyn to play ROC. The Hawks trailed after the first half but levelled the scoreboard in the second half to show they can match it with the top sides.

Monbulk Gold 36 def Warburton-Millgrove 22.

• Best: Amelia Magarry, Kaitlyn Summers, Stevie Mullinder.

• Goals: Amelia Magarry 15, Kaia Stewart 13, Summer Kuppers 8.

Monbulk Maroon 14 def by ROC White 29.

• Best: Layla Murray, Shiloh Koole, Chelsea Ferguson.

• Goals: Isla Stubbs 7, Ahliya Wragg 5, Layla Murray 2. Under 15s:

The ladder leading Gold team had a bye while the Maroon team played at Wandin against the third placed Wandin Red. After conceding 10 goals to two in the opening term the Maroon girls fought back strongly to hit the front in the second half and hang on by a goal to be just percentage out of the Top Five.

Monbulk Maroon 28 def Wandin Red 27. Best: Jessica Verheyen, Isabelle Kos, Hayden Brady.

Goals: Isabelle Kos 15, Jessica Verheyen 11, Grace Gaunt 2.

Monbulk’s Alice McCormick in action against the Burras in B Grade.

Monbulk’s athletic young forward Finn Horsfall reels in a mark in the Reserves.

Monbulk’s Ryan Finlay marks between two Warburton players. (Armin Richter)

TIP-STARS Mail

They are successful in local business... but what do our Tip-Stars know about Footy? Follow them every week and give them the feedback they deserve...

FIXTURES - ROUND

1. What emoji do you use the most? Heart

2. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you bring?

Fire starter (flint), A large knife (machete), A metal pot to boil water

3. What is the most interesting place you have ever visited?

Broome, “Coconut Well” just north of Broome and “Anastasia’s Bath” just south of Broome on the same day of a 10m king tide

4. What was your first car? Did you name it?

HQ Holden Sedan. Much loved but never named

5. Where would you like to retire?

As I have lived in the Dandenong Ranges all my life. Why would I want to live anywhere else in retirement

6. What is the most unusual food you have ever tried, did you like it?

Venison Jerky. And I wasn’t all that keen.

7. If you had any super power for a week, what would it be, and how would you use it?

The power to fly. And just enjoy the view.

8. What movie title matches your job role A cross between “Fawlty Towers” and “Are You Being Served?”.

9. Which historical figure would you most like to date, and why?

Cleopatra, I think we would have a fun night

10. What is the craziest thing you believed as a child? I remember being terrified of the black grates at the bottom of the local swimming pool; I was convinced that monsters were in them.

11. If you could have a conversation with your pet, what would you talk about?

I only have tropical fish now. And scientists say they only have a short memory span. Yet they are always excited to see me, and each appears to have their own

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Welcome to Clovelly Cottage. Nestled in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges but still within close proximity to the Boronia Junction shopping precinct and amenities, it is a place our residents are proud to call home. Featuring abundant indoor and outdoor spaces with a choice of private sanctuaries and communal living, we are dedicated to delivering excellence in care and services that enable residents to live well and celebrate the autumn years of their life.