Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 25th August 2026

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

SkyHigh back open and up for sale

Book Week kicks off

Kinder kids plant garden thanks to Emerald Co-op

Real estate liftout inside

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Youngest of book worms The Star Mail’s youngest reader, 14-monthold Mauve, joins in on the Book Week festivities, as her mother reveals Mauve’s thoughts about her favourite books.

Little Mauve, at just 14 months old, is the youngest amongst the bookworms and the biggest fan of Mr McGee. Her mother - Gigi - takes time each day to read to Mauve, helping to develop lifelong foundations and fictional friends.

Gigi talks about what Mauve loves about the story of McGee, how often she reads and how important it is to Gigi that Mauve begins reading from a young age.

Mauve’s reading habits come alongside plenty of other avid readers in the Hills as Book Week kicks off.

She is sure to feature again - if her current reading habits predict anything, then her future life will be filled with magical stories aplenty.

Mauve at The Patch Store with her favourite book Mr McGee (Stewart Chambers: 567420)

Isla legacy backed

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor Belgrave’s Sooki Lounge will host a night of live music, poetry and community action on Wednesday, 26 August, supporting Isla Bell’s Legacy and its campaign for systemic reform.

Justice for Isla and all Women and Children is the first official fundraiser held under Isla Bell’s Legacy, established by Isla’s mother, Justine Spokes, to ensure her daughter is remembered for who she was, rather than reduced to the circumstances of her death.

Isla Jane Bell was a 19-year-old woman who went missing in October 2024, with her remains later found at a waste facility in Dandenong.

Ms Spokes described Isla as kind, generous, loyal and creative, and said she was “absolutely in awe of the natural world”.

For the grieving mother, turning Isla’s legacy into a campaign for change has been “a matter of survival”.

The campaign is calling for more transparent and trauma-informed legal systems, stronger recognition of victims and their families, and greater

opportunities for families to be heard before critical decisions affecting homicide matters are finalised.

Ms Spokes also advocates for greater legal standing for victims in criminal proceedings and national trauma-informed media legislation to address victim blaming and sensationalised reporting.

Television presenter Shelley Ware will MC the event.

Although she has not yet met Isla’s family, Ms Ware said she was honoured to be involved and

hoped attendees would leave feeling empowered to contribute to change.

The evening will feature live music from The Band Tambourine, Paper Daisy, Luke Bailey and Ishan Kala, alongside poetry from Fleassy Malay and Jamie McAvinue.

Ms Ware said the event was an opportunity for people to stand with Isla’s family and support their campaign for meaningful change.

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NEWS

9 Bonza View, Kalorama. (573754)

The land block at 9 Bonza View.

Bonza View plans hit snag

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor Builder Martin Vierdag says he has spent more than a year and more than $30,000 trying to secure planning approval for an unusual semi-underground house at 9 Bonza View, Kalorama.

Mr Vierdag bought the vacant property in June 2025, with the purchase conditional on obtaining a planning permit.

He has designed an earth-covered home made from concrete and stone, which he says is intended to respond to the site’s bushfire risk and steep terrain.

But Mr Vierdag says the application has become “bogged down” in requirements relating to vegetation, bushfire access, geotechnical conditions and wastewater treatment.

He said Yarra Ranges Council had repeatedly requested further information, forcing him to redraw the plans several times.

“A major point of contention is the site’s erosion management overlay,” Mr Vierdag said.

“The geotechnical engineer had assessed the site, and those findings should guide the structural engineering for the home’s foundations.”

Yarra Ranges Council applied to revise its erosion management overlay in the planning scheme after a commissioned report delivered in late April 2025 identified 13,400 landslide-prone properties.

The June 2021 storms and the Mount Dandenong landslides in 2024 led to the revision.

Montrose resident Steve McArthur opposed the overlay amendment in December 2025, stating “it will significantly impact thousands of families...the barriers they face will be insurmountable, due either to cost or practicality.”

It took Natalie and Lee Guest four years to rebuild their family home in Kalorama after the June 2021 storm, having jumped through erosion management and bushfire overlay hurdles to gain planning approval.

Mr Vierdag also questioned the need for emergency vehicle access, saying fire trucks could not safely get to Bonza View in the first place.

The proposed wastewater system has created another hurdle.

The property at 9 Bonza View, Kalorama, is currently under review. (Shamsiya Hussainpoor: 573754) Mr Vierdag wants to place the effluent field on the earth-covered roof of the house, saying the enclosed system would prevent effluent from reaching the surrounding land.

“I have previously used an EPA-approved treatment plant and effluent field that did not perform as expected,” he said.

“I have since developed an alternative system with a treatment-plant consultant. The proposal has been discussed with the EPA and the council’s environment officers, but the council has been reluctant to consider a system outside the typical approved approach.”

Mr Vierdag, who has 45 years’ experience in

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sponding to the council’s latest request for further information.

Mr Vierdag is seeking approval for 9 Bonza View and may sell the property once the permit is granted, and offering to help the new owner oversee construction.

For Mr Vierdag, however, the issue is bigger than one property.

“I’ll probably get through, but it doesn’t help anybody else,” he said.

Yarra Ranges Council cannot comment further as the planning application is still being assessed.

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building and has worked on several projects in the Dandenong Ranges, said the planning system was not well suited to the area’s steep, heavily vegetated landscape.

Mr Vierdag said the council’s planning system was too focused on urban areas and that planners did not always understand the practical challenges of building in the Dandenongs.

Other vacant properties in the area face similar challenges, which he said leaves owners paying rates and land tax while struggling to develop or sell their land.

Despite his frustrations, Mr Vierdag is continuing with the application and is currently re-

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NEWS

IN BRIEF Man charged in FTG A man has been charged after a woman was allegedly found deceased inside a residential property in Ferntree Gully on the morning of 21 August. Homicide Squad detectives charged a 45-year-old Ferntree Gully man with the woman’s murder.

Emergency services were called to the residence on Ferntree Gully Road just before 10am, where they discovered the injured 30-year-old woman. Despite efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her family identified her as Annmarie O’Reilly, taking to Facebook to pay tribute to her.

“Really can’t believe it. Rest (in) peace to my beautiful Sister Annmarie,” her brother Jimmy O’Reilly posted on Friday.

“The nicest (woman) you’d meet, the best mother to her kids. May you get the best bed in Heaven, my beautiful Sister. Love you so much, fly high.”

The suspect, a 45-year-old man from Ferntree Gully, was arrested nearby and taken into custody.

He has since been charged with one count of murder and appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via audio-visual link, where he was remanded in custody until his next scheduled appearance on 23 February 2027.

Authorities have stated that the parties were known to each other, though the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear. The investigation is ongoing.

Arrest after alleged trail assault

The liquidator is now looking for prospective buyers of the Sky High Mount Dandenong business. (File: 569025)

SkyHigh reopens on a temporary basis The closure saw local community groups and schools postpone or move their bookings, while some SkyHigh employees were reportedly stood down.

Sitting on Crown land and managed by Parks Victoria, SkyHigh has leased the popular lookout location since 2004 and announced a lease renewal with Parks Victoria in April this year, with plans mentioned for renovations and improvements to the buildings and grounds.

The liquidator now seeks non-binding expressions of interest as part of a two-stage sale campaign. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the liquidator’s office to participate in the process.

An information memorandum and supporting sale materials will be made available to interested parties following completion of

the required confidentiality agreement.

The interim operating arrangement does not pre-empt the outcome of the sale campaign.

Customers with bookings scheduled up to 31 October 2026 are encouraged to contact SkyHigh Mount Dandenong directly to confirm the status of their booking and whether it can be accommodated by the interim operator.

Where a booking cannot be serviced, customers who have paid deposits or other amounts in advance will be unsecured creditors of SkyHigh Mt Dandenong Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) in respect of those amounts.

The sale process remains open to interested parties and will be conducted with the objective of maximising value for creditors while, where possible, preserving the operations and goodwill of SkyHigh Mount Dandenong.

Team rescue effort Multiple emergency service agencies joined forces during a demanding multi-agency operation on a steep, slippery track near the Micawber Tavern, highlighting the strength of local inter-agency collaboration.

The State Emergency Service (SES) Emerald Unit was initially called to assist Ambulance Victoria with a patient at the nearby 1000 Steps, who managed to walk out safely. However, a subsequent callout to Belgrave required an extensive, coordinated team effort after a hiker sustained minor injuries on treacherous terrain.

Due to the hazardous conditions, specialised steep-angle rescue teams from Monbulk Fire & Rescue (CFA) and Wandin Fire Brigade were deployed to secure the slope and navigate the descent safely, with ground support from Emerald and Knox SES Units, Belgrave and Upwey CFA Brigades and Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police.

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The gates to SkyHigh Mount Dandenong swung back open on 21 August as part of a temporary arrangement after it closed suddenly in July.

It came after liquidation company SMB Advisory announced that the iconic Mount Dandenong venue is operating under an interim licence arrangement while the liquidator fields prospective buyers of the business.

“The reopening represents an important milestone for SkyHigh, allowing the venue to welcome customers again while preserving the operations, goodwill and value of the business during the sale campaign,” SMB Advisory liquidator Adrian Roca said in a media release.

A number of potential buyers have already reportedly shown interest in the business.

SkyHigh Mount Dandenong suddenly closed down on July 26 after the business went into liquidation.

Police arrested a 21-year-old on Wednesday 19 August following an alleged assault on an 82-year-old man that occurred in Ferntree Gully last month.

Officers executed a search warrant at an address in Scoresby where the young man was then arrested. Police believe he is expected to be charged on summons with assault offences.

Senior Constable Lachlan Connelly from Knox Police said the attack occurred after the 82-year-old yelled out to the man to slow down on his e-scooter while walking along the Blind Creek Trail on 6 July.

The 21-year-old rider proceeded to allegedly assault the 82-year-old man, outlining that he couldn’t be told what to do. As he was attacked, the 82-year-old fell to the ground.

The older man was left with a black eye and multiple lacerations, which caused his face to bleed.

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Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 3

NEWS

Tribunal condemns and bans former mental health nurse

By Callum Ludwig A former Eastern Health nurse has been reprimanded, had their nursing registration cancelled, been barred from applying for reinstatement for 12 months and prohibited from providing any health service for breaching professional standards.

The nurse worked as a secondary case manager for patients with serious mental illness and transgressed by engaging in a personal and intimate relationship with a patient, including allowing them to stay at their home.

The nurse had been an enrolled nurse for nearly 20 years when they were assigned to the patient in late 2022. By 1 February 2023, Eastern Health received a complaint that the individual had formed an inappropriate relationship with a patient and an investigation began, including interviewing the nurse.

After the investigation was completed, Eastern Health determined serious misconduct had occurred and terminated the nurse’s employment on 15 March 2023.

More complaints were made to the Mental Health Complaints Commission and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the case was later referred to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

VCAT members Siran Nyabally, Donna Goldsmith and Leonie Baker oversaw the case, which the nurse declined to attend due to ‘many other complicated personal issues’.

The evidence pointed to the nurse having breached professional standards between November 2022 and September 2024, during which time they held registration and pursued a relationship with the patient.

The patient was single, with lived experience of schizophrenia and polysubstance use disorder, had experienced homelessness and voluntarily sought support from Eastern Health.

After meeting with Eastern Health following the complaint, the nurse admitted to having a personal relationship with the patient, paying for hotels including a stay for them both at the York on Lilydale Hotel, and calling an ambulance on

A former Eastern Health nurse has been temporarily barred form re-registering after entering a relationship with a patient. (File: 274922) one occasion when the patient overdosed at the Ibis Hotel in Glen Waverley. The nurse agreed that their conduct was unacceptable and that they “stuffed up so bad”.

For the stay at The York, the nurse requested to put the stay in another name but that they would be ‘in and out of the room’. A file note provided by the York on Lilydale owners ALH Group Central to Eastern Health said the pair were ‘black listed’ after drugs equipment was found in their room.

When the nurse was interviewed by AHPRA in September 2024, they indicated they had been working as an in-home carer, with the role including helping the patient with appointments, administering depot injections and providing rehabilitation, community and family support.

According to the nurse, this included ‘spending a lot of time listening to the patient’s frustrations, and discussing their upbringing, family history and issues with their mother’.

The relationship between the two developed after the patient became homeless and was living in their car, so the nurse helped pay for motels and ‘dropped in and out’ of them, including overnight stays and being present during the overdose in Glen Waverley.

While the nurse claimed they were not in a relationship during the Eastern Health investigation, they told AHPRA they were now in a sexual relationship and the patient was living with them.

In the finding, the VCAT members “determined that the decision to engage in a personal

or sexual relationship with a current/former patient was a serious departure from professional standards, given the inherent power imbalance that existed between them.”

The “continued relationship” after their termination was also deemed to demonstrate “poor ethical decision making and judgment” and “a lack of professional propriety”, disrespecting “the trust that patients place in their treating practitioners”.

Their conduct was deemed “substantially below the standard reasonably expected of a registered health practitioner of an equivalent level of training and experience, and because it lacks moral integrity, making it inconsistent with her being a fit and proper person to hold registration as a nurse.”

Kallista ‘no’ to petrol station

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor Kallista residents came together on Saturday, 22 August to voice their opposition to a renewed proposal for a petrol station in the village, six years after the community first fought the development.

The group discussed the latest planning application and concerns over bushfire risk, safety, planning requirements and the impact on Kallista’s village character.

The proposal is for a petrol station at the site previously subject to a planning dispute that went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

The VCAT convenor’s 115-page report rejected the 2020 proposal, with residents saying the chief reason was the increased bushfire risk it would pose to the community, alongside concerns about local and state planning requirements, character and environmental considerations.

Residents are now concerned that the new application does not address the issues raised in the original proposal and again seeks to use the site as a petrol station.

A long-term Kallista resident, John, said the community was frustrated to be facing the proposal again.

“The impact to our Village of Kallista, the heightened bushfire risk and safety concerns that this planning application presents is not suitable or acceptable and I can’t believe we’re having to do this all over again,” he said.

The current condition and use of the site was also a major concern raised at Saturday’s gathering.

Residents said the site is currently being used for industrial storage, which they believe is inconsistent with its commercial one zoning and the designated uses set out by Yarra Ranges Council.

They described the condition of the property as an “eyesore” and argued it could create a perception that any development would be preferable to the site’s current state.

According to the group, one local trader has also closed their doors.

Bushfire safety remains a central concern for the community.

4 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

Kallista residents gathered on Saturday, 22 August, to discuss their concerns over the proposed petrol station. (Supplied) Residents at the gathering said Kallista’s location near national parks and nature reserves means any increase in bushfire risk could have broader consequences, including potential impacts on insurance premiums, emergency access and the allocation of CFA resources.

They also raised concerns about storing flammable liquids close to Sherbrooke Forest National Park, where the extreme fire danger and fuel load were cited as factors that could heighten risks for the community.

A representative of Save the Dandenong’s League said the group objected to the proposal on safety grounds.

“We object in full for bushfire and safety of shoppers and school children. The traffic impacts and inclusion of trucks turning into and out of the site will increase potential for pedestrian and vehicle accidents which is not acceptable,” the representative said.

For residents, however, the dispute is also about protecting the identity of the village.

Jes Chalmers, who spoke out against the proposal in 2020, said the village’s existing businesses and character were central to what made Kallista special.

“Our village is our home including, our general store and post office, deli, tea rooms, artist and its quaint, quirky architecture are what make it so special,” Jes said.

“We need to not only protect our community against the environmental, bushfire and safety risks that this application presents, but also our local stores that support us every single day.”

Kallista resident Tony described the proposal as fundamentally at odds with the village’s setting.

“Nothing evokes a beautiful village in the middle of the forest like a petrol station. It’s just insane,” he said.

Richard Hecker questioned the need for another petrol station in the area, pointing to existing facilities nearby.

“I fail to see why they’re trying to build a re-

dundant facility. There’s a new one in Monbulk and at least four others within close vicinity. I fail to see how this will be a viable resource,” Richard said.

Toby Wilkins said the community remained prepared to fight the proposal.

“We’ve seen them off once, we’ll do it again.

They don’t care about our hamlet and they’ve shown that time and time again. We are stronger as a community than they will ever be,” he said.

Residents said they wanted to see the planning protections applying to Kallista and the wider Mt Dandenongs upheld, with the current application rejected.

They also called for safeguards to ensure the site cannot be used as a petrol station.

“The community of Kallista are looking forward to seeing this land being developed in a thoughtful sustainable way which blends with the special character of the Mt Dandenongs and our village hamlet – this is not a petrol station,” the group said.

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NEWS

Third teachers’ strike off

By AAP, Nick Wilson and Allanah Sciberras Public school teachers in Victoria are poised to pocket Australia’s fattest pay cheques, with a third statewide strike canned after a sweetened offer was accepted.

Teachers, principals and support staff in Victoria’s public system endorsed a minimum pay increase of 28.3 per cent over four years after 79 per cent of voting Australian Education Union members backed the offer.

The deal, which is expected to cost taxpayers $5.4 billion over the life of the agreement, brings to a close a protracted industrial dispute that sparked two strikes.

A third statewide strike, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, has been called off.

Public school teachers and other education staff had been locked in a fierce dispute with the Labor state government for more than a year as the union pushed for better working conditions and a 35 per cent pay rise over four years.

Northern Territory teachers are the highest-paid in Australia, with their wages ranging from a starting base of $96,180 up to $136,997 for experienced classroom teachers.

Under the new deal, Victorian teachers will take that title after they were previously the worst-paid in the nation.

All teachers’ salaries will jump by a minimum of 13.04 per cent, with increases of between 4.0 and 4.9 per cent from 2026 until 2029.

An experienced teacher’s pay will increase to about $151,000 by 2029, while graduate teachers can expect to pull in an extra $12,343 by October 2026, bringing the cohort in line with NSW. “Today, resoundingly, we are delivering the best pay and conditions for Victorian teachers,” Premier Ben Carroll told reporters on Monday.

The latest offer included a one-off $2000 bonus and a one per cent annual lump-sum payment for staff at the top of their pay scales.

It also featured a cap on face-to-face teaching hours and maintained a reduction in annual meeting commitments from 80 hours to 40 hours.

Australian Education Union Victoria president Justin Mullaly marches during a strike by public school teachers, principals, and support staff, in Melbourne, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AAP Image/Christopher Hopkins) “There are some real improvements when it comes to recognition of the experience of teachers, education support and school leaders who are at the top of their pay scale with further allowances,” the union’s Victorian president Justin Mullaly said.

The revised offer was the first put to the union since Education Minister Gabrielle Williams took over the portfolio from now-premier Mr Carroll.

An estimated 35,000 protesters marched through Melbourne’s city centre in March, the first action of its kind in 13 years.

It was followed by a second strike in July, which drew an estimated 20,000 protesters into central Melbourne, after another offer was shot down by 51 per cent of members.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson labelled Mr Carroll “incompetent” for failing to broker the deal sooner.

“We’ve seen lost days of learning under Ben Carroll,” she said.

Ms Williams said she was confident the deal would be in force by October but it still faced a vote of all employees as required under the Fair Work Act. Fight the Crisis, a group of rank-and-file union members, said it remained opposed to the deal and would resist its “untenable terms”.

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Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 5

NEWS

Beyond awareness weeks: Keeping the helping spirit alive As Australians mark a series of national awareness campaigns focused on loneliness, women’s health and mental wellbeing, attention is turning to what happens after the campaigns finish and the social media posts disappear.

Loneliness Awareness Week was held earlier this month, Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week will be marked in September, and R U OK? Day falls on Thursday, 10 September.

While each campaign has a different focus, they share a common thread: the importance of wellbeing, relationships and having people around us when life becomes difficult.

In communities such as the Dandenong Ranges, community groups and neighbourhood houses are among the local organisations providing places for those relationships to develop.

Spread across small townships and winding roads, Hills residents do not always have the same opportunities for incidental social interaction that might occur in more densely populated areas.

Ageing, caring responsibilities, limited mobility, working from home or simply being new to an area can make becoming part of a community more difficult.

Olinda Community House Manager Belinda Young said this was why the role of a community house could be much broader than simply providing a venue for activities.

“People often think a community house is a building where activities happen, but the activity is really the vehicle,” she said.

“Someone might walk through the door because they want to learn to cook, try seated pilates or join a book club, but what they often find along the way is community.”

For someone experiencing isolation, being told to meet new people is considerably easier than actually doing it. Structured activities can provide a way around that hurdle because participants arrive with a purpose and already have something in common with the other people in the room.

At Olinda, that ranges from seated pilates to community dinners and a learn-to-cook program, activities that vary considerably, but each provides an opportunity for people to spend time with others without requiring social interaction to be the stated purpose of attending. Ms Young said this distinction was important.

“Not everyone wants to sit in a circle and talk about how they’re feeling,” she said.

“Sometimes the best conversations happen when people are cooking beside each other, moving together, making something or sharing a meal.”

The idea has particular relevance around R U OK? Day, which encourages Australians to check in with people who may be struggling.

Asking someone whether they are OK, however, generally requires some form of relationship to already exist. Regular community activities can create the familiarity from which those relationships gradually develop: seeing

The Olinda Community House has been running a seated pilates program this month. (Supplied) the same faces each week, learning somebody’s name, or noticing when a regular participant has not turned up.

“We talk a lot about encouraging people to reach out when they’re struggling, but we also need to build communities where there is someone to reach out to,” Ms Young said.

The approach also intersects with conversations taking place during Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week.

Health is often discussed through the lens of medical care, but wellbeing can also be influenced by social relationships, physical activity, confidence, caring responsibilities, financial circumstances and participation in community life.

Community houses do not replace health, mental health or crisis services, but their position outside the formal service system can offer something different.

People do not need a diagnosis, referral or identified problem to participate, they can attend because they want to exercise, learn something, meet for dinner or simply try something new.

Loneliness and being alone are not necessarily the same thing. A person may enjoy considerable time alone without feeling lonely, while another may interact with people regularly but still feel that they do not belong.

Belonging tends to develop gradually, through repeated interactions and relationships rather than sheer proximity to other people, which is why, for community organisations, it isn’t enough to simply increase the number of activities on offer.

Attention also has to go to what might be stopping someone from attending them in the first place: cost, transport, mobility, confidence, and the prospect of walking into a room full of strangers.

“It isn’t enough to say that everyone is welcome,” Ms Young said.

“We have to keep asking what might be stopping someone from walking through the door in the first place.”

It is a question relevant well beyond Olinda.

Neighbourhood houses and community groups across Victoria occupy an unusual position within their communities.

They can be places of adult education and recreation, meeting places for local groups, venues for community events and sources of information and support.

Their impact can consequently be difficult to measure solely through attendance figures.

A person may initially attend a class, return the following week, begin recognising other participants and eventually become involved in another activity or volunteer themselves.

What begins as participation in a program can gradually become a relationship with a place and the people within it.

Ms Young said that progression was one of the things she looked for when considering the impact of the House.

“For me, the measure of a successful community house isn’t simply how many people attend an activity,” she said. “It’s whether somebody walks in not knowing anyone and, a few months later, feels that this is their place too.”

Awareness weeks provide an opportunity to focus public attention on issues that can otherwise be easily overlooked.

The more difficult task is creating the conditions that support wellbeing and belonging during the other weeks of the year.

For community houses, much of that work is decidedly ordinary: classes, cups of tea, shared meals, conversations and familiar faces. It is often through those ordinary encounters that relationships begin.

“I want the House to be somewhere you can come when life is going brilliantly and somewhere you can still come when it isn’t,” Ms Young said. “You shouldn’t have to be in crisis to need community.”

You can find out more about Olinda Community House’s program and upcoming events at www.och.org.au/our-program.

Belgrave fundraiser for Isla

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor A night of live music, poetry and community action will be held at Belgrave’s Sooki Lounge on Wednesday, 26 August from 6pm, in support of Isla Bell’s Legacy and its campaign for systemic reform.

‘Justice for Isla and all Women and Children’ is the first official fundraiser held under Isla Bell’s Legacy, established by Isla’s mother, Justine Spokes, to ensure her daughter is remembered for who she was and not reduced to the circumstances of her death.

Isla Jane Bell was a 19-year-old woman who went missing in October 2024, her remains were later found at a waste facility in Dandenong.

Ms Spokes said Isla had a strong identity from the beginning and was known for her kindness, generosity, loyalty and creativity.

“She was absolutely in awe of the natural world,” Ms Spokes said.

She described Isla as particularly gifted with plants and permaculture, recalling how she would spend time in the garden drying herbs, making teas and creating comfrey balms.

Ms Spokes said her daughter also had an ability to sense when people were suffering and would go out of her way to make sure they did not feel alone.

“She was the change that she wanted to see in 6 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

Belgrave’s Sooki Lounge will host a fundraiser for Isla Bell’s Legacy on Wednesday, 26 August from 6pm. (Supplied) the world,” Ms Spokes said.

For Ms Spokes, turning Isla’s legacy into a campaign for change has been a deeply personal process.

“For me personally, it’s been a matter of life or death, a matter of survival,” she said.

The campaign is advocating for more trans-

parent and trauma-informed legal systems, stronger recognition of victims and their families, and a meaningful opportunity for families to be heard before critical decisions affecting homicide matters are finalised.

Ms Spokes said she wanted to see victims have greater legal standing within the justice system and called for changes to the way victims and their families are treated during criminal proceedings.

She also advocated for national trauma-informed media legislation to address victim blaming and sensationalised reporting.

But while legal reform is central to the campaign, Ms Spokes said cultural change was just as pivotal.

“More importantly, I want people to come to this event and have a shared experience of being able to have our hearts opened and all our human faculties open… including really heavy, difficult feelings to be able to share in our vulnerability and learn to support each other, I think is the only way forward,” she said.

Television presenter, Shelley Ware will host the evening as MC. She has not yet met Isla’s family but said she was honoured to have been asked to MC the event.

“I’ve done a lot of work with the Carlton Football Club Respect Program and, whatever I can

do for community and for people that are healing and need support, I will,” Ms Ware said.

“It [music] can be for social change, but…for healing too. Gathering people together is a beautiful way to connect and heal.”

Ms Ware hopes people leave the event carrying Isla’s legacy with them and feeling empowered to contribute to change in whatever way they can.

“It may be that you change one person’s point of view on something in a conversation,” she said.

“It may be some systemic change that you may have as a person in a position of power.”

Ms Ware said supporting victims’ families meant being there for them when they asked for help and surrounding them with “love and hope” as they sought meaningful systemic change.

The fundraiser will feature live music from The Band Tambourine, Paper Daisy, Luke Bailey and Ishan Kala, alongside poetry performances from Fleassy Malay and Jamie McAvinue.

The campaign’s new Ignite Your Flame T-shirt will also be launched during the night.

Ms Ware said she’s looking forward to hearing the family’s stories and seeing the strength that could come from people gathering in support of the family.

“I’ll do whatever I can for my local community,” she said.

“It’s important to really stand with this family.”

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NEWS

Welcomed e-bike changes coming

By Oliver Winn A major mountain biking group in the Yarra Ranges welcomed plans to develop nationally consistent safety standards for e-bikes.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced it would create new regulations on 13 August, marking an important step in reducing e-bike related injuries, deaths and battery fires.

Yarra Ranges Mountain Biking Club (YRMBC) president Andrew Howieson said the move was a “positive step” that would help clear the name of legitimate e-bikes.

“It’s a really positive step that should be taken, and it’s something we’ve been advocating for and making our thoughts on the subject known for quite some time,” Mr Howieson said.

The new regulations will be informed by the international standard EN-15194, following the Federal Government’s adoption of the same standards for importation last year.

The move also aligns with YRMBC’s own policy on the use of e-bikes during the club’s group rides.

EN-15194 requires imported e-bikes to have a motor that cuts off at 25 kilometres per hour, a 250-watt limit on power, and for the motor to only assist when pedalling rather than relying on a throttle.

It also requires e-bikes to meet manufacturing standards and anti-tamper conditions.

Mr Howieson said legitimate e-bikes manufactured to the EN-15194 standard provide people such as his father, who lives with Par-

kinson’s, to ride again.

“My dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s recently. He’s got a legitimate e-mountain bike, and we can go mountain biking together.

“He really struggles with things like walking and balance.

“He can’t climb ladders, but he’s really proficient at riding a bike to the point where we can go ride green and blue mountain bike trails.

“For a small moment in time, he doesn’t feel like he has Parkinson’s, and he’s able to go and live his life and enjoy something that doesn’t restrict him or impact him. So e-mountain bikes and e-bikes in general - legitimate ones - are a great tool for that reason,” Mr Howieson said.

But he said unsafe and illegal e-motorbikes were tarnishing the reputation of proper e-bikes.

“You’ve got these e-bikes coming into the market that surpass that speed limit, so you’ve got bikes suddenly capable of doing 50, 60, or 70 kilometres an hour, if not more. That poses its own risk.”

Illegal e-motorbikes are often manufactured to poor standards and therefore carry a high fire risk.

An illegally modified e-motorbike caught fire on the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail in January 2026 and nearly led to a major blaze on an extreme fire danger day.

Mr Howieson said e-bikes manufactured to the EN-15194 standard are as safe as they can get.

He compared e-bikes to other household electrical appliances, stating how any appliance not made professionally carries a fire risk.

“Look at how many house fires are caused by failing electrics, by someone who tried to do their own electrical work at home and isn’t qualified to do it.

“They’ve got something wrong or it wasn’t done to a certain standard. That comprises a large amount of house fires.

“When you’re looking at these items [e-bikes] coming through that don’t meet the same standards and regulations, that poses that risk.”

“Unfortunately, what it does is make it really hard for people who do legitimately need a legitimate e-bike and should be entitled to have one.

“You go down to your bike shop and buy an e-bike with a motor from Shimano or Bosch; these are like going into Harvey Norman and buying a fridge, TV, or laptop computer. These all meet these standards. That’s the point of them,” Mr Howieson said.

In a statement to the Bicycle Network, federal infrastructure and transport minister Catherine King said the Federal Government were taking steps to crack down on unsafe and illegal e-rideables on our roads and in our communities.

“This standard will give Australians the confidence that the products being sold are legal and fit for purpose, and will help keep Australians safe.”

Mr Howieson said e-bikes were a valuable asset to those who need it.

“People like my dad shouldn’t have their opportunities removed because of other people doing the wrong thing. He shouldn’t be paying the price for that just out of a wrongful association because they’re two totally different things,” he said.

The ACCC will develop new regulations that fall in line with previously established international

The new standards will stop illegal e-motorbikes such as the one that caused the Warburton fire from entering the market. (Sarah Wilcox)

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THE MISTY BIT COME WINTER IN VICTORIA

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BOOK WEEK

Maria Millers and her books (Stewart Chambers: 569188)

Mauve at The Patch Store with her favourite book Mr McGee (Stewart Chambers: 567420)

Little Mauve and Mr McGee, best friends Little Mauve, at just 14 months old, is the youngest among the bookworms and the biggest fan of Mr McGee. Her mother - Gigi - takes time each day to read to Mauve, helping to develop lifelong foundations and fictional friends.

What does Mauve love about the book Mr McGee? Mauve loves the story of Mr McGee because it’s funny and exciting. Especially when Mr McGee is flying through the air after eating the apple’s wiggly skin.

How often does Mauve engage with a book?

Mauve looks through and engages with the book Mr McGee often, sometimes 3-4 times a

Mauve reading her favourite book Mr McGee (Stewart Chambers: 567420) day.

How important is it to you that Mauve develops

enjoyment from books at a young age?

This will help Mauve build a positive relationship with reading and learning. Stories like Mr McGee will help Mauve develop a good base for thinking, speaking and imagination too. While it might feel like a task for many, reading builds lifelong foundations that we use every day and fosters a positive association for schooling, future learning, reading for enjoyment and much more.

As a mum, do you have time to read your own books?

For my first Mother’s Day, I received a Kindle from my partner and Mauve, which I love and use every night to unwind, switch off and enjoy something just for me!

The Bibliophile in bloom Georgia McAleer is a 25-year-old bibliophile who devours books - according to her father - and has recently rekindled her passion for reading, already surpassing her reading goal for 2026.

What’s the first book you ever remember reading?

The first book I ever remember reading cover to cover was John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars.

At the ripe age of 13, I fell head over heels into this story about young love, stepping outside your comfort zone and, of course, devastating loss. I vividly remember sobbing my eyes out at the end and feeling as though these characters I’d only just met had somehow become members of my own family. Looking back, I think it was probably my first experience of realising just how deeply a book could make me feel.

How many books have you read this year?

So far, I’ve read 36 books! My original goal for the year was only 20, which felt ambitious considering I read five books the year before but somewhere along the way, I’ve completely fallen in love with reading for the first time in my life.

It’s gone from something I was trying to make time for to something I genuinely can’t wait to do. There’s something so exciting about finishing a book and immediately wondering, “Okay, what am I reading next?”

What’s left on your to-be-read list for 2026?

SO. MANY. BOOKS! My TBR list has a few honourable mentions including Pride and Prejudice, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Correspondent. I love having a real mixture of classics and contemporary works. There are so many books that have been part of the cultural conversation for decades that I’m only just discovering and I’m so glad that I am.

What book had the biggest impact on your life and why?

Without a doubt, Daisy Jones & The Six by Tay-

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lor Jenkins Reid. It follows a fictional rock band in the 1970s and is told through a series of interviews with the band members as they recount their rise, relationships and eventual downfall. When they released a television adaptation, I fell even further down the rabbit hole and I dyed my hair red like Daisy. I fell in love with the music created for the series and, most significantly, it inspired me creatively. I’m now developing a musical tribute show based around the fictional band and its music that will take place next year!

What is one book that everyone should read and why?

Animal Farm by George Orwell. I picked it up because I knew it was required reading at so many high schools, but I’d somehow never had the chance to read it myself. What surprised me was just how relevant it still feels. Orwell takes enormous ideas such as power, propaganda, fear, inequality and explores them through a group of farm animals. It sounds odd when one describes it that way, yet that’s exactly what makes it so brilliant. It’s short, accessible and leaves you thinking about it long after you’ve finished.

Do you agree that you should never judge a book by its cover?

Oh, absolutely! I remember first hearing about Heated Rivalry and thinking there could genuinely be nothing less interesting to me than a book about hockey players. I was very quickly proven wrong. It ended up becoming one of my favourite books I’ve ever read. A beautiful queer love story about identity, societal expectations, self-discovery and two people trying to work out what they’re willing to risk for each other. It was a very good reminder that sometimes the stories you assume aren’t “for you” are the ones that can surprise you the most.

Which book or series can you picture as a movie or TV show?

Georgia McAleer with some of her favourite books (Stewart Chambers: 573037)

Georgia McAleer and her dad Anthony McAleer (Stewart Chambers: 573037) Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

I don’t think I’ve ever pictured a book so vividly while reading it. Luckily, I won’t have to rely on my imagination for much longer because the movie adaptation is coming in November 2026!

Which book have you just finished or are currently reading? What did you think?

I’ve just finished Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I’d already seen the television adaptation, but I was delighted to discover that not only is Moriarty Australian, the original story is actually set here too! I finished the entire book in two days because I couldn’t put it down. I loved every twist and turn, but what stood out most was how brilliantly realised the characters were. They were messy, funny, frustrating and incredibly human.

By the end of the book, I felt like I knew them personally. That’s always one of my favourite feelings when I finish a great story.

Maria Millers’ essential reading for every real life moment

By Tanya Steele Maria Millers is an accomplished reader, and journalist Tanya Steele dropped by for a quick chat as Book Week sweeps across Australia.

With stacks of books and bookcases in every corner, Maria has a wonderful collection, and she’s always been very into non-fiction as a whole.

Here are a few recommendations by the Woorilla Poetry Prize founder for the non-fiction lovers or curious-minded out there.

A recent recommendation of Maria’s is Tiny Gardens Everywhere: A History of Urban Resilience, by Kate Brown. The author and historian details the long and winding history of the small gardens and the communities that grow when they plant them.

Another is Nick Bryant’s The Forever War, which has an updated edition detailing Trump’s return to the White House in 2025.

Looking back 250 years, Maria said the book looks at how America has always been at war.

One book Maria said she has returned to a few times is Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck, released in 2012.

Detailing the life of an upper-class Chinese woman striving for a change in her life, Maria said the matriarch and main character pursued her own kind of freedom throughout the novel.

“She was hungry to learn, and she told all her children, ‘this is my time’,” she said.

The Emerald local is a regular columnist for Star Mail. The column is called Woorilla Words, connecting real-world scenarios and issues to poetry.

Maria emphasises how poets through generations have conveyed and expressed their thoughts and feelings about current events.

Tanya Steele with Maria Millers (Stewart Chambers: 569188)

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 9

NEWS

Meet a five-star reader Star Mail’s newest Journalist, Claudia Mather, has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember. Her second favourite activity (reading being the first) is talking about books.

Which book or series sparked your love of reading?

If I go way, way back - The Magic Faraway Tree is the first chapter book I vividly remember obsessing over and re reading it often. When I worked in a book shop, it was the number one book I recommended to the kids.

How many books have you read this year?

This year I’ve read 35 books so far. I’ve already had to update my reading goal on Goodreads twice throughout the year because I keep beating it.

What’s left on your to-be-read list for 2026?

I have way too many to list but one I’m excited to read soon is The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff.

It follows a singular family over four generations and apparently it’s a tear-jerker which I will immediately love.

Has there been a book that was hard to get through, but worth it in the end?

One of the saddest books I ever read was The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It was emotionally hard to read but held so much importance too. It was a story that made me feel like I was there with the characters. I remember bawling my eyes out over the pages when I finished it, in

Journalist Claudia Mather at Verso Books with her favourite book ‘The Great Alone’. (Stewart Chambers 573386) disbelief that the entire book was fictional, but to me, a book that makes me cry, is a well-written book.

What book had the biggest impact on your life and why?

One I can think of that I read recently was The Lamb by Lucy Rose.

It is a horror but the “horror” of the book wasn’t even the most horrifying part, and that’s

what got me. It was poetic and held so much meaning. It demonstrated the lengths we go to please the people we love and how heavily daughters can crave validation from their mothers in certain situations. I love a book that allows you to dig past its initial telling.

Do you agree that you should never judge a book by its cover?

Yes, but I still do it anyway (oops), (purely for

bookshelf aesthetic purposes).

Who is your favourite author?

It’s too hard to list one; Kristin Hannah, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, Cara Bastone…the list goes on!

Do you have a preferred genre, and if yes, why?

Probably historical fiction, it always amazes me that someone can take real historical events and tell a fictional story to place readers in a slice of that history.

Which book or series can you picture as a movie or TV show?

I would love to see the book Piranesi as a movie, it is such an other-worldly story that would be super-cool made visual. I felt like I was watching a movie in my head as I read it.

Describe your favourite place to sit and read.

In bed with the electric blanket on, a cup of tea and preferably some rain on the roof.

Is there an author, dead or alive, you would like to meet for coffee and a conversation?

Fredrik Backman. He is such a strong storyteller and has this ability to create characters you feel you’ve known your entire life.

If you could write your own novel or nonfiction, what would you write?

I think I would love to write a cheesy rom-com set in New York City and make it as 2000s-romcom-coded as possible.

The underbelly of football, revealed to unimpressed world

By Maria Millers This article was written before Sunday’s double-header at the SCG. The game was originally intended as a landmark celebration—the first AFLW home-and-away match back at the SCG since 2022 and a major statement about the two programs sharing the club’s home.

But the events of last week have put a different slant on the occasion.

It’s not that long since I wrote about football, its inordinate place in our cultural life often to the exclusion of all else and the seemingly cavalier attitude to player welfare regarding injuries and concussion.

The recent Geelong concussion controversy raised the question of what happens when the welfare of players becomes subordinate to the machinery of elite competition.

A player was reportedly involved in an agreement absolving the club from responsibility for future concussion-related injury, prompting calls for substantial governance reform.

But it was last week’s incident involving the Swans, flushed with victory and the promise of premiership glory within grasp that exposed the underbelly of football culture.

Five Swans players were stood down for the rest of the 2026 season for breaches of the club’s standards, The current Swans situation has two distinct layers. First, there are the specific actions of the players. The five players were suspended for breaches of the club’s standards including drinking, staying out late and bringing women back to their hotel. Separately, Victoria Police are investigating an alleged sexual assault; no player has been charged, and the club’s disciplinary process is separate from the police investigation.

What seems to have been swiftly put in place was protecting the club to the exclusion of all else. While the women at the centre of the police investigation received comparatively little attention.

The Swans have prided themselves as wellrun and tightly held together by the club’s Bloods culture, developed around principles like respect, discipline, accountability, and sacrifice for the team. Standards applied on and off the field.

The most important being accountability to your mates. Your teammates are your moral community.

But what does “looking after your mates” mean when something goes wrong?

The club itself has acknowledged that its culture has been damaged and that trust needs to be rebuilt.

Can a culture built on loyalty to the group maintain its integrity when loyalty requires confronting one of its own when a line has been crossed?

The current Swans situation has two dis10 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

tinct layers. First, there are the specific actions of the players. But the second layer is the culture that surrounds those behaviours and how it reflects the broader Australian society.

The offending players will have to answer to their teammates for sabotaging the possibility of victory at the Grand Final – the Holy Grail of football.

They may have to repair damaged personal relationships and reputations in their home communities beyond the club. This of course is personal territory and should not be of any concern to anyone but those involved.

And there’s an uncomfortable irony here: the Swans may not be an aberration so much as a particularly visible example of problems that exist elsewhere.

We should acknowledge the highly sexualized society we live in where anything from a toothbrush to an expensive car is promoted with explicit or implied sexual context. Bars with topless waitresses are commonplace as are numerous massage parlours. So it could be seen as hypocritical to be shocked by the behaviour exposed.

And I’d argue that the AFL has a responsibility as well as an opportunity here. Rather than merely asking how it can repair its reputation after this scandal, it could ask a much more fundamental question: What sort of men and what sort of citizens does Australian football want to produce?

And there is a serious argument for reconsidering the way Australian sporting culture confers moral and celebrity status on elite athletes leading to a culture of entitlement.

A key question for the AFL then is: What sort of values are we teaching those hundreds of thousands of children who are playing and watching the professional game and imagining themselves one day being at the top of it?

It is also disturbing when adulation becomes akin to religion, dominating everyday life and discourse, excluding all other activities.

From Life Cycles by Bruce Dawe: When children are born in Victoria they are wrapped in club-colours, laid in beribboned cots, having already begun a lifetime’s barrackin The current incident has also shown how extensively sporting achievement has been

converted into personal celebrity and commercial influence.

The problem isn’t admiring sporting excellence. An elite footballer has usually demonstrated enormous discipline, courage, teamwork and perseverance, but so too have many in other fields that do not garner the same attention as football We should strive for an Australian culture in which a brilliant scientist, engineer, teacher, doctor, composer, poet, artist, mathematician or humanitarian could become a national hero without first having to become a celebrity.

In poet Naomi Shihab’s Famous, Nye completely overturns the idea of celebrity, instead arguing for being valued because you reliably do what you are meant to do. What if the real sporting hero isn’t the spectacular player but the person who never forgets what he is supposed to do?

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do.

We routinely take a young man who is exceptionally good at kicking a ball, give him enormous financial rewards, advertising contracts, children’s book contracts, celebrity status and millions of admiring followers — and then, almost inevitably, some of that admiration becomes moral admiration.

But celebrity status does not automatically translate into ethical behaviour.

The Greeks did not necessarily equate physical excellence with moral goodness.

Achilles is extraordinarily brave, but also proud and destructive. Ajax is heroic but falls through wounded pride. Odysseus is clever but morally complicated. And Keats reminds us that the trappings of greatness are indeed transitory.

John Keats’ Ozymandias: My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Sadly the culture around young male athletes can amplify rather than compensate for immaturity.

Surrounded by teammates, coaches, agents, sponsors and fans who reinforce the idea that he is extraordinarily important because of his physical abilities, there may be relatively little incentive to develop less glamorous qualities like humility, empathy, emotional regulation, responsibility and respect for boundaries.

The modern AFL player isn’t simply an athlete anymore. Players are brands, clubs are entertainment businesses, and matches are surrounded by broadcasters, sponsors, betting markets, influencers and advertising.

AFL is big business.

The double header on Sunday may give the

AFLW team an unintended possibility. Perhaps the future of football culture lies not in making women fit into the old football culture, but in allowing women’s football to help change it.

There has already been criticism along precisely those lines, with former AFLW figures arguing that the league needs to examine a “boys first” mentality rather than treating women’s safety as secondary to football’s interests.

And suddenly culture, discipline, respect, and leadership could become much more important than goals and Brownlow votes.

We construct a magnificent spectacle around human beings, anointing them as heroes, role models without acknowledging that underneath the spectacle they’re still ordinary, vulnerable and imperfect people.

We should also accept not just success but also failure.

We build our footballers into Icaruses—and then express astonishment when we find them fallible.

The High Mark by Bruce Dawe: begins with the nod of a head or flicker-signal of fingers and a run that gathers in the green day and the grey crowd that rolls on its great humble tides and the run is a thinking to the ball’s end-over-end parabola that has sinews tough – tensioning for the upward leap, hands now eagle claws, god’s hooks, hungering for the leather dove, the run among mere mortal men in time, in place, become the leap into heaven, into fame, into legend – then the fall back to earth (guernseyed Icarus) to the whistle’s shrill tweet.

Dawe’s great insight is that Australian football has always had a religious dimension.

The contemporary difference is that television, social media, sponsorship and celebrity have made the footballer seem even more exceptional.

The AFL has had repeated opportunities to ask whether its broader culture is producing the right incentives — particularly around masculinity, alcohol, drugs, sexual behaviour, gambling, celebrity and the protection of the players.

In a hierarchy of values, player welfare and reputation and community expectations should trump winning, revenue and club reputation.

It is hoped that they will take this incident to initiate some needed change.

Woorilla Poetry Prize 2026 is now accepting entries. Visit woorilla.org.au.

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SPRING SHOW 2026

Twice as nice: Spring shows are approaching

By Tanya Steele Spring is around the corner, and the Ferny Creek Horticultural Society is gearing up for a vibrant season in Sassafras, starting from the weekend of 5 and 6 September.

Hosting two major flower shows, expert guest talks, and family-friendly garden activities across its 10-acre grounds, the society’s volunteers have been working hard to bring rare bulbs and vendors from near and far to the spring planting season.

FCHS secretary and member Emma Moysey said the group has several very exciting events coming up in September and October alone.

“We have two wonderful flower shows, and a special speaker all the way from Tasmania giving a talk on the rare and hard-to-source Kalmias, and a second talk on species Liliums,” she said.

Communities across the hills and beyond are invited to stop by the spring shows, with a Spring Show on 5 and 6 September from 12pm to 4pm on Saturday and 10 am to 4pm on Sunday, and a Flower Festival on 24 and 25 October for the same times.

“Our Flower Hall will be full of hundreds of exhibits,” said Ms Moysey.

“The Spring Show will feature daffodils, camellias, early spring bulbs and perennials, and the Flower Festival will highlight rhododendrons, azaleas, late spring bulbs and perennials,” she said.

Several unique plant and bulb vendors will be present across both shows, and Ms Moysey said the Spring Show will include rare and stunning treasures.

Two annual spring shows are approaching, with the first on the weekend of 5 and 6 September.

(Supplied).

“Plant stock from Tonkins Bulbs, Fresbrook Peonies, and Hancocks Daffodils, as well as a beautiful stall from our Butterfly group, which will be a favourite for everyone,” she said.

On 10 October, the community can also attend a special talk at the FCHS by Neil Jordan of Exquisite Plants in Camdale, Tasmania, starting at 10am.

The FCHS property is situated up in the misty hills of Ferny Creek and was established in 1932, operating as a self-funded, volunteer-run organisation dedicated to promoting the study,

practice, and community development of horticulture.

The society manages a stunning 10-acre ornamental garden situated at an elevation of 500 metres, and the upcoming events also include the option to join in guided garden walks of the property.

Alongside an extensive collection of established plant species, the grounds offer visitors panoramic views of the surrounding hills and the distant Great Dividing Range Ms Moysey said the society has had an incredible year so far.

“We held a wonderful Plant Collectors Expo and combined Autumn Show in April,” she said.

The group have an established show calendar, and Ms Moysey said that if you missed it this year, then don’t forget to pencil in the weekend of 24 and 25 April 2027.

“We will have over 40 vendors, and an incredible Autumn Show in our Flower Hall,” she said.

The society continues to grow with over 350 members, including children and families. People wishing to join don’t need any gardening experience to join.

“We are a very friendly group that will make you feel welcome,” said Ms Moysey.

As the September and October shows approach, Ms Moysey said the group look forward to putting on hundreds of exhibits, and people are invited to submit entries for flower and plant competitions.

“We welcome anyone to put in show entries; you don’t need to be a member to join in the fun,” she said.

“There are ribbons and prize money to win.”

Volunteers maintain the grounds on a beautiful site.

The FCHS will also have plants for sale from their own Plant Stall, with many rare and unusual plants propagated from the FCHS garden.

The upcoming Spring Show and Flower Festival will also have a sausage sizzle, a coffee van and the ever-favourite Devonshire teas and more for people as they browse and walk the grounds.

The show schedule for the Spring Show on 5 and 6 September has already been released on the FCHS website, and tickets are $9 for non-members, free for members and for under 18’s.

For more details on all their events and FCHS generally, see their website fchs.org.au, or email secretary@fchs.org.au or call Emma Moysey, Secretary, on 0455 531 911.

THE FERNY CREEK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INC.

SPRING FLOWER SHOW SEPTEMBER 5TH & 6TH SATURDAY

12PM - 4PM

SUNDAY

10AM - 4PM

100 Hilton Road Sassafras $9 entry - free for members and under 18 Plant, flowers & food sales.

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Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 11

NEWS

Planting seeds together

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor and Claudia Mather Emerald Mitre 10 have gone above and beyond for the kids at Emerald Kinder by helping them to establish their own vegetable garden at the kinder.

On Thursday, 20 August, some of the team from Emerald Mitre 10 spent part of the day putting on their gloves and helping to plant seedlings with the kindergarteners in the kinder’s own garden beds.

“The kinder reached out to us to ask for some help with creating a vegetable garden for the children to use in the three year old kinder outdoor space and we were very happy to help them out with that. A collaboration like this is a great experience for the children and something they can continue to benefit from as they use and enjoy their garden “ Emerald Mitre 10 retail manager, Erica Stewart said.

“We are so lucky to live in this amazing community, and it’s wonderful that we can support each other and help each other.”

Initially the kinder reached out to Emerald Mitre 10 enquiring about supplies for a vegetable garden, but Ms Stewart said that it would better enhance the experience for the children if the Mitre 10 team could attend and guide the session, talking with the children about gardening and planting and caring for their own seedlings and plants.

“We went a couple of weeks ago to assess the space and to help prepare the beds,” she said. “now that the beds have been prepared, we can do the planting.”

Not only was it a hands-on activity for the kids but also a learning experience.

While planting the seedlings the generous

Emerald Mitre 10 donated plants and vegetables to Emerald Kinder. (573642)

L-R (back row): Emerald Kinder co-educator Fiona Hawkins and Emerald Mitre 10 staff members Matilda Stewart and Tammy Smerdon; (front row): Emerald Kinder students Willow, Hadley, Frankie, Wilkie and Setts. (Shamsiya Hussainpoor: 573642) Mitre 10 team were able to educate them on the beneficial insects and creatures in the garden that contribute to plant growth.

Emerald Kinder teacher, Heather Monro, said that gardening is a life experience for the kids, “they’re getting to plant vegetables, herbs, flowers, and it’s just going to enhance our program even more.”

“So now they’ll be able to water the plants.

They’ll be able to watch them grow. I’ll be able to tell stories to them about waiting for the plants to grow and not pick them too soon. They’ll see the whole process. It’s just fantastic,” she said.

Some of the young kindergarteners, including Willow and Hadley, excitedly agreed that their favourite part of the experience was getting to plant the seeds for some of their favourite fruits and

Eighteen months in the making, Little Shop of Horrors is ready to bloom on stage. (Supplied)

vegetables.

Ms Monro also said that being able to form partnerships with the kinder and community is a lovely connection for them to build on.

“It’s just a global experience and the fact they can partner with someone in the community and when they go down the street, to Mitre 10, they’ll see these girls and they’ll go, ‘oh, I know them.”

As the seasons change from winter to spring, the Mitre 10 team hope to visit the kids again to help maintain their garden beds and plant various plants and veggies suitable for each season.

“When spring comes, we hope to come back and help them with their garden, and continue to visit seasonally. We are hoping the children enjoy caring for their garden and look forward to watching their veggies and plants grow” Ms Stew-

Emerald Kindy, Willow helps with planting.

(573642)

Frankie (in blue dress) and Wilkie (in green hoodie) get their little hands dirty. (573642) art said.

To end the exciting day, the kids were sent off with goodie bags from the Mitre 10 team to help them continue their growing green thumbs at home.

Stephanie Jarvis and Eric Li in Little Shop of Horrors. (Photo: Cameron Grant, Parenthesy)

A big little shop goes into full bloom at The Knox School

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor The Knox School (TKS) is bringing its ambitious, student-led production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ to the stage, with students from Years 7-12 taking on performance, choreography and creative leadership roles alongside professional theatre practitioners Anna O’Byrne and Max Bimbi.

At the centre of Little Shop of Horrors is Seymour, a shy florist’s assistant whose discovery of a mysterious plant, Audrey II, turns his life upside down.

As the plant grows and demands more and more, Seymour is forced to make difficult choices and face the consequences of his ambition.

The production blends comedy, romance, horror and a rock-and-roll score, the musical explores ambition, love and the desire for a better life.

Student choreographer and performer, Caio McDonald said the production had given him the opportunity to bring his creative vision to life.

“My favourite part has been bringing a creative vision to life on the scale of a full show,” he said.

Fellow choreographer, Holly Callinan said working with the cast and crew had been a highlight.

“My favourite part has been working with the amazing cast and crew to put together an amazing show.”

The production’s director, Anna O’Byrne said the musical’s themes remain relevant, while praising the students for embracing new chal12 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

Holly and Caio during the performance. (Photo: Year 11 student Ryan) lenges.

“On closer inspection, Menken and Ashman’s show remains frighteningly timely,” Ms O’Byrne said. “I have been so impressed by the students’ willingness to try new things and challenge themselves.”

She also praised the students’ creative leadership.

“It has been wonderful to see the students devise, stage and teach their choreography to their peers,” Ms O’Byrne said. “Audiences can expect a rollickingly good night at the theatre, with a Doo-Wop and Rock-and-Roll infused score, a taut and hilarious script, deeply human characters, inventive choreography, terrific vocals ... and, of course, one showstopping plant.”

The production’s assistant director, Max

Bimbi said working with the students had reminded him why theatre was so meaningful.

“To help facilitate something similar for the young people at The Knox School has truly been an honour,” he said.

He praised the students’ support for one another and the leadership of Callinan and McDonald.

“These students are remarkable in being brave and vulnerable with their peers,” Mr Bimbi said.

“They are so passionate, creative and dedicated, while being nurturing and compassionate at the same time.”

Year 11 student, Arien Manuel, the Voice of Audrey II, said the production had created a strong sense of community.

“My favourite part of bringing TKS’ ‘Little shop of Horrors’ to life is being surrounded by the people that make the show a fun, welcoming and comfortable environment,” he said.

Mr Manuel said the experience had pushed him creatively and encouraged him to explore performance in new ways.

“The stage is truly limitless, a moment that is never repeated, rather constantly explored and told through a different lens,” he said.

For Eric Li, playing Seymour Krelborn has been an intensive character journey.

“It was initially daunting, but swiftly became addictive to immerse myself in the character,” he said.

Mr Li said the professional creative team also taught him to adapt when things go wrong.

“They have also taught me to stay composed when things don’t go to plan, giving me the confidence to improvise, adapt to unexpected mishaps and simply keep going,” he said.

Stephanie Jarvis, who plays Audrey, said opening night was a highlight after months of rehearsal.

“To have such an engaged and enthusiastic audience for our first show brought an amazing new energy to the performance,” she said.

Ms Jarvis said the production had also helped her build confidence and take risks.

“Little Shop of Horrors has really helped me to grow as a person, teaching me to be confident in myself and be open to learning new things and taking risks,” she said.

“This show is something of a work of art and goes well beyond the expectations of a high school production.”

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NEWS

The ‘Three Well-Known Australians’ portrait. (573571)

Public interpretations of the artwork. (573571)

The ‘Three Well-Known Australians’ exhibition at Emerald Library. (573571)

Renowed artwork part of Library exhibition

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor The Emerald Library is showcasing a long-running artwork, Three Well-Known Australians, along with its exhibition and collection of public interpretations to the community.

The artwork is displayed at the entrance of the library, where members of the public are invited to guess who the three Australians represented in the abstract painting are and record their ideas in yearbooks.

The yearbooks have become a portrait of Australia, capturing how people’s views have changed over time.

The artist behind the exhibition, Martin Shaw, said the painting had been touring Australia since 1983 and had been displayed at 271 venues.

“What people recorded in the 1980s are going to be different today,” Mr Shaw said.

“And what people will be doing in 10 years’ time, 50 years’ time, 100 years’ time will be different again.”

The artwork travels around Australia on a 10year loop, and visits Melbourne once every decade.

Its current Melbourne tour includes seven venues, with Emerald Library the sixth venue.

Mr Shaw described the project as being similar to the torch relay at the Olympic Games, instead of a torch, the painting is travelling around the country.

“It’s like a peace symbol, a continuous peace symbol, it just keeps on touring,” he said.

The exhibition does not necessarily require visitors to name people as the three Australians.

Mr Shaw said some people had instead recorded places, organisations or lines of poetry, including Bondi Beach, the Labor Party, the Reserve Bank and “I love a sunburnt country”.

The exhibition also includes letters from people who have offered their own ideas about the identities represented in the painting.

Mr Shaw said meeting people and hearing their different interpretations had been one of the highlights of the project.

“Just meeting people and seeing all the different ideas,” Mr Shaw said.

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The ‘Three Well-Known Australians’ exhibition at Emerald Library. (Shamsiya Hussainpoor: 573571) The idea for the exhibition came from Mr Shaw’s experience conducting market research in his 20s, where he would ask people questions and record their responses.

“That’s where I’ve got the idea that people record their opinion into these yearbooks, so there’s like a portrait of Australia,” he said.

“It’s not like the census when it’s compulsory for personal details.”

The exhibition first arrived at Emerald Library in early August and is expected to remain on display until the last week of September.

The painting previously travelled to Melbourne in 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2016, returning again this year, with the next Melbourne visit planned for 2036.

After Melbourne, the exhibition will travel to Tasmania in 2027, before heading to country towns in New South Wales, in 2028.

Mr Shaw said he hoped to establish a foundation to help keep the painting touring Australia for generations to come.

“Sometimes you get some surprises from the age group, a person might be very young, but they choose someone who was around before they were born, and that’s always interesting,” he said.

Mr Shaw recalled an instance about 10 years ago when a 17-year-old chose Australia’s 21st Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, despite not being born when Mr Whitlam was in office.

“He said, ‘oh, I learned about him in history’,” he said.

For Mr Shaw, those unexpected responses are part of what makes the exhibition a record of how Australians view their country over time.

12895024-JR35-26

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 13

OPINION

theatre round up: Bird flu a big Kemp’s Climate thrillers concern I’d like to acknowledge the recent developments regarding Avian Influenza H5N1.

As this column goes to print, more than 70 cases have been reported in Victoria.

As a region renowned for our natural environment, diverse birdlife and rich biodiversity, this outbreak is of particular concern to the Yarra Ranges community. It is also understandably worrying for our , as it is also for our local farming and agriculture sectors, as well as those who keep poultry or pet birds.

While this news is concerning, it’s important that we all remain informed, vigilant and continue to follow the advice of authorities.

Please avoid contact with sick or dead wild birds or wildlife, and the areas around them.

If you encounter sick or dead wild birds, record what you observe and contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 immediately.

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) will assess reports and determine the appropriate response. Community reporting plays a vital role in helping authorities respond quickly and effectively.

Mayor’s

desk Richard Higgins

For our local farmers, poultry owners and residents who keep birds as pets, I encourage you to stay informed and review latest advice from Agriculture Victoria. Their website contains important information about avian influenza, including guidance for businesses and bird owners.

For more information, visit agriculture.vic.gov. au/birdflu By remaining alert and following the advice of authorities, we can all play our part in helping to protect Yarra Ranges wildlife, support our agricultural industry and minimise the impact of this disease on our local environment and community.

CARTOON

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Lawrence Kameson makes his living by talking rich ladies out of their money.

Freddy Benson swindles women with fabricated stories about his grandmother’s failing health.

After meeting on a train, they attempt to work together, only to find that the small French town isn’t big enough for the two of them.

They agree on a settlement: the first one to extract $600,000 from a young female heiress, Christine Colgate, wins, and the other must leave town.

A hilarious battle of the conmen ensues… and with music.

Season 11 - 26 September.

The Round Growing Pains Tour – Nathan Cavaleri From child prodigy to cancer survivor, from global stages to mental health collapse, Nathan Cavaleiu lays bare an extraordinary journey in this raw, solo show filled with storytelling and music.

He traces his path from busking in Campbelltown to the heights of stardom and back home to himself.

Season: Sunday 13 September at 2pm and 6pm.

Karralyka Sea Wolves Howl Early each morning, an intrepid intergenerational group of women and genderfluid people meet on the beach.

They enter the sea, join hands so no one can chicken out, howl like wolves, and immerse themselves in the freezing water.

Five characters take us from home to the shore, into the brine and back, each step offering a particular physical challenge and evoking stories, memories, fears, triumphs, connections, courage and laughter.

Season: Sunday, 25 October 25 at 2pm – one hour and 10 minutes. No interval.

The Johnny Cash and June Carter Show Led by real-life married couple Mark and Joanne Caligui, the duo have been touring around Australia with their much-loved show and were recently featured on the Today show for their uncanny looks and sound to the late great country music stars.

Together with their live band and visual display, they will take you on a musical journey with the songs and stories of country music’s most famous couple, Johnny Cash and June Carter.

Season: Friday 18 September at 7.30pm. Two hours and 15 minutes including interval.

Elvis and Buddy Rock and Roll Sensation Get ready to shake, rattle and roll in a whirlwind rock and roll magic as we celebrate two legends of music.

Join us for an unforgettable two-part theatrical experience featuring electrifying performances by Mark Caliguin and Zach Zunis and a very talented cast of musicians, who will bring to life the charisma of Elvis Presley and the charm of Buddy Holly.

Season Friday 27 November at 7.30pm.

Burrinja Theatre Democracy Repair Service A climate thriller that explodes into pottery, asking: how do we live through the end of the world?

In the middle of a scorching summer election campaign, four teenagers get together to rewrite democracy.

It’s also about the endangered Bogong Moth.

Called among “best writing of 2025” by Guy Webster, Democracy Repair Service is the story of four teenagers forming an artist collective during a catastrophic bushfire season and election campaign.

Led by the passionate Youth Parliament leader Vic, tensions boil over quickly as the group questions whether the normal democratic processes are working.

Tactics escalate until a member of the group secretly plots to turn their next attempt at minor vandalism into a genuine attack on fossil fuel infrastructure.

The resultant explosion shifts everything as the audience is launched through time and space.

Travelling from the near extinction of the Bogong Moth in Canberra to the creation of the earth’s oil fields and finally the nebulous and uncertain future, the audience is invited to imagine what the next 100 years will be like.

Season: Sunday 3 September at 1pm. Venue: The Lyre.

Celebrating book week Not a Wicker Man Wicker and OBEX MA15+ 4.5/5 (both) Today we’re looking at two phenomenal new indie films.

In the medieval romantic comedy Wicker, a constantly-belittled fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) suddenly finds herself engaged to a doting man made of wicker (Alexander Skarsgård).

Wicker is an exceptionally witty film with vulnerable, captivating performances from Colman and Skarsgård, and I predict the wickerhusband’s amazing prosthetics will receive a makeup Oscar nomination next year.

The men of the village suppress their feelings and treat their wives as possessions, and the conniving tailor’s wife (Elizabeth Debicki) treats marriage as a way for the women to control the men. The wicker-fisherwoman couple’s simple love, with no bitterness or power dynamics, threatens the social order for both, and the film maintains low-key simmering tension on both fronts amid gorgeous cinematography and plenty of laughs.

In the surreal sci-fi drama OBEX, the reclusive Conor (writer-director Albert Birney) is pulled into the fantasy video game world of the title.

Birney plays an endearing nerd with subdued pathos in a film that feels like a hybrid of Darren

14 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

Aronofsky’s Pi and Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. With calculated, character-building slowness, OBEX generates a cozy atmosphere tempered by eerie notes, confinement and background stress, all of which seed the fantasy pastiche landscape later in the film.

OBEX is suffused with cool retro-style effects and heart-swelling charm, with the TV-headed Victor (Frank Mosley) as a sensitive guide for Conor, and this loving camp makes the disturbing Lynchian moments hit all the harder.

OBEX pushes all my buttons as a lover of character studies, vintage computers, video games, electronic music and surrealism anchored by a decent plot, and I loved almost every second.

OBEX is available to rent or buy on iTunes, and Wicker was the opening night film at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival.

The 2026 Children’s Book Week takes place from Saturday 22 to Friday 28 August.

This year’s theme is “Symphony of Stories”, which explores “how books blend words, images and emotions like a musical performance, with characters bursting out of books playing instruments” as described by the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

To help celebrate the annual event, the Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival is joining forces with Your Library Ltd to bring popular Melbourne author George Ivanoff to Belgrave Library at 45pm on Wednesday 26 August.

Throughout his successful career, Ivanoff has created more than 100 books for kids and teens, including but not limited to the interactive You Choose series, the OTHER WORLDS series, the Gamers trilogy, and the non-fiction Survival Guides.

His RFDS Adventures series is produced in partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Set in remote parts of Australia, the books feature thrilling outback survival and medical rescue stories while raising awareness and funds for the iconic aeromedical organisation.

At the “Choose Your Own Stories” event, Ivanoff will guide participants aged 8-12 through his creative process. Drawing inspiration from the You Choose books, the author will help these budding creators design their own interactive adventures while probing how choices can impact characters and plots. Meanwhile, this reviewer would recommend a book and relevant resources for families to enjoy.

If you like Chinese Australian author Li Cunxin’s autobiographical memoir Mao’s Last Dancer (2003) and/or its 2009 film adaptation of the same name, then why not explore his 2007 book The Peasant Prince, which is specifically written for children? Illustrated by multi-award-winning artist Anne Spudvilas, the book tells the true story of a Chinese peasant boy who dreams of escaping pov-

PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN erty and embracing the big, wide world.

In simple yet charming language, the author introduces his childhood, his beloved family, his training and career as a ballet dancer, and those special, heart-warming moments in his life.

Readers can start with Reading Australia, which provides multiple resources for teachers, parents and guardians to help kids understand this inspirational story.

From there, please check out the audio edition produced by the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation. Narrated by long-time professional broadcaster and voice-over artist Paul English, the audiobook is scored with superb music from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s 2009 stage production of The Peasant Prince.

This is a truly excellent listening experience. Finally, Li himself recently did an online reading of the book, which can be viewed via YouTube.

The author is humble and sincere, and the story is particularly moving as conveyed in his voice, which, though somewhat imperfect, is full of genuine emotions.

Via the professionally produced video, readers also get to admire the book’s wonderful, atmospheric illustrations.

Highly recommended.

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THE AVENUE OPEN DAY

A whole school journey After seeing students reconnect with education through its Cottage Program, The Avenue School is expanding its secondary pathway from 2027 to provide greater continuity for young people and their families.

At The Avenue School, every decision begins with a simple question: ‘What do our students need to thrive?’ From the beginning, its purpose has been to create a learning environment where young people feel safe, understood, valued and capable of success.

Many of the students who come to the school have experienced significant challenges in mainstream education. For some, anxiety, disengagement or previous negative experiences have made simply attending school difficult.

Over the past few years, the team have learned that these challenges do not suddenly begin when a student reaches senior secondary school.

In many cases, the journey begins much earlier. This has become particularly clear through the success of the Cottage Program, a Years 7–10 re- engagement program. Students who had become disconnected from education gradually rebuild confidence, form positive relationships and rediscover that they can enjoy learning. For some, simply returning to school regularly has been a significant achievement.

But as students began to reconnect with education, another question emerged: ‘What happens when they are ready to continue learning, but returning to the mainstream environment they previously struggled in doesn’t feel like the right pathway?’

For some young people, moving back into a mainstream setting can mean leaving behind the relationships, familiarity and support that helped them re-engage in the first place.

The team began to recognise that a student’s progress should not have to stop because they reach a particular year level. If a young person has found an environment where they feel safe enough to learn, confident enough to participate and connected enough to stay engaged, that continuity can be incredibly important.

“We don’t believe a student’s learning journey should stop because the system has run out of a suitable pathway.”

That belief has helped shape The Avenue School’s plans for 2027. From next year, The Avenue School will expand to include Years 7–10, alongside the existing Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) and the introduction of VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM). This will allow The Avenue School to support students across more stages of their secondary education and provide a clearer pathway from early re-engagement through to senior secondary learning.

For The Avenue School, this is about much more than adding new year levels. It is about creating a whole-school journey. Students will have the opportunity to build long-term relationships with teachers and support staff, develop confidence over time and experience consistent approaches to learning and wellbeing.

Rather than repeatedly starting again in new environments, they can remain within a community that understands their strengths, goals and individual needs.

This continuity is particularly important for young people experiencing anxiety or disengagement. Transitions can bring new environments, routines, expectations and social pressures, all of which can create additional barriers to attendance and learning. By sup-

The Avenue School is set to expand in 2027. (File) porting students earlier and providing greater consistency, there is an opportunity to address these challenges before they become more difficult to overcome. Small classes, individualised support and strong relationships are designed to help students experience success in manageable steps.

The Avenue School has already seen what is possible when young people are given the right environment. Students who once struggled to attend school can begin to reconnect with learning. Young people who may have felt that education was no longer for them can begin to see themselves as successful learners again.

Families who have experienced years of uncertainty can begin to see a pathway forward.

Expanding into Years 7–10 is the school’s commitment to ensuring that pathway continues. It means students who have found their way back to education through the Cottage Program can continue that journey within a community where they are known and supported.

It gives the team the opportunity to strengthen learning foundations, build confidence and help young people develop the skills they need for their future.

As the team look towards 2027, The Avenue School is growing, but the purpose remains the same: to create a place where young people can belong, learn, grow and build a meaningful future. Because every student deserves more than a place at school. They deserve a place where they are known, supported and given the opportunity to keep moving forward.

The Avenue School’s Cottage Program will provide more pathways for secondary students. (Supplied)

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12889330-JO35-26

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 15

PUZZLES 5 10 11

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Today’s Aim: 18 words: Good 28 words: Very good 38 words: Excellent

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I G L O O

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No. 304

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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.

QUICK CROSSWORD

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No. 304

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

SUDOKU

28-08-26

William Matthews Funerals 24 HOUR SERVICE - ALL AREAS

9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au 12567433-SN37-22

16 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

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CHARACTER AND CHARM ON THE FOREST’S EDGE

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

CHARACTER AND CHARM ON THE FOREST’S EDGE TUCKED away at the end of a quiet street, with Minak Nature Reserve and the popular walking trails of Sherbrooke Forest just moments away, this enchanting character home offers a delightful blend of Hills charm, rustic warmth and an idyllic connection to nature. An original ‘weekender’ cottage that was built after the 1923 Sylvista Estate land release, you’ll enjoy a peaceful outlook surrounded by stunning greenery and local wildlife, while the sunny block and lovely rear deck provide the perfect spaces to relax and soak up the sounds of cheerful birdsong.

Boasting two light filled bedrooms, the home also features an inviting, spacious open plan lounge area, offering plenty of flexibility to include a cosy home office nook, reading corner and comfortable dining space for quiet weeknight meals and larger family gatherings.

The galley style kitchen combines practicality with character, featuring a beautiful Messmate timber benchtop, stainless-steel appliances, an integrated Bosch dishwasher and a charming Provincial inspired farmhouse sink.

Blackbutt timber floors add warmth and timeless appeal throughout, complemented by the ambience of a wood fire and the comfort of ducted heating. On a chilly winter evening, there could be no better place to retreat than your very own lounge.

Under the home, a large expanse of partially converted area presents exciting potential for the next owner to create additional usable space (STCA). Whether you envision extra bedrooms, a home office, gym, studio or workshop, this versatile space provides an excellent opportunity to tailor the property to your needs.

There is plenty of parking for your cars, caravan or trailer and location is perfect: Positioned just a short drive from Belgrave’s vibrant main street, train station and local schools, and within a stroll from the Selby General Store, tennis club and bus route.

This magical Hills home offers the perfect opportunity to embrace the relaxed, nature filled lifestyle that makes the Dandenong Ranges so special. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 11 Charles Street, SELBY Description: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom Price: $720,000 - $780,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Sharyn Chandler 0439 882 442, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 9754 6888

18 MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

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HOME FOCUS

PRIVACY AND HILLS LIVING ON OVER HALF AN ACRE SET among the natural beauty of Upwey on a generous 2,044sqm allotment, 31-33 Belbrook Road offers a spacious and versatile family home with four bedrooms, multiple living and dining zones, expansive outdoor entertaining and plenty of room to enjoy the peaceful surrounds.

Designed across two levels, the home provides excellent flexibility for families of all stages. The ground floor features a large, light filled lounge with generous proportions and an easy connection to the dining area and central kitchen. The kitchen offers excellent storage, gas cooktop, SS appliances and plenty of bench space, while an adjoining meals area creates another relaxed space for everyday dining.

Also positioned on the ground floor is a huge fourth bedroom with built-in robes, ideal for guests, teenagers or those seeking a bedroom away from the main sleeping zone.

A separate WC and bathroom with combined laundry and shower add further practicality to the layout and ducted heating to provide warmth for those winter months.

Upstairs, three well sized bedrooms all include built-in robes, including the spacious main bedroom complete with huge walk-in robe and study nook which could be converted into an ensuite (STCA). The family bathroom features a shower and double vanity and separate toilet as an added convenience.

One of the home’s standout features is the expansive outdoor entertaining area. A large deck wraps around the rear and side of the home, incorporating a covered section perfect for year round entertaining while overlooking the beautiful treed surroundings. Whether hosting family and friends, enjoying a quiet morning coffee or simply taking in the peaceful setting, there is an abundance of outdoor space to enjoy.

The 2,044sqm block provides a wonderful sense of space and privacy, with established gardens and open lawn areas creating a true Hills atmosphere. A large double carport plus 3 additional off street parking spots perfect for any boat, caravan or trailer. Additional storage with a 5m x 4m shed, solar panels and a sealed driveway further enhance the practicality of the property.

With generous proportions, flexible accommodation and expansive outdoor entertaining, this is a home designed to make the most of its peaceful Hills setting. Offering space for families to grow, relax and entertain, 31-33 Belbrook Road presents a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the privacy, lifestyle and natural surrounds that make Upwey such a special place to call home. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 31-33 Belbrook Road, UPWEY Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 5 garage Price: $900,000 - $990,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Daniel Steen 0434 979 142 and Brad Conder 0422 639 115, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 9754 6888 mailcommunity.com.au Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE 19

HOME FOCUS

SPACIOUS FAMILY LIVING AMONGST THE TREETOPS SET amongst the natural surrounds of Upwey, 48 Ternes Road delivers generous family living, multiple entertaining zones and a wonderful connection to the outdoors. With a flexible floorplan, impressive proportions and treetop views, this is a home designed for comfortable everyday living.

Inside, soaring ceilings, exposed beams and warm timber floors create an immediate sense of character and space. At the heart of the home is the expansive open plan family and dining area, connecting seamlessly with the kitchen. The kitchen offers excellent storage and bench space, a central island, pantry, and stainless steel appliances.

A separate lounge provides a second substantial living zone, complete with a wood fire and direct access to the covered deck, creating the perfect space to relax or entertain throughout the seasons.

Accommodation comprises four well sized bedrooms, with the oversized main bedroom a standout, complete with built in robes and its own ensuite. The remaining bedrooms are serviced by the central bathroom, separate WC and dedicated laundry, creating a practical and comfortable layout for family living.

Outdoor living is another highlight, with a long covered balcony extending across the rear of the family and dining area, alongside a large covered entertaining deck. Surrounded by established greenery and treetop outlooks, there is plenty of space for outdoor dining, entertaining or simply enjoying the peaceful Hills setting.

Further adding to the home’s practicality is a lower level workshop and two separate storage rooms, providing valuable extra space for tools, hobbies or general storage.

With multiple living areas, flexible bedroom accommodation and generous covered outdoor spaces, 48 Ternes Road offers the space and versatility families will appreciate, all within the relaxed Upwey lifestyle. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 48 Ternes Road, UPWEY Description: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Price: $990,000 - $1,080,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Brad Conder 0422 639 115 and Jerlyn Arradaza 0434 688 554, CHANDLER & CO REAL ESTATE 9754 6888

20 MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

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Real Estate you can trust!

We’re here to help.

11 Charles Street, SELBY 2

1

20 McAllister Road, MONBULK

1188m2

3

1

3

1188m2

39 Fairy Dell Road, TECOMA 3

1

2

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

$720,000 - $780,000

$770,000 - $830,000

$780,000 - $850,000

Sharyn Chandler 0439 882 442

Brad Conder 0422 639 115

31-33 Belbrook Road, UPWEY 4

2

5

Jerlyn Arradaza 0434 688 554

Daniel Steen 0434 979 142

67 Morris Road, UPWEY

2044m2

4

2

4

1300m2

991m2

48 Ternes Road, UPWEY 4

2

2123m2

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

$900,000 - $990,000

$950,000 - $1,040,000

$990,000 - $1,080,000

Daniel Steen 0434 979 142

Brad Conder 0422 639 115

Daniel Steen 0434 979 142

Brad Conder 0422 639 115

Jerlyn Arradaza 0434 688 554

03 9754 6888 office@chandlerandco.com.au 1689 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave Vic 3160 mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE 21

HOME FOCUS

ENTERTAINERS PARADISE MINUTES FROM TOWN TUCKED away in an impeccable location, this inviting brick home is all about space, lifestyle, and making the most of every moment—set on a fully usable 1.2 acres (approx.) with room for the whole family (and then some).

From relaxed weekends on the deck to summer days by the pool and evenings by the fire, this is a home designed to be lived in and loved.

Why you’ll love it: • Impeccable, tightly held location • Solid brick 30 year old home • Elevated deck with beautiful views • Saltwater, solar-heated pool • Seamless indoor/outdoor entertaining area • Plumbed-in bar – ready for your next gathering • Floorboards throughout • Dedicated home office for work or study • Classic front verandah Space for everyone: • Separate downstairs living zone – perfect for guests, teens, or extended family • Under-house accessible storage area • Flat, usable 1.2 acres (approx.) with endless potential • For the tradie, hobbyist or extra storage: • Large shed • Two extra storage sheds • Plenty of off-street parking • Double carport • Easy access via asphalt driveway, just off a sealed road Comfort all year round: • Gas ducted heating throughout • Cozy wood fire for those cooler nights This is one of those properties that just feels right the moment you arrive—offering space, flexibility, and a lifestyle that’s hard to find and even harder to leave.

Come and see it for yourself—you won’t want to miss this one. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 45 Kilvington Drive, EMERALD Description: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 10 garage Price: $1,460,000 - $1,606,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Caiti Ellis 0493 136 937 and Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522, RANGES FIRST NATIONAL REAL ESTATE 9754 6111

22 MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

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Ranges MORE THAn MEETS THE EYE

21 PRIvATE ACRES

UPPEr FErNTrEE gULLY 18 ROYAL STREET

$980,000 - $1,078,000

SPACIOUS LIvINg IN A PrIME HILLS LOCATION

4A 3B 1C

This charming home may appear unassuming from the street, but step inside & discover a surprisingly spacious & beautifully updated residence. Freshly painted throughout & featuring new carpets, light fittings & window furnishings, this is truly a turnkey opportunity.

Other features include spa bath, GDH, wood fire, excellent storage, bespoke cabinetry, games room with a built-in-bar, large deck, separate powered studio/workshop, garden tool storage, carport, sealed driveway and the privacy of a no-through road location.

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

Caiti Ellis 0493 136 937

A HOME WITH HEART

BELgrAvE 5 ARbOR AvEnuE SPACE AND POTENTIAL

9754 6111

rangesfn.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

NANgANA 705 WOORI YALLOCk ROAD FAMILY HOME & grEAT SHEDDINg

$1,400,000-$1,500,000 3 A 2 B 12 C

Sealed road access, this exceptional lifestyle property offers space, charm & endless potential. Approx.75% of the land is cleared, with the remaining native bush and dams.

The home features a blackwood timber kitchen, generous living areas, a wood fire, 9ft ceilings, French doors & classic sash windows, huge covered verandahs, massive machinery shed, excellent horse infrastructure, including a tack room, round yard, arena & three stables. Additional features include a 4.75kW solar system & a 90,000lt water tank.

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

Caiti Ellis 0493 136 937

EXCEPTIOnAL vEHICLE ACCOMMODATIOn

$835,000 - $885,000 4A 2B 5C

Offering the perfect combination of space, character and everyday practicality, this inviting home is set on a generous usable 1,252sqm (approx.) and enjoys the added convenience of dual access from both Park Drive & Arbor Avenue. Warm, comfortable & full of personality, the home provides plenty of flexibility for growing families or those working from home. Features a potential 4th bedroom, two living areas, fireplace, GDH, front verandah, enclosed outdoor area, garage/workshop, carport and off-street parking.

grant Skipsey 0418 528 102

We put you first

Caiti Ellis 0493 136 937

SILvAN 201 MOnbuLk ROAD

$795,000 - $874,000

IMMACULATELY PrESENTED HOME

3A 2B 6C

Perfectly positioned on a generous 700sqm (approx.) corner allotment, this beautifully maintained residence is a testament to pride of ownership. Every inch of the home has been meticulously cared for and offers a practical layout with light-filled interiors, quality finishes and an undeniable sense of warmth throughout. Outside is where this property shines with a two-car garage & an oversized two-car carport with clearance for boats & caravans etc. Finishing off with beautiful private established front and rear gardens.

Mick Dolphin 0429 684 522

‘We Put You First’

Jackson Acott 0494 142 438

1660 Burwood Highway, Belgrave Shop 2/24 McBride St, Cockatoo Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE 23

HOME FOCUS

A LANDMARK LIFESTYLE ESTATE OF GRAND SCALE AND PRESTIGE ON 11 ACRES SET across an extraordinary 11-acre estate, this magnificent American Ranch-inspired residence delivers an exceptional blend of timeless elegance, outstanding craftsmanship and resort-style living. Privately positioned behind impressive stone and wrought iron entrance gates, a sweeping, circular sealed driveway winds through impeccably landscaped gardens, where a striking threetiered fountain creates an unforgettable arrival.

Beyond the grand foyer, the home reveals an impressive floorplan designed for both luxurious family living and spectacular entertaining. The gourmet kitchen is beautifully appointed with granite benchtops, premium cabinetry with glass display cupboards, and a fully equipped walk-in pantry. Formal and informal dining areas flow effortlessly from the kitchen, while a private theatre room or formal lounge provides a refined space to unwind.

A breathtaking staircase forms the centrepiece of the home, overlooking expansive open-plan living spaces. Towering ceilings with exposed timber beams enhance the sense of scale, while the impressive family and games room is anchored by a magnificent stone fireplace. A fully plumbed bar, adjoining powder room, dedicated home office and wine cellar further elevate the home’s entertaining credentials.

Upstairs, four oversized bedrooms provide luxurious accommodation, highlighted by an indulgent main suite complete with a spacious walk-in robe and an elegant ensuite. The remaining bedrooms feature built-in robes and are serviced by a beautifully appointed family bathroom.

Throughout the home, quality is evident at every turn, with polished hardwood floors, double-glazed windows, hydronic gas heating, split system heating and cooling, ducted vacuum and premium finishes showcasing an uncompromising commitment to excellence.

Outside, the estate continues to impress with a substantial 25m x 10m shed incorporating 2 rooms, a workshop space, high bay access and a loft-style apartment, ideal for extended family, guest accommodation or a premium work-from-home space. A large barn, woodshed, expansive water storage, fenced paddocks and a picturesque dam complete with water lilies, a timber bridge, a built in BBQ and a charming rotunda complete this idyllic country setting.

Offering the ultimate balance of luxury, privacy and lifestyle across 11 magnificent acres, this is a landmark property of exceptional calibre. Rarely does a residence of this scale, presence and quality become available, presenting an extraordinary opportunity to secure one of the region’s finest lifestyle estates.

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

Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties

may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 751 Woori Yallock Road, NANGANA Description: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 10 garage Price: $2,100,000 - $2,300,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Samantha Scott 0438 680 032, BELL REAL ESTATE EMERALD 5968 6222

24 MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

mailcommunity.com.au

P 5968 6222 311-313 Main Street Emerald

5 Vincent Street Cockatoo

$800,000 - $860,000

32 Ferres Road Emerald

$750,000 - $820,000

Character, Space & Family Living on Half an Acre.

Walk to Town, Love the Lifestyle.

Set on a generous 2,023sqm in Cockatoo, this character-filled 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home offers flexible family living with plenty of space inside & out. The lounge features high ceilings, exposed beams, a large bay window, open fireplace & split system, complemented by gas ducted heating & new carpets throughout. Adjoining dining & kitchen with gas cooktop, dishwasher, excellent storage & bench space complete the central living zone. Two bedrooms, one with built-in robes, are serviced by the family bathroom, separate toilet & laundry, while a second lounge opens directly to the backyard. Upstairs, the impressive master suite provides a private retreat with large windows, walk-in robe & ensuite. Outside, enjoy half an acre of space with a fenced dog run, multiple garden sheds & a welcoming front deck, perfect for a morning cuppa or afternoon wine.

Positioned on 983sqm (approx.) just a short walk from Emerald’s township, schools, shops & public transport, this well-presented 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home offers comfort & convenience for families, first-home buyers or investors. An undercover front verandah welcomes you inside to the kitchen & dining area, featuring a gas cooktop, dishwasher, breakfast bar, ample storage & timber flooring. A split system & gas ducted heating provide year-round comfort. The privately positioned main bedroom includes a walk-through robe & ensuite, while 2 additional bedrooms with builtin robes are serviced by the central family bathroom. The adjoining living room opens onto the undercover entertaining area, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor lifestyle. Outside, the spacious backyard provides room for children & pets to enjoy, a garden shed & double carport.

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

3

189 Swales Road Macclesfield

A

2

B

$1,600,000 - $1,750,000

A Rare 40-Acre Holding with Water, Views & Endless Potential.

3

3 Vincent Street Cockatoo

A

2

B 2 C

$410,000 - $450,000

Land, Lifestyle & Shed Ready to Go.

Spanning 40 gently undulating acres, this sun-filled rural holding delivers space, water security & serious potential. A winding creek, 3 dams & a valuable 2-megalitre water licence provide a rocksolid foundation for lifestyle living, livestock or future vision. Elevated points across the land capture sweeping 360-degree views, creating those postcard moments where the countryside rolls away in every direction. At the centre sits a neat & original 2-bedroom home, comfortable now & ready for renovation, extension or reinvention over time. Practical infrastructure includes a machinery shed, garage & established cattle race & yards, making the property immediately usable for farming or hobby stock. With sunny paddocks, natural water sources & multiple access points, everything is in place for easy rural living.

Samantha Scott M 0438 680 032

-

2024sqm very gently sloping block 6m x 8m Shed with Concrete floor and Mezzanine level All services available Walking distance to local parks

Aaron Day M 0407 365 994

2

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

A

1

B 1 C

Brennan Mileto M 0422 996 451

3

C

bellrealestate.com.au mailcommunity.com.au

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL PROPERTY GUIDE 25

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Competition is heating up for Ferntree Gully Tennis Club, with finals approaching in some competitions, and teams across the senior and junior competitions continuing to battle for valuable wins.

There were some strong results in the Knox District Night Tennis Association, with Tuesday Section 1 (AI) defeating Upwey South 5-1. The other Section 1 side (DP) had a much closer contest against Belgrave Heights, with the teams finishing level at two sets apiece before Belgrave Heights claimed the win 18 games to 14.

Tuesday Section 3 could not have been any closer, with Ferntree Gully and Scoresby finishing completely level at three sets each and 28 games apiece. Section 4 enjoyed a 4-2 victory over Upwey Tecoma (KM).

On Thursday night, Section 4 defeated Eildon Park 3-2 in a closely fought contest. In Section 5, the JB team narrowly went down to Mt Evelyn 3-2, while the AS team enjoyed a convincing 4-1 victory over Mooroolbark Heights.

The Ferntree Gully and District Ladies’ Tennis Association Section 3 team had a bye this week.

In the Waverley Tennis Association, Section A1 had a tough outing against Glen Waverley U/C, going down 6-1. Section A7 recorded a good 5-3 win over Eildon Park, while Narre Warren North proved too strong for Section A8, winning 6-0.

With finals getting closer, there will be plenty at stake next week.

Ferntree Gully’s juniors also enjoyed several excellent results in Eastern Region Tennis. Rubbers 25 produced a dominant 5-0 victory over Eaglemont, while Rubbers 34 defeated Guy Turner Reserve 4-2. JOSD 8 faced a strong Park Orchards side and went down 6-0, while JDC 2 defeated Ferny Creek 2-1 and JDC 3 continued the winning results with a 2-0 victory over Wantirna.

The club’s All Abilities players continue to enjoy their Thursday program, with players of all abilities taking part in tennis drills, games and match play in a fun and supportive environment. Jenny (pictured) always takes to the court with a smile and puts in a determined effort.

sales@networkclassifieds.com.au Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 27

SPORT

Rangers deal out smashing On Friday night, Monbulk Rangers FV Men’s Seniors and Reserves travelled to Alex Nelson Reserve to take on Noble Hurricanes FC. In their previous clash, the Seniors suffered late heartbreak as the Hurricanes equalised in the final minute to make it 2–2. Rangers were determined to get the job done this time and bounce back from last week’s disappointing 4–0 loss to Lyndale United.

Reserves The Reserves were up first, with the large ground providing a mostly even surface, aside from a muddy patch in the middle from a cricket wicket.

Noble Hurricanes got off to a flyer, scoring twice early to take a 2–0 lead. Rangers responded strongly, finishing the half with plenty of momentum and carrying that into the second half.

Daniel Biondo produced two brilliant volleys in quick succession to bring the score back to 2–2.

Unfortunately, the Hurricanes regained control late in the game and found a late goal to make it 3–2, which proved to be the final result.

Seniors The Seniors took some time to settle, with the Hurricanes showing promising signs going forward and putting Monbulk goalkeeper Brad Cutts to work. Rangers eventually warmed into the game, playing some nice, flowing football.

After a scramble in the box involving multiple shots, Monbulk won a penalty. Striker Steve McRae stepped up and emphatically converted to give the visitors a 1–0 lead heading into half-time.

Rangers continued strongly after the break, with Luke Baker finding a pocket of space between the Hurricanes’ defence before driving through and slotting past the keeper to make it 2–0.

Noble responded with a penalty of their own, but Rangers quickly restored their two-goal advantage. Jack Higgins delivered a free kick into the box, where a header from a Noble defender was fumbled by the goalkeeper and ended up in the back of the net.

Baker then produced some moments of brilliance. With the Hurricanes goalkeeper coming outside his box to clear the ball, it fell to Baker, who lifted it over the stranded keeper and into the empty net for his second of the night.

Baker completed his hat-trick shortly after, rising acrobatically to score an overhead kick and make it 5–1. McRae then added his second of the night after a lovely cross from Brayden Jones, sealing an emphatic 6–1 away victory.

The result leaves Monbulk fourth on the table and firmly in the promotion race. Third place would secure automatic promotion, while finishing fourth would provide a chance to fight for promotion to State League 4 through a play-off.

The Rangers face bottom-of-the-table East Bentleigh next Saturday in their final home game of the season and will be looking to produce another convincing performance as the promotion race reaches its final stages.

Man of the Match Luke Baker. (Ollie Tory)

Around the region’s football ovals and netball courts

By Armin Richter Football Premier Division (round 18) Seniors: Wandin 31.21.207 (Joel Garner 23 goals) def Upwey-Tecoma 5.8.38; WarburtonMillgrove 11.14.80 def Mt. Evelyn 11.11.77; Monbulk 14.13.97 def Healesville 7.10.52; Officer 13.13.91 def Woori Yallock 7.13.55; Olinda-Ferny Creek 22.19.151 def GembrookCockatoo 6.3.39 Reserves: Mt. Evelyn 20.10.130 def Warburton-Millgrove 2.1.13; Healesville 9.6.60 def Monbulk 4.10.34; Officer 16.14.110 def Woori Yallock 1.3.9; Olinda-Ferny Creek 13.13.91 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 4.12.36; Wandin 8.8.56 def Upwey-Tecoma 4.12.36 Under 18 (combined): Officer 9.15.69 def Woori Yallock 1.4.10; Healesville 20.8.128 def Monbulk 2.2.14; Mt. Evelyn 16.14.110 def Warburton-Millgrove 1.3.9; Olinda-Ferny Creek 7.9.51 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 7.8.50; Wandin 10.8.68 def Upwey-Tecoma 5.3.33; Alexandra, Pakenham, Seville + Yarra Glen bye Veterans (Over 35): GF Gembrook-Cockatoo 9.8.62 def Monbulk 6.5.41 Women (Div 1): GF Mt. Evelyn 6.11.47 def Warburton-Wesburn 0.5.5 Division 1 (Finals - Week 1) Seniors: QF Seville 13.13.91 def Alexandra 9.8.62; EF Emerald 14.11.95 def Yarra Glen 11.12.78 Reserves: QF Seville 9.16.69 def Emerald 5.9.39; EF Belgrave 14.13.97 def Alexandra 7.2.44 Women (Div 2): GF Yea 4.5.29 def Officer 2.4.16 Netball Premier Division (round 18) A Grade: Mt. Evelyn 46 def Warburton-Millgrove 32; Wandin 90 def Upwey-Tecoma 44; Monbulk 65 def Healesville 53; ROC 45 def Woori Yallock 42; Olinda-Ferny Creek 75 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 38 B Grade: Mt. Evelyn 54 def Warburton-Millgrove 30; Wandin 73 def Upwey-Tecoma 29; Monbulk 82 def Healesville 24; ROC 56 def Woori Yallock 52; Gembrook-Cockatoo 62 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 38 C Grade: Mt. Evelyn 45 def Warburton-Mill-

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Monbulk’s John Hibgame kicks in the Veterans Grand Final against Gembrook. (Anthea Heagney)

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28 MAIL | Tuesday, 25 August, 2026

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grove 26; Monbulk 48 def Healesville 22; ROC 45 def Woori Yallock 25; Gembrook-Cockatoo 39 def Olinda-Ferny creek 38; Wandin bye D Grade: Mt. Evelyn 27 def WarburtonMillgrove 15; Monbulk 58 def Healesville 24; Woori Yallock 24 def ROC ROC 21; OlindaFerny Creek 31 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 17; Wandin bye Under 17: Mt. Evelyn 63 def WarburtonMillgrove 10; ROC White 27 def Wandin 11;

Monbulk Gold 47 def Monbulk Maroon 28; ROC Blue 30 def Woori Yallock 24; GembrookCockatoo 44 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 23 Under 15: Wandin Blue 32 def ROC White 11; Pakenham Maroon 25 def Wandin Red 18; Monbulk Gold 50 def Monbulk Maroon 26; ROC Blue 38 def Woori Yallock 12; Pakenham Gold bye Division 1 (Finals - Week 1) A Grade: QF Seville 53 def Emerald 38; EF Yar-

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ra Glen 52 def Yarra Junction 32 B Grade: QF Pakenham 62 def Yarra Glen 28; EF Emerald 49 def Yea 28 C Grade: QF Seville 45 def Yarra Glen 25; EF Emerald 37 def Monbulk 32 D Grade: QF Seville 44 def Emerald 17; EF Yarra Glen 30 def Yarra Junction 25 Under 17: QF Pakenham Maroon 38 def Emerald 22; EF Alexandra 31 def Seville 23

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SPORT

Dylan Werts is chaired off after playing game 200. (Anthea Heagney)

Chloe Baker shoots for goal during Monbulk’s big win in B Grade. (Armin Richter)

Joel Wensley marks against Healesville. (Anthea Heagney)

Monbulk sets finals record

By Armin Richter The home and away season concluded on Saturday with 8 of Monbulk’s 12 teams qualifying for finals, and another three finishing in 6th place.

This is a new record and surpasses last year’s effort of seven finalists.

Football Seniors Monbulk started the day in sixth place and needed to beat Healesville while hoping that other results went their way to be a part of finals action. The Hawks looked more capable early in the match, on the back of Joel Wensley plucking every ball out of the sky that was in his vicinity.

Joel kicked Monbulk’s first six goals and had nine on the board by the third term. It was the most goals in a senior match by a Monbulk player since Shane Williams kicked 10 against Pakenham in 2019. The club record against Healesville is 16 by Peter De Boer in 1983.

The match was also a chance to celebrate Dylan Werts’ 200th senior game. Late in the game he was swung into the forward line and was mobbed by all his team mates when he snapped a goal in the dying stages.

Monbulk 14.13.97 def Healesville 7.10.52 Best: Joel Wensley, Joshua Spencer, Aaron Hoare, Lochlan Beecroft, Lachlan Sheppard, Dylan Werts Goals: Joel Wensley 9, Dylan Werts 1, William Hughson 1, Nicholas Wall 1, Ziggy Hatherley 1, Hamish Emmett 1 Reserves It was a disappointing end to the year for the Monbulk Reserves as they missed securing a place in the finals. Healesville gained the ascendancy in the second term and then held on to record a 26 point win.

Monbulk 4.10.34 def by Healesville 9.6.60 Best: Jed Noar, Karl Ravenhorst, Jacob Defina, Abel Teese, Aaron Smith, Coby Passingham Goals: Johnathon Hevern 2, Aaron Smith 1, Jacob Defina 1 Under 18s The plucky Under 18s finished their year after being outpointed by one of the top sides in this division but never giving up despite the scoreboard.

They finished 10th out of 14 teams and have some promising players of the future in their ranks.

Monbulk 2.2.14 def by Healesville 20.8.128 Best: Thomas Hill, Arley Gray, Finley Ede, Eamon Dawson, Blake Nicholson, Myles Koelewyn Goals: Ryder Koelewyn 1, Thomas Hill 1 Veterans The Monbulk veterans met Gembrook before a huge crowd at Monbulk for the 2026 Grand Final. Although the Brookers snared a quick goal, it was the Hawks who had the best of the opening term, registering four goals and holding a 12 point lead at the first change. Gembrook then began to gain control, with their ability to limit Monbulk’s forward entries and hurt them on the rebound beginning to tell on the scoreboard. The Hawks battled hard for the remainder of the match but unfortunately came up short on the day.

Monbulk 6.5.41 def by Gembrook-Cockatoo 9.8.62 Best: Jared Major, Bradley Condor, Lucas Day, Chris Mitchell, Shannon Koole, Steven Nuutinen Goals: Steven Nuutinen 2, Tim Wragg 1, Shaun Brooks 1, Benjamin Magnay 1, Mark Haley 1

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Monbulk Wing Attack Sophie Stubbs with the ball in an important match with Healesville. (Armin Richter) Netball A Grade Monbulk were pushed all the way by an improving Healesville outfit, but after quarter time seemed to find the answers to any challenges that the Bloods could throw at them. The resulting win and ROC (seventh) defeating Woori Yallock (third) allowed the Hawks to jump into third and gain a double chance, with a Qualifying Final against Wandin awaiting them. Peri Reid finished runner-up in the goalshooting with 763 for the year.

Monbulk 65 def Healesville 53 Best: Alice Nicholas, Jorja Wragg, Rihanna Kelly Goals: Peri Reid 40, Jorja Wragg 24, Nicole Macdowell 1 B Grade The Hawks fine tuned their game for the impending finals with a demolition of Healesville. They will face Wandin in the Elimination Final with a level of confidence after their 58 goal win.

Monbulk 82 def Healesville 24 Best: Catherine Braniska, Alice McCormick, Ava Thompson Goals: Chloe Baker 33, Elly Stewart 33, Dayna Walsham 16 C Grade Monbulk’s improvement over the season continued with another strong result, this time over

Healesville. The win sees the team rise to 6th for year and they will be aiming for finals in 2027.

Goal Keeper Hayley Donald was best on court in her 50th game.

Monbulk 48 def Healesville 22 Best: Hayley Donald, Maddy Buckland, Grace Sands Goals: Maddy Buckland 32, Grace Sands 14, Macy Giling 2 D Grade The Hawks qualified for the finals in third place as they look to defend their title. The win over Healesville had added interest as Jamie Sands was a chance of winning the goal shooting. Although Jamie was fantastic, her 40 goals left her just 4 goals shy of claiming the goalshooting honours for the division.

Monbulk 58 def Healesville 24 Best: Jamie Sands, Tara Donald, Chelsea Borkowski Goals: Jamie Sands 40, Ella Flynn 18 Under 17s The two Monbulk sides met each other and this time the Gold girls reversed the result from earlier in the year to claim a good win. Maroon finished in 5th to make the finals while Gold finished just a win behind in 6th as the playing numbers and results in this age group have jumped upward significantly in the past 12 months.

Monbulk Gold 47 def Monbulk Maroon 28 Best Gold: Isabelle Cross, Kaitlyn Summers, Ruby Dean Best Maroon: Chelsea Ferguson, Milla Puddy, Isla Stubbs Goals Gold: Kaitlyn Summers 28, Amelia Magarry 19 Goals Maroon: Chelsea Ferguson 21, Ahliya Wragg 7 Under 15s Monbulk Gold secured the minor premiership, and a week off, with a win over their club mates Monbulk Maroon. With both sides claiming double chances for the finals in their divisions, their skills and ability were on display on Saturday morning as the future of Monbulk netball looks to be in good hands. Eden Murphy has won the competition goal shooting (392) for the second consecutive year, with Isabelle Kos (Maroon 335) and Amelia Magarry (Gold - 254) making it a Monbulk trifecta.

Monbulk Gold 50 def Monbulk Maroon 26 Best Gold: Eden Murphy, Ruby Irwin, Alanna White Best Maroon: Grace Gaunt, Ella Osborne, Hayden Brady Goals Gold: Eden Murphy 34, Amelia Magarry 16 Goals Maroon: Isabelle Kos 23, Grace Gaunt 3

Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | MAIL 29

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