Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Melton and Moorabool
6 OCTOBER, 2026
Aged care reprieve By Jack O’shea-Ayres
Taylors Hill resident Helen Redmond lives with her son-in-law Kelsey Brookes and receives care and support through the Morton Homestead. (Damjan Janevski) 581546 03
The briefing would also identify safeguards needed before council permanently withdraws, the status of its existing transition plans and deadlines, and options for reconsidering its participation if Commonwealth funding continues beyond 2029. Councillor Phillip Zada, who moved the motion, said while it did not commit council to reversing its decision, it could help keep the door open to continuing the service. “It does not reverse the June decision or promise that council can continue,” Cr Zada said. “It asks officers to tell us what is possible, what is sustainable, and whether it’s still a point at which council can make a
meaningful decision.” Cr Steve Abboushi said the priority should be ensuring older residents continued to receive a high-quality and reliable service. “Ultimately this is about the quality of service we provide to some of the most vulnerable residents in our community,” he said. “Our older residents deserve a safe service, a reliable service, and a person centered service of the highest possible quality.” The decision followed mounting pressure from the ASU, which has been calling for its reversal since it was made, including a protest alongside community members outside council chambers prior to the 28
September meeting. “We have seen other councils make the same decision and regret it later,” ASU organiser Hayley Davies said. Ms Davies said service receivers shared the same sentiment over losing the long-running program. “I have been speaking to many seniors over the past four or five weeks of organising this campaign…the number one concern that keeps coming up from them is losing the consistency and the continuity of the support workers who they have built trusting relationships with over many years.” The outcome of the urgent briefing will determine whether council continues providing CHSP services beyond June 2027.
15-Day Christmas Markets of Europe Departing 6 December 2027 15 Days
Budapest > Amsterdam 12876015-CV33-26
Melton council has reopened the door to continuing its direct aged care services after the Commonwealth extended funding for the program by two years. The council will urgently investigate whether it can delay its planned exit from the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) until June 2029, potentially saving up to 80 care jobs across the municipality. Melton council originally advised workers and the Australian Services Union (ASU) that it would exit aged care services under the federal government’s new Support at Home program on 16 July. The announcement followed a decision made three weeks prior during a meeting on 22 June, where council had voted in favour of exiting aged care services. Following a review of its aged care service model, council confirmed it would continue delivering services through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) until the current funding agreement ends on 30 June 2027. The decision reflected uncertainty about the program’s future in Melton, including funding arrangements, and regulatory obligations. Since council’s June decision, the federal government has announced a two-year extension of the CHSP grant funding to 30 June 2029. Now, following council’s unanimous decision at its 28 September meeting, council will explore options for revisiting its decision to cease direct CHSP service delivery next year. The decision calls for an urgent briefing on whether council could defer its planned exit from the CHSP until June 2029, including the financial, operational, workforce, contractual and regulatory implications. It also seeks updated advice on changes to the rules around councillors being considered “responsible persons” under aged care legislation and council’s remaining obligations as a provider. It further asks council to examine a staged model where council and external providers operate alongside each other, with services compared on quality, reliability, affordability, accessibility, continuity of care, and resident outcomes.
Helloworld Bacchus Marsh
Shop 1/137 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh Phone: (03) 5367 5151 Email: bacchusmarsh@helloworld.com.au
NEWS
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Mayoral challenge fails to get support By Jack O’Shea-Ayres Melton councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg made a last-ditch effort to oust mayor Lara Carli with a vote of no confidence, just a day before taking a leave of absence to run as an independent candidate in this year’s state election. Cr Vandenberg moved the notice of motion at council’s 28 September meeting, arguing Cr Carli had failed to provide adequate leadership, communication, accountability, and advocacy for the growing municipality. Addressing the chamber, Cr Vandenberg questioned whether residents were receiving the leadership, accountability, and representation they deserved. She pointed to congestion and infrastructure pressures across the municipality, highlighting delayed projects on Taylors Road, Coburns Road, Exford Road, and Bullmans Road as key examples. “Residents deserve to know why projects repeatedly take longer than expected, who is accountable when deadlines are missed and what is being done to prevent them,” Cr Vandenberg said. Cr Kathy Majdlik rejected claims of poor infrastructure delivery, pointing to council’s record $258.7 million capital works program and four-year council plan currently being delivered under Cr Carli’s leadership. During her speech, Cr Vandenberg attempted to raise allegations concerning council funds allegedly being used to meet legal costs associated with Cr Carli’s personal legal matters, but was cut short by a point of order brought forward by Cr Majdlik. Cr Majdlik argued that personal matters were irrelevant to the motion and cautioned Cr Vandenberg that raising them publicly opened both herself and council to potential litigation. Stepping in as chair for Cr Carli, Cr Steve Abboushi ruled the personal allegations out of order. He instructed Cr Vandenberg to focus strictly on Cr Carli’s official activities as mayor and directed her to use formal mechanisms under the Local Government Act or external agencies for personal conduct complaints. Cr Vandenberg also alleged she had received limited communication and support from Cr Carli in her elected role, referring to “public personal attacks” involving her family. “Leadership is about communicating with your fellow councillors as a mayor – that has not been fulfilled,” Cr Vandenberg said.
Leadership is about communicating with your fellow councillors as a mayor – that has not been fulfilled
Beth McDonald at the new Melton Station with her dogs. (Supplied)
142 years of rail history
- Ashleigh Vandenberg
By Jack O’Shea-Ayres
Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg. (Supplied)
Cr John Verdon seconded the motion to allow debate in the public interest, but explicitly stated he did not support its intent and abstained from voting. He affirmed that councillors held a community mandate to bring motions forward, though noted the notice was not the right vehicle to effect change and called his vote on the mayor’s confidence a personal matter. Strongly condemning the motion, Cr Majdlik labeled it “unfounded, defamatory, petty, unprofessional” and a personal vendetta against a mayor who has served 17 years on council, including four terms as mayor and three as deputy mayor. She added that the mayor holds no individual autonomy over decisions, which are made collectively and democratically by the full council chamber. Cr Julie Shannon questioned the motive
Mayor Lara Carli responds Melton Mayor Lara Carli provided the following statement to Star Weekly in response to the notice of motion: “The allegations made by Cr Vandenberg are completely unfounded,” Cr Carli said. “It was disappointing to see a councillor use their position at a council meeting for what I believe is an ongoing personal vendetta and not for what we are there for Mayor Lara Carli.
2 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
behind the motion given Cr Carli was due to leave the mayoral role within weeks. Cr Shannon directly challenged Cr Vandenberg on what personal accountability or consequences she would accept if an independent review proved her claims were entirely without factual merit. The motion ultimately failed to secure the required support to pass, with seven councillors voting against it and one abstaining. The debate comes after Cr Vandenberg was suspended from council for two months in June following an internal arbitration process concerning a series of Facebook posts. Cr Vandenberg was granted a leave of absence between 29 September and 1 December to pursue her state election bid.
— which is representing our residents. “The suggestion that I have single-handedly caused delays to council projects demonstrates a lack of understanding of council operations. I am not involved in project management and have no autonomous decision-making powers — all decisions must be made by the council as a whole. “I am proud of my representative role and how I conduct myself, and I can assure residents that my role as mayor and representing our community remains my absolute priority.”
The new Melton Station may be shiny and new, but its railway story stretches back more than 140 years - a history long-time local and former railworker Beth McDonald is helping keep alive. Ms McDonald and her family have lived opposite Melton Station for decades, giving her a first-hand perspective to the many changes the station and the surrounding community have experienced over the years. “Living so close to the railway line we had a front row seat to the various trains going through; passenger, the Overland train to Adelaide, long trains carrying freight, new car carriers, even livestock,” Ms McDonald recalled. “I remember when the Queen Mother went through by train to Ballarat. Nearly the whole town got to stand close to the railway track and wave to her.” But her connection to the railway doesn’t stop there. Ms McDonald’s grandfather, Richard Henry Arthur, served as a station master from 1922 until the mid 1930s. He was considered an integral part of Melton’s community, also working as a correspondent for the local newspaper, the Melton Express. Ms McDonald went on to work for the Victorian Railways (now V/Line) in the mid 60s, catching the 7.32am train from the old Melton Station to her job on Spencer Street each morning, continuing the long-running family tradition of work in the rail industry. “My family were railway mad, my mother and uncles, it was ingrained in them,” she said. “They were so happy when I started taking the train myself in the mid 60s, and also started working for Victorian Railways… It runs in the family.” Ms McDonald recalled the many iterations of the station, which she says has played a pivotal role in both her life and the wider community. “The station played such a big part in the farming community which is what Melton was for a long time,” she said. The station first opened in 1884 when the railway line from Braybrook Junction, now Sunshine, was extended westward, and was named after Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, England, much like the suburb itself. Now, more than a century after the station welcomed its first train services, it is enjoying a new chapter, with the new, modern and accessible station opening its doors on Tuesday 1 September.
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS
Aged care decision defended By Jack O’Shea-Ayres Melton council rejected claims of a “catastrophic governance failure” after the Fair Work Commission ordered it to hand documents to the Australian Services Union (ASU) concerning its decision to exit aged care services. Melton council advised workers and the Australian Services Union (ASU) that it would cease providing aged care services under the federal government’s new Support at Home program on 16 July - three weeks after a decision was made at council’s 22 June meeting. The ASU alleged the council’s deci-
sion-making process was flawed and that workers were not properly consulted before councillors voted on 22 June, a move that threatened the jobs of almost 100 local workers. “What is immediately clear…is that the documents appear to indicate a catastrophic governance failure, and senior officers, the CEO and councillors have serious questions to answer,” the ASU said. However, Melton council defended its position, rejecting the ASU’s claims that neither workers nor the ASU were consulted during the decision-making process, or that the council failed to reach the best outcome.
“There have been no failures by council in its decision-making process related to the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)...council does not accept the ASU’s claims that employees were not engaged throughout the process. Employees have been involved in ongoing information-sharing over many years leading up to the decision,” a council spokesperson said. “Council’s decision… was based on the information, advice and relevant legislation available as at 22 June 2026. The advice provided to council regarding responsible person obligations reflected the latest information available under the new Aged Care Act.” The spokesperson said the Common-
A life of uncertainty: Aged care changes By Jack O’Shea-Ayres Melton council’s decision to potentially stop delivering aged care services through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) could have devastating consequences for vulnerable residents like 76-year-old Helen Redmond. Mrs Redmond has lived in Taylors Hill with her son-in-law, Kelsey Brookes, and his wife and children for the past 18 months. Mrs Redmond’s life was turned upside down after her husband died some years ago. She was also diagnosed with dementia. Suffering with aphasia, Mrs Redmond struggles to speak and form sentences. Before moving in with her family, Mrs Redmond was often isolated and alone, her days spent sleeping, the world around her confusing. Picking up on the steep decline in his mother-in-law’s health, Mr Brookes decided it was time he and his family stepped in to care for her. “She was struggling with it so badly,” Mr Brookes explained. “She couldn’t do simple things like make tea anymore, sometimes she even struggled to figure out how to use a tap. “But she was also just super anxious; her anxiety was through the roof, her stress was through the roof, and she was just confused and upset, and struggling to understand what was happening to her.” Mr Brookes and his wife help Mrs Redmond to navigate doctors’ appointments, continual diagnoses, health care, treatment, and the ins and outs of her day-today life. But it wasn’t until Mrs Redmond began receiving care and support through Melton council’s Morton Homestead community group that Mr Brookes really started to see life being brought back to his beloved
Helen Redmond and her son-in-law Kelsey Brookes. (Damjan Janevski). 581546 04
mother-in-law. The Morton Homestead gives local residents like Mrs Redmond the chance to get out and about, picking them up from their homes for days filled with bustling markets, lunches at local restaurants, and even afternoons spent fruit-picking. “She’s always looking forward to it - my wife will help her get dressed and ready to go and she’ll be on the edge of her seat waiting to go,” Mr Brookes said. Mrs Redmond would sometimes struggle with feeling like she was abandoned if she were one of the last to be dropped off on the group bus home - so the bus route was altered to visit her home earlier. But it’s that exact type of care Mr Brookes fears might not be offered by a new provider.
“She often can’t remember her own children’s names but she’s more than aware that this community that she’s a part of is being shut down,” he said. “She can’t even remember the name of the place, but she’s really worried about what she’s going to do without it. “We’re really worried that by taking away that one thing that gives her hope, that gets her up in the morning and gets her moving and gives us something to look forward to, that it’s going to contribute to her decline.“ Mr Brookes said Melton council’s decision to reopen the door on continuing its direct aged care services gave the family hope, but people like Mrs Redmond couldn’t afford to experience the trauma that comes with the uncertainty.
wealth funding extension was announced after the council made its decision, and the council was seeking clarity on what the extension would mean for its aged care services. “At the time of council’s decision, no further extension of the Commonwealth Home Support Program had been announced. “This announcement occurred on 20 August 2026, and council has sought further information from the federal government regarding what the extension of the CHSP to 30 June 2029 would look like for council.” The spokesperson said Melton council remained committed to supporting those affected by the 22 June decision.
Understanding AI in Melton The Melton community is being invited to learn more about artificial intelligence and how to spot misinformation at a free workshop in October. The session titled Understanding AI, Safety and Misinformation, will be held at the Melton Library and Learning Hub from 10am to 11am on Friday 16 October. Facilitated by Digital Attitude’s Brodie McGee, the workshop will provide an introduction to artificial intelligence and how it is increasingly being used in everyday life. Participants will be given the opportunity to learn what AI is, where they may encounter it, and what the technology can and cannot do. The session will also focus on AI-generated information, including how to approach content critically and identify potential misinformation. The workshop has been designed to help attendees better understand the opportunities and risks associated with AI, while developing practical skills to safely navigate information generated by the technology. The free event is open to those aged 16 and over and will be held at the Melton Library and Learning Hub, located at 31 McKenzie Street, Melton. Bookings are essential, with places made available through the library’s booking system, by phone, or through your local library. For more information or to book, visit https://libraryevents.melton.vic. gov.au/event?id=246442 or phone Melton City libraries at 9747 5300.
Members of the Australian Services Union (ASU) and the local community rallied just metres from the doors of the council chambers, calling on council to reverse its June decision to exit aged care services. (Jack O’Shea-Ayres) 12849128-EB11-26
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 3
NEWS
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Election promise watch By Jack O’Shea-Ayres Melton council is seeking to keep its residents informed about election promises relevant to the upcoming state election in November. Council, on Monday 28 September, unanimously voted in favour of calling for a report outlining commitments and timelines made by all major political parties that align with council’s endorsed advocacy priorities, for the report to be prepared prior to the 28 November election. Councillor Sophie Ramsey brought the motion forward and said Melton’s rapid population growth meant significant investment in infrastructure and services
would be required from both state and federal governments. Melton’s population is forecast to almost double to 455,980 over the next two decades, alongside the development of more than 109,000 new homes. “This level of growth must be supported by investment in infrastructure and services by all levels of government,” Cr Ramsey’s motion noted. “Council has long advocated for all levels of government to deliver investment in services and infrastructure to create a liveable city.” Melton council’s advocacy priorities, refreshed and adopted in October last year, cover areas including jobs, educa-
tion, health, transport, and the environment. The priorities were formally announced at an event in January this year, with council continuing to strongly advocate to both the state and federal governments for investment across the municipality. Cr Ramsey said informing the community about election commitments would allow residents and businesses to better understand what parties were promising to deliver across the municipality. The motion comes as the Liberal and Nationals parties have announced a $1.7 billion transport commitment including 25 new hybrid-electric trains, with the
Melton line among the routes identified. State opposition spokesperson Evan Mulholland said the proposal would provide more trains, seats and capacity for Melbourne’s growing west. “Our plan will deliver metro-quality train services to Melbourne’s west sooner – meaning more trains, more seats and greater capacity,” Mr Mulholland said. The state election will be held on Saturday 28 November, with council’s proposed report intended to give residents a consolidated overview of major party commitments relating to its advocacy priorities. The state government was contacted for comment.
Melton company fined for dumping and burning waste
Pink Up Ballan supporting the McGrath Foundation. (Damjan Janevski). 581364 03
Ballan turns pink for McGrath Foundation Ballan has turned pink this October, as Pink Up Ballan begins a month of community events and fundraising for the McGrath Foundation. Residents, businesses, and community groups are invited to add a spark of pink, join the activities, and help support the foundation’s work funding free McGrath cancer care nurses for people with cancer. Pink Up Ballan builds on the community spirit of the original 2019 campaign, when local businesses, clubs, community groups and volunteers across Ballan and the surrounding district came together to organise fundraising activities throughout October.
This year’s campaign is an initiative of the Ballan Autumn Festival Association and the Ballan & District Chamber of Commerce. The program includes markets, art, music, a fashion show, cricket and the Pink Ball on 24 October, with local groups and businesses bringing their own ideas and energy to the month. Anyone and everyone is invited to join in and play a part, by attending an event, supporting a fundraiser, decorating a shopfront, or simply encouraging friends and family to join in. Pink Up Ballan organiser Kevin Harper said he hasn’t looked back since taking on
responsibility for the charity events in and around Ballan back in 2019. “It’s been fantastic - there’s not one shop that’s not involved,” Mr Harper said. “It’s been a great year of uniting the town, getting people working together, learning a bit more about people and their businesses, and the pink ball is going to be quite fantastic.” Put on something pink, bring a friend and help make October a month of community generosity. For the events calendar and details of what’s on throughout October, visit pinkupballan.com.au. --
Review looks at future of MacPherson Park Recreation Reserve Melton council will review the master plan for MacPherson Park Recreation Reserve after councillors unanimously voted to assess the progress and future development of the site. Councillors unanimously approved a call for council officers to report on the status of the existing master plan at council’s 28 September meeting. The review will outline the projects completed so far and their costs, projects currently underway, and remaining works and
when they are expected to be completed under council’s infrastructure plans. Council officers have also been asked to look at ways to make better use of parts of the reserve that do not currently have a planned future use in an aim to expand the use of the recreation reserve’s land. The motion has also called for a stakeholder workshop with user groups to discuss the master plan’s progress and allow clubs to provide their own input into the future projects and development of the re-
4 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
serve. MacPherson Park spans around 98 hectares and is located in Harkness. It is Melton’s main recreational reserve serving 11 sporting and community hubs. Councillor Julie Shannon said the reserve had undergone new facilities and revitalisation works over the past seven years, but a review was needed given its size and the number of users. The review is intended to inform an updated master plan for the reserve.
A Melton-based company is among a number of organisations fined more than $10,000 by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) following a crackdown for a string of dump-and-burn offences across the state over the past few weeks. The Melton company was fined $10,176 after an EPA inspection blitz found piles of mixed construction waste including metal, timber, glass, plastic, plasterboard, and wire being dumped and set alight. The local company was slapped with the fine after EPA received reports from members of the public of loads of waste being brought in, dumped, and set on fire. EPA operations executive director Rachel Gualano said whether it is carelessness, ignorance or a planned criminal act, burning dumped waste was a win for nobody. “Burning waste that should be recycled or sent to an EPA licensed landfill only pollutes the air with smoke, the land with chemical residue, and nearby waterways with tainted runoff,” she said. She said quick thinking by locals and unannounced visits from the EPA revealed instances of illegal dumping and burning soon after the acts had been committed. “In recent cases, members of the public and unannounced inspections by EPA officers have exposed evidence of burning waste – in some cases while the waste was still smouldering,” she said. “While those responsible might think they saved the cost of proper disposal, anyone with a phone can report it as pollution, leaving the culprit open to a fine or prosecution, plus an order to clean it up at their own expense.” Companies across Ararat and Melbourne were also hit with fines of more than $10,000 for the burning of plastic, oil, metal, timber, discarded tyres and demolition waste following EPA’s inspection blitz. Members of the public are encouraged to report pollution by calling EPA’s 24hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or epa.vic. gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
SECTION
SAT, OCT 17 LIVE DJ + FOOD TRUCKS + OUTDOOR BAR FREE KIDS ACTIVITIES + HARNESS RACING Book dining packages at meltonentertainmentpark.com.au
GOLD COIN ENTRY, GATES OPEN 5.00PM
12897973-JV41-26
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 5
BEHIND THE NEWS
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Help where it’s needed Brimbank is one of Victoria’s drug hotspots, recording the fourth highest rate of drug-induced deaths between 2015 and 2024 according to a recent report. Sebastian Conidi spoke to cohealth manager and Health Work’s Healthcare program facilitator Scott Withy about the work done by Van West to save lives.
S
cott Withy has seen more than most when it comes to drug and alcohol abuse. While my grand final was spent in front of the television, his was spent on-call, aiding people across the community. “All the data would show you that around Christmas Day, Melbourne Cup and Grand Final day, there is a significant increase in drug-and-alcohol-related harm,” Mr Withy said. “There is a significant increase in domestic and family violence callouts for police.” Working across Melbourne’s west, Mr Withy has seen firsthand the impact drugs and alcohol can have on vulnerable communities. He highlighted cohealth’s Van West program as one service working to address the issue. Funded through the Victorian government’s $95 million Statewide Action Plan, Van West is part of an outreach network providing mobile health, social and harm-reduction support to people in Footscray, St Kilda and Melbourne’s CBD who may otherwise face barriers to accessing care. “It connects people to housing, alcohol and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) services, as well as health and social services,” Mr Withy explained. The program provides mobile support to people across Melbourne’s west, including first aid, basic health checks, safer drug-use information and overdose-reversal medication such as naloxone. Mr Withy said population growth and gentrification had pushed some vulnerable people to the margins, creating a need for services that could reach people in a myriad of locations and situations. “We had to ask the questions – do we have the right services in the right areas and, if not, how do we engage people who use drugs in areas where there aren’t fixed primary health services?” Launched in 2024, Van West operates seven days a week, spending four days in St Albans and Sunshine, with the remaining time in Footscray. Mr Withy said the program’s mobility was particularly important for people who faced difficulties accessing
traditional healthcare services. “Our clients find it difficult to even get from Braybrook to an appointment in Footscray. We’re really trying to meet people where they’re at.” The van often sets up in what Mr Withy calls “known hotspots”, including near Sunshine station and Alfreda Square in St Albans. It provides a range of services, including sterile injecting equipment to reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C. “We know people are going to inject drugs. From an evidence-based and health perspective, Australia has an excellent record of evidence-based interventions to prevent HIV and Hep-C.” The portable service also provides safer injecting advice, vein care and wound care. The van includes a nurse’s station where clients can receive basic health assessments. “If someone is hypothetically intoxicated or dehydrated or if they have an abscess that needs to be looked at, they can come into the van, sit in the pathology chair and get an assessment.” The van also provides naloxone, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, alongside education on how to administer it and respond to an overdose. The service also has a fridge and microwave. “We like to make sure there is access to water and meals,” Mr Withy said. “A lot of the work we do is engaging vulnerable people.” The team provides broader support through referrals to other cohealth services, including optometry, allied health and further medical care. Mr Withy said community engagement was a major priority for cohealth, with education playing an important role in helping the wider community understand how drug use is addressed from a health perspective. “If you ask the average person on the street why we give clean injecting equipment for drug use – you’d get a varied response,” he said. “People may ask if it’s illegal or whether it should be treated as a criminal matter instead of a health matter.” Mr Withy said providing sterile
6 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
Harm reduction workers Christo Keene and Nick Downie at Van West. (Damjan Janevski) 580662 02
injecting equipment helps reduce the broader burden on the health system. “What we know is that if you’re giving out clean injecting equipment and stopping the spread of HIV and hep-C, you are reducing the impact on the health system. These types of interventions provide evidence-based benefits to the health system.” He also stressed the importance of reducing stigma around drug use to ensure people can receive appropriate healthcare. “The people we look after from a health perspective are some of the most stigmatised individuals in the community,” Mr Withy said. “These are people with untreated mental health issues, trauma, experiencing homelessness, financial pressures, food insecurity – and are using drugs and alcohol to manage their trauma. “There’s an assertion between people who use drugs for pleasure and people who use drugs to mask their trauma and mental health issues.” Mr Withy said the healthcare system could do more to address the complex issues surrounding drug and alcohol use. “It’s a really unknown area of healthcare. It is not well understood. People don’t really talk about it in a broader sense.
“It’s a specialised area because you need to build trust with people that aren’t particularly trusting of health services in general because of prior poor experiences.” Mr Withy said he would like to see better education and engagement across the healthcare system so people feel more comfortable seeking care. “I would like to see more education in emergency departments and hospitals who are inundated with clients who use alcohol and other drugs but don’t feel comfortable telling a nurse or doctor what they’re doing.” He said seeking care could be particularly difficult when people feared being judged or stigmatised. “Even people in mainstream society who take legal substances such as cigarettes feel uncomfortable telling a doctor for fear of stigma. “If you have a client who’s sleeping rough and already feels stigmatised, they’re not going to feel comfortable telling a stranger exactly what’s going on in their personal life.” For Mr Withy, services such as Van West provide an opportunity to bridge that gap by bringing healthcare directly to people who may otherwise struggle to access it. Van West can be contacted on 0499 848 295.
SECTION
12906006-AF41-26
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 7
NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
CONTACT US PHONE \ 03 8318 5777 LOCATION \ Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042 DISTRIBUTION \ 1300 656 678 distribution@fermax.com.au
ADVERTISING GENERAL SALES INQUIRIES westads@starweekly.com.au CLASSIFIEDS \ 1300 666 808 EMAIL \ sales@networkclassifieds.com.au GENERAL REAL ESTATE INQUIRIES reads@starweekly.com.au
EDITORIAL GENERAL EDITORIAL INQUIRIES westeditorial@starweekly.com.au COMMUNITY CALENDAR ENTRIES communitycalendar@starweekly.com.au
Published by MMP Star Pty Ltd ACN 168 220 399 Head Office Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042 Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas All material is copyright to MMP Star Pty Ltd. Responsibility for election comment is accepted by Paul Thomas. All significant errors will be corrected as quickly as possible. Distribution numbers, areas and coverage are estimates only. For our terms and conditions please visit starweekly.com.au
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Melton program takes the next step to create pathways An innovative program creating new pathways for young people has been recognised with a major win at the 2026 Victorian Training Awards. Kangan Institute’s Melton NextSteps Program won the Industry Collaboration Award at the Victorian Training Awards gala held on Friday 18 September. The award recognises Melton NextSteps as an impactful and innovative program, as it brought together Kangan Institute and Melton Secondary College to improve student engagement and attendance while creating pathways to apprenticeships, further study, and employment. The pilot program aims to help young people stay engaged in school while exploring careers in the construction industry. Delivered ahead of Kangan Institute’s new Melton campus, which is expected to open in 2028, the Melton NextSteps initiative built on the institute’s previous experience in delivering similar programs across Victoria, while introducing a new industry-led model designed in partnership with Lendlease and Melton Secondary College. Kangan chief executive Laura MacPherson said the award recognised and highlighted the hard work of schools, industry, and training providers to support Melton’s youth. “The Melton NextSteps Program shows what’s possible when schools, industry and training providers work together to support young people,” Ms MacPherson said. “This program helped students to stay engaged and build confidence as they take meaningful steps towards their future.
Kangan Institute director of trades and skills centre Bruce Hughes, with Lendlease workforce development and industry participation manager Kristie Dawe and Kangan Institute chief executive Laura Macpherson. (Supplied)
“These achievements belong to the students, teachers, partners and communities who make them possible, and we’re delighted to see their efforts recognised on a state stage.“ The Victorian Training Awards are the state’s premier celebration of vocational education and training excellence, recognising outstanding students, teachers, employers and training providers who are shaping Victoria’s future workforce. The 2026 Victorian Training Awards ceremony recognised 40 individuals and organisations, with a full list of winners and finalists available at https://www.vic. gov.au/2026-victorian-training-awardsfinalists.
Briefs Fatal assault charges Police have charged a man with manslaughter following a fatal assault at a workplace in Ravenhall in August 2024. Two men – a then 59-year-old from St Albans and a then 63-year-old from Albion - were involved in a dispute at a business premises on Rebecca Drive on Wednesday 21 August 2024. Police allege a physical altercation ensued, before the 63-year-old man struck the 59-year-old with a piece of wood, causing him to fall backwards and strike his head on concrete. The 59-year-old man later died in hospital. The 63-year-old was arrested and interviewed on 21 August. He was released with intent to summons. It will be further alleged that the 63-year-old man then left the country, before returning last month. He was arrested at a Sunshine address on Tuesday and charged with manslaughter.
SafePL8 Event in Melton V/Line is holding hold a SafePL8 event at Melton Station on Saturday 10 October. The event, being held between 10am and 1pm, will give passengers and the public the chance to have their licence plates secured to their cars with anti-theft screws. Local police from the Melton Neighbourhood Policing Team will also be there to answer questions on local crime prevention. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
sponsored content
Many of us are feeling under cost-of-living pressure, so what’s causing the inflation the RBA acknowledges is making Australians “furious”? Households have been dealing with years of higher prices. Consumer confidence is weak, house prices have fallen and the economy is slowing. Yet inflation remains stubbornly above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2% to 3% target range. RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser acknowledged the frustration in a recent interview with the ABC’s 7.30 program. “People want inflation down. People are furious about inflation. I understand why. It’s unfair. It hits people on low incomes. It damages price signals. It makes the job of companies difficult. What they want us to do is our job and bring inflation down,” Hauser said. The latest ABS inflation figures show annual inflation rose to 4.0% in August from 3.5% in July. Trimmed mean inflation, which strips out some of the more volatile price movements to give a better sense of the underlying trend, remained at 3.6% for the third consecutive month. The first thing to understand is that inflation doesn’t measure how much we’re buying. It measures how much prices are changing. It also doesn’t tell you how high prices have already become. Imagine something that cost $100 rises to $110 one year and then $113 the next. The rate of inflation has slowed considerably, but you’re still paying $13 more than you were before. So where is the inflation actually coming from? The short answer is: from several places at once. Some of it is coming from prices Australians can’t easily avoid. Housing was the biggest
contributor to inflation in August, rising 5.7% over the year. Some of the pressure is also coming from overseas. Higher oil, diesel, fertiliser and other costs linked to the Middle East conflict don’t always reach consumers immediately. Businesses can absorb those costs for a while before eventually putting up their own prices and passing them through to customers. Then there’s a more structural problem: how much the Australian economy can produce. The RBA’s August Statement on Monetary Policy says the economy is still operating with capacity constraints. In other words, demand for some workers, goods and services remains stronger than the economy can comfortably supply without pushing up prices. So inflation can keep running even while parts of the economy are clearly slowing. CommBank Household Spending Insights data showed spending among Australians aged 65 and over was 10.1% higher in June than a year earlier. Spending growth among 25 to 34year-olds was just 4.2%, while 35 to 44 and 45 to 54-year-olds recorded growth of 4.5%. “Household consumption patterns diverge by age. Shifts in interest rates, inflation and wealth affect age cohorts differently, which can lead to varying rates of spending growth,” CommBank Head of Australian Economics Belinda Allen said. One obvious reason is housing debt. “These groups are more likely to have a mortgage, making them more sensitive to higher interest rates,” Allen said of the younger and middleaged groups. Higher rates can’t build more houses, lift productivity overnight or bring down the global oil price. What they can do is cool demand.
8 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
12903186-EA41-26
If everyone’s feeling the squeeze, where’s all this inflation coming from?
Australians cutting back and inflation remaining too high aren’t contradictory. The squeeze
What matters most now is whether those pressures fade as the economy slows, or whether
is landing very differently across households, and many of the prices still rising are for
inflation remains persistent enough for the RBA to decide that more rate rises are needed.
things people can’t easily avoid.
Find out more at CommBank Newsroom
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
SECTION
We’re here to help Do you have questions about your account? Our team is ready to: help you understand your account
discuss payment support options that work for you
answer questions about your account.
Find face-to-face support in your area at our customer care days. Salt Water Community Centre
Point Cook
Friday 2 October
11am – 3pm
Visy Care Hub
Sunshine
Wednesday 7 October
11am – 3pm
narrm ngarrgu Library and Family Services
Melbourne
Thursday 15 October
11am – 3pm
Koomail Tardy Community Centre
Truganina
Monday 19 October
11am – 3pm
Wyndham Community & Education Centre
Werribee
Thursday 22 October
11am - 3pm
Sydenham Neighbourhood House
Taylors Lakes
Wednesday 28 October
11am – 3pm
Greater Western Water office
Footscray
Weekdays
9am – 5pm
To register, or find more upcoming customer care days scan the QR code or visit gww.com.au/customer-care
12893239-CV41-26
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 9
NEWS
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
MY PLACE For Bacchus Marsh local Teagan Scarlett, life in Melbourne’s west has always been about community, familiarity and connection. Born at Bacchus Marsh Hospital, Scarlett spent her early years in Melton before moving closer to Melbourne to study, work and experience city life. She eventually found herself drawn back to the western suburbs and the country-town atmosphere of Bacchus Marsh. She chats with Jack O’Shea-Ayres. What’s your connection to Melbourne’s north-west? My siblings and I were all born at Bacchus Marsh Hospital in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and I lived in Melton for the first 20 years of my life. In 2018, after living in Footscray, Brunswick, Coburg, and after travelling abroad, my husband and I bought our first house in Bacchus Marsh where we’ve been ever since. I was in Footscray from around 2009-2013, which was great to be so close to the city for university and for meeting up with friends. Footscray was so different at that time compared to now. But, one consistent thing is that the food has always been superb! What do you like about where you live? I love living in a place where it is so easy to chat with people who you’ve never met before - people here are pretty easy going and friendly. Living with nature at your fingertips is also wonderful, we love spending time outdoors. I’m not really sure what else to say about my time in Bacchus Marsh other than we just really enjoy living here. What, if anything, would you change about where you live? The rate of development in Bacchus Marsh is a little difficult to watch when you remember the cosy country town it was back in the day. Teagan Scarlett. (Damjan Janevski) 561733_01
Where is your favourite local place to spend time? Any park or trail! Tell us something people would be
COMMENT
surprised to know about you… I get to drive trains for a living. I’ve been working for Metro Trains since 2019 as a
driver. It is wonderful, I get to see lots of different parts of the city and get to see people going about their everyday lives. I have been
trained to drive four different types of trains which is great fun and very interesting.
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
A cinema classic and a movie the whole family will enjoy Romsey movie buff Evan Turok is Star Weekly’s film reviewer. Each month he shares his take on recent releases, cult classics, modern favourites and everything in between. Coyote vs. ACME (PG) Walking the tightrope of invitation and homage is something director Dave Green pulled off flawlessly and left us with perhaps the most fun movie of the year. Having had enough of ACME’s faulty gadgets constantly stifling his endless quest to catch the Road Runner, Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote sets out to sue the ACME Corporation. Represented by lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), the pair set out to prove malicious intent behind the megacorporation’s malfunctioning products, such as rocket-powered roller skates and dehydrated boulders (Just add water!). What follows is a hilarious investigation and trial that features all the classic characters I hoped to see. Shot as a live-action cartoon in the style of 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this film is a machine gun of comedy, firing off joke after joke, only pausing to deliver some shockingly heartfelt moments. When animation interacts with real actors and objects, it can often look out of place, but the time and passion put into the animation created such a strangely natural dynamic. Unfortunately, the original human characters are almost entirely forget-
Evan Turok.
table, lacking any sort of individuality. Considering Forte’s character was front and centre throughout the entirety of the film, it would have been nice to be given an opportunity to build a connection. If you are looking for an excuse to get back to the cinema, especially with the family, Coyote vs. ACME will have a little something for everyone and leave you
10 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
with just a little more than your average family comedy. 3.5/5
The Apartment (PG) Billy Wilder’s ‘The Apartment’ (1960) is a masterful showcase of why well constructed writing trumps all else in the world of film making. C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) rapidly
rises up the ranks of his insurance company by loaning out his apartment to his higher ups looking to find a private place to cheat on their wives. Treated with a wildly early 60s casual attitude, what follows is a charming love story that sets an unreachable standard for future romcoms. Here, actions have ongoing effects that domino throughout the full two hours. Smart writing doesn’t mean complicated writing. Having a clear understanding of the plot while still being thoroughly invested is the true mark of an amazing script. Its finest feat is in the way the early dialogue effortlessly weaves in necessary exposition without feeling forced. An iconic scene features C.C. Baxter is seated in a sea of desks that reach far into the depths of the frame. A genius visual metaphor to show Baxter’s unremarkable life, and simply a cool shot. To achieve this, the set was built with progressively smaller desks, and even going so far as to fill the far ends of the set with child actors to create the distant effect. Most often, films in production during the late 50s barely had enough of a budget to pay attention, so seeing ’The Apartment’ take advantage of its huge budget in such a creative way is truly special. There’s no wonder why ‘The Apartment’ is still a classic to this day. 4.5/5… enjoyment wise.
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
WE DESERVE BETTER
Victims cry out for help As part of Star Weekly’s ongoing We Deserve Better campaign highlighting crime in Melbourne’s west and north, and the push by six councils to improve safety in the region, Glenn Fisher looks at what help is available for victims of crime. Support services for victims of violent crimes are facing unprecedented demand in Melbourne’s west and north, with a funding shortfall impacting on growing waitlists for adults and especially children. Of the 44,850 reported ‘crimes against the person’ across Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham in the 2025-26 financial year, 6869 of those were ‘high-harm’ offences. High-harm offences classified by the Crime Statistics Agency Victoria include murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, driving causing death, serious assault, rape, indecent assault, incest, sexual offences against children, abduction, slavery, extortion, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary. So, apart from reporting a crime to police and getting medical attention, where else can a victim of a violent crime turn to for support? The first step to access free services in Victoria is the state government’s Victims of Crime Helpline, which offers information, advice and support. A Department of Justice spokesperson told Star Weekly the Helpline received 18,435 calls from across Victoria in the 12 months to 30 June, an average of more than 50 calls a day, with figures not available for specific council areas. When a person contacts the Victims
of Crime Helpline, trained victim support workers provide information based on the person’s individual needs and circumstances, as well as referrals to victim support services, family violence services, sexual assault services, mental health and counselling supports, legal assistance, and housing services. Referrals for callers from Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham may include Windermere Victims Assistance Program, The Orange Door and Footscray-based GenWest, Unison for housing support across parts of Melbourne’s west or WestCASA for sexual assault support. GenWest is a family violence support service that has been operating since 1988, focusing on helping to prevent violence by addressing what is driving it before it happens. GenWest chief executive Dale Wake-
field told Star Weekly “the demand on all of our family violence services is unprecedented”. Ms Wakefield said its services, which are currently funded to support more than 2500 people every year, enabled people experiencing family violence to be safer, to recover, and to rebuild their lives. “We support many more people than this, and our waitlists can still be long. There are 50 people on our waitlist, who will wait over a month to be supported,” Ms Wakefield said. “That’s a long time when you are not safe in your home or relationship.” In tandem with The Orange Door, staff provided almost 80,000 hours of support to family violence victim survivors in the 2024-25 financial year, a 30 percent increase on the previous year. An after-hours program that supports victim survivors with emergency assistance outside regular
business hours supported 698 victim survivors in the 2025-26 year. GenWest’s Children’s Counselling program is funded to support 234 children each year but regularly supports more than 300 children and young people, alongside their carers and support networks, Ms Wakefield said. “More than 100 children are currently waiting for this service, with some waiting up to a year,” she said. “We know that children who experience family violence are two to three times more likely to go on to experience intimate partner violence later in life. Research also indicates that boys who experience family violence may be at greater risk of using violence themselves as adults. “This is why GenWest’s children’s counselling is not simply a recovery service. It is a critical part of breaking the cycle of family violence,” she said. “We are urgently trying to source an additional $500,000 in funding to clear this waiting list and give these children the support they need now.” Ms Wakefield said of the funding GenWest received from government, the smallest amount was allocated for the prevention of family violence before it occurred. GenWest received no funding to conduct longer term healing and recovery with clients beyond their allocated support period, she said. “Survivors tell us this is something they badly need.” The Victims of Crime Helpline is 1800 819 817 and GenWest can be contacted on 1800 436 937. Any victims experiencing a crisis or worried about their safety should contact Victoria Police on triple-0, Lifeline, Safe Steps or 1800 Respect.
12906522-AF41-26
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 11
FEATURING ... SENIORS
Advertising feature
One day, 25 communities: Discover a lifestyle you’ll love On Saturday, 17 October from 10am to 2pm, Lifestyle Communities will open the doors to all 25 communities across Victoria, inviting visitors to experience firsthand what life in a community designed for over-50s is really like. While display homes and resort-style amenities often capture attention, many homeowners say it’s the people and sense of connection that make the biggest difference.
The statewide Open Day offers an opportunity to step beyond the brochure and hear directly from those who have already made the move. Whether they were looking to downsize, free up time for travel, build new friendships or enjoy a more connected way of living, every homeowner has a story to share. Explore low-maintenance homes, including brand-new display homes at Lifestyle Communities’ newest locations,
while also discovering established communities across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Along the way, they can meet the team, ask questions, and gain an authentic perspective on everyday life at Lifestyle Communities. Visitors can also experience the amenities that help bring communities to life, including clubhouses, swimming pools, gyms, wellness spaces, bowling greens, cinemas and social hubs designed to sup-
port an active lifestyle. A complimentary barbecue will be available throughout the day, providing an opportunity to relax, connect with homeowners and learn more about the homes, locations and communities across Victoria. Register online for updates and information or simply walk in on the day. Visit lifestylecommunities.com.au or call 1300 50 55 60 for more information.
12897183-MS40-26
12 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS
Drug, drunk drivers caught Melton and Moorabool’s motorists weren’t kicking any goals over the AFL Grand Final long weekend, as police detected 62 traffic offences across Melton and 78 in Moorabool during a four-day operation. Operation Scoreboard was conducted between Friday 25 September and Monday 28 September, with police detecting more than 6500 traffic offences statewide. In Melton, speeding was the most common offence, with 17 motorists caught exceeding the limit, while 12 were caught driving unregistered vehicles.
Five motorists were caught drink driving, while another five were driving while disqualified and six were found to be unlicensed. Four motorists were caught disobeying road signs or signals, while two were caught driving under the influence of drugs, two were caught using mobile phones and a further two failed to wear seatbelts. Police also impounded six vehicles in Melton during the operation. In Moorabool, speeding also accounted for a majority of the total offences, with 60
motorists caught exceeding the speed limit. Six motorists were caught driving unregistered vehicles, while two were nabbed for driving while disqualified, two were unlicensed, and two were caught disobeying road signs or signals. Two motorists were caught using their mobile phones while driving, while there was one drink-driving offence and one seatbelt offence. Police also impounded two vehicles in Moorabool. Statewide figures for Operation Score-
board were much less positive, with a rise of almost 1500 offences against the same operation last year. “We had a major focus on drink and drug drivers this weekend, and concerningly, despite our warnings to motorists, we have again seen incredibly high strike rates for those caught over the legal limit for alcohol and drugs,” Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans said. “If you think you can drive irresponsibly – including drinking or taking drugs and driving – think again.”
Cash flows for animal care Animal shelters, rescue groups, and low-cost veterinary services will be able to apply for a share of $1.7 million in funding to help care for animals across the state, thanks to a grants program launched by a Myrniongbased thoroughbred welfare charity. The 14th round of the Animal Welfare Fund Grants officially opened on Thursday 1 October, with grants of up to $100,000 available to animal shelters, foster care networks, and organisations promoting responsible pet ownership. Not-for-profit and low-cost veterinary services can apply for grants of up to $200,000 to improve access to veterinary care, while funding is also available for organisations providing animal relief facilities and services during emergencies. The grants were launched at Beyond Racing in Myrniong, which cares for retired racehorses and helps prepare them
for life after racing. Beyond Racing has previously received more than $230,000 through the program, using the funding to upgrade its facilities and increase the number of horses it can rehabilitate and rehome. The organisation has installed covered yards, a cross-tie area, enclosed arena and six-horse walker to assist with injury rehabilitation. Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle said the grants would support organisations caring for animals and helping them find new homes. Applications for round 14 close 2 November. Beyond Racing Farm manager Will Foulkes with Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle. (Supplied)
Stage 10 Sold Out, Stage 11 Now Selling
STARTING FROM
$440K
Stage 10 has sold out. Stage 11 is now selling. Come and see why homes at Avington are in demand. Open plan design, quality stone finishes and modern, sleek appliances create comfortable, low-maintenance resort-style living.
Don’t miss out. Book your tour today!
(03) 8400 0408 | avingtonliving.com.au
50 Saltwater Promenade, Point Cook
No Stamp Duty
No Exit Fees
No Hidden Costs 12882716-EA32-26
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 13
COMMENT
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Salvias a spring favourite If, like me, you’ve been sustained by the winter plant colours of acacias and port wine magnolia flowers, you are probably hankering after some spring colour in the gardens. In that case, what do we have to look forward to in the months ahead? Early delights include cherry blossoms, daffodils, jonquils and ranunculus. And don’t forget the long-lasting winter glow of camelias and hellebores. Come October, a flowering plant that can last from early spring until the cooler autumn weather is the Salvia plant. There are over 900 different Salvias. Salvias provide long-lasting flowers with plentiful bursts of colour and minty scented foliage. Salvias are resilient plants that grow in a wide range of conditions but prefer free draining soil, some organic matter, full sun and are drought-tolerant once established. The Salvia plant genus belongs to the mint family, scientifically known as Lamiaceae. A common Salvia most people are familiar with is sage, best enjoyed in a sage butter with pasta. Some specialised varieties, like Salvia dorisiana or specific shrubby types push their hot pink flowers from July through to October. Other Salvias that I would recommend growing in Melbourne include: Spurflower (Plectranthus sp.), Germander
NEWS
Sage is a popular ingredient in many dishes.
(Teucriumsp.), Coleus (Plectranthus sp. syn. Coleus sp.), Basil (Ocimum basilicum cv.) and Sage (Salvia officinalis). I love the purple varieties which include Salvia Rockin’ Deep Purple and and Salvia Mirage Deep Purple. Other features of Salvia plants are that they flower prolifically, attracting birds and bees. The flower colours range from pink, red, white, orange, yellow, blue, green and black. Of real benefit is that fact that they can often tolerate frost. A fun fact about this species is that it contains oils unappealing to rabbits – bonus! These plants can vary in height from 15cm to 3m. Salvias will benefit from pruning.
When it come to pruning, it is important to understand that are three main types of Salvia, and understanding which is which will mean greater success. These are (eg S.elegans and S.patens), also called shrubby (eg S. leucantha, S.greggii and S.chamaedryoides, S.coccinea and S.microphylla), and (eg S.nemarosa, and S. x superb). There are also small herbaceous types such as S.koyamae ‘Yamagata’ that die back completely. If you are interested in propagating your own Salvia plants, this works best by using vegetative cuttings rather than seed. Remove all but the top two leaves and place a stem of Salvia into a container directly into perlite
with soil around the outside. Continue to water and care for these cuttings until leaves start to populate the stems. Transplant into the garden when the plant has become more established. Some Salvias can be used in the home, in the kitchen or elsewhere. For example, White Sage (Salvia apiana) is traditionally used for smudge-sticks to cleanse a living space and Fruit Salad Sage (Salvia dorisiana) has edible, sweet and fragrant foliage that can be added to cakes and desserts. For further information about Salvias from passionate experts and home gardeners at the Victorian Saliva Study Group try: https://salvias.org.au
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors
30 years ago
20 years ago
15 years ago
10 years ago
2 October, 1996
3 October, 2006
4 October, 2011
4 October, 2016
Melton’s Thoroughbred International Marketing (TIM) network has signed a $26 million deal to supply the racing group, TeleTrak Victoria, with horses over the next five years.
Moorabool Council must plan carefully to retain the rural charm of Bacchus Marsh following the announcement of a multimillion-dollar development, Planning Minister Rob Hulls has warned.
Frustrated residents are urging Melton Council and the state government to tighten mini-bike laws and allow for bikes to be seized under hoon legislation.
The ‘thin blue line’ has been so stretched it’s only a matter of time before it snaps, the Police Association has warned as statistics reveal Melton’s crime rate increased by more than 20 per cent in one year.
14 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS
Party, party in Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh children got into the party spirit on Thursday 1 October, with a colourful morning of creativity and craft. Families dropped into the school holiday event to make their own party-themed creations, with children encouraged to let their imaginations run wild as they designed bright decorations, playful party accessories and keepsakes to take home. The
relaxed drop-in session gave youngsters of all ages the chance to get crafty, with plenty of colour, creativity and festive fun on offer. With scissors, craft materials and plenty of imagination on the table, Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski popped in and captured the Bacchus Marsh session, which proved that sometimes the best parties are the ones you can make yourself.
Satyam, 4. 579415 02
Robin, 4. 579415 01 Hadiya, 10. 579415 05
Nischay, 5. 579415 03
Hassan, 6. 579415 04
Leah, 3. 579415 06
Zarar, 8. 579415 07
Keeping up to date with your local news has never been so easy... Simply register today and get our latest news articles and Digital Editions in your inbox for FREE
Sent to your inbox every Tuesday 12665733-RR09-24
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 15
COMMUNITY
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication. Get West Moving Join Mt Atkinson Advocacy Forum, Sustainable Cities and Leakes Needs Lights at Get West Moving, taking place at the Thornhill Park Children’s and Community Centre on Saturday 17 October, from 12-4.30pm. Help shape the future of transport in Melbourne’s west and hear from state election candidates. Bring a neighbour, friend or family member - our voices are stronger together. ■ https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/ getwestmoving Flower and Garden Show Save the date for a local family event on the weekend of 24 and 25 October. Flowers, produce and photo competitions, plant sales, children’s activities and more! ■ https://www.bmflowershow.org/ Origami Club Discover the art of transforming simple paper into beautiful shapes and designs. A welcoming group to slow down and craft with others. The group meets fortnightly on Fridays from 10am – noon. ■ rebeccah@djerriwarrh.org Melton Sew Creative Group The Melton Sew Creative Group meets at the Arnolds Creek Community Centre every second Wednesday from 10am to 2pm. People can come along to socialise with like minded people for a chat whilst doing their own craft work over a cuppa. You can bring along your own machines and equipment to make something creative. Participants can learn from each other whilst making new friends in a relaxed setting at Arnolds Creek. ■ meltonsewcreative@gmail.com Zonta Club of Melton Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support women & girls in the Melton area. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton. Meetings include guest speakers, projects on the go and other social events. ■ Jane, 0447 291 049 or info@zontaclubofmelton.org.au Bacchus Marsh Philosophy Club Bacchus Marsh Philosophy Club is a welcoming discussion group exploring life’s big questions in a thoughtful, relaxed, and respectful way. No background in philosophy is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to listen, reflect, and share ideas. These facilitated sessions encourage people to think more deeply about topics that matter, hear a range of perspectives, and enjoy meaningful conversation in good company. They take place every second Saturday at the Lerderderg Library, 215 Main Street, 10am - 1pm. ■ Andy, 0498 549 177 andy@p4e.au, Hillside Probus Club Hillside Probus Club is currently open to new members. Membership is open to retired and semi-retired professional and businesspersons and others with a similar background. The group meets from 10.30am-12.30pm every first Thursday of the month at the Watergardens Hotel, 431 Kings Road Taylors Lakes. There are no upper or lower age limits and the club is
This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Mark Warner from Sunbury Model Railway Club. (Damjan Janevski) 580942 01
for men and women, couples and singles. ■ hillsideprobus@gmail.com Lawyer appointments Melton South Community Centre is offering free lawyer appointments for immigration, family law, or Justice of the Peace matters every Tuesday at 2.30 or 3.10pm. ■ 9747 8576, msccentr@bigpond.net.au North Western District Pipe Band The North Western District Pipe Band meets every week at the Diggers rest Bowling Club and are looking for any pipers or drummers out there retired or beginners for social play outs. ■ Hank, 0412 169 576 Volunteer with L2P Driving program Help a disadvantaged young person gain essential driving hours by becoming an L2P Volunteer Driving Mentor. A few hours a week can make a life changing difference. Full training and support provided, with the car and all expenses covered. ■ 8746 1000, L2P@djerriwarrh.org. Sewing in Melton If you love sewing, head on down to the Melton South Community Centre. Bring along your machine and materials and make new friends as you swap tips and work on your own projects. 9.30am–3pm every Tuesday. Each session costs $5. ■ 9747 8576 Melton South Community Singers Singers of all levels are welcome at the Melton South Community Singers. This free and friendly group meets at the Melton South Community Centre and
16 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
rehearses to perform at local venues and events. The group meets from 12.15-2pm on the first and third Tuesday of every month. ■ Sue, 0400 082 413 Community band The Greater Western Community Band meets every Thursday from 7.30-9.30pm. Located at the Bridge Road Community Centre, Strathtulloh (Melton South). The band is available for events. Brass, woodwind and percussion players are always welcome. ■ Sally Hamond, 0401474582 Lights of Wisdom The Bahá’ís of Moorabool invite you to Lights of Wisdom, a tranquil space to share the insights from the great spiritual traditions of mankind. Sessions are held at the Lerderderg Library, Bacchus Marsh, every first Friday of the month, 7.30pm. Entry is free. God, movie and chat A free community event is held every second Friday with a film with spiritual themes screening followed by a discussion. All thoughts are welcome. Tea, coffee, and popcorn are provided. The event is hosted at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Hall, 19a Gisborne Road, Bacchus March. ■ bacchusmarshanglican.org.au Probus Club of Melton Ladies The Probus Club of Melton Ladies meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am at the Melton Country Club. It is a social club where all ladies are welcome. ■ Glenda, 0418504616
Women Working Together A program connecting women aged 50 above in need of assistance, with mentors and mentees. Open to women across the western suburbs, including Melton. ■ 9655 2131, or EmploymentSupport@ cotavic.org.au Melton Over 50s Social Group Join a friendly group of people aged 50 and older who enjoy each other’s company while attending events such as dinners, shows, dancing, cinemas and more. If you live in the Melton area and would like to meet new friends, in a welcoming group environment, this is for you. ■ Marlene, 0498 329 290 Rose carers of Maddingley Park The group meets every Wednesday from 10am-noon at the Commemorative Rose Garden, Maddingley Park on the corner of Taverner Street and Grant Streets, Bacchus Marsh. They maintain the two rose gardens at the park. Volunteers are welcome and no experience is necessary to join. ■ Elaine, 0400 052 857 or Judy, 0428 463 538 Bacchus Marsh Ladies Probus Club Bacchus Marsh Ladies Probus Club Meet on the first Thursday of every month from 10am-noon at the Avenue Bowling Club on 254 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh. ■ Krystyna, bacchusmarshladiesprobus@ gmail.com Melton Combined Probus Club The Melton Probus Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Melton Dart Club, 63a Reserve Road, from 9.45am. ■ 9746 0271
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
ENTERTAINMENT
A day of fun by the river The Lauriston community is invited to a special family and cultural day on the Coliban River to celebrate the waterway and find out more about the project to restore it. The Coliban River Gathering Day will be held at Lauriston Common on Friday, 9 October, hosted by the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA), Coliban Water and North Central Catchment Management Authority (North Central CMA). The common is the site of the current
restoration work under the A Healthy Coliban Catchment (AHCC) project, a community-backed plan to restore and protect key sections of the waterway. “We’d love to see locals, visitors, farmers, community and their families join in the activities, lunch and river walk,” project manager Tess Grieves said. “It will be a relaxed celebration of the river and the people who make it special. “There will be interactive turtle and native fish displays, a barbecue, information displays, a lovely river walk, and we’ll also
have a community clean-up of the site for those who want to get involved.” Now in its ninth year, AHCC is a partnership between Coliban Water, North Central Catchment Management Authority, DJAARA, local councils and local communities. AHCC works to revegetate and fence stream banks, remove weeds, and build off-stream watering systems for landholders along waterways throughout the Upper Coliban River catchment. The catchment is home to significant
numbers of threatened plants and animals and is a key social, cultural, and economic asset for the region. It’s also home to three water storages – Malmsbury, Lauriston, and Upper Coliban – that supply raw water for drinking purposes to more than 130,000 people, including the towns of Trentham, Tylden, Bendigo, Kyneton, and Castlemaine. The event will run from 10.30am-2.30pm, with registrations open now. Details: colibanrivergatheringday. eventbrite.com.au
Delight for green thumbs
A play for all ages Cast members from the new intergenerational play, Prime Time, which will be performed at The Substation in Newport from 14-17 October. (Supplied)
Many events and festivals claim to have something on offer for all ages merely as a marketing ploy. But when it comes to this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival that might actually be the case, at least as far as a show being performed at The Substation in Newport is concerned. Billed as a celebration of life in all its stages, Prime Time is a show that interrogates the relationship between age, power, visibility, and value. And given that it features cast members aged between 5 and 93, it’s very well
placed to do so. Produced by independent Melbourne theatre company Born In a Taxi and directed by Penny Baron, Prime Time challenges assumptions and expectations about age and ageing and forges new dialogues across generations through shared stories, perspectives, dance and sound. Oaka Scully, Florence Bertoli ,Gilly Wright, Rhinestone Desbois, Natasha Mohamed and Corey Saylor-Brunskill are among the 14-strong cast which will perform the show from 14–17 October,
with a preview showing on the 14th, opening night on the 15th and a closing matinee show on the afternoon of the 17th. The Wednesday evening preview begins at 6pm, the Thursday and Friday night performances are at 6.30pm and the Saturday afternoon matinee starts at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now, with concessions for Hobsons Bay locals and First Nations peoples. For more information and to book, go to: https://thesubstation.org.au/program/ prime-time
Spring will be in full bloom when the annual Bacchus Marsh Flower and Garden Show returns to the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall in October. The much-loved community event is set to bring together gardeners, growers, creatives, and families for a weekend celebrating the colour, fragrance, and produce of the region. Visitors can wander through a vibrant display of competition entries, with sections dedicated to roses, cut flowers, floral art, Australian natives, pot plants, and garden produce. Green thumbs will also have the chance to show off their talents in the jams and preserves categories. For those possessing a creative streak, the show will offer plenty for visitors to enjoy, with stalls run by local not-for-profit organisations, free face painting, and balloon twisting for children. Devonshire tea will also be available, giving the perfect opportunity to take a break and soak up all the atmosphere. Green-minded visitors can also take a piece of the show home with them, with plants available to purchase throughout the weekend at the show’s plant stall. Organisers are inviting the community to come along and experience the sights and smells of spring gathered all under one roof at the historic public hall. The show runs from noon to 4pm on Saturday 25 October and 10am to 4pm on Sunday 26 October, with admission costing $5 for those aged over 15. Details: https://www. bmflowershow.org/.
Eagles cover band takes fundraising ‘to the limit’ Australian cover band The Eagles Story will hold a special “one off” event at the Keilor Sports Club from 4pm on Sunday 18 October to support the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The band was inspired in its fundraising quest by keyboardist and guitarist Norm McNaughton, a cancer survivor. “At the beginning of last year I was diagnosed with throat cancer. It was all a bit of a shock,” McNaughton said. After seven weeks of treatment and a long recovery, McNaughton wanted to help others, pledging to raise a minimum of $10,000 for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. “It was a way of giving something back to
The Eagles Story, live in concert. (Supplied).
the facility that treated me so well.” The afternoon of Eagles’ classics will help the fundraising effort. Keilor Sports Club will put on a barbecue while the band
performs two sets of Eagles’ hits. Whether its the mellow country tunes of Take It Easy, Tequila Sunrise and Peaceful Easy Feeling, the rock ragers of Hotel California and Witchy Woman or tender love ballads of Take It To The Limit and Desperado, this group has something for every classic rock fan. “The Keilor Sports Club is an important part of the local community and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is a world class facility,“ McNaughton said. Doors open at 4pm with the show kicking off at 5pm. Tickets are selling fast. See the link for more details: https://www.trybooking. com/events/landing/1598867.
This year’s annual Bacchus Marsh Flower and Garden Show will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October at the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 361628_04
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 17
SECTION
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
networkclassifieds.com.au networkclassifieds.com.au General Classifieds
Trades & Services DEADLINE
ADULT SERVICES
TRADES BUSINESS PROFILE
Placing your classified advert is so easy...
Rainbow Club
TRADES & SERVICES
VISA/MASTERCARD/EFTPOS (1.5% credit card processing fee applies. Cheques and money orders can be posted in or hand delivered to our local office)
ANTENNAS
BATHROOM & KITCHENS
POSITIONS VACANT
Free Quotes
CHOOSE YOUR
www.topedgekitchen
E R U T U F
s.com.au
Showroom by appointment only We specialise in full bathroom & kitchen renovations WE DO NOT DO REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE T & C’s apply
Free Quotes
www.topedgekitchens.com.au
BRICKLAYERS
FENCING & GATES
REBLOCKING/UNDERPINNING
Lou’s Colorbond Fencing Gates & Pergolas Lou 0412 339 445 Tony 0431 339 739
Yates and Son Fencing and Decking 12853324-RV12-26
AK BRICKLAYING
Don’t settle for ordinary. Earn while you learn.
MEMBER OF MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
All types of Fencing, Gates and Decking Est. 15 years - Free quote - Pensioner discounts
Call Phil 0433 880 368
12402755-RA44-18
12831318-KF01-26
Employment
12843700-CV06-26
• One stop shop - Kitchen, bathroom, laundries & renovation needs. • Complete service from start to finish, including kitchen 3D design. • Appliance packages available. • Mobile Ensuite Available • Bathroom tapware, accessories & tiles on display in our showroom.
All Types of Bricklaying Restoration Work • Brick Fences • Repair Work
• One stop shop - Kit • Complete service frochen, bathroom, laundries & renovation needs. • Appliance packages m start to finish, including kitchen 3D des ign. • Bathroom tapware, available. • Mobile Ensuite Available accessories & tiles on display in our showro om. Showroom by appointment only We specialise in ful l bathroom & kitchen renovatio WE DO NOT DO REPA IRS & MAINTENANCE ns 8348 5441 T & C’s apply
Female 55 years old. Seeking a healthy male under 65 who does not smoke or drink contact 0475 300 960
“We have advertised with the Star Weekly for many years and have always found it effective for our business” - Christine
ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE Anyone advertising a puppy, dog, kitten or cat in Victoria for sale or re-homing will need a source number from the Pet Exchange Register and a microchip identification number. It is now an offence to advertise unless the source number and microchip identification number is included in the advertisement or notice. For further information, call 136 186 or visit animalwelfare.vic.gov.au
LOOKING FOR PARTNER
Call 1300 666 808
Kitchens & Bathroom Renovations
8348 5441
Kitchens & Bathroom Renovations
Reg No 8659
NICK’S RE-BLOCKING SERVICE
ALL SUBURBS ★ RAISING ★ LEVELLING ★ UNDERPINNING ★ RESTUMPING WITH CONCRETE OR REDGUM STUMPS ★ COUNCIL PERMIT ★ ALL WORK GUARANTEED
Start your career in automotive TODAY.
FREE SMOKE ALARM
12688958-KG20-24
0488 816 557
12619650-JB29-23
SAME DAY TV ANTENNA SERVICE
Speak to our classified team and find out how easy it is to advertise. Start building your brand today and be seen every week in Network Classifieds Trades and Services.
12831318-KF01-26
12435708-LB03-20
Deadline for all classifications is 1:30pm Monday.
PETS & SERVICES
PERSONAL
From plumbers to pest control, carpet cleaning to building services, dry cleaning to computer repairs, lawn mowing and more, Network Classifieds has been connecting local businesses with the local community with our Trades and Services each week.
Ask about our discounted ongoing advertising rates and how choosing more newspapers gives your advertising more impact and saves you money...
FAST FRIENDLY EFFICIENT Phone 7am-8pm | installmyantenna.com.au
48 Davies Avenue, Sunshine North 0468 693 833
12423634-SN31-19
We accept payment by:
sexual services.
Open 7 days SWA6566B
Grow your business with
(include your name, address and phone number)
ADVERTISERS, in this sec-
$110/ tion are qualified practi30mins tioners and offer non-
12652832-AI48-23
Online: networkclassifieds.com.au (24/7) Phone: 1300 666 808 (Open 8.30-5pm Mon-Fri) Email: sales@networkclassifieds.com.au
• 40 Years Family FR Owned & Operated QUO EE TES • 25 Year Warranty • Senior/Pensioner Discount #1 in MELTON
MASSAGE THERAPISTS
PH: 9360 5357 Mobile: 0412 378 193
APPLY
Registered Building Practitioner
NOW
G6795050AA-dc29Apr 1132314-LB19-14
ROOFING autoapprenticeships.com.au
Contact Adam 0422 250 675
12906375-MS41-26
GARDEN SERVICES General Classifieds
NATHAN FENECH CONCRETING
• Roof Repairs & Replacement • Gutter Repairs & Replacement • Fascia & Eave Repair & Replacement • Tile Roof Restoration
Call Joe 0498 375 094 - 7 days
12629487-MS35-23
Residential - Commercial - Industrial
9702 4952
Specialise in: Kitchens, vanities, laundries, wardrobes, storages. Showroom: 4 Henderson St, North Sunshine (03) 9191 6548 0423 595 388 sales@lnkitchens.com.au
THINKING ABOUT SOLAR?
12901604-GC40-26
GET UP TO
REC No. 36825
18 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
MELTON TREE & STUMP REMOVALS “Your Local Tree & Stump Removalist” • Fully Insured Tree Lopping • Mulching & Stump Grinding
12621309-AP29-23
Free measure, design and quote.
ELECTRICIANS
TOWARDS SOLAR Eligible Victorian households may qualify for the Solar CALL NOW Homes rebate 0430 951 007
KITCHENS
Motoring
TREE LOPPING/SURGERY
FREE QUOTES Mobile: 0478 129 330 | ABN. 43462185813
$ 1,400
• All Metal Roofing • Architectural Cladding • Senior Discounts • Family Business
12 - Year Warranty Open 24/7 Free Inspections
12886893-KF30-26
All • Footings • Slabs • Foundations • Permeable Concrete • Concrete Paving • Concrete Restorations NO JOB TOO SMALL!
section of Network Classifieds.
‘It’s All In The Name’
Andrew for a Free Quote 0421 836 152
sales@networkclassifieds.com.au
1300 666 808
WANTED TO BUY
WRECKING
CARS WANTED
FREE CAR REMOVAL
$$$$ Paid. Buying all years and models Call 0455 776 443 LMCT 12395
Pay up to $500 for most cars Dead or Alive
12321532-HM36-16
CONCRETE PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Specialist in • Lawn mowing • Edging Pruning / Hedge Trimming • Regular Maintenance • Rubbish Removals • Tree Lopping • Gutter Cleaning
12890647-AD33-26
AMAZING GARDEN SERVICES
section of Network Classifieds.
12681352-MS15-24
Employment
LMCT 10268W
Find it in the
7 days a week service Call Gus for a free quotation on
Celebrations
0435 904 818
section of Network Classifieds.
NEED WORK
LOCALLY?
202530001-KF29-25
SPORTS QUIZ 1. Who is the current coach of the Wallabies? 2. Including this year, how many times have the Dockers reached the AFL grand final?
3. Collingwood player Nick Daicos was awarded the 2026 Brownlow Medal with a record number of how many votes? 4. What are the surnames of the Australian and English Ians involved in a bitter, decades-long cricket feud? 5. How old is Arsenal’s Max Dowman, the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history? 6. Aussie musician G Flip played which three instruments during their pre-game performance at the AFL Grand Final? 7. Which two soccer players were joint recipients of the one-off FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000?
G Flip
12. And aside from a lucrative contract, why else is he leaving the NRL? 13. Which Wallabies player scored two tries in two minutes against South Africa in September? 14. What two teams compete in tennis’ Laver Cup? 15. And which team won the Laver Cup this year? 16. Since 2020, how many NRL grand finals have the Penrith Panthers played in? 17. And up until 2019, how many grand finals had Penrith played since the NRL was formed?
8. What name is Fremantle’s viral post-goal celebration known by?
18. Who recently became the second batter, after Sachin Tendulkar, to reach 15,000 ODI runs?
9. Sydney’s AFL and NRL teams are both named after what?
19. The Wallabies managed to defeat South Africa despite only having as little as how many players?
10. And until 2020 when the AFL team logo was changed, both teams’ branding contained imagery of what structure?
Max Dowman
20. Which Penrith Panthers player suffered a serious leg injury in a 2026 preliminary inal?
21. How many points did the Brisbane Lions win the 2026 AFL grand final by? 22. And who won the 2026 Norm Smith Medal in that match? 23. What ladder position did NRL grand finalist Newcastle Knights finish at the conclusion of the 2026 Premiership season? 24. Which NRL captain switched his international rugby league allegiance from Australia to New Zealand this year? 25. Mike Baird recently quit as the chair of which Australian sporting body?
27. A Minnesota college football coach recently rubbed what substance on his face during a game? 28. Ireland’s players refused to shake the hands of players from which country during a 2026 UEFA Nations League match? 29. Which English Premier League club was recently charged with financial breaches? 30. NBA star Jalen Brunson recently hosted an episode of which longrunning sketch comedy show?
26. Talia Gibson is the current top ranked Australian woman in what sport?
Place Your Classified Ads Online Your advert will appear in print and online!
12536910-CG08-22
1. Les Kiss 2. Two 3. 47 4. Chappell and Botham 5. 16 6. Drums, guitar and saxophone 7. Diego Maradona and Pelé 8. Wharfie Time 9. Birds (Swans, Roosters) 10. Sydney Opera House 11. Saitama Wild Knights (Japan) 12. For Rugby World Cup 2027 selection eligibility 13. Len Ikitau 14. Team Europe vs Team World 15. Team Europe 16. Five 17. One 18. Virat Kohli 19. 11 20. Nathan Cleary 21. Seven 22. Shai Bolton 23. Seventh 24. Kalyn Ponga 25. Cricket Australia 26. Tennis 27. Blood 28. Israel 29. Manchester City 30. Saturday Night Live
0910
11. Mark Nawaqanitawase is leaving the Sydney Roosters to join which club?
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 19
PUZZLES ACROSS
easy
6 2 5 7 1 4 1 5 5 8 1 2 6 5 4 1 7 6 4 9 1 9 3 2 5 6 4 7 6 3 9 1 medium
4
5
5 9 3
2
5 1 2 3 1
6 6 4 7 3 2 6
1 4
15 18 20 21 23 26 27 28 29
15
22
25
R
4 15
10
2
9
1 5 4 5 7
9 3 4 6
3
2
9
13
12
7 3
Pontiff (4) Disputed Spanish region (9) Ancient Roman aristocrat (9) Bygone (5) Feudal Japanese warrior (7) Boredom (5) Preceding day (9) Individual from Belgrade, say (4) Written declaration under oath (9) Father, as head of family (9) Travelling (2,7) Latter part of the day (7) Rundown (5) Musical drama (5) Data (coll) (4) Shortened form of boulevard (4)
1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 14 16 17 19 22 23 24 25
21
12
2
22
13
26
22
1
19
26
R
3
N
24
R
4
4
2
4
14
26
N
12
12 16
26
12
22
1
2
N
10
23
26
N
25
R
12
18
22 2
25
R
15
4 23
22
20
R
2 4
22
25
26
2
R
26 15
8
N
12
N
17
4
21
22
6
6
22
24
4
25
4
1
1
9
18
6
22
15
4
13
5 11
19
25
22
23 5
4
12
3
3
24
13
12 9
N
25
18
3
4
15
4
N
4 24
No. 342 4
16
26
25
2 1
22
12
10
hard
15
5
12
15
3
6
10
4
4
15
10
4
5
15
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
R
R N
W S K Q U B J F A O Y R N 18
19 6
20 7
21 8
22 9
23 10
24 11
25 12
26 13
3 6 2 5 7 1 8 4 9 9 7 1 8 2 4 3 5 6 5 8 4 3 9 6 1 2 7 1 2 7 6 5 8 4 9 3 4 9 5 1 3 7 2 6 8 8 3 6 2 4 9 5 7 1 6 1 9 4 8 5 7 3 2 7 5 3 9 1 2 6 8 4 2 4 8 7 6 3 9 1 5
8 7 2 3 4 9 5 1 6 1 5 9 8 6 2 3 4 7 3 4 6 5 7 1 9 8 2 4 6 1 2 5 3 7 9 8 9 8 3 7 1 4 6 2 5 5 2 7 9 8 6 4 3 1 6 9 8 4 2 7 1 5 3 7 3 5 1 9 8 2 6 4 2 1 4 6 3 5 8 7 9
R
Today’s Aim: 14 words: Good 21 words: Very good 28 words: Excellent
P
A
E
N I
No. 417 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down. NOTE: more than one solution may be possible
E S
20 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
T E S T S R E C A P A R O M A S I R E N H E E D S
O
G
I
F
elfin, feign, fern, filing, fine, finer, finger, firing, fling, fringe, genii, glen, grin, infer, lien, line, liner, linger, PILFERING, piling, pine, ping, reign, rein, rifling, riling, ring, ripen
2 7 5 9 4 8 3 1 6 3 6 9 2 7 1 5 4 8 8 1 4 3 6 5 2 7 9 5 9 7 4 1 3 6 8 2 4 8 3 6 2 7 9 5 1 6 2 1 5 8 9 4 3 7 7 4 2 1 3 6 8 9 5 9 3 8 7 5 2 1 6 4 1 5 6 8 9 4 7 2 3
S A
E
5
S
I
4
Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in 's'.
L
Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com
H
17
9-LETTER WORD
hard
E
3
medium
A
16
3
2
4
T
15
D G C E M L Z V X T P I H
1
3
4
5
10
6
7
8
11
12
13
14
15
18
16
17
19
21
22
20
23
24 25 27
26
28
29
WORDFIT 3 LETTERS ACT AGE AIL ALL ASK ASS EAR EAT EBB EEL FLU IFS INS ION KEG LAD LEE LET NEE OHS ONE PEA TAG TEE
ANNEX ARENA CAROL CHIPS EDGES ELDER ELUDE ERASE FIRST GLEAM HARSH HERDS IDLER IMAGE INLET LOATH MATTE NEEDS NESTS NOISE PALED PAPAS PEACE
4 LETTERS ADDS ARMS ASKS FLUX GENE GIGS MASS NOTE ODDS SCAB SETS SIPS SKIS THEE 5 LETTERS ABLER AIRED AMBER AMUSE
QUICK QUIZ
No. 310
T H E E
1
6
easy
5x5
14
4 1 3 8 5
2 9
DECODER
10
9
2 6 7
7 2
13 14
1
DOWN
Strike with the beak (4) Furniture covering (10) Long-suffering (7) Requirements (7) Ancient Roman lower classman (8) Elevate (5) Adolescent skin problem (4) Made easy (10) Brotherhood (10) Abide (4) Mournful song (5) Fresh (8) Inocculation (7) Turndown (7) Study of surface features (10) Ladies’ man (4)
1 3 10 11 12
No. 310
PIANO RAILS RATIO REIGN RENEW ROMPS SAUNA SECTS SHIES SLANT SLEWS SLING SOARS STAMP STARS STATE STEAK STEMS STINT TENET THESE TRITE UNTIE
6 LETTERS HIKERS MISSES ORDEAL SERIAL
8 LETTERS ESTIMATE RECOURSE STRADDLE TONNAGES
7 LETTERS ALARMED BLUNDER CREATES HAPPIER HASSLES RANSOMS
09-10-26
1
Which historic building was originally known as the Cappella Magna?
2
Heath Ledger (pictured) starred in Brokeback Mountain with which other lead actor?
3
How many stars are on the flag of the Solomon Islands?
4
Which song from the movie Barbie won the Academy Award for Best Original Song?
5
The Red Wings are an NHL team from which city?
6
Who led the First Fleet?
7
In which year did the Chernobyl disaster happen?
8
What is written on the poster that Mulder has up in his office in The X-Files?
9
And what object is also depicted on it?
10 Which instrument closely resembles a fiddle? ANSWERS: 1. The Sistine Chapel 2. Jake Gyllenhaal 3. Five 4. What Was I Made For? 5. Detroit 6. Captain Arthur Phillip 7. 1986 8. I Want To Believe 9. A UFO 10. Violin
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
P A P A S S O A R S M A T T E I M A G E I N L E T A I R E D A B L E R P E A C E S L I N G I F S R O M P S T E E N E E O R D E A L A M U S E S E T S B L U N D E R A C T S C A B O D D S H A R S H E A R S K I S E S T I M A T E H A P P I E R C R E A T E S T O N N A G E S G I G S L A D S L A N T T H E E A S K S E E L R A N S O M S F L U X E R A S E H I K E R S I O N N E E D S A S S L E T I D L E R S A U N A R A T I O S T I N T G L E A M E L D E R N E S T S S L E W S T H E S E
No. 310
P E C K U P H O L S T E R Y O A S A L A N E P A T I E N T D E M A N D S A R R E U U T E P L E B E I A N R A I S E O C A R S I M P L I F I E D A C N E F I A A N A S T A Y F R A T E R N I T Y V R R I D I R G E O R I G I N A L A E N P A N N B R E F U S A L V A C C I N E I A N R C O I V T O P O G R A P H Y S T U D
SUDOKU
Potential to be a winner By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring How about that grille heh? It’s the GAC M8 (mate, get it?) and it shouts look at me! The vertically-ribbed grille brings sparks memories of the so-called ‘cow catchers’ they used to fit to trains. The idea was to lift and push obstacles out of the way rather than slice and dice them in the case of an unfortunate cow. Perhaps that’s GAC’s plan for the M8, billed as Australia’s only plug-in hybrid people mover – to push the competition out of the way? Those competitors include but are not limited to the Denza D9, Kia Carnival, Lexus LM and Zeekr 09. The Carnival has been around longer than any of them and pretty much owns this segment of the market. All of them come as hybrids, but not as a plug-in hybrid and that makes GAC believe the M8 has the potential to become a genuine automotive ‘disruptor’ – for business users and families alike. For those not familiar with the brand, the Chinese state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group is the fifth largest auto maker in China, with 1.74 million sales last year.
Styling M8 seats seven in a 2+2+3 configuration that includes two separate captain’s style armchairs for the second row. It comes in two grades: Premium priced from $76,590, and Luxury from $83,590 – both figures before onroad costs. Okay, so the styling is a bit over the top. Well, quite a lot really, but it will appeal to some punters and there’s a growing demand for these flashy super wagons. Make no mistake, the M8 is a luxury vehicle, trimmed to a high standard in half-aniline leather, with 10-point air pump massage chairs, leg rests with four-way adjustment, heating and ventilation, personal USB charge ports and a 58-degree rear recline angle. Getting the picture? Those phones you see on the arms of the captain’s chairs aren’t really phones, but small individual control panels for making fine seat adjustments with a tap of a finger. The two armchairs are the highlight of the experience, deep and genuinely comfy, and had us contemplating pinching one for the loungeroom at home. The second and third rows feature the latest i-Size standard in child seat restraint compatibility whatever that is? There’s also ‘draft free’ air-conditioning, ensuring the cabin temperature is kept where you want it, without blowing air directly on any passengers. Further enhancing the ambience are 10 different sorts of noise-reduction to keep things library-quiet. They include 108 sound-insulation panels, acoustic soundproof glass and 20 cavity partitions that block wind noise transmission and noise cancelling technology that actively reduces interior noise by 4dB. They reckon 30 rounds of optimisation were conducted to ?nalise the design of the A-pillars and side mirrors, a prime source cabin noise. Storage, important when you’re catering to needs of seven people, sees 15 hooks, 15 storage boxes and 14 cup holders scattered throughout the cabin, with privacy screens and drop-down tray tables for second row passengers. The lower console tray is expansive. The short but deep boot offers 280 litres of capacity with all seats in use, expanding
remained open, the car allowed us to move off Looks: 7.5 without any warning. Performance: 7.5 The engine both powers the battery and Safety: 6 drives the front wheels Thirst: 7.5 as required. Practicality: 8 With no charge however performance Comfort: 8 will take a big dent. Tech: 7 The dash from Value: 8 0-100km/h takes 8.8 seconds while claimed Overall: 7.4 fuel consumption is 6.1L/100km in hybrid mode. Combined range is 1032km, while all-electric range is 106km. The battery can be charged at a rate of up to 6.6kW AC or 35kW using a fast DC charger, the latter providing a zero to 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes. For a people mover, performance is surprisingly strong. Fun, even. It accelerates sharply and smoothly, with an emphasis on smoothly – thanks to the lift from the electric motors. Lexus watch out. But, frustratingly, there is some initial hesitation and rather than put the boot in, some experimentation revealed a quicker response with a lighter foot. Pushing hard through corners, not that you’d do that with the fam aboard, it remains reasonably flat and controlled thanks to a low centre of gravity. Only accelerating hard out of a second gear left-hander did the rear wheels begin to show some movement – remember it is front-wheel drive after all. There’s a lot to like about this car. The glittering gearshift with its round faceted piece of plastic adornment threw us a couple of curve balls too. Said jewel rotates and on more than one occasion swiping at the shift resulted in our hand sliding across its surface and off again. You also need to watch out when switching quickly between forward and reverse during three-point turns, because sometimes it did not produce the desired result – instead the car continued to move backwards instead of forward. Whoops! Mind you it has 12 – yes, count them 12 – parking sensors as well as automatic parking and rear auto braking, so the chances of actually hitting something are slim. Riding on 18-inch aluminium wheels with 225/60 profile Michelin e-Primacy tyres, electromagnetic dampers smooth out the bumps. While adaptive dynamic control adjusts throttle sensitivity to limit both lateral and vertical movement during turns and varying speeds, keeping the vehicle balanced and composed. A word of warning because the front apron is very low and you should keep this in mind at all times when approaching dips and driveways and so forth. We were getting 6.3L/100km and 3.4 kWh/100km after close to 400km of mixed driving. RATINGS
No car is perfect but the M8 has got the potential to be a real winner for GAC. (Pictures: Supplied)
to 1500 litres with the third row tumbled (they don’t pack flat). It sounds more like the level of engineering that goes into building a Bentley rather than a modest $80K Chinese people mover. M8 is covered by a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with another eightyear/200,000km coverage for the high voltage battery. Customers will also beneit from five-year complimentary roadside assistance.
Infotainment We were expecting a large-to-very-large, free-standing touchscreen, but instead it’s a modest, 10.1-inch screen that is inset in the dash like they all used to be once upon a time. It looks larger than it actually is because it blends with its piano black surrounds, with touch sensitive controls either side for volume and fan speed. The graphics are bright and clear with rich colours. There’s AM and FM radio and support for Bluetooth audio streaming, as well as wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. But surprisingly there’s no digital radio and no satellite navigation, although these days we tend to head straight for Android Auto (maybe it’s changing cars all the time). Sound comes from a premium eight-speaker Yamaha audio system which does a credible job. The sound is very clean but there does not appear to be any way to add bass or treble. A quick audit revealed a single wireless phone charger in front and a mix of eight USB A + C ports, along with 12-volt and 240-volt outlets.
Safety M8 has not been tested for safety by ANCAP but boasts an extensive list of active and passive safety systems, with seven airbags including an industry leading 3.2m side curtain airbag plus unique rear window airbag to protect occupants in a rear-ender. There’s a 360-degree camera, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking and forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise
control with stop-go, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, rear car approach warning, door open warning and emergency lane-keeping. Head-up display, however, is missing and that is out of step with the rest of the car.
Engines/transmissions Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, together with a pair of electric motors and 26 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Combined output is 274kW of power and 630Nm of torque, with drive to the front wheels through a dedicated, two-speed hybrid transmission.
Driving M8 is a large vehicle and it needs to be, to accommodate seven people, at more than 5.2 metres in length, with a 3070mm wheelbase. The boxy design with the wheels pushed out to the four corners is more practical than it looks because it maximises the amount of interior space available. Sitting lower to the ground a people mover is much easier to get in and out of and more comfortable to travel in than an SUV. Dressed in black our test vehicle looks ready for its next shift as a hire car or corporate shuttle, but the opulence appears to have its limitations. That black by the way is a $1200 option (white is free). A detailed examination revealed an unexpected amount of generic plastic, but not where you can see it and this certainly increases the closer you get to the back. By the time you reach the boot, it looks and feels just like any car. The sliding, electric side doors could be a bit slow for some people and access to the all-important third row is a squeeze between the two middle seats. But it’s worth the visit because they’re actually large enough to accommodate real adults and quite comfortable into the bargain, not so much for three but two occupants is fine. Of note, although one of the sliders
Summing up Wow. No car is perfect but the M8 has got the potential to be a real winner for GAC. Not only does it look and feel a million bucks, but performs way better than you might expect. It’s comfy, nice to drive with strong performance and the ride quality is good even on secondary roads – and it doesn’t use much fuel. For long distance jumps it could be just the ticket.
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 21
SPORT
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Lamanna’s Sharks challenge By Tara Murray New Hillside women’s coach Ange Lamanna is excited for the challenge ahead at the Essendon District Football League premier division club. Lamanna has been named the Sharks new coach, with Nando Adorno named as his assistant coach. Lamanna brings more than 17 years coaching experience, including guiding Diamond Creek women’s to a Northern Football League women’s division 1 premiership in 2025. “I always wanted to get back to being involved in women’s football,” Lamanna said. “I was at Diamond Creek a couple of
years ago and really enjoyed it. “I wanted to coach a side in the EDFL premier division as it is such a strong league.” Lamanna’s not a stranger to the EDFL having coached Hadfield in the division 2 competition in 2023. He has also been men’s coach at Lalor and Eley Park, and has won premierships at Olinda Ferny Creek, worked in development at the Casey Demons and served as interleague coach with the Eastern Football League. Lamanna said there were a few things that attracted him to the Hillside role. “They were still very competitive in the losses,” he said. “That’s what I was looking at. They’ve got
some depth as well. “You look that their reserves won the premiership and the under-19s were competitive in their division. “In football having numbers across seniors, reserves and juniors is such a key. Having looked internally for coaches in recent times, Lamanna is an outsider that has been appointed to the role. Lamanna said he loves a challenge. He said retention of the playing group was the biggest thing going forward. “We’ll try and build on that,” he said. “We want to try and strengthen up parts in certain positions,” he said. “We want to retain as many players as possible and we’ll have a new brand of footy
that will be competitive. “We want to be an exciting team and play an exciting brand of football. We will be a different team and play a fast brand of football and be hard to play against.” Adorno also brings an extensive coaching career spanning 15 years across various age groups at Point Cook, along with strong talent pathway experience. In 2026, he was the senior men’s assistant at Newport. The club will have a meet the coach night, with Lamanna said they would start to plan what they wanted to get out of 2027. The come and try night will be at the Sporting Globe Watergardens on 7 October at 6.30pm.
Sports shorts Western FL Caroline Springs has announced two more new signings for next year’s Western Football League division 1 season. Having already announced the signing of Jake Galea, the Lakers are adding Josh Klaromenos and Charlie Rossetti to the side for next year. “Joining us from St Albans FC (Football Club) Josh brings a wealth of leadership experience to our young squad,” the Lakers said. “Having played over 100 senior games with further experience at Western Jets and VFL (Victorian Football League) level, we’re excited to see what Josh will bring to the Lakers next year. “Charlie joins us from Macedon FC (Football Club) where he was named in the RDFL (Riddell District Football League) team of the year for both 2025 and 2026, as well as claiming the Macedon best and fairest medal in 2025. A ruckman with the ability to hit the scoreboard, Charlie holds an impressive RDFL record of 121 hitouts in a single game.”
Ballarat FL
Jake Miller, Griffin Barker and Nate Jenkins. (Ljubica Vrankovic)
Tasmanian Devils announce first players By Tara Murray Western Jets’ pair Jake Miller and Griffin Barker, along with Calder Cannons’ Nate Jenkins are among the inaugural players selected for the Tasmania Devils’ AFL team. The Devils announced their first eight players on Tuesday night, ahead of the Devils introduction to the competition in 2028. Under list concessions granted by the AFL, the Devils were allowed to pre-list up to 12 potential draft picks over the next two seasons. The first group was chosen after careful consideration from the club’s list management, recruiting, and coaching team. West Australian Axel Walsh was the first signing announced, with Miller the second player taken. Miller made the All-Australian squad as a bottom age player this year, after kicking five goals in three games for Vic Metro this year. He was also named at centre half forward in the Talent League team of the year. After his All-Australian selection, Miller told Star Weekly his goal was to just play one game this season for Vic Metro. “I didn’t really expect to play three games but I felt like a bit of reward for my
effort in the pre-season and the work that I put in before the champs started. “It was awesome. The whole carnival and eight weeks before the lead up to the champ games and all the training was special and the coaches have been awesome for me.” Barker, who like Miller comes from Yarraville-Seddon, was also selected by Tasmania. The midfielder was described by the Devils as a powerful, line-breaking midfielder who has established himself as a threat both on the wing and through the midfield. “His combination of speed, agility and ability to fend off opponents makes him one of the more exciting midfield prospects in his age group.” Jenkins will add to the young forward talent for the Devils after being selected. The Pascoe Vale player was the last of the seven 17-year-olds selected with Tasmanian Hugh McCallum, who is in his draft year, also selected. The Devils said that Jenkins is a highly talented and athletic key forward, who has shown consistent improvement throughout 2026. “His agility and evasiveness with ball in hand rival those of most midfielders in his
22 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
age group,” the Devils said. “His penetrating field-kicking and strong endurance base will see him begin his journey as a key forward, although he possesses the traits to impact the game across all thirds of the ground.” Devils’ coach Ken Hinkley spoke glowingly of the talent joining his first AFL squad and will work closely alongside the club’s head of development Nigel Lappin, and head of academy Matthew Knights to prepare the group for 2028. “Tonight is a very special evening, and it’s a proud moment to welcome our first group of Tasmania Devils players to our state,” said Hinkley. “I am excited to be working with such a talented group of young footballers, all of who have tremendous skill sets and AFL attributes already. “It will be great to share this moment with their families. “The build of our list is a significant focus for the club and tonight is another great step forward as we move toward 2028.” All pre-listed players will move to the state later in November and begin their preparation for their AFL debut in 2028 with individualised training programs and plans in 2027.
Bacchus Marsh has signed Cameron Kizan for next year’s Ballarat Football League season. “A Western Jets graduate, Cam represented Vic Metro in the 2022 under-18 National Championships before joining Footscray’s VFL (Victorian Football League) program and making his VFL debut in 2024. “Cam’s speed and athleticism have seen him establish himself as one of the premier rebound defenders in the WFNL (Western Football Netball League) this season. He can take a hanger and swing into the midfield with great effect.”
Talent League Lachlan Hicks and Jacinta Eteuati have claimed the Western Jets Talent League best and fairest awards. Hicks won the boys ahead of Khaled El Souki and Kobe Williams, while Eteuati pipped Addison West and Leilani Petaia.
American Football Melton Wolves got their second win of the American Football Victoria season on Saturday. The Wolves came away with a 14-12 against the Northern Chargers to have a 2-1 record after the first three rounds. FOR MORE SPORT VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklysport @star_weekly
STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
SPORT
Lions continuing to build By Tara Murray Melton is hoping to see further improvement from its young group in the Victorian SubDistrict Cricket Association north-west. The Lions won five matches last season in their second season under Damien Costigan and were more competitive for longer. Costigan is back in charge again and he’s excited for what is to come. “Pre-season has been in full swing and hopefully we’ll get a start on Saturday,” he said. “We’re in a fantastic position and we’ve been able to keep a lot of the team from last year. “We lost a couple, but we have picked up a couple of recruits from the UK that have
added some talent. “We have got some experienced players surrounded by youth.” Costigan said the players had really bought into what they’re in. He said last year was a really good platform for how they want to move forward. “I thought for large parts of the year we were pretty good with a lot of improvements,” he said. “We were in games for longer than we had been. “I’m confident we’ll continue to go in the right direction and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.” Costigan said there were several young players who he thought could take the next step this season.
Several of them had been playing in the United Kingdom in the off season which Costigan said would not only benefit them on field, but also off field. “Clarke Almino, has been in the UK playing for the winter,” Costigan said. “Mehar Singh Banpial and Navjot Bhardwaj are another couple “Joel Mitchener is another that will look to take a step, Dylan Jobson another one. “Those are some of the players coming through.” Costigan said they had 25 players head away for a weekend of cricket in Cohuna and it was good to get the cobwebs out. He said he had high hopes across the whole program. The Lions second XI made the grand final last year.
While ready for the matches to get underway, the Lions are one of many clubs sweating on visas for their overseas players. Costigan said they were in limbo and they were hoping it was sorted out quickly so they can take to the pitch so they didn’t miss the first few rounds. The Lions were set to kick off their season on 3 October in a two-dayer against Kew, but day one was called off. “We are still young and want to continue to improve,” Costigan said. “We know that not everything is linear and there will be ups and downs with the team. “The work that the guys have put in, we’re confident we’re heading in the right direction.”
Caleb McPherson wins the Priest Medal By Tara Murray Albion gun Caleb McPherson’s strong finish to the Western Football League division 1 season saw him come home with the Barry Priest Medal on Friday night. The Cats co-captain was best on ground in the final two rounds of the season to come from behind and claim the competition’s top honour. McPherson polled 25 votes to beat Caroline Springs’ Cooper Pepi, who finished two votes behind. Pepi led heading into the final round, but didn’t poll. Werribee Districts and former winner Dillon Viojo-Rainbow finished third with last year’s winner Michael Selsby in fourth. McPherson, who missed Friday’s awards night as he was in the Northern Territory to play football, said it was a pretty special honour. He said he did try and change his flights to try and be there to receive the honour and enjoy the night. “Congratulations to all the award winners, a fantastic effort from everyone in under-18s footy through the netball and men’s and women’s football programs,” he said. “To all of the premiership coaches and captains, congratulations again, they’re not easy to win.” “I would like to take the chance to thank the Albion Football Club for everything that you have done for me and my family forever, but specifically the last five or six years I’ve been back at the club. “It’s an honour to play for Albion and I love pulling on the hoops. I love the club and I love all the people there.” Cats’ coach Blake Richards accepted the medal on behalf of McPherson. Richards said McPherson won just about every stat this year including tackles, clearances, handballs and possessions overall. “He’s a great kid and he works really hard,” Richards said. “He might have been a 19-20 year-old with a bit of talent but what he has produced himself into over the last eight years and he continues to get better. “He had a really great year.” Richards said McPherson was the hardest worker he had come across in football. He said to see him develop within the league and then win an award like the medal was pretty special. “This guy works on his footy more than anyone played with or seen,” Richards said. “If he has a weakness he will be there before training to try and get better.” In other awards, North Footscray’s Adam Petridis capped off the perfect season in division 2 winning the Alan Smith Medal. The Devils premiership captain beat Braybrook’s Jayden Danaher.
Rhianna Kirk is a co-captain of East Sunbury. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 531521_01
GDCA women’s competition grows
Caleb McPherson. (Western FL)
In the women’s competition, Parkside Spurs teammates Rita Ceravolo and Taquila Angel tied for the award ahead of Layla Dawkins and Larissa Renaut. In the netball, Werribee Districts Hayley Cran won her second division 1 best and fairest award as she beat Albanvale’s Char-
lie King. Albanvale’s Leona Hristovska, Caroline Springs’ Rhani Samason and Glen Orden’s Beyonce Palavi finishing equal third. In the men’s netball, Australian goaler Brodie Roberts claimed the inaugural best and fairest award.
Six clubs will field women’s sides for the first time in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association women’s competitions this season. The GDCA will again have two divisions, with six teams in the top flight and eight teams in the B-grade competition. The competition split into two grades last season, with a gap between the more established sides and the new teams. Wallan, which won its first women’s premiership last season, leads the teams in A-grade. Gisborne, Macedon, Lancefield and Bacchus Marsh are all again in the top flight competition. Melton Centrals, which won the B-grade premiership last season, has been promoted into the top flight, replacing Kilmore, which finished last. Kilmore won’t have a side after forfeiting several matches late in the season, while Lancefield, which had a side in each grade last season, will only have one team this season, playing in the top flight. The A-grade competition will be a mixture of T20 and one-day matches and is set to kick off on 11 October. The B-grade competition will have eight teams this season, double the number of last season. East Sunbury and Broadford will both have teams in that grade for a second straight season. Woodend, Sunbury United, Diggers Rest Bulla, Sunbury Kangaroos, the Western Lions and Rupertswood will all have teams for the first time. The Western Lions, based at Ian Cowie Reserve in Rockbank, will field sides in the GDCA—and a women’s team—for the first time. The season will kick off on 11 October. The B-grade competition will be T20 matches. This is the highest number of teams the women’s competition has had in the competition’s history.
Tuesday, 6 October, 2026 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 23
6, OCTOBER, 2026
Western stars recognised
Lions remain focused
Lions start with a win By Tara Murray
Cody Davis. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 522509_09
Burras back themselves By Tara Murray Diggers Rest Bulla has more belief as it enters the Gisborne and District Cricket Association Johnstone Shield season. After a little bit of an unknown at the start of last season, the Burras made the grand final before losing to Eastern Hill. Now with 12 months under the belt together, coach Evan Long said they were keen to build on last season. “I think we were definitely disappointed but realistic as to where we were last year with Eastern Hill being a cut above everyone else,” he said. “It adds a bit of fuel to the fire I guess for us to go that one step further than last year. “It was probably a bit of belief building and hopefully this year we can just make the finals to start off with and anything can happen from there for sure. “There’s the realisation of where we were last year and now we can sort of continue on with that and play with a little bit of confidence rather than uncertainty I think.
“If guys who I’ve clearly seen with my own eyes have picked up sort of five, 10 per cent in areas of weakness and whether it’s batting, bowling or fielding I think the hunger is trying to replace the disappointment from last year.” Long said there would be some changes to their first XI line up this season. They’ve added three key players, while some others across the club have different priorities outside of cricket. “A couple sort of fell in our lap which is great,” “There’s obviously Charlie Hynes, that’s a past Burras player, which was my sort of main thing to try and get a few guys who had been at the club previously. “We managed to get a few guys for depth, and Charlie being one who chose to come across from Yarraville. “We’ve come across the two Achison brothers Dylan and Nathan, they’ve both moved to Aintree and are both quality people. “Hopefully they can fit in on the field as
they have off it so as I said we’re all about having a bit of quality characters but if they can play cricket it’s a bonus as well.” The Burras were set to start their season on Saturday in a one-dayer against Riddell, which won the Jensen Shield last season. The whole round was called off due to heavy rain. Long said they were unknown and it would be another close season. Long said overall things were looking really good for the club. There’s a good feel around the group but the club itself is growing,” he said. “We’re pushing five teams and an inaugural women’s team as well up from four men’s senior teams last year. “The positive word has gotten around over the last sort of 12 to 24 months … it’s an exciting place to be around from youngsters all the way through to the older guys and now the women introduced as well.”
Bacchus Marsh Lions won a thriller to kick off the Country Basketball League men’s north-west season. Both Lions teams started the season with a win against the Maryborough Blazers on Saturday night. The men’s side held off a late comeback by the Blazers to win, 80-79. “It was a good win and the boys played well,” Lions coach Jayden Geary said. “Maryborough were a tough team, they’ve definitely improved over the last 12 months and added some good players. “It was nice to get the job done. They made a good push at us in the end and we had done a lot of work on situational stuff and the boys executed perfectly down the stretch and that is all that we can ask for.” Zak Martinez top scored with 19 points for the Lions, while Owen Stephens was also busy with 12 points. Geary said the performance gave them something they could work on. “We’ve got high aspirations this year like we did last year but it didn’t pan out for us last year,” he said. “The boys have come back pretty hungry. We’ll keep working from there and hopefully go into Melton in a couple of weeks and get the job done there as well.” The Lions have kept the core group from last year with the likes of Martinez, Stephens and Daniel Salvatore set to play key roles again. Geary said having familiar faces coming back shows they are building a strong program. The Lions have had some locals, who have been playing in the Victorian Basketball League (formerly Big V) competition, join the squad this season. It’s part of the bigger picture for the Lions, who are focused on getting into the VBL. Geary said they were hoping for next year, if not the year after. “They’re all pretty keen for when we hopefully step into the senior program and they’re doing a good job with it and the juniors as well and building everything that we want at the club,” he said. “That culture is looking really good at Bacchus Marsh.” Geary said they were focused on making sure they put it on the court in the CBL. After some near misses they were hoping to finally go all the way. “The boys are pretty keen about the expectation of it and where we should sit.” The Lions women’s side started with a 68-44 win against the Blazers.