News - Berwick Star News - 7th August 2025

Page 1


Graffiti frustrations

Story page 3

facing unstable living

conditions, with some as young as Year 7 turning up to class after nights spent couch surfing, sleeping in parks, or going without a proper meal.

Educators and wellbeing staff are increasingly stepping into roles beyond the classroom, providing meals, after-hours supervision, and frontline mental health support.

The growing pressure on schools reflects a

broader issue raised at the Alliance’s launch: that homelessness doesn’t begin with a loss of shelter; it begins with the absence of stability, support, and safe spaces. With term breaks identified as particularly high-risk periods for vulnerable youth, schools are often the only consistent refuge for at-risk students.

The Alliance itself was launched as a coor-

dinated response to the escalating housing and homelessness crisis across the southeast.

Bringing together councils, frontline organisations, and service providers, it aims to build stronger local networks to address systemic gaps, particularly for young people who often fall through the cracks.

For the full stories, turn to Pages 4 and 6

Community distaste for the graffiti plastered on the train track overpass on Clyde Road has reached a boiling point, as councillors and residents gathered in a push for action.
Councillors and residents gathered at the base of the Pakenham train line overpass in Clyde Road, Berwick, as they expressed their frustrations about the graffiti’s impact on the suburb’s, and Casey’s character. (Ethan Benedicto: 493693)

Calls to stamp out graffiti

Community distaste for the graffiti plastered on the train track overpass on Clyde Road has reached a boiling point, as councillors and residents gathered in a push for action.

On the sunny afternoon of Thursday, 31 July, Akoonah Ward councillor Scott Dowling, accompanied by Cr Kim Ross, Cr Anthony Walter, and several locals, voiced the “disrespect” and indignity of Berwick’s identity by the tagging.

“That is offensive to everyone, and graffiti encourages graffiti; we need to stamp it out now,” Dowling said.

The train track overpass is a relatively new feature for Clyde Road and Berwick as part of the State Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project.

A road underpass was constructed beneath the train line, and the old track borders featured new barriers, which are now littered with white spray paint.

Richard, who lives nearby and drives under the pass regularly, said that “this is fairly new and we want to keep it as pristine as we can”.

“The residents are upset at what they have to look at every single time we drive down here; it’s a slur on the community, too.

“There’s also some artwork there that’s now been covered over, so we need to protect that,” he said.

Dowling was adamant that something should be done to clean the graffiti, also touching on safety concerns about how the works’ perpetrators were able to tag the barrier in the first place.

First voicing his concerns to Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and Public Transport Victoria (PTV), considering that the overpass and barriers are under the State Government authority, Dowling received a response that PTV is not required to remove graffiti from buildings, structures and fences, unless it is deemed to be offensive.

Offensive graffiti is defined as anything that

depicts political, religious, racist, sexist, sexually explicit or any other materials that could be reasonably considered contentious; at that point, only the offensive section would be removed.

“I think there is something we [the council] can do about it, because this is going to get out of hand,” Dowling said.

“The council offered to do something about it, but we were told no, and several residents have also written letters and have gotten the response that they can’t do anything about it.

“They need to let the council do something about it, because this is a blight on our town.”

Berwick MP and Opposition leader, Brad Battin, is also on the same boat, adding that earlier in the year, he wrote to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure regarding the removal of the graffiti.

“The response I received stated that Metro is ‘required to remove graffiti in accessible areas of train stations within 24 hours’.

“However, the Minister also stated that ‘priority is given to all rail assets in accessible locations and where large areas of graffiti can be removed with the resources and time available’.

“At the end of the Minister’s response, they said that ‘the location and type of graffiti requires a more complex removal process… MTM is currently working through an appropriate approach to remove the graffiti and required permits’.” Battin said.

He added that the delay and prolonged process is a “symbol” from the state government that they have “stopped prioritising the protection of public property”, a sentiment shared by Dowling, the other councillors and residents.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Bin lid changeover to commence this month

From Monday 11 August until Friday 12 December, we will be swapping your rubbish and recycling bin lids — red for rubbish and yellow for recycling.

The new bin lids will make sure that all Casey bins match the required standard across the State.

The change is easy. Each week on your regular recycling bin collection day, place your rubbish and recycling bins on your nature strip and leave it out until 5:00 pm — even if your bin has been emptied. Our contractor will then swap your lid over.

For more information, visit our website.

Equipment and Training Grant Applications close on 22 August

Equipment & Training Grants have increased to up to $1,500!

These grants are designed to support local not-forprofit groups with essential equipment, volunteer training, and safe operations. Whether it’s adaptive tools, multilingual resources, or first aid and mental health training, this funding helps build stronger, more inclusive communities.

The goal? To encourage participation across all ages, cultures, and abilities. If your group is making a difference, we want to help you do even more.

For more information, visit our website.

Sandra, a Berwick local, said that looking at it, almost every single day, “is just awful”.

“It’s time it was addressed, I mean, people say it’s just paint, but why don’t we just litter all the streets then?

“Berwick’s always been a nice place to be in, it’s got that nice village atmosphere, and the graffiti doesn’t help, it really lowers the standard,” she said.

A media release by the state government in 2023 detailed that they will be delivering an extra $5.5 million for cleaning up the state’s road network.

As it stands, Dowling said that the City of Casey has a “zero-tolerance” approach to graffiti and vandalism, with him, alongside the residents, hoping action can be taken on the overpass.

Building a More Inclusive Casey: Disability and Inclusion Action Plan Endorsed

Council has proudly endorsed the Disability and Inclusion Action Plan 2025–2029 (DIAP), which will help build a more inclusive and equitable Casey for all.

The four-year plan comprises over 70 actions that enhance access, create employment opportunities, and enhance representation.

The Council is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities, their families, and carers can fully participate in community life.

For more information, visit our website.

Cr Dowling speaking to a resident about their shared frustrations with the graffiti. (Ethan Benedicto: 493693_03)

What is ‘unreasonable’?

A Casey ratepayer was shocked to learn that she has been placed under an Unreasonable Complainant Conduct (UCC) Register after sending no more than five emails to councillors and council executives in a week.

Casey Council’s UCC policy is in place to help the council manage behaviour from people making complaints. The policy aligns with the Victorian Ombudsman’s good practice guide.

Jillian Nambu, a mother of three, said she had been treated unfairly by Casey Council. She questioned whether it was a means to stop her from contacting councillors on community issues.

She is also calling for a review of the UCC policy ahead of its compulsory review in 2028.

She said the placement had been causing her a lot of stress, and she cried for two days after learning the news last week.

“I was crying because I’m not an aggressive person. I believe people deserve respect,” Ms Nambu said.

“I’m just there trying to bring up issues that I think are important, that the community cares about, and I care about.

“And then it made me feel like I had done something so horrible that I must be put on a register.”

In a notification letter to Ms Nambu on 20 June, a council officer notified her that her conduct had been found to be “unreasonable” under the following two categories:

•Unreasonable persistence – directly emailing the executive leadership team and councillors on numerous different occasions, rather than directing communication to Customer Service for processing

•Unreasonable demands - making demands for council staff to change processes or expectations around council operations, such as the council meeting registration process or public questions

The letter specified the history of the council’s dealings with Ms Nambu that eventually led to her placement under the UCC Register, including her emailed queries about the Council Meeting Registration Process, Youth Services Review, and Council Meeting public question time process.

Ms Nambu sent an email under the subject of “Youth Services” on Thursday 19 June, to a relevant council officer, all councillors, and several executive officers.

According to Ms Nambu, she raised a question regarding youth services at June’s Casey Council meeting, but believed she didn’t get the response she wanted.

“I asked a question at the council meeting, and I felt like it was a response but not an actual answer,” she recalled.

Ms Nambu sent another email on the same day, with the subject of “attendance requirement for reading of public questions and answers”. The email was sent to a generic council address, all councillors, and several executives.

“I agree that the safety of all attendees to council meetings must be taken seriously, and I appreciate it, thank you. However, I hope you are now considering new ways to allow full participation into the meetings by residents,” she wrote in her emails.

“Additionally, you must do something about the fact that residents must attend the council meeting in order for a public question to be read and responded to. I understand that all valid questions are still read and can be found in the minutes, however, it is democratic that ALL submitted questions are read in front of all attendees at council meetings…

“I urge the Council to commit to reading and responding to all submitted public questions, regardless of the resident’s ability to attend in person, starting from the next meeting.”

A day after these two emails, Ms Nambu was placed under the UCC Register.

Ms Nambu had also earlier initiated email chains on the proposed Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station to all the councillors and the executives in June.

But this topic did not seem to trigger the UCC policy, as it was not mentioned in the letter notifying her that she was on the UCC register.

Ms Nambu is still trying to understand the ramifications of her placement on the register.

The notification letter said Casey would begin reviewing her engagement with council officers, and the council would appreciate it if she could utilise Customer Service as a means of contacting Council.

“This will ensure that your enquiry is man-

150km/h P-plater caught

A speeding P-plater from Narre Warren South has had his vehicle impounded after being allegedly clocked at more than 150 km/h on Monash Freeway.

The 18 year old, who has had his licence for six months, was first spotted outbound near Blackburn Road travelling at more than 130 km/h on Sunday 3 August about 1.25am, police say.

Nunawading Highway Patrol officers took off after the motorist to pull him over.

The 18-year-old was then allegedly clocked travelling more than 150km/h just

prior to being pulled over in Mulgrave.

According to police, he returned a positive preliminary breath test of .05 and a positive drug test for cannabis.

A quantity of cannabis was also found, police allege.

The teen was cautioned in relation to the cannabis and is expected to be charged on summons in relation to exceeding the speed limit and drink and drug driving.

His vehicle, a red Nissan X-Trail, was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1100.

resident

a

three, is calling for a review of the Council’s UCC policy ahead of its compulsory review in 2028.

aged in line with the Council’s Customer Service Charter. In doing so, you will be provided with an RM number, which better allows staff and you to ensure that the enquiry is managed end-to-end efficiently and appropriately,” the letter states.

“Council request that you please cease contacting Council Officers and Councillors directly, as this leads to inefficiencies and duplication of responses.

“Failure to cease these behaviours may result in Council implementing additional measures in line with our Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy, such as taking more direct action regarding any further communications you have with Council.”

She was also encouraged to write to only her local ward councillor, not all councillors to avoid “duplication of workload”.

According to the UCC policy, the UCC Register allows the council to take steps like limiting contact to written communication, restricting which staff they can speak to, and, in rare cases, stopping contact altogether.

The policy states that these actions are only taken when necessary and are reviewed regularly.

Once aware of her placement under the UCC Register, Ms Nambu wrote to Casey Council to object to the decision. Councillors were also

copied in. She believed that her emails had not been unreasonably persistent nor unreasonably demanding, and the placement decision was made subjectively.

She also questioned why she should not directly email councillors.

“The City of Casey is our democratic local government, so why can’t people discuss democratic and inclusivity issues surrounding public questions and council meetings with the council?” she wrote.

“Also, why can’t these issues be discussed with elected councillors and council staff as part of a democratic government?

“Where does it say that people must contact customer service and never anyone else? I can’t find anywhere where it says not to email council staff. Please help me locate that information.

“Am I really not allowed to contact councillors? I thought they need to hear the voices of their residents to actually represent the residents. We live in a democracy.”

A council officer emailed her a day later, stating that they “acknowledge her advocacy and intention to represent the interests of children and the broader community”.

“However, after a review of the pattern and frequency of your recent correspondence, it was determined that the actions met the criteria outlined in the UCC policy.”

Casey’s Manager Communications and Corporate Governance, Chloe Casey said the council cannot comment on specific resident circumstances or management under UCC.

“The Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy was first endorsed on 22 June 2015. It explains what unreasonable behaviour from complainants looks like and outlines how Council can deal with it. The goal is to reduce the negative effects this kind of behaviour can have on staff, resources, and other people accessing Council services,” she said.

“Each case is looked at carefully. People are told in writing if any restrictions are placed on them, why it’s happening, and how they can ask for a review. Being on the register usually lasts for a year and is reviewed annually.”

When asked how many people are placed under the UCC Register, the council did not share the number.

Casey Central jewellery theft

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a jewellery store in Narre Warren South’s Casey Central Shopping Centre on 6 August.

Officers were called to the shopping centre on Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road following reports that a man armed with a hammer had entered the store just after 11am.

The man is believed to have smashed the cabinets of the store before stealing jewellery.

The offender then fled in a white Hyun-

The driver of that vehicle, a woman in her 50s, was assessed at the scene by Am-

Victoria; however, she was not physically injured.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, has footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Casey
Jillian Nambu,
mother of
dai Tucson.
While fleeing, the Hyundai was involved in a minor collision with another vehicle.
bulance

United front for housing

A step in the right direction to tackling hidden homelessness in the southeast has been made as the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance officially launched on Thursday, 31 July.

Spearheaded by the City of Casey, Cardinia Shire, the City of Greater Dandenong and a swathe of local community organisations, the event, held at the Lakeside Community Centre in Pakenham, marks a significant milestone not just in addressing the homelessness issue, but also the lack of housing and other resources needed.

Shari McPhail, a speaker from the Alliance and the general manager of homelessness and housing from Wayss, led the event by touching on what many community organisations, such as the Casey North CISS, have dubbed ‘hidden homelessness’.

Speaking to Star News after the event, she said that “homelessness doesn’t stop at municipal borders, and neither should the response”.

“That’s why service providers, community organisations and councils across Cardinia, Casey and Greater Dandenong have come together to form the Alliance.

“This is a new collaborative initiative focused on long-term coordinated solutions to housing insecurity in our region,” she said.

The event was attended by roughly 100 people, many from community organisations, and some from branches such as Victoria Police.

Part of the Alliance were groups such as the Casey North CISS, Wayss, Launch Housing, Ermha 365, Southeast Community Links, and Southern Homelessness Services Network.

On a personal note, McPhail said that she felt “invigorated and excited about the fact that these organisations supported by the councils are coming together to try to break the nexus that we have”.

“Each of our organisations is doing amazing work, but we need to work together and work more with the community so that we can get real change.

“It’s really important to be sharing those stories because the face of homelessness has changed over the decades.

“So, who you might think of as being homeless, or actually who you might see, potentially people sleeping rough, that’s only the tip of the iceberg,” she said.

She added that there are many who living in rooming houses, in overcrowded situations, and many who are couch surfing and temporary accommodation with no guarantees.

“We need to be proactive and advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves,” he said.

For Ross, she said that the Alliance was a “step in the right direction”.

“I look forward to working on the actions with the other councillors, and also speaking with the council about this.

“And we’re working with the community too; for me it’s the focus on the youth, those who aren’t safe at home or have nowhere else to go, and for us as a community stepping up for them,” she said.

City of Casey councillors, Kim Ross and Anthony Walter, were also in attendance; reflecting on the launch, Walter said that it was significant, and “extremely important and always has, and always will be”.

The event also featured a strong panel of speakers, something that McPhail described as a “panel of unlikely partners” due to their different fields of expertise, but the same ultimate goal of addressing homelessness.

Among them was Leanne Mitchell, a government worker serving as the panel moderator, and Brian Power, a lived experience advocate who shared his personal perspective on how mental health challenges can lead to homelessness.

Also part of the panel was Sharyn Ling, the community care manager of Fellow Bless Collective, Jack Dinkgreve, a land management professional from Parks Victoria, and Kelly Bendon, assistant principal at Lyndhurst Secondary College.

“We know that with our community information support services, we see them as like the canary in the coal mine and we’re so pleased that they’re in this alliance with us because people who have never experienced this situation before don’t know that they need to come to Wayss if they’re experiencing or at risk of homelessness because they’ve never had to interact with that before,” McPhail said.

Helen Small, from the Casey North Community Information Support Services, was also in attendance at the event.

She said that seeing all the organisations under one roof, in the same alliance with three local councils, “it’s just fantastic”.

“It’s amazing really, the amount of support we’ve seen in this room, all we can hope is that people will come together and work together to make a difference,” she said.

It can ‘happen to anyone’: Insight into hidden homelessness

Brian Power was among five others who spoke to the hundred-strong crowd that gathered at the Lakeside Community Centre in Pakenham for the launch of Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance.

Power, as someone who had lived through the struggles of mental health, which eventually led to him being homeless, he was able to provide an insight into what ‘hidden homelessness’ meant.

“The reason it’s so important to share is because, I think like some of you out there, I did

Thousands

■ 409 → the number of people the Salvation Army 2025 Stocktake estimated to be experiencing homelessness in Casey.

■ 76.2 per cent → of residents identified housing affordability and homelessness as major community issues.

not necessarily speak out about homelessness before,” Power said.

“I was rather asked what I thought about it; and so from my perspective, what I can help with is to explain how I got from being part of the community, to living under a bridge”.

He added that he thought volunteers do the sort of work they do, helping the homeless, because it “resonates” with them.

Not only was it a direct helping hand, but also a way to show the importance of taking care of one’s health and mental health.

“I grew up in a culture where you had to

toughen your heart and mind up, and I never, ever shared how I was feeling,” Power said.

“That was right up until I got put in the hospital; that was the first time I sat down with a group of psychologists… that’s when everything turned around for me.

“Young people now are lucky because they are welcomed, and it’s open to discuss how they’re feeling, and the fact that it’s become a discussion in schools, is really important.”

He further reflected that as the times have changed, so too have each generation’s understanding of mental health, and how added sup-

port to that can be one of the pillars that prevent many from a similar pathway to his, of homelessness.

“It’s the fact that anyone out there can go from being a six-figure international sales guy to nothing,” Power said.

Time and perseverance were the factors that proved to be key to helping Power regain stability.

As of now, he is part of the Alliance, continues to manage his own mental health, and speaks to help break the stigma around mental health and homelessness.

■ 34.3 per cent → identified homelessness and affordability were issues they personally face.

■ 2500 → the number of dwellings according to the Stocktake to meet current unmet housing demand in Casey.

■ 5600 plus → number of affordable homes missing from Casey’s housing supply, according to the council’s National Housing and Homelessness Plan submission in 2023.

■ 10,200 → the number of households the above figure could rise to by 2041 if nothing is done.

■ Second and third place → Casey’s rank (respectively) for women and children accessing homelessness services.

■ Rental stress, lack of one-bedroom dwellings → major local drivers, especially in growth areas

where new housing fails to meet the needs of lower-income earners and smaller households.

■ Mental health → top personal issue and second-highest community issue according to the Stocktake.

Statistics taken from the Salvation Army’s 2025 Stocktake and the City of Casey’s 2023 National Housing and Homelessness Plan.

Members of the new Alliance, alongside the panellists, gathered for a photo to commemorate the launch. (Ethan Benedicto: 493590_15)

Wellness and Wealth with Shaun Ganguly

Planning for the next chapter of life is about more than just numbers—it’s about ensuring your wellbeing, preserving your independence, and embracing new opportunities with peace of mind.

Join Shaun Ganguly, one of Australia’s most influential voices in aged care and retirement planning, for an informative and empowering seminar. As the director and founder of Aged Care Financial Planning and Retirement Village Financial Advice, Shaun has guided thousands of families through complex financial decisions.

Featured in The Australian Financial Review, The Age, and Channel 7 News, Shaun brings clarity to the oftenconfusing world of aged care funding, retirement village contracts, and Centrelink entitlements.

Free seminar with Shaun Ganguly

Friday 15 August, 11am

RSVP today to secure your spot

Summerset Cranbourne North 98 Mannavue Boulevard, Cranbourne North 03 7068 5642 | cranbourne.sales@summerset.com.au

Whether you’re already retired, preparing to take the next step, or supporting a loved one through this transition, this is your opportunity to feel empowered, informed, and inspired about what comes next.

Role of early intervention

As a crucial step was taken to address homelessness with the formation of the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance, conversations around underlying causes were rife, especially among the youth.

Kelly Bendon, assistant principal at Lyndhurst Secondary College, spoke at length about how mental health and properly addressing the needs of a growing person are integral steps that need to be taken to prevent the possibility of homelessness.

As the senior school’s improvement and successful pathways leader, she spoke on the importance of well-being, mental health and communication, with behaviour playing a key role.

“We will see students that are acting out, through either physical fighting, swearing, or it could be through avoiding school,” she said.

“And through that, we’re often having conversations with our students to unpack what’s actually going on for them, and trying to find out what the root cause is.

“At times, we’re seeing a lot of students sleeping rough; we saw a lot in the past where students are couch surfing, going between friends’ homes.”

Bendan said that it’s not uncommon for her and her peers to see students as young as those in Year 7 “sleeping in parks”.

In turn, it highlights for them the work that is needed at a much earlier stage when it comes to tackling homelessness as a whole.

While the school itself is equipped to handle mental health work, their initial initiative of turning to child protection could prove to be more “apprehensive” for them than helpful.

“There are a lot of young people who haven’t had any experience with child protection, many

Bless kits for rough sleepers

Among the group of panellists during the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance launch on Thursday, 31 July, Sharyn Ling touched on the impact of practical support to those sleeping rough.

Ling, who is the community care manager at Fellow Bless Collective, is part of a team that provides essential food relief and material aid through community meals and ‘Bless Packs’.

When asked by Leanne Mitchell, the panel’s moderator, what brought her into her current line of work, and how everyday people at Fellow Bless are helping others, it stemmed from her line of work as a nurse, and her direct involvement in the homelessness sector.

“I did a post-grad in nursing, but did a slight step across to the community sector; and what I saw was just how these people really gave to others, the genuine love and care, and compassion they had,” she said.

“There was no judgment on them, and that was something that really resonated with me, even now, 20 years later.”

From there, it became clear to her where her

efforts should be placed, and in 2024, she took a small step back from nursing and became directly involved with the Collective.

Ling said that the Collective has roughly 100 volunteers who participate on a monthly basis, many of whom also have experienced being homeless.

“One of the greatest things is that there are many people who we’ve helped throughout the years and come back to volunteer for us,” she said.

“And these people are people from the general community, they don’t have formal training, but we do a lot of discussions early on.”

Ling spoke about not being afraid to ask for help, escalation pathways when handling those seeking help, and identifying barriers to oneself, recognising one’s own limitations.

She touched on the importance of just being able to realise that it is okay to ask for help, saying that “we really love to see our communities asking for help”.

Lending that helping hand is one thing, but for Ling, it’s also about having those conversations with those who may be experiencing hidden homelessness, and being able to get them the support they need.

Libraries folding for a cause

Connected Libraries is joining the statewide “Houses at Parliament” campaign to raise awareness of homelessness in Victoria.

Across all libraries, staff and library visitors are folding paper origami houses to symbolise the growing number of Victorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and to show that everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home.

“This simple but powerful activity is a way for our community to stand in solidarity with people doing it tough,” CEO Beth Luppino said.

“Libraries are safe, inclusive spaces, and we see firsthand the impact that housing insecurity

can have. Everyone deserves to feel supported, connected, and cared for.”

Homelessness affects more than 30,000 people in Victoria on any given night, with growing numbers of women, children, and older people among those most at risk.

Community members are invited to visit their local library to fold a house and learn more about the housing crisis and what can be done to help.

Origami templates and information are available.

Drop into a Connected Libraries location to show your support or to learn more about the campaign, visit: vhn.org.au/housesatparliament

with experiences of domestic violence,” Bendan said.

“So for them, they’re very apprehensive actually to connect and engage with these people.

“For us, it also means that there is a lot of work to do; we’ve sat in the school at time up to 7pm at night where we’re giving dinner to these kids because they won’t disclose what’s wrong or what’s going on, and at the end of the day they don’t have a safe place.”

Bendon added that one of the riskier times of the year is towards the end of terms, recounting that it is a time when students go into a long period without the safety and security of school.

“For many of our students, school is that safe place,” she said.

“We have kids that will rock up at 7:30am and stay after school until it’s really late just because they don’t have a safe place to go after that.”

Backpacks 4 VIC Kids, Victoria Police, as well

as other services and organisations, are often partnered with the college, in what Bendon sees as “schools becoming one-stop shops for everything”.

“We have social workers at the school, we have a number of mental health clinicians, so we’re trying to provide that holistic service to young people.

“This is where schools are no longer just about teaching literacy and numeracy; we’re providing everything we can, but we can’t do it alone,” she said.

Stressing the importance of collaboration, Bendon said that having an overarching organisation, such as the Alliance, provides not only multiple avenues of assistance but also the logistical prowess to aid and cater for those in need.

“We’re all really eager to connect with our community services so that we can intervene early for these young people,” Bendon said.

Every week, without fail, the headlines scream:

“Gen Z will never own a home.”

“The dream is over.”

“Housing crisis deepens.”

“Cost of living has sky rocketed.”

Turn on talkback radio, scan your feed, or listen to a panel show - and it is the same fear-driven rhetoric on repeat.

But here is the truth: property prices aren’t the problem.

A lack of preparation is.

And the real crisis? It’s not in housingit is in how we’re raising and educating the next generation.

Let’s talk real numbers.

In 2000, we bought a house in Mulgrave for $160,000. Today, that same home is worth $1.2 million.

Back in 1981, our family home in Adelaide cost $80,000. It is now worth over $1.3 million.

Sounds insane, right? But here’s the context:

■ In 1980, the average wage in Australia was around $14,500.

■In 2000, it rose to $34,000.

■By 2019, it was $89,000.

■In comparison:

■ A loaf of bread was 54 cents in 1980. Now? $3.50.

■ Electricity was 5.4 cents/kWh in 1980. Now? 19 cents/kWh.

■ Fuel was 3 cents a litre in 1980. Now? $1.79 per litre.

Yes, things are more expensive, but so has income risen exponentially.

So, stop saying young people can’t buy. The question is: have we equipped them with the right tools?

The Root Cause: We Are Failing Our Kids Our children do not need handouts. They need financial education. They They need to know how to navigate life with clarity and confidence.

Not finish their trade school and jump to a $100K salary and the first thing they do is go and buy a brand new Hilux!

Our two older kids, 23 and 24 - both

One of them, Saffal, owns three. No inheritance. No silver spoon. Just solid advice, clever planning, and zero victim

Because they were raised with:

A belief that they could, and would, succeed They have been taught how to use the system, not complain about it.

Meanwhile, the rest of society is bubble-wrapping kids into helplessness.

We tell them “the world’s too expen-

We mollycoddle them.

We fill their ears with fear and their futures with doubt. Dad’s favourite line is “Fair? What is fair?”

Politicians & Media: Stop the Fear Mongering

We’ve got land.

We’ve got opportunity.

But we’ve got short-sighted leadership. Media thrives on crisis because panic drives ratings. Politicians thrive on reaction because outrage gets votes. But where is the vision? Where is the policy with backbone and imagination? We need:

■ Multigenerational lending options to promote family wealth and resilience

■ Zoning that encourages smart housing, not urban sprawl

■ Schools teaching money skills, not just trigonometry

■ Mental health support that prioritises dignity over dependency

■ Leaders who stop reacting and start creating

The Solution: Empowerment Over Pity

We have spent 30 years working in real estate and financial literacy.

We have delivered workshops that wake young people up and show them what is possible.

And funny thing is, it works!

Give kids:

■ A breakdown of how mortgages work, assets, liabilities and sustainability

■ The truth about compound interest and living within your means

■ Access to property grants and smart investment tools

■ A mindset that embraces action, not blame

And they will stop asking “Why can’t I?” and start saying “Watch me.”

We don’t need more headlines. We need more hope.

Hope with substance.

With guidance.

With real tools.

Parents: empower your kids. Schools: teach them life, not just exams. Banks: innovate, don’t be greedy. Politicians: lead. For real.

Let’s reclaim the Australian dream - not with nostalgia, but with knowledge. Let’s raise a generation who does not just survive - but thrives.

We’re building the Metro Tunnel and there will be disruptions

As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building the Metro Tunnel and its five new underground stations, with three stations now complete. Work is continuing on two stations, and we’re testing trains through the tunnel to make sure they operate smoothly and safely.

While we work, disruptions could affect your travel

Train disruptions:

Cranbourne and Pakenham lines

4 August to 8.30pm 8 August

8.30pm 8 August to 10 August

Buses replace trains between Dandenong, Cranbourne and Berwick

Buses replace trains between Westall, Cranbourne and East Pakenham

11 to 13 AugustBuses replace trains between Westall, Cranbourne and Berwick

16 August and 17 August

Each night, 16 and 17 August

Passengers change at Caulfield station for Frankston Line trains to and from the city

Buses replace trains between Caulfield, Cranbourne and Pakenham

Road disruptions: Closed ramps and road

Bald Hill Road, Pakenham Until early October West of Racecourse/ Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road

Princes Freeway, Berwick Until mid NovemberCitybound exit ramp to Clyde Road

Clyde Road, Berwick 10 August to late November Warragul-bound entry ramp to Princes Freeway

Kangan Drive, Berwick At times, Sunday 10 August to Wednesday 20 August At Clyde Road

Town Hall Station

FOCUS ON ... SENIORS

It’s more than just a home

Lincoln Place has recently launched our new display home at Officer Lifestyle Estate Display Home this June, marking a significant milestone as we approach the final sell-out of the Officer community. With the release of the final stage, this is your last chance to secure an over-50s home in this beautiful and vibrant neighbourhood.

As we conclude this remarkable project, we want to highlight that there will be no more homes released after this, making this an incredibly special opportunity for those looking to join our thriving community. The excitement around this momentous occasion cannot be overstated— we are nearly sold out!

For those interested in discovering their future home, we invite you to visit our new display home. You can contact Nicki Bishop to book an appointment by phoning her on 0455 245 438 to book a tour at 34 McMullen Rd, Officer VIC 3809. Explore the beautiful surroundings, meet the wonderful neighbours, and envision the lifestyle that awaits you at Lincoln Place’s Officer Lifestyle Community. This is more than just a home; it’s a community filled with opportunities for connection, engagement, and enjoyment.

This is more than just a home; it’s a community filled with opportunities for connection, engagement, and enjoyment.
Envision the lifestyle that awaits you at Lincoln Place’s Officer Lifestyle Community.

A Lifestyle that supports you

As winter winds down, August offers a moment to pause – to retreat from the rush, reset your routine, and reconnect with what matters most.

It’s often in these quieter moments that we start thinking about what really adds value to our lives: good health, meaningful connection, and a lifestyle that makes space for wellbeing.

That’s exactly what life at Lifestyle Communities is all about.

Here, you’ll find more than just thoughtfully designed, low-maintenance homes. Exclusively available to homeowners, our Lifestyle Wellness Program is designed to support every part of your wellbeing – physically, mentally and socially. It brings together everything from yoga to a game of bowls with friends, to creative workshops and social gatherings over coffee. Whether you’re diving into something new or rediscovering an old passion, there’s always something to re-energise and inspire you.

The best part? It all happens right within your community, and at your pace. Do a little or do a lot. The choice is yours.

“Before joining the community, my husband spent most of his time alone. Retirement and Parkinson’s had isolated him socially. Now, he’s thriving – playing bowls, joining committees, and building strong friendships. The change in lifestyle and regular exercise has noticeably improved his health, and it’s made a world of difference to both our lives.” - Homeowners from Lifestyle Kaduna Park

So before the rush of spring sets in, take a breath. Give yourself the chance to imagine a lifestyle that puts your wellbeing first and brings more ease, connection and purpose into every day.

There’s never been a better time to start living the lifestyle you deserve.

Book a visit at a community near you or explore available homes at lifestylecommunities. com.au

Calls to unblock land to boost affordability

As growth area development plan approvals have slowed in recent years, Casey Council and developers are concerned that reduced land supply has impacted housing affordability, while planning experts urge that essential infrastructure should be extended before new suburbs are established.

Victorian Planning Authority (VPA), which is under the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), approved two Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) in 2023-24, completed five in 2022–23 and nine in 2021–22.

The approval number for 2024-25 is unknown now, as the annual report hasn’t been published yet.

PSP is a blueprint for developing new suburbs in growth areas, outlining land use, infrastructure, and services needed to support future communities.

Four PSPs are currently in progress in Casey’s growth areas: Croskell (Employment), Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows, and Clyde South.

City of Casey Manager Growth and Investment Kathryn Seirlis noted that the Minister for Planning last approved a residential PSP in Casey in 2019.

“Since then, the development of existing zoned residential land in Casey’s growth areas has reduced available supply, which has impacted affordability,” she said.

“To maintain housing affordability in Casey, it’s critical that the Croskell (Employment) and Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows PSPs must be finalised in the next 12 months, and that preparation of Clyde South PSP is expedited to ensure delivery by 2028.”

Linda Allison, chief executive officer of UDIA Victoria, a peak body for Victoria’s urban development industry, said there’s quite a scarcity of greenfield land supply in the South East.

“It’s a very popular part of Melbourne. There’s not a lot of supply left, and so we would like to see the government make sure that there is funding for key infrastructure like overpasses, so that that land can be unlocked,” she said.

“Otherwise, affordability is really going to be difficult in the South East because if there’s a shortage of land, then the prices are only going to go up.”

Ms Allison said some remaining PSPs were

“quite complex”, which might be one of the reasons that the approval had slowed down over the years.

Other common challenges included drainage and water, cultural heritage, and essential infrastructure.

“The third element is really about infrastructure, what the government is prepared to invest upfront in terms of infrastructure to make those PSPs actually work,” Ms Allison said.

“We’ve seen a strong preference by the government, and it’s in the VPA’s publications, particularly the 10-year greenfield plan, that they’re not wanting to roll out PSPs that have large infrastructure requirements by the State.

“That’s particularly frustrating for my members in the industry in the sense that we’re trying to get housing on the ground, and sometimes it’s a road duplication or an overpass or a piece of infrastructure of that nature that is holding up the delivery of those new houses.”

Last year, the State Government released its 10-year plan for Melbourne’s greenfield, a framework for industry to plan for 180,000 homes across the newest suburbs under 27 new PSPs, including the aforementioned four in the City of Casey.

According to the State Government, the 27 greenfield plans will be developed and sequenced over three-time horizons. The horizons provide a program of work to deliver the PSP over the next 10 years, balancing the delivery of residential and employment areas as well as infrastructure capacity.

Target completion for PSPs is 3-4 years from commencement, with a goal to reduce this by about a third.

The use of new planning tools and delivery pathways will be explored as appropriate to reduce timeframes further.

The State Government shared that they work closely with industry to identify opportunities to reduce plan preparation times and ensure that the right issues are being considered at the right time.

Dr Marcus Spiller from SGS Economics and Planning said there is no point in establishing new PSPs if the funding is not available to support the extension of essential infrastructure into these areas.

Dr Spiller’s view has been widely shared in the Clyde and its surrounding communities, as resi-

Ex-coach is no fan of Casey Fields

The tyranny of distance – it’s why Casey Council is calling for the AFL to bring more elite footy closer to its suburban fans in the growing South East.

But a 10-word parting shot by terminated Melbourne AFL coach Simon Goodwin on 5 August that “probably what I won’t miss is driving down to Casey” shows that distance argument runs two ways.

Goodwin was referring to the Demons’ training base at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East – about 50 kilometres from the MCG by car.

He hoped that a touted permanent base at inner-suburban Caulfield Racecourse would be “up and running soon”.

Last week, Casey mayor Stefan Koomen pleaded the case for more AFL “in the suburbs”.

“It is hard for residents in Casey to see their heroes play, which I fear is fast becoming a thing of the past,” he said.

“I’m talking about the journey for a Casey resident to see their team play—because from some parts of our municipality, it can take up to two hours to get to the MCG.

dents have been calling for the extension of the Cranbourne Metro Train Line to Clyde for a long time.

Dr Spiller noted that Melbourne’s sprawl had reached the stage where it could be compromising the State’s economic productivity.

“Residents moving to a new outer suburban area in the South East growth corridor in 1996 (Lynbrook) could at that time reach almost a quarter of Melbourne’s entire pool of jobs within a 30-minute drive,” he pointed out.

“People moving into Pakenham East will only be able to reach 5 per cent of the metropolitan area’s jobs.

“This means that some people will be underemployed.

“There is clear evidence that a significant proportion of workers moving into the growth areas can’t find or get to jobs that match their qualifications. This acts as a drag on productivity.”

Ms Allison said the approval stall was a disappointing result for the industry she advocated for.

“We, as an industry, would want to see a strong and steady pipeline of land, ready to be zoned,” she said.

“So many of our members are either looking to develop or have acquired land in these future PSPs.

“And so, obviously, they’re looking for certainty about when the PSPs are going to be approved because that’s when they are able to then put in planning applications for master planned communities and so on.”

When inquired about the reasons why approvals had slowed down over the years, a DTP spokesperson said: “Last year we announced our 10-year greenfield plan, Victoria’s longest ever pipeline of new land for new homes and backyards that are great for big, growing families.

“This includes recently establishing a new dedicated concierge service for greenfield subdivisions to assist councils and industry in unlocking constrained and underutilised zoned land, by identifying and addressing issues preventing development.”

Croskell (Employment) PSP is expected to be completed by this year: vpa.vic.gov.au/project/ croskell/

VPA is reviewing public submissions on the Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows: vpa.vic.gov.au/project/casey-fieldssouth-devon-meadows/

“That’s not just inconvenient—it’s a barrier to participation. We want our kids to grow up with access to elite sport in their own backyard.”

While the AFL has recently purchased Waverley Park and continues to push for a team in Tasmania, Mayor Cr Koomen said it’s time to look closer to home.

“We currently have the population of Canberra living in Casey, and in 15 years we will be the size of Tasmania,” he said.

“Why wouldn’t we expect the AFL to seriously consider what they can do for this region? They did it for Ballarat, and that’s been a success. Casey is next.”

Recently, Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti called for an AFL stadium in the South East to boost the dwindled ranks of local Aussie Rules juniors.

“If the AFL are serious, they’d look at building a stadium in the South East,” Cr Memeti said.

“If the kids are going to games, they’ll want to play and this will increase participation.

“They need a stadium to attract the 1.5 million people in the South East – we don’t go to games of footy often because it’s now too far away.”

However Cr Koomen said Casey wasn’t asking for a new stadium but to “build on what we already have”.

Located in Cranbourne East, the multisport precinct Casey Fields is home to the Melbourne Football Club’s elite AFLW team and serves as their key training base.

Casey Fields hosts regular-season VFL and VFLW Casey Demons and Melbourne Football Club AFLW games, as well as pre-season AFL matches.

“Melbourne Football Club and the Casey Demons have been incredible partners—but they can’t do it alone,” Cr Koomen said.

“It’s time for the AFL to step up and bring elite footy back to the suburbs.”

One of Casey’s key advocacy points is to improve access to Casey Fields by extending the Cranbourne railway line to Clyde.

Casey Council is concerned that the reduced land supply has impacted housing affordability. (FILE)
Casey deputy mayor Melinda Ambros and mayor Stefan Koomen want the AFL to bring more football to the suburbs. (Supplied)

Peaceful town comes to life

Leyburn. It’s a peaceful little stop-off for travellers on the Southern Darling Downs as they head between Goondiwindi and Toowoomba or Warwick.

One pub, one shop, one post office, one school, a police station, two churches and a few scattered houses for its estimated 350 inhabitants.

That’s Leyburn – except for two days a year. On 23-24 August it will come alive with the buzz of up to 18,000 visitors and 2560 racing cars attending the Historic Leyburn Sprints.

The Sprints, now in its 29th year celebrating Leyburn’s hosting of the Australian Grand Prix in 1949, drives an annual winter migration that’s understandably popular with tourism operators throughout the region.

Yet the town itself has virtually no fixed accommodation – only a handful of cabins attached to the 1863 Royal Hotel – and so it becomes one of the biggest gatherings of campers and caravanners you’ll find anywhere along the highway.

Sprints organisers estimate up to 5000 visitors stay in dedicated campgrounds beside Canal Creek on the edge of the event precinct and at several adjacent camp sites.

Still more set up their tents and vans in the yards of residents’ homes that line the one kilometre closed-street course running through the township. They enjoy some of the best seats in the house.

All come to experience the fun of the Sprints, which twice has been judged Queensland Motorsport Event of the Year. The weekend offers an exciting show of historic, classic and high performance cars of all makes and models and ranging in age from modern-day to 100- plus years.

After the huge Supercar events in Townsville and the Gold Coast, the Sprints are thought to be Queensland’s biggest motorsport festival and certainly no other offers the number or variety of competitors.

This year’s entry list is a record and includes exotics such as Ferrari, Jaguar and McLaren through to more humble wheels like MGs and Sunbeams.

Motorsport Alley, a new display area in the main street near the 100-year-old CWA, will showcase a variety of very special cars including two associated with Sir Jack Brabham, three that raced in that 1949 grand prix and a rare Giocattolo Group B that claims to be “Queensland’s own supercar”.

Patrons will also find plenty of off-track entertainment. There’s a Show ‘n’ Shine display on Sunday, live music at three venues, a charity auction at the pub on Saturday night, fun-run, market stalls, race-car rides and plenty of other attractions for all the family.

At night – and a few nights either side of the

be at

weekend because many travellers take the opportunity for a longer break in their journeys – the campgrounds pump with happy vibes as groups gather around their campfires and barbecues. (Someone will win the Best Campsite competition.)

That will be especially the case this year at the Sprints’ newest attraction, the Vintage Van Village. The annual gathering of many colourful and restored vintage caravans and, often, their matching classic tow vehicles, has become so popular that organisers have reserved a dedicated new area in the town’s main street and adjacent to the first corner on the racing course.

The Village is also next to the Golden Fleece Bar, long-gone and remembered only in name as one of many pubs that were built during Leyburn’s goldrush days in the 1860s.

In fact, the Leyburn district oozes history, from the goldrush information plaques and remaining buildings around the township to the site of the disused wartime airbase that provided the site for the grand prix.

“The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed and the huge gathering of campers and caravanners is a special and welcome part of the Sprints weekend,” says Tricia Chant, President of the organising committee of community volunteers.

“We go out of our way to keep it a grassroots event, with as few restrictions as possible and no big-city prices for camping, food or drinks.

“And if you’re lucky to bump into one of our VIP guests of famous former drivers, such as Queensland 150 Icon Dick Johnson, you’ll find they’re happy to stop for an autograph and a souvenir selfie.”

For those not equipped or inclined for camping, there are other inviting accommodation options. Authentic country pub comfort and food may be found at historic establishments such as Rudd’s Pub in Nobby, Bull and Barley Inn in Cambooya, and Karara and Sandy Creek hotels. Historic Leyburn Sprints visitors exploring the Southern Downs region will find plenty of magnificent rural vistas and other interesting attractions. A great way to discover these is by driving the dedicated Sprint Route, a 137 km loop that passes through the districts of Allan, Leslie and Cunningham (named after the explorers) and the townships of Pratten, Leyburn and Karara.

Adult tickets to the Historic Leyburn Sprints cost $30 per day or $40 for the weekend. Accompanied children under 14 enter free.

CHRIS NIXON
Veteran driver and Queensland legend Dick Johnson will
Leyburn again this year.
Checking out the Vintage Vans. (All photos supplied, Trapnell Creations and Roz Harman)
The stars of the weekend are the beautiful cars that take to the track.
Leyburn comes alive during the race weekend.

PARIS & THE HEART OF NORMANDY

Roundtrip from Paris

8 DAYS | 1 COUNTRY | 6 GUIDED TOURS

SET SAIL: MAR-NOV 2026; MAR-NOV 2027

From $6,395pp in Standard Stateroom

From $8,195pp in Veranda Stateroom

Avignon to Lyon or vice versa

8 DAYS | 1 COUNTRY | 7 GUIDED TOURS

SAIL: MAR-NOV 2026; MAR-NOV 2027

From $6,395pp in Standard Stateroom

From $8,295pp in Veranda Stateroom

CHÂTEAUX, RIVERS & WINE

Round trip Bordeaux 8 DAYS | 1 COUNTRY | 6 GUIDED TOURS SET SAIL: MAR-NOV 2026;

PARIS, FRANCE

Full-Board River Cruise

3 night Murray River cruise on board PS Murray Princess with all meals and sightseeing

Tour of Murray River Bridge and historic Roundhouse

Guided nature walk of Salt Bush Flat

Taste Riverland food and wine

Dragon-Fly flat-bottomed boat wildlife tour

Hotel Stays

3 nights four-star hotel stay in Adelaide with breakfast

1 night four-star hotel stay in Kangaroo Island with breakfast, lunch and dinner

Fully Escorted

Barossa Valley Tours

Full day Barossa Valley tour with lunch and wine tastings including:

Saltram wine estate, lunch and wine tasting at Lambert Estate, visit to Barossa Valley Chocolate Company, photo stop at Menglers Hill Lookout, vineyard tour & wine tasting at Jacob’s Creek visitor centre, stop at Beerenberg Farm, and free time in Hahndorf to explore the historic German settlement

Fully Escorted Kangaroo Island Tours

2 day Kangaroo Island tour including: Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, Clifford’s Honey Farm, In-Flight Birds of Prey Display at Raptor Domain, Seal Bay Conservation Park guided beach walk, lunch at Emu Bay Lavender Farm, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, and Flinders Chase National Park

All Flights, Taxes & Transfers

Tampons program expands

Victorians will soon be able to access free pads and tampons at even more locations throughout the state as the program expands.

The southeast is home to a swathe of these machines, as the State Government’s $23 million program aims to make it easier for women and girls to fully participate in in public life, whether at work, study, sport or for fun.

Berwick is home to two locations and four machines; two in Chisholm at 25 Kangan Drive, and another two at the Casey Monash Health Hospital.

Down south, Cranbourne’s Chisholm in New Holland Drive is home to a single machine, but there are three additional ones at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Out in the east, Pakenham is home to three locations: one at Pakenham Library, another at Living Learning Pakenham, and another in the Cardinia Cultural Centre.

Further southeast in Kooweerup, the Regional Health Service is home to one machine, located

in the waiting room.

Closer to Dandenong, Doveton Library is home to a single machine, located at its entrance, while another is inside Dandenong Library.

There are two machines in the Monash Dandenong Hospital, two in Chisholm Dandenong, and another in Dandenong Oasis.

Noble Park’s Queen Elizabeth Centre is home to two machines, while the Noble Park Aquatic Centre and the Jan Wilson Community Centre are home to one machine each.

Springvale Library houses three machines, one for each level, with another machine down the road in Chisholm Springvale.

Minister for Women, Natalie Hutchins, said that “whether you’re at a footy final or on a school excursion, you shouldn’t have to worry about access to pads and tampons”.

“We’re delivering free pads and tampons in public places right across Victoria, and now we’re making it a reality at some of our most iconic venues, saving Victorian families thousands of dol-

lars every year,” she said.

Hutchins joined the Melbourne Vixens on Monday, 4 August, to launch the expansion of the program at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville.

More than 500,000 people visit the Centre each year, and more than 80 per cent of them are women and girls.

It is also one of the 20 major venues now providing free access to period products, with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne among the list.

According to the official state release, one in five women and girls report that they can’t afford the period products they need every month.

Since the launch of the program in November 2024, more than 90,000 pads have been dispensed, with councils across the state also asked to help nominate venues to ensure that products are available in every corner of the state.

· For more information on the nearest locations near you, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/ free-pads-and-tampons

Machete safe disposal bins rolled out across the state

The ban on the sale and possession of machetes will soon be in effect.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Police Anthony Carbines revealed a machete safe disposal bin and announced all the statewide bin locations on Thursday 31 July.

Premier Jacinta Allan said: “These knives destroy lives – so we’re taking them off the streets.”

“Victorians have zero tolerance for knife crime and so do we – we’re enacting this ban and boosting Victoria Police’s powers because community safety always comes first.”

From 1 September, owning, carrying, using,

buying, or selling a machete without a valid exemption or approval will be a criminal offence.

More than 40 safe disposal bins will be available 24/7 at police stations across Victoria, including Dandenong Police Station, Cranbourne Police Station, and Pakenham Police Station, to allow people to safely dispose of machetes during the amnesty period, which will run from 1 September to 30 November 2025.

The heavy duty steel bins are roughly 900 millimetres by 1200 millimetres in size, with a 70 millimetre concrete base to ensure they are secure and have feet to allow for safe removal.

A public awareness campaign launched

Celebrating Dental Health Week 2025

this week calls on Victorians to surrender their machetes during the amnesty or face up to two years imprisonment or a fine of more than $47,000.

Agricultural workers who use machetes as part of their job and machetes that are used in a traditional, historical, or cultural capacity will be exempted.

Anyone covered by an exemption must comply with strict conditions and be able to demonstrate eligibility if asked by police.

To choke the supply of machetes, the State Government ordered them off shelves with an interim sales ban announced in May.

FOCUS

This led to Amazon removing them from sale across the country.

Since then Consumer Affairs Victoria inspected more than 470 retailers to enforce the ban, with only seven stores and one market vendor found to be breaking the law.

The machete ban builds on the State Government’s other new laws to end the scourge of knife crime, including strengthening the bail test for knife offences and increased stop-andsearch powers for Victoria Police.

Further details are available at: vic.gov.au/ machete-amnesty.

ON … DENTAL WEEK

Curious bathroom habits

Behind the nation’s bathroom doors lurk a whole range of quirky oral habits millions of Australians may want to keep a secret.

But laid bare here are some of our most curious habits unmasked, thanks to the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) survey of 25,000 people released on Monday, 4 August, during Dental Health Week.

Firstly, it may come as a huge comfort to Australian parents to know they’re not alone with basin battles, with 43 per cent regularly struggling to get kids to clean their teeth, the survey found.

In the battle to get kid’s teeth clean, 24 per cent of parents provide positive intervention such as entertaining their kids or brushing with them at the same time, while 21 per cent of parents offered rewards, 20 per cent of parents removed privileges, 20 per cent resorted to discipline and 9 per cent just “gave up”.

While 85 per cent of kids stay in the bathroom to brush and floss, the rest wander around the house, onto the balcony or out into the garden.

“This presents a choking hazard with young children, and they won’t be getting the job done properly without a mirror or adult assistance,” said the ADA’s Oral Health Promoter Dr Monica Farrelly.

“Keep the bathroom as the only place kids do the brushing and flossing - and perhaps offer rewards for staying put!”

But it’s not just kids who get distracted as one in five (19 per cent) Australian adults multitasks while teeth cleaning, with 31 per cent using their phone, 16 per cent knocking out household chores like cleaning and laundry, 12 per cent listening to music or a podcast, 10 per cent shaving or doing skincare, 9 per cent attending to children’s needs, 6 per cent going to the toilet and 5 per cent taking a shower, watching TV, exercising or cooking.

“How some of these other tasks are executed with any accuracy is hard to imagine,” said Dr Farrelly. “The important thing is to literally stand still in front of a mirror when you’re brushing and flossing so you can see if you are doing it correctly. Without a reflection to see, there’s a degree of guesswork.”

Other fun facts

· $6.20 is the average amount the tooth fairy leaves per tooth. It was $2 a tooth 25 years ago, around a third of today’s rate.

· 21 per cent become nervous before visiting a dentist for a check-up, however modern dentist education includes skills to manage anxious patients with a range treatment protocols to reduce anxiety.

· 42 per cent of couples use different coloured toothbrushes to avoid using each other’s – a great idea to ensure your partner’s germs don’t become yours. The same goes for children’s toothbrushes – keep them all apart and labelled if needed.

Victoria will see more free pads and tampons throughout the state following an expansion of the State Government program. (Unsplash: Annika Gordon)
Dr Monica Farrelly - the Australian Dental Association’s Oral Health Promoter - with a young patient and her mum. (Supplied)

Decorated ex-cop convicted over DV

A former Victoria Police senior sergeant based in the South East has been convicted for strangling his wife in an “disgraceful, grossly disrespectful and humiliating” act of family violence.

The 57-year-old man – who is not named to protect the victim’s identity - denied pinning down his victim on a bed and choking her with his forearm across her neck after an argument at home in December 2020.

He was found guilty by a Victorian County Court jury of reckless conduct endangering serious injury by attempted strangulation.

The jury acquitted him of a more serious charge of reckless conduct endangering life, as well as a charge of assault by punching her.

Sentencing judge Frances Hogan on 28 May stated the jury were satisfied that the neck compression wasn’t long enough to put the victim in danger of death.

However the jury, in its guilty verdict, rejected the ex-cop’s claims of acting in self-defence, Judge Hogan noted.

His moral culpability was high, noting his “arrogant and demeaning” attitude to his wife including “painting a false picture of her having serious mental health issues”, the judge stated.

“It is disgraceful, grossly disrespectful and humiliating conduct.

“It is appalling that such conduct should occur to a person in her own bed in her own home by her own husband.

“It is concerning that a police officer, whom one of your character witnesses described as having shown compassion and care to the victims of

the dangers of attempted strangulation, should have committed such an assault.”

Judge Hogan noted that when the victim threatened to report him to police, he called her “a domestic violence b****”.

“(You) mocked her when she said she would call the police, arrogantly stating that you were ‘oh so scared’ and stating that ‘everyone knows me’.

“To follow this up by texting one of your sons that your victim was having a “mental breakdown” demonstrates an attitude of cunning manipulation and disregard for your wife of 29 years.”

A forensic doctor told the court that compression for 10 seconds can lead to loss of consciousness, and four-to-five minutes could lead to brain death.

The victim told police that the only thing that halted her husband’s assault was that he felt blood on his face – possibly from her striking his eye as she tried to fight him off.

She said she tried to yell out to their sons at home, found it hard to breathe and that she felt like she could pass out.

A recording on her phone revealed him mocking her when she said she’d call the police and have him sacked.

“Oh that’s good. Everyone knows me what the f***,” he replied, while also calling her degrading names such as a “f***ing idiot”, a “useless fat c***” and a “f***ing pig”.

In a police interview, the senior sergeant denied choking the victim or verbally abusing her.

He claimed she was suffering deteriorating mental health and had attacked him. He had grabbed her arms, trying to defend himself, he

said.

Judge Hogan noted the former officer’s 32 years of service decorated with awards and commendations.

He had found a lost child, supervised at a fatal house fire and ran an alcohol diversion program while working as an Acting Inspector.

Since the allegations surfaced, he had been stood down without pay and ultimately resigned.

He’d been since diagnosed and treated for chronic, permanent PTSD, claiming he’d been bullied, overloaded, sexually harassed and exposed to traumatic events at work.

He’d made a successful Workcover claim on that basis.

He was also diagnosed with major depression. He remained on medication for nightmares, sleep and depressive symptoms, Judge Hogan noted.

Judge Hogan noticed the “very worrying” rise in family-violence assaults.

The standalone offence for attempted strangulation recognised its use by family-violence perpetrators as a “means of terror and control”.

However, jail was not warranted, given his prior good character, long service and mental health conditions, Judge Hogan found.

It was difficult to assess his rehabilitation prospects, given he didn’t acknowledge his offending.

The man had shown no remorse and become “immersed in his own sense of victimhood”, the judge noted.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community correction order with mental health treatment and anger management and family violence education programs.

He was ordered to pay $5000 to family violence victims support group Safe Steps.

Freeway closures

Major Road Projects Victoria is set to commence its next major task on the Clyde Road Upgrade, with crews demolishing the existing barriers and footpaths on the bridge over the Princes Freeway.

The expanded 10-lane bridge will be supported by a 5.6-metre-tall wall, currently being constructed within the centre median of the Princes Freeway. The 570-tonne structure comprising 230 cubic metres of concrete, will help support the weight of the new bridge, including 14 new bridge beams, each weighing 74 tonnes.

There will be some night closures on the Princes Freeway underneath Clyde Road throughout August to allow project crews to safely remove the existing barriers and prepare for upcoming works later this year. To facilitate these works, barriers will be placed to move traffic towards the western side of the overpass, while crews remove the existing railing on the eastern side of the bridge.

The Princes Freeway underneath Clyde Road will be closed Warragul-bound from Tuesday 5 August to Thursday 7 August, 8pm to 5am each night and towards the city from Tuesday 12 August - Thursday 14 August, 8pm to 5am each night. Following these works, the department will close the Princes Freeway in both directions under Clyde Road from 8pm Friday 22 August to 5am Monday 25 August to demolish the eastern footpath on the Clyde Road overpass. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for these detours, which will operate via O’Shea Road and Clyde Road (inbound detour) as well as Princes Highway and O’Shea Road (outbound detour).

We encourage every student to pursue excellence in all endeavours and aim to ensure every student achieves their best potential so they are ready - not just for the completion of their final exams but for life!

To find out more, book a tour and apply please visit our website or use the QR Code.

New inclusive café opens

A new cafe that serves social inclusion and pre-employment experiences has landed in Cranbourne.

Wellcare GG Cafe, under NDIS support provider Wellcare Australia, held its official grand opening on Monday 4 August. The new inclusive Cafe is located at the Food Court of Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre.

Cafe manager Jithu Devasia said they would provide free training to participants with disability for about two to three hours a day.

“We’ll give them the training. Once they are confident, we will help them with the CV. We’ll do multiple mock interviews, give them the confidence to apply for other jobs,” he said.

“We can give them the reference. It’s all about equipping people with disability as much as possible.”

Mr Devasia said they had already received a lot of interest, and in two to three weeks of time, the paperwork would be done, and they would start onboarding people for their training.

He pointed out the Cafe was all about seniors, and people with disability, and they, as well as their companions and healthcare staff, would receive a discount on all hot drinks.

Looking back on how the Cafe initiative was started, Mr Devasia said they found that when people with disability came to them for support, they found it really difficult to get a space to work.

“Everybody says that equal opportunity, but when it comes to real-life scenarios, things could be different. The reasons are that they are not trained enough or they don’t have enough confidence in themselves,” he said.

“We found that gap, especially with our participants, we find that it is making them really upset and more anxious and more depressed, and they’re going back to square zero where they started from.

“That’s why we came up with this idea to fill that gap, so our participants will be able to or everybody with a disability will be able to lead a normal life as much as possible.”

The discussion started in August last year, and the current Cranbourne site was located in March this year.

“It took a while to renovate and sort out the rest of the things,” Mr Devasia said.

More sites will be coming soon, with the next one in Frankston, he shared.

Bodybuilding, medals and a mission: Empowering community

An owner of a Cranbourne multicultural gym has won big at a state bodybuilding championship, while continuing to build a tight-knit fitness community.

SarabSinghGill,ownerofFitbaseCranbourne, has recently won gold in the Masters division (age over 40) and bronze in the under-80kg division at the 2025 Victorian Natural Championships.

Sarab started bodybuilding in 2018. His passion didn’t just stop at sculpting his own physique — he also focuses on building a supportive, inclusive community within his gym.

His sporting background, including a postgraduate degree in physical education, a diploma in sports coaching, and years of competitive athletics in India, laid the groundwork for him to take over the local gym after Covid.

“I’ve done my first competition in 2018 or 2019. Since then, I’ve competed in various big competitions. I went to the World Championship in 2023. And then, I started competing in international competitions as well,” Sarab recalled.

“In the meantime, after Covid, I spoke to the owner of the gym. He was losing interest in the business, and obviously, my background was sports and fitness, so I was very happy to take over this place.”

Since taking over nearly four years ago, Sarab has overhauled the gym floor, expanded the space, added a dedicated women’s training space, upgraded equipment, and introduced new systems and services, all aimed at creating a more welcoming, respectful training environment.

“Whatever money we made, we’re just buying new equipment, providing better service, doing better cleaning, creating a more professional system,” he said.

“We are on the right track, and the members

are beautiful.

“We got a separate ladies’ training area, which is very good for ladies because sometimes what happens is, migrant ladies, they don’t like to train outside in the main hall. They feel very uncomfortable.”

Having lived in the area for more than a decade, Sarab said it is a very compact community.

“It’s not like we are the owners and they are the members, and we don’t have any mutual relationship,” he said.

“Instead, we help each other. We talk. We build a friendly environment in the gym.

“Apart from this gym, if someone has got any issues or stuff like that and they want to talk to us, they feel free to talk to us.”

Behind the scenes, Sarab lives a highly disciplined life. His daily routine includes a one-hour cardio session every morning, followed by structured meals every three to four hours, strength training, and consistent recovery.

His philosophy is that he could be a better person through bodybuilding.

“It (bodybuilding) teaches me a lot of thingshow to respect food, how to be more disciplined in your life,” he said.

“We don’t go out to the parties because we don’t have time. Even if you have to go out for the party, we will eat our own food. We don’t actually eat outside food.”

He credited his discipline to his parents, like his mother, also an athlete, who remains a strong presence in his life.

When asked how people can improve their self-discipline, Sarab said they have to build up some motivation to be a better person.

“Not only physically, but socially, emotionally, we have to be better. This is our job as humans,” he said.

“Because God has given us this life, we have to respect this life. We need to respect everything: your food resources, your water, your air, your body, your mind.

“Obviously, we have to be financially strong. It’s a general point. Everybody likes to be rich and famous. But at the same time, we have to be responsible for our own bodies as well.

“Body is the only thing that is yours. You have to look after your body as well as your mind. A healthy mind will always stay in a healthy body.”

Sarab has a message to aspiring bodybuilders, or anyone looking to improve their health.

“First, they have to be very disciplined,” he said.

“They have to build a good relationship with good nutrition, good food, so they cannot have a good physique while having bad habits.

“They have to rest, recover, improve their sleep, drink lots of water and then train regularly.

“These are the basic things, but there are a lot of other things we can add on, such as how to train, and you need to have a trainer as well.”

As he prepares for his next competition this weekend, Sarab’s focus remains the same: not just on winning, but on inspiring others to chase their best and building up a community in his gym.

Cr Kim Ross, Lochlan McLeod, Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen, Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards, Cr Melinda Ambros, Cr Shane Taylor and Geoff McMaster attended the grand opening of the Wellcare GG Cafe. (Stewart Chambers: 492372)
Baristas Nandini and Tommy helped Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen make a coffee.
Local guitarist and singer Michael Prizeman performed at the grand opening event. Chefs Aman and Palak.
Sarab Singh Gill, owner of Fitbase Cranbourne. (Gary Sissons: 493200)

Public Notice

NOTICE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PLANNING PERMIT

VIC 3977 - being the hatched land identified and marked A on the plan below (Road) and upon the discontinuance of the road, the land is to revert to Council.

Any person who may be affected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority.

An objection must:

•be made to the Responsible Authority in writing to, Manager Planning, P.O. Box 1000, Narre Warren 3805 or emailed to caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au

•include the application number and site address

•include the reasons for the objection, and •state how the objector would be affected.

The Responsible Authority must make a copy of every objection available at its office for any person to inspect during office hours free of charge until the end of the period during which an application may be made for review of a decision on the application.

The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 21 August 2025

If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.

Any person may make a submission on the proposal. Any person wishing to make a submission must do so in writing by Friday, 5 September 2025 All submissions will be considered in accordance with section 223 of the Act.

Submissions should be submitted via Council’s website, or provided in writing and addressed to:

Head of Property Services Casey City Council PO Box 1000 NARRE WARREN VIC 3805

Any person requesting to be heard in support of his or her submission is entitled to be heard before Council (or its committee established by Council for this purpose) or represented by a person acting on their behalf and will be notified of the time and date of the hearing.

Following consideration of submissions, Council may resolve not to discontinue the Road or to discontinue the Road.

Council also believes that the land is still recorded as General Law Land with the last known owner being Ms Clara Louisa Scarborough in Memorial Book 653 No. 63 dated 17 June 1959. Ms Scarborough is known to have died on or about 9 March 1961. The land was not listed in the Grant of Probate for Ms Clara Louisa Scarborough.

Further information regarding the proposal can be obtained by contacting the Property and Strategic Development Team on 03 9705 5200 or via property@casey.vic.gov.au

Western Port Down Under Community Conversations

Join us at WMYC for an inspiring evening as we introduce Western Port Down Under, a community education campaign. Led by marine biologist

Sheree Marris, this initiative is set to celebrate the unique marine wonders of Western Port and we need your input to shape its future.

What to expect:

• A sneak peek at the documentary teaser

• An insight into the campaign’s vision and impact goals. A chance to share your stories, local knowledge and ideas

• Opportunities to collaborate and get involved

See the vision. Share your voice. Shape the legacy. Aug 13, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Light supper provided

• Location: Warneet Motor Yacht Club, 21 Rutherford Parade, Warneet, RSVP 10th August: sthmst729@yahoo.com.au

• www.westernportdownunder.com.au

Narre Warren & District Family History Group August meeting

The guest speaker for the Annual General Meeting of the Narre Warren & District Family History Group is local author Patrick Ferry. Those who did not come home

Eighty years ago, in August 1945, the news that WW2 had finally ended was received with joy and relief in communities across Australia. At the same time, families and communities mourned loved ones who would never return.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2, award-winning local historian Patrick Ferry will be sharing stories of Pakenham residents who lost their lives during WW2 and the families who mourned them.

The Meeting starts at 2 pm Saturday 16 August at 110 High Street Road Berwick. Cost is $5 and visitors are most welcome.

• Contact president@nwfhg.org.au or phone 0412 084671 for more information

Banksia Festival

Join the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Cranbourne Friends for an exciting series of lectures, workshops, art and craft exhibition, book and plant sales, guided walks, to celebrate the Banksia.

• - Saturday 16 August to Sunday 24 August at

Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.

Berwick Bridge Club

Enjoy playing cards? Are you looking for some exercise for your brain that is both fun and challenging?

Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. There are two free beginner’s courses.

One starting Friday morning 5 September from 10am to 12pm and the second one on Monday night starting 8 September from 7 to 9pm.

Both courses run for 10 weeks. Lessons are held at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick.

No partner is required.

• To reserve your place, please phone Maree on 9702 2348.

Scrabble in Berwick

- Fridays 9.30am-12.00pm at Berwick Neighbourhood Centre, 112 High Street, Berwick. Details: David, 0433 566 456.

U3A Casey – Activities for Seniors

Are you a senior, aged over 50, who is semi or fully retired?

Are you looking to keep your body and mind in top shape?

Then … U3A Casey is for you!

With over 580 members and 75 different classes, U3A Casey offers you a wide range of activities including Arts & Crafts, Music, Book Clubs, Social Clubs, Low-Impact Sports, Fitness, Cooking … and many more.

You can attend up to three classes for free, to see if you like the classes before registering to join with U3A Casey.

Membership from January to December is $60.00 or from July to December is $30.00, which allows you to choose to join any of our classes (subject to available vacancies).

• For more information on classes, or to join using the online enrolment form: Visit our website – www.u3acasey.org.au

• Phone our office – 0493 280 458

• Email us - caseyu3a@gmail.com

Balla Balla Community Centre Health & Wellbeing at Balla Balla

Feel good this winter! Join us at Balla Balla Community Centre for Term 3 Health & Wellbeing

classes starting in July.

Choose from:

Yoga/Pilates/Zumba/Mindfulness Meditation & Compassion/Music & Guided Imagery Workshop Move, relax, and recharge – all in your local community! Term 3 enrolments open 30 June online https://ballaballa.com.au/health-wellbeing/ or phone 5990 0900.

Morning Melodies

Are you young at heart, looking for some company, or just want to enjoy a lovely morning out? Join us at Morning Melodies for heartwarming performances filled with the songs you know and love! Enjoy live entertainment, a cuppa, and a freshly baked scone with jam and cream - all while making new friends along the way.

• Book early to secure your spot! You won’t want to miss this uplifting morning of music and connection. Morning Melodies is held on 2nd Tuesday each month and bookings can be made online www.balla.balla.com.au or by phoning 5990 0900

U3A Cranbourne

20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne

We are a social group for people over 50 with many interesting and creative activities. We have recently started a garden group as we have lovely gardens where we can plant vegetables, herbs and flowers and enjoy a tea or coffee outdoors when the weather is nice.

We also have lots of art and craft groups, calligraphy, scrabble, singing for fun, quilling, resin making, and card making are popular classes.

On Thursday afternoons from 1 - 3pm we have a lively group of table tennis players. New players welcome, no past experience needed, come along and join in the fun.

We run a beginner ukulele and guitar group. Ray leads the ukulele group, and Maurie assists our beginner guitar group on Monday mornings.

We are a not-for-profit group, assisted by Casey Council to run our programs. Our membership fee of $50 per year entitles you to join as many classes as you wish.

Line dancing is held at Clyde Public Hall on Monday mornings, and a gold coin donation covers hire of this venue.

• Check out all our classes at www.u3acranbourne.org.au or phone 0493 991 919 for more information

Entries close

soon

Time is running out to win the journey of a lifetime!

Entries close at noon on Thursday, 14 August, so don’t miss your chance to win an eight-day Viking “Rhine Getaway” river voyage for two, valued at $16,190 – including return airfares.

Thanks to Viking and this local newspaper, one lucky reader will enjoy a luxurious cruise departing Basel, Switzerland on 22 November 2026.

Cruise through four countries, explore historic towns and UNESCO sites, and enjoy Viking’s signature cultural experiences. Have you entered yet? Act now before it’s too late!

Visit starnewsgroup.secondstreetapp. com/Win-a-European-river-voyage-withViking

Cruise through four countries, explore historic towns and UNESCO sites, and enjoy Viking’s signature cultural experiences.

Rays earning praise

Dandenong

Nathan Boyd has praised the growth of twins Mizuki and Nalu Brothwell.

The pair continue to develop well, averaging 16 and 15 disposals respectively as clean and athletic prospects who have lined up for Vic Country.

Mizuki has lined up in the backline and showed plenty of upside, having become consistent week-in, week-out footballers after being identified ahead of last season as potential surprise packets.

“She’s really reliable defensively, she reads it well, takes plenty of marks, she’s a good pressure player and generates lots of attack as well,” Boyd said.

“She’s consistent in her ability to gain territory for us and she has the ability to execute long kicks and she’s adding finesse to her field kicking.”

Having represented the AFL Academy earlier in the year, Mizuki’s form, alongside her twin sister, has played a major role in Dandenong currently sitting fourth with an 8-4 record on the Coates League table.

While Mizuki has become a reliable asset in defence, and Nalu ahead of the footy, Boyd said they could be a potential “ace up the sleeve” ahead of the last two home and away fixtures

Rovers

The premiership cup has not yet been lifted but the passing of the baton has already taken place in Outer East Women’s Division 1 football.

Reigning-premier Pakenham won’t take its place in this year’s finals series, finishing fifth, after unbeaten Mt Evelyn handed the Lions a 12.18(90) to 1.1(7) defeat at Mt Evelyn on Friday night.

The Rovers have been a class above all opposition this year, ending the home-and-away season having conceded just 58 points in 13 outings. They have scored 1229 points themselves, leading to a percentage of 2119.

Lilly Kelly kicked four goals for the winners, while premiership-player Sarah Connelly battled hard for the Lions in her last game before retiring.

Upwey Tecoma will face the daunting task of taking on Mt Evelyn in this week’s second semifinal after the Tigers scored a 14.6(90) to 1.2(8) victory over Belgrave.

Alex Bantock and Jess Occhipinti tuned up in the best way possible, booting five goals each for the Tigers, while Jess Walker capped off a fine season with the only six-pointer for Belgrave.

And the mind games started a week early for Healesville and Olinda Ferny Creek, with Healesville prevailing by 27 points in a curtain-raiser to

and finals.

“We know (Mizuki) competes and has aerial competitiveness which she gives us, but if we need to get more athletic or a little bit taller or someone who is more defensively competent we can throw her magnet in there so it could be an ace up our sleeve,” Boyd said.

“(Nalu) might play as a front-of-stoppage seventh midfielder.

“We’re seeing a lot of growth from her.”

Finding a spot for them in the on-ball rotation, though, could prove a challenge with Lilly Snow, Nikhita Harris, Indi Sherritt and Charlotte Gilmore all playing consistent footy.

Matilda Argus is another who has rotated through there in recent weeks and showed promise, with the Vic Country representative averaging 19 disposals and five tackles at Coates League level in 2025.

“Her ability to win the footy and power out of contest is dangerous and she has a penetrating kick which helps up take territory,” Boyd said.

“She’s a competitive aerialist as well so she gives us great presence around the ground and she’s nailed shots on goal in the last couple of games.”

Another Stingray in top form is Kiara Triep, kicking 13 goals in her last six games, held goal-

less just once during that period.

“She’s a good high forward who can work back and get to the drop of the ball and does some good work on the ground,” Boyd said.

“She’s had a fantastic run and she’s kicking goals regularly.

“She’s wily on the ground and smart and makes great decisions.”

Boyd also offered an insight into the development of Alice Cunnington, who will likely be one of the ‘Rays top prospects in 2026.

She has been highly-touted since making her Coates League debut as a double-bottom-ager last year, and is in the 2025 Vic Country squad, but has juggled footballing and netball commitments throughout that time.

“She hasn’t been a high disposal winner consistently but as that midfielder she kicks goals and she pops up regularly ahead of the footy and she finds time and space,” Boyd said.

“Things open up for her when it doesn’t happen for others.

“We’ve had the luxury of playing her ahead of and behind the footy and in the middle – she’s very versatile.”

Dandenong is next in action on Sunday 17 August against GWV Rebels at Mars Stadium, Ballarat.

their first semi-final battle this week.

Madi Cameron was electric for the winners with three goals, while Anna Hughson battled hard for Olinda.

In Division 2, Warburton-Wesburn has almost identically replicated Mt Evelyn’s dominance in

Power surge

Top AFL Draft prospect Willem Duursma’s return to Gippsland Power has helped them rebound from back-to-back losses.

The Vic Country star had a legacy day, with 26 disposals, two goals and 10 tackles, coming off a stellar National Championships campaign and VFL debut.

The Power beat Tasmania 13.12(90) to 8.9(57) at Windsor Park in the Apple Isle on Sunday.

Neerim South young gun Ash Mounsey played his best game at Coates League level, kicking three goals and taking eight marks, impressing with his ability to lead up at the ball-carrier.

Beaconsfield’sJackHiltonalsoplayedhis most complete game at the level, combining 25 disposals with a goal.

Noah Romeril, who started the year outside of the squad, made his debut, becoming the sixth Moe product to represent the Power’s boys side in 2025, the most of any community club.

The victory was soured by a secondquarter concussion to popular team member and Vic Country utility Jobe Scapin.

Bottom-ager Xavier Ladbrook intercepted well across halfback, while Brodie Atkins and Liam Masters were also standouts.

Meanwhile, a week after a stirring fourth-quarter comeback, Gippsland’s girls were brought back to earth, failing to register a goal in an 11.18(84) to 0.5(5) loss to Tasmania, with Grace Dillow leading the way.

The boys record is 10-3, which has them first on the table, while the girls are 8-4, sitting fifth.

the ground.

Wandin will take on Warburton-Wesburn this week in the grand final qualifier after a 54-point win over Thornton-Eildon.

Danielle Wearne slotted four, and Kiara-Shae Ryan-Bader and Madeline Stokes two each in the comprehensive success.

And Emerald will take winning form into this week’s first semi-final against Yea after hardfought victory over Officer.

The Bombers led by a point at the final change, but stunning final quarters from Amber Brierley and Paige Nguyen extend that margin in the last quarter.

WOMEN’SFINALS

Saturday9August,2025

Venue: Olinda Ferny Creek

• DIVISION1

QUALIFYINGFINAL(1v2) 1pm

Mt Evelyn v Upwey Tecoma

ELIMINATIONFINAL(3v4) 2.50pm

Healesville v Olinda Ferny Creek

Division 1, ending the season with 1148 points for, and just 68 against, after a 71-point victory over Yea.

Madi Ward was brilliant for the red-hot premiership favourites with eight goals, while Emerson Woods was an influential figure around

• DIVISION2

QUALIFYINGFINAL(1v2) 11.10am

Warburton-Wesburn v Wandin

ELIMINATIONFINAL(3v4) 9.20am

Emerald v Yea

Tahlia Sheehan will be a key player for Upwey Tecoma when the Tigers take on the huge task of bringing down Mt Evelyn on Saturday. (Stewart Chambers: 478090)
Bottom-ager Ash Mounsey, a product of Ellinbank League premiership favourites Neerim South, showed plenty on Sunday. (Gary Sissons: 489623)
Stingrays coach
Several of Dandenong’s girls have shown pleasing signs in 2025. (Gary Sissons: 489621)

Cannons first-time misfire

Casey Hockey Club’s formidable Men’s Vic League (MVL2) side lost its first game of the entire season last weekend in a top-of-the-table clash against Werribee, falling short 5-3.

It was the first time that the Cannons have been on the wrong side of the final result, still sitting first on the ladder with an impressive season record of 13-1-1.

When the sides met earlier in the season, the scoring power of both teams was on display as Casey won 6-4, but Werribee turned the tables.

Tristan Chaffey is the most dominant scorer in the league with 36 goals to his name, but Werribee put some time into him, keeping him to one goal.

Matthew Light and Elliot Stephens produced highlights as they both capitalised on scoring opportunities, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Cannons to a win.

The other men’s teams also faced a similar fate on the day with the MVL2 Reserves going down to Werribee, 4-1.

Tadhg McCurran scored Cannons’ only goal on the day as he continues his consistent season.

The tough season that the Men’s Metro 2 South is having continued as the side was outplayed 4-0 against Southern United.

However, despite those three losses, there was a positive glimpse as the Pennant D South East team salvaged a 2-2 draw against Hawthorn.

Scott Daly and Matt Guastella were standout performers in the match, scoring one goal each to keep their team in the contest.

Things were a bit more positive for Casey Hockey in the women’s fixtures with three wins out of four matches.

It was a thrilling contest in the Women’s Vic League (WVL1) clash against Brunswick as the Cannons fired to win a nail-biter 1-0.

Samantha Dobrich produced the match-winning play to find the back of the net and give her team a great win.

Casey is third on the ladder and will look to go deep into finals after the remaining three rounds.

The Cannons’ WVL1 Reserves also prevailed in a close game against Brunswick, winning 2-1 at the final whistle.

Jenna McLauchlan and Cleo Guastella were the goal scorers in the victory, which gives Casey a bit of breathing room on the ladder.

The Cannons were far too strong for Hawthorn in the Pennant E South East competition, controlling the game to win 5-0.

A huge strength of the side is the many different scoring options it has, with five individual goal scorers in the victory – there is no particular

reliance on any player.

Sophie Kimm, Emily Harris, Jane Gipp, Hilary Doulton and Karen Alarcon all made an impact on the scoreboard.

The Women’s Metro 1 South side put up a good fight against Mornington Peninsula, falling

Finals focus despite tough week for Storm

Cardinia Storm’s Women’s Metro 1 South team was the only side to win last weekend, narrowly defeating Collegians-X, 3-1 in Round 15.

Despite being without a bench and being forced to field a number of injured players, the Storm brought intensity and a competitive performance to win.

Zena Nicholas was a game-changer, scoring two of the goals to put her side in the box seat and ensure Cardinia claimed another victory.

Madeleine Reincastle, a huge inclusion after returning from interstate, produced a moment of brilliance to seal the win.

It was a strong team effort from the Storm, who will now shift their focus to next week’s challenge against Mornington, to be played at Beaconhills College, Pakenham.

In the Men’s Metro 1 South competition, Cardinia played out a thrilling 2-2 draw against Hawthorn to remain in third position on the ladder.

It was a game that had fans on the edge of their seats, with neither side able to gain clear control.

Cardinia started the game perfectly, as Scott Burnett set up birthday boy Taylor Rae for an easy goal to start proceedings.

But the visiting side soon responded to tie the scores at 1-1, and it remained a tight battle which could go either way.

Burnett soon decided that he would take matters into his own hands, as he found the back of the net to take the lead once again.

The Storm were surging late in the game but the Hawthorn goalkeeper stood tall in defence

and produced some brilliant saves to salvage a draw for his team.

Cardinia remains in third position with nine wins this season and will hope to find some form in the final regular season games before finals.

Not often will a team take as many positives out of a 0-0 draw as the Cardinia Storm players did in the Men’s Metro 2 South competition.

Having just 10 players against Mornington, the Storm were always going to be up against it, but they fought until the end.

The team defended fiercely, attacked with speed and created many scoring chances with

the dominance across the pitch.

Both sides sit on six wins this season, so holding Mornington scoreless – despite missing key players – felt like a win for Cardinia.

Daniel Cullen was impressive in the draw, inspiring his team and creating some great attacking chains.

Despite not getting a win, the draw was a heroic effort from the Storm, showcasing the spirit and unity of the team, and the club.

Cardinia will take on Mentone this weekend at Beaconhills College looking to bounce back after the 3-1 loss earlier in the season.

short 4-2.

Jessica Hogan and Kelly McLauchlan were the goal scorers in the loss.

Casey Hockey Club is looking good as finals approach and has recently given opportunities to several debutants.

Winners are grinners at Pakenham

Pakenham has bounced back onto the winner’s list with a 2-0 home victory against Mount Martha.

Warm favourites entering the clash, it took the hosts until the precipice of halftime to find the back of the net via Hamza Ahmed, with Kyle Tagwireyi adding a second midway through the second half.

The win moves Pakenham to within two points of fifth-placed Bunyip, after they suffered a 4-2 defeat on Saturday.

There are four rounds left in the season, with Pakenham to face stiff opposition in third-placed Seaford on Saturday at 3pm.

Cardinia Storm’s Scott Burnett was instrumental in the draw. (Rob Carew: 484175)
Matthew Light scored a goal in the Cannons first loss of the season in MVL2. (Stewart Chambers: 470118)

BERWICK

TIP-STARS

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.