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$52m sports plan By Benjamin Millar Moorabool council has unveiled ambitious plans to transform sports and leisure activity in the area with the new Moorabool Aquatic and Recreation Centre. To be built on a vacant 3.8 hectare site in Taverner Street at an estimated $52 million cost, the centre will be anchored by a $31 million indoor aquatic centre, a $14 million four-court indoor sports stadium and a $7 million regional bowls facility with three new bowling greens. The centre is expected to create more than 200 direct and indirect jobs during construction and generate more than $100 million in economic activity during the life of the project. Council has earmarked $20 million of its own funds for the project, with plans to seek the shortfall from state and federal governments and other sources.
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needed to meet growing demand in the region
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- Project prospectus Planning documents for the centre were publicly advertised online on December 24. The Bacchus Marsh Aquatic Centre Community Consortium Inc, a community group established to advocate and raise funds for the facility, is aiming to contribute $1 million. A project prospectus states that the council is seeking to partner with the state and federal governments to make the “game-changing“ sports and recreation precinct a reality. “With Moorabool Shire’s population forecast to double in the next 20 years, an indoor stadium is needed to meet growing demand in the region for competitive sports venues,” the prospectus states. The document states that the Bacchus Marsh Leisure Centre – currently the only indoor facility in Moorabool – is already at capacity with no further options to grow indoor sports. It also notes that unlike similar-sized towns in Victoria, Bacchus Marsh does not have an indoor aquatic facility. “The existing outdoor pool was built in the 1930s,” it states. “This project will upgrade the pool to a year-round multi-purpose recreation centre, featuring aquatic, health, fitness and leisure facilities to meet community and visitor needs.” The merger between the Bacchus Marsh Bowling Club and Avenue Bowling Club is seen to provide
Architectural designs for the new Moorabool Aquatic and Recreation Centre. (Supplied) an opportunity for the clubs to come together in a modern purpose-built facility. A planning report on the proposal indicates it would be completed in a series of key stages. Stage one includes the basketball stadium, change rooms, a function room, administration spaces, and a group fitness and function room.
Stage two features the pool hall and change rooms and plant rooms, a foyer with reception and café, administration spaces, and a gym with additional group fitness rooms and change rooms. Stage three involves the development of a stand-alone lawn bowls facility, incorporating a club room and dining room, a kitchen, a bar, an admin
space and a meeting room, a bowls shop, a tea-room and kitchenette, change rooms, and outdoor courts. A timeline for construction of the centre will be determined by future budget allocations and availability of state and federal funding. ■ Big
plans for Taverner Street: Page 6
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Mayor’s message
Reopening of council services and facilities: melton.vic.gov.au/COVID19
Cr Kathy Majdlik Happy New Year everyone! It’s wonderful to see great optimism about what 2021 will hold and I sincerely hope it is a safe and joyful year for all.
COVID-19 restrictions: dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus Quickly and easily connect with us online: melton.vic.gov.au facebook.com/cityofmelton Instagram @cityofmeltonofficial
Make your own face filters and animations The artists behind two exciting new exhibitions in the City of Melton are inviting locals to join in online activities to create your own face filters and animations! You can also view the exhibitions #Socialmediology and Never be Late for a Parade at CS Gallery and Melton Library respectively.
As I look to what council has planned for the year ahead, there’s certainly a lot to look forward to.
Celebrate Australia Day Join in the Australia Day celebrations at The Willows Historical Park on Tuesday 26 January. We’ll have live entertainment by Un-limited, dingoes and reptiles for the kids to meet and pet, and a free barbecue and coffee. As part of the celebrations, 75 people will also be sworn in as new citizens. Entertainment will begin at 9.30am and the event will conclude at noon. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendees will need to register for a FREE ticket. For details and to book, visit melton.vic.gov.au/australiaday
When: Tuesday 26 January, 9.30am – 12.30pm
These and many more infrastructure projects will create critically needed local jobs this year, while also helping to improve liveability for local families.
Where: Willows Historical Park, Reserve Road, Melton
#Socialmediology Liam Herne uses photography, digital art and traditional art to look at concepts around our online identities and correlations between how we act in the digital world versus the real world. Exhibition: Now – 25 February, CS Gallery Event details – Make your own Face Filter: melton.vic.gov.au/events
Coburn Ward with Cr Sophie Ramsey Firstly, I’d like to wish all our residents a very happy New Year! With the challenges of 2020 behind us, I sincerely hope 2021 brings you all much success, good health and happiness, something we could all use after such a difficult year.
Exhibition: Now – 7 March, Melton Library & Learning Hub
Next week, kids will start back at school and last year’s year 12 students will embark on life’s next adventure. For parents, teachers and students alike, 2020 was like no other, testing our resilience and forcing everyone to approach learning in a completely different way. I sincerely hope that the next 12 months are less stressful and more productive than ever before, and that everyone has the renewed opportunity to thrive in our community, both academically and socially.
Event details – Learn to Animate Characters: melton.vic.gov.au/events
Council has hit the ground running this year and our draft 2021/2022 Budget is taking shape. I’d like to
Never be Late for a Parade A selection of brilliant images that celebrate children’s author illustrator Shaun Tan’s unique approach to storytelling from his best known titles including The Arrival, Cicada, and The Lost Thing.
Our program of capital works will deliver and progress key projects including the installation of traffic lights at some major intersections in Caroline Springs; significant road and path upgrades; playground redevelopments; the expansion of the Melton Recycling Facility; and sporting facility projects including the Diggers Rest community pavilion and oval, the six-court Cobblebank Indoor Stadium, and the MacPherson Park redevelopment.
thank all the residents, community groups and sporting clubs who put in a submission as part of the budgeting process and for providing input on the types of projects, services and facilities you need. Check our website in coming months for more opportunities to have your say. This is your budget and we want to hear from you. And finally, I’d like to thank Coburn Ward residents for re-electing me for another four years, and having faith that I will continue to keep our community’s best interests at the forefront of everything I do. I look forward to working with you all and helping to make the City of Melton an even better place to live, work and play. Don’t hesitate to contact me at sophie.ramsey@melton.vic.gov.au or on 0412 584 067. I’d love to hear your thoughts about Coburn Ward.
We’re also doing what we can to give residents more COVID-safe ways to enjoy the local area while supporting local businesses. You may have noticed alfresco dining areas popping up across our city and this is part of our outdoor dining program, in collaboration with the State Government. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to support your local eateries and enjoy these new areas. This year, we also plan to deliver a mix of face-to-face and online activities and programs, giving you all safe options to stay connected. Our current exhibitions and school holiday activities are a great example of this and I’d encourage you to check out what’s on offer this summer at melton.vic.gov.au/events You’re welcome to contact me regarding council matters at kathy.majdlik@melton.vic.gov.au or on 0412 584 058.
Your Councillors – Visit melton.vic.gov.au/councillors to find your ward Councillors and their contact details
Mayor Cr Kathy Majdlik
Deputy Mayor Cr Goran Kesic
2 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
Cr Steve Abboushi
Cr Lara Carli
Cr Moira Deeming
Cr Sophie Ramsey
Cr Julie Shannon
Cr Bob Turner
Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg
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Soil approvals questioned By Benjamin Millar The state opposition has accused the government of “scandalous” attempts to pressure the state’s environmental watchdog to cut corners in its approvals for the dumping of toxic soil from the $6.8 billion West Gate Tunnel. Star Weekly last month reported that Melton and Moorabool councils are demanding an urgent review of the state government’s approval for soil riddled with PFAS and asbestos to be dumped in Ravenhall and Bacchus Marsh after the Environment Protection Authority
admitted it may have lacked the legal grounds to sign off on the plans earlier in the year. The state opposition has also slammed the process, arguing that documents revealed following a Freedom of Information request show pressure was applied to the independent regulator to rush through the approvals. An August 2019 email from a senior staff member of Lily D’Ambrosio’s ministerial office to Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning secretary John Bradley and now former EPA chief Cathy Wilkinson referred to “options available for streamlined/ expedited process to assist soil to be received
at [REDACTED] site… Secretary, DPC to lead discussions on a resolution/pathway forward.” Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis said the emails are “extraordinary evidence” of attempts by senior Labor ministers to bully and pressure the EPA into cutting corners and expediting the process. Mr Davis said the emails clearly demonstrate the government crossing the line into “outright political manipulation”. “This is a disgraceful attempt to override proper environmental processes, putting at risk the safety of the community and the
environment,” he said. Opposition environment spokeswoman Bridget Vallence said the documents make clear the government is interfering in the processes of the environmental regulator. “It’s now clear the Andrews Labor government cares more about looking after big foreign-owned corporates on Labor’s botched tunnel projects, rather than the communities which are fighting to stop toxic soil being dumped next to homes and a school,” she said. The EPA and state government did not respond by time of publication.
Shoulders to the wheel Students were on a roll when they attended a wheel gymnastics course last week. Head coach of the Cyr and German Wheel Club, Ludwig Schukin – who is also a trainer at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Prahran – is running the Summer Holiday Wheel Intensive at Eagle Stadium. People have come from across Melbourne and Geelong to study under the expertise of Mr Schukin, who grew up in a Russian circus family and has travelled the world with Cirque du Soleil and the Moscow State Circus. Mr Schukin, a Melton resident, said that although wheel gymnastics was a popular performance art, not many people know the sport also has a bi-annual World Championships. He said his dream was to build a team to compete at the championships, and he has started training two of his children in wheel
gymnastics so they can join the squad. He said that while some people were scared to try wheel gymnastics, “with the proper supervision, there is a little chance to hurt yourself”. “Right now, I’m really enjoying it because I’m teaching, I love the lightbulb moment when a student says, ‘This is actually so easy’,” he said. Mr Schukin thanked the administration team at Eagle Stadium, including Alf Saunders, for providing him with a venue to host wheel gymnastics classes. “It was really tough to find a space and he has really given me a chance and given me help,” Mr Schukin said. Details: https://www.wheelgymclub.com.au/ Coach Ludwig Schukin (front centre) and students Kate Gilworth, Daniel (14), Anna (10) and Edha (14). (Damjan Janevski) 225396_01
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Australia Day celebration Melton council’s Australia Day 2021 activities will go ahead this year but as a free ticketed event to keep a cap on numbers to ensure social distancing. From 9.30am-noon there will be live music, a barbecue, recognition of the 2021 Community Achievement Awards winners and a citizenship ceremony. Bookings: melton.vic.gov.au/ AustraliaDay
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With COVID-19 restrictions in place, Moorabool council has changed the format of its Australia Day celebrations. This year, people can watch the Australia Day Awards and the Citizenship Ceremony via a live stream on the council’s Facebook page. A total of 100 people can attend the event in person at the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall, but they will need to provide details for contact tracing purposes and COVID-19 restrictions will be in place. The ceremony starts at 9.30am.
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Leadership program Islah, 5, Amaia, 4, Rome, 6, (main), Fatima, 4, and Rico, 8. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 225056
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Children across Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs made the most of the hot weather last week, flocking to local swimming pools. After a milder than usual beginning to summer, the mercury soared past 30 degrees on multiple days. Many pools – both indoor and outdoor – reported lockouts and
queues of people waiting to get in because of COVID-19-related patron limits. With more warm days forecast for this week, swimming pools are expecting to be full as families make the most of their free time before school returns.
Applications for Melton council’s Community Leadership Program close this Sunday. The free program is aimed at developing existing and new leaders to assume stronger leadership roles in the community. Details: www.melton. vic.gov.au/communityleadership FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
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Man jailed for shooting brother By Benjamin Millar A Melton man who shot his brother in the leg during an argument has been sentenced to 44 days in custody and 150 hours of community service for the incident. Paul Boxhall, 27, pleaded guilty to one charge of intentionally causing injury and being a prohibited person who used a firearm. The County Court last month heard that Boxhall got into an argument with his brother Shane outside the Melton units where they lived as neighbours on March 16 last year. Shane threatened to burn down the unit and
Boxhall threatened to shoot him, with Shane telling him to “go ahead”. The court heart Boxhall went into his unit and returned with a firearm, shooting his brother in the front of his left thigh before leaving the scene. The victim was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital and discharged himself the following day, returning days later for surgery to remove the bullet from his leg. Boxhall initially denied to police that he had shot his brother, but admitted under interview that he had shot him because he “was just getting smart and doing my head in”.
He told police he had used a homemade firearm loaded with only one bullet in the shooting. The court also heard that Boxhall had consumed both ice and GHB on the day of the offence, and had not slept for the past three to four days. After being arrested for the shooting, he was remanded in custody for 44 days prior to being granted bail. In sentencing Boxhall, Judge Frances Hogan said the court must denounce his conduct and place emphasis upon general deterrence. “The last thing we want in this country is
for people to be possessing firearms when they should not, and using them in an irresponsible fashion as you did,” she said. “Having said that, I also referred to the fact that the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence, are somewhat unusual, in that your brother, the victim, seemed to be daring you to shoot him.” Judge Hogan sentenced Boxhall to a period of 44 days’ imprisonment together with a community correction order for a period of two years. She declared the 44 days pre-sentence detention as time already served.
What’s in a name Youngsters named Oliver and Charlotte are in good company. A report released by the market research firm McCrindle last week has revealed that Oliver was the most popular boys’ name of 2020, while Charlotte was the most popular girls’ name. During the year, 1609 Australian baby girls were named Charlotte and 2206 boys named Oliver. Olivia was the second-most popular name for baby girls in Australia, with 1575 infants given this name, followed by Amelia (1494 babies), Isla (1397 babies) and Mia (1386 babies). For boys, Noah ranked second with 1825 bundles of joy given the name, followed by Jack (1717 babies), William (1688 babies) and Leo (1414 babies). Tegan Forder, a first-time mother to young Oliver who came into the world on June 24 last year, said she and her husband did not find out
the gender of their baby until he was born. “We had a few names for each gender and my husband suggested Oliver for the boy and I liked it, it was one of the only boy names we agreed on,” she said. Another new mum, Rachael Miller, gave birth to a baby girl on November 14. Ms Miller said that she and her partner Adrian decided to name their infant Charlotte at the suggestion of their friends’ daughter, six year-old Kaelyn. “My partner asked her what we should call the baby,” Ms Miller said. “She said, ‘Thomas for a boy and Charlotte for a girl’. “We just fell in love with that name.” Alesha Capone Young Oliver was born on June 24 last year. (Supplied)
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Big plans for Taverner By Benjamin Millar The green light has been given to a large new residential development at the south end of Bacchus Marsh including residential lots, wetlands and open space reserves. The Taverner Street Development Plan paves the way for development on a 10.6 hectare site located on the boundary between Bacchus Marsh township and the Bacchus Marsh Irrigation District, opposite the proposed new $52 million sports and aquatic centre. A council report on the plan, which was approved by Moorabool council last month, said the site would support about 140 dwellings, a 2800-square metre “super-lot” with a potential development for childcare or medium density residential use, and a ‘heritage park’ interfacing with council-owned land to the south. “The land has previously been used for irrigated farming, and three dwellings and several sheds remain on the site,” the plan states. “The site is well located in relation to transport and services, and its proximity to the Bacchus Marsh train station and Werribee River open space are key features of the development plan.” A 1.2 hectare park will incorporate a
The Taverner Street Devolpment Plan has been approved by Moorabool council.
50m-long avenue of Osage Orange trees that were planted prior to 1876 and are deemed of local heritage significance. The redevelopment would also extend the existing Werribee River walking trail along the southern riverbank through to Fisken Street.
(Supplied)
The site has been identified as being subject to flooding from Werribee River, triggering requirements to mitigate flood risk such as ensuring dwellings are constructed above flood level and maintain flood water storage capacity. The plan paves the way for more detailed
Lotto win ‘blissful’ A Bacchus Marsh woman is eyeing off early retirement after scoring a windfall $1.4 million lottery win. The woman held one of the seven division one-winning entries in TattsLotto draw 4119, drawn on January 9. The regular player, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased her winning marked 18-game entry at Nextra Bacchus Marsh Village Newslotto. When an official from The Lott called the winner to break the news, she initially thought her work was calling. When they told her the reason for the call she then thought it must be a joke. “Is this a hoax call? Surely this is one of my mates pulling my leg?” she said. “I had absolutely no idea I had won. I don’t check my tickets until I go into the outlet to put my next one on so I had no idea.” Despite recently discussing with her family what she’d do with a TattsLotto windfall, the woman said she still wasn’t sure how she would spend her prize. “One of my family members received a ticket for Christmas, so we were all talking about what we’d do if we won,” she said. “I said then that I wasn’t sure what I would do, and now it’s happened I’m still not sure.” The woman said the win came completely out of the blue and will help make her retirement more comfortable. “This is more than lovely, it’s massive. I’ve never won anything, not even a raffle ticket,” she said. “This is huge, it’s going to make my retirement blissful.” The winning numbers in TattsLotto draw 4119 were 9, 22, 34, 20, 7, and 45, Supplementary numbers were 12 and 10. Benjamin Millar
Crime briefs Police assaulted
Dominique-Dee Jones (front), with (from left) Sasha Bolster, Alliyah Mendoza, Jessica Harrowfield and Noah Collins. (Damjan Janevski) 225135_06
Students excel despite disrupted year When Dominique-Dee Jones logged on to check her 2020 VCE results, she couldn’t quite believe her eyes. Along with her fellow 2020 VCE students across the state, the Melton Secondary College school captain had endured a tumultuous year as strict COVID-19 lockdown measures and school closures sent education into an unprecedented tailspin. But Dominique-Dee’s determination and dedication had carried her through to a remarkable score of 99.75. “It’s pretty surreal because you always think about this number for the whole of year 12, then when it comes you don’t know what it’s going to be – it’s quite overwhelming,” she said. “I had woken up at 6am, I logged in and I was pretty taken back by it. “Throughout the year I had had my mind set 6 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
on getting something above a 90, but never did I expect to get something in the 99s.” Dominique-Dee last week received a hoped-for offer to study a bachelor of arts at the University of Melbourne, where she intends to pursue her passions of politics and Indigenous studies. “It’s the learning aspect I’m interested in at the moment, but I definitely do have ambitions to work with Indigenous issues in the policy setting, to better their experience,” she said. “Learning the subject within the school opened my mind to social issues and the injustice that goes on in society.” Melton Secondary College had five VCE students score 90 or above in all, a result that curriculum and enrichment director Rachel Barney attributed to the students’ following their interests and passions.
Sasha Bolster received 95.3, Alliyah Mendoza scored 94.4, Noah Collins 91 and Jessica Harrowfield 90. Dominique-Dee said the school had been remarkably supportive during the year, which included long periods of remote learning due to the COVID-19 lockdown. “I think it was definitely different and obviously something we never expected to happen,” she said. “I think my mindset stayed the same and I still had my goals and ambitions and to achieve them I had to stay positive and determined. “I definitely think the support our college and teachers and the support staff gave us was a tremendous help in navigating this thing that nobody has ever really experienced before.” Benjamin Millar
A 20-year-old Melton South woman is one of four women charged with multiple offences over an assault that left a policewoman hospitalised. The sergeant and a male constable were responding to a noise complaint from a party being held at a short-term rental accommodation in Glen Iris just after 5am Sunday, January 10. They followed and intercepted a car leaving the premises at which point four women got out of the car and argued with the officers before allegedly assaulting them. A 20-year-old Melton South woman, 21-year-old Point Cook woman, 22-year-old Burnside Heights woman and a 20-year-old Deer Park woman have been charged with multiple offences including assault police, intentionally cause injury and unlawful assault. All four were bailed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 29.
Letter box stolen Police are appealing for information following the theft of a distinctive letter box from a property in Exford, between 6pm January 13 and 7am the next morning. The letter box, incorporated into a bird-shaped sculpture, is of sentimental value as it is a one-off piece hand-made by a man who has since passed away. Details to Melton Police on 9747 7999. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
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The good oil on sustainability By Benjamin Millar A new waste to energy initiative will divert up to five million litres of liquid cooking waste from landfill each year and help power the Melton Recycled Water Plant. Construction is well under way on the facility as part of Western Water’s long-term commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Cooking oils and other commercial liquid food waste will be collected and converted into renewable biogas, powering the treatment plant during the day.
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play an important role in reducing waste
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- Graham Holt
The $3.3 million facility is being constructed with an $800,000 grant from Sustainability Victoria. The conversion will take place in the plant’s existing digester tank, which normally converts sewage to decomposed waste but will now also treat food waste. It is expected to start receiving waste next month and will be able to process up to 5000KL of liquid food waste each year once fully operational. Western Water chief operating officer Graham Holt said the innovative use of technology is both good for the environment and saves money in plant operating costs. “The new facility is a first for Western Water and will play an important role in reducing waste in the region,” he said. “Businesses can now bring their liquid waste,
Project managers Luke Wilson and Greg Holland at the new waste to energy facility. (Supplied)
such as cooking oils and fats, to the plant for processing. They can be satisfied they are doing their part to reduce landfill and greenhouse gas emissions. The Melton Waste to Energy Facility is
expected to cut Western Water’s greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tonnes per year. This is in addition to 630 tonnes in annual emission reductions from the plant’s 500-kilowatt solar array, which was switched
on 12 months ago. Renewable energy from both the waste-to-energy facility and solar array will provide up to 100 per cent of the Melton plant’s energy needs during the day.
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Western Water fined for spill By Benjamin Millar Western Water has been slapped with a $110,000 penalty over a sewage spill near the Werribee River in Eynesbury. Western Region Water Corporation, which trades as Western Water, will pay $110,000 to a platypus conservation project run by a local volunteer group following an Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) prosecution for the 2018 sewage spill. The EPA investigation began after a one metre split in a sewerage pipe that leaked for
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several days in April 2018 sent sewage flowing across open land to a nearby drain that leads to the Werribee River. EPA regional manager Stephen Lansdell said the leak involved an estimated two megalitres of sewage, but two factors helped to limit the environmental damage.
“An unused dam trapped some of the leak, and a release of 140 megalitres of irrigation water from upstream the same day helped to dilute any sewage that reached the river,” he said. The sewage was being piped from Eynesbury to the Melton South sewage treatment plant when the leak occurred. The Sunshine Magistrates Court sentenced the Western Region Water Corporation without conviction after it entered a plea of guilty to one charge of causing or permitting an environmental hazard.
Mr Lansdell said the $110,000 penalty will go to the Werribee River Association for its ‘Progressing Platypus’ project. “One of the great things about the Environment Protection Act 1970 is that it gives the court the power to order offenders to fund projects for the restoration and enhancement of the environment,” Mr Lansdell said. “In this case, it’s a community group’s project that will survey the platypus population and water quality in the Werribee River.” The Corporation was also ordered to pay EPA’s legal costs.
Landowners debunk complaints
Indira Burekovic. visited Footscray to promote the Placement Circle program
(Damjan Janevski) 225398_02
Role call for free VU course A charity empowering and supporting women is seeking at least 15 students to commence a free aged care course at Victoria University’s Footscray campus. Women CAN Australia, a charity that links women to vocational training, is supporting women who are interested in obtaining their certificate III in individual support. Its Placement Circle program helps mature-aged students overcome barriers to finding meaningful jobs and financial independence. Case manager Indira Burekovic last week visited Footscray to promote the program, which was piloted in Dandenong last year.
“We need about 20 women to join the program so we have to spread our wings and really promote, so this is what we’re doing for the next two weeks,” she said. “We have a peer support group so we support them throughout the whole course.” Ms Burekovic said the Dandenong pilot had resulted in women who experienced disadvantage being supported to enter the workforce. “They needed someone to lift them daily because they came from family violence and stress and anxiety and depression,” she said. “I was able to connect with them daily and just push them through and they’ve come so far …
We’re hoping that these women from Footscray will get the same benefit.” The nine-month course, scheduled to start in February, is three days a week including one day on campus, two days online and workplace placement. Participants may also access mentoring from community service organisations, referrals to support services, social activities and closed Facebook pages. Anyone interested should email contact@ womencanaustralia.com, phone 9114 7826 or visit https://womencanaustralia.com
The owners of a Parwan property have rejected concerns about noise and suggestions they will financially benefit from the crushing and sale of rocks stockpiled on their land. Star Weekly last month reported a planning application has been lodged with Melton council to crush and sell up to 70,000 tonnes of rocks on the Nortons Road property. One neighbour said it would be inappropriate for the site owner to profit from the sale of the crushed rocks after a court ruling a decade ago that illegal clearing had taken place. But site owners Debbie and John Debono said the operation is being carried out by a third party and they don’t stand to make any financial gain. Ms Debono said they were asked if they would be willing to let the operators crush the rocks on their property for use by Western Water’s nearby Maddingley Sewer and Water infrastructure project. “The deal was between them and Western Water, we had nothing to do with it,” she said. “The only thing we got out of it is that they were taking the rocks away.” Ms Debono also rejected noise complaints made by the neighbour. “They haven’t been working all through COVID, so they are not disturbing anybody.” Ms Debono said the circumstances around the earlier clearing of the land, hit with a $150,000 fine, were not black and white. “This was 10 years ago. John was ploughing the land which meant you were allowed to clear rocks, but they changed the law halfway through doing this,” she said. “So he got fines from the council and he got fined from Canberra for doing it, but he hasn’t gone out of his way to destroy native grasses.”
Goya Dmytryshchak
Boost to buses’ green credentials A fleet of electric buses which operate across Melbourne, including along routes in the north and west, are being fitted with technology to make them more environmentally-friendly. CDC Victoria’s Volvo hybrid (self-charging electric) buses will be fitted with Zone Management technology, which will allow the vehicles to achieve zero emissions in designated zones, where they will operate exclusively in electric drive mode. Operating in electric mode means a silent ride for commuters and less road noise for residents and other road users. Volvo’s Zone Management system is powered by geofencing technology and telematics – a 8 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
first for Australia and within the Asia Pacific region. The system optimises the performance of CDC Victoria’s hybrid buses, meaning they do not have to rely on the electricity grid or expensive infrastructure for charging. The Zone Management systems are being installed in the buses by workers at CMV Truck and Bus in Derrimut and Volgren in Dandenong. Nicholas Yap, chief executive of ComfortDelGro Australia, of which CDC Victoria is a subsidiary, said the system would “greatly benefit the local community … for a cleaner, greener Australia.”
“We are so excited to be the first in Australia to achieve zone-based zero emissions on our existing hybrid bus fleet and believe that this technology innovation revolutionises our Victorian operations without the need for extensive infrastructure,” he said. Nine of the hybrid buses equipped with the Zone Management system have started operating on the streets of Melbourne, including route 605 which runs into Melbourne CBD and route 630 which serves Monash University. The remainder of the existing CDC Victoria hybrid fleet will be fitted with thr new system in two stages over the next four months.
Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and ComfortDelGro Australia chief executive Nicholas Yap examine the new technology (Supplied)
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NEWS
Ease pressure of stroke risk By Tara Murray Residents in Melbourne’s north-west are tipped to be among those most heavily impacted by strokes in the next 30 years, according to new Stroke Foundation data. The foundation has released the No Postcode Untouched 2020 study which looks at who is impacted by strokes and forecasts stroke figures. The Lalor electorate is expected to be one of the top electorates for people living with stroke and the number of new stroke cases in a given year by 2050. Lalor sits second behind Melbourne in the predicted top 20 electorates in Australia, ahead of the Gorton electorate in seventh for both categories and Calwell 10th and Gellibrand 13th. None of those four electorates were in the top 20 for stroke incidence and prevalence in 2020. The study also looked at risk factors for stroke and found Lalor and Calwell residents had a prevalence of high blood pressure and high cholesterol in 2020. Lalor and Gorton had a high number of daily smokers. All three electorates also recorded a high number of residents considered to be overweight or obese. Stroke Foundation clinical council chair Bruce Campbell said high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, was a key risk factor for stroke and the most modifiable.
He said having your blood pressure checked was easy, painless and potentially life-saving, but was too often overlooked. “I know the new year is a time for resolutions and a fresh start for many,” Professor Campbell said.
‘‘
it’s like checking your car is in good working order - Bruce Campbell
’’
“This year, rather than jumping straight into long-term health goals like getting fit or losing a few kilos, start with a blood pressure check at your doctor or pharmacy. “It’s like checking your car is in good working order before a big road trip.” Professor Campbell said the only way to know if you have high blood pressure was to have it checked regularly. “High blood pressure has no immediate symptoms … is also a risk for other cardiovascular conditions and increases the risk of death from the coronavirus. “High blood pressure can impact people of all ages, but it can be managed through medication, minimising salt intake and living a healthy, active lifestyle. “Research has shown the number of strokes would be almost cut in half (48 per cent reduction) if high blood pressure alone was eliminated.”
Top: Seven-year-old twins James (front) and William. Above: Finn, 10, races Cathy Freeman; Scienceworks school holidays program. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 225199
Colourful holiday fun There’s a splash of colour at Scienceworks these school holidays. Scienceworks has a number of colour-themed activities running to keep curious minds – young and old – interested for a few hours. Whether it’s exploring the physics and chemistry of colour or celebrating and investigating the colours of the rainbow. Children can find out the difference between a maze and labyrinth and then challenge
themselves in the Rainbow Hunt. There’s also a free science show, Colour Uncovered! and an Air Playground exhibition. Visitors can be among the first to experience the new lightning room show Lights! Energy! Action! and the new Machines and Music-Programming workshop, which runs online and onsite. Tara Murray
NEW YEAR NEW CAREER NOW RECRUITING FOR OVER 3000 POLICE SCAN FOR POLICE CAREERS 12476715-SG04-21
9 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
MY PLACE Joanne Fergusson has a passion for helping children reach their full schooling potential, so she wrote a book to help children, their parents and tutors achieve that. She talks with Tara Murray.
I live in Hillside. I am a stay-at-home mother, married to Kevin and have a son named Andrew. What’s your favourite thing about the local area? I really like the community that involves my parish church, fantastic libraries, schools, restaurants and shops. Where’s your favourite place in Brimbank to eat? My favourite place to eat is, The Coffee club at Watergardens. I love the atmosphere and menu. What made you decide to write a book? It was mid-2019 when I decided to write, A Guide to Home Tutoring. I wanted to help tutors in areas such as organising, planning, assessing and more. I know that many parents are wanting their child/children to improve and gain confidence in their learning. The
book is about how to help give students the edge at school. How long have you been a tutor? I have been a tutor for four and a half years. I decided to become a tutor when, as a teacher I felt the need for extra money. I enjoyed tutoring a lot so I decided to stay with it. Also I became a tutor because I liked working with children. From your experiences, do you think home tutoring is more important than ever since COVID-19? The book is very helpful in the time of pandemic. Many students may have fallen behind in their 2020 learning when they had to do online learning at home. This book provides fun and easy ways to help improve students’ learning and give them the edge at school. Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know? Something that most people don’t know about me is that I run a few times a week at the gym.
(Supplied)
What is your connection to the local area?
FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors
40 years ago
30 years ago
20 years ago
10 years ago
January 21, 1981
January 16, 1991
January 16, 2001
January 19, 2011
Melton Police evacuated the Regional Shopping Centre on Wednesday following a hoax bomb threat phoned through to the management.
The Country Fire Authority will spend nearly $200,000 on a new fire station in Sydenham in a bid to keep pace with the area’s massive housing development.
Melton job-hunters have been urged to do a TAFE course to prepare them for a career in the shire’s fast-developing wine industry.
The public debate over the future of Bacchus Marsh’s historic Avenue of Honour has intensified with residents circulating a petition in favour of the controversial Woolpack Road extension.
10 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
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BEHIND THE NEWS
Shanul Sharma on stage at Teatro Bibiena in Mantova, Northern Italy. (Supplied)
Ready for the next act A Spotswood-based opera tenor who started out in a heavy metal band speaks to Goya Dmytryshchak of his extraordinary career path and how COVID-19 united humanity.
S
hanul Sharma is performing in Opera Australia’s Great Opera Hits at the Sydney Opera House until March 3. Born in India, Sharma arrived in Australia at age 19 to study information technology. He was living in the regional New South Wales city of Wagga Wagga and singing in a band called Subrusion, which released three albums. The band’s influences included Killswitch and Metallica, but even then reviewers were starting to notice something in Sharma’s voice. “The guitars and the drums were very, very heavy but then suddenly there was a guy singing on top of it all,” he said. “In some reviews, the reviewers actually said, ‘Who’s the major soprano who goes so high?’ “For me, the only way to cut through all of the backing was to sing really, really high. “That kind of helped me develop a technique for opera, which served me well later on.” After about a decade in the band, Sharma stumbled across an Italian operatic tenor who would change the course of his life. “One day, randomly, while browsing YouTube, I came across this guy called Luciano Pavarotti,” Sharma said. “I was just infatuated by his voice and wanted to learn how to do it.” About this time, in 2012, Sharma’s band broke up and he decided he would become an opera singer. “For me, that type of singing was the fullest expression of my voice,” he said. Self-taught to that point, Sharma moved to Melbourne to train as an opera singer at the Ciccone Academy of Singing.
Sharma auditioned with Ah! Mes Amis from Gaetano Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment). “It has nine high Cs at the end, which is a very high note for an operatic tenor,” he said. “I sang that, not expecting anything at all, and two days later I get a call saying, ‘We’d like you to do La Cenerentola for the schools tour.’
‘‘
getting back on the stage at the Sydney Opera House was like getting oxygen back in my lungs
’’
Shanul Sharma (centre) performing in Opera Australia’s 2019 Wozzeck. (Keith Saunders)
“To be honest, I auditioned for Opera Australia in 2014 on a whim,” Sharma said. “An audition slot became available all of a sudden and my coach said, ‘Would you like to do it?’ “I said, ‘Well, why not’ – I wasn’t expecting anything from it.”
- Shanul Sharma
“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s great, when are the rehearsals?’ “And they were like, ‘The show is already on the road, you’ll have two days to learn the music and two days to learn the blocking (stage directions) and you’ll be on the road for three months’. “I had to find some new brain cells to learn an entire role, something I had never done in my life … I had never sung an operatic role before but here I was. “Within a week, I was transformed from a heavy metal singer into an opera tenor.” Sharma’s opera career took him around the world, all the way to the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. And then COVID struck. “I was in Moscow in March last year and
made it back with a week of Australia shutting the borders,” Sharma said. “Basically, for nine months, I was just in Melbourne trying to keep my voice supple. “For a person whose career is on an upward trajectory, COVID really shut everything down, and it was a very difficult time for everybody in the business. “The depression caused by that – and I had family problems again in India … it just compounded all of it and it was a very difficult time for the business.” Returning to the stage after months of lockdown has taken on new meaning. “It’s the most thrilling and most exciting experience,” Sharma said. “For me, getting back on the stage at the Sydney Opera House was like getting oxygen back in my lungs. “I missed it so much. I was counting the days I’d be back in that theatre. “I had my first show back on stage on the third of January and there was all this built up energy that I just let it out into the theatre and it was such an exhillerating feeling to be back on stage. “The arts and high arts in general are very important for us to experience ourselves as human beings because they deal with emotions and desires at a very fundamental level. “The classical arts are vital to our development as people, especially now that we’ve been through something as a whole. “We’ve experienced COVID as a singular consciousness … kind of what happened after the Second World War: all of the classical works started to make more sense.”
11 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Out and about It may be one of Melbourne’s newest suburbs, but Aintree is fast becoming a popular place for time out and about in the Melton area. Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski found plenty of people playing and relaxing when he visited the much-loved Frontier Park.
12 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
(Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 222950
people of all ages to spend some
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication.
Farmers Market
71 Robertson Street, Gisborne on Thursday, February 4, 9.15-10.15am. All children and adults required to remain at the venue for at least 15 minutes after receiving any vaccination. Anyone who is feeling unwell or has travelled overseas in the past 14 days, cannot attend a session.
A range of the finest produce and farm products from the Macedon Ranges will be on sale at the Lancefield and District Farmers Market on Saturday, January 23, 9am-1pm, at High Street, Lancefield. The market is managed by the Lancefield Neighbourhood House.
Hanging Rock night walks Refocus and draw Spend a morning discovering, drawing and recording nature in the Hobsons Bay Wetlands, guided by Chris Rockley in techniques to visually record what you find in the field. Beginners welcome. Bring your sketchbook or pad, pencils (HB and 2B), watercolours (optional), colour pencils (optional), eraser and sharpener, camera or phone camera, and water for drinking and painting. Morning tea will be provided. It’s on Saturday, January 23 from 9.45am-noon. Tickets $20. Bookings via Eventbrite under Refocus and Draw.
LEGO play LEGO legends and learners are invited to experience Highpoint shopping centre’s latest school holiday experience, the LEGO Play Zone, running until Sunday, January 24, on level 2 at the David Jones forecourt, from 10am-2pm daily, with meet and greets from 11am-1.30pm. Each little LEGO master will receive a complimentary take-home LEGO pack.
Charity match Point Cook Cricket Club and Sanctuary Lakes Cricket Club will host a T20 charity
Match to raise funds for Beyond Blue on Tuesday, January 26 at Saltwater Reserve. An under-13 and under-15 T15 match will be held at 11am and a T20 for seniors at noon. There will be a gold coin donation barbecue and a Beyond Blue raffle. ■ https://fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/ t20charitymatchpointcookvsanctuarylakes
Story time is back Take part in story time in the garden at Thomastown library, 52 Main Street, Thomastown, on Wednesday, January 27, 10.30-11 am. BYO picnic rug. Registration essential for all adults and children 12 months and older. ■ www.yprl.vic.gov.au
READER’S PIC
Discover gliders, wallabies, native birds and more at night walks at Hanging Rock. Guided walks start at 7pm on February 5 and March 12, and take about three hours. Bookings required. Cost: $62 per family or $25 per adult and $12 per child. ■ 5422 0387
Luke and Kate with dog Squirt, taken in Station Place, Werribee.
Alcoholics Anonymous Regular face-to-face meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous have returned to St Andrew’s Church Hall, Williamstown, on Wednesdays from 7pm. All are welcome, including friends and family of people with drinking problems. For other face-to-face and Zoom AA meetings call 1300 22 22 22 or visit wwww.aatimes.org.au
Movie nights Catch a movie at Bundoora’s Norris Bank Reserve on Friday, January 29 or at Epping’s Meadowglen Athletics Stadium on Saturday, January 30 as part of Whittlesea council’s Summer Fun series. The events will also feature live music and entertainment from Curbside Circus with Sophie DeLightful. Top End Wedding will screen on January 29, with Strictly Ballroom planned for January 30. Bookings essential. ■ https://bit.ly/2XDBRnj
Connecting community Williamstown Community and Education Centre is hosting a ‘Neighbourhood Connect’ initiative to build community connectedness. Free workshops and mentoring provided. Attend the first workshops on Wednesday, February 17 at 6.30pm or Friday, February 19, at 12.30pm, at Joan Kirner House, 14 Thompson Street, Williamstown. ■ Irene, 0413 706 233
Immunisation sessions Attend free immunisation sessions at Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre,
Eye tests ‘critical’ for kids Did you know that one in five children suffer from an undiagnosed vision problem? Vision is critical to learning, with up to 80 per cent of processing occurring visually. Children generally don’t know what is considered normal for their vision, especially if they’re born with the condition, meaning vision difficulties can go undetected until the child is assessed by an optometrist. This is very important to remember given that children today are using digital devices and computers more than ever, which can lead to eye strain, headaches and myopia (otherwise known as short-sightedness), which is the inability to see objects at a distance. Parents, carers and educators need to be proactive in recognising some of the early signs children exhibit when vision difficulties start to present, says Natalie Rokic from Eye Q Optometrists. It can often be an innocuous comment or small changes in behaviour that alerts the parent, teacher or carer to a possible vision issue. Comments such as, “I’ve never been able to see well with that eye” or “I get double vision, but only when I’m reading” and behaviours such as noticing if the child is closing one eye when reading or squinting at the board in class are often signs that something might be wrong. Poor visual skills can hinder learning so detecting those early warning signs is vital. Without appropriate assessment and aid, visual stress can lead to discomfort, fatigue, behavioural changes and declining academic performance. “Children should have their eyes examined regularly, starting as early as six months of age, and then followed by an exam at three years and then before school starts and then every two years thereafter,” Ms Rokic says. “The consultation is usually covered by Medicare so parents and carers don’t have to worry about out of pocket expenses.
Children should have their vision checked regularly by an optometrist. (Supplied)
“In the event that corrective eyewear is needed, there are a variety of lens tints and coatings to help with increased screen time like blue light coatings.” Signs to look out for include: • Rubs eyes during or after short periods of reading;
• Child covers or closes one eye while reading; • Holds reading material too close; • Squints when reading or looking at the board; • Re-reads or skips words or lines unknowingly; • Child must use a marker/ ruler/ finger to keep their place when reading; • Is a slow or dysfluent reader;
• Avoids reading “If you notice your child struggling with their vision, it’s best to get an expert opinion. Early intervention can help minimise and slow down vision loss and ensure they retain optimal vision for their educational requirements,” Ms Rokic says.
13 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
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TODAY Message us on Facebook to share your recipes and activity ideas.
Cook it
Solve it WATERMELON FRUIT PIZZA Ingredients 1/2 round seedless watermelon 1 banana, peeled, sliced 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced 5 strawberries, chopped 1/2 punnet blueberries Method 1. Cut a 2cm thick slice of watermelon and cut into 8 equal wedges. 2. Arrange wedges flat on a plate (like a sliced pizza). 3. Top with banana, kiwi, strawberries and blueberries. 4. Enjoy a slice! TIP: This works with any fruit so try it with apple or pear slices, pineapple, halved grapes or stonefruit. You can have fun getting creative with shapes too!
Make it FINGER PAINT
fun fact
S FLY AM OF HONEY, BEE PRODUCE A KILOGR THE UND ARO ES THREE TIM THE EQUIVALENT OF
TO
WORLD IN AIR MILES
Method 1. Put 7 cups water into a saucepan and bring to boil (keep one cup aside). 2. Add cornflour to bowl and mix in the leftover 1 cup water to make a smooth paste. 3. Add cornflour mixture gradually to the water boiling on the stove, stirring. 4. Add soap flakes and disinfectant (slowly) to the mixture, stirring. 5. Mix 1 teaspoon dye with 1 teaspoon cold water in a container (use different colours), mixing until powder dissolves. 6. Add 3 teaspoons hot water to dye mixtures, stirring. 7. Add some cornflour and water mixture to each dye container and stir until dye is evenly distributed. 8. Refrigerate mixtures and use when cool.
Subscribe to our digital editions at www.starweekly.com.au 14 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
12479089-SN04-21
Ingredients 12 tablespoons cornflour 8 cups water 1 cup soap flakes 1 teaspoon disinfectant Edicol dye (Non-toxic powdered colouring dye)
PUZZLES SUDOKU
No. 012
To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.
easy
5
3 8 8 1 5 6 2 6 5 9 1 9 7 4 8 6 2 2 1 9 7 4 2 6 6 4 5 8 1 4 5 medium
6 3 7 8 2 7 5 1 6 8
QUICK CROSSWORD 4 5 6 7
ACROSS Crustaceans (5) Daydreamers; jailbreakers (9) Climbing (7) Southern US state (7) Opera introductions (9) One part in 10 (5) Shakes (7) Juices (7) Bliss (7) Clear gemstone (7) Sword (5) Rash; hasty (9) Go back over (7) Foggier (7) Distributes (9) Stairs (5)
1 4 9 10 11 12 13 15 17 19 22 24 26 27 28 29
8 14 16 17 18 20 21 23 25
No. 012
Enthusiastic; impatient (5) Roughened (9) Synthetic material (7) Country on the Iberian peninsula (5) Large strips (7) Parachuters (9) Express regret (9) Made certain (7) Normal; mean (7) Painters (e.g.) (7) Abandons (7) Units of computer memory (5) Pressure increasers (5)
DOWN Traditions (7) Schools (9) Saliva (7)
1 2 3
DECODER
No. 012
5 8
1 3 9 9 4 8 6 3 5 4
6 5
hard
1
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
A T 16
1
2
3
17 4
18 5
19 6
20 7
21 8
22 9
23 10
24 11
25 12
26 13
4 LETTERS ASKS DACE DENY ERSE FARM GAPS GEAR HERD ITEM PYRE SACK STAN VATS WERE
9-LETTER WORD Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.
H
Today’s Aim: 30 words: Good 45 words: Very good 58 words: Excellent
N
E
A
I
G N
R
D
adhering, aged, ager, anger, danger, daring, darning, deign, deraign, ding, dirge, drag, earning, egad, ending, engird, gain, gained, gainer, gander, garden, gear, ginned, gird, grad, grade, grain, grained, grand, grannie, grid, grin, grind, grinned, handing, hang, hanger, HARDENING, haring, heading, hearing, herding, hinge, hinged, nearing, neigh, nigh, rage, raged, rang, range, ranged, reading, regain, reign, rending, ridge, ring, ringed
5 9 4 3 7 2 1 6 8
9 3 1 7 2 4 6 5 8
6 8 2 1 3 5 7 4 9
5 7 4 6 9 8 1 2 3
2 4 6 8 5 7 9 3 1
3 1 7 9 6 2 4 8 5
8 9 5 3 4 1 2 7 6
7 6 9 4 8 3 5 1 2
1 2 3 5 7 9 8 6 4
4 5 8 2 1 6 3 9 7
1 8 2 9 4 6 5 3 7
3 7 6 1 8 5 9 4 2
8 1 3 4 5 9 7 2 6
7 2 5 6 1 8 4 9 3
6 4 9 2 3 7 8 5 1
9 5 1 8 6 3 2 7 4
4 3 7 5 2 1 6 8 9
2 6 8 7 9 4 3 1 5
1 8 9 2 6 7 5 4 3
3 6 4 1 9 5 2 7 8
7 2 5 8 4 3 1 6 9
8 4 7 9 3 2 6 1 5
5 3 6 7 1 8 9 2 4
9 1 2 6 5 4 8 3 7
4 9 3 5 2 6 7 8 1
6 7 1 3 8 9 4 5 2
2 5 8 4 7 1 3 9 6
Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com
4
15
hard
3
14
medium
2
3 LETTERS ADA ASS ATE BIN DYE EGO ELI ELL ELM ERA ETA EVA FOR GEE HER HOI IBA IMF LOP OHM PLC TEL TIE YET
U I C V F O K NM L P J E
easy
1
B G Z QXWR H Y S D A T
7 4 6 2 4 9 7 1 8 7 4 4 2 7 8 6 2 8 6 3 8 5 9 1 6
WORDFIT
No. 012
5 LETTERS ABASH ADAMS ADAPT AIDER ALONE APART ASPIC BEIGE CARTS CURIA DALES DEEDS ENTER ERWIN ESTER EVENT FEMUR GALAS GRIMM HURST
IRATE IRENE LEVEL LEVER LISLE MIAMI OVARY PAPER PAYEE PLATO PRISM PSALM RAGES RESET RINDS SAMBA SAUTE SHANK SLICE STALK STEED
STEWS TAMPA TELLS THULE TORUS VERDI VIBES VISAS WARTY 6 LETTERS GAELIC NAILED ORMOLU RESALE
7 LETTERS ILLEGAL LAYERED LENIENT MONDAYS SURVEYS TERMITE 8 LETTERS AMPUTATE APERITIF FILAMENT UNDERSEA
22-01-21
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15 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
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17 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
MOTOR STARWEEKLY.COM.AU The new Mitsubishi Express bears only subtle styling changes from the European Renault Trafic van. (Pictures: Supplied)
Orient Express meets Euro Star By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring
Exterior colours are matter of fact – white, black, red or platinum grey (silver).
Because of the billions of dollars needed to design, develop and manufacture a vehicle these days, economic social distancing is a thing of the past. What were once bitter rivals in a notoriously competitive industry are hopping into bed with each other, sharing automotive architecture, technology and production methods associated with a new car. Recent palling up of Peugeot, Renault and Mitsubishi is an example, which has led to the production of the first Mitsubishi Express van in more than seven years. One look at the vehicle gives the game away, with styling straight out of the Trafic playbook, one of Renault’s most popular products. New grille, bonnet and badging are the only differences. Manufactured in France, the Mitsubishi Express is offered in short or long wheelbase, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. It comes with standard dual sliding doors across the range. Both van styles are powered either by a 1.6-litre twin turbocharged diesel engine or a 2.0-litre single turbo diesel motor with a 25-litre AdBlue tank for improved emissions. The 1.6 unit is available only with a six-speed manual transmission, while the 2.0 model takes a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. All variants are front-wheel drive with what’s called Extended Grip function, a traction control system activated by the driver to assist in low-grip conditions. Mitsubishi versus Renault pricing is pretty much line ball, with the Express GLX short wheelbase 1.6 turbo diesel manual (the test vehicle) selling for $38,490, plus on-road costs, compared to the corresponding Renault Trafic 1.6 SWB Pro at $36,990.
Interior
Styling The Express has been specifically designed to support the busy delivery driver, with sliding doors on either side. There’s also a rear barn door with 85 and 160-degree stops. The latter is made easy for loading and unloading by a step integrated into the rear bumper. The high-sided square-set vehicle rides on standard 16-inch steel wheels, with a full-size spare located under the cargo floor.
Three hard wearing black fabric seats take pride of place across the whole cabin width. The driver’s seat offers comfort with some lateral support, while the other positions are flat and on the firm side. The driver gets a centre retractable armrest, manual height and lumbar adjustment, as well as a steering wheel adjustable for height and reach. He or she has easy access to controls and equipment. The dashboard top features open space for storage of paperwork and pens, while a smartphone can be clipped into a dash-mounted cradle. Rubber floor coverings make the cabin serviceable and easy to keep clean.
Infotainment The audio system is sparse by modern standards but is enabled for Bluetooth and USB connection, offering hands-free phone and music streaming.
Engines / transmissions The 1.6-litre twin turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine in the short wheelbase Express produces maximum power of 103 kW at 3500 rpm and 340 Nm or torque at 1500 rpm. Mated with a six-speed manual transmission the combination has a measured fuel consumption of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban / highway cycle. The test vehicle clocked up 8.8 L/100 km during a stretch with similar surroundings and varying loads.
Safety Standard features in the Mitsubishi Express SWB manual include cruise control with speed limiter, automatic stop / go, which can be turned off, and hill start assist. Also standard are rear-park assist, anti-lock braking, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability control and a driver blind spot mirror in the passenger sun visor. There are five airbags, including driver and passenger front and side curtain airbags, and a driver thorax airbag. The passenger airbag can be manually deactivated in cases where the cabin is reconfigured.
18 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
AT A GLANCE MODEL RANGE Mitsubishi Express GLX SWB 1.6 turbo diesel manual $38,490 Mitsubishi Express GLX SWB 2.0 turbo diesel automatic $42,490 Mitsubishi Express GLX LWB 1.6 turbo diesel manual $40,490 Mitsubishi Express GLX LWB 2.0 turbo diesel automatic $44,490
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Mitsubishi dealer for drive-away prices.
Driving Despite side steps, there is a climb to get into the seats. Grab handles here would not go amiss Setting off has its quirks too, with the automatic door locking going off almost like a gunshot. Under way, however, the Express 1.6 SWB on test behaved in an easy-going manner with the twin turbos whistling along in unison. The absence of a solid bulkhead had the empty van echoing to the sound of intrusive booming in the cabin. However, this became more manageable with the addition of sound-absorbing loads. Short wheelbase by name, but five-metre length by nature put pressure on parking, while solid sides presented a major blind spot, especially when reversing. Large split side exterior mirrors and rear parking sensors helped here, while a wide-angle mirror on the passenger sun visor stepped up to increase rear vision. Loading the 5.2 cu m cargo space in the short wheelbase van is made easy by the all-round
access, with space allowing a standard pallet to be slotted between the rear wheel arches. Loads are held safely by up to 16 tie-down points at various heights. Mitsubishi has recently updated its Diamond Advantage Program, with the new-car warranty extended to ten years or 200,000 kilometres. providing the vehicle is serviced by a company dealer. If owners do not service with a Mitsubishi dealer, the warranty reverts to five years / 100,000 km. Capped price servicing is also extended to 10 years / 150,000 km and roadside assistance to four years with authorised Mitsubishi dealer servicing.
Summary For those with fond memories of the original Japanese Express, the European input might appear misplaced. However, the van on which the new model is based is the tried-and-tested Trafic, one of Renault’s best-selling products.
SPORT
Above: Riddell celebrates a goal. Below: Macedon’s Janelle Birch and Wallan’s Chloe Meulenmeesters. (Pictures: Shawn Smits)
RDFNL has bright future ahead By Tara Murray The Riddell District Football Netball League is aiming to get the competition back on track after ending its alignment with AFL Goldfields and returning to a metro league. After a number of tough years, including four senior clubs moving to other competitions, the RDFNL made a number of changes behind the scenes in 2020, while football and netball competitions were sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic. RDFNL general manager Jordan Doyle said it was an exciting time for the league moving forward. AFL Goldfields, which is based in Ballarat, previously oversaw the running of three leagues, including the RDFNL and the Ballarat Football Netball League. Both the RDFNL and BFNL have decided to run their own competitions from this year. “It is pretty exciting,” Doyle said. “There’ve been a few hard years. The plan is to rejuvenate and get back into the local community more as many people saw the competition as a Ballarat one. “The board has taken back the competition. We want to get momentum and to get our identity back after the last few years in the wilderness.” Doyle said the board first spoke about moving away from Goldfields in late 2019 before continuing talks last year. He said all clubs were unanimous that they wanted to move away from AFL Goldfields and return to being a metro league. Doyle said the changes made off field wouldn’t impact on the football and netball competitions on field. “It will not be changing on the field. It’s still the same volunteers and the same faces.” He said they were already starting to see the results of leaving AFL Goldfields. Clubs had to pay an affiliation fee to Goldfields, which had 11 full-time employees. The RDFNL now has just two staff members
and a consultant. “We want to be able to engage with the local community,” Doyle said. “We want to work with sponsors in Melton, the Macedon Ranges, Sunbury and the Wallan areas. “There were costs associated with AFL Goldfields. It had been a lot of money before a footy was kicked or a netball was thrown and it was a toll on clubs.” Doyle said they had signed four new local sponsors and had moved some of the administration, such as banking and accounting, to local businesses. The league has been able to sign its own apparel sponsor, which will also result in a reduction in costs. Changes to salary caps across the state mean the RDFNL will be more competitive with neighbouring leagues. Doyle said the league would have
more say in the salary cap and points allocation, which were previously set by AFL Goldfields. “We were right on the border of three metro leagues and we got the rough end of that,” he said. “Clubs will be able to compete better with the salary cap coming down.” The league has already started looking to the future, with female football and expansion on the cards. Girls footy will kick off for the first time in 2021. Junior girls teams have previously played AFL Goldfields competitions. “It’s really exciting,” Doyle said. “We’ve maybe been a little bit slow and relied on AFL Goldfields in the past. “Junior girls have had to go up to Ballarat. Now they will play in RDFNL areas and will have that RDFNL branding and feel. “We’ve got some great juniors coming through. We’ll have our own pathway and hopefully a women’s competition down the
track.” The league will run the Club 18s competition, which had also previously been run by AFL Goldfields. Currently four clubs have committed to fielding sides in this competition, including Eynesbury which will field it’s first open age side. Doyle said it was exciting to get to this stage and he hoped a few new teams would have senior teams in the competition. “Eynesbury is looking to enter at least one side, possibly more, this year,” Doyle said. “The Gisborne Giants have been around for quite some time and have under-17s this year and under-19s next year. Gisborne is big enough to have two senior teams. “We’re in some conversations with clubs from other leagues. We’ve felt the brunt of other leagues looking for clubs and we have lost clubs. “We’re down to nine clubs, but hopefully we’ll expand with Eynesbury, Gisborne Giants and hopefully a couple of others.”
‘‘
We want to be able to engage with the local community
’’
- Jordan Doyle
19 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
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