Star Weekly - Hobsons Bay Maribyrnong - 11th June 2025
A creative honour
By Cade Lucas
Officially, Newport’s Jane Crawley has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division in the King’s Birthday honours for service to the arts and cultural equity.
As far as descriptions go, it’s a very broad one and the 65-year-old is happy to keep it that way.
“I’ve had so many different jobs so I’m not even going to begin describing them all,” said Crawley when asked to be more specific about what she’s been honoured for.
A quick glance at her bio on the King’s Birthday honours press release proves she’s not joking.
The list of positions and achievements Crawley has notched up in her career takes up almost a full page and dates back to the 1980’s.
It also proves her award for services to artsandculturalequityisrichlydeserved.
Ofthedozensofentries,theoneconstant theme is one of service to other artists, particularly those from disadvantaged or diverse backgrounds.
Despite describing herself as “semi-retired” it’s a service that continues to the present day.
“At the moment I’m deputy chair of the Victorian Pride Centre, I’m the chair of the Artspay Foundation and I work with creatives and creative collectives whose values I align with,” said Crawley, who is in a same-sex relationship and whose values clearly include supporting other LGBTQIA+ people in the arts, such the team behind Tilda,thetrainsandgenderdiversescreen festival.
“It’s strategy, governance advice, fundraising and partnerships,” said Crawley of the work she does with Tilda and which describes much of the rest of her career too.
“I’ve worked all my career to enable and support artists and to make space for anyone without power and privilege,” she said.
“I basically try and open any gate that I have access to.
“That’s really my passion.”
It’s passion she turned to in the early 1980’s after originally starting out as a poet.
“I had to make a living,” said Crawley of why she moved from artist to arts administrator.
It’s a background that has helped her understand what other creatives battling to make ends meet are going through and also that those from wealthy backgrounds are at a distinct advantage.
Crawley said the arts sector has always favoured those with wealth and privilege, thoughatleasttodaythereisanawareness
of it and willingness to discuss it that didn’t exist before.
“People are continually making new ways to make careers. It’s still very, very hard, but it always has been,” she said, adding that the arts sector in Victoria had still not recovered from Covid.
Despite these hurdles, Crawley has survived in the arts sector for 40 years,
something she partly credits to living and working in Hobsons Bay.
“One of the very early jobs I had was at the old Williamstown council as an arts officer and I remember commissioning the public art that’s still on Newport Railway Station,” said Crawley, who has lived in Newport since 2000.
“I just think the west and Hobsons Bay is incredible. For the environment and creativity.”
Newport arts administrator Jane Crawley has received an OAM in the the King’s Birthday honours. (Damjan Janevski) 482434_03
We’re
As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building the Metro Tunnel and its five new underground stations, with three stations now complete. We’re also removing 110 dangerous and congested level crossings, with 85 already gone.
While we work, disruptions could affect your travel
Train disruptions:
Sunbury Line 20 to 22 JuneThere will be changes to the way you travel on sections of the Sunbury Line 23 to 29 JuneBuses replace trains between Watergardens and Sunbury
8.30pm to last train, 30 June Buses replace trains between North Melbourne and Sunshine
Road disruptions: Closed roads
Calder Park Drive, Calder Park Late June to late July
West Gate Freeway At times, July and August
Closed at the level crossing
Lanes and ramps closed
Centre cement concerns
A Yarraville child care centre and kindergarten has claimed that the proposed expansion of a nearby cement plantthreatensthehealthandwellbeingof childreninitscare.
The claim is made in a statement of concern issued by Norfolk Street Child Care Centre and Yarraville Community Kindergarten against plans by Steele Cementtoexpanditsmanufacturingplant on the corner of Whitehall and Francis Street,lessthan700metresaway.
Steel Cement is taking its $180 million expansion proposal, which would enable the plant to operate 24-hours-a-day, to
the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)next week after it was unanimously rejected by Maribyrnong councillatelastyear.
Inthestatementofconcernissuedahead of the VCAT hearing on June 16, Norfolk Street Child Care Centre and Yarraville Community Kindergarten manager, Sarah Mercieca,saidthecementplantexpansion would further damage the inner-west’s already poor air quality, posing an unacceptablerisktochildrenintheircare.
“As educators and community leaders, we have a responsibility to protect the environments in which children grow and
learn,” Ms Mercieca said. “Children in our services spend significant time outdoorsplaying, learning, and breathing this air. Theyarenotincidentalstakeholdersinthis process;theyarethemostaffected.”
The statement of concern notes that the World Health Organization recognises air pollution as the single greatest environmental health risk to children and that the proposed expansion site is inside the recommended one kilometre buffer zone between industrial activities and sensitivelandusessuchasearlychildhood centres.
Thestatementalsoarguestheexpansion
Barkly Street school celebrates centenary
Celebrations are underway at Footscray HighSchooltomarkthe100thanniversary of public education at its Barkly Street campus.
The first of two events commemorating the milestone took place last week, with former students returning for a morning teaonWednesday,June4.
While Footscray High’s Barkly campus isnowco-educational,for95ofthelast100 yearsthesitewashometoGilmoreCollege for Girls, meaning most of its former studentsarewomen.
Footscray High School’s health and
wellbeing nurse Julie Clements said the school’s co-ed status took a bit of getting used to for some of the older alumni members
“They were shocked when they came into the school and saw the boys there,” said Ms Clements of the former students, someofwhomwereintheir90’s.
“Andaveryyoung90’stoo.”
Old school memorabilia preserved by the Footscray Historical Society was also on display at the morning tea and will be again at a second, larger celebration on Sunday, June 22, where more than 200
Tunnel work heats up this winter
TheMetroTunnelProjectisheatingupthis winter as it undertakes a full day of trial operationsonMelbourne’srailnetworkfor theveryfirsttime.
OnSaturday,June21,allthenewsystems and infrastructure for the tunnel will be testedforanextendedperiodoftime–with more trains set to run throughout the day comparedtoausualSaturdaytimetable.
Trains running on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will be travelling through the Metro Tunnel – so passengers will need to interchange at FootscrayandCaulfield.
Information displays on the trains and platforms will reflect future services, so station staff will be out in force to help people understand how their journey is affected – and passengers are urged to pay carefulattentiontoliveannouncements.
The project’s new high-capacity trains
have already travelled more than 140,000 kilometres inside the twin tunnels, and while trials continue there will be disruptionsontheSunburyline.
The completion of another major tunnel projectwillalsocausedisruptionsthrough winter, with final works on the West Gate Tunnelleadingtooutboundlaneandramp closuresontheWestGateFreeway.
Outbound travel will be reduced to three lanes between Williamstown Road and Millers Road, with the Williamstown outbound onramp to be closed, along with theMillersRoadexitramp.
formerstudentsareexpectedtoattend.
“We’ve got a smoking and healing ceremony, we’re planting an indigenous tree and a time capsule,” said Barkly campusteacherOkiGardneroftheJune22 celebration.
Ms Gardner said it was amazing to see the pride that alumni members still had in the school, but that the celebrations weren’t just about acknowledging the past and present, but also ensuring the Barkly campusenduresintothefuturetoo.
“We hope this place is still a school in 50 years.”
“We support development that is safe, sustainable, and community-oriented. This proposal is none of those things,” Ms Merciecasaid.
Steel Cement produces recycled cement and argued at last year’s council meeting that the expansion of its Yarraville plant, including the construction of two new sheds, a workshop and two grinding mills, would allow it to produce more environmentally sustainable ‘green’ cement. Steel Cement didn’t respond to requestsforcomment.
Vic University wins gold
Victoria University (VU) has won gold at the 2025 Australian LGBTQI+ Inclusion Awards, the second year in arowithasbeenrecognisedasagold employer.
The awards are based on the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), a nationwide benchmarking and survey activity measuring LGBTIQA+ inclusion for staff at workplacesacrossthecountry. VU was recognised for making a deeper and more intersectional commitment to inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community with initiatives and celebrations supporting trans and gender diverse staff and students and targeted educationacrosstheuniversity. These initiatives, celebrations and advocacy were promoted by VU’s PrideNetwork.
Member of the Pride Network leadership team Tessa Benson said visibility backed by action is what trulydriveschange.
“ At VU, we’re building a culture where LGBTQIA+ staff and students don’t just feel welcome—they feel seen, heard, and valued,” Ms Benson said.
“That means leadership commitment, active allyship and makinginclusionpartofoureveryday decisions. Real change happens whenpeoplecanshowupastheirfull authentic selves and know they’ll be embracedforit.“
The removal of two more level crossings in the north west and testing of the locally built X’Trapolis 2.0 trains will continue, resulting in buses replacing trains on sections of the Sunbury, Werribee, Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston lines.
Footscray High School teacher Oki Gardner (front) with students Estelle, Rhilee, Ayantu, Mason, Jordan and teacher Michelle Sanders holding school memorabilia that will be displayed to celebrate the Barkly Street campus’ 100th anniversary this month. (Damjan Janevski)
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Much-loved teacher dies
By Cade Lucas
A memorial fund has been established in honour of a much-loved teacher at Laverton P-12 college who died suddenly last week.
Jospehine Montalti taught at the school for more than 30 years and was its year 12 co-ordinator when she died on Sunday, June 1, following a short illness.
The 61-year-old had been on sick leave since March, but her death was still unexpectedandhasstunnedtheLaverton P-12 college community, which has responded by setting up a memorial fund
in her name.
The Josephine Montalti Memorial Fund will support students in need, something her daughter Ayeesha Montalti said her mother was renowned for.
“Mum used to buy them breakfast, mum used to feed them lunch,” said Ayeesha of her mother’s devotion to her students.
“She’d buy them snacks. She’d organise their formals, provide all their stationary. If a student wasn’t at school, she would call them up and be like ’why aren’t you at school?’”
Ayeesha said her mother’s commitment
to her students was born out of a deep sense of egalitarianism.
“I think she just deeply cared about making sure the kids had equal access, and then they had as much opportunities as the next kids, no matter where they came from.“
Originally joining the then Laverton Secondary College as a maths teacher in 1992, Josephine eventually held almost all senior roles at school, including assistant principal and head of the secondary school and received an award from the Altona Rotary Club in 2018.
Ayeesha said her mother’s loss would
Vietnamese-Australian textile artist, Phong Chi Lai, with the banner he and members of the local community have created as part of his residency at the Braybrook Community Hub. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 478613_02
Celebrating Braybrook
through textiles
leave a huge void in the Laverton P-12 college community.
“My phone has been ringing off the hook from the community who are understandably devastated,” she said. Josephine’s funeral will held at the Williamstown Town Hall on Monday, June 16, with entry open to the public and a livestream available for those who can’t attend.
Details: https://events.humanitix.com/ josephine-montalti-s-last-hurrah Josephine is survived by children Ayeesha and Peter and grandchildren Ambrose and Dallas.
Kinder bridges understanding
National Reconciliation Week may havejustfinished,butatRobinaScott kindergartens in Williamstown, the spirit of the week and its theme ‘bridging now to next’‘ is continuing.
A foyer display set up for the week, featuring artwork created by the children from the kinder’s red and yellow groups, will remain at the entrance to Robina Scott’s Ferguson Street centre until the end of the monthandmembersofthepublicare invited to come and have a look.
“Red group explored the art and books of Bronwyn Bancroft and created art inspired by her colourful illustrations to represent our local BunurongCountryaswellasabridge in keeping with the ‘Bridging now to next’ theme,” said Robina Scott teacher and education leader Laura Pearce describing the display.
“Whilst yellow group created a gigantic rainbow serpent as part of their exploration of First Nation’s Dreaming stories.”
AcommunityartsresidencybyVietnameseAustralian textile artist Phong Chi Lai invites locals to contribute to the final touches of a collaborative textile banner thatcelebratestheBraybrookcommunity.
Over a three-month period, the project ’slow colour, community and wellbeing’ invited the Braybrook and wider Maribyrnong community to connect and engage with each other in the process of makingacollaborativetextilebanner.
The local community now has one last opportunity to contribute their creativity to thebannerataworkshoponJune21.
“Communitymemberscreatedpatchwork squares out of textiles that we dyed with natural materials like plants, flowers and food waste,” explained Phong of how the participants had put their newly acquired skillstouse.
“In May, these squares were constructed into a patchwork banner that brought together their individual creative perspectiveinanoriginal,cohesiveway.
“Workshops and drop-in events were accessible for all skill levels, including seasoned quilters and people newer to textiles,”headded.
Phonghasworkedwithadedicatedgroup of residents over all stages of the project teaching skills such as dyeing, mending, andpatchworksewing.
Once the textile banner was constructed from patchwork squares, the community wereinvitedtocontributeideasforaslogan that summed up what living in Braybrook meanstothem.
Intheupcomingworkshop,attendeeswill apply this slogan onto the collaborativelymadebanner.
The finished artwork will act as a shared recordoftheBraybrookcommunityandthe natural surroundings and will be installed prominentlyatBraybrookCommunityHub.
Down at Robina Scott’s other kindergarten in Cecil Street, Williamstown, children from the pink and green groups created a ‘Sea of Hearts’ wall which emphasises the importance of creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships, while artworks from the blue and oranges were also to be added to the display.
Ms Pearce said as well as coming to view the artworks, visitors to the kindergartens can also donate to a fundraiser which Robina Scott is participating in.
“We are also raising funds this National Reconciliation Week for Children’s Ground, a wonderful First Nations organisation providing education, health and employment services for families in the top end and central Australia,” she said.
Truth walk to pass through Footscray on its way to the Shrine
Yoorook Justice Commission deputy chair Travis Lovett will stop by Footscray early next week in the final stages of his 25-day Walk for Truth across the state to mark the end of Victoria’s formal truth-telling process.
Mr Lovett began the 450km walk on May 25, setting out from Portland in the state’s south-west where colonisation first began in Victoria in 1834. Since then Mr Lovett has travelled more than 250km and been joinedbymorethan2500peopleinwalking legs and community events in towns such
as Warrnambool, Camperdown and Colac.
A further 6600 people have registered to walk or attend the remaining events in Geelong, Werribee, Footscray and Melbourne, where on June 18 the final walking leg from the Shrine of Remembrance to Parliament House will take place.
“The body is sore but my heart is full,” said Mr Lovett of how was feeling after crossingthewalk’shalfwaypointlastweek.
“I am overwhelmed by the kindness, generosity and interest of people from all
walks of life in this journey, that has been 191 years in the making.
“Together we have walked to massacre sitesandancientmeetingplaces,toformer missions and sites of global significance, including shell middens and an ancient fireplace with the potential to re-write our understanding of human history.”
The conclusion of Mr Lovett’s walk will comejustdaysbeforetheconclusionofthe four-year Yoorook Justice Commission on June30,Australia’sfirstformaltruth-telling process that he has been a key figure in.
Mr Lovett said both the truth-telling process and the Walk for Truth, were ultimately about uniting Victorians.
“The walk is about coming together to listen and learn about the past and move forward together, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” he said.
A Walk for Truth community event in Footscray on June 16 has already sold out, but spaces are still available for an event at Whitten Oval on the morning of June 17, as well as for the walking leg from Footscray to the Shrine of Remembrance.
Push for new special school Plenty left in tank
By Cade Lucas
From CFA volunteer in country Victoria to acting deputy chief commissioner and recipient of the nation’s highest fire service honour,NewportfirefighterAndyWaterson hashadsomecareer.
Mr Waterson is one of a handful of firefighters across the country to have been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal(AFSM)inthisyear’sKing’sBirthday honours.
“It’saprettybighonour,there’sonlyafew ofthemgivenouteachyear,Ineverexpected I would get one,” said Mr Waterson of the award,whichcomesafternearly25yearsas afull-timefirefighterand35yearsintotal.
Those first 10 years were spent as a volunteerfirefighterwiththelocalCFAunit inCohunainnorthernVictoria.
Despite his father being a firefighter (his twoyoungerbrothershavealsosincejoined theservice),MrWatersonfirstmadealiving bybuildinghousesratherthansavingthem fromburningdown.
“I was a builder prior to joining the fire brigadeandfoundthatthoseskillsprovided good aptitude for being a firefighter,” said Mr Waterson, who described the work as challenging and technical, but very rewarding.
“You’re helping people out on their worst day,”hesaid.
“Itoffersaskillsetandknowledgesetthat you need to be right on top of and you’re continuallylearning.”
Mr Waterson’s career progression since becomingafulltimeCFAfirefighterin2000, istestamenttothat.
He’sanaccreditedoperationsofficerand incident controller who has been deployed to many significant emergencies including
2009 Black Saturday bushfires, 2010-2011 Queensland floods and 2019-2020 Black Summerfires. In 2020 he transferred to Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) following the state government’s controversial fire service reforms, and was named commander of FRV’sEmergencyManagementLiaison.
He has since been promoted to assistant chief fire officer of Policy, Planning and Operational Guidance and acting deputy commissionerofOperationalTraining.
In January he will mark 25 years as a career firefighter and having received his profession’s highest honour, no one would begrudge Mr Waterson for considering retirement.
Nooneexceptthemanhimself.
“No definitely not,” said Mr Waterson emphatically when asked if he was contemplatingretirement.
“I’ll go for as long as I’m useful to the fire brigade.”
Thatmightbeforquiteawhileyet.
ParentsandadvocacygroupEquality for Autism are calling on the state government to establish a third special development school in the west.
EquityforAutismheldacommunity meeting on May 26, during which to raise awareness of its push for the school.
Melbourne’s west is home to two special development schools at SunshineandYarraville.
According to Equity for Autism, there are 200 places available at Sunshine Special Development School and 85 places at Yarraville SpecialDevelopmentSchool.
“That’s a total of 285 placements to serve families across a massive region spanning over 40 kilometres,” agroupspokespersonsaid.
“Our region is being left behind, andourchildrenarepayingtheprice.
“Families are being forced to send theirchildrenfaroutofarea,oftenon long, overwhelming commutes. This places additional stress on children with complex needs – and on their parentsandcarers,manyofwhomare already stretched thin emotionally, financially,andlogistically.”
Equality for Autism has launched a petitionandiscallingforcommunity members to share their struggles around securing a place at a special developmentschoolfortheirchild.
A state government spokesperson said a specialist school was being builtinPointCookandwouldopenat thebeginningof2026.
Fire Rescue Victoria acting deputy commissioner and Newport resident, Andy Waterson, has received the Australian Fire Service Medal in the King’s Birthday honours. (Damjan Janevski) 482439_03
Phyllis leaves a big legacy
By Cade Lucas
She was the trailblazing female architect who helped design some of Melbourne’s most famous buildings and later became synonymous with the wall coverings often foundinsidethem.
Phyllis Murphy AM died on May 22, surroundedbychildrenandgrandchildren inFootscrayHospital.Shewas100.
It was the end of a very long life, which it needed to be, because the woman born Phyllis Slater in 1924 crammed enough intoittofilltwoorthreemore.
“She was bit a frail but she managed at home until the last week of her life,” said
her eldest son Jock Murphy of his mother who lived independently in the same Williamstown house she moved into at the turn of the century, shortly before the death of her husband and fellow esteemed architectJohnMurphyin2004.
BythentheMurphyshadleftarchitecture behind, instead turning her attention to wallpaper, collecting vast amounts of the material used to decorate buildings long after the work of designers like them had finished.
Jock Murphy said this unlikely change came about when they retired to the countryintheearly1980’s.
“At that stage, mum and dad were living
in Kyneton and they became aware of an old painter and decorator business that was about to be demolished and had leftover wallpaper samples dating back to the1850’s.
“ Mum and dad rescued the collection and then mum set about cataloguing it and because they were in a country town, people became more aware of what she was doing so samples were given to her as well,sothecollectiongotbigger.”
So big and so significant was Phyllis Murphy’s wallpaper collection that it was eventually acquired by the Caroline Simpson Library at the NSW Museum of History in Sydney, where it can still be
Recycling competition makes cents
Inner west residents are running out of chances to win $10,000 by just recycling bottles and cans through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS)
The CDS’ Win A Million! Cents competition, where five Victorians recyclers will receive a million cents ( or $10,000 as the amount is more commonly known)each,closesonSunday,June15.
Beginning on May 5,the competition automatically rewards CDS customers with one entry for every 50 eligible containers they return in a single
transaction – regardless of whether they keep the refund amount or donate it to one of the registered donation partners.
For one of the five winners, their million cents prize will become two million, with a bonus $10,000 to donate to a registered CDS Vic charity, school, or community groupoftheirchoice.
The reverse vending machine at the Yarraville Community Centre (YCC) has become one of the most popular CDS drop off points in the state since the scheme beganinNovember2023.
YCC operations manager Patricia Saca
encouraged locals planning to drop off bottles and cans at the centre, to make sure they deposit enough to enter the competition.
“We’dliketoseeoneofuserswinit,”said MsSaca.
“We encourage and welcome people to participate in the campaign before June 15.”
She said anyone who was unsure how to enter the competition, could simply and comeandaskatreception.
More information can also be found at: https://winamillioncents.com.au/
viewedtoday.
It’s an impressive achievement for a retiredwidow,butallthemoresogiventhe esteemed career in architecture that came beforeit.
“When she graduated from Melbourne Uni(withadegreeinarchitecture)in1950, there were 80 students in the year and thereweretwowomen,”saidJockMurphy.
Upon meeting and marrying John Murphy,thetwobecameaformidableforce in mid-century Australian architecture, with their crowning achievement coming in 1956 when they were part of the team that designed the futuristic swimming poolusedfortheMelbourneOlympics.
Midwinter fun at Scienceworks
Rug up and head west for a magical midwinter at Scienceworks, with the museum set to transform into a cosy celebration of science and creativity.
TomarkPrideMonth,Scienceworks is celebrating the stories written in thestars,withaqueertwist.
Every Saturday in June, the Melbourne Planetarium presents Stargayzing - a unique guided journey through the cosmos exploring celestial stories with LGBTQIA+connections.
Frommythologicalfigurestospace missions with queer links, each session reveals a different side of the night sky, shaped by the stars and planetsvisiblethatevening.
No two shows are the same - each one is a cosmic celebration of queer stories woven into the universe. Scienceworks After Dark: Winter Solstice Scienceworks will also hold a special adults-only event on Friday, June21,tomarktheWinterSolstice.
Running from 6-10pm, the Winter Solstice party will celebrate the longestnightoftheyear.
Attendees can enjoy mulled wine under a glowing moon installation, dance to live DJs, explore the new Tinkertown exhibition and catch a stunning Planetarium show exploring how the sun shapes our seasons.
The night will also feature storytelling, hands-on solstice crafts and a photo booth to capture your moonlitmoment.
Tickets include access to Tinkertown and a Planetarium sessionofyourchoice.
Municipal monitor John Tanner gets to work at Hobsons Bay
Municipal monitor John Tanner AM has begun work at Hobsons Bay council as part of efforts to rebuild governance and culture at the organisation.
Mr Tanner was appointed by local government minister Nick Staikos last week to work with Hobsons Bay until the end of 2025.
As part of his terms of reference, the monitorwillhelpproduceanactionplanto fixproblemsingovernance,procurement, policy and financial decision making that have significantly affected the council in recent times.
Mr Tanner will also oversee council’s new executive team, led by interim chief
executive Kerry Thompson, as they work to improve the organisation and appoint a new permanent chief executive to replace Aaron van Egmond who resigned in April.
At the time of his resignation, Mr van Egmond was suspended from his role pending the outcome of an investigation into workplace safety issues at the council.
The findings of an internal staff listening and support process into the organisational culture at Hobsons Bay council will be released at the end of this month.
Mr Tanner will also prepare a report for
the Minister for Local Government at the end of his tenure as monitor.
Hobsons Bay mayor Daria Kellander welcomed Mr Tanner’s appointment, saying it would add to the progress council had already made in resolving long-standing issues at the organisation.
“Everyone at council is committed to working with Mr Tanner as we continue onthepathtodeliveringthehighstandard of service our community pays for and rightfully expects,” Cr Kellander said.
Mr Tanner acknowledged the work council had already done to identify and address the issues at Hobsons Bay.
“I’mlookingforwardtoworkingwiththe councillors and executive team over the coming months to help the organisation continue that journey so the community can have great faith in its local council,” Mr Tanner said.
In addition to Mr Tanner commencing his role as municipal monitor, council has also appointed Lenny Jenner as the independent chair of the Chief Executive Officer Employment Matters Committee. The former long-term chief executive of the Borough of Queenscliffe, Mr Jenner will chair the committee and work with councillors to begin the recruitment process for a new chief executive.
Lucy Hall and Patricia Saca from the Yarraville Community Centre are encouraging locals to enter CDS Victoria’s million cents competition before it
Ovarian cancer tool hope
and cervical screening tests that help detect breast and cervical cancer at an early stage, there are no public screening programs for picking up ovarian cancer early.
Facts about ovarian cancer:
A woman’s chances of surviving ovarian cancer at least five years after diagnosis come down to the toss of a coin – just 49 percentwillreachthatmilestone,making it one of the most lethal reproductive cancersworldwide.
Oneofthereasonsforthehighmortality rate is late-stage diagnosis and delayed treatment due to non-specific symptoms that are often missed by healthcare professionalsandwomenthemselves.
University of South Australia postdoctoral researcher Dr Amanda Lumsden, with a transdisciplinary team, is hoping to rectify this by co-designing a user-friendly symptom assessment tool for ovarian cancer, funded by a $45,087 catalyst grant from Health Translation SA (HTSA).
Through an online ovarian cancer symptomscopingsurvey,researcherswill gather feedback from people with lived experience of ovarian cancer, as well as clinicians, to help develop a prototype symptomassessmenttool.
The tool will detail potential symptoms and risk factors for ovarian cancer and will lay the groundwork for a larger study totesthowwelltheprototypeperforms.
Dr Lumsden, a Research Fellow based in UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, says that unlike mammograms
“Women with ovarian cancer may experience non-specific symptoms for up to two or more years before the tumour becomesclinicallyapparent,andoftendo notconnectthesesymptomswithcancer,” DrLumsdensaid.
“By then, the tumour has usually progressedtoanadvancedstage.
“Abdominal issues, including bloating, pain and loss of appetite are red flags. If thereisafamilyhistoryofovariancancer, this should also be considered. Some otherfactorsarelinkedtolowerrisk,such as having children, and having ever used oralcontraceptives.“
Dr Lumsden said that the team is “hoping to identify common symptoms, patterns and themes experienced by people who have experienced an ovarian cancerdiagnosisandusethesefindingsto informthedevelopmentofthetool“.
Group lead and professor Elina Hyppönensaidthatthisis“averyexciting avenueofresearch,andanimportantfirst stepinalargerprogramofwork.“
“If we can find a way to identify high risk women at an earlier stage, this can increase the available treatment options, and hopefully help to ensure better treatmentoutcomes,“MsHyppönensaid.
The ovarian cancer symptom scoping survey is open until June 20, with the surveyavailableonline.
• Ovarian cancer is a disease that can occur in one or both ovaries, the fallopian tube or peritoneum, where cells grow or divide in an abnormal way
• The three most common types of the disease are the common epithelial type – 90 per cent of cases, arising from the cells on the outside of the ovary; the germ cell type – around four per cent of cases, arising from the cells which produce eggs; and the rare stromal type, which arises from supporting tissues within the ovary
• According to Cancer Council, it is estimated that 1805 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and serous carcinomas of the fallopian tube last year
• There are often no obvious signs of ovarian cancer, but those with it may have one or more of the symptoms of abdominal bloating; difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; frequent or urgent urination; back, abdominal or pelvic pain; constipation or diarrhoea; menstrual irregularities; tiredness; indigestion; pain during intercourse; or unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Tests to diagnose ovarian cancer include physical examination, where the doctor will check your abdomen for
Better screening needed says survivor
Western suburbs local, Michelle, is still living with the long-term effects of surviving ovarian cancer despite being morethanadecadeinremission.
“People often assume once the tumour is gone, the cancer’s over but for me that wasjustthebeginning,”shesaid.
For Michelle, developing ovarian cancer at 24 years old brought up issues surrounding fertility, body image, interruptedlifeplansandlong-termcare.
Within one week Michelle went from seeingagynaecologisttobeingreferredto anoncologisttobeingoperatedon.
Surgeons found and removed a large massthesizeofawatermelon.
While Michelle was “lucky with timing and surgery” she said the systems to support young women diagnosed with gynaecological cancers are not up to scratch.
“Right now women are dying because they don’t have access to the facilities or knowledge,”shesaid.
“We need better awareness, earlier detection, and systems that don’t let symptomsslipthroughthecracks.”
Every day 19 women are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer, with cases expected to surge by 21 per cent over the next 10 years, according to the The Australian New Zealand Gynaecological OncologyGroup(ANZGOG).
ANZGOG is calling for urgent action to save the lives of Australian women, seeking a $100 million commitment
from the federal government to bring the strategytolifethroughtheGynaecological CancerTransformationInitiative.
“Research into gynaecological cancers hasbeenunderfundedfordecadesandit’s costinglives,”Michellesaid.
“Womenlikemehavehadenough.”
For women experiencing symptoms related to gynaecological cancers, Michelle offers this advice: “Be your best advocate. Don’t allow practitioners to dismiss your concerns and don’t feel like it’sthementalityof‘justnothing”.
any lumps and do an internal vaginal examination; blood tests; a pelvic ultrasound; a CT scan; a PET scan; or a colonoscopy
• After visiting a GP and if they have concerns, you could be referred to a specialist (gynaecological oncologist) at a public hospital or private practice for further tests. Other support resources include Ovarian Cancer Australia and the Cancer Council
Michelle was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 24. (Damjan Janevski) 482176_02
Next generation of Roos
The North Melbourne Football Club is increasingly targeting Wyndham in its bid to find new talent and expand its fanbase, as Jaidyn Kennedy explores.
For many young footballers in Wyndham, the elusive dream of playing AFL and AFLW begins in their family’s living rooms watching their favourite team on television or with sibling kick-to-kick in the backyard.
For many others, unlocking their own talents will come through a different path and The North Melbourne Football Club’s Next Generation Academy (NGA) is working to help them discover it.
Designed to provide professional pathways into league football for young people from First Nations and culturally linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, the program expanded to Wyndham in 2023.
Maahi, 17, from Point Cook is one of more than 100 athletes aged 11-18 from Wyndham currently in the NGA.
The medium-sized forward joined the academylastyearintheunder-16sdivision and said he has loved every minute of the journey so far.
“Ithinkit’sbeengreattoplaywithplayers whocomefromsimilaranddifferentethnic backgrounds – I have certainly made a lot of new friends in the NGA,” Maahi said.
Playing footy just makes you feel like you are part of the culture - Maahi
“Ihavereallyenjoyedit–theexperiences they have given us have been second to none.
“You can almost pick the brains of AFL players,thewaytheygoabouttheirroutine and the discipline that comes with it.”
Maahi, who is of Indian heritage, said the code’s talent pool in the west is only growing as more South Asian youths take up the sport.
“I think the NGA can really start to take talents that the South Asian boys have and they might not be aware that they actually possess,“ he said.
“Thosetalentsgetusedupinothersports but what the NGA is doing is trying to introduce them to footy, and I think footy is a great way for them to get connected to Australian culture.”
He said North Melbourne’s engagement in the community can also help dispel preconceptions of the game being unrefined in CALD communities.
“I think the biggest thing for South Asian households is the stereotype that football is a rough sport and that it shouldn’t be played,” Maahi said.
“I certainly felt that playing footy just makes you feel like you are part of the culture.
“Not only does having fellow members of your ethnicity play the sport, especially those who come from the same part of the country as you, open the eyes of children [to the game] but the eyes of parents to maybe allow their kids to get involved.”
Like many gifted young athletes in the program, Maahi will eventually have to make a big decision.
“I have been told by multiple people that probably in the next year or so I am going to have to decide whether I play cricket or footy,” he said.
“If you ask me, I enjoy footy more in the winterandcricketmoreinthesummer,but at the end of the day, it’s going to be which one I love more.
“Obviously,it’slikepickingyourfavourite child – it’s not easy to do.
“I’ve got mates in both, it’s going to be a hard decision to make.”
Regardlessofthepathhechooses,Maahi said he will always take the academy’s teachings along with him.
“A big thing that North Melbourne has doneisnotonlychangingusasfootballers, but as people, they have developed us into young men,” he said.
“Just the habits they have taught us – the small things like that you can use in your everyday life.”
Hamish MacInnes is the academy’s head coach.
“I think what we have the great power to do is a lot of these kids, they might not come from traditional football families,”
Mr MacInnes said.
“It’s fantastic and that’s probably where you get the most enjoyment out of it when you see talented kids get the opportunities that they deserve to get.”
For Mr MacInnes, seeing these opportunities turn into results on the field is a great source of pride.
“It’s really exciting to see them grow, especially to see when kids are in your program for a couple of years,” he said.
“That also allows us to be advocates for
them on their journey and help network and communicate with their junior coaches and interleague coaches to really help them put their best foot forward.”
Withmanyacademymembersbalancing school, school sports, junior club football and often representative football, striking a healthy balance is a key part of the program.
“The training sessions run monthly, but we have expanded opportunities during the school holidays,” Mr MacInnes said.
“Some of the challenges are that kids nowadays have very, very packed schedules.
“They might be playing other sports on top of that, so I think it’s finding time in the calendar to work with the kids without overburdening them, and still providing those extra levels of support.”
Community and fan development is another of North Melbourne’s key focus points in Wyndham, especially as the municipality’s population continues to grow and the club strategically ends its 14-year presence in Tasmania.
Offthefield,theclubconductsclinicsand workshops in schools across Wyndham to engage young people and connect with the next generation of fans.
The Huddle, the community arm of the football club, and the Werribee Football Club play a pivotal role in supporting and facilitating these grassroots initiatives. Relationships with key advocacy and
stakeholder groups from different cultural and religious backgrounds are important ways to make sure that diversity is appreciated and camaraderie is built on the field.
Mr MacInnes said showcases from the Bachar Houli Foundation’s during Ramadan and the celebration of Sir Doug Nicholls Round earlier this year were opportunities for the cohorts to be ambassadors of their own cultures and students of others.
“It’sreallyallabouthelpingthemconnect with their cultures and their history, be proud of where they’ve come from and excitedaboutwheretheyaregoingaswell,” he said.
Hesaidheislookingforwardtotheclub’s presence growing stronger in the area.
“I think we are really fortunate to do the work we do with such a fast growing population, it’s something where I think there’s potential for football to grow even more so.”
“We are very lucky as a club to have the connection we do with the City of Wyndham.”
To be eligible for the NGA, athletes must identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, be born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas from Asian or African countries.
All athletes must also reside within Wyndham or the neighbouring suburbs of Laverton, Seabrook and Eynesbury.
Maahi, 17, is part of North Melbourne’s Next Generation Academy. (Damjan Janevski) 480671_01
North Melbourne Next Generation Academy girls, and North Melbourne Next Generation Academy boys. (Pictures: Supplied)
Loving local
By Cr Rayane Hawli
We are so fortunate to have a fantastic array of local businesses here in Hobsons Bay.
No matter what you are after, there is something for everyone.
Council is proud to support our local businesses, encouraging our community togetoutandputtheirhard-earneddollars back into the community they live in.
We have always looked for new and creativewaystohelpfosterlocalsupportof our local economy.
One example is our outdoor dining program from COVID going on to be a big win for our local businesses during a difficult recovery.
Just this month, our ‘love local, dine local’ program, which came about from a community Pitch Your Project idea, has been a massive success.
By offering a $50 rebate when spending more than $100 at local restaurants, local eateries benefitted from a boost in patronage as winter sets in.
It’s been great to see the community response in getting behind our local businesses.
I’ve also loved seeing the council-led Better Places project benefit local business and the community across Hobsons Bay.
Better Places has helped create more attractive precincts and spaces around businesses.
In my ward, the Eames Avenue upgrade in Brooklyn has created great buzz in the community, and we look forward to it being completed.
Wewillcontinuetoshinethespotlighton our amazing businesses over the coming
months, with nominations now open for our biennial Hobsons Bay Business Excellence Awards.
With six awards up for grabs, the event is achanceforustocelebratethegreatthings being done in our business community, bringing them to the fore.
Entries are open until July 13, with the awards gala taking place on October 23.
I know times are tough at the moment, for both residents and small businesses.
Where you can, I encourage you to support our local businesses this winter.
Because thriving small businesses mean a thriving Hobsons Bay.
Briefs
Nine-vehicle collision
Police are appealing for public assistance following a nine-vehicle collision on the Princes Highway at Laverton North on the morning of Monday, June 2. The collision, involving one truck and eight cars, occurred near the Kororoit Creek Road exit about 6am.
While several vehicles sustained significant damage in the collision, there were no serious injuries. Investigators are working to understand the exact circumstances surrounding the collision and want to hear from anyone who was in one of the substantial number of vehicles in the vicinity at the time.
Anyone with information that could assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Car fire
Police are appealing for public assistance as they investigate a car fire in Yarraville in February this year. At approximately 11.58pm on Saturday, February 1, it’s believed an unknown offender approached a Silver Holden Astra parked in the carpark of a Sommerville Road business. The offender, who was wearing a black hoodie, opened the drivers side door and set the car alight from the inside.
FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT
Web: starweekly.com.au
Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
Hobsons Bay deputy mayor Rayene Hawli. (supplied)
Innovative new tapestry
By Liz Hobday, AAP
A hand-woven tapestry that’s as wide as a tennis court will be hung across two storeys of a major new hospital.
Measuring just above four by 10 metres, the artwork woven by the Australian Tapestry Workshop will be hung in the shape of an ellipse, or hollow cylinder, making it the nation’s first major three-dimensional tapestry project.
“Wehaven’tdoneanythingquitelikethis before, we have done large-scale tapestries woveninmultiplepanelsanddouble-sided tapestries,butwehaveneverdoneonethat hangs in the round,” said senior weaver Amy Cornall.
Titled Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible, the tapestry is so big it will be installed across two levels in the foyer of Melbourne’s $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital, opposite the Maribyrnong River.
The finished artwork weighs more than 135 kilograms and will be suspended from a specially designed frame using extra-strong Velcro fasteners.
Designed by First Nations artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney, it depicts the microscopic cellular structures of river reeds,overlaidwithbluelinesrepresenting the flow of a river.
RiverreedshavebeenafeatureofClarke’s work for about two decades, and her part in the design came from tiny slices of reed cellsthatsheviewedunderamicroscopeat Melbourne University.
Clarke has also spent hours inside the old Footscray Hospital while her husband received medical care, and remembers there were only advertisements to stare at on the walls: “it was boring as batshit
really,” she said. She hopes the Welcome to Country tapestry in the new building will be not only visually interesting, but also calming for patients and their families.
“I think every time you look at it you’re going to see something different, I just love how the blue skims across the top like a river, and the colours are just beautiful,” she said.
On Tuesday June 3 the workshop hosted a ceremony to begin the process of cutting downthetapestryfromitstwogiantlooms.
Morethanayearofpainstakingweaving will then be unrolled, enabling the artists and weavers to view the project as a whole for the first time.
A dozen weavers have been hard at work since April 2024, with the tapestry taking more than 10,000 hours to complete.
“On a good day we can do an area that’s maybe the size of an A4 piece of paper, so it’s quite slow, but you can see it progressing from week to week and that’s quite satisfying,” said Cornall.
Artist Mitch Mahoney says working with a team of weavers has been the ultimate collaboration.
“To have twelve people create one work thatlookslikeonehandmadeitisamazing, yet it has a bit of all of them in it,” he said.
Hanging the artwork in an elliptical shape will mean people can stand directly under it and see the reverse side that
is usually hidden from view, revealing hundreds of loose threads.
“The front is all resolved as the artist has intended it to be, the back is the nuts and bolts of how it’s made, the evidence that it was made by people,” said Cornall.
Using wool from Victorian farms, two dyeing specialists at the workshop made 103 colours of yarn for the project, including eight shades created specifically for the tapestry.
Ifkeptoutofdirectsunlight,theweaving could last centuries - fragments of Coptic tapestries,forexample,havesurvivedfrom before the middle ages.
Construction of the hospital is slated for completion in 2025.
Senior weaver Amy Cornall (left) and First Nations artist Maree Clarke. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
Forty-eight hours in Amsterdam
By Kylie Mitchell-Smith Pr/ Travel Writer/ podcaster Www.travellingsenorita.com
Landing in Amsterdam after a long haul from Australia- it strikes us that it’s 30-yearssinceourlastvisit.
We’re keen to uncover a different side to the city, far from the red-light district, space cake cafes and Van Gough Museum -allworthalookbutnotthistimearound.
This time we discover there’s more to Amsterdam than meets the tourist’s eye, as we go underground in a city that lays claim to being one of the most ‘livable and happiestcitiesintheworld’(Source-Conde NastandMercer).
Thehotelwechoseisonthesouthsideof thecityinOveramstel (closetoSpaklerweg metro station), the newly appointed MercureCityHotel.
It’s modern in design, with architectural linesandstrikingsuperimposedartworks, with large windows that capture dreamy viewsacrossthecity.
A ground floor a garden terrace invites the outside in. The staff there is eager to talkabouttheircityaswesiponawelcome cocktailintheloungebar.
The ever-changing neighborhood of De Pijp (The Pipe) is just across the Amstel River, with a long high street that twists andturnsaroundthecanals.
Along the way we stop off at one of the many Italian eateries and devour a house-made cannoli and takeaway gnocchi.
A skip up the road we happen upon a SicilianbakeryandjoininafreePanettone cooking class. There is an edgy hole in the wall cafe next door where we take our coffee and fruit stand across the street where we order our juice - this is my kind ofneighborhood.
De Pijp is a leisurely 30-minute walk to the Museumkwartier (Central Museum Precinct)andwemeanderthoughaweekly vintage market along the way, adorned by artisan boutiques, flower stalls and thrift shops. De Pijp is where the locals live and workandtouristsflockto,comingtogether at the many street food vendors that line the streets. The city is thawing out from winter, large tulip pots are beginning to sproutaroundthemanyparksandgarden.
Walking through the majestic sandstone entrance that opens up to the Rijksmuseum,horseandcartspassbywith smiling folk aboard, seamlessly dodging the many cyclists on their daily commute throughthecity.
It feels like we’ve stepped back to a simpler time, where young people ride
Soakinginthepast,presentandfuture.
push bikes to social cafes, like ‘The School ofLife’.Thiscafeisameetingplacetoread, learn and eat wholesome food, a place where phones are barely seen. The city recently opened up a public library space for strangers to meet, phones placed at the doorandface-to-faceconversationshad.
There is an array of museums and art galleries to choose from, the most popular and longest line is at the Van Gough Museum along with Anne Frank’s house, this time we choose the lesser known MOCO Museum, adjacent to Van Gough. The stately, multi-level heritage building is owned by a local couple who wanted to gift the city a space to create. We peruse a touring street art exhibition showcasing the likes of Banksy, Robbie Williams (the pop star), Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yahoo Kusama and Australia’s own Damien Hirst -it’s edgy, affordable and a place to indulge
Wherethebicycleisstillking.
inindependentartists.
Sleeping is optional on our ’48 hours in Amsterdam’ tour and so we head to the newest addition of the cities burgeoning landscape, A’dam lookout. A short ferry ride to the other side of the river, A’dam Lookout is a modern build set on the banks of the river, built high into the sky to capture the cities 360’ panoramic views. Taking the lift to the rooftop observation deck, we ride the ‘Over the Edge Swing’ where you literally swing into space from the21stfloor.
Dinner is served at Restaurant NEL, sitting in a comfy booth, with good food and wine sourced locally, soaking in the best views the city has to offer. Adjacent is a lively rooftop bar with DJ beats, a virtual reality ride- where you digitally zoom through the city and a red sculptured horse, to hop on for a dreamy photo across
thecity.
From there we head to the metro we happen upon the swarms of tourists walking the red light district. Chatting to the locals we find out there is a bid to move the district to the outskirts of the city, allowing the many cafes and bars to thrive.ThereisachangeintheAmsterdam air. Walking back to the hotel, it appears thecityneversleeps.Peopleyoungandold are playing bocce in the boules sandpits and children kicking soccer balls as party revelers ride the many saloon boats along theprettycanals.
As the the sun sets into the night, we sense that summer is fast approaching and it’s then in that moment, we get it, we understand why Amsterdam is not only one of the most livable cities in the world-but also one of the happiest places we’ve been.
Amsterdamasspringbreaks. (Supplied - Greg Smith)
Cruising down the Rhine
Imagine cruising for eight days down one of Europe’s best-loved rivers – the Rhine – from Switzerland’s historic and vibrant Basel – recent host of Eurovision to the livable and lively Amsterdam.
Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals,historiccities,medievaltowns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Taste the region’s renowned white wines, the roots of its terraced vineyards reaching back to Roman times. Savour the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.
Simply unpack once, let the dedicated Vikingcrewdotherest,andrelaxonboard their award-winning Viking Longships.
Local guides are there to immerse passengers in the history and culture of each destination with their “enriching excursions”. Enjoy all onboard meals with complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Add in endless specialty tea, coffee and bottled water, unlimited Wi-Fi and all onboard gratuities, port charges and taxes.
Viking currently have a special to explore castles and cathedrals with Viking’s eight-day Rhine Getaway voyage from Basel to Amsterdam or vice versa. Booknowthroughto30June(oruntilsold out) from $3,095 per person in a Veranda Stateroom, with savings of up to $5,800 percoupleonselectOctobertoNovember 2025 sailings.
And if the Rhine doesn’t float the boat why not try the River - Danube WaltzBudapest to Passau or reverse.
Soak up soothing steam at a Budapest thermalbath.LearntowaltzataViennese dance school. Savour Austro-Hungarian cuisine in Vienna and Budapest. Admire the Wachau Valley’s beauty. Explore lesser-known Central European cities like Bratislava and Passau. Witness daily life in an abbey on an exclusive visit to Göttweig. This eight-day itinerary reveals the best of these places while cruising leisurely through spectacular scenery. Explore enchanting destinations on Viking’s 8-day Danube Waltz journey from Budapest to Passau or vice versa priced from $3,095 per person in a Veranda Stateroom, with savings of up to $5,400 per couple on select October to November 2025 sailings. Available to book now through 30 June 2025 or until sold out.
For additional information, contact Vikingon138747(AU)/0800447913(NZ) or visit www.viking.com
Stolzenfels Castle from the Rhine River, Koblenz.
The arches of City Hall, Loggia, Cologne.
Sunset on the Longship.
A windmill at sunset: Kinderdijk. Amsterdam at dusk.
LONDON, PARIS & D-DAY
London to Paris
12 DAYS | 2 COUNTRIES | 8 GUIDED TOURS
SET SAIL: JUN-NOV 2025; MAR-NOV 2026; 2027
From $6,595pp in Standard Stateroom
From $9,095pp in Veranda Stateroom
PARIS TO THE SWISS ALPS
Paris to Zurich or vice versa
12 DAYS | 4 COUNTRIES | 10 GUIDED TOURS
SET SAIL: JUN-NOV 2025; MAR-NOV 2026; 2027
From $3,995pp in Standard Stateroom
From $5,995pp in Veranda Stateroom
CITIES OF LIGHT
Paris to Prague or vice versa
12 DAYS | 3 COUNTRIES | 10 GUIDED TOURS
SET SAIL: JUN-NOV 2025; MAR-NOV 2026; 2027
From $3,995pp in Standard Stateroom
From $5,995pp in Veranda Stateroom
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 and Vineyard tour & wine tasting at Jacob’s Creek visitor centre
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
ACROSS
1 Ensnare (6)
4 Amorous (8)
9 Elegance (7)
11 Non-professional (7)
12 Fruitless (11)
13 Large flightless bird (3)
14 Authenticity (8)
16 Alloy (5)
19 Liquid part of blood (5)
20 Love song (8)
22 Mischievous devil (3)
24 Fake (money) (11)
26 Give life to (7)
27 Leader of an Indigenous group (7)
29 Commonplace (8)
30 Globe (6) DOWN
1 Goad, – on (3)
2 Explorer (9)
3 Distant (5)
5 Unclear (6)
6 Handy (9)
7 Subject (5)
8 Wary (11)
10 Repeat (6)
12 Inquire into (11)
15 System of government (9)
17 Ballet position (9)
18 Full of frantic activity (6)
21 Archimedes shouted it when making a discovery (6)
23 Group of lions (5)
25 Summary (5)
28 Day before (3)
the nine letters in the grid, how many words
four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.
1 In 2010, Scarlett Johansson (pictured) performed in which play by Arthur Miller?
2 Red Pontiac and Désirée are varieties of which vegetable?
3 French author Gustave Flaubert is best known for writing which novel?
4 True or false: there is no collective noun for a group of koalas?
5 At which tournament did Lleyton Hewitt win his first Grand Slam title?
6 If you are tatting, what are you making?
7 In TheSimpsons, what is Selma’s relation to Bart?
8 What is the capital of Canada?
9 Who played Jareth the Goblin King in the 1986 movie Labyrinth?
10 In which Australian city is the Moonee Valley Racecourse?
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations
Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or
Heritage Walks
Enjoy a leisurely 90 minute walk around historic Williamstown and nearby suburbs with guide John Becroft. Walks start at 9-20 am each Tuesday outside the Visitor Information Centre in Nelson Place.
John Becroft 0418-377-336
Willy Lit Fest on sale now
Tickets are selling fast to this year’s Willy Lit Fest at the Williamstown Town Hall, from June 20-22. A host of local authors will be coming to talk about their writing, along with some high-profile names from across the country. Writers such as Kate Grenville, Macia Langton, Melanie Cheng, Mark Smith and Andy Grifiths will be appearing. Buy a weekend pass for just $125, or tickets to individual sessions.
See the full program: https://www. willylitfest.org.au/2025-program
Newport Lake walk
Inner West Friendship and Social Group is a social group for everyone based in the inner west of Melbourne. The group are hosting a Newport Lake walk to welcome new members to its Facebook group. Meet at the Newport Lake car park at 10:30 am on Sunday June 8.
The group meets every Tuesday at 1pm-3pm at Denis Reserve. It is a small group looking for more seniors both male and female. Members enjoy two hours of singing as well as afternoon tea. Cost is $5 for the afternoon.
Phone Marlene, president/secretary on 0402 769 204,for any more information.
Royal Yacht Club of Victoria lunch specials
Enjoy midweek lunch specials each Wednesday: $10 entree, $20 main course. RYCV 120 Nelson Place, Williamstown.
Reservations: www.rycv.com.au
Altona North Combined Probus
The Altona North Combined Probus Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Altona Sports Club. Includes a speaker, organised trips and outings, and a friendly atmosphere. ? Lesley, 0414 481 442
National seniors meeting
On the first Wednesday of every month at 1.30pm, the metro west branch of national seniors meets at the Deer Park Club, with meals available to purchase. The group also holds lunches on different Fridays each month, as well as activities such as theatre visits, bus trips and more.
0425 713 004, or lesley1.collins@ outlook.com
AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club
The AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club would like to invite people who want to develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills, to join them on the first and third Thursday of every month from 7.00-9.00pm at the Laverton Community Hub, 95-105 Railway Avenue, Laverton.
Contact: Vimi 0411 530 944 or aerospeakerstm@gmail.com
Footscray CWA
Meet on the fourth Monday of every month from 7-9m at Footscray Scout Hall next door to Footscray Police Station, 4a Hyde Street.
Social square dancing for beginners. Come along to the Maribyrnong Community Centre on Thursday nights
from 7.30pm to 10.30pm to learn social square dancing for beginners in a safe and friendly environment.
The teaching is in a group but is self paced so there is no pressure to maintain a rate of learning.
Janine 0421 371 883 or contact@ essendonsquares.com
Free English conversation classes
If English is your second language and you want to improve your English language skills, practice speaking with friendly volunteer tutors in informal and interactive group sessions held every Monday at 1 pm -3pm in the meeting room at Altona Library, 123 Queen St Altona. Light refreshments provided. Come along and make new friends!
Contact Jill MacKenzie 0439994705 or jill.mackenzie111@gmail.com
Braybrook and Maidstone walking group
The Braybrook and Maidstone Neighbourhood House are holding a walking group from 9am to 10am every second Wednesday. The walking group is open to everyone and starts from the neighbourhood house at 113 Melon Street, Braybrook.
93175610 or jodie@bmnh.org.au
Computer classes
Scams, MyGov, software, online shopping, banking, email, whatever. We all need to keep up with the internet, IT, computers, and changing technology. Classes every day of the week , mornings and afternoons, in Williamstown and Altona North.
Lynne, 9397-6168.
Laverton Bowls Club
Experience the fun and skill of lawn bowls, a game which is suitable for all ages. Laverton Bowls Club is recruiting new members, so if you are looking for a friendly atmosphere and the opportunity to bowl both socially or at pennant level Laverton is the place to be. Come to the club on Tuesday or Thursday mornings for practise beginning at 10am. All welcome at 77-87 Hall Street, Altona Meadows. 9369 1034 or email : secretary@ lavertonbowls.com.au
Musicians welcome
Do you play any percussion, brass or woodwind instruments? The Hobsons Bay City Band is seeking musicians to join their community band. Please note that rehearsals are held under the directorship of Wayne Bowden OAM every Monday evening from 7.30pm at the Spotswood
South Kingsville RSL, 59 The Avenue, Spotswood.
Hannah Prouse, hbcityband@gmail.com or check URL www.hbcb.org.au
Walking group
The Mighty West Heart Foundation Community Walking Group meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am. Walk at your own pace for up to 60 minutes. Discover the many health benefits (physical and psychological) of walking together. All welcome.
0411 566 862
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) offers support for anyone who wants to stop drinking. Regular in-person AA meetings are held at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Williamstown –Wednesdays at 7:00 PM and Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Newport –Thursdays at 6:30 PM and Saturdays at 8:30 AM. If you think you have a drinking problem, you are welcome to attend. Friends and family members supporting a loved one are also encouraged to come along.
For more information: Visit https:// williamstown.aagroup.org.au/ Email: aawilliamstown@gmail.com or call 1300 222 222
This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Emmanuel Pace AKA ‘Manny the Clown’. (Damjan Janevski) 481609
Enjoy free yoga sessions
For those looking to improve their health and better deal with the stresses of modern life, a series of free yoga classes and mindfulness workshops for adults and childrenmightbeaplacetostart.
In recognition of International Yoga Day onJune21,localyogacommunitiesinPoint Cook,TarneitandTruganinaarejoiningthe global celebration of unity, wellness and innerpeace.
Kids will get first dibs on the fun, with theirclassrunningonbetween4.30-5.30pm on Tuesday, 17 June at the Saltwater CommunityCentreinPointCook.
The adults won’t have to wait long to get
in on the action, because they will get their chance to learn about the benefits of yoga between 6.30-7.30pm on Thursday, June 19 attheTarneitCommunityLearningCentre. Last but certainly not least, the art of keeping your cool will be studied at the mindfulness workshop taking place from 3-5pmattheTruganinaCommunityCentre onSaturday,June21.
OrganisedbyStillIRiseYogaAcademyin collaboration with SoulSpace, the initiative aims to make the transformative power of yoga more accessible to families and individualsinthelocalarea.
Jennifer Tang, who will be involved in
running the sessions as a yoga teacher and mindfulness coach, said there was more to yogathanposes.
“This is more than just about yoga poses — it’s about helping our community connect,ground,andgrowemotionallyand spiritually,”shesaid.
Ms Tang also said learning how to slow downisvital.
“Especially for those navigating stress, burnout, or anxiety, these sessions offer a chance to slow down and reconnect—with ourselvesandwithothers.”
The power of nature and the lessons we canlearnbyreconnectingwiththenatural environmentwillbethefocusofafreetalk byauthorSimonMustoe.
Mustoewilllaunchhislatestbook, ’How to Survive the Next 100 Years: Lessons from Nature’, with a talk and question and answer session at the Williamstown Bowling Club on Saturday, June 21, from 7-8.20pm.
TheeventispartoftheWillyLitFest.
Mustoe said his latest book reveals “how we can consume a more balanced variety of knowledge to become healthier and happierbyreconnectingwithnature”.
“From chimps to mini-cars, brain parasites to whale personhood, farming
with bandicoots and stressed-out grasshoppers: the key to avoiding disaster istoworkwithinthenaturalbalanceofour beautifulworld,”hesaid.
“Contained within our minds and everything around us is the solution to our anxiety.”
After the talk, Mustoe will joined by Josie Gibson (The Catalyst Network) and acclaimed community conservation and rewildingexpertsAnissaLawrence(Ocean Earth Foundation) and Donalea Patman (FLOWildlife) for the question and answer session.
“The audience will hear talk about innovative work being done to unlock the power of nature through community
co-design in Port Phillip Bay. And they will learn how such community-led conservation unlocks the power of nature to restore local economies and ecosystems,”Mustoesaid.
“This promises to be a positive, lively and informative event giving you a whole new appreciation of the natural world and how you can make a real difference.”
Places are limited and bookings can be madevia:https://simonmustoe.blog/willylit-festival-book-launch-how-to-survivethe-next-100-years/
To view the full Willy Lit Fest program, visit: https://www.willylitfest.org. au/2025-program
Hume’s after-dark winter festival returns to dazzle
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 212025,astheHumeWinterLightsFestival transforms the Town Hall Broadmeadows precinct into a glowing wonderland of art, music,foodandimmersivefunfrom6pmto 10pm.
This free, family-friendly festival is Melbourne’snorthernstarofwinterevents, and it’s ready to enchant locals and visitors alike.
Knownforitsaward-winningatmosphere, the festival will once again feature live music, interactive light projections,
Refugee Week
Celebrating Refugee Week, Melton Library will host a special film screening with the Aspiring Young AfricansFoundation(ASPYA).
The documentary Reclaimed Voices, produced by the Melton-based ASPYA foundation last year, will be screened from 5.30pm at the Melton Library and Learning HubonThursday,June12.
The documentary follows the transformative journey of Sabir Banek, a young man with lived experience of the youth justice system.
MrBanek’sstoryisoneofprofound change – finding employment, embracing his faith, and redefining hisfuture.
Challenging the often negative media portrayal of the South Sudanese community, the documentary aims to inspire by showcasing real-life examples of loss,redemptionandpositivechange
This unmissable event will feature a screening of the documentary, followed by a panel discussion with Mr Banek and ASPYA Foundation co-founderRobielAbraham. They will share their insights on the making of the documentary and answeranyquestions.
ASPYA Foundation is a not-for-profit youth-led organisation basedinMelton.
Their mission is to reconnect African youth with their communities and empower them to bepositivecontributorstosociety.
Refugee Week is an annual event that aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing refugees, and the contributions they make to the community.
Attendance is free and bookings can be made on Melton’s website, in-person at one of the council’s libraries,byemail,oroverthephone. Details: libraryevents.melton.vic. gov.au/event?id=145003
immersive art installations, and roving performerslightingupthestreets.
An interactive art exhibition, delicious food trucks, and hands-on activities for all agesroundoutthenight.
Although registration isn’t required, it’s encouragedviaEventbritetostayuptodate witheventannouncements.
Entry is subject to venue capacity and childrenunder18mustbeaccompaniedby aguardian.
To find out more and register your interest, visit hume.vic.gov.au/hwlf– and getreadytostepintoafestivalthatlightsup thesoul.
Sabir Banek. (Supplied).
Hume Winter Lights will return to Broadmeadows later this month. (Supplied)
Jennifer Tang (front); with Nancy Evans, Neeta Patel and Ramoncito Abella. (Damjan Janevski) 479565_06
Simon Mustoe. (Supplied)
SPORTS QUIZ
1. Sports journalist and commentator Kane Cornes played 300 games with which AFL club?
2. Which two teams are competing in the 2025 NBA Finals series?
3. Senator David Pocock played what position for the Wallabies?
4. Lachlan Galvin recently left the Wests Tigers to play with which other NRL club?
5. Which 2023 film has the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers at its centre?
6. Which team did Melbourne City defeat to win the 2025 A-League Men Grand Final?
Which current NBA player recently announced the death of his beloved bulldog Rocco?
Australian punter Mitchell Wishnowsky last played for which California-based NFL team?
Bulgarian-born swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev represented which country at the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics?
10. Australian basketballer Alex Ducas last played for which NBA team?
11. What is the northernmost AFL team?
12. Which Spanish team did Arsenal defeat 1-0 to win the 2025 UEFA Women’s Champions League final?
13. What sport is Eileen Gu known for?
14. What surface is the Wimbledon tennis tournament held on?
15. Which cricketing nation recently played England in a Test Match for the first time since 2003?
16. What is the nickname of Minnesota’s NHL team?
17. What are the real first names of WWE’s Uso twins?
18. What name is the Supercars Championship event held in Darwin known by?
19. In which year was the Norm Smith Medal first awarded?
20. And to who was it awarded?
21. The Matildas played which South American nation in two recent home friendlies?
22. Who is set to be Port Adelaide’s senior AFL coach in 2026?
23. Who won the 2025 NRL Women’s State of Origin series?
24. Including the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, how many times has Italy hosted the event?
25. And true or false: Russia is banned from competing at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games?
26. In fishing, what is a spoon?
27. What is the name of the fictional soccer team in Ted Lasso?
28. Which Super Netball team was known by the name Tarntanya Karntu during the league’s First Nations round?
30.
and
29. Minjee Lee is the sister of which fellow golf star?
AFLW teams Essendon
Richmond will play a Dreamtime Clash in which city this year?
RATINGS
Looks: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 7/10
Thirst: 7/10
Practicality: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Luxury journey in the SQ7
By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring
Ah! That takes me back. Almost two decades ago I was a member of the media that helped launch the new Audi Q7 in Australia in a transcontinental relay from easttowest.
An assortment of ‘scribblers’, me included, had scaled Big Red, the iconic Simpson Desert sand dune west of Birdsville(becausewecould),inastringof Q7s,thepremiumseven-seaterwhichwent on to become the mainstay of the brand’s SUV lineup, before setting off down the Birdsville Track, on to the Oodnadatta Track, Coober Pedy and up the Stuart HighwaytotheRock.
Like the luxury Audi SUVs did then, this brings me nicely to the theme of this piece – the new SQ7, which, with its high-performance heart wrapped in a luxury skin, has recently undergone upgradesaspartofQ7design,comfortand technologyupdates.
Designated by the MY25 tag, the car comes to market for a base $174,815, plus on-road costs. Standard equipment includes 22-inch Sport wheels with red brake callipers, and Sport steering wheel, leather seat upholstery with embossed S logoanddiamondpatternstitching.
Audi drive select enables access to six driving modes – Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual, Efficiency, Off-Road – Adaptive drive assist includes Stop & Go, distance indicator, traffic jam assist and lane guidance. Cost options include a Dynamic Package ($10,900) consisting of roll stabilisation system and quattro sport differential.
Furthermore, a Sensory package, for $14,400,addsBang&Olufsen3DAdvanced Sound System, front seat massager, rear sunshades and air quality package. This, plus other odds and bobs, took the total priceofthetestcarto$209,215.Thevehicle
is subject to Audi’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, plus five years roadsideassist.
Styling
Naturally, to justify the premium price over the Q7 ($66k), the SQ7 has a unique character on the outside, starting with the single frame octagon grille with vertical inlays.Airinletshavebeenupdated,which together with new headlamp graphics, engender a more modern and assertive stance.
S-specific bumpers and quad tailpipes andredbrakecallipersdoubledownonthe car’sperformancecredentials.Ownerscan opt for digital OLED rear lights, allowing taillight signatures to be customised throughtheMMIsystem.
Interior
In keeping with the athletic exterior, the cabinofferssport-styleleatherseatingwith contrasting stitching, plus quality inlays in matt brushed aluminium with linear embossing.
Up to seven occupants can be carried in comfort and safety thanks to a versatile seating system, the result of the SQ7’s three-metre-pluswheelbase.
A three-spoke sport leather steering wheelsportsshiftpaddles,plusamultitude ofbuttonsforvehiclesystems.
Cargo (up to 793 litres), carried in the area behind the third row of seats, can be expanded to 1921 litres with second and thirdrowsfolded.
Infotainment
Also included is the latest MMI touch response with its dual displays – Audi virtual cockpit with 12.3-inch colour display and MMI navigation plus with 10.1-inch touchscreen. A Bang & Olufsen Advanced 3D Sound System with 23 speakersservesup1920Wofcrispsound. The‘scene’issetwithheadlininginblack andfullleatherseating,includingmassage
In the case of the SQ7 it’s not the destination, but the journey. (Pictures: Supplied)
function up front, heated seats in the back and manual sunshades for rear side windowsandrearwindow.
Air quality is taken care of by four-zone climate control air-conditioning, ioniser and two quality perfumes in four intensities. Audi Connect plus dishes up navigationandinfotainment,plussecurity and assistance services. Smartphone interfaces are wireless for Apple CarPlay andAndroidAuto.
Engines/transmissions
The impressive powertrain is at the service of a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine stumping up 373kW of peak power and 770Nm of maximum torque, enabling the SQ7totop100km/hinjust4.1seconds.
Safety
Audi pre-sense front with autonomous emergency braking, with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus pre-sense features head up the advanced safety systems
Park assist features parking system plus, while traffic sign recognition is making a firstappearanceonthismodel.
Driving
In these days of electric vehicles quietly takingoverthestreetsthere’snaryasound but the honeyed hum of the motors. Enter the SQ7. Drop into the premium leather driver’s seat of this Audi high performance seven-seater SUV, press the start/stop buttonandthecabinisfilledwiththegrowl of an engine just itching to do something that’shardtoignore.
And this one does not disappoint: try 100km/h from rest in 4.1 seconds to the rasp of a donk let loose. Press the accelerator pedal and there’s a solid shove inthebacktoo,asthewagontakesoff.Talk aboutaflyingstart.
In what Audi calls its upper-large SUV family, the five-metre-plus SQ7 is streets ahead of much of the segment in powertrain performance alone. However, fuelconsumptionisintheupperreachesof the‘pipeline’at9.2litresper100kilometres inhighwaytrafficandupto18litresper100 kilometresinstop-startcitystuff.
Advanced driving dynamics get in on the act with the standard mix of adaptive suspension and all-wheel steering, while an even more exhilarating driving experience is provided by the addition of the Dynamic package of quattro sport differential and active roll stabilisation, the latter electromechanically reducing the side tilt of the body during cornering. Itworks!
Summary
People ask: Why buy a vehicle – especially one that tips the scales at $200k-plus – that can go at twice the legal speed limit. In the case of the SQ7 it’s not the destination, but the journey. I’m sure the wagon would not bewantingontheBirdsvilleTracktoo.
The soggy King’s Birthday long weekend failed to deter teams who took to the fields and courts in competitions across the north-west on Saturday. Star Weekly photographer LJUBICA VRANKOVIC was out shooting some of the action.
A sporting long weekend
Yuriko Filitonga takes off with the ball. 481973_06
Tanya Yabaki wins the ball. 481973_13
Sian MacCreadie makes a run. 481973_15
Rhys Saunders in action for Keilor Park. 481978_02
Paula Nailovolovo. 481972_18 Nicholas Bavcar takes control of the ball for Keilor Park. 481978_06
Neru Sheck in action for Footscray. 481972_05 Kanta Kumazawa. 481978_09
Jake Armitage flies for Keilor Park. 481978_11
Footscray faces off against Melbourne University. 481973_11
George Noa shows his skills. 481972_14
Graig Semisi llines up the ball. 481972_07
Falcons soar higher than rival Hawks
City West Falcons kept their unbeaten Victorian Netball League season intact with a three-goal win against the Hawks.
The Falcons led by seven goals at half-time, but the Hawks struck back to levelscoresgoingintothefinalterm.
“The third quarter, very terrible, we just went off the pace, stopped leading,” FalconscoachMargLindsaid.
“Our asset is our ability to move the ballquickandIthoughtwedidn’tdothat inthethirdandtheygavethemastiffand gotthembackin.”
The Falcons went on an unanswered four-goal streak early in the last through goalshooterJaneCook.
But the Hawks struck back with six of their own to tie the game at 53-apiece witheightminutesremaining.
Cook and Madelyn Romios then put the margin back out to five with a string
of goals and City West hung on despite a lateHawks’surgetowin65-63.
“They (Hawks) are goers and they’ve gotbigreachandthey’rebigbodiesandI thinkitwaswhatweneededwastoreally putthefootdown,”Lindsaid.
“The connection between Mon (Montana Holmes) and Maggie (Lind) in that first five minutes of the last made a big difference. Just getting the pace up and using your experience under pressure.
“And I thought Cooky held up well in thelast.Shewasprobablysittingabittoo deep in the first three quarters, which meant they had a bit of a contest on the ball and in saying that we also threw somebadballtoheraswell.“
Lind said the team had been affected bythefluduringtheweek.
“We’ve had quite a few with the flu in the club, me included, but by not
changing in the last probably helped to settleabit.Butwegotthere-itwasugly.”
The Falcons’ 23 and unders improved from their first meeting with the Hawks to go down by eight goals, a nine-goal better performance, including getting to withinonegoallateinthethird.
“It’sabigimprovement,”Lindsaid.
“It probably shouldn’t have blown out to eight in the end, it probably should have been two or three. But they’re getting there. They’ve definitely made someimprovements.
“Obviously they’ve got a tough run homesothey’rejustgoingtohavetokeep theirfootdownonthepedal.”
TheFalconsfacetheSaintsthisweek.
Three make the cut
By Tara Murray
Three Williamstown CYMS players are among the squad of 49 players selected for the Victorian Amatuer Football Association Big V premier B-division 3 men’s initial squad ahead of the clash against the Bendigo Football League at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo on Sunday,July13.
Former Big V player and Fitzroy coach Luke Mahoney has taken the reins for a second consecutive season, having led the side to a thrilling 13-point victory at ElsternwickParkin2024.
The team represents five different sections of the VAFA men’s competition frompremierBtodivision3.
Mahoney and his coaching panel found this year’s squad selection even more challengingthanlastyear.
“Wegotthereintheend,butitwasn’teasy becauseoftheincreaseintalent,especially in our divisions, which really stood out to us.Therewerealotmoreoptionsthisyear,” hesaid.
“Being our second year doing the exercise, we had a better starting point with our whole coaching group on board again. We have a clear understanding of how we want to play, so we knew who to targetandwhy,whichwasabigadvantage for us.
“We grouped players into the roles we know we need – for example, running backs, inside mids and outside mids. We then saw plenty of footy live and on tape andworkedourwaythroughthosegroups.
“We’re very happy with where we’ve ended up, given the quality we’ve got. It’s a good,well-rounded,balancedsquad.”
“Bendigo surprised us with their launch abilityoffhalf-backlastyear,”hesaid.
“They got a lot of momentum from their rebounding defence, which caught us unawares a bit. They got their transition going, so we have to be mindful of that on the longer ground at QEO, which is suited tomorerunandcarry.
“We’ll adjust accordingly and also
Sports shorts
NPL
Altona Magic had a night to forget in the National Premier League on Saturday. The Magic was on the road against the Dandenong Thunder and quickly trailed 3-0. That was the margin at half time, before the Thunder doubled it in the second half to come away with a 6-0 win. The Magic slips to ninth on the ladder with four wins for the season.
VPL
Altona City got an important win against the Boroondara Carey Eagles in the Victorian Premier League 2 competition on Saturday. A goal to Nicholas Georgopoulos in the 74th minute was the difference between the two sides, with Altona City winning 1-0. After 17 rounds, Altona City sits seventh on the table with seven wins for the season.
FV
have some very good running rebound defenders to consider – the likes of Nathan Ligris and Matt Clarkson – that could performasimilarfunctionforus.
“Our overall mantra is fit, fast and flexible.
“We know Bendigo’s midfield will likely be a strength for them and ours will be for us too. We have three very handy rucks in oursquad–AlexMirkov,JackSheridanand Boston Dowling. So we’ll have some big decisions to make about how we structure our ruck division. Our forward line set-up mightpartlydictatethat.”
Mahoney has a healthy mix of returning playersandfreshfacesinhisinitialsquad.
There are 24 players selected from the premierBcompetition.
That includes the CYs Jordan Busuttil, ZacharyProvestandWillBokma.
There are also 10 players from premier c, eight from division 1, four from division 2 andthreefromdivision3.
Training begins this week and will include five sessions between now and gameday.
Yarraville Glory wasn’t able to come home with the points against Clifton Hill in the FV state league 1 north-west competition on Saturday. Clifton Hill led 1-0 at half time before the Glory went a man down. Despite that, the Glory was able to level the scores in the 66th minute through Slaven Vranesevic. Clifton Hill found the winner in the 87th minute, winning 2-1. The Glory sits second bottom after 11 rounds.
VFL
Williamstown’s winning run continued in the Victorian Football League on Saturday. The Seagulls headed up Brisbane to take on the Brisbane Lions and got off to a flying start and led 43-19 at quarter time. They kept the momentum going in the second quarter and led by 55 points at the main break. While the second half was a lot closer, the damage had been done with the Seagulls winning, 21.10 (136)-12.8 (80). Brodie McLaughlin and Blake Coleman kicked five goals each for the Seagulls. The Seagulls sit 12th with five wins for the season.
City West Falcons’ goaler Jane Cook. (Grant Treeby/Netball Victoria)
William Bokma. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 405183_07
TIPPING 2025
Leo Dardha Hocking Stuart Yarraville
Chris Byrne Yarraville Club Lauren Comazzetto Braybrook Hotel
