NOVEMBER 13, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Sunny climbs into new role
(Esther Lauaki)
A Kurunjang dad dressed as superhero The Flash will be racing up 88 floors of the Eureka Tower to set an example for family and friends. Sunny Aulakh will take on the 11th annual Eureka Stair Climb challenge on November 25 which raises money for the Fred Hollows Foundation. This year will be the fourth time Mr Aulakh has taken part in the event. “It started as a bet with my mates that I couldn’t climb 88 floors of stairs,” Mr Aulakh said. “If I completed the event, they would change my nickname … My nickname referred to my shape and I wanted them to stop calling me by that name. “The first year I dressed as Thor, but my biggest mistake was that I had to carry too many accessories.” About 2,500 participants, ranging from social to elite competitors, are expected to sign up for the challenge on November 25 which involves scaling 1642 steps to the Eureka Skydeck at the top of the Eureka Tower. Register: www.eurekastairclimb.org Esther Lauaki
Protest hits Wombat bid By Esther Lauaki Protesters turned out on horseback, in four-wheel drives and on foot to rally against Wombat State Forest becoming a national park. About 700 bush users and environmental group members brought Gisborne’s town centre to a halt last Saturday (November 10) to stand against a move by Victorian Environment Assessment Council (VEAC) they fear will restrict public access to the park. The VEAC has been ordered by the state government to investigate the future use and classifications of Wombat, Wellsford, Mount Cole and Pyrenees Ranges state forests. A VEAC draft report’s recommendations include changing the status of Wombat State Forest by establishing the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park. The report is open for public comment until December 10.
Community members from the Wombat State Forest region including horse riders, prospectors, campers and “greenies” called on all state election candidates to declare their positions on the national park proposal, according to organisers. Rally organiser Tim Anderson, who has campaigned on Wombat State Forest issues since 1989, said “locking up” the forest would put an end to locals collecting firewood, dispersed camping, horse riding, dog walking and a range of other activities. “The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s proposal to make the Wombat Forest into a national park is the wrong direction for the Wombat Forest on environmental and social grounds,” Mr Anderson said. “The draft report is simplistic, rejects both science and our local communities and would be the worst outcome for the future of the Wombat Forest.
Protesters hits the streets of Gisborne on Saturday. (Supplied)
“The local community fought and overcame unsustainable logging in the 1990s that has left the Wombat Forest in a highly degraded condition that must be rectified if the forest is to be resilient. It is incredible just how passionate and connected the people of central
Victoria are to the Wombat Forest. It really is the People’s Forest.” But the Victorian National Parks Association supports the change in status, saying it would give the park the “protections, management and funding” it deserves. Director Matt Ruphel told Star Weekly recreational users would not be locked out. “State forests are generally put aside for extractive use and there’s no regulation or management of state forests other than for logging operations or large scale mining,” he said. “Changing to a national park excludes those very damaging activities.” “For everything else regarding recreational activities, camping, trail bike riding and four-wheel driving, the rules are exactly the same for state forests and national parks.” The VEAC draft report has already received about 640 submissions.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP Melton Christian College congratulates outgoing Captains Emily Sommerfield & Sobur Dhieu EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR VCE 2020 NOW OPEN
mcc.vic.edu.au/enrolments