Northern Star Weekly Community News 20191119

NOVEMBER 19, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE

Message from the Premier & Minister to respond. These Victorians do an incredible job in keeping our state safe.

But they can’t do it alone. We all have a responsibility to plan and prepare for fire.

The Hon Daniel Andrews MP

The Hon Lisa Neville MP

Premier of Victoria

Minister for Police and Emergency Services

Our emergency services are ready for a long, hot and dry fire season.

Whether you’re in the bush, near the beach, close to grassland or paddocks, you need to prepare now.

A record fleet of 50 aircraft and thousands of volunteers and career firefighters are ready

There are some simple steps you can take straight away to stay safe this fire season.

Make a fire plan and know your trigger to enact it. Talk to your loved ones and make sure they know the plan too. Know where you’ll get your emergency information from and have your emergency kit ready to go.

And for more information on how to prepare, visit vic.gov.au/knowfire.

Taking the right steps now could make all the difference.

Phil Savage, Forrest Fire Management Officer for FFMVictoria and Tony Owen, CFA District 22 operations manager with a Kestrel water bomber.

The real fire alert begins now.

Towns and shires in CFA District 22 officially moved into their Fire Danger Period on October 28 – and stay there until May 1 in 2020 unless otherwise updated.

District 22 Operations Manager Tony Owen said low winter rainfall across the Goulburn – from Cobram on the Murray through the high country and down to Benalla – meant the grass and bush were dry.

“The fire potential is further increased by Bureau of Meteorology forecasts that the next three months will be drier and warmer than average.

“What little rain we have had has given good grass growth on roadsides and unmanaged areas, so we have good fuels in place

with the potential of a busy grassfire season.

“While we and our partner agencies are doing everything we can to prepare for the bushfire season, we look to the community to use common sense and take responsibility for preventing fires.”

He also urged north-east residents to use the short window of opportunity left before summer arrives to clean up their property if they had not already done so.

“Reducing fuel loads now will ensure that if a fire does break out, it has less chance of taking hold or spreading.”

Moira Shire is also urging residents to prepare their homes and yards.

Shire mayor Libro Mustica said council officers have been

undertaking a rigorous annual program of roadside maintenance and inspections which plays a vital role in preparing for the 2019/20 fire danger period.

“We work closely with the CFA, Victoria Police and DELWP to assess levels of risk and co-ordinate our mitigation works.

“Our role is to support emergency services in any critical situation and we then share this information with the community through our various communication networks.

“We want to ensure that if there is an emergency situation, people are informed and able to leave an affected area quickly and safely.”

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NOVEMBER 19, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE

Surf’s up at Tullamarine

(Luke Hemer) 200668_21

Surfers are just two months away from being able to catch a wave in Tullamarine.

Urbnsurf will open its $28 million surf park near Melbourne Airport in January.

The park is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Members of Australia’s Olympic surfing team and junior surfing champions were among the first people to catch a wave at the new facility, testing out the surf last week.

They were joined by representatives from Melbourne Airport, Surfing Victoria, Surfing Australia and Three Blue Ducks.

Urbnsurf founder Andrew Ross said the park has been seven years in the making.

“Whether it’s learning how to stand up on a board for the first time, or pulling in to challenging barrels without having to travel for hours or be at the mercy of the elements, Urbnsurf Melbourne is set to become a new hub for the Victorian surf community and a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike,” he said.

Melbourne Airport’s chief of property, Linc Horton said the park would be a great addition to the airport.

“We’re working to create an elite sports precinct right here at Melbourne Airport known as Elite Park, which will service travellers, the community and wider Victoria. Urbnsurf Melbourne is set to play a big foundational role as part of the precinct,” he said.

Laura Michell

Waste plant protest

By Esther Lauaki and Laura Michell Concerned Craigieburn residents are calling for Hume council to reject an application for a proposed waste to energy plant in the suburb, amid concerns the plant will produce hazardous emissions.

The council has received an application from Enrgx for a waste to energy plant at 65 Amaroo Road, Craigieburn. The application is being reviewed by the council and other agencies.

It is not known whether the plant will be an incineration or gasification facility.

The council’s sustainable infrastructure and services director Peter Waite said the council has sought more information about the proposal to better understand what products will be used by the facility to generate energy and how any waste will be treated and disposed of.

Residents have formed a group called No Toxic Incinerator for Hume and have started a petition urging the council to release more information about the plant and reject the application.

The group protested against the plant at Hume council’s November 11 meeting.

They are also calling on the Environment Protection Authority to prevent the plant from being built.

Group spokeswoman Katherine Lawford said the community was upset about the proposal.

“We are concerned it will result in the transport of large volumes of waste into Melbourne for incineration,” she said.

“We don’t know if it will be an incineration plant or what it will incinerate and there is little information available.”

Ms Lawford said the group was also concerned the plant would undermine

recycling efforts and “encourage wastefulness”.

“We think there are far better ways to take care of our recycling crisis. We don’t want such plants to undermine existing recycling activities,” she said.

Yarra Valley Water currently operates a waste to energy plant on Craigieburn Road East in Wollert, opposite the Aurora Treatment Plant.

It opened the gasification plant in June 2017 and transformed more than 45,000 tonnes of food waste into 10,000 megawatt hours of clean energy in its first two years of operation.

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NEWS

Mum’s desperate plea

By Laura Michell The mother of a three-year-old girl who died after being hit by the family car outside her Epping childcare centre last month has launched a fundraiser to help the family find a new home and car.

Amanda Furner and her four children have been living in a motel since the October 14 accident because she cannot face going home and seeing Charlotte’s empty room.

“It’s extremely painful to return back to the house,” she said.

Ms Furner, who is due to give birth in a couple of weeks, has started a GoFundMe page to help her children rebuild their lives. She has

raised more than $4500.

“The GoFundMe is to support the kids and I [to] get back on our feet … my kids are my world,” she said.

“I know that I won’t ever fully recover from this, but for the sake of my baby boy and my other children, I need to find the strength to rebuild our lives.”

Ms Furner was with three of her children when she picked Charlotte up from the Kiddy Palace Learning Centre on October 14.

She turned on the car’s ignition to start the air-conditioning while the other children got in the car. Charlotte waited outside the car for Ms Furner to help her in.

“I know 100 per cent the car was in park

with the handbrake on. I went from my door to Charlotte’s door, was about to put her in, and that’s when the car went back,” she said.

Ms Furner doesn’t remember much of what happened next but has been told by staff at the childcare centre that she was holding onto Charlotte screaming for help.

She is urging people to have their cars regularly checked to ensure they are roadworthy.

Ms Furner said Charlotte was her “princess”.

“Charlotte was a bright and bubbly princess that would light up any room she was in,” she said. “She stole a lot of hearts with her eyes and her beautiful smile. She loved helping others.”

Details: https://bit.ly/2CFGIK3

Charlotte, 3. (Supplied).

Teens charged with electronic thefts

The historic Mayfield Homestead after the fire. (Shawn Smits) 200654_01 Inset: The homestead in flames. (Supplied)

Historic homestead goes up in flames A descendant of one of Mernda’s pioneering families says he is “devastated” by a fire at the historic Mayfield homestead.

A fire broke out at the Plenty Road homestead shortly after midnight on November 12.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The homestead was built in the 1850s by Moses Thomas – one of Mernda’s founding fathers.

Mernda resident Neil Johnson, who is a descendant of Thomas, said it appeared the fire had started at the back of the house.

“It appears the fire broke out at the back of

the house which is timber. The front portion of the house is double brick and the interior walls are double brick so it is quite a sturdy house,” he said. “From the road, you don’t get a sense of how much damage has occurred.

“From the images we have seen, the fire was quite intense … it’s pretty devastating.”

Mr Johnson said he had been contacted by many Mernda residents who were saddened to hear about the fire.

The homestead is part of a 26.5 hectare site that will become home to the Mernda town

centre.

Land Capital’s Samir Latif said the company had been working with Whittlesea council and Heritage Victoria to develop a plan to restore the homestead. In a Facebook post, he said the company had recently received a quote to carry out urgent work to make the Mayfield site safe.

Mr Latif told Star Weekly that it was too early to tell if the fire will delay the town centre development.

Th ree teenagers have been charged over a series of alleged theft s from electronic stores in South Morang, Preston and Springvale last month.

Police from the Mill Park Serious Crime Taskforce and Brimbank CIU executed nine search warrants in Tullamarine, Sunshine, Sunbury, Derrimut, Melton South, St Albans and Kings Park on November 4. Eleven people were arrested.

Police allege that property from alleged theft s that occurred in Preston on October 16, South Morang on October 22, and Springvale on October 23, was found during the searches.

The arrests are part of Operation Liege which is targeting group theft s at retail, electronic and telecommunications stores statewide.

A 16-year-old from Melton South has been charged with theft and handling stolen goods and was remanded in custody.

A 14-year-old from Deer Park was charged with handling stolen goods, committing an indictable offence while on bail and was also remanded in custody.

A 16-year-old from Keilor Downs has been charged with theft and handling stolen goods, committing and indictable offence while on bail, dealing proceeds of crime and stating a false name, and was remanded in custody.

Laura Michell

Laura Michell

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Young bloods at the helm

By Laura Michell North ward councillor Emilia Lisa Sterjova has been elected as Whittlesea’s youngest ever mayor.

Cr Sterjova was elected to the top job on November 7 – one day before her 23rd birthday.

South east ward’s Cr Alahna Desiato, 26, was elected deputy mayor.

According to Whittlesea council, Cr Sterjova is the youngest female to have been elected as mayor in Australia.

‘‘

I want to ‌ create positive change

’’

- Emilia Lisa Sterjova Cr Sterjova and Cr Desiato were first elected to council in November 2016. Cr Sterjova served as deputy mayor in 2017-18.

In her acceptance speech, Cr Sterjova said she was proud that this was the first time the council has been led by two women in their 20s.

She said she is passionate about providing support to community groups and hearing the voice of young people. “I hope to inspire other young people to realise that age is not a barrier,� Cr Sterjova said. “I want to inspire, to challenge and to create positive change.�

Cr Sterjova, who is studying a bachelor of laws and international relations at La Trobe University, said she plans to host a youth forum, develop sporting facilities in Mernda, and to embrace technology in council operations over the next 12 months.

She used her first meeting as mayor to back a motion to live stream council meetings from February 2020, saying she wanted to be the one

Deputy mayor Alahna Desiato and mayor Emilia Lisa Sterjova. (Supplied)

to bring live streaming to the council.

Live streaming has been a contentious issue for Whittlesea council, with councillors repeatedly voting against moves to broadcast meetings. The idea was first raised by Cr

Sterjova in June 2017. “At one point, I voted against [live streaming] because our council’s behaviour was quite appalling. Now I am elected mayor, I am ready for that behaviour,� Cr Sterjova said.

NEWS

Book in some time for the kids A dedicated children’s literacy area has been created at Mill Park library.

The children’s literacy area will be used by parents and young children attending storytime at the Plenty Road library and also includes a cubby house and breastfeeding nook.

The area opened last last month as part of a $975,000 revamp of the library.

An outdoor deck and additional study spaces were also created during the refurbishment.

Chancez Cafe, run by disability service provider Araleun, was made a permanent feature of the library during the works.

The work was jointly funded by Whittlesea council and the state government, with the government contributing $4559,493 from the Living Libraries Infrastructure Fund.

Mill Park MP Lily D’Ambrosio said residents would have access to an enhanced experience at Mill Park library following the revamp. “The transformative refurbishment of the Mill Park library means that the changing needs of this growing community are being met,� she said. “It’s a great example of the Andrews Labor government continuing to recognise the importance of investing in libraries.�

Laura Michell

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NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU Briefs

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Driver caught

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A woman has had her car impounded after allegedly being caught driving without a licence and speeding in Gladstone Park. The woman, 44, was stopped by state highway patrol officers on Taylor Drive about 2.50pm on November 12. It is alleged she was driving at 48km/h in a 40km zone. She is expected to be charged on summons.

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Christmas business Hume businesses are being encouraged to get into the Christmas spirit. The council is asking businesses to create a memorable Christmas display to help creative a festive atmosphere, and to share photos of the display on social media using #HumeCityChristmas and by tagging @HumeCityCouncil.

Judging will be conducted by council representatives between December 9-13, with an overnight stay at Marnong Estate up for grabs. To register, visit: hume.vic.gov.au/christmasshopfront

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Swim centre makeover A splashpad and accessible changerooms will be added to the Whittlesea Swim Centre as part of a $1.1 million upgrade.

The second stage of the upgrade, which is jointly funded by the state government and Whittlesea council, recently started, coinciding with the summer swimming season.

The upgrade will include the installation of more synthetic turf, trees and shade sails.

Stage one of the project included an upgrade to the changerooms, kiosk and paths.

Cr Lawrie Cox said the project would enhance the experience for pool users and

ensure the pool stayed a much-loved feature of the Whittlesea community into the future.

“Important projects like these would not be possible without the support of the state government, particularly the Growing Suburbs Fund,” he said.

“While swimmers will be able to enjoy the pool, some areas of the centre will be fenced off while work continues.”

The Whittlesea Swim Centre is open from 9am to 6pm daily.

Active lifestyles A festival promoting active lifestyles for people of all abilities and their carers will be held in Hume from November 25 to December 16. The Active for All Abilities festival will coincide with social inclusion week and the International Day of People with a Disability, and will be run across various council facilities.

Details: hume.vic.gov.au/ActiveForAll. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Northern Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

Laura Michell

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NEWS

Ring road relief on the way

By Laura Michell Dangerous bottlenecks and crash hotspots on the M80 Ring Road between Sydney and Edgars roads will be removed as part of a $518 million upgrade.

The federal government recently awarded CPB Contractors the contract to upgrade a four-kilometre stretch of the ring road.

Work will begin early next year and the project is expected to be completed in early 2023.

The upgrade will include new lanes, entry

‘‘

The upgrades ... bring relief to thousands of drivers each day - Alan Tudge

’’

and exit ramps and a freeway management system to boost capacity and improve safety.

The Sydney Road entry and exit ramps will be extended, giving drivers more time to merge.

Federal Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said the upgrade would make the ring road safer.

Since 2014, there have been 88 crashes on the ring road between Sydney and Edgars roads, including 28 serious injury crashes and one fatality.

According to the government, most of the crashes occur on freeway on and off ramps or on and off ramp merging lanes “This upgrade will add new lanes, boost capacity, bust congestion, and remove dangerous weaving by traffic at entry and exit points to make the M80 Ring Road safer and more efficient,” Mr Tudge said.

“The upgrades to the M80 will remove

bottlenecks in Melbourne’s growing northern suburbs and bring relief to thousands of drivers each day.”

Thomastown MP Bronwyn Halfpenny said the upgrade would provide better connections to reduce congestion.

“New ramps connecting to the Hume Freeway and Edgars Road will give our community a safer and more efficient connection to the ring road,” she said.

The Sydney Road to Edgars Road section is the fifth part of the ring road to be upgraded in recent years.

Music to their ears Months of songwriting and composing are about to pay off for a group of music students from Kangan Institute.

The diploma of music industry students have created an album of original music, titled Ellipses, which will be launched this week.

The album features rock, dance, metal, pop and funk tracks.

Kangan Institute chief executive Sally Curtain said the album reflected the expertise of the students who are preparing for careers in the music industry.

“Kangan Institute’s courses are very much about equipping students with skills and experience to succeed in their future careers,” she said.

“That’s exactly what this annual music project is designed to do. It allows students to work creatively and collaboratively, as they would in industry, to develop a music album that they can be very proud of and can present

to future employers.

“Well done to all the students involved and we look forward to a terrific album launch celebration.”

The album will be launched during a showcase at Musicland in Fawkner on November 20, from 7pm.

The event will feature performances of original music and covers by Kangan’s certificate IV and diploma of music industry students, and is open to the public.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door.

Laura Michell

Melanie Tierney, Alyssa Salvatore, Alex Shepherdley, Deny Filipovic, Kaine Mauri and Ondre Barca. (Joe Mastroianni) 200407_01

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NEWS

Libraries ditch overdue fines

By Laura Michell Hume library patrons will be able to return overdue items without fear of being fined during an 18-month trial.

Hume libraries will not charge overdue fines during the trial which will start on January 1, 2020 and run until June 30, 2021.

The trial will be evaluated in early 2021.

Charges for lost or damaged items will still apply.

A report to a recent Hume council meeting

stated that 20 of Victoria’s library services have abolished overdue fines.

The report stated that in 2018-19, Hume libraries issued 46,131 overdue notices.

During the same period, 847 library members did not return any, or some of their library items.

“Of these, 92 per cent stopped using the library,” the report stated.

“It is assumed that there is a direct correlation between the library fines and their usage of the service.”

Cr Naim Kurt said overdue fines were known to affect people from low socio-economic backgrounds who could not afford to pay the fines.

“Research has shown that the trial should be a real positive for our community in Hume and through the trial we expect to see an increase in the number of library items being borrowed, an increase in library membership, and an increase in the library collection turnover,” he said.

“In addition, we will see a reduction in the

number of books that are never returned and also a reduction in library members’ complaints in relation to charges.”

Yarra Plenty Regional Library, which runs Whittlesea’s libraries, abolished overdue fines on July 1.

A fine amnesty will run at Hume libraries during November and December, allowing members to donate non-perishable food to pay their overdue fines.

Food collected will be donated to Anglicare in Broadmeadows and Craigieburn.

Cooking up connections Hume wellness and recovery team manager Devorah Carrin said the NWAMHS was looking forward to the opportunities the new partnership will bring to the community.

“Connect 4 Wellbeing is thrilled to work with both a developer which understands that a successful and happy community is more than just houses and roads,” she said.

Merrifield community development manager Tennille Bradley-Ow said the new programs would help improve the health of Merrifield’s 3000 residents.

“Bringing these services to Merrifield at such an early stage allows us to meet the needs of a range of families, create important local connections and provide critical support services,” she said.

Merrifield residents can find out more about the programs by downloading the My Merrifield app.

Laura Michell

Nicola McKay from Connect 4 Wellbeing with Amber (holding Michael), Luke, Katherine, Holly, Amanda and Dylan. (Shawn Smits) 200460_02

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Street barbecues, walking programs and community support groups are being held in Merrifield in a bid to better connect residents and improve their wellbeing.

The programs are being run by DPV Health, the Oorja Foundation, BDS Support Services and the Royal Melbourne Hospital as part of the Merrifield Community Partnerships program.

The walking group – which is run by DPC Health – is open to people of all ages, while the Oorja Foundation has started a culturally diverse support group for residents of the estate. BDS Support Services has launched a program to assist families of children with autism.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital, through the North West Area Mental Health Service (NWAMHS), will run its Connect 4 Wellbeing program in Merrifield over the next two years, helping residents connect with each other through street barbecues.

9 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 November, 2019

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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 communitycalendar@starweekly.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is noon Tuesday.

Christmas market The Aurora Twilight Christmas Market is on Saturday, November 30, at Edgars Creek Secondary College, from 4-9pm. There will be a variety of stalls and food trucks and screenings of two Christmas movies – Elf at 4.30pm and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas at 6.30pm.

■ facebook.com/urbanmarkets5

Kalkallo, Monday to Saturday, during the school term. Classes in cross-training, yoga and boxing. Stockland Cloverton sales and information centre, corner Dwyer Street and Design Way. ■ Livelifegetactive.com

Chess after dark Test your chess skills and compete against Broadmeadows’ best in the Broadmeadows library chess tournament on Thursday, November 28, 6-10pm at 1093 Pascoe Vale Road. Players of all levels are welcome to participate but bookings are essential.

■ 9356 6900

Probus Club The Probus Club of Craigieburn meets on the second Monday of each month at Craigieburn Bowling Club, 233 Craigieburn Road.

■ 8339 7340

Walk, cycle, run Help Casa D’Abruzzo Club to raise money for The Northern Hospital at its Walk, Cycle, Run fundraiser on Sunday, November 24 at 55 O’Herns Road, Epping, 9.30am-1pm. Entry is by gold coin donation.

■ 0428 907 008

Nannas Makers Market Browse the stalls at the Nannas Makers Market on Saturday, November 30, at the Uniting Church hall, 105 Schotters Road, Mernda, 10am-1pm.

■ facebook.com/nannasmakersmarket

Reduce your waste Learn how to reduce your waste and swap out single-use plastics at Thomastown library’s waste minimisation information session on Tuesday, November 26, 10.30-11.30am at 52 Main Street.

■ 9401 0579 (iStock)

Town hall exhibition

Twilight market A twilight market featuring local businesses and community organisations will be held at Mill Park library, 394 Plenty Road, on Thursday, November 21, 6-9pm.

■ 9437 8189

Boulevard, Mickleham.

■ facebook.com/merrifieldmarket

Merrifield market

Morning tea for carers

Browse the stalls at the Merrifield Market on Saturday, November 23, 9am-1.30pm at the corner of Balmain Road and St Georges

A special morning tea for carers will be held at Lalor library 2a May Road on Wednesday, November 27, 11am-noon

to mark International Day of People with Disability. A guest speaker from Carers Victoria will give a presentation.

■ 9465 2353

Community fitness sessions Join in free fitness sessions at Cloverton in

Town Hall Broadmeadows is hosting its inaugural exhibition until Friday, December 6, celebrating the architectural and artistic collaborations that shaped the redevelopment of the iconic building. The exhibition is open Monday-Friday between 9am-5.30pm, at 10 Dimboola Road.

■ hume.vic.gov.au

Discover Frog Court Visit Frog Court Wetland, Craigieburn, on Wednesday, December 4 from 8pm to learn more about wildlife that has been found during Hume council’s fauna surveys of the area.

■ environment@hume.vic.gov.au

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13 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 November, 2019

SPORT Pingers in control despite missing key players Epping continued its good start to the season and is in complete control after day one against Macleod in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association Barclay Shield.

Undefeated so far, the Pingers showed their depth on Saturday against Macleod, with three of their first XI unavailable.

Pingers coach Jeff Hughes said the match was a good test.

“We have three of our top players out,” he said.

“Skipper Andrew Bennett, one of our recruits Josh Henkel and our strike bowler Robert Tinsely were all out.

“We were able to play a couple of kids. Jake Leahy has been averaging 50 in the twos and he will get his opportunity next week.”

Macleod won the toss and elected to bat. It managed to fight its way through 71.3 overs

before being bowled out for 133.

Billy McKeown, who started the season in the seconds, was the star of the show, taking three wickets.

Marcus Murphy also took three wickets.

“Billy stepped up and bowled about 18 overs on the trot,” Hughes said. “He bowled 25 overs and he bowled 18 maidens, that was massive.

“We bowled really tight and we were able to restrict them to 130-odd, which was really good.”

The Pingers faced eight overs at the end of the day and got through unscathed, finishing 0-14.

Shanyn Kearney, who has batted throughout the order in different positions, was given the opportunity to open in the absence of Bennett.

Hughes said they were wanting to put a big score on the board next week, something they

haven’t done this year.

“Hopefully we can chase down those runs,” he said. “We’re missing a couple of our better batsmen, but we’ve got depth to cover those players.

“If we can get a couple of nice partnerships of 40-odd, it should take care of itself.”

Hughes said it will be an interesting few weeks at the selection table, with nine players across the sides to come back in.

Epping will play its opening T20 match on Tuesday night against Mernda.

The two teams were due to play last week, but it was postponed due to heavy rain.

Having claimed the Northern Region T20 title last year, Hughes said they were keen to make finals and have a crack at going back-to-back.

It was a tough day for Bundoora, which has

Kangaroos fight hard

By Tara Murray Greenvale Kangaroos had a long day in the field against Ringwood, but were happy after day one of their match in Victorian Premier Cricket.

Coming off their first win of the season, the Kangaroos were looking to build on that against Ringwood and put on another good performance.

Winning the toss, the Kangaroos sent Ringwood in to bat at Greenvale Recreation Reserve with a bit in the wicket.

Kangaroos captain Michael Stretton said it wasn’t too bad a day for them.

“It was a bit of a long day, but it was a good day for us in the end,” he said.

“To get nine wickets and restrict them to 250 is good. Anytime you win the toss and send them in, you want to bowl them out or restrict them to 250-odd.

“We wanted to get off to a good start.

“Hopefully we start well next week and hopefully we get the runs.”

Ringwood started slowly, losing a couple of early wickets. They got going in the middle order and put a few partnerships together.

They managed to push to 9-252 off 96 overs.

Sean McNicholl did a good job early on for the Kangaroos, including getting the wicket of David King. He finished with 3-51 off 22 overs.

Mitchell Edwards, on debut, took 3-52.

Edwards was a last minute inclusion for Liam Fitzsimmons.

Stretton said Edwards would be a handy inclusion this season.

“Mitch got three wickets and flighted the ball really well.

“He’s a Sydney boy as well and has had a year off cricket. He has played a bit in England.

“We got wind that he was coming down and wanted to play.

“He brings some experience.”

The loss of Fitzsimmons left the Kangaroos with only two pace bowlers, which was a challenge for Stretton.

“Liam had a test and was a late out,” Stretton said.

The Kangaroos’ batting has been their strength this season, but they have to score their highest score of the season if they’re to claim victory.

Stretton said he thought the total of 252 was a par score and knows if they can put in a good innings, they will be a chance for their second win.

“If we have two or three guys playing well, we’ll have a chance,” he said.

“Kaushal [Silva] will be really important for us.

“Hopefully he’ll get some runs and Luke Sandy is up for a big game. Hopefully a few 14 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 November, 2019

already conceded first innings points against Heidelberg.

Bundoora was bowled out for just 79, with Callan Jones top scoring with 15.

Heidelberg was 0-82 at stumps.

In the Money Shield, Mill Park had a strong day with the bat against Lalor Stars.

Mill Park made 9-307 with Dalton Polius top scoring with 100. For the unbeaten Stars, Joseph Abbas took four wickets.

The Stars faced three overs at the end of the day, making 0-3.

Bundoora United is in control against Mernda. The Demons were bowled out for 142, with Bundoora United 0-56 in reply.

Old Paradians will be chasing Banyule’s 8-263.

Tara Murray

Sports shorts NMCA Rivergum has already claimed first innings points against Heidelberg West in the North Metro Cricket Association Jika Shield. Sending Heidelberg West in, the Kookas bowled them out of 84 in 49 overs.

The Kookas were 6-89 at stumps, with a lead of five runs.

VSDCA Plenty Valley claimed two victories in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association north-south competition at the weekend. Looking to open their account, the Bats put out strong performances against Preston and Malvern. On Saturday against Preston, the Bats chased down 7-195. It went down to the wire with the Bats finishing 7-197, hitting the winning runs in the final over. On Sunday, Malvern made 182, with the Bats finishing 5-187.

Northern Region T20 Five wickets, including a hat-trick, to Braydon Avola has guided Whittlesea to victory against Rivergum in the opening round of the Northern Region T20 competition. The Eagles made a competitive 8-119 from their overs.

Rivergum looked on track early at 0-28, before Avola took over the game. He took five wickets to see the Kookas slip to 6-65. They were all out for 90. Lalor Stars, Thomastown and Bundoora Park were among the other winners.

FV Mill Park has appointed Kevin Theuma as its coach for next year’s FV state league 2 north-west season.

Theuma, who has coached the Albion Rovers the past three years, comes to Mill Park with an extensive playing and coaching background. Theuma said he was excited to join Mill Park.

“It’s a really good club and there’s a lot of hard-working people doing good things,” he said. “I know a few people and I’ve heard good things.” For more on Theuma’s appointment, go to www.starweekly.com.au/sports

Greenvale’s Sean McNicholl was really good early. (Shawn Smits) 200507_19

guys, myself included, can get some runs.

“Hopefully we can put up a hard fight.”

The Kangaroos will be in action on Tuesday night in the next round of the Vic Super Slam

T20 competition.

The Kangaroos, which have also shown good signs in this competition, face Essendon at Windy Hill.

FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklysport @star_weekly

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SPORT

Tough day in the field for Westmeadows Westmeadows has a run chase on its hands against St Francis de Sales in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Division 1 north Tony Issacs Shield competition.

Looking for their second win of the season, the Warriors will have to step up with the bat on day two.

The Warriors started well with a couple of early wickets and were in a good position with St Francis de Sales at 6-137.

However, St Francis de Sales’ lower order wagged, and pushed the total to 9-266 from 80 overs.

The Warriors threw everything at St Francis de Sales, with nine players getting a bowl.

Opening bowler Jackson Smith was the best, taking 4-67 off 19 overs.

Craigieburn will test itself against early leaders Glenroy.

Glenroy elected to bat on its home pitch and got off to a good start with 57 for the first wicket partnership.

It lost a couple of quick wickets, but steadied to put on the runs, including more than 50 for the seventh-wicket partnership.

Glenroy went on to make 6-209 from it overs.

Brodie Warren and Shupinder Taggar took two wickets each for Craigieburn.

Greenvale Kangaroos are right in the match against Royal Park-Brunswick.

Looking for their first win of the season, the Kangaroos started well with the ball.

They were restricted Royal Park-Brunswick to 165, bowling them out with six overs remaining.

The Kangaroos then had to face three overs before stumps.

It was a less than ideal start for the Kangaroos, who will resume at 2-9.

In division 1 west, Tullamarine will have to bat well against Deer Park if it’s to get its third win of the season.

Deer Park elected to bat on its home ground and looked in trouble at 5-69.

A sixth-wicket partnership of nearly 100 got their innings back on track. While they lost frequent wickets throughout the rest of the innings, Deer Park still passed 200, bowled out for 212.

The Demons shared the wickets around, Shehan De Silva leading the way with three wickets.

Three other players took two wickets each.

In division 5, Jacana is in an interesting battle with Sunbury, as both teams look to push up the ladder.

Jacana did a good job restricting Sunbury early on and had them in trouble at 3-15.

Sunbury, through Jason McGann, fought back before being bowled out for 186.

Anuk Alwis continued his good form, taking five wickets, to take his season tally to 12.

Jacana got through 12 overs unscathed and will resume at 0-25.

Tara Murray

Jackson Smith was the pick of the bowlers for Westmeadows. (Shawn Smits) 200646_15

Knight prepares for draft

By Tara Murray Northern Knights’ Ryan Sturgess had an AFL draft combine experience that was different to most, but it was one that he was still grateful for.

An ankle injury in the Knights’ elimination loss meant surgery following the season and ruled him out of testing at the combine.

Even so, Sturgess was keen to make the most of the combine experience.

“It’s not ideal,” he said. “But it’s great to be here.

“A lot of boys would want the opportunity that I have, I’m just happy to be here. I don’t get the ability to test, but it’s not the be all end all.

“I think it’s about showing my character and using my interviews as a key to show clubs my worth.”

Sturgess, who expects to be right to start full training in early December, said the ankle injury was a disappointing end to what had been a good season.

It’s the first football injury that he had suffered.

“I was grateful to play all 21 games and I had a great season,” he said.

“I really enjoyed this year, getting to play with the Northern Knights, and I enjoyed my experience the three years I was down there.

“I was really happy playing at the Knights and going deeper than we did last year.

“I was fortunate enough to play Vic metro, which I was pretty happy about on a personal level.”

Having missed out on playing at the Knights in under-15s, the St Mary’s junior has made the most of every opportunity since.

He said the people at the club hadn’t just turned them into better footballers, but also better people.

Sturgess said the metro experience was one which taught him to make the most of his opportunities.

“As a team we didn’t get the result we wanted to [but] it was so good for me, making so many new friends and being able to challenge myself and better myself as a player and person with elite company.

“The first game wasn’t too good. I initially got dropped for the second game in WA. “I was pretty down on myself [but] I took it as a positive, it was a chance to work on things.

“Unfortunately Brodie Newman did his hamstring earlier in the week, it gifted me the opportunity to play.

“I thought I played an alright game against Western Australia and it gifted myself the opportunity to play the rest of the games.”

Sturgess has made a name for himself as a defender, who can play on either talls or

Ryan Sturgess is hoping to be drafted later this month. (Damjan Janevski) 200942

smalls.

It’s that versatility that is one of his strengths.

This year he also played a bit forward.

“It was a bit new,” he said of playing forward.

“Early in the start of the year, talking to my coach Justin Wenke, I was probably going to do 80 per cent down back and train a bit in the midfield, but that didn’t eventuate.

“Round one came and the opportunity that

I was going to go forward and I took that with both hands.”

The Richmond supporter said being drafted later this month would be a dream come true.

“To get that opportunity if it presents itself, I’ll take it with both arms, give everything that i’ve got doing it for myself, but also my family and friends, they’ve been amongst the journey as much as I have.”

Whittlesea women take to the field Whittlesea will field a women’s football team in the Northern Football League next season.

The Eagles failed to get a women’s team up and running last season but now have the numbers to field a team before pre-season starts.

Eagles secretary AJ Stewart said they were thrilled with the interest in the team so far.

“Last year we had interest and tried to start a team, but we couldn’t get the numbers up,” he said.

“We had a full pre-season, but we couldn’t get there. A lot went to play at other clubs.

“Th is year we have more than 40 girls interested.”

Stewart said the women’s side was the next step for the club, which has had junior teams the past few years.

Jarrod Kendall has been appointed the Eagles’ womens coach.

He said it was an exciting opportunity.

“I was doing an assistant coach role at another club [Mernda] and this opportunity come about.

“The challenge of coaching my own side – It’s exciting to try and help get this off the ground. The more women involved in football the better.”

Speaking before the side’s fi rst training session last Tuesday, Kendall said he had been thrilled with the numbers they had so far.

He said there had been a big push on social media to try and get people involved.

“We’ve got about 40-45 players interested,” he said.

“I’ve used some of my contacts and we’ve got a lot from the community and Kinglake area.”

He said a third of the playing group had never played before.

Kendall said they didn’t have any expectations heading into the pre-season.

“You always want to have success, but until we see what we have, it’s about giving women the opportunity to play.”

Tara Murray

15 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 19 November, 2019

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Stay informed

Facts you may not know about fire Conditions in Victoria make it one of the most bushfire-prone regions in the world, along with California and Spain.

Just two weeks of hot, dry and windy weather creates potentially disastrous bushfire conditions that normal Victorian homes are not equipped to survive.

At 1100°C, radiant heat from bushfires can kill from up to 300 metres away and cause trees to combust without touching them.

Fires can travel at 25km/h, making them impossible to outrun. A change in wind direction can alter their trajectory in seconds and they move twice as fast uphill on a slope of just 10 degrees.

Burning embers can spread bushfires up to 40km ahead of the fire front, starting dangerous new spot fires in seconds.

Rural grassfires can be just as dangerous as bushfires, travelling faster and starting earlier due to grass drying out more quickly.

HI

G

LOW-MOD

H

H

HIG

Fires can start on any day but the higher the rating, the more unpredictable, uncontrollable and fast moving it will be.

RY VE

The Fire Danger Rating tells you how dangerous a fire would be if one started.

SERVERE Ex tre me

Fire Danger Rating

CODE C ODE RE RED ED

When the rating reaches Extreme or above, leaving high-risk bushfire areas the night before or early in the day is your safest option.

Check the Fire Danger Rating for your district daily via the VicEmergency website or app.

Did you know?

There have been two Extreme Fire Danger Rating days across Victoria in 2019.

Plan. Act. Survive. Go to vic.gov.au/knowfire 12431450-SN47-19

Simple steps to start planning PREPARING YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY WHO WILL DO THIS?

DONE

Clear and maintain gutter of leaves, twigs and rubbish Move flammable items like woodpiles, dead leaves and fuels away from your house Keep grass areas well-trimmed and watered. Grass should be no more than 10cm high Remove or trim shrubs and overhanging tree branches. There should be no shrubs over one metre next to or below windows

MAKING YOUR FIRE PLAN What is your trigger to enact your plan?

How will you get your emergency warnings and updates?

Who is likely to be at the house on weekdays?

Who is likely to be at the house on weekends or holidays?

Where will you go?

What will you do with your pets/livestock?

How will you travel there?

List your alternative routes out of the area

PACK YOUR EMERGENCY KIT DONE

DONE

Protective clothing like long sleeve clothing made from natural fibres

Change of clothes

Food and water

Identification papers (e.g. photo ID, passport, insurance policies etc)

Woollen blanket

First aid kit

Medications and toiletries

Pet food, water and bedding if needed

For more tips and information speak to your local fire authority or visit vic.gov.au/knowfire

Plan. Act. Survive.

Go to vic.gov.au/knowfire Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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