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The Moorabool News – 11 January, 2022 Page 3
An image of excellence By Lachlan Ellis The last two years have been rocky at best for VCE students, from online learning, then back to the classroom, then online again – but local Year 12s have not just survived, they have thrived. Victorian Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) scores were released from 7 am last Thursday, giving closure to tens of thousands of nervous students across the state. At Bacchus Marsh Grammar, capping off a remarkable year of study was Ella Noorman from Bacchus Marsh, who received an ATAR of 99.6, and was named Dux of the School. Ms Noorman’s ATAR score puts her in the top 0.4 per cent of Victorian VCE students, and essentially gives her the freedom to pick whatever undergraduate course she wants to enrol in.
But the decision was almost made for her, when she received a call just hours after getting her ATAR. “I’ve got Medical Imaging at Deakin at the top of my preference list…but Deakin called me at about 10:30am and offered me a full scholarship there, so I think that’ll be where I’m going,” Ms Noorman told the Moorabool News. “This morning was crazy; I didn’t think I’d score that high. It’s a dream come true. I think with COVID, being at home a lot, I had a lot of time to study. During Year 11 it was hard, but after getting used to it and getting the routine, it became a lot easier. “Mum was really excited, all my friends are really proud… there were a few tears from Mum. It’s been really good…I’m still getting used to it, I think it’ll take a while to process.” Earlier this year, Ms Noorman was also named Dux of five subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, and English Language.
Ella Noorman from Bacchus Marsh Grammar received an ATAR score of 99.6. Photo - supplied
Policy “sends a message” Coming soon so much festival fun By Lachlan Ellis
If you are aged between 12 and 25, DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE EVENTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 12 TO 25 TO THE CURRENT VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT live or study in Moorabool, then an up ALL EVENTS WILL ADHERE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS coming event is targeted at you. Moorabool’s Youth Fest is coming up fast and will have a range of supervised BACCHUS MARSH I BALLAN events on offer. The Moorabool FReeZA Group has five days of fun planned over the last two weeks of January, with all events strictly drug and alcohol free. The fun begins from 1pm – 3pm on Tuesday 18 January, with the All Aboard Skateboarding at Bacchus Marsh Skate Park. BMX’s and scooters are welcome too, and not only will you be able to show off your skills, you can also learn about all things skating from some professionals. No experience is required, and a second All Aboard Skateboarding day will run at the Ballan Skate Park too, from 1 – 3 January 2022 pm on Thursday 20 January. follow us on instagram @mooraboolyoungpeople And if you’re not all skated out from those two days, Tuesday 25 January will be an action-packed day of skating lessons and competitions at the Bacchus Marsh Skate Park, running from 11 am until 4 pm. On Friday 21 January, dive into the fun at the Pool Party, at Bacchus Marsh Swimming Pool. The event will feature a live DJ, food, games, and prizes. Finally, if you still have some energy left, Thursday 28 January is for the gamers, from Minecraft, FIFA, NBA2K and more, join in the four hours of fun on Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Wii at the Council building at 182 Halletts Way, Darley from 4pm until 8pm. For more information, contact the Youth Team by calling 5366 7100, or via email at youthservices@moorabool.vic.gov.au.
Youth Fest
An “acceptable setback distance” for high voltage transmission lines has been set by Moorabool Shire Council, in a policy approved just before Christmas, The ‘High Voltage Transmission Line Setback Policy’ was one of four items that came before the Special Meeting of Council on Wednesday 22 December. The policy states that Council “specifically seeks to limit the potential impacts on visual amenity, existing and future land uses, as well as adverse effects on human health resulting from EMF emissions characteristic of high voltage transmission infrastructure”. It aligns Council’s policy for high voltage powerlines to the Australian Energy Commissioner’s recommendations – specifically, recommendation 5.2.9.5 of the Commissioner’s 2020 Annual Report. This recommendation states that “a transmission line that is less than 220kV should have a setback distance of 100 metres from a residence, while a powerline that is 220kV or greater should have a setback distance of 200 metres”. “Transmission lines should also be set back from public roads, with the suggested setback distance of the transmission line towers measured as the tower height plus 20 metres,” the Commissioner’s report adds. Council CEO Derek Madden confirmed that AusNet’s current proposal for the Western Victoria Transmission Network Policy (WVTNP) breached the setback policy, and urged Councillors to back it. “Our policy is aligning with the Commissioner’s guidelines. We’ve looked at the proposal [for
the WVTNP] as it stands...some of the towers are in very close proximity to residences. This is the minimum setback, this is not what it [the setback distance] should be, this is the minimum that has been recommended by the Commissioner,” Mr Madden said. “We feel that if Council endorses this policy, it will send a message that Council are not willing to accept towers within such close proximity to residential housing.” While Council’s preference is for the setback distance to be measured from the easement, to align with the Commissioner’s recommendations, the distance will be measured from the centre line of the powerline. Council has identified at least 15 individual residences situated within 100m of the WVTNP’s 500kV powerline through Moorabool, and an additional 23 within 200m. Unsatisfactory setbacks also highlight landowner compensation concerns, given that compensation is related only to the acquisition of land for easements and not for impacts to amenity for neighbouring properties, even if the transmission infrastructure is geographically closer to their residence. The policy was approved unanimously by Councillors, and as such the High Voltage Transmission Line Setback Policy will be “actively considered when determining and making submissions to projects that involve high voltage transmission lines”. A planning permit for a sports and aquatic centre at 21 Taverner Street, Maddingley was also approved at the meeting. Two items titled ‘Culvert Rehabilitation Yendon-Egerton Road, Millbrook’ and ‘Australia Day Award Selection Panel Recommendations’ were marked as confidential, and discussed by Council in a closed meeting.
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