They weren’t going to stay down for long. Churchill won the Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier A premiership at the weekend. The Cobras did it the hard way, coming from fourth after hitting form at the right time of year The victory completed a quick turnaround for the team, who were promoted back into the top grade only 12 months ago.
MORE - VALLEY SPORT
LO CAL TR ADES AND SE RV ICES
See Pages 28 &29 of today’s paper forfurther details
By AIDAN KNIGHT
COSENTINO is aname synonymous with magic in Australia.
The iconic illusionist hasbeen making waves since his big break on Australia's Got Talent back in 2011, but has always made time for regional audiences.
His upcoming return to GPAC, as part of the Anything is Possible tour, is his third visit to the area, on which the Express asked his opinion.
"Honestly, I've seen the inside of the venue, and that's it," he chuckled transparently.
"We get in at 8am and do aseven-and-a-half hour day without seeing daylight. Bump in all the lighting and sound, props and illusion, then jump straightinto rehearsal and soundcheck, before the actual performance and pack it all back up."
The operation, while still very self-sufficient, looks very different these days compared to when he started out, as he explains what goes into what audiences see. What will be presented in GPAC as a90-minute whirlwind of escapes, stunts and mind-reading is built on apunishing schedule, which "makes me really sad to be travelling so much and see so little beyond thefour walls of atheatre".
What Cosentino tours regionally is merely a scaled-down iteration of the larger arena-setting show, with all the same tricks, but transported in one semi-truck, with seven crew members working to make the magic, which is doubled in majorsettings.
"All we do is make things economical for people, so tickets sell, and scale to fit the room in away thatislogistically and physicallymanageable," Cos went on to say.
What sets his show apart from other touring acts is how bespoke and technical his shows are.
"Most comedians would probably just rock up to aregionaltheatrewitha microphone and have 'no caresabout what the lighting is like' (attitude)," he said
Eventhe audio is more pivotal, withaudience volunteers getting miked up so the crowd can hear reactions when Cosentino calls volunteers on stage -something he believes is crucial to making the experience feel as real as possible, as the rest of the world transitions further into believable CGI and AI.
"They sit opposite me when Iborrow objects –coins, cards, Rubik’s cubes, rings …and all this is shot live with cameras: atop shot, asideshot, a front shot. It’s like aliveediting studio happening on the fly," Cosentino said.
The visual aspect is something he has increasingly investedinover time, using the downtime
during the pandemictoupskill videography using Adobesoftware
"I actually ended up getting involved in film photography as well," he said, "and performing a lot of online Zoom shows for corporate companies and family events, Inaturally had to learn camera work and live vision mixing."
COVID also showed Cosentino how demanding his craft had actually become.
"It was kind of like going to the gym and working out for years and years and then stopping," he said.
"You get back into it and then go, 'oh my gosh, I'm really unfit'.
“When you’re doing it over and over again, the
level of complexity and difficulty -it’s the onepercenters. You fix one per cent here, one per cent there, and over the years that adds up to 100 per cent. You stop it all, and you try to go back to 100 per cent, and you can’t. That’s how complicated the show actually is. But it doesn’t look like that -it just looks like ashow."
The current tour features both new illusions and reimaginedclassics, including atribute to legendary escapologist Harry Houdini.
“In Houdini’s version of metamorphosis he was locked inside awooden trunk and escaped minutes later,” Cosentino said.
“Inours thetrunk has aclear front, I’m inside aclear bag, and it happens in seconds. We show the inside and back of the trunk so the audience can see there’s no trap doors or compartments.” Creating asingle illusion can take months of experimentation.
“To come up with the idea is about four months. Each escape can take six,” he said.
“It starts with cardboard, garbage bags and gaffer tape, then you build it properly, put it on stage, add sound, choreography and lighting. Sometimes it still doesn’t work and you have to start again.”
While many Austr al ians fir st dis cover ed Cosentino on television, he has also built alarge internationalfollowing. His television specials across Asia have attracted audiences of up to five millionviewersinmarkets such as the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia. Despite the global reach, Cosentino remains passionate about keeping magic accessible -particularly for younger audiences.
“Magic’s niche enough, you don’t need to make it any more niche,” he said. His advice for aspiring magicians in the Latrobe Valley is simple: practice and perform.
“Go out and perform live. Don’t just do tricks for TikTok or social media,” he said.
“At some stage you have to do it in front of real people. Alot of magic is about managing the audience -you’ve got to be apeople person.”
By AIDANKNIGHT
NATIONALLY-RECOGNISED provider, Aussie Broadband, which started in Morwell, opened its new Traralgon office recently.
From humble beginnings, the provider now has offices in Perth and Sydney.
The company'schief executive Brian Monk praised the monumentaleffort put in bothbusiness-wise to get the company to this next stage, and in terms of the new Traralgon space development.
"From early concept through to design and build, it's been fantastictosee it evolve from idea to reality," he said.
The head office, previously housed on Electra Avenue, Morwell, hasmoved, expanded, and reinvented itself in the formerASICoffice on 14-22 Grey Street, Traralgon.
This has providedroomfor further recruitment in the future, as all employees work on the same floor.
Previously, the company was spread across multiple buildings across Gippsland.
This is also expected to strengthen the company’s team culture, streamline operations, and reinforce its long-term commitment to the Gippsland region.
Mr Monk made it clear that the internet service provider will not lose touch with its roots.
"Gippsland is where ourstrongesttieslie," he said.
"We're investing in the Gippsland digital workforce. We plan to support STEM capabilities, helping young people build future-ready skills without leaving the region."
Also speaking was Gippsland Lifeline Chief Execut ive Cindy Pulla r, apartner of Aussie Broadband, whose organisation, curiously, also started in aMorwell loungeroom.
"I'm one of 16 paid employees,"MsPullarsaid, representing awide-reaching branch that is built on the back of roughly 250 volunteers. She cited Aussie Broadband as akey player in enabling Gippsland Lifeline to reach the successes it has through their partnership.
"Before the laptops we received this year,ifIsent out an email to our volunteers, amajority of them wouldn't be able to open it. Iwas required to print copies and put them on atruck to deliver to our
Lifeline Op Shops," she explained.
Lifeline is just one example of how Aussie Broadband has worked to transform and uplift many organisations and businesses.
Aussie Broadband has also helped Lifeline Gippsland take an additional 1000 calls. This fact garnered araucousapplausewhentold at the grand opening.
The next speaker for the day was Paul Boys, Director of Gippsland Technical School.
Mr Boys remarked on the impressiveness of the technology and workspacesbeing invested into the region, and how it inspires institutions like his own, and TAFE Gippsland, to work with Aussie Broadband to connect students to better careers and upcoming pathways not as readily available anywhere else.
"We have students who come to us experiencingarange of different levels of engagement in (mainstream) school," he said.
"So, it's important to be able to co-design experiences for them together."
Another executive memberwas heard to comment thatsince moving into the repurposed location, staff have been noticeably "dressing smarter and looking sharper" around the office, indicating that people are proud to be working in the refreshed space.
Operatingsince 2008, Aussie Broadband started in aMorwell longue room by Latrobe Valley locals Phil Britt and John Riser, before growing to asingleroom office above atravelagent in Commercial Road.
RESIDEN TIAL care organisations across Gippsland have joined forces to strengthen the skills and confidence of carers supporting vulnerable young people.
Junction SupportServices,Berry Street Victoria, Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) and Allambi Care have partnered with the MacKillop Institutetodeliver the Power to Kids
-Out of Home Care Professional Learning Program to residential care workers across Gippsland.
The initiative aims to equip carers with practical tools and evidence-based knowledge to prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation, harmful sexualbehaviours and datingviolence among young people in residential care.
“Children and young people living in residential care are some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” Junction Support Services’ Care Services Regional Manager Shilo Wilson said.
“Althoughtheymakeuponly asmall proportion of children in out-of-home care nationally, they are significantlyover-represented in reports related to child sexual exploitation.”
The Power to Kids programwas developed in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional ResponsestoChild Sexual Abuse and is informedbycontemporary research and trauma-informed practice.
Through the partnership, residential carersin Gippsland willreceive specialised training focused on:
Recognising and responding to harmful sexual behaviours and child sexual exploitation;
Collab: Some of the carersinvolved in the workshop with MacKillop InstitutetrainersSallyand John Photograph supplied
Supporting young people to understand consent, respectful relationships, and sexual safety;
Identifying grooming behaviours and responding to disclosures, and;
Building confidence to have safe, ageappropriate conversations with young people about sexual health and online safety.
Theprogram is designed specificallyfor residential caresettings and provides practical strategies that carers can immediately apply in their daily work with young people.
“By bringingtogether residential care providers in Gippsland, the collaboration demonstrates ashared commitment to improvingsafety, strengthening practice, and ensuring young people in care receive the support they needtothrive,”Junction Support Services Chief Operating Officer Rhianna Coleiro said.
MacKillop Institute facilitated the training session with carers from across Gippsland, in person at Morwell and online last week.
The training will contribute to building astronger, more informed residentialcare workforce across Gippsland and help embed culturesofsafetywithin residential homes.
CANCER Council Victoria hasrelaunched its state-wide bowel cancer screening campaign with an increasedfocus on younger Victorians as part of arenewed push for preventative healthmeasures.
It is estimated that only 11 per cent of Victorians aged 45 to 49 haveordered afree bowel screening test kit in the firstyear of expanded access, underscoring the need to encourage uptake among younger Victorians.
In July 2024, the age eligibility for the National Bowel CancerScreening Program(NBCSP)was lowered to allow people aged 45 to 49 to request a free bowel screening test kit in the mail.
Datafromthe Australian InstituteofHealth and Welfare (AIHW) shows thatonly 11 per cent of Victorians aged 45 to 49 requested the life-saving test in its first year of it being available to them.
However, encouragingly, 42 per cent of those who requested akit have completed it.
In 2024,atotal of 3780 Victorianswere diagnosed with bowel cancer and sadly 1269 peoplediedfrom it, making bowel cancer the second leading cause of cancer-relateddeaths in Victoria. However, if detected early, more than 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated.
Cancer Council Victoria’s HeadofScreening, Early Detection and Immunisation Kate Broun urged eligible Victorians, especially those aged 45 to 49, to prioritise bowel screening.
“Doing the bowel screening test every two years when you're due can help detect bowel cancer early and before symptoms appear. We know that early detection of cancer saves lives, and this free and easy testisone of the best ways to protect yourself from bowelcancer,”MsBroun said.
“Extending bowel cancer screening to peopleaged 45 to 49 presents acrucial opportunity to detect bowel cancer earlier when it’seasier to treat. Iurge anyone aged 45 to 49 to order this free lifesaving test today and complete it as soon as it arrives."
To help encourageVictorians aged 45 to 49 to prioritise bowel screening,CancerCouncil Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Department of Health, has relaunched its successful bowel cancer screening campaign.
The campaign features the inspiring story of father of two Laurie Cronin,whose life was saved by doing the freebowel screening test. Thankstothis awareness raising campaign in 202 Behavioural ResearchinCancer additional Victorianswereinsp and return abowel screening test.
Modelling by the University of Daffodil Centre showed that this campaign save the lives of 115 people by finding of cancer before symptoms appe treatment of precancerous lesions.
Minister for Health, Mary-Anne preventative health campaigns were promotingcancerscreening and raisin of early detection.
“Prevention and early detection to minimise the risk of cancer which urging Victorians aged 45 to 74 bowelscreening test kit every two
“We’re backing Cancer Council raise awareness of this life-saving to use at home at no cost –sow rates of bowel cancer in Victoria.”
Acampaignhas also beendesi withVictoria’s culturally and lingui communities. Participation in bowel substantially lower among people language other than English at per cent) compared with English 47 per cent), and diagnoses with late-stage is more common among migrant Asia and Eastern Europe.
Cancer Council Victoria aims disparitiesand increase up culturally tailored, in-langua aged 45 to 49 can request their ing kit through the National Register, while peopleaged bowel screening kit in the mail
To learn more about bowel cancervic.org.au/bowel
To request abowel screening ncsr.gov.au/boweltest or call Screening Register on 1800
“Wetreat youwith Royalty and Heal youwith Kindness”
We are aBulk Billing Practice
We arepleased to welcome Dr.Sachi and Dr.Charles to our medical team
With expanded services, our clinic continues to provide high-quality healthcaretothe Maryvale and surrounding communities.
VOTING for the 2026 treaty elections for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria is now open.
First Peoples aged 16 or older who are Victorian Traditional Owners or who have lived in the state for three of the past five years are eligible to enrol and vote in the elections.
The elections are First Peoples’ opportunity to choose who will represent them on the third term of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria the groupofdemocratically-elected Traditional Owners responsible for overseeing and delivering the outcomes negotiated through Treaty.
The treaty, signed last year, is an Australian first.
Outgoing assembly co-chair Ngarra Murray encouraged all Aboriginal and Torres Strait
makesuretreaty achieves better outcomes for our communities.
“Our people have staunchly fought for treaty for generations and now, in Victoria, it is our reality.
“It has been aprivilege to be part of the assembly’s first two terms. Today, I’m proud to be handing the baton to the next generation of Aboriginalleaders to representusinthis new treaty era.
First Peoples can enrol to vote at: treatyelections.org
Votingwill be held onlineand the election provider, OGL, will also host in-person voting booths at various locations across the state.
Dr.Sachi Darshika
Special Interests
Chronic disease management
Preventive and women’
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Dr.Charles Luiz
Special Interests
Skin checks and minor
Chronic disease management
Preventive and emergency
Sporting injury management
ONE POINTERS
ACROSS
1. What do swimmers and divers put on their feet to help propel them through the water?
2. What kind of leavesdokoalas eat?
3. Who had aTVshowcalled ‘The Naked Chef ’?
4. What passes between the sun and the earth during a solar eclipse?
TWOPOINTERS
5. What is the colloquial term fora rotatingtray oftenplaced on a table to aid in distributing food?
6. Which actor wasknown as the Duke?
7. AViewtoaKill wasahit song forwhich band?
8. Which word beginning with Lmeans ‘ofthe moon’? THREE POINTER
9. Of Mars, Mercury and Neptune,which one cannot be seen by thenaked eye?
10.Which citrus fruit has avariety called the baboon?
11. Which ocean is to the eastofAfrica?
12. What arethe first names of the brothers from the musical group ‘Hanson’? One point each correct answer.
FOUR POINTER
13. Ryan Gosling has twokids with what fellow celebrity?
14. What Australianisland has the largestpopulation of Quokkas?
FIVE POINTER
15. Name the fivesingers/bands from these song titles. One point foreach correct answer.
1. Happy2.Come IntoMyWorld 3. One WayOrAnother 4. HereI Go Again 5. Stand By Your Man?
Howdid youfare?
37: Topofthe class; 30-36: Outstanding; 21-29: Well done; 15-20: Solid effort; 9-14: Room forimprovement; 0-8: Hit the books. s/Fins;lipper:F:1rsweAns 2: Eucalyptus s;velea 3: Jamie er;Oliv 4: The Moon; 5: Lazy Susan; 6: John yne;Wa 7: anDur anDur unar;:L;8 9: tune;Nep 10: mon;Le 11: an;cenOiaInd 12: Isaac, ylorTa and Zac; 13: endes;aMEv 14: stnettRo Island A);(W 15: 1.:- ellPharr lliamsWi -2. inogueeMliKy iendlo.B-3 5.e-esnakhit.W-4 ymmTa enettWy
Howtoplay...
Using the9 lettersin thegrid, howmany wordsoffour letters or more canyou list? Thecentrelet termust be included andeach letter maybeused onlyonce. No colloquialorforeign words. No capitalisednouns, apostrophesorplural wordsending in ‘s’.
AS autumn weather settles in across Victoria, the cooler days are creating ideal conditions for trail bike riding in state forests.
The Conservation Regulator has trail bike patrols visiting well-known riding locations to promote safe and responsible riding during the busy seasonal period.
Autumn is the most popular time for trail bike riding in Victoria, as riders take advantage of the mild weather to explore the vast network of roads and formed tracks across state forests.
Patrols will be visible across areas including the Otways,Wombat State Forest, Mount Cole State Forest,YarraRangesand west Gippsland over the coming months, covering amix of forest roads, formed tracks and trail bike unloadingareas
Authorisedofficers will focus on engagement and education, reminding riders of the rules that protect the environment and keep forests safe and accessible for everyone.
All vehicles must be registered when travelling on forest roads and formed tracks, and all riders must be appropriately licensed. Trail bikes must remain on roads and formed tracks.
Ridingoff-track –including on illegal single trails –causes damage to native vegetation, disturbswildlifehabitat andcreates erosion.
Illegal off-trackriding also places other forest users at risk, posing adanger to those hiking or camping in the landscape.
Staying on open roads and formed tracks helps riders stay safe by making it easier to access assistance in the event of an incident. Soloridersshouldconsideradvisinga friend or family member of where they are heading and when they expect to return. Carrying a personal locatorbeacon is considered best practice when ridingsolo, as it enables contact with emergencyservices in the event of an accident in remote locations.
More information on safe riding practices in state forests can be foundat:www.vic.gov.au/ ride-tomorrow-safe-and-legal-trail-bike-riding Traralgon and Morwell Pedellars Inc ride report: Page 25
By KATRINA BRANDON
RAISING aglass of Guinness and decked out in all-green, Flanagan's IrishBar Traralgon welcomed in St Patrick's Day celebrations.
St Patrick's Day was held last week (Tuesday, March 17). Flannigan's celebrated St Patrick's Day, described as its "best day of the year".
"We always say it's the greenest and the happiest day of the year," Flanagan's publican Marty Leechino told the Express
"I love the day, everyone's always got asmile on their faces. It'susually areally fun atmosphere, everybody's telling jokes and telling Irish jokes and Irish stories. It's the happiest day of the year."
Despitecost-of-livingpressures looming overthe nation, Ms Leechino saidshe was really happy with the turnout and appreciated the effort attendees made to support the only Irish bar in town.
Flanagan'shas been running St Patrick'sDay
celebrations for close to 30 years. Former Morwell local Steve Murphy has been afrequent flyer to the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Mr Murphy, who cametoAustraliafromCounty Cork in 1965,looks forward to St Patrick’s Day every year.
"I think it is areally great venue," Mr Murphy said.
"The communityspiritwas agreat thing. And it's not only that, everybody got together, and we all felt like one.
"It was agreat time, and that Ihad never, ever, while I've been here, seen afight we are famous forfights supposedly, and yet there was never any trouble in here during that time. It was always merriment and singing and agood time."
While Mr Murphy no longer lives in the Latrobe Valley, he still makes the trip with his family on St Patrick's Day.
In 2022, Mr Murphycreated apoem commemorating Flanagan’sthat was previously published in the Express: On the 17th of March in aGippsland town, There is avenue of renown. Where people come from near and far, To celebrate St Patrick’s Day at Flanagan’s Bar. They come from Moe, Morwell and Yinnar, To share adrink at Flanagan’s Bar. Come along and have ajar, Everyone’s welcome at Flanagan’s Bar.
So to this wonderful venue, this Celtic bar, Iraise my glass and say ‘Sláinte Mhath’. Sláinte Mhath’, pronounced ‘slanj-a-va’, is the Irish equivalent of cheers.
Mr Murphy and Ms Lecchino are looking forward to another year of celebrations at Flannigan's, whether it be an Irish holiday, or achance to celebrate the Latrobe Irish community.
THE blame game around the Latrobe Valley's looming transition from coal fired power to renewable energy must stop.
The constant finger pointing, soap box standing and political chest beating is nothing more than awaste of time and adistraction from the real issue at hand.
The Latrobe Valleyisfacing huge change and uncertain times, last seen with the closure of the Hazelwood power station and mine.
The difference between now and then is the fact opportunities were available for workers caught up in the closure of their workplace. Was it perfect? No, but opportunities existed none the less.
For those facing the closure of Yallourn power station and mine, the opportunities simply aren't there.
There is no investment, no new industry, and currently, little opportunity to present to these workers.
It was in 2021 that Energy Australiaannounced its plantoclose Yallourn in 2028. This provided seven years to prepare for the inevitable.
So far, for the most part, five of those years have been wasted.
Government, opposition, local councils, and industry, none of them any better than the next, havemissedthe opportunitytoact quickly and secure afuturefor workers at Yallourn and the Latrobe Valley.
With just over two years until Yallourn's closure, it's time all with the ability to influence and bring positive change to the Latrobe Valley do so.
The Latrobe Valley,with its highly skilled workforce, access to infrastructure and resources, is uniquelyplaced to attract investment from new industry. Other regions across Victoria and Australia are attracting thisinvestment -why can't the Latrobe Valley?
The lack of unity, leadership,and desire to do the heavy lifting required is part of the answer.
If anyone readingthis wants an example of what can happen with unity, leadershipand desire, take alook towards Collie in Western Australia. Acoal regionthathad the foresight and leadership to start planning for its transition from coal in 2018 more thanadecade ago. Theyare now reaping the rewards.
If the Latrobe Valley is to avoid the economic and social pain that will come from apoorly managed transition from coal, it will only be achieved via a unified and collective approach. Workers, their families and the communities they live in are relying on it.
Andy Smith
DistrictPresident -Mining& EnergyUnion Morwell
THANK you BrianMawhinney ('Majority rules', Latrobe ValleyExpress Opinion, 18/03), for "appeasing" me.
Isuppose that's your way of admitting you might just have had afew things wrong.
The state government makes lots of decisions on our behalf, independent of any previous federal referendum, as they were elected to do so. If you don't like it, vote them out. And you, Brian, draw false conclusions from the Voice referendum.
The "returning officer" story is, predictably, trotted out once again, but who's bullying you now?
As for my (the Labor party can speak for itself) inability to "handle the truth, openness, accountability and honesty", as well as tolerance for "the Labor lies, secrecy and debt" please provide evidence of any of it. Your accusations say more about you than me.
If "only 38 per cent of Australians voted for the Albanese government", then that's the system we have. Whatwouldthe coalitiongivefor 38 per cent?
Like others, you erroneously assume my political affiliations, but thanks for the invitation to "pluck away". Indeed Ishall
Furthermore, Brian, your blinkered grudgesand biases are your business, until you put them in the local newspaper, where embellishments and untruths may get called out.
Finally, to the inimitable Patricia Correa, ('Blind faith', LVE Opinion, 18/03), Iagree Ihave "no knowledge if the 40 per cent really knew what the referendumvote was all about", but I'm pretty confident they knew more than the "if you don't know, vote no," 60 per cent.
John Duck Trafalgar
Clear as day
ANOTHER week, another rant from Joseph Lis about the catastrophe posed by renewable energy ('A prelude to net zero Armageddon', LVE, 18/03).
According to NASA,97per cent of actively publishing climatescientistsagreethat humans arecausing global warming and climate change.
Just as Big Tobacco managed to get afew medicos to tell us that cigarette smoking was harmless, amoral fossil fuelcorporations will always manage to find ahandful of scientists to do their bidding in ordertomaintain their highly profitable business model.
Joseph’s obsession with fossil fuel rests entirely on the premise that 97 per cent of climate scientists are wrong. Mutatis mutandis (to borrow one of his favourite phrases), his assertion in last week’s Expressthat theStrait of Hormuz is located in the South China Sea should be taken with alarge dose of salt.
Brian Kilday Jeeralang Junction
ACCESS to affordable housing is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing Gippslanders.
Iregularly hear fromyoung locals who have grown up in towns like Foster, Leongatha, Korumburra and Sale whowanttostayinthe communities they love, but simply cannot find ahome they can afford to buy or rent.
At the same time, vulnerable Gippslanders are waiting years for social housing.
Irecently raised the case of avacant public housing property in Foster that has sat empty for more than six months while alocal elderly couple remains on the waiting list.
Despite Labor’s big claims on social housing, we have actually seen the number of social housing homes across South Gippsland, Wellingtonand Latrobe City decline in recent years. The number of available rental properties has also dropped sharply, leavingfamilieswith fewer options and higher rents.
For those hoping to buy their first home, the dream of home ownership is also becoming harder to achieve
AustralianBureau of Statistics data showsonly 54,323 new homes were built across Victoria in the year to September 2025 -the lowest annual figure since 2014.
Only The Nationals have aplan to help change that by cutting red tape, reducing costs and making it easier to build in regional Victoria so more Gippslanders can get into their own homes.
Our plan alsoincludes fast-tracking housing in existinggrowthareas and workingwith local councils to supportsensiblegrowthinregional communities.
Towns like Leongatha and Sale should be part of the solution to the housing shortage, but that requires policiesthat support development and ensure existing homes are not left sitting empty.
OnlyThe Nationalsingovernment will offerreal solutions to the housing crisis.
Danny O’Brien MP
Leader of The Nationals
State Member for Gippsland South
Price of panic
LIKE most people of my generation, Iama firm believer in the free market, where competition in the market placeand the lawsofsupplyand demand for goods and services sets the price we pay for them.
However, there are some factors which can cause the free enterprise system to go off the railsand this was the case with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,thankstothe impulsive actions of two world leaders trying to divert attention away from theirown misdeeds
Of course, Ispeak of the narcissistic DJ Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, both of whom would be vulnerable to charges being laid against them for various types of corruption. So starting awar seemed like agood diversion.
With the threat of oil supplies supposedly about to dry up in Australia, peopleresorted to panic buying petrol and diesel with the result that the fuelcompaniesfelt it permissible to raisewholesale prices.
It may not be well known, but this price gouging by companies is not unlawful. It is built into the free market economybythe lawsofsupplyand demand. When supply exceeds demand the price of goods drops.
In the present case, panic set in to produce a perceived shortage of fuel supply and we have seen prices skyrocket because the demand soared.
The usual pricecontrol of competitiveprice-setting by opposing companies was now null and void. If only people didn’t panic, the prices would not have increased like they have.
The oil companies are free to charge what they can get away with because ordinary Aussies have
bought and hoarded fuel for athreat that may never fully eventuate.
To date, no shipments of fuel to Australia have been delayed or stopped. The supply has not changed, but demand hasgone through the roof and this is what caused the price hikes.
This is another example of hysteria, aided and abetted by fatuous social mediacommentarycausing rationalbehaviour to go out the door. Obviously the lessonsfrom theCOVID toiletroll hubbub has been forgotten.
Usinga rational approach, we couldpotentially turn thetables on the rortingoil companies and getprices down if people, Australia-wide, refused to buy fuel for afew weeks or as long as they could by using public transport, walking to shops and avoiding unnecessary travel, to get competition between suppliers backinto the market, then probably prices would drop sharply.
We can blameTrump for causing the crisis initially, but we ordinary Aussie citizens also bear some of the blame for the extremeprice spikes experienced lately.
The message is that when we succumb to hysteria and populism and leave rationality behind, then we are setting ourselves up for the direst of consequences.
Dan Caffrey Traralgon
"I ONCE held her in my arms, she said she would always stay, /But Imust of been mad, /Inever knew what Ihad /Until Ithrew it all away," Bob Dylan.
The above lyrics by Bob Dylan are the perfect capture for the reckless promiscuity of youth that alwaysassumes there are plenty of other fish in thesea.
Trouble is, as one gets older the fish get scarcer and harder to catch.
Now in the middle of my eighth decade, Iplay bowls instead of shooting ninepins and attend more funerals than weddings.
But Inever thought I'd attend afuneral where there was more 100,000 mourners and thatIwould be giving the eulogy.
Aeulogy that farewells the coal-fired power stations of the LatrobeValley to make way for the renewables transition.
Aeulogy that farewells the Latrobe Valley itself.
Joseph Lis Morwell
OH my goodness, when and where will Melbourne's continuing, everyday violence end?
Another senseless murder, more macheteattacks. We who live in 'good old Melbourne town', are at our wits end to figure out why these mind-numbing, atrocities continue to rear its uglyhead, almoston adaily basis.
Murders, stabbings, aggravated burglaries, home invasions, moronicprotesters, etc are nowjust a sad partofMelbourne/Victoria'stwistedway of life for some: the misfits, undesirables, brainless, scum, lowlifes of society.
But how often have we heard, ad-infinitum that thisstate is awonderful'safe' place in which to live?
Thank goodness we have the hard, left-leaning, do-gooder Laborites, Greens, human rights activists to take away all this pain did Ijust say that? My 'sincere apologies' to those who subscribe to this moronicBSand continuetobelievethe Earth is flat andthat man has never walked on the moon.
Many years ago many years ago, we had a certain Teflon, rhino hide, coated former Premier spruiking loudly and proudly, wearing his North Face jacket that there wasnosuch thing as criminal youth gangs in Victoria.
My goodness, haven't we sorted that problem out so very well!
It beggars belief that more than adecade down thetrack .adecade that the situationisnow so bad, that it's parfor the course and Victorians now wait in anticipation for something bad to happen.
Just over aweek ago, Time Out magazine voted Melbourne to be the best city in the world.
It's obvious that was aglaring mistake or was it ajoke?
Rumour hasitthat Blind Freddy was talked out of retirement and asked to be the top judge of the panel of experts making this mind numbing decision.
According to those 'in the know' this prized accolade was given because "Melbourne has so much going for it"! Really? Afriend of mine who lives in the Latrobe Valley, is afrequent contributor to the Text Talk page of the opinion section in Victoria's leadingnewspaper.His contributionwas "Never mind Melbourne losing the Commonwealth Games, because they will never lose the Machete Games!"
That is so true. I'm seriously thinking of asking JacintaAllan if Icould buy acoupleofthose"machete bins" for my vegie gardenfertiliserstorage.Let's be honest folks they really were so 'hugely successful' weren't they?. They cost the taxpayer asmall fortune and were put in place to seehow many seasoned criminals and the 'non criminal gangs' answer the call and dispose of their blades.
Well, we all know how well that worked! But, keep believing in fairy tales Jacinta, we've all got your back metaphorically speaking of course. We believe you just as much as the world believes Andrew Albert Christian Edward MountbattenWindsor (thatsoundslikeadisease). Now there is aRoyal rogue, apiece of scum and one of the biggest and best BS artists and liars England has ever had the misfortune of owning. To think he had the audacity to say,'Iamthe Queen'sson, you can't do this to me!' Wow! What apiece of work! Ican see astatue of Andrewand DanAndrews erectedsideby side, with the immortal words written on aplaque: 'I can't recall, Idon't know'.
When Idepart thisEarth, Ihope and prayGod will allow me to come back as abird. Oh what joy that will give me.
Oliver 'Shadow' Bergens Dandenong
ATIMELY reminder regarding Letters to the Editor as the state election draws closer. As it was with last year’s federal election, Iagain wish to make it absolutely clear there is adifference between editorial and paid advertising. If candidates wishtoheighten their campaigns further,they are permitted to do so out of their own pocket.
Any advertisingcontaining editorial will be clearly marked as such, and not provided by Express journalists.
Letters to the Editor will continue as normal, however Iwill be using my discretion to eliminate any Ifeel crossover as attempts to undermine or derail the campaigns of parties involved.
There was issues regarding letters beingsent in from fake names last year, which will again be carefully policed.
The state election will be held November 28, 2026. Liam Durkin LVE Editor
THE Latrobe Valley Express welcomes letters to the editor.
Preference will be given to brief, concise letters which address local issues.
The editorLiam Durkin, reserves the righttoedit lettersfor reasonsofspace and clarity, and may refuse to publishany letter without explanation.
The Express does not publish letters from anonymous contributors.
Letters must include aphone number, email addressand the author's hometown for purposes of substantiating authenticity. Readers are entitledtoaright of reply to aletter directed at them.
Whilehealthy debate is encouraged, the editorwill stamp out any that cross the line to defamation.
The views expressed in letterstothe editor are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflectthe views of Latrobe Valley Express management or staff. Readers shouldbeequally aware that facts presented in letters are selected to support aperson's point of view.
As such, statistics can quite often be fabricated depending on the pool of data used or people involved in surveys.
The letters section is designed to allow people to hav etheir say,and not be hijacked for political agendas. Letters regarding religion will not be published.
Hand-written letters are discouraged, understanding technology can fail. Letterscannot be submitted over the phone, nor read out and transcribed by journalists.
Email letters to: news@lvexpress.com.au and include 'Letter to the Editor' in the subject line.
Deadline for letters is Thursday 3pm.
ELEVATING the issueoffood and fibre securityto
amatterofnational importance will be the primary focus of new Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Darren Chester
Speaking after the announcementofThe Nationals’ revised Shadow Ministry,the Federal Memberfor Gippsland saidhewas lookingforward to working with industry groups and regional communities to increasethe focus on improving the resilience, profitability and sustainability of Australia’s primary industries
“Our nationhas an extraordinary heritage in primaryproduction, and all levels of government need to work with this diverse sectortosecurefuture opportunities,” he said.
“When it comes to food security, Iagree with industry leadersthat it’s time to takethe issue more seriously and link it to national securityin an increasingly uncertain world.
“As anation, we growmore thanenough food for our own domestic consumption, but the agricultural sector depends heavily on many imported critical inputs like fuel, fertiliser and pesticides. Disruptions in the supply chain, like we are seeing today, have the potential to undermine our farmers’ capacityto feed Australians and the tensofmillions of people aroundthe world who relyonour high-quality agricultural exports.
“Householdbudgets are already under pressure, and Australianfamiliescan’t afford the price shocks associated with these supply chain failures.
“The Albanese government needs to listen to theconcerns of peak bodies and fast-track the ‘National FoodSecurityStrategy’ and then backit withstrategic investments whichboostproductivity and strengthen supply chains
“The government was warned by industry four years ago on the consequences of not having a nationally co-ordinated food securityplan,which includesfuel, and it must be partofAustralia’s national securityplanninginthe future.”
Mr Chester said he would embark on an Australiawide tour to meet with industry leaders in their home states and gain afirst-hand appreciation of thechallenges andopportunities, withafocuson
securing key inputs, growing access to markets and reducingcosts of production.
“As the Member for Gippslandfor 18 years, Ihave plentyofexperience dealingwith adiverse range of farmers, commercialfishermenand the forestry sectorinmyregion, but Iappreciate the problems and solutionsare differentinevery part of Australia,”
Mr Chester said
“I’m ahuge believer in localism. That means listeningtothe locals, trustingtheir insights and working with them on solutions thatwill workintheir community.
“Some of the challenges, like expanding markets, highinput costs,access to workforce, reducing the regulatory burden and increasing pressure from alternativelanduses, may be the same in each area. But how we dealwiththose challengeswith anational strategy requires careful consideration of localimpacts.
“I will be puttingthe needsofAustralians first and doing everything Ican to support vibrant and profitable industries that are not tiedupin government-driven greenand redtape.
“Ourfarmers are thebest in theworld, and we should be supporting them to continue to feed and clotheour nation with policy settings andstrategic investments that helpthem prosper.”
Mr Chester said he supported the principles in The Nationals‘Prime Agricultural LandProtection Bill 2026’which was introduced into federal Parliament recently to establish anational framework to protect prime agricultural land from productivity loss,foreign control, and displacement of farming communities.
“Weneedtoprotect our primeagricultural land forfood and fibre production as part of the National Food Security Strategy,” he said.
“The Victorian government’s approach of stripping away therights of farming familiestoimpose industrial-scale energy projects needs to be rejected
“The Nationals in federal government will not support mining or energy projects that diminish Australia’s food security on ourprime agricultural land.”
Mr Chester said he would continue to promote the
THE Mine Land Rehabilitation Authority(MLRA) concluded itsoperationslast Friday (March20).
Thismarked thecompletion of itsrole as an independentauthority supporting mine rehabilitation in the LatrobeValley.
Establishedtoprovide independent technical oversight,engagementand assurance, the MLRA has worked collaboratively with community, Traditional Owners,industry and government to support the rehabilitation of Victoria’sdeclared mine sites and help ensure they move toward safe,stable and sustainable landforms for the beneficialuse of futuregenerations.
The MLRAboard and staff have expressedtheir sincereappreciationtothe many stakeholders who havecontributed to its work.
“Over thepastsix years, the MLRA has had the privilege of working alongsideTraditional Owners, communitymembers, industry, researchers,local organisations and government agenciestohelp shape the future of mine rehabilitation in the Latrobe Valley," the company's chief executive,Jen Brereton said.
"Mine rehabilitation is acomplex, long-term task thatwill continue for decades.”
Throughout its operation, the MLRAestablished itselfasagloballyrecognised model of independent oversight, bringing together technical expertise and community engagement to support informed decision-making aroundmine rehabilitation.
The authority’s work focused on translating
complex technical issues into accessible information, facilitating constructivedialogue betweendiverse stakeholders, and strengthening transparency and understanding aroundrehabilitation planning.
The MLRA’sregionalpresence in the Latrobe Valleyhelped buildstrongrelationshipswith community stakeholders, including Traditional Owners, localresidents, industry representatives and advocacygroups.
These relationships have been central to ensuring thatrehabilitation discussions remain informed by local knowledge and community expectations.
The MLRA also worked closely with Resources Victoria, mine licensees and technical experts to support robustrehabilitation planning and to help identify emerging risks and opportunities as rehabilitation strategies evolved.
Following the closure of the MLRA, its knowledge and some of its functions will transition into Resources Victoria, supporting continued coordination of mine rehabilitation work across government.
“The rehabilitation of the Latrobe Valley’s declared mines is amulti-decade endeavour that will continue to evolve overtime,"MsBrereton said
"Weare keen to seethe foundations established throughthe MLRA’s work continue”.
Overthe coming days, the MLRA teamwillcomplete remaining projects and supportthe orderly transition of key information and resources to ensure they remain accessible beyond the authority’s closure
LATROBECity Council has openedexpressions of interest for people to join the SocialInclusion Action Group (SIAG)
In 2022, Latrobe City Council secured funding to participateinanew statewide program ledby the Victoriangovernment.
The initiative is designed to strengthen community connection, foster inclusion,and support positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes.
Latrobe Cityformed theSIAGin2024and are onceagain inviting people to join SIAG members identifyand respond to the specific priorities of the Latrobe City community, that promote greater social inclusion and connectedness
Thisisdone by recommending which projects Latrobe City Council should fundthrough communitygrants,based on the unique challengesand opportunitiesofsocialconnection and inclusion at alocal level.
The SIAGaimstoinclude residents of all demographics and backgrounds,who havelived experience of social exclusion or identify as one
social licence of agriculture, fisheries and forestry to combat extreme environmentalgroups which seekto shut down primary industries, including the native hardwood forestrysector.
“When it comes to timber, you either use your own sustainably harvested wood or you use someone else’s. We have atrade deficit in timber products, and we have the capacity to sustainably manage our own forests and achieve positive social, economic and environmental outcomes rather than raid the supply of countries with poorer environmental standards,”
Mr Chestersaid.
“I will always stand on the side of Australian farmers, fishers and forestry workerstosecure and grow their industries and defend them against illogical and ill-informed attacksfromenvironmentalextremists.”
Mr Chester said he had appreciated the opportunitytoworkwith Australian Defence Force veterans and their families,and wouldretain acloseinterest in the portfolio as alocal MP
COMMENT BY RAYJUST
WHERE will the electricity come from Dan Caffrey? ('If wind farms are banned, where willour electricity come from?',Latrobe Valley Express Opinion, 11/03/26).
Why not wind farms built in PortPhillipBay?
In Mr Caffery’s letter he states, “The petitioners want the Delburn Wind Farm (DWF) abandoned because it impacts their lifestyle and uses public money to build it.”
His justification for the use of public money deserves arebuttal but it would makethis letter too long, so it is the impact on the residents’ lifestylethatI’m choosing to respond to.
Mr Caffrey talks about what will happen if wind farms can be banned because nearby residents don’t likethe lookofthem
Why aren’t there any windfarms in Port Phillip Bay?
Othercountries have builtalong coastal shores where they can be seen, so why isn’tMelbourne helping to support the renewables pushbybuilding windfarms in their backyard?
As per the Delburn petition, could it be that that’s what’s happened in Melbourne?
There’ll be thosewho saythat there is insufficientwind to make it worthwhile, but is thisan excuse to hide the fact that Melbourne residents would find windturbines an eyesore?
Applying what Mr Caffrey labels as awhimsical excuse being put forward by objectors, would Melbourne peoplehavenorighttoobjectifthey don’t like the look of them?Orhave Melbourne residents already expressedtheirconcerns on the impactontheir lifestyles and that’swhy no private developer has put forwardany plans to build in Port PhillipBay?
Mr Caffrey, if you wrote aletter to the Melbournepapers saying that Melbourne people needed to help with the solution of generating powerfor Victorians by building windfarms in Port Phillip Bay, Ibelieve you would have a barrageofvery angryreplies.
You acknowledgethe sacrifice made by the people whose farms were dug up to access the coal,but whydocountry people keep having to make sacrifices for city people?
The transmissionlines crossingprivate land is causing distress and angeramong farmers, especially since the lawshave beenchanged to allow for compulsory land acquisition. Why did thisneed to happen?
The reasonwehave transmission lines is because the power stationswere built next to the coal fieldsand were arequirement for supplying all of Victoria withelectricity.
Renewables, however, are not tied to a particular area. Theycan be putanywhere, so we should be looking at localised areas,micro grids, and therefore not being reliant on huge transmission networks.Just think of the cost savingsand the safety during climate change induced weather events that we are told will increase in number and severity such as wildfires and cyclonic windstorms!
Or could it be that renewables aren’t as reliable as somemakethem out to be and are unable to provide astable 24/7 period of supply to atown or city without the backup of amajor grid powered by coal or gas power stations?
How concerned are Melbourne people really about climate change?
How about theyshow it by contributingtothe solutionina'significant way' and changing the way they live insteadofleavingittothe rural/ regional people to bear theburden?
Until city people startpulling their weight with regards to renewables and sacrificing their lifestyles for the 'greater good', then those people objectingtothe DWF should have the right to object to wind turbines in theirbackyard
Tell me Mr Caffrey, which political partyhas policies that treat all Victorians fairly and doesn’t expect country people to continuallysacrifice their lifestyles for the sake of the city people with regards to renewables? Iwill vote for them. Ray Just is aTraralgon resident.
of thefollowinggroups:
Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander peoples;
People who are lesbian,gay, bisexual,trans, genderdiverse, queer/questioning, intersex or asexual (LGBTQIA+);
People with adisability;
People from culturally diverse communities;
Aged between18-25 or over 65;
Single people or singleparents;
People whohaveexperiencedhardship or adversity includingaddiction, mentalillhealth, family violence, experience of or at risk of homelessness, or similar circumstances that havecontributed to reduced socialinclusion, and;
People who are passionate about social inclusion and mental health. Applicationsare openuntil Friday,April 24, 2026 and can be completed online or over the phone.
To find out more, visit: https://www.latrobe.vic. gov.au/SIAGorcall 1300 367700.
Mon -Thu:8:30am- 6:00 pm. Fri: 8:30am -5:00pm
Saturday: Close from 1stApril untilfurthernotice. More Appointments weekdays.
IN this week's edition of REEL TALK, our roving reviewers bring you aspecial edition coverage of the inaugural Gippsland International Film Festival.
Blake Metcalf-Holt (who discoveredfilm festivals are essentially endurancesports, just withmore subtitles) along with Aidan Knight attended the openingnightofthe festival (whichspanned three days and locations),atthe WestGippsland Arts Centre in Warragul.
The pairviewed titles fromItaly, USA, Spain, and,ofcourse, Australiaand specifically Gippsland. Genres spanned from noir, comedy, drama, political, true crime, semi-biographical, and even avampire film (those last two are separate movies by the way). Bravely sitting through 19 filmsinone night for the sake of journalism, they compiled their notes to forma top three of features from the event Now, it's time for REEL TALK.
BMH: Lara was an incredible Australian short film, highlighting the need for loveand family in timesofgrief and self-doubt.The latter was something that connectedwith me -identifying that even if one isn't in the place they thought they'd ought to be, it is necessary to lean on thosethat are around you and will alwaysbeifyou let them. One line has stuck with me (speaking to the quality of the script): "If Itakewhat Ineed, I'll never getwhat Iwant." It's relatability is palpable, and despite the titular location, could be set in any regional town with any collection of those who don't take their lives too seriously mixed with individuals with high aspirations.Inhow effective it is, the runtime could have easily been extended longer. The director, Leah Baulch, grew up in South Gippsland around Leongatha, Meeniyan and Stony Creek.
AK: My first pick would be afilm called Keith, set around the staff sitting through child auditions at atalentagency -despitehating kids. Awell done and humorous endeavour, Keith was an entry into the first session of the festival, the comedic narrative screening, winning the first award of the nightfor thatsection. It held asimilar tone to light hearted Australian programs such as Colin From Accounts,or Utopia,and shares the same flavour of making amundane, easy-to-film concept an engaging and entertaining story. It also gave the spotlight to multiple sidecharacters and promising child actors, acting as child actors, and overall felt very believable in doing so. The adult cast also have talent previously been seen on Neighbours, Disney Broadway productions, Gruen, and more.
BMH: My favourite non-English speaking film was easily Collage.The Spanish short managed to weave comedy and romance seamlessly, creating an entertaining two-person playofsorts that delivers on the key theme of the fascination and longing for love. While each actress brings what is required to have it deliver by its final shot, crowd favourite Luna Calero specifically makes the most of her lines as Nur Costa and herself watch aman and awomanseeminglyfallfor oneanother. By the time the filmmoves out of the art museum and into the picturesque Barcelonastreets, Ihad fallen for Collage.
AK: Ir eally enj oy ed the winner of Best International Film, The Screenwriter.Made in Italy by adirector named Mark Petrasso,the film is asimple but mesmerising monochromatic noir. The concept is quite meta, showing adriven screenwriter pounding away at atypewriter -only to discover thatthe characters he writes are coming to life around him, and are disgruntled by his cliché use of tropes andreliance on traditionoverdialogue and believability. This last aspect reminded me of the 1994 children'sfilm The Pagemaster (Macauly
Culkin), or Inkheart (Brendan Fraser), but the noir setting likens it to something closer to Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories meets Chinatown.Like many of the films screened over the weekend,itleft plenty of room for further story to unfold, which always indicates agreat screenplay.
BMH: The documentary short film that left me the most engrossed was Forest Country,detailing the devastatingeffectsofthe forestlogging industry still being felt on Victoria's native forests. Director Lewi Haskins concentrates on the Yarra Ranges, which is at the centre of environmental activists' federal courtcaseagainst DEECA, despitethe state government ceasing native forest logging in 2024. Haskins thrusts powerful images and passionate individuals on screen for the audience to feel and embrace. It's incredibly well-produced, and despite this, avideo shot only on phone walking through destruction still occurringand ending on the corpse of agreater glider laying bare is still clear as day in my head.
AK: Anothergreat Australian film featured was ensconced,ashortselectionfilmed almostentirely within the confines of asinglecar. Ayoung man has driven back to his parents for Christmas, and is procrastinating getting out of the car, dreading the event, while his sister gives him lip for it in the backseat. Only as the film progresses, the audience is unsure if she is really there, and why he'ssoagainst seeing his parents.Whileitappears light-heartedatfirst, and they do agood job of displaying the honest, often-ridiculousbanter that takes placebetween siblings, it quickly becomes quite emotional in ashort space of time, as the sister talks increasingly to motivateher brother to visittheir parents and give them agood Christmas It's unclear why she isn't intending on leaving the car and joining the event herself -untilthe end. That kind of reveal is agreat display of solid writing and action joining forces in alow-budget meeting,allowingthe audience to experiencea plot twist without spending time trying to figure it out, as the confusion isn't more interesting than the actual dialogue itself.
The Reel Talk team will continue to unpack the GippslandInternational Film Festival further in upcoming issues of the Express.
By AIDAN KNIGHT
FOREIGN policy affects the Latrobe Valley, as the strongest migrant demographic within the municipality faces changes to its citizenship elsewhere.
The Italian Constitutional Court has made the decisiontouphold adivisivecitizenship law initiated last year, which has the potential to sendripples through migrantItaliancommunities everywhere else in the world.
The ruling sharply recuses the ability Italian descendants born abroad have to claim Italian citizenship, ending a160-year-old tradition of rights by bloodline.
Previously, under the rule called iussanguninis,children of Italian citizens born overseas were as entitled to Italian citizenship as if they wereborn in the motherland, enablingdual citizenship for awidepool of people.
The Latrobe Valley homes close to 16,000 residents born overseas, and census data shows Italian to be the most spoken language in the area besides English.
Data from 2021 showedthat more people originating from Spinete, aprovince the same distance from Naples as Moe is from Melbourne, than there are in Spinete itself. For decades, families herehave proudly maintained their Italian identity, culture, and citizenship rights -often passing them down through generations. With the new restrictions, many local families face uncertainty and disappointment. Those who had planned to apply for citizenship recognition for themselves or their childrenmay now find their claims denied. This could affect not only personal identity and cultural ties but also practical matters such as travel, work, and residency rights within the European Union. What this means for Italian citizens within the Latrobe Valley:
If you have Italian ancestry and were considering applying for citizenship by descent, it is important to seek legal advice to understand how the new law affects your eligibility.
Applications already in progress may face delays or require additional legal support.
VICTORIANS are throwing awaythousands of dollars in potential refunds every day, with many eligible drink containers still ending up in household rubbish bins instead of being returned through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic).
New research shows one-in-fiveVictorians are missingout on refunds because eligible containers such as flavoured milk bottles and juice boxes are often overlooked and discarded. Since CDS Vic launched in November 2023, almost three billion drink containershave been returned, putting nearly $300 million back into Victorians’ pockets. But with millions of eligible containers still being thrown away, there is asignificant opportunity for Victorians to claim even more.
Flavoured milk cartonsand bottles are among the biggest offenders. Despite being eligible for a 10-cent refund through CDS Vic, almost half (49 per cent) of Victorians put these in their household recycling bin. Another 10 per cent said they threw them in the landfill bin.
Juice boxes and poppers are also frequently misplaced. Around 40 per cent of Victorians put them in household recycling and 14 per cent in landfill, despite these items also being eligible for arefund through CDS Vic.
At the same time, almost one in five Victorians(18 per cent) attempted to return containers through the scheme that are ineligible.
Confusion about eligibility remains one of the
biggest barriers to recycling through the scheme, according to MattDavis, chief executive of scheme coordinator VicReturn.
“Many everyday drink containers, including flavouredmilkbottlesand juice boxes, can be returned for a10-cent refund, but they’re still often ending up in household bins instead,” he said.
Mr Davis encouraged Victorians to check container labels for the 10-cent mark and remember that most aluminium cans, plastic bottles and small beverage cartons are eligible for refunds through CDS Vic.
“Every container returned through Victoria’s ContainerDeposit Scheme helps reduce litter and keep valuable materials in the recycling loop and remade into new drink containers,” he said.
To learn more about what can be returned through the scheme, visit: cdsvic.org.au/eligible-containers
What’s eligible through CDS Vic
Aluminium, glass, plastic and carton drink containers 150mL to 3litres;
Fruit and vegetable juice bottles, cans and cartons 150 ml to 1litre;
Flavoured milk and coffee bottles and cartons 150ml to 750ml, and;
Water,soft drink, sports drink, energy drink, beer and cider bottles and cans 150ml to 1litre.Tip:Keep the lids on as these can be recycled too.
What’s not eligible
Plain milk bottles and cartons;
Flavoured milk, fruit or vegetable juice containers over 1litre;
Wine and spirit bottles;
Cordial bottles;
Drink containers under 150ml, and; Crushed containers.
Did youknow: Flavouredmilkcartons up to 750ml areeligiblefor a10-cent refund.
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THE inaugural GippslandInternationalFilm Festival honoured adocumentary short film close to home.
After The Smoke directed by Latrobe Valley filmmakerJosie Hess not only screened at the region's first-of-its-kind film festival, the story depicting the 2014 Hazelwood Mine Fire was awarded Best Gippsland Made Short Film.
Workinginthe industry for around 15 years, and previously collaborating with GIFF co-director Edward Yates in the past, Hess was thrilled to hear the news that an event to showcase the film would be within the region.
"I'vealways been ahugeadvocatefor moving and bringing more culture to Gippsland, so finding
were awarded the Best Gippsland Made ShortFilm at the inaugural Gippsland InternationalFilm Festival. Photograph: Aidan Knight
out they'd actually doneit, Ed andAlana (Auden), had created aGippslandfilmfestival, we were incredibly excited," they told the Express
"Wesubmitted some of our projects and we were selected, which was ahugehonour to be at the first inaugural Gippsland film festival."
Hess and co-producer Stephanie Sabrinskas were then surprised to learn that they'd been acknowledged with an award after the film screened on the first day of the festival at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Friday, March 13.
"I didn't even know there wasanaward category, so that's why it was asurprise," Hess said.
"It was an incredible honour and Ithink what Ed and Alana have created, and the whole team, is so important, so timely and so necessary for Gippsland."
Sabrinskas also applauded the efforts of the organisers, and was honoured to receive recognition for the film.
"It was areally wonderful surprise (and) Iwas reallygladwewere able to getthatatthe first GIFF," she said.
The pair of environmental activists have worked together for more than six years, with their projects focussing on energy transition and mine rehabilitation.
Hosting the Coal Face podcast since 2022, they welcomed Wendy Farmer onto the show in their second episode, which laid the foundations for the eventual film.
Originally released in 2023, After The Smoke tells the story of the devastating Hazelwood Mine Fire through the eyes of Farmer -the local clean energy advocate and president of Voices of the Valley -and her family.
The film details the before, during and after effects when embers ignited in Hazelwood's open cut, thrusting the audience through the revelations of severehealth impacts for the region and the state government inquiry, which some locals felt was botched.
The project was greenlit through the Your Planet Short Docs initiativebetween the ABC, VicScreen andDoc Society.
"Stephanie and Ihad been thinking about telling astory that was to do with the Hazelwood Mine Fire for some time, obviously it's ahugely pivotal moment in our community," Hess said.
"We were able to produce the short with funding, which was really, really great as independent filmmakers."
Afterpremiering at the SydneyFilm Festival in 2023, shortlisted for the Sustainable Future Award, the passionate storytellers toured After The Smoke across the country.
The film was primarily screened in 2024, which included one at Morwell's KernotHall as apart of Hess and Sabrinskas' Life After Coalevent commemorating 10 years since the mine fire.
Life After Coalwas launcheddue to fundingthat was secured following their Sydney premier, as part of Doc Society's Climate Story Fund.
During their travels, each were baffled how many people were not aware of the magnitude and significant impacts of those fateful 45 days coming from Hazelwood.
"I had assumed that given it was on TV and it was this huge thing that more Australians would be aware that we had this huge disaster," Hess said.
"But, it just hasn't really necessarily permeated through.
"Anytimewe'd have ascreening and people would come up to us, and not only be horrified that it had happenedintheir country and they didn'tknow about it,but also be veryinterested to find out more about Latrobe Valley and our role in powering the state and ourcoal industry."
Both Hess and Sabrinskas, who grew up in Morwell and Moe respectively,werelivingaway at thetimeofthe events at Hazelwood, meaning their eyes were also opened through their research and in speaking to people for the film.
The pair have worked on two projects centring on the Hazelwood MineFire, with the other being Ashes to Aftermath: 10 Years On From the HazelwoodMineFire,releasedin2024with Environment Victoria.
Afeature length film is also currently in the works titled The Last Shift,which focusses on theclosure
of the Yallourn Power Station and the Latrobe Valley post-coal.
Hess has also directed the narrative feature Morgana in 2019, along with anumberofother short films.
Sabrinskas also produced Yates and Auden's 2024 short film, Feirg
Following the success of GIFF, Hess hopes that this can etch apathway for amore expansive film industry in Gippsland.
"Havingplaces to screen locally and giving people agoispart of that building out of our cultural capacity within Gippsland," they said.
"Secondly, is just funding. So,moregovernmental, but also private funding for filmmakers to create and tell our stories.
"Onthe other side, we do have alot of content creators and people making work already,soI think having the avenuestopublish them now, get them in front of audiencesand elevate them to the status at film festivals is ahuge deal."
Sabrinskas echoed similar sentiments.
"Being aproducer and filmmaker in aregional area, we do kind of miss alot of film screenings so, Ithink that it's really important that we have this kind of cultural access in regional Victoria," shesaid.
With the likes of Hollywood A-listerLiam Neeson and the mega corporation of Netflix filming in and around Moe, through Ice Road: Vengeance and the tv series Videoland,the region can continue to host film and television productions.
"Gippsland is an incredibly beautiful and diverse, huge region," Hess said.
"We've got all sortsoffilminglocations, very affordable places for hire and rent.
"I think there are people thinking about this, I think we are underutilised in that way, the industry could definitely bring more of that out our way, but Ithink that then also requires incentives from government and council to bring those creative projects."
After The Smoke is available to stream for free on ABC iview.
EAST Gippsland remote area mental health clinicians are now connected wherever they travel thanks to aLatrobe Regional Health pilot program to install Starlink to their fleet vehicles.
LRH has received agovernment Department of Health grant to install the satellite highspeed internet to two fleet cars based at the Bairnsdale and Orbost community mental health sites.
LRH mental healthoutreach clinician Jackie Taylor travels through isolated stretches to see her patients who are spread across the outreaches of the Snowy River to the Victorian fareastern border
The Orbost-based worker said in many cases, she could be without mobile or internet services for days while visiting patients.
“Quite afew of my psychiatristappointments have been in the front seat of the car,” Ms Taylor said.
“I'll pick up the client and we'll go for adrive until Ican get reception and then we'll sit in the car to have our psychiatrist review.”
Ms Taylor saidthe technology is also keepingstaff safe while drivingout bush, sometimes navigating
hazards such as water crossings.
She said her car slipped in wet conditions on an isolated dirt road and she had no way of reaching anyone.
“I had no phone receptionand nobodyreally knew where Iwas and Iwas on an un-named road,” she said.
“Starlink can now keep me connected so when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, Iwill be able to linkinwith psychiatrists and other membersof the team.”
LRH Technical Project Officer Jessica Colantuono saidthe technologywas designed specificallyfor fleet use and was carefully selected to suit the region’s terrain.
“We needed asolution that would work reliably in dense bushland and mountainous areas where traditional mobile networks simply don’t reach,” shesaid.
“Starlink gives our clinicians astable, high-speed connection whereverthere’saclear view of the sky. That means secure access to telehealth consultations and internal systems.”
The digital trial was borne out of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, which recognised unmet needs for mental health and wellbeing services in rural and regional Victoria.
It highlighted poor mental health is higher for youngpeople in rural locations, partly because of barriers to accessing services.
LRH executive director of mental health Mike Gatsi said this digital initiative was about providing equity of access for rural communities.
“For people living in some of Victoria’smost remote communities, geographyshould not determine the level of mentalhealth care they receive,” Mr Gatsi said.
“By investing in innovative digital solutions like this, we are reducing those barriers and supporting both our workforce and our consumers.
“This is apractical example of how we are modernising rural mental health care.”
By LIAM DURKIN
MISTAKES happen.
It’s all apart of learning.
Even more so when you are just starting out.
Apprentices from across the region were reassured that mistakes on site are normal,atthe latestTools Down, Heads Up seminarhosted by Moe Racing Club.
How they are dealt with however formed the backbone of the conversations.
The event welcomed young apprentices, who heard fromindustry leaders about effective coping and management techniques to make each working day as stress-free as possible.
Attendees shared breakfast together, before networking with keynotes Andrew Carnegie from Carnegie Consulting, and construction influences Bardie Somerville and LeighRyan, aka ‘Tradie Dad’.
The pair spoke of their experiences in the building game, sharing candid stories from when they were apprentices just likethosethey were presenting to.
As they said, knockoff beers and apprentice pranks were accepted as common practice when they started out, andbothwere as guilty as anyone.
The penny eventually droppedhowever, and with it, amentality they hope to change.
Withmentalhealth front of mind, the importance of youngemployeesreturninghome from working each day physically safe and psychologically stable was stressed upon.
Mr Carnegie, apsychologist with lived experience in the army and police force, said the program was specifically tailored toward apprentices.
“The main message is we know apprentices are particularly vulnerable when it comes to awhole rangeofthings, getting caught up in things that often can lead them falling on the wayside,” he said.
“In Gippsland there are other challenges to exacerbate that -high turnoverrates in apprentices, dropping out, developing things thathave areally negative impactontheir life.
“This program is looking at awhole rangeof lifeskills thata group such as apprentices don’t usuallyget access to.
“We wanted to create aprogramwhere it was
unique to them, unique to this region, where they can come along for regular workshops and hear from experts in particular areas, whether it’s how I can manage my mental health, how Ican manage my finances better, how Imight deal with difficult issues in my workplace, whetherit’sconflict or bullying.”
The programalsooffered practical tips, borrowing from the time-honoured and very accuratephrase:
‘you are what you eat’.
“Alsothings just aboutgoodnutrition, maintaining good physical health, because they are working very hard, not getting paid alot, there is alot of career uncertainty, so trying to help them address and manage some of thosechallenges and feel there is genuine support there for them,” Mr Carnegie continued.
Part of the session involved apractical activity using Lego, and thechancefor apprentices to offer their insights.
By moving away from aclassroom model, it is hoped apprenticeswillbecomeco-architects of the program’s implementation.
As Mr Carnegie said, it also went far beyonda simpletick the boxexercise
“Theonly wayyou can have an impactisto buildacommunity, acommunity wherethereis ashared language, ashared understanding, and start normalising that support, start really helping one another,” he said.
Above all else, he said communication was key.
“If people feel as though they can talk up, they canhavethese conversationsand alot of the time, that’s what it is,” he said.
“I hear it again and again in my work -‘someone finally had aconversation with me’. That for many peopleisthe start or something, up untilthat point in time, people just remain silent, they’re scared to speak up and they suffer in silence.
“If we can get people taking, more than that, get people listening, that’s key. Your job is not always to have to fix things, sometimes people just want you to listen.”
Moe Racing Club has committed to further Tools Down Heads Up sessions this year.
If you or someone you know needs help, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300 22 4636.
remainsthe safest stateinAustralia to go into cardiac arrest,with Ambulance Victoria (AV)initiatives equipping record numbers of people in the community with the skillstostepinand take actiontohelp save alife.
Victoria’s internationally comparable witnessed cardiacarrest survival rate (Utstein) has risen to 44.4 per cent, anation-leading figure and second only to Denmark (50.2 per cent) worldwide.
The data has been revealed in AV’s Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) 2024/25 Annual Report, which shows paramedics respondedto7550out-of-hospitalcardiac arrest patients over the year with 477 patients surviving to hospital discharge.
AV Director Researchand Evaluation Dr Ziad Nehme said the increased survival rate reflects the impact of AV’s targeted cardiac arrest awareness and skill-building across Victorian communities.
“More than ever, the community is stepping in to help in cardiac arrest emergenciesand this is no coincidence –it’sthe result of years of AV’s targeted community education and community response initiatives,” he said.
“Over the past year, AV taughtmore than 29,000 people the life-saving skillsofCall, Push, Shock, bringing us significantly closer to our ambition of training over100,000 Victorians by 2028.
“Our Heart Safe Communities initiative, in partnership with the Heart Foundation, continues to expand, delivering life-saving skills and resources to communities across the state, such as dozens of new publicly accessible automated externaldefibrillators (AEDs).
“On top of these, the GoodSAM program continues to boostaccess to early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation across Victoria,asdoes the introduction of the Fire Medical Response (FMR) program, which aims to equip 50 CFA firefighter brigades to respond
alongsideAVparamedics and first responders to cardiacarrests in regional communities with 39 brigades already on board.”
In 2024/25 atotalof152 cardiac arrestpatients in Victoria received ashock from apublic AED before paramedics arrived, the highest number on record
When first shocked by apublic AED, an incredible63per cent of cardiac arrest patients survived almost two thirds ahugeincrease from 47 per cent in 2023/24.
Comparatively, only seven per cent survived when therewas no bystander CPR or AED use. There is now more than 10,819active and registeredAEDsinVictoria, with more than 8243 of those publicly accessible.
Executive Director Quality and Clinical Innovation Dr Tegwyn McManamny said AV continuestowork towards the goals of its Cardiac Arrest Improvement Strategy 2023-2028.
“AV paramedics and firstresponders continue to make exceptional improvements in resuscitationcare and quality, driven by the researchand insights provided through the annual VACAR reports,” she said.
“Over the past year, we accelerated targeted improvements in system oversight, resuscitation practice and quality assurance, and improved access to cardiac arrest casedata, supporting focused debriefing and continuous improvement for our highly-skilled crews on the road across Victoria.
“The improved patient outcomeswe’reseeing are the result of deliberate,evidence-driven action and reaffirm AV as aglobal leader in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival.”
Since 1999,the VACAR has tracked, evaluated and strengthened every link in the cardiac arrest chain of survival and is among the most comprehensive cardiac arrest registries worldwide
By PHILIP HOPKINS
ALATROBE Valley expert has urged the gasification of the region’sbrowncoal to produce Australia’s fuel and fertiliser supplies, which are in crisis due to the Iran war, to help ensure Australia’s energy independence and create more Gippsland jobs.
“Herewegoagain! Mass panic and economic disruption that could have been avoided if we had just alittle foresight and political courage -an oxymoron Iknow,” said Brian Davey, who has 40 years’ experienceasabrown coal technologyexpert with the SEC and in university research.
Apart from electricity, “our coal can produce diesel, jet fuel, hydrogen, ammonia and urea just to name afew products -all with zero emissions”.
In Australia, the Iran war has produced fuel shortages on farms and in regional areas, and has ledtosurgingfertiliser costs, prompting warnings from food industry leaders that alackoffood availability could threaten social cohesion.
Mr Davey said the brown coal could be gasified with modern technology gasifiers such as the one proposed by JPower from Japan and then using the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process.
This is aproven technology developed in Germany in the early 20th century and refinedsince then to convertthe syngas produced to liquid fuels.
“FT has been commercially used in South Africa, China, Malaysia, Qatar and anumberofother countries,” he said.
Mr Davey said current brown coal stations use subcritical technology, with apower production efficiencyrating of about29per cent; the next level is supercritical with about35per cent and then ultra-super critical, at about 42-45 per cent.
The other cycle, the Brayton cycle, involves gas, normally natural gas, but can also utilise the syngas from the gasification process to produce electricity.
The gas turbine can be combined with asteam generatorthat captures the waste heat from the gas turbine and heats water to feed asteam generator.
“This is called acombined cycle -they can get efficiencies up to 60 pc," he said.
This process was the best for baseload power.
“Gasificationofbrowncoal takes advantageof the chemical energy in the coal; convert that to gas and then you can burn that in aBrayton cycle, in agas turbine or you can use it as achemicalbase forother products," Mr Davey said.
“Primary products produced from FT are diesel, jet fuel and petrol. Otherhydrocarbons can also be produced. In addition hydrogen, ammonia and urea are products available from gasification.”
Mr Davey said the FT process produces alot of heat, which can be harvested to provide power or be used in industries such as greenhouses along with some of the CO2 created.
“Heat and carbon dioxide (CO2) are two of the three largest cost inputs to greenhouses so effectively free heat and CO2 would make this industry extremely cost competitive,” he said.
"There is ahugeopportunity to have an extensive greenhouse food-growing energy based in the Latrobe Valley. You get heat free and CO2 free from the gasification plant. CO2 is agreat growth stimulant for plants.
“Secondaryupgradingofthe FT products will be required, but this is similar to what occurs in a traditional refinery.”
Mr Davey said the FT process does produce high quantities of CO2.
“However,this can be captured and stored, through proven technologies, in Bass Strait where some in the industry estimate there are billions of tonnes of storage capacity,” he said.
“It’s easy technology, the cost is as cheap as you will ever do it in the world. One reason it’s cheap -the short distance –about 66 kilometres. Also, Bass Strait is the best geology to store CO2 in the world, the subsea storage locations are fantastically porous and permeable; you put it in there, it goes in easily and stays there.
“As an offshootbenefit, CO2storagecan repressurise the sub-seaaquifers and slow onshore drainage of freshwater aquifers.”
The chief executive of Melbourne’s Global CCS Institute, Jarad Daniels, toldarecent carbon capture and storage conference in Melbourne that CCSwas growing rapidly around the world.
“CCS is recognised globally as acriticaltool to addressclimate change,” he said.
CarbonNet,which is financed by the federal and stategovernments, aims to build apipeline from the Latrobe Valley through South Gippsland to sequester CO2 from the Valley in the empty Bass Strait aquifers.
Mr Daveyemphasised that Victoria has huge coal reserves –about 430billion tonnes in total and 33 billion tonnes in the Latrobe Valley alone that are currently economically winnable.
“It is estimated that each tonne of coal will produceabout 200litres of very low sulphur diesel, so even if onlyhalf the coal was used for diesel production this wouldmean3.3 trillion litresof diesel production capacity. Of course this would not happen in one year!” he said.
Currently Australia used about 450,000 barrels of diesel aday.
“Forcontext, Loy Yang currentlymines about28 million tonnes of coal per annum. If this coal production was converted into diesel production, then this would cover about 25 per cent of Australia’s diesel usage and Australiawouldbealongway downthe road to diesel fuelindependence. It justshows what is possible,” he said.
“If we were evenalittle bit cleverer, we would pair this with hydrogen, ammonia and urea production to have truly home-grown industrial capability not subject to the whims of an erratic world.”
Mr Davey said havinganadvanced chemical plant would create high value wage jobs, even for the operators of the plant.
“But if you have agreenhouse industry– that is far more labourintensivethan that plant will ever be.And it has abroad spectrumofjobs from unskilledtoquite skilled,”hesaid.
Apart from this spectrumofjobs in the Valley because of this industry, Mr Davey said the gasifier plant could provide back-up to the power industry.
"It allowsdiversificationofthe power industry –it doesn’t have to be all renewables," he said.
The mining of brown coal could be done with a much smaller profile. Rather than the current deep mines, Mr Davey said the mining methodology
could be changed to create aquite wide and shallow mine, which could then be progressively rehabilitated.
This approach was used in brown coal areas in Germany and North Dakota.
“If you don'tdoitona progressive basis, you end up where we are today, with massive holes."
In an interview with the Express last year, Dr Chris Hamilton,aleading Australianhydrocarbon specialist with 50 years’ international experiencein industry, backed gasification,warning that Victoria is blessed with an enormous yet “stranded energy asset”.
“Thestate cansignificantly benefit through broader utilisation of this energy resource,” he told the Express.
“Gasification of brown coal offers the solution. Dryingtechnologyhas been technically proven. New gasification technologies are available which better suit Victorian brown coal. Alreadysufficient testwork trials havebeen carriedout in Germany to support the commercial application of such technologies."
Apart from electricity production, gasification also opensupbroader international markets for productslikeFischer-Tropsch diesel, methane, methanol, DME (the organic compound Dimethyl ether), ammonia and urea. Dr Hamilton said for gasification to succeed, it was very important that boththe stateand federal governments provide the right support and encouragement behind industry to initiate aconcerted development program.
Coal gasification was first commercialised in Germany in the late 1920s, and has been further developed and applied all over the world. In 1956, the Morwell Lurgi gasification plant, using German gasification technology, was brought on stream to supply Melbourne with medium heating towns gas.
Usingbriquetted browncoal from the nearby Morwell briquette factory,the Lurgigasification plant had five gasifiers and employed 200-300 people. The adventofBassStrait natural gas,with its higher calorific value, led to the closure of the Morwell plant in 1969.
FORESTRY Australia and the New Zealand InstituteofForestry(NZIF)have launched the Aust rali a&N ew ZealandF orest Val uati on Standard.
The ANZ Forest ValuationStandard, ajoint NZIF and Forestry Australia initiative, is the resultofnearlya decade’s work by the national associations to bring together their country-level forest standards into asingledocument capable of representing plantation and native forests.
The first Australia and New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard was developed in consultation withforest professionals,researchers,industry andpractitioners on both sides of the Tasman It reflects the latest thinking and bestpractice in forest valuation across both countries, and is designed to assist valuation practitioners, forest managers, investors,and those reporting forest values.
Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia, said “The merging of the separate country-level standards held by Forestry Australia and New Zealand InstituteofForestryisa significant milestone. It reflects the strength and value of ongoing collaboration and partnership between our countries, our industries and professional organisations.
“Importantly, while the ANZ Forest Valuation
Standardisintended to address commoninterests of our national forest industries, it is flexible enough to allow for differences. The standard will be an evolving tool to help shape the forest sector's future and support continued innovation and improvement, as markets,reporting expectations,and sustainability considerations continue to evolve."
Concurrent with the ANZ Forest Valuation Standard, Forestry Australia haslaunchedthe Australian Carbon Standard Exposure Draft, to sit alongside the existingNew Zealand Carbon Standard.
Forestry Australia has also recently examined the implications for Australian reporting entities arisingfrom the newlymandated Australian Accounting StandardsBoardClimateRelated Disclosures (AASB S2).
These latest developments will be examined at the upcoming Forestry Australia Valuation Standard Summit,tobeheld in Melbourne later this month.
Convenor of the Forestry Australia Valuation Committee Keith Lamb said “We are proud to celebratethe launch of thenew ANZ ForestValuation Standards and to showcase our work in Climate Related Disclosures. The Summit will also provide us an opportunity to recognise the work of those who preceded us. Professor Ian Ferguson and Dr Jerry Leech who prepared the first Australian
Standard in the early 2000s, and Professor Bruce Manley and Messrs Bill Liley and Brian Rawley who pioneered the New Zealand Standard over 30 years ago.”
James Treadwell, President of the New Zealand InstituteofForestry added“Our members have contributed voluntary time and expertise to forest valuationstandardsfor more than three decades. ThefirstNew Zealand standard wasdeveloped in the 1990s and hasbeen continually refinedsince then as markets, reporting expectations, and forest management practices have evolved.
The parties say this joint Australiaand New Zealand Forest ValuationStandard is an important step forward, reflecting the strong professional relationship between theNew ZealandInstitute of Forestry and Forestry Australia, providing a consistent framework which will strengthen valuationpractice across both countries.
The development of the Standardhas been supported by Forest &Wood Products Australia (FWPA).
Jodie Mason, Head of Forest Research at FWPA remarked that, “FWPA is proud to have supported the finalisation of the standard and development of the Australian Carbon Standard Exposure Draft." "Forestsdeliversignificant economic, social, environmental and carbon value -and this standard
sets an important benchmark for conventional forest valuations and provides astrong platform for building on valuation of non-wood forest values. Recognising value consistently and transparently strengthens confidence in forestry across Australia and New Zealand.”
The standard will be unpacked at the Forestry Australia Valuation Standard Summit, featuring more than 23 speakers from Australia, New Zealand and overseas.
The program includes ProfessorRodney Keenan (University of Melbourne), Dr Michelle Freeman (Forestry Australia), James Treadwell (NZIF),Jodie Mason (FWPA), Nick Ping (Manulife Investment Management), Dr Eleanor Tew (Forestry England), Michael Barbara (J.P. Morgan), Alexandra White (Deloitte), and Shakir Rahman (Clean Energy Regulator).
“Therelease of the standardismore than just alaunch. It is apracticalsteptowardstronger valuation practices, better reporting, and greater confidence in forestry’s role in investment, sustainability, and the economy," Dr Freeman said.
"By combining trans-Tasman expertise, the standardaimstoprovide astronger foundation for assessing, communicating, and understanding forest valueacross thesector.”
Access the standard via: https://www.forestry. org.au/forest-valuation-standards/
By AIDANKNIGHT
ONE in every seven women under the age of 44 is diagnosed with endometriosis in Australia.
Treatment is complexbecause symptoms vary widelyfrompatient to patient. There is no simple, non-invasivetest to confirm the disease.
Despite being formally recognised for more than a century, endometriosis research has accelerated onlyinrecent decades, withexperts noting thatthe condition’sfragmented scientific history continues to shapethe challenges of diagnosis, treatment, and patient care today.
Laparoscopic surgery is the only way to confirm with certainty if apatient's symptoms are related to endometriosis, while treatment ranges from hormonaltherapies and pain managementto excision surgery.
This long research gap has shaped modern treatment debates, now back in the spotlight following recent national investigations.
Reporting by ABC News and Four Corners has detailed complaints from patients who allege they underwent unnecessary or overly aggressive surgeries which did not reduce symptoms as promised, raising broader questions about standards of care, oversight and informed consent within the specialty.
These procedures were performed by aprofessional regarded as the leader in his field, prompting big questions about the healthcare system and its approach to women's safety.
While the allegations relate to aspecific practitioner,advocates say the scrutiny reflectswider systemic issues -including inconsistentclinical pathways,limited long-term data on surgical outcomes and uneven access to multidisciplinary care.
For the Latrobe Valley,the nationaldebate carries particular relevance.
Anew endometriosis and pelvicpain clinic is set to open in Morwell, forming part of afederally backed expansionofspecialist services aimed at
improving access for regional communities.
The clinic is expected to provide diagnosis support, treatment pathways and coordinatedcare closer to home for Gippsland patients, many of whomhave historicallytravelled to Melbourne for specialist appointments,often facinglong waitlists and high out-of-pocket costs.
Morwell was announced last November to be one of 11 additional clinics to open across the country in early 2026, and will operate under the Gippsland Primary Health Network banner.
Jason Abbott, aprofessor at UNSW Sydney and
oneofAustralia’smostexperiencedendometriosis specialists, said the condition requires careful, individualised treatment.
“Endometriosis is acomplexcondition, and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment,” he said following theFour Corners investigation.
“Surgery can be appropriate for some women, but it must be carefully considered, clearly documented and guided by pathology and best-practice standards.
“People with endometriosis should feel empowered to seek asecond opinion if they have concerns, and never feel rushed into making decisions about their care.”
As the nationalconversationaround endometriosis continues to evolve, the opening of the Morwell clinic represents asignificant step for Gippsland -bringing acondition often discussed in national headlines into sharper local focus and potentially offering patients aclearer pathway to care closer to home.
The Women In Gippsland organisation saidtosee aclinic of this variety be established in aregional area was hugely beneficial to the area.
"Accesstoqualityhealthcare shouldn't depend on your postcode, so this is areally important step in closingthathealth and pain gap for regional women, who undoubtedly make up abig percentage of the amount of people affected by endometriosis," arepresentative told the Express Amixed message on women's health is being sent in Latrobe City, as the same municipality promoting asoon-to-be-opened endometriosis clinic, is also championing apublic figure who is known to belittle those suffering the condition.
Comedian and radio personality Marty Sheargold was removed from Triple M last year, in breach of commercial radio decency standards.
Sheargold was heard to say on anational broadcast that endometriosis was “made up", as well as extensivesexistremarksconcerning women'ssport and the Matilda's soccer team.
While Sheargold was forced into early radio
retirement as aresult, he has managed to continue his successful stand-up comedy career, turninghis cancellation into ticket sales with the aptly-titled Red Card Tour.This tour will stop by Traralgon's GPAC -aLatrobe City Council venue -this May.
Following his on-air comments,Sheargold was judged by ACMA to have conveyed contempt for women’s sport and women more generally, going beyond “generally acceptable standards of decency.”
Kerri Irwin, agender equality advocate in Gippsland called the choice to book Sheargold a bit of alet down.
"There are so many people that are supportive of peopleofall genders and identities, andweshould be careful where we're investing our money (in that context)."
Endometriosis Australia also condemned Sheargold’s commentsabout thecondition, calling them “misleading and harmful” and highlighting thestigma that contributes to delayed diagnosis andunder-treatment.
The duality of the new centre paired with Sheargold’splatform in Gippsland underscores how the region is now at the intersection of national debates about women’s health, public accountability, and community standards -debates made even more urgent by ongoing legal scrutiny of clinical care.
Melbourne law firm Arnold Thomas &Becker is investigating potentiallyunwarranted surgeries performed by gynaecologistDrSimonGordon, which may have affected hundreds of women.
Thefirmisconsidering takingthingsasfar as aclass action, seeing as there are up to 13,000 women affected by the malpractice.
Theinvestigation highlights the very real consequences of inadequate oversight and theimportance of both clinical and community accountability, reinforcing why the opening of the Morwell clinic and wider awareness in Gippsland are so critical.
by
March 23 -March 29, 2026
link up in your solitude spirituality and dreaming zones on Wednesday So it’s important to find some ‘me time in your busy week, where you can meditate, contemplate, pray or chant, as you relax and wind down in a way that suits you And its also a good time to write your dreams down on your phone computer or in your diary As birthday great feminist and activist Gloria Steinem observes: “Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning ”
Dynamic Mars and Mercury (your ruling planet) are both charging through your career zone so its time to be more proactive and communicative at work If there’s a problem come up with a solution If a colleague is being difficult, get talking Plus - with the Sun and Saturn activating your friendship and peer group zones - strive to be more strategic about the company you keep Perhaps its time to give a fake friend or a meddling acquaintance the flick?
Roll up your sleeves because the Sun and Saturn pair up in your professional zone, so there’s important and challenging work to be done! With Mercury and Mars both transiting through your aspirations zone, its also a suitable time for dreaming setting ambitious goals researching and planning Be inspired by birthday great writer feminist and activist Gloria Steinem: “Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities ”
This week the Sun (your power planet) links up with Saturn and Pluto so try to get the balance right between the status quo and change, between stability and transformationespecially involving relationships (of the romantic platonic and business variety) plus personal beliefs You could also make an important decision concerning publishing, teaching, a new course of study or an overseas trip The weekend is wonderful for travelling and socialising
Expect a rather complicated week Virgo as Mercury and Mars visit your relationship zone and Saturn links up with the Sun in your money/intimacy zone So, aim to be super patient with your partner, extra kind to your family, oh-so cooperative with your work colleagues and uber disciplined with deadlines And try to keep spending to an absolute minimum as you curb shopaholic tendencies stick to a strict weekly budget, and put any extra cash into savings
On Wednesday the Sun and Saturn pair up in your partnership zone So aim to get the balance right between personal needs and relationship responsibilities, between individual projects and joint ventures You could also find yourself having deep conversations with a close friend, or a new acquaintance could dazzle you with their magnetic personality The weekend favours passionate feelings and/ or making a serious, long-term commitment
Wednesdays powerful Sun/Saturn conjunction is good for reorganising your daily schedule sorting out overdue paperwork, planning a new diet and/or restructuring your exercise program A combination of enthusiasm and discipline will take you far Mercury and Mars are both activating your creativity zone, which encourages you to be proactive about expressing yourself as you perform sing dance draw write publish paint or play a musical instrument
This weeks stars highlight romance entertainment friendships family children creative pursuits and DIY projects With your sparky Sagittarian mojo and momentum running on high, you’re ready to rock and roll and get things done! But the planets caution you to slow down You need to take your foot out of your mouth and communicate with more care and consideration especially in matters involving relationships (of the romantic, platonic and domestic variety)
On Wednesday, the Sun and Saturn (your patron planet) hook up in your home zone, so extra domestic chores and/or family responsibilities could add to your already overloaded schedule Calm down and pace yourself, Capricorn Then the fabulous Saturn/Pluto link could send a financial opportunity your way or someone could say something that boosts your confidence and buoys your self-esteem The weekend favours DIY projects and family get-togethers
The Sun and Saturn link up with Pluto (in your sign) which boosts personal magnetism, professional influence, communication and education opportunities Its also a good week to explore your neighbourhood and introduce yourself to some new members of your local community Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, feminist and activist Gloria Steinem (who was born on March 25, 1934): “A good friendship is a conversation that never ends
Mercury and Mars are both transiting through your sign, so its time to think creatively and respond proactively As birthday great Lady Gaga observes: Creativity is my favourite thing about life ” When it comes to money matters, the Sun/Saturn conjunction urges you to think conservatively and plan for the long term So spontaneous spending sprees are (temporarily) off the menu The weekend favours doing something special that makes your heart sing
COPYR GHT Joanne Madel ne Moore 2026
THEREare two possible explanations for the origin of Murray Road, Newborough.
Andy Ringin in his book on street names states that Murray Rd was named after Reginald Augustus Frederick Murray, (1846-1925), the Victorian governmentgeologistand surveyor who came to prominence in the late 1800s.
There is an extensive article in the Australian DictionaryofBiography givingdetails of his career. It states that, "… from 1873 his main attention was devoted to extensive reconnaissance surveys of the rugged country of eastern and south-eastern Victoria".
The connection locally is through his grandson, Jim Balfour, Narracan Shire Councillor (19461957) and MLA for the Morwell electorate (elected 1955) and then the Narracan electorate (1967), until retiring in 1982.
The biography statesthat Reginaldspent his "later years in seclusion at Willow Grove on the Tanjil River in Gippsland"wherehis descendants still farm.
However, another possible explanation has also been given.
CharlieWhite was born in 1935 in Morwell.
He is the son of Harry White who came out from England in 1928 and eventuallyended up as the head engineer coal supply maintenance at the Yallourn worksfor the State Electricity Commission.
Through an inheritance, he was able to purchase land in Newborough in 1929 which Charlie said covered the entire area from Monash Rd to Torres Track to the railway line.
Being agood Christian man and of aphilanthropic nature,Charlie’s father offeredsix-acre blocks to poor local families suffering during the depression on anodeposit-no interest arrangement for the same pricehehad paid for it, provided they could pay one shilling aweek repayments.
He believed afamilycould utilise thelandto grow fruit and vegetables to support themselves.
Over time, he was to sell other blocks of land as well as contract for the building of some houses he then sold.
He put in two streets -MurrayRdwhich Charlie said wasnamed afterCharlie’s greatuncle Murray
Mystery: Morwell manHarry White(pictured with wifeMary) is thoughttohavenamed Murray Road,Newborough. Photograph
Who knew: Moefootballer Jacob Balfour Murray Road,Newborough is believedtobe named afterhis great, great, great grandfather Reginald Augustus FrederickMurray. Photograph: Julie Sim
Watt, professor of Engineering at Armstrong College, Durham Universityand Durham Rd (named after the county from whichhecame); bothathis own expense. HarryWhite also donated the land where the Newborough hall is located. So there are two possibleexplanations. Just which is the correct one we don’t know. Information and photograph supplied by the Moe &
VICTORIA'S dedicatedvolunteers and the organisations they power deserve to be recognised. The state government is calling for nominations to recognise the outstandingpeopleand groups making adifference in their community.
Nominations are officially open for the 2026 Victorian Volunteering Awards. The awards celebrate excellence across eight categories, including:
Young Volunteer Award;
Volunteer Commitment Award; Volunteer Leadership Award;
Volunteer Impact Award; Inclusive Volunteering Award; Volunteering Innovation Awards; Volunteering Partnerships Award, and; Grassroots Volunteering Award.
The Volunteer of the Year, selected from the individual categories,will receive the Dame ElisabethMurdoch Award and a$10,000 donation to anot-for-profit of their choice. Nominations closeonWednesday,May 27, 2026. For more information or to nominate, visit: volunteeringvictoria.org.au/awards
50 years ago
The Express, March 36, 1976
On thebounce
TWO Americans teaching at Traralgon Technical School are attempting to break the world trampolining record -toraise money for the Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal. Marshall Mullnix,aphysical education teacher, and KevinHoward, socialstudies, will try to bounce for 72 hours. They are currently practicing 10 hoursaday.The attempt will be made between 11am on April 2and 11am on April 4. The teachers are members of theRoyal Exchange Cork Club, which last year raised $7449.49 for the appeal. The old record of 63.5 hours was broken recently in Sydney and stands at 71 hours. The pairwill have afive-minute break every hour. Other than that, they will keep on bouncing.
30 years ago
The Express, March 25, 1996 Action neededonpetrol prices
LABOR MLA for Morwell, Keith Hamilton,
says it stimefor coun yp guarantee from the Coalition that it will act on petrol prices. "Despite all thehoopla about country petrol prices in the recent federal election, things are very quiet at this time," Mr Hamilton said."Iamastoundedthat this Liberal-National Government appears to have gone to ground on its supporters in countryVictoria. "It'snot good enough for the Kennett Government to ignore country people on the most commoncause of complaint." Mr Hamilton said that despite claims about getting anational approach, "it is very clear that only state governments have power to control prices".
10 years ago,
The Express, March 24, 2016
Traralgon pair arrested DETECTIVEShave arrested a26-year-old man and 30-year old woman from Traralgon followingthe discovery of abody in adisused mine in Whroo, in the state's north,on12 March, according to Police. Detectives identified the body to be a56-year-old Mooroopna man, following an appeal for information from the public.
ABC
Seven, Sunday, 8.45pm
Friday, 8
Former criminal rec
Patience Evans (Ella pictured) proved he to the York police in of this British crime
helping detective Metcalf (Laura Frase with a fresh perspec on complicated cas But as season two begins we learn tha Metcalf moved to Glasgow without warning and has been replaced by DI Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes Spaced) The abrasive and stern Monroe views Patience who is autistic as a liability and isn t shy about expressing it When famous photograph is found dead at his exhibition Patience intrigued by the vam like crime scene bu sent away by Monro Will her brilliance im the new detective?
Wednesday,March 25
6.25 HardQuiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABCNews.
7.30 7.30
8.00 TonightAtThe Museum (PGs)HostedbyAlexLee
8.30 TheWeekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGs)Asatirical news program.
9.00 Can YouKeep ASecret? (Ml, R) William struggleswith his confinement
9.30 Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala Hosted by Denise Scott
11.30 PlanetAmerica. (R) 12.00 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv,R) 12.50 Long Lost Family (PG, R) 1.35 Parliament Question Time. 2.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 ABite To EatWith Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30.(R)
Millie Magnificent 5.35 Fireman Sam. 5.45 KangarooBeach. 5.55 Octonauts 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Flower AndFlour 6.35 BigLizard. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 BenAnd Holly 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun TheSheep 7.35 Ninjago 8.00 Deadly 60 8.30 BTN Newsbreak. 8.35 StevenUniverse. 8.55 Adventure Time.
As the small screen’s premier talent show judge, SimonCowell (pictured) is atough man to impress. With decades of experience across Idol TheXFactorand this novelty franchise,you could safely say the grumpyBrit has seenitall:fromdancing dogs to mediocre magicians to over-the-top operasingers. However,asthe auditions forthis19thseason of BGThead to Blackpool on Sunday,one act leaves Cowell astounded. Versatile voice-overartistEmilyCass mimics popular ads from TV andradio,yet Cowell doesn’trecognise asingle one. It’s ahumbling experience that bringsthe entertainment tycoon, worth an estimated A$900 million, right back down to Earth.
THE OUTLAWS
Nine, Tuesday, 9pm
ABCEntertains, Monday, 8.30pm
In this comedy-thriller series from Stephen Merchant,seven strangers from all walks of lifeare court-ordered to work on the renovation of acommunity centreinBristol. Their disdain forthe menialphysical labour quicklygrows into aresentment foreachother,but their collectiveluckchangeswhenabag of cash falls from aloose ceiling tile.Mostfolks would reasonablyassume that moneywas tied to criminal activities, but this crew havenoclue that the lootthey’ve claimedisthe property of dangerous drug dealers. Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson, BabyReindeerbreakout star JessicaGunning and Hollywood icon Christopher Walken (pictured) round out the cast
This juicy Texan drama kicks up agear as suburban gossip gives wayto high-stakes detectivework.After Sophie (Brittany Snow) realises she’s being framed formurder,the increasinglystressed outsider tries to get Kyle (Michael Aaron Milligan) to spill the beans about his estranged sister’s past. Meanwhile, as Jed’sgubernatorial campaign heatsup and long-held secrets threaten herchances of being the state’sFirst Lady,Margo (Malin Akerman,pictured) goestoextreme lengths to secureher privacy.With both women willingtodowhatever it takes to survive, it’sclear that this scandalous series is setting the stage foranunforgettable showdown in its final chapters.
Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 TheMorning Show (PG) 12.00 Seven’sNational News At Noon. 1.00 SevenNewsWith AlexCullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas,R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 TheChase. 4.00 SevenNewsAt4 5.00 TheChaseAustralia. 6.00 Today 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At FirstSight (Mls, R) 1.30 ExploreTV. (R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point (PG) 4.00 9NewsAfternoon 4.30[VIC]TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30[VIC]WINNews.
6.00 SevenNews.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Sandi Toksvig’sGreatRiviera RailTrip: Nice To Cap-Ferrat. Sandi Toksvigexplores the Riviera’sheart in Nice.
8.25 Mysteries Of Loch Ness. (PG, R) Alook at the Loch Ness Monster legend.
9.20 Prisoner951 (M) Nazanin makes the ultimate sacrifice.
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Face To Face. (Mal) 11.55 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (MA15+sv) 2.35 Charles I: To Kill AKing. (PG, R) 3.40 Food, Sail, Love.(R) 4.15 Bamay.(R) 5.00 NHK World EnglishNews Morning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight.
7.00 Home AndAway. (PGa)
7.30 The1%Club UK. (PG,R) Hosted by LeeMack.
8.30 TheFront Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloyand Andy Maher takea lighter look at all things AFL.
9.30 Unfiltered (PG) Hosted by Hamish McLachlan.
10.00 TheAgenda Setters. (R) An expert panel tacklesthe biggest AFL topics.
11.00 No Holds Barred: GWSGiants. (Mal)
12.00 TheAct (MA15+ans, R) 1.20 Travel Oz. (PG, R) 2.00 Home Shopping (R) 4.00 NBCToday 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 9News.
7.00 ACurrentAffair
7.30 MarriedAtFirstSight. (Mls) The second-lastdinnerparty takesplace
9.00 TheGirlFrom Plainville. (MA15+al) Inspired by thetrue story of Michelle Carter. 10.00 9News Late
10.30 TheKiller Interview With PiersMorgan. (Malv,R)
11.30 Next Stop (R)
12.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.00 Hello SA (PG) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop.(R) 3.00 Home Shopping. 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo.(R) 4.30 ACurrent Affair. (R) 5.00
6.00 TheChaperone (2018,PGals,R) 8.00
(2023,Finnish) 9.30
Of
(2017,Masv, R) 11.40 TheLawnmowerMan. (1992,Mlsv) 2.15am TheSon. (2022, Mal) 4.25 TheMovie Show. 5.00 The Bookshop.(2017,PGal)
ABC (2) SBS (3)
6am Mor ning Programs. 10.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) 10.30 The Weekly.(Ml,R) 11.00 Creative Types. (R) 11.30 Can YouKeepASecret? (M, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Frauds. (Mls, R) 2.00 Parliament. 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 4.00 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family.(R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(R)
the Riverina in NSW
8.30 Creative TypesWithVirginia Trioli: Nazeem Hussain. (PG) Virginia Trioli meets with Nazeem Hussain. 9.00 The Piano. (R) Presented by Guy Sebastian and Andrea Lam.
9.50 The Matter Of Facts: How Big Tech Is Making Fools Of Us. (PG, R) 10.40 ABC Late News.
10.55 The Business. (R)
11.10 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (M, R) 11.55 Long Lost Family.(R) 12.40 Parliament Question Time. 1.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 ABite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Childrens Programs. 6.05pm PJ Masks. 6.20 Bluey 6.25 Flower And Flour 6.35 Big Lizard. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Ben And Holly 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.30 BTN Newsbreak. 8.35 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.20 Ultimate Vets 9.40 Animal Park. 11.10 Late Programs.
6am Mor ning Programs. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 1945: The Year That Changed History.(PGav,R) 3.05 Going Places. (R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour.(R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGav,R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Mor ning Show (PG) 12.00 SevensNational News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Catch Phrase. (PG, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies:
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 TreasuresWith Bettany Hughes: Uzbekistan The Golden Road. Bettany Hughes explores Uzbekistanshistory
8.30 Our Medicine. (PGa, R) George and Rob help astroke patient.
9.40 ASpy AmongFriends. (Final, MA15+) Old loyalties aretested and hardtruths surface.
10.45 SBS World News Late.
11.15 In Memoriam. (Madls) 12.10 Blackwater.(MA15+as, R) 2.25 Silent Road. (Mav,R) 4.15 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour: Japan Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Mor ning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am WorldWatch. 11.00 The Movie Show 12.10pm WorldWatch 12.40 Alone. 1.55 Fashionista. 2.05 Insight. 3.05 News. 3.10 WorldWatch. 5.10 Alone Denmark. 6.20 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.10 Jeopardy! 7.40 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.30 United Gangs Of America. 10.20 The UnXplained. 11.10 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Football. AFL. Round 3. Geelong vAdelaide. From GMHBA Stadium, Victoria.
10.30 AFL Post-Game Show
Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at all the action from the match.
11.00 Kick Ons. Kane Cor nes, Josh Jenkins and Jason Richardson debate the hottest topics and preview the upcoming AFL matches.
11.30 To Be Advised.
12.40 Damnation. (MA15+asv,R)
Atraveling car nival comes to Holden.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs.
5.00 Sunrise Early News. The latest news, sport and weather 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (72, 62)
6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Inside The Huddle. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Unstaged: Midsumma. 5.30 Going Places. 6.00 Bamay 6.30 News. 6.40 Guardians Of The Wild. 7.29 NITV Weather 7.30 Going Places. 8.30 Bones Of Crows. 9.20 MOVIE: Unforgiven. (1992, M) 11.40 Late Programs. NITV (34) 6am Morning Programs. 1pm Escape To The Country 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Air Crash Inv 3.30 HarrysPractice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Home And Away 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley
6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm The Lawnmower Man. (1992, Mlsv) 2.40 The Red Turtle. (2016, PGa, No dialogue) 4.10 Storm Boy.(1976, PGa) 5.45 Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael. (1990, PGalnsv) 7.30 Silver Linings Playbook. (2012, Malnsv) 9.45 The Peacemaker.(1997, MA15+av) Midnight Late Programs.
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
(7,6)
6.00 9News. 7.00 ACurrent Affair
7.30 RBT (Mdl, R) Follows the activities of police units.
8.30 Emergency (Mm, R) Dr Scott Taylor and Dr Jonathan Papson attend apregnant woman who was badly
9.30 A+E Crash Scene Emergency (Mahlv,R)Stafftreatsa76-year-old who suffered acatastrophic heartattack at the wheel.
10.30 The Equalizer (Mav)
11.20 9News
9GEM (92,81)
(9,8) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Compass. (PG, R) 10.30 StuffThe British Stole. (PG, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow.(R) 12.00 News. 1.00 The Piano. (R) 1.45 Can YouKeep ASecret? (Ml, R) 2.15 The Assembly.(PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 4.00 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family.(R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(R)
6am Mor ning Programs. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 Windsor Castle Fire: The Untold Story.(PGa, R) 3.00 Nula. 3.30 Plat Du Tour.(R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) Presented by MarcFennell.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Going Places With Er nie Dingo. (PG) Brooke Blurton meets the marine life of the Dampier archipelago.
Hosted by Alex Lee. 9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGs, R) 10.20 Shaun Micallef s Eve Of Destruction. (PG, R)
ABC Late News.
Melbour ne Comedy Festival Gala. (R)
1.15 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGa, R) 2.00 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)
8.30 Titanic In Colour (R) Charts the history of the White Star LinesRMS Titanic through colour images.
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Sisi. (Ma)
11.50 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+a, R)
1.40 El Immortal: Gangs Of Madrid. (MA15+v,R)
3.30 Food, Sail, Love. (PG, R) 4.05 Bamay.(R) 4.55 Destination Flavour: SingaporeBitesize. (R) 5.00 NHKWorld English News Mor ning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The WorldTonight.
(31) 6am Childrens Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior 7.20 Bluey 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 ScoobyDoo And Guess Who? 8.25 BTN Newsbreak. 8.30 My Adventures With Superman. 8.50 BattleBots. 9.40 Gladiators UK. 10.40 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Fallen Leaves. (2023, Finnish) 11.30 That Good Night. (2017, Ma) 1.10pm The Fence. (2022, Mdlv) 2.50 The Movie Show 3.25 Princess Caraboo. (1994, PGa) 5.10 Fried Green Tomatoes. (1991, PGalsvw)
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Mor ning Show.(PG) 12.00 SevensNational News At Noon. 1.00 MOVIE: Secret Diary Of A Cheerleader (2023, Madv,R) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 AFL: Friday Night Countdown. Alead-up to the Friday night AFL match.
7.30 Football. AFL. Round 3. Collingwood vGWS Giants. From Marvel Stadium, Melbour ne.
10.30 AFL Post-Game Show Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at all the action from the match.
11.15 GetOn Extra. Alook at the weekendsbestracing.
11.45 To Be Advised.
12.55 Damnation. (MA15+asv,R)Seth and Lew aregiven an opportunity
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
5.00 NBC Today
6.00 9News.
7.00 ACurrent Affair
7.30 Airport Security: USA. express delivery items.
8.30 MOVIE: The Blind Side. (2009, PGdlv,R)Ahomeless teenager realises his dream of becoming agridiron player,thanks to the aid of akind family.Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw,Quinton Aaron.
11.10 MOVIE: Fall. (2022, Malv,R) Grace Caroline Currey
1.00 Next Stop.
1.30 TV
(10, 5)
ABC (2) SBS (3)
6.00 Rage Charts. (PG) 7.00 Weekend Breakfast. 9.00 Rage. (PG) 10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer.(PG) 12.00 Football. VFL. Round 2. Sandringham v Werribee. 3.10 Extraordinary Escapes. (Final, PG, R) 4.10 The Matter Of Facts. (PG, R) 5.00 Australian Story (R) 5.30 Landline. (R)
6.00 Kath &Kim. (PGals, R) Kaths big day is beset by hitches.
6.30 HardQuiz. (PG, R) Presented by TomGleeson.
7.00 ABC News. Alook at the top stories of the day
7.30 Blue Murder Motel. (PG) Twolocals arepoisoned by their own dinner
8.15 TopEnd Bub. (M) Tayas birthday tur ns to chaos with the arrival of Nedshigh-maintenance mother.Lauren secretly discovers who Tayasfather is.
8.40 Death In Paradise. (PG, R) Neville and the team investigate adeath and discover ahiddenworld of data mining, crypto and murder
9.40 Frauds. (M, R) Bert reveals her master plan. 10.30 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Childrens Programs. 6.05pm Knee High Spies. 6.20 Bluey 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Supertato. 6.55 Piripenguins. 7.05 Lets Go Bananas! 7.20 Bluey 7.30 Kids Baking Cship. 8.10 Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking. 8.55 Chopped Junior 9.35 Mr Bean: The Animated Series. 10.00 Fresh OffThe Boat. 10.40 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. 1.50pm Guardians Of The Wild. 2.40 Over The Black Dot. 3.10 Soh Presents: Generations And Dynasties. 4.35 Off Country 5.05 Rebel With ACause. 6.00 Homesteads. 6.30 News. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.35 MOVIE: The Fifth Element. (1997, PG) 10.50 Late Programs.
6am Mor ning Programs. 10.55 Peter AndresGreek Odyssey 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.Milan-San Remo. MensRace. Highlights. 3.00 Stories From The Cities. (PG) 3.30 Going Places. (R) 4.30 Gestapo: HitlersSecretPolice. (PGavw, R) 5.35 Orphans Of WW2. (PGaw)
6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Jewels Of The Mediterranean: Majorca Pt 3. (PG) Joanna Lumley narrates atravelogue of Majorca. 8.25 Homebodies. (Premiere) After aman retur ns home to look after his estranged mother,hediscovers her unusual housemate.
9.25 MOVIE: The Hostages Story (2025, Mal) Documents the human cost of state hostage taking, including interviews with Australian Kylie Moore-Gilbert. Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, RichardRatcliffe. 11.05 Snowpiercer. (MA15+v,R)
1.45 El Immortal: Gangs Of Madrid. (MA15+v,R)
3.30 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.05 Bamay (R) 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6.00 NBC Today 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Mor ning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Family Stakes Day and Australian Cup Day 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: Australias Front Line. (PG, R)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Athletics. Maurie Plant Meet. From Lakeside Stadium, Melbour ne.
9.30 MOVIE: Men In Black: Inter national. (2019, Mv,R)After aprobationary member of the MiB, an organisation that monitors and polices aliens on Earth, teams up with afellowagent, they uncover asinister plot that reveals atraitor is aiding an invasion. Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson.
11.45 To Be Advised.
1.00 Devils. (MA15+av,R)Dominic
wife Nina, who has disappeared. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Tales Of Aluna. (R) Agroup of people lands on amagical island. 5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted by Simon Reeve.
6.00 Getaway.(PG, R) 6.30 ACA. (R)
7.00 Weekend Today 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday.(PG) 12.00 Open For Inspection. 12.30 Drive TV:What Drives Us. 1.00 My
6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 ACurrent Affair
6.30 The DogHouse. (R) Aman 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. The competition is on, with and Andrew anew home. 9.30 Gogglebox Australia. (R) Adiverse range of people open their living roomstoreveal their reactions to popular andtopical TV shows, withthe help of special, locked-offcameras which capture every unpredictable moment. 10.30 Elsbeth. (Mv, R) A90s supermodel retur nstoNew York for revenge. 11.30 Law &Order: SVU. (Mv,R) The unit searches for an assailant. 12.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power 6am
WorldWatch. 10.30 The Movie Show 12.15pm Hoarders. 1.55 News. 2.00 WorldWatch. 4.00 The Story Of. 4.25 Fashionista. 4.35 The Future. 5.05 Mastermind Aust. 6.10 The Food That Built The World. 7.00 Motorcycle Racing. Aust Superbike Cship. 10.00 Abandoned Americana. 10.55 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Princess Caraboo. (1994, PGa) 7.35 Fried Green Tomatoes. (1991, PGalsvw) 9.55 Discovering Film. 10.40 Paradise Road. (1997, Mv) 12.45pm Silver Linings Playbook. (2012, Malnsv) 3.00 Another MothersSon. (2017, PGalsv) 4.55 The Final Countdown. (1980, PGalv) 6.50 Enchanted Kingdom. 8.30 Moonfall. (2022, Malv) 10.55 Late Programs.
7TWO (72, 62)
6am Morning
Programs. 1.30pm Better Homes. 2.30
Medical Emergency 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 The YorkshireVet. 5.00 Horse Racing. Family Stakes Day and Aust Cup Day 6.00 Luxury Escapes: WorldsBest Holidays. 6.30 Dog Patrol. 7.00 Better Homes. 8.00 Lewis. 10.00 Escape To The Country 11.00 Late Programs.
6am Mor ning
Programs. 1pm Blokesworld. 1.30 My Road To Adv 2.00 Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers. 3.00 Night Thunder.Aust Nationals. 4.00 Frozen Gold. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Pawn Stars. 7.00 Storage Wars. 7.30 MOVIE: The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor.(2008, M) 9.45 MOVIE: Backdraft. (1991,
7.30 Space Invaders. (PGa) The team helps Margdeclutter herhome. 8.30 MOVIE: Meg 2: The Trench. (2023, Mav) An exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean of adaring research team spirals into chaos. Jason Statham, Jing Wu,Shuya Sophia Cai.
10.50 MOVIE: Into The Blue 2: The Reef. (2009, MA15+sv,R) Chris Carmack.
12.35 Epic Builds. (R) 1.30 Open For Inspection. (R) 2.00 The Incredible Jour ney Presents. (PGa) 2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)
9GEM (92,81)
6am Morning
Programs. 10.30 Explore. 10.40 My Favorite Martian. 11.10 Edgar Wallace Mysteries. 12.30pm Avengers. 1.30 MOVIE: The Gentle Gunman. (1952) 3.20 MOVIE: The Heart Of The Matter.(1953, PG) 5.30 MOVIE: Saturday Island. (1952, PG) 7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.40 MOVIE: Cheaper By The Dozen. (2003) 10.40 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 2.40pm MOVIE: FishermansFriends 2: One And All. (2023, PG) 4.50 Young Sheldon. 5.20 MOVIE: DC League Of Super-Pets. (2022, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Fantastic Beasts And WhereToFind Them. (2016, M) 10.10 MOVIE: Chaos Walking. (2021, M) 12.10am Prodigal Son. 1.55 MOVIE: Radio Man. (2023, M) 4.10 Late Programs.
Sunday,March 29
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
SEVEN (7,6)
NINE (9,8) 6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 Wknd Brekky 9.00 Insiders. 10.00 Offsiders. 10.30 World This Week.(R) 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.30 The Piano. (R) 3.30 Inside The Sydney Opera House. (R) 4.30 Creative Types. (PG, R) 5.00 Back Roads. (R) 5.30 Fake Or Fortune? (Retur n)
to catch ablackmailer
8.50 Frauds. (Mlv) Trouble from home catches up with Bilal.
9.35 Blue Murder Motel. (PGa, R) Twolocals arepoisoned by their own dinner
10.25 TopEnd Bub. (Ml, R)
10.45 MOVIE: Sweetie. (1989, MA15+l, R)
12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.30 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.30 ABite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.00 Insiders. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Valley Of The Kings: Secret Tombs. Archaeologists look at the burial complex of Pharaoh Ramses III. 9.20 Leonardo Da Vinci: PainterGod Pt 1. (Ma, R) Looks at Da Vincis time as amilitary engineer
10.20 Lost Treasures Of Egypt: Rise Of The Mummies. (PGav,R)
11.15 Cycling. UCI World Tour.In Flanders Fields FromMiddelkerke to Wevelgem. Mensrace. 1.20 Cycling. UCI World Tour.In Flanders Fields FromMiddelkerke to Wevelgem. Womensrace. From Belgium. 3.30 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley.(R) 4.30 Bamay.(R) 5.00 NHK World English News Mor ning. 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 PBS News Horizons.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Childrens Programs. 5.55pm Octonauts. 6.05 Knee High Spies. 6.20 Bluey 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.45 Supertato. 6.55 Piripenguins. 7.05 LetsGoBananas! 7.20 Bluey 7.30 The Inbestigators. 8.00 Foxes: Their Secret World. 8.45 Amazing Animal Friends. 9.35 Fresh OffThe Boat. 10.15 Merlin. 11.00 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie. 8.45 BritainsGot Talent. (PG) Auditions continue as weird, wacky and wonderful acts compete in front of celebrity judges.
10.00 King Con: Life And Crimes Of Hamish McLaren. (Mal, R) Alook at conman Hamish McLaren.
12.00 AFriend Of The Family (MA15+a, R)
1.10 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6am Morning Programs. 1pm Luxury Escapes: Worlds Best Holidays. 1.30 Business Builders. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Medical Emergency 3.15 The YorkshireVet. 4.15 AustraliasBig Backyards. 5.15
TEN (10, 5)
6am Mor ning Programs. 12.30 PBS Washington Week 12.55 ThePoint: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 1.00 Motorcycle Racing. Australian Superbike Championship. Round 2. Replay 4.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour Milan-San Remo. Womensrace. Highlights. 5.00 Going Places. (R) 5.30 Orphans Of WW2. (PGa) 6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Mor ning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Sunday Footy Feast. 2.30 AFL Pre-Game Show Pre-game coverage of the match. 3.00 Football. AFL. Round 3. Carlton vMelbour ne 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 AFL Sunday Footy Show.(PG) 12.00 Wide World Of Sports. (PG) 1.00 Drive TV:Drive Car Of The Year 1.30 One Tank Holiday.(Premiere) 2.00 Space Invaders. (PGa, R) 3.00 Take Me Home. (PG, R) 4.00 David Attenboroughs Dynasties
6.00 9News Sunday. 7.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls)
8.40 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians. 9.40 9News Late.
10.10 My Wife, My Killer And The Secret Footage. (MA15+assv) Awoman orchestrates her husbandsmurder.
11.10 The First 48. (MA15+a, R) 12.00 AKiller Makes A Call. (MA15+av,R)
1.00 Drive TV:Drive Car Of The Year.(R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 The Garden Gurus. (R) 5.00 TodayEarly News. 5.30 Today.
6.30 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 7.00 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) The tribe continues to target the retur nees. 8.30 NCIS: Sydney (Mv) The team heads to the TopEnd to investigate aUS-Australian training exercise that has appeared to tur ndeadly 9.30 Law &Order: SVU. (Mas) Aman claims his girlfriend hasbeen kidnapped. Tynancomes down hard on Benson after adisagreement.
NCIS: Origins. (Mav,R) Christmas without his family 11.30 10 News+. (R) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R) 6am Morning Programs 1.55pm Jeopardy! 4.00 WorldWatch. 4.55 PBS News Compass Points. 5.25 Smoke AndSteel: SecretsOf The ModernWorld. 6.20 The ArchitectureThe RailwaysBuilt. 7.15 AbandonedEngineering. 8.15 Myths: The Greatest Mysteries Of Humanity 9.20 Cycling. UCI WorldTour. Volta aCatalunya 11.20 Late Programs
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 1pm Motor Racing. Dakar Rally.Stage 5. Highlights. 2.00 Dreaming Big. 2.30 Buffalo Legends. 3.30 Anthem Sessions Interstitials. 3.40 Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90. 6.30 News. 6.40 Wild, Smart And Deadly 7.30 Our Medicine. 8.30 Saints And Warriors. 10.25 MOVIE: He Got Game. (1998) 12.55am Late Programs. NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. 8.50 Enchanted Kingdom. 10.30 The Heartbreak Kid. (1993, Mls) 12.20pm The Hummingbird. (2022, Mal, Italian) 2.40 Mia And The White Lion. (2018, PGal) 4.25 The Assassin. (2015, PGv,Mandarin) 6.25 Merchant Ivory 8.30 A Room With AView.(1985, Mnv) 10.40 Late Programs.
ABC (2) SBS (3)
6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Blue Murder Motel. (PGa, R) 11.00 TopEnd Bub. (Ml, R) 11.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Landline. (R) 2.00 Parliament Question Time. 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family.(R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(R)
Australian Story Australians tell personal stories.
8.35 Four Corners. Investigative journalism program.
9.20 Media Watch. (PG) Presented by Linton Besser
9.35 Planet America. Alook at American politics.
10.10 Foreign Correspondent. (R)
10.40 ABC Late News.
10.55 The Business. (R)
11.10 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGs, R) 11.40 Murdoch Mysteries. (Ma, R) 12.30 Long Lost Family.(R) 1.15 Parliament Question Time. 2.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.40 Ragdoll. (MA15+av,R) 5.00 ABiteTo Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Childrens Programs. 10.15 TBA. 10.25 Childrens Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Crystalized. 7.50 Ninjago. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Gladiators UK. 9.45 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.25 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. 3pm Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Unstaged: Spinifex Gum. 5.30 The 77 Percent. 6.00 Bamay 6.30 News. 6.40 Guardians Of The Wild. 7.30 Who Do YouThink YouAre? 8.30 Karla Grant Presents. 9.35 MOVIE: One Flew Over The CuckoosNest. (1975, MA15+) 11.55 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 12.10 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News Compass Points. 1.30 Al Jazeera News Hour 2.00 The Great House Revival. (R) 3.00 Going Places. (PG, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour.(R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGa,
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Inside The Tower Of London. (PG) Thousands of fragile VE Day poppies arrive at the Tower
8.30 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) Game show, featuring Jon Richardson, Babatunde Aleshe, Rob Brydon and Katherine Parkinson tackling awords and numbers quiz.
9.25 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M) Hosted by Greg Davies. 10.05 SBS World News Late. 10.35 Other PeoplesMoney. (Ml) 11.30 Gomorrah. (MA15+v,R)
2.30 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley.(PG, R) 4.00 Bamay.(R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am Morning
Programs. 1.40pm Inside The Huddle. 2.10 Over The Black Dot. 2.40 Stories From The Cities. 3.10 WorldWatch. 4.05 PBS News Compass Points. 4.35 WorldWatch. 5.05 Alone Denmark. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.30 News. 7.35 8Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Holy Marvels. 9.20 Greatest Escapes. 10.10 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 12.25pm Gloria Bell. (2018, Mdlns) 2.15 The Final Countdown. (1980, PGalv) 4.10 Under The Cover Of Cloud. (2018, PGals) 5.50 Five Flights Up. (2014, PGal) 7.30 Fathers And Mothers. (2022, Mdlns, Danish, Icelandic) 9.25 How To Make AKilling. (2024, MA15+v French) 11.30 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away (PGa)Brax
7.30 Australian Idol. (PG) Hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.
8.40 9-1-1. (Mav) Hen continues to seek out adiagnosis for her mysterious symptoms.
9.40 The Agenda Setters. (R) Ateam of trusted and respected footy voices tackles the biggest topics in the AFL world.
10.40 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. (R)
11.40 Autopsy USA: Frank Sinatra. (Ma, R) 12.40 Conviction. (MA15+av,R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 9News. 7.00 ACurrent Affair
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) (Ml) Ateam of footy experts tackles the AFLs big issues and controversies. 10.00 9News Late. 10.30 100% Footy (Mal) Features the latest rugby league news. 11.30 Outback Opal Hunters. (PGl) 12.30 Sight Unseen. (Mav) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
9GEM (92,81)
6.30
7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.40 To Be Advised. 10.40 Late Programs.
7TWO (72, 62) 6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Nanny 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Terminator (1984, M) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 1.35 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City 2.30 MOVIE: The Aegean. (2024, M) 4.30 BarneysWorld. 4.50 Lego Dreamzzz. 5.10 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers. 2.30 Boating. Circuit Boat Drivers Cship. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 Aussie Gold Hunters. 9.30
Tuesday,March 31
ABC TV (2) SBS (3) SEVEN (7,6) TEN (10, 5) NINE (9,8) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Australian Story.(R) 10.30 Planet America. (R) 11.05 The Matter Of Facts. (PG, R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (PGv,R) 2.00 Parliament Question Time. 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv,R) 4.45 Long Lost Family.(R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(R)
6.30 HardQuiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Foreign Correspondent.
8.30 The Matter Of Facts: Disinformation Versus Democracy (PG) The team investigates how democracy is weakened. 9.20 Creative TypesWithVirginia Trioli: Nazeem Hussain. (PG, R) 9.50 Compass. (PG, R) 10.35 ABC Late News. 10.50 The Business. (R) 11.05 Four Corners. (R) 11.50 Media Watch. (PG, R) 12.10 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mav,R) 12.55 Long Lost Family.(R) 1.40 Parliament Question Time. 2.40 Ragdoll. (MA15+v, R) 5.00 ABite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Morning Programs. 10.55 DNA Journey.(PG) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Great House Revival. (R) 3.00 Trail Towns. (PG, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour.(R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show.(PG) 12.00 SevensNational News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys. (R) 8.30 Insight. Kumi Taguchi explores sibling relationships. 9.30 Dateline: Glasgow NoVacancy 10.00 Rock Legends. (PGa) 10.30 SBS WorldNewsLate. 11.00 Exit. (Return, MA15+adlnsv) 11.55 Wolf. (Madlv,R) 2.10 Reset. (Mn, R) 3.05 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley.(PG, R) 4.05 Bamay.(R) 4.45 Destination Flavour: Japan Bitesize. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Childrens Programs. 10.15 TBA. 10.25 Childrens Programs. 7pm Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 YoungSheldon. 8.45 The Slow Mo Guys Big Adventures. 9.10 MythBusters TheresYour Problem!. 9.35 BattleBots. 10.20 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm Tradition On APlate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.25 Dance Ceremony 5.30 Indian Country Today News. 6.00 Bamay 6.30 News. 6.40 Ocean Parks. 7.30 Faboriginal. 8.00 House Of Blak: Miss First Nation. (Final) 8.30 MOVIE: WaitingToExhale. (1995) 10.40 Late Programs.
6am WorldWatch. 10.30 The Movie Show 12.15pm WorldWatch 12.45 Homicide. 2.35 Kars &Stars. 3.00 News. 3.05 WorldWatch. 5.05 Alone Denmark. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 James May: Our Man In... Japan. 9.30 Into The Void: Life, Death And Heavy Metal. 10.25 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Staring At Strangers. (2022, Mals, Spanish) Noon Say It Loud. (2020, Mls, Italian) 1.40 The Assassin. (2015, PGv,Mandarin) 3.35 ARoom With A View.(1985, Mnv) 5.40 Finding Graceland. (1998, PGs) 7.30 Dragons Forever.(1988, Madvw,Cantonese) 9.15 Kung Fu Hustle. (2004, Mv,Cantonese) 11.00 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away (PG) 7.30 Highway Patrol. (PGl) Thousands of dollars arefound in the street.
8.30 Doc. his life at Westside with Hannah by his side. The boardlaunches an internal investigation.
9.30 House Of Wellness. (Return, PG) Insights and experiences that highlight living well.
10.30 The Agenda Setters. (R) 11.30 St. Denis Medical. (PGal) 12.00 Dirty John. (MA15+v) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise. 6.00 9News. 7.00 ACurrent
6am Morning Programs. 9.30 NBC Today Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Ambulance: Code Red. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2.30 Escape To The Country 3.30 HarrysPractice. 4.00 Medical Emergency 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.45 Judge John Deed. 10.45 Late Programs.
Morning Programs. 9.30 Newstyle Direct. 10.00 TV Shop. 10.30 Pointless.
OFFICE bearers havebeen appointed for Moe and District Cancer Council Volunteer Group.
All executive committee members were returnedtotheirpositions for the upcoming year.
Leader is Beryl Brien, treasurer Dianne Toogood and secretar y Linda Hall. The annual meeting was followed by ageneral meeting.
This month sees the groupcelebrate its 39th year raising money for Cancer Council.
Acalendar of events has been made for future activities, the next one being apop up Mother's Day stall in Moore Street, Moe on May 7.
May is also Australia’s Biggest MorningTea, to be held May 21 at the Moe RSL.
Formoreinformation. phone Diane on 0438517 470 or Linda (0427 671 780).
Cancer Council Supporters Hot Line: 1300 65 65 85
Cancer Council Help Line: 13 11 20
Quit Line: 13 78 48
Visit: wwwcancervic.org.au or visit the group's Facebook page.
TRARALGON man Barry Sharp has set alikely recordbygrowinga210 kilogram pumpkin.
So big was the plant,itneeded to be winched with afour wheel drive.
The 80-year-oldplans to find a pig farmer to make use of the huge vegetable.
PETERBaker took the winning place in the events at Latrobe Valley Chess Club last week.
PriceSamaseia and Ian Hamilton
were happy with their results, which included several wins as well as the instructive losses.
The good defenceused by Dave Proctor helped avoid defeat in two clashes,but the losses hadtobe accepted in two games later on.
The impr ov ements tha tw ere becoming clear last weekcontinued to happen for Chris Proctor.
Dev Winell showedeveryone that losses,draws, as well as victories, are all well worthwhile in agame of chess.
Cilff Thornton was in good shape early in the battleagainst Steve Ahern, who eventually found the winning line.
Phone Cliff Thornton on 0413 330 458 or Ian Hamilton (0400 221 649) for more information.
LATROBE Valley Spiritual Centre (2 Avondale Road, Morwell).
Join every Sunday for service from 2pm. Doors open at 1.30pm.
Different guest speakerevery week, with demonstrations from an invited medium followed by acuppa and afternoon tea.
PhoneAmandaon0411051 044for more information.
Join the Facebook page: Latrobe Valley Spiritual Centre for updates.
WE plan for all important life events -engagements, weddings and births -yet we don't give consideration to our death. Come along to the Moe Library on
Thursday, March 26 from 6.30pm, where safe and inclusive discussion surrounding the processofdying, body disposaloptions, legal requirements andpaperworkwill take place.
Bringa friend, all your questions and curiosity.
This group meets on the last Thursday of every month.
For more information, call Glenda on 0409 529 588 or Ros (0400 999 315).
Alternatively, email: gippsdoula@ yahoo.com
IF you would like to try anew sport suitablefor all ages, come along to Traralgon Croquet Courts (66-110 McNairn Rd, Traralgon).
Flat soled enclosed shoes are the only requirement, and the club will provide everything else including assistance frommembers to understand the game.
Times for social play is Saturday and Tuesdays from 10am to 12pm and 12.30pm-4pm.
Social play is Wednesday nights from 5pm, which gives another opportunity to try croquet out of working and school hours. Cost is $5.
For further information, phone 0447 276 783.
ARE you afemale over 50 who feels you have lost who you are?
As you age and your role in life changes -childrengrowup, considering retirement -are you beginning to feel invisible in society?
Come along to the Moe library on Thursday, April 16 from 6.30pm for a social gathering of women who are all thinking the sameinthe 'crone years'.
The Crone Collective will gather to share ideas and strengths.
This group hasnoaffiliation to politics or religion, just local women looking to support each other.
For more information, call Glenda on 0409 529 588 or Ros (0400 999 315).
MORWELL Historical Society Open Days are held on the first and third Wednesdays and last Sunday of the monthfrom 11am-to2pm (from February to November).
The next open days will be this Sunday (March 29), Wednesday, April 1, Wednesday, April 15 and Sunday, April 26.
Come and have acuppa andlight refreshmentinthe Step Back In Time Conversation Café and take atrip down memory lane.
Foll owing the op en da yo n Wednesday, April 15, the society has its member’s gathering where members, family, friends and the general public join an informal conversation about their connection to Morwell followed by alight afternoon tea.
For further information, phone 0409 436 019.
MOE Latrobe Valley Jazz Club will hostlightning jazz at its monthly function this Sunday (March 29).
Unfortunately Paul Ingle, the leader of the band, passed away recently, however the remaining membersof the band have decided to honour the commitments Paul had made for the band this year. Well known band lea ders Ken Collins and PeterHooper will lead this band as atribute to Paul and will no doubt provide the same outstanding music.
The club hopes as many people as possible willattendtohonour his memory and the greatsupporthe gave the club over many years.
Meals are again available at the RSL.
Enquiries to Bruce on 0427 743 516.
DANCE your way through 2026 with Latrobe Valley Dance Promotions Inc.
Head on an adventure, one step at atime, to learn or brush up on new vogue/old time sequence dances at Morwell Girl GuideHall (18 Margaret St)from 7pm to 10pm each Thursday nightuntil May 28, 2026. Waltz through life into better health and make new friends. Admission is $5 per person.
Those attending are asked to wear comfortable footwear.
Phone Len on 0439683 834 or Lynda (0428 489 041).
Email: latrobevalleydancepromotioninc@gmail.com
Follo wL atr obe Valle yD ance Promotions Inc on Facebook.
THE Sunday, March 15 TRAMPS (Traralgon and Morwell Pedallers Inc) ride was from Morwell Rose Garden south past the Anzac Lookout and aroundthe HazelwoodPondage to Churchill.
Lunch was at Mathison Park on Lake Hyland.
The route then took riders southwest to the edge of Yinna ra nd returned via the Strzelecki Highway to Morwell. Riding conditions were perfect.
TRAMPS welcomes new riders.
For moreinformation visit: www tramps.org.au or the group's Facebook page.
Club contacts are Paul on 0459 823 422 or Vance (0403 662 288).
DOCTOR WHO enthusiasts are invited to the first-ever meeting o the Gippsland Gallifreyans.
First meetingwill be held Saturday, April 11 at 99 SavigesRoad, Moe from 12pm.
This group is an official branch of the Doctor Who Club of Victoria. Join for aday of games, trivia and all things Doctor Who.
CYBERsecurity will be the topic of interest at the next meeting of the Mid Gippsland Family History Society Inc. Guestspeaker is DevancheSharma, whose talk will include online safety and identifyingthreats to your electronicdevices, managing passwords andaccessing websites.
Invaluabletipsand information will ensure attendees are doing all they can to secure devices and usage. Devanch's presentation willbeheld Thursday, March 26 at the Family History Centre (44AlbertSt, Moe. Opposite the post office) from 2pm. All are most welcome to attend. The family history centre is open to the public every Wednesday afternoon between 1pm and 4pm.
The group welcomes anyone interested in learning more about their ancestorsand family history -whether araw beginner or an experienced family historian/genealogist -tocome along and have achattoone of the experienced researchers who are keen to help people navigate the resources available.
You'll be amazed at what you can discover about your ancestorsbyusing such resources as Trove, Ancestry. com andthe society's large holdings of cemetery records and transcriptions. For any inquiries,call0403 611730
MOE Art Society members are preparing for the club’s affordable art show. Members will set up displays on tables inside and outside workshops at Moe Public Library (George St). The small works includ eo ils, watercolours and drawings. Show dates are March 26 to 28.
Youcan be apartof Community Corner
EMAIL us at news@lvexpress.com.au Write 'Community Corner' in the subject line by 9am Friday.
ST Paul’s Anglican Grammar School’s annualPrep to Year 6House Athletics Carnival broughtstudents, educators and families together in avibrant celebration of effort, encouragementand shared achievement Students adapted to the challengesoftrack and field events, trying new skills, striving for personal bests and supporting their teammates.
In doing so, they built confidence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging within their houses.
The day also strengthened connections beyond the track.
Educatorsgainedvaluableinsights into students’ strengths and determination in adifferent setting, which helps them to understand the ‘whole’ child back in the classroom.
Families and the wider school community shared in theexcitement, reinforcing aculture of collective pride and support.
No matter whowon on the day, the real victory was theway thecarnivalhelped students, educators and the school community growstronger withevery step, united by encouragement, wellbeing and ashared commitment to every child’s development.
STATE government educators held astop work action yesterday (Tuesday, March 24).
Members of the Australian Education Union Victorian Branchfromevery Victorian public school campaigned as negotiations over pay increases continue.
The union is pushing for a35per cent rise to address increasing workloads and staff shortages.
Strike action was approved by theFairWork Commission after 98 per cent of AEU members voted to take action.
Last week, the union rejected astate government offer of 17 per cent, broken up into an eight per cent pay rise for teachers, four per cent for education staff, followed by athree per cent rise each year for the next three years.
"Publicschool teachers, principals, and support staffwill stop work on March 24, for the first time in 18 years under aLabor government because of the failure of the Education Minister Ben Carroll and Premier Jacinta Allantodeliver pay andconditions which respect school staff and the important
work that they do, as well as fullyfundpublic schools," AEC state president Justin Mullaly said before last week's offer came through.
"This decision has not been taken lightly,and we keenly understandthe impactthis can have on parents,but we have arrivedherebecause the Allan Labor governmentiscontinuing to disrespectpublic schoolteachers, principals, and supportstaff by notputting any offer on the table, let alone adecentone
"The Victoriangovernmenthas deliberately denied Victorian public schools $2.4 billion in funding through to 2031, cementing our schools as the lowest funded in Australia by along way.
"It is ajoke for this government to call Victoria the 'education state', when teachers, principalsand support staffcontinue to be undervalued and underpaid."
Industrial action took place after theExpress went to press.
Full coverage will be reported in new week's issue.
TUESDAY24MARCH
INTERCHANGE Gippsland officially launched its new InterArts program last month.
Anew purpose-builtstudio space is now available in Morwell to the wider community.
The launchevent invited localstoexplore the new facility and take part in arange of creative activities designed to showcase what the program will offer
Attendees were treated to hands-on experiences, including aworkshop led by alocal artist, as well as collaborative mural painting and other interactive art sessions.
Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, the event drew astrongturnout and was considered asuccess by organisers, with peopleofall ages engaging in the day’s activities.
Interchange Gippsland representativessaid the launch marked an exciting stepforward in expanding inclusive creative opportunities across the Latrobe Valley.
The InterArts program is open to all with an interest in art, regardless of experience,and is
designed to foster creativity, connection and skill development in asupportive environment.
Developed in collaboration with local artists, the programwilldeliver aseries of weekly workshops and art sessions, offering adiversemix of activities aimed at appealing to abroad range of interests.
Organisers say the initiative not only provides a creative outlet, but also strengthens community ties by bringing people togetherthrough shared artistic experiences.
The first six-week timetable, covering March through to April, hasnow beenreleased,and featuresadifferent activity each week, giving participants the opportunity to explore avariety of artistic styles and mediums.
Those interested in taking part can view the full program schedule and find moreinformation by visiting Interchange Gippsland’s websiteat: www. icg.asn.au/get-involved/interarts/
Weekly art classes have commenced at the Morwell Interchange office.
WHEN 36 bikeridersand support staff rolled into Moe for atea break, members of Lions Club of Moe were on hand to make sure they were well feed and hydrated. The day started for riders at Longwarry and continued onto Churchill for dinner and
Always there: Lions ClubofMoe membersensured bikeriderswerefeed. Photographs supplied
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
TREKKING for areason.
Local names will be taking on the mighty Himalayas nextmonth to raise vital money for Parkinson’s disease research.
FounderofTrekReadyHimalayas,former Traralgon resident Gary McKitterick-Gillett, has led countless Australians on the epic Annapurna Circuit in Nepal over the last decade.
For their latest venture, he enticed Traralgon’s Karen Littletotakepart,havingundertaken a number of treks in the past.
Travelling to Machu Picchu and previous treks in Nepal, Ms Little began at the revered Kokoda Track 13 years ago.
“I was pretty naïve about trekkingand things like that, but Idid it (Kokoda) with another friend from work and every day Iwoke up and thought ‘a new adventure’, Ijust loved it,” she told the Express.
“There was afew challenges along the way, but that’s all part of it.”
As such,due to that experience, Ms Little understands the journey that is ahead, but is eagerly awaiting what is to come.
“Forsome of them,it’s their first time,but I’vegot that pasthistory of knowingwhatto expect, which Ithink is the big bonus,”she said.
TheAnnapurna Circuit covers 128kilometres and surpasses 5400 metres in height -marking atotal of around six days trekking.
Ms Little added that she’s looking forward to seeing the sceneryacrossthe Himalayas, including the blue skies, snow on the mountains and prayer flags planted along their trek.
The local trekker has previouslyraised money hiking for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Much of the latestTrekReady Himalayas team is from Queensland and the Sunshine Coast, including Mr Gillett and wife Ailsa originally from Traralgon, and some from Melbourne and the sole Latrobe Valley trekker
Along-time supporter of the Shake It Up Australiaand MichaelJ.Fox foundations fighting to raise awareness and crucial funds
Effort: Traralgon’s KarenLittle will be venturing to the Himalayas to help raisemoney for Parkinson’s disease research. Photograph supplied
for Parkinson’s, Mr Gillett has taken groups on treks to the Himalayas since 2016.
Last year’sinitiative surpassed arecord $52,000indonations,personifyingthe work that has been done over many years.
Mr Gillett acknowledged the significant feat of the achievement, which additionally allows conversations to be held and barriers be broken down.
“Wh at aw on derfu la chiev ement ,1 9 Australians each helping to raise aconversationabout Parkinson’s disease, breaking down barriers and societal norms,” he said.
The latest trekking team will make their way up the Himalayas during Parkinson’s Awareness Month this April.
You can donate to supportthe TrekReady Himalayas cause at: our-fundraisers.raiselysite. com/t/himalayanchallenge2026tohelp them reach their goal of another $50,000.
an overnight stay. Each year, Lions Ride for Sight holds aride around the Gippsland region to raise money to support the Centre Eye Research Australia (CERA). Moe Lions have often beencalled upon to
Gathered: Bikeriderstaking par tinRide forSightstopped by Moe
By KATRINA BRANDON
FUN and music will be enjoyed by patrons at Traralgon's Flannigan'sIrish Bar this Sunday (March 29).
The event has been arranged to help support The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
For 15 years, the Our KindaCountryInc. has run the Good Friday Appeal with Flannigan's, inviting many for an afternoon of music, fun and an auction.
From 12pm, people of all ages are invited to grab their dancing shoes, join the dance floor and enjoy ameal surrounded by like-minded people.
It's achance to network, while donatingtothe Good Friday Appeal.
Perfomers throughout the day include Linton and Margaret, BillRowley, Wayneand Helen,Chris Newman, Wayne Sutton,Bryce Wright, Evan Platschinda, Margaret Wilson, Colin Sellings, Hanny Forster, Karla Clancy and David Graham. Our Kinda Country Inc. President Maisie Bulmer said she was looking forwardtoanother great instalment.
For more information, visit Our Kinda Country Club Inc's Facebook page.
GMACK
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tedtheir local business in 2020, offering agreat deal of experience domestic,commercial, ruraland ial electricians
OwnersGlenn Reid and Shawn yare therefor those who eelectrical workscompleted endlyand professional ical business at competitive Churchill-based company themselvesonbeing the call people backwhen needed to be done kincludes services such
nsumer mains upgrades dupgrades; ical and smokealarm tions in domestic and cial; and powerinstalls and des/spa faults; lfault finding and enance; or changeoverswitches,
WHEN YOUGO LOCAL, YOU GROW LOCAL!
Price: $6 each or 2for $11 (GST incl). Available at the Latrobe Valley Express Office
George Street Morwell Enquiries: 5135 4444
Tall Bearded Iris, Bare Root Rhizomes, over 200 varieties. Visit website: irisendeavours.com
1.24 Ford GTHO Models, XW Gold, White, XY Orange, Black, Wild Violet, Vermillion Fire. Never displayed, EC, $195 each. Ph. 0409 919 954.
Jude, apostle and martyr, great in
rich in miracle, near kinsman to Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoked your special patronage in time of need. To you Ihave recourse from the depth of my heart, and humbly beg great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and most urgent petition (make your request). In return Ipromise to make your name known and cause your name to be invoked. St Jude, pray for us and all who invoked thine aid. Amen. Pray this 9times aday for 9consecutive days. This prayer has never known to fail. Thank you St Jude.
our local communities Check out our Business Guide Pages and Home Maintenance Section in the Classifieds every Wednesday, for your local Tradies!
RECEPTION HOURS AND CLASSIFIEDS
For the issue of Wednesday 8 April 2026, CLASSIFIED ADS MUSTBESUMITTED by 12 noon THURSDAY 2 April GOOD FRIDAY and EASTER
Pruning, planting, weeding, small jobs through to large jobs, shed clean ups, rubbish removal, etc. Reasonable rates, pens. disc. Under NDIS the cost of services may be covered by your Care Provider. Reliable and efficient. Police check. Fully insured. 18 yrs exp. Chauncy The Gardener. ABN 17268203656. Call Richard 0401 345 345.
Adult Services • J.C CONCRETING Sheds, driveways, footpaths, crossovers etc. Phone Justin 0409 479 737
Erotic and stunning. Good English. Very friendly. Let me spoil you. 0421 367 038
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Voicemail introductions advertisements and voice messages may only be submitted by persons 18 years and older. When making contact with people for the first time, it is advisable to meet in apublic place and let amember of your family or atrusted friend know where you will be.
Home maintenance General maintenance and repairs, fencing repairs, timber and Colorbond pressure washing, gutter cleaning, brickwork repairs, tile repairs, rubbish removal, mowing and much more. Free quote 0418 581 631 -John ROSE
JOHN'Z
Need aPlumber?
Small jobs, hot water, toilets, taps, roofing. Over 20 yrs exp. 0437 759 224.
We would advise readers and advertisers to exercise caution in giving out personal details. This will be respected by genuine respondents.
Electric oven/stove repairs including oven doors. Reliable, experienced and friendly.Mostparts arecarriedon-board. Free phone estimates. 12 month guarantee on repairs. Phil 0412 165542 ovenlec.com.au REC. 9764
Would you like to deliver the Latrobe Valley Express newspaper to individual homes on Tuesday and/or Wednesday afternoons in Morwell, Traralgon, Moe, Newborou gh and Churchill? Please apply to the Circulation Manager 0456 000 541. Please note: Children must be 11 years or over as we will need to apply for agovernment Child Employment Permit Children younger than 11 cannot or will not be accepted. Adult deliverers also welcome.
Situations Vacant •
ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE:
Much hardship and difficulty is caused to job seekers by misleading advertising placed in the employment columns. Our Situations Vacant columns are reserved for advertisements which carry aspecific and genuine offer of employment. Ads for `Business Opportunities' and `Training Courses' and `Employment Services' should be submitted under those headings. Placing misleading ads is an offence against the Trades Practices Act and state/territory fair trading acts and all advertisements are subject to the publisher's approval. For further advice, contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on 1300 302 502 or your state consumer affairs agency.
...you DON’T have to make aspecial trip to Morwell to place classified ads?
Just pop into Moe NextraLotto, 1-3 MooreStMoe and the friendly staff can assist you. The only EXCEPTIONS are classified ads which contain aphoto These will need to be placed at the Morwell Office, 21 George Street
Consecutive weekly placements qualifyfor discounted rates.
HAIRDRESSER A R R R H I D ESSE
Hairhouse Traralgon is seeking aQualified Hairdressertojoin the team in the Traralgon CentrePlaza. ACertificate III or IV in Hairdressing and experience areessential. Pride in presentation and acommitment to deliver apremium client service also amust Working solo in the salon, flexiblehours, generous performance incentives, staff discounts across our fullproduct range, access to suppliertraining and online learning platforms await the successfulapplicant Casual Hair &Beauty Awardrates apply If you’reready to elevate your career,visit in storeorsend your resume to: mgr.traralgon hairhouse.com.au
LCC-910 Reconstruction of Kokoda Street, Morwell and Rutland Street, Newborough
LCC-915 Kerb and Channel Replacement Program
Tenders are invitedfromsuitably qualified contractors for the above. See www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/tenders for details
Submissions are to be lodged as detailed in the documentation. Council is not bound to accept thelowest or any tender
Don't
Affordable Caravans 0418 336 238, 5623 4782.
Spare tyre and jockey wheel included. $600.00. Contact 0419 497 675.
Pleasecheck
CRADDOCK
Cyril Herbert Service No 22445718
British Army National Service
The President, Committee, Staff and members of the Morwell RSL Sub Branch are deeply saddened by the passing of their valued Service member Cyril. Deepest heartfelt sympathy to all the family and friends. LEST WE FORGET
ATKINSON Ian Charles 13/6/1956 -21/3/2026 Passed away peacefully at home.
LIPMAN William Cornelius 'Bill' 1/6/1940 -17/3/2026
Cherished Husband of Mary (dec.).
Loved Father of Danny, Sue, Julie, Karen, and Ray.
Father-in-law, Grandfather and Great Grandfather.
Father of Danny, fatherin-law of Jane. Grandfather of Jack and Tara, Whil and Matildah, Jess and Sam. Great-Grandad of Nate, Tanisha, and Rudy.
Your wonderful trucking and farming stories on the back table and laughs will be so sadly missed, they got better and better each year.
Reunited with our beautiful Mum and Nan Mary.
Dear Dad,
Dearly loved mother and mother-in-law of Davis and Kim, Jarrod and Wira.
Adored gran to Emmy, Ataya, and Macy. For funeral details see later editions or visit: latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au
FRENDO Mary Victoria Love Charlie (brother-inlaw) and family. May you Rest in Peace
With heavy hearts we say goodbye, but we know your pain is finally gone and your weary body can rest... give mum abig hug from us all
All our love always Sue, Lindsay, Sandi, Kerralyn, Coby and families XOXO
Loved and Loving husband of Tammy (dec.). Much loved Dad to Cassandra, Adam, Coen and Rory. Step-Dad to Andrew, Kurt and Robert. Proud and loving "Poppy Ian" to Edie, Jonti, Olive, Emmi and Evelyn. "Grandpa Ian" to Amber, Alethia and Isabella. Forever in our hearts. Funeral Details to follow.
FRENDO Mary Passed away 17/3/2026. Abeautiful lady who will be sadly missed. Always remembered for the many laughs we shared. Together again with her beloved Mick. Pat Bush and Family.
GILPIN William Charles (Bill) Amuchloved brother of sisters, Heather, Gwen, Ellen. John (dec), Stanley (dec), Shirlee (dec). A loving uncle to his nieces and nephews.
Dear Dad, Life won't be the same without you.
Your stories, your smiles, oh my the stories! The fishing trips we did together, Iwill never forget.
You are back in Mum's arms, now you can both rest in peace together. All my love now and forever.
REISKE-SCHULT (née Janz)
BRIESE David 1/2/1961 -17/3/2026
Wishing our wonderful mother a very happy 100th birthday With love from all your family . We are so proud and blessed to celebrate this special day with you
Peacefullyathome surrounded by his loving family. Much loved Dad to David and Danielle. Proud and loving Grandfather and GreatGrandfather. Privately Cremated.
KNAPMAN Denis -Service No. 23579573The President, Committee, Staff and Members of the Moe RSL Sub-Branch are deeply saddened by the passing of their esteemed Service Member and friend, Denis. We offer our sympathy to all his family. LEST WE FORGET
Julie, Kristy, Andrew, Katie, Bree and Nick, Jason and Tiarla and your 10 Great-Grandchildren.
Dear Dad, Life is going to be so hard without you. We will miss you more than words can say. Please give our beautiful Mum abig hug for us, we take comfort in knowing you're together again.
We'll always cherish your stories, your laughter, and the special memories we made in Lakes. Those moments will stay with us forever.
You will always be in our thoughts and in our hearts.
Lydia Maria Born on 13 October 1929. Passed away 20 March 2026. Passed away at Mitchell House, Morwell aged 96. Loving Wife to Wally (dec.) and Hans (dec.). Sister to Waltraud. Mother to Roger and Derek (dec). Stepmother to Gina, Mother in-law to Ann and Kate. Adored Grandma to Daniel, Alyce, Tom, Lydia, Isabelle, Caterina, Joel and Lauren(dec), Great Grandma to Evie, Harry and Penny. Forever in our hearts.
in the wetlands. Reunited with his father, Stanley (dec.). Forever in our hearts.
All our love, Kaz, Bec, Aaron, Dave, Indi, Jay, and Elaina.
It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our Dad/Pa.
Iwill be forever grateful for the time we spent together out at the farms and working on the trucks.
I'll never forget how when Idid something you were proud of, you'd smile and say "Showpiece" amemory I'll always hold close. Thank you for everything you have done for us.
All our love, Ray, Andrew and Bella, Amy, Joel and Bridget, and Great-Grandchildren XX
Sally, Mary, Pauline and their families. Forever in our hearts. Annie, Mother of their beautiful sons. Always loved never forgotten.
REISKE-SCHULT
The Funeral Service and Commital for Cremation for Lydia Reiske-Schult will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 437A Princes Dr Morwell on THURSDAY (26 March 2026) commencing at 1pm.
MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON
Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au
And life goes on without me, as time forever will. If your heart is heavy now because I've gone away, dwell not long upon it friends, for none of us can stay. Those of you who liked me, Isincerely thank you all, and those of you who loved me, Ithank you most of all. Brother-in-law John and wife Suzanne Edwards.
MONDS Graeme 25/3/2026
Feel no guilt in laughter, he knows how much you care. Feel no sorrow in a smile, that he's not here to share.
You
ELLEN Bruce 27/3/2024
We remember with deep respect and gratitude an incredibl em an and extraordinary leader. Though you are no longer with us, your legacy lives on in these pages and in all of us who had the privilege to work alongside you. We will honour your memory always. Staff at Latrobe Valley Express and Express Print.
IKIN (nee Christensen) Nancy Mary 3/9/1922 -29/3/2003. Mum, Ilove and miss you everyday. Love Suzanne XXX
MONDS Graeme K 25 March 2025
You've just walked ahead of me and I've got to understand; You must release the ones you love, and let go of their hand.
Itry to cope best Ican, but I'm missing you so much. If only Icould see you, and once more feel your touch.
Yes, you've just walked ahead of me. Don't worry, I'll be fine. But now and then, Iswear
Ifeel your hand slip into mine.
Remembering you is easy, Ido it every day. It's just the pain of losing you that never goes away. Your loving wife, Jeanette.
To my beautiful wife, one year has gone and Imiss you more than ever. I keep waiting for you to come through that door, but it is not happening. Love you more than ever, Paul.
Respectful, dignified, simple and affordable FuneralsMoe,
nowofficiallyqualified forthe FIBA Women’s WorldCup,taking place in Germanythis September Photograph supplied
BASKETBALL
FIBA BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
ASECONDmedal is there for the taking.
Traralgon's Jade Melbourne and the AustralianOpals took care of business during their FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying campaign, going undefeated throughout their stay in Instanbul.
Taking place from March11to 18, the Opals weren't to be denied in their journey back to the World Cup -where they've competed in every tournament since 1967.
While Australia was madetowork in each game across the qualifying tournament, including their penultimate group stage against Turkey in which the Opals passed by three points.
The finalmatch againstCanada was equally as tough, with Australia breaking the game open slightly in the thirdquarter to hold on by six points
To conclude that thirdquarter run, Melbourne hit arunning shot well beyondthe three-point line as the clock expired, to extend the Opals lead to seven points in time for the final term.
Jus ta ss he was cal led upon during Australia's 2024 Olympic bronze medalrun,the Traralgon star wasutilised during her minutes for defensive purposes and unselfishness.
Melbourne's bestperformance came in the Opals' first game in Instanbulagainst Argentina, where she posted 12 points and three assists in a26-point victory.
In Australia's final game against Canada, Melbourne saw court time down the stretch, finishingwith
seven points, three assists and two rebounds.
She was limited in alot of games due to foul trou ble, in which Melbourne wasequal-second in the qualifying tournament for total fouls.
The Opals hadalreadysecured World Cup qualification during the 2025 Asia Cup, which Melbourne did not play in due to still being in the thick of the WNBA season with the Washington Mystics.
Australia now moves their attention to Germany, where the FIBA Women's World Cup takes place from September 4to13.
Sitting thirdfor most medals in the tournament's history, the Opals will be locking in and hoping to pull of their first gold medal finish since 2006.
That team featured the likes of basketball greats Lauren Jackson, Kristi Harrower,Penny Taylor, equal AFLW greatErin Phillips, and Mirboo North's Belinda Snell.
As by far Au str alia 's hig hest everachievement, in either men's or women's competition, the gold medal team was inductedinto the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
This will be Melbourne's first ever World Cup run, having previously missed the cut for Australia's 2022 bronze medal.
In 2021, Melbourne captained Australiatoasilvermedalatthe FIBA U19 Women's World Cup, succumbing to the US in the final. One of Melbourne's direct opponentswas WNBA superstarCaitlin Clark in the gold medal match.
TRARALGONwas hit with awave of elite netball recently for Netball Victoria's Gippsland Showcase
The Gippsland Stars were the prize of the fixture for locals attending the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium on March 15.
It marked justthe second time the Stars featured in theLatrobe Valley and third in broader Gippsland since the Victorian Netball League club was launched in 2024.
In front of araucous crowd, the Stars came ever so close to pipping their first win from their first game.
Facing off against Peninsula Waves, the Stars fell by asinglegoal afteralmostcompleting a sensational comeback.
The home team's main target became apparent from the momentthey stepped on the court, with the Waves graced with long-time shooting star and recent Drouin recruit Mwai Kumwenda.
Play was hot from the get go, as the ball flung back-and-forth, seeing Kumwenda and Gippsland's Sam Silvestergoing goal-for-goal early.
TheStars began to get the jump on the Waves, laying critical pressure to garner atwo-goal lead midway through the first quarter.
However, just as Gippslandseemed to be getting an edge, Peninsula punchedinthree consecutive goals to take back the lead.
The first term endedinastalemate, tied16-all
As play returned, the gamecontinued to put the home crowd through the ringer.
Silvester positioned greatly against her opponent,found by her teammates, leading to a20 to 17 lead throughthe first few minutes of the second quarter.
While the Waves and Kumwenda responded, the Stars continued to hold firm until the visitors swung back into the lead.
Moe netballer and Stars defender Jordan Pyle was given the toughtaskofguarding the enforcing Kumwenda in goal shooter.
Pyle wasleft on an island with theformer Australian Diamond, and the Waves quickly stormed to acommanding five-goal lead by halftime.
Despite all their efforts, the Stars still looked down adeficit they needed to fix, and Silvester consistently converted on her attempts to keep her team in the game.
The Waves extendedtotheir largest lead of seven goals before the pair of Silvester and Stacie Gardiner scoredinnumberstokeep the Stars within striking distance.
However, in the first few minutes of the final quarter, fatigue appeared to set in for the Stars. In amatter of moments, that all changed.
The Gippsland side awoke from its slumber, applying mountains of pressure and forcing countless turnovers.
As such, equal jubilation and shock filled the stadium as the Stars went on afive-goal run to tie the match up with just minutes remaining.
Both mid courts pressed hard for the ball with the game on the line, and each team continued to go score-for-score.
Stars fans clutchedtheirhands for eithera comefrombehind winorevena draw, only to be nailed atough final blow.
Despite Gippsland throwing two defenders at her, Kumwenda still stretched her arms out for the ball, subsequently scoring in the final seconds to pinch the win, 63-62.
The Waves' primary target finished with a game-high 53 goals, besting the great efforts of the Gippsland Stars player of the game, Silvester with 48.
The first-year Stars shooter praised her team's ability to get back into the game, but also acknowledged the lessons to come out of the loss.
"It has to be a60-minute game and we had a couple of lapses in there, but Ithink we fought back pretty well," Silvester told the Express "Hopefully, we just continue that on and
continue that energy and take this the rest of the weeks."
The Stars still have aplethora of players to come back, including Morwell's Daisy Hill, Yinnar's Hollie Bugeja and former Traralgon player Sophie Leechino.
Before the Championship match, the Stars' 23-and-Under team also took on the Waves, succumbing by 19 goals.
Whilethe younger side displayed great patches, Peninsula had many more scoring contributors with three etching double figures.
TraralgonshootingstarLara Noblett led the way for the Stars with 24 goals.
Another two games also featured on the fixture with both Casey Demons and Southern Saints sidesgoing at it.
One-time Morwell shooter Holly Stephens led the charge in the Demons' win in the U/23match with 28 goals.
Former Warragul shooting machine Emma Ryde, who passed the 1000-goal mark in the Gippsland League last season, tallied 51 goals in the Demons' Championship victory.
Netball Victoria Eastern Region Manager Judi Buhagiar summed up the weekend's showcase, which also included umpiring and coaching workshops.
GOLF
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
LOCAL employees traded their businessattire for golf wear at Latrobe City Business Chamber's recent annual charity golf day.
Held on March 13, more than 40 players from a range of local businesses took to the Yallourn Golf Club, helping to raise money for Lifeline Gippsland. Not only did the event offer achancefor people across Latrobe Valley's business sector to mingle and have afun, relaxed day, Lifeline Gippsland's vitalcrisissupportservicesalsosaw more than $3000 in donations.
Lifeline Gippsland Chief Executive, Cindy Pullar appreciated the efforts of theLCBCand its constituents for their support.
"The golfday not onlyraised vital fundsfor Lifeline Gippsland, but it also allowed us to raise awarenessofour suicide prevention work in the region," she told the Express
"As well as (to) talk about how individuals and businesses can build their confidence to have the conversation about suicide and mental health, and reducethe stigma surrounding help seeking."
Pullar added that Lifeline Gippsland lookforward to continuing its partnership with LCBC into the future, where this charity event was the first initiative between the two.
The golf day featured anine-hole, three-person Ambrose format (where the best shot is selected after each team's stroke), which encouraged all to participate.
"Our annual charity golf day event is about more thanjustsport,it'saboutcoming together as a
community," LCBC President Peter Ceeney said.
"We wanted to create an environment where local businesses candisconnect fromthe daily grind, network in abeautiful outdoor setting and contributetoacause that touches so many lives in ourregion."
Fellow LCBCcommittee member Julie Goodwin also summed up the day and what it boughttothe community.
"It was achance for local business to network, have abit of fun and support agreat charity," she said.
"We had amazing support from local businesses who donatedsomewonderful prizesfor ourauction, raffles and the nine-hole golf prizes."
The team from Fitness 4U,with gyms in Traralgon and Morwell, earned bragging rights as winners of the event.
"The Gippsland Showcase, also forming part of Round 1ofthe VNL, reflects exactly who we are as asport:community drive, connected and committed to excellence," she said.
"Most importantly, it's an opportunity for young players to see their future stars in action and to experience the pathway that exists right there in their own backyard thanks to the establishment of the Gippsland Stars."
Buhagiar added that the local VNL club has had asignificantimpact on participationinthe region, makinguppart of athriving state of netball, which surpassed 121,000 membership in 2025. THE Stars got the short end of the stick again in their Round 2showdown against Western Warriors.
In another one-goal loss at the State Netball Centre, ParkvillelastWednesday (March 18), Gippsland was again forced to come from behind to pip their first win for the season.
The Championship side led early on, sitting in front at the end of first quarter as well in time for the main break.
Silvester picked up where she leftoff in her first match, scoring 20 goals in the first half to see the Stars ahead, 27-25.
The WarriorsthencaughtGippslandlacking once play returned, quickly getting out to a5-1 run to jump aheadfor the first timesince the opening minutes.
The deficit was pushed out to as much as six goals, before the Stars came to their senses and began to respond.
Silvestercontinued to position well, scoring eight of the first13goalsofthe last quarter to tie the match.
After each side had mini-runs, with the Warriors scoring consecutively, only for the Stars to do the same, the final few minutes went goal-for-goal.
Three goals were scored in the last minute of the game, two of which came from the Warriors, includingalastsecond score from Kimberly Borger to secure the win, 54-53.
Silvester went even better in her second game for the Stars, contributing 43 goals, with Gardiner adding 10.
The 23-and-Under side didn't have any better luck in their second match for the season, going down to the Warriors by 28 goals.
The night before however, the VNL Reserves squad securedits second win of the season against the Warriors in aone-goal thriller.
They'd previously picked up avictoryinRound 2ofthatcompetition back on March 3inanother one-goal win against Boroondara Express. Returning to Gippsland, the Stars won't play again until this Sunday (March 29) at Warragul Leisure Centre against the Southern Saints.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
EVERYWHERE but Victoria.
The King's Baton Relay made its way across the east coast of Australia, as the countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Games commenced.
The Games were to be held in regional Victoria, before the state government pulled out in 2023. Scotland has since taken the Games, which will commence in Glasgow this July.
Australiahosted the King’s Baton fromMarch 21 to 25.
Launching at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the baton travelled to the Great Barrier Reef and then to Townsville.
GOLF
CHURCHILL ANDMONASH
Stableford7th March 2026
AGrade Winner: I. Fortune 40 pts
BGrade Winner: C. Gilfillan46pts
CGrade Winner: V. Monument 38 pts
D.T.L: 1. G. Barnes 42, 2. G. Leahy39, 3. G. Spowart 39, 4. A. Jenkins 37,5.C.Wilson37, 6. R. timbs 37,7.C.Sterrick36, 8. P. Flanigan
36 c/b
N.T.P: 3rdD.Burridge,5th B. Jenkins 12th C. Wilson (Propin), 14th G. Spowart
Birdies: 5th G. Barnes,B.Jenkins, 12th I. Fortune,14th G. Barnes,J.Thornby, G.
Spowart
Target Hole: I. Fortune
Mary Mitchell Day(Stableford) –10th March 2026
Winner: S. Caldwell 42 pts
D.T.L: J. Clegg 40 pts
N.T.P: 3rdL.Van Rooy,5th S. Turner,12th S. Turner,14th S. Caldwell
Par14thMarch 2026
AGrade Winner: G. Beyer+2
BGrade Winner: W. Sutton0
CGrade Winner: T. Collins+5
D.T.L: 1. M. Lugton +4, 2. R. Zomer +1, 3. J. Cahill +1, 4. D. Taylor +1, 5. W. McGrath +1, 6. A. Jenkins 0, 7. M. Soppe 0, 8. P. Bolding
-1 c/b
N.T.P: 3rdP.Jordan (Propin), 5th B. Downie, 12th M. Allen, 14th W. McGrath
Birdies: 5th B. Downie,14th M. Allen
Target Hole: S. Allison
Stableford– 17th March 2026
Winner: L. Brent 42 pts
D.T.L: M. Hutchinson 33 pts
N.T.P: 3rdS.Caldwell, 5th L. Brent, 12th S. Turner,14th S. Caldwell
MIRBOONORTH
Tuesday10th March,Stableford
AGrade: CHogbin (13) 37pts
BGrade: MMiller (19) 36pts
DTL: SMcKenzie 35, GShandley34, N Whichello,MHeiberg33, NTP: 4th TWhitelaw, 6th DSymons,13th J Winters, 16th TWhitelaw, Birdies: 4th NWhichello,6th DSymons,M Payne,16th NWhichello
Saturday14th March RayBickerton Memorial Day, Stableford.
AGrade: RMadigan (10) 39pts c/b
BGrade: KHams (19) 39pts
CGrade: KGarcia (26) 38pts
DTL: RHopcraft38, SClark,NBracecamp, SMills,D Atkins,P Draper 36. NTP: 4th TGray, 6th NBracecamp,13th R Hopcraft, 16th JMcFarlane, Birdies: 6th MAtkins,NBracecamp,16th J Mc Farlane
Tuesday17th March,Stableford.
AGrade: GShandley(11)39pts
BGrade: CJames (19) 35pts, DTL: PWoodall, CHogbin 38, MPayne 35, CHarwood,34, NTP: 4th JHughes,6th TBradshaw, 13th C Harwood, 16th MPayne Birdies: 4th GShandley, JHughes,P Woodall, 6th TBradshaw, 13th CHogbin, C Harwood.
Saturday21st March,4BBB Championship (Sponsor,J Coleman)
Leaders: TWhitelaw& NBracecamp 47,G Dawson &SHill-Smith45
MOE
Sunday, 08 March 2026 Competition:
OPEN SundayMixed Stableford
Grade AWinners: Hamilton, Alec (15) 38
C/B
Grade BWinners: Scholtes,Paul (22) 35
C/B
Place Getters: Gasi,Sean 38, Jenkins, Travis 35, Hamilton, Troy 33
Monday, 09 March 2026 Competition: OPEN Mixed Stableford-Labor
Grade AWinners: Stirzaker,Jason (7) 36
Grade BWinners: Yeomans,Wayne (10) 36
Grade CWinners: Edebohls,Jack(21) 41
Place Getters: Mead,Anne 37,Donaldson,
The journey then continued at Admiralty House in Sydney, with the Governor General, Her Excellency the HonourableSam Mostyn AC welcoming the King’s Baton to her residence.
Kuala Lumpur 1998 bronze medallist Matt Shirvington presented the Baton to Her Excellency alongside representativesfrom across the Oceania region, Glasgow aspirants and Games alumni.
Seven-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ariarne Titmus OAM was scheduled to bringhome the Australian leg with avisit to her childhoodpool at the Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre.
Asymbol of diversityand unity, for the firsttime in 2026, the Baton will feature auniquedesign in each of the Commonwealth territories before they come together at the opening ceremony of Glasgow.
Australia’s baton has been designed by Kalkadoon
Leanne 36, Muirhead, Neil 35 C/B,Johnson, Tony 35 C/B,Mead, Barry35, Wilson, David 34
Great Score: Cameron Freshwater (Birdie) @8,Wayne Yeomans (Birdie) @14, Michael Enzinger (Birdie) @14 Nearest to Pin: 4th KathyBorg, 8th Cameron Freshwater,14th Neil Muirhead
Wednesday, 11 March2026 WOMEN'S
WEDNESDAY 9HOLEStableford
Overall Winners: Moss,Belinda (29)13C/B Thursday, 12 March2026 Competition: OPEN Mixed Stableford
Grade AWinners: Veenman, Laurie (8) 43
Grade BWinners: Meyer, Dirk(13)40
Grade CWinners: Fazioli, Mark(26) 39
Place Getters: Peel, Michael 38, Hams, David 37,Juhasz, Daniel 36 C/B,Scammell, Shaun 36 C/B,Harber,John 36 C/B,Powell, Vincent 36, Thomson, Corey 35 C/B,Bruce, Shane 35 C/B,Yeomans,Wayne 35 C/B, Backman, Shane 35, Richmond, Paul 34
C/B,Dyke, Barry34C/B
Great Score: Wayne Yeomans (Birdie) @ 14,Jason Stirzaker (Birdie) @8,Rohan Berkhout (Birdie) @4,KarlGarlick(Birdie) @14, Shaun Guttridge (Birdie) @8 NearesttoPin: 4thRohan Berkhout, 8th Wayne Yeomans,14th Daniel Juhasz
Saturday, 14 March 2026 Competition: WOMEN'S SATURDAY OPEN Stableford
Grade AWinners: Mead, Anne (24) 36
Place Getters: Donaldson, Leanne 33 Saturday, 14 March2026 Competition: MENS Stableford
Grade AWinners: Fife,Mark(8) 41 C/B
Grade BWinners: Dooley, Brian (15) 37
Grade CWinners: Scullin, Jack (42) 40
Place Getters: Stirzaker,Jason 41 C/B, Bassman, Aaron 41, Wright, David 38 C/B Bechaz, Steve38C/B,Griggs,Ryan38 C/B,Hancock, Chris 38 C/B,Spiteri, Paul 38, Doak, Shaun 36 C/B,Bechaz, Paul 36, Brien, Kevin 35 C/B, Veenman, Laurie 35 C/B
Great Score: Aaron Bassman (Eagle) @ 12,Andrew Pickard (Birdie) @4,Anthony Gauci (Birdie) @14, AnthonyColvin (Birdie) @14, BarryGoodwin (Birdie) @4,Aaron Scullin (Birdie) @14, Ryan Griggs (Birdie) @8,DannyGorman (Birdie) @14
NearesttoPin: 4th BarryGoodwin, 8th Kevin Brien, 14th AnthonyGauci
Tuesday, 10 March 2026 Twilight Stableford
Type: AGrade Winner -D.Stewart (22) 21 C/B
Sunday, 15 March2026 OPEN Sunday9
hole Stableford
Grade AWinners: McGrath, Gail (20) 21 Sunday, 15 March2026 Competition: OPEN SundayMixed Stableford
Grade AWinners: Borg,Reno (5) 37
Grade BWinners: Donaldson, Leanne (24) 39
Place Getters: Kovacevic,Daniel 36 C/B Noy, Simon 36 C/B,Griggs,Ryan36, Edebohls,Jack34C/B
Wednesday, 18 March2026 WOMEN'S WEDNESDAY 9HOLEStableford
Overall Winners: Auchterlonie,Janice (24) 19
Wednesday, 18 March2026 Competition: WOMEN'S 4BBB 36 holes
Winning Team: Betty Wallis &Anne Mead 91
Winning Team Round1: Gwen Young & Kaye Midlemiss48
Place Getters: KarynSavige&Lee Weaver
47,Judy Lee &Chris O'Reilly44, Kaye Middlemiss &GwenYoung 42, Andrea
Griggs &Pat Thompson 39 C/B
Great Score: 11th (Birdie) Kaye Middlemiss, 4th (Birdie) Kaye Middlemiss,4th (Birdie)
Chris O'Reilly
Nearest to Pin: 4th -Chris O'Reilly, 8thAnne Mead, 14th -Chrissie Backman
Winning Team Second Round: Blandford, Jane &Borg, Kathy42C/B
Nearest to Pin: 4th -GwenYoung, 14thChrissie Backman
Great Score: KathyBorg(Birdie) @6, KathyBorg(Birdie)@16, Kaye Middlemiss (
artist Chern’ee Sutton, with the proud First Nations woman collaborating extensively with the Australian CommonwealthGames Team since her initial involvement with Commonwealth Sport at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. This fresh take on the traditional relay celebrates the uniqueness of all Commonwealth nations and territories.
Australian Team Chef de Mission Petria Thomas OAM OLY summed up the excitement, declaring the countdown to the Games well and truly on.
“The arrival of theKing’s Baton is acritical milestone on the road to the Games, and there’s something special about it being celebrated on home soil,” Thomas said.
“The Australian team is building something special, and you can sense the excitement in the
Birdie) @10, KathyBorg(Birdie) @11
Target Hole Prize: Chrissie Backman
Wednesday, 18 March 2026 Twilight Stableford
AGrade Winner: R.Purcell (26) 24
Thursday, 19 March 2026 Competition: OPEN Mixed Stableford
Grade AWinners: Peel, Michael (6) 41
Grade B Winners: Langstaff, Jay (11) 38 C/B
Grade CWinners: Kerr,Garry(16)39
Grade DWinners: Bechaz, Steve(22) 37
Place Getters: GELL, CONNOR 38 C/B Leggo,Declan 38 C/B,Backman, Jason 38 C/B,Mead, Barry38, Winters, Jamie 37 C/B,Tsebelis,Peter 37,Williams,Shane 36 C/B,White, Rodney36 C/B,Dunstan, Craig 36 C/B,Symons,Daniel 36 C/B,Wilson, Lee 36 C/Bl, Wilson, Graeme 36, Stirzaker Jason 35 C/B,Shearing,Andrew 35 C/B, Muirhead, Neil 35 C/B
Great Score: MarkFife(Birdie) @4,Lee Wilson (Birdie) @8,Daniel Symons (Birdie) @8,BarryMead (Birdie) @14, GarryKerr (Birdie) @14, PeterStanlake(Birdie) @14, Shane Bruce (Birdie) @14
Nearest to Pin: 4th MarkJackson, 8th Daniel Symons,14th BarryMead Saturday, 21 March 2026 WOMEN'S SATURDAY OPEN Stableford
Grade AWinners: Taylor, Amy(11)35
Place Getters: Middlemiss,Kaye31
GreatScore: AmyTaylor (Birdie) @4 Saturday, 21 March 2026 Competition: MENS Overflow Stableford
Grade AWinners: Weir,Liam (4) 41
Grade BWinners: Edebohls,Jack(20) 39 C/B
Place Getters: Hams,David 39, Collings, Dale 38 C/B,Radovich, David 38, Matthews, Max 37 C/B,Harland, Bob 37,Veenman, Laurie 36 C/B,Panozzo, Gavan36, Downs
Craig 35 C/B,Williams,Shane 35 C/B, Bechaz, Steve35 C/B
Great Score: Anton Devent (Birdie) @14, Jack Edebohls (Birdie) @4
Nearest to Pin: 8th Lee Wilson, 14th Liam
Weir
MORWELL
Women's PARWednesday11th March
2026
Div 1: CPeter +1
Div 2: SKarleusa +3c/b
DTL: LFrench +3 NTePaa 0
NTP: 2nd DVuillermin 11th SKarleusa 15th
STurner
Women's Wednesday18th March 2026
Stableford
Winner: NTePaa 36 c/b
DTL: CPeter 36 c/b
NTP: 2nd Lvan Rooy 8th CScurrah 11th E Lau15th ELau
TRAFALGAR
Thursday12/03/26 -Stableford
Players: 49, Women 18,Men 31
Ladies Winner: Cheryl Deppeler (23)
R/Up: BevKeily(22)
DTL: LynPowell (21) Heather Savige (19)
KarenMacGregor (18) c/b
NTP 13th: SamCaldow
Lucky Card: JanJansen
Mens Winner: Vic Hill (22)c/b
R/ Up: RobCusworth/Warner (22)
DTL: Keith Owen (21) MickBennett (20) Chris Moody (19) Al Gray (19) John
Doderico (19) Hank Fiddelaers(19)
NTP: 13th John Doderico
Lucky Card: RonPyke
Friday March 13th, Open Men’s&Ladies
Stableford
AGrade Winner: PeterHeathcote39 pts
BGrade Winner: Connor Gell 41 pts
DTL's: John Butler 39, Dane Ellwood 38, Declan Leggo 36, Adrian Jones 36, John
Dodorico 36, WarwickGriggs 36 C/B
Birdies: 2nd: Jason Voumard5th:John
Butler 11th:Jamie Winters, Wilson Pollock
15th:Darryl Blackshaw, Dane Ellwood
SaturdayMarch 14th, Par
AGrade Winner: Dwayne Jenkins +2 C/B
BGrade Winner: Mitchell Dyke +4 C/B
DTL’s: Keith Owen +4, Nathan Jenkins +2,
air as Ichatwith athletes, their coaches and their family and friends. “We’ll arriveatthe opening ceremony with our baton ready to take on the best athletes of the Commonwealth.”
His Majesty King Charles III called upon athletes to come together in friendly competition, with the King’sBaton Relay sharing that message with communities across the Commonwealth.
Beginning its journey just over ayear ago at Buckingham Palaceand concluding 500 days later, each Baton contains aword or phrase from amessage to be read at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Australia closed out the Oceanialeg of the King’s Baton Relay today (March 25), taking over from NewZealand before the Americas are celebrated with amaiden stop in the Falkland Islands.
Bruce Aplin +2, John Tabuteau +2, Denis Dyke +2, Tony Bickley+1, Russ Grant +1, PeterMoss +1 C/B
NTP’s: 2nd: Andrew Cochrane 5th: Russ Grant 11th: John Warren 13th:TonyBickley
15th: Jim O’Brien
Eagles: 7th: Brad Griffin12th: Tom Woodhouse
WednesdayWomen’sresults March MM
and15/3/26
March MedalWinner: AijaOwen(27) 68
Runner Up: Ange Bayley(20) 72
ScratchWinner: Sue Klemke(13)89
DTL: LynPowell (31) 72, JennyEvison (24) 72, Anne Outhred (27) 73
NTP: 5th JennyEvison
18th March 18 holes Stableford
Winner AGrade: Cheryl Deppeler (24) 43pts
Runner Up AGrade: Donna Mellon (23) 42 pts
Winner BGrade: Chris Payne (36) 40pts
Runner Up BGrade: Aileen McNair (36) 35pts C/B
DTL: SamCaldow(8) 39 pts,Karen MacGregor (21) 36
NTP: JennyEvison 5th, SamCaldow11th, Gobblers: JanJansen 13th andLyn Powell 10th.
18th March 9holes Stableford
Winner: Sue Balfour (24) 17pts
Runner Up: SandraBalfour (18) 14pts FridayMarch 20th, Open Men’s&Ladies Stableford
AGrade Winner: JoePedemont 40 pts
BGrade Winner: Jordan Pickersgill 40 pts
DTL's: Graeme Maddocks 39, Steve Klemke39, BarryDwyer 38, Kyle Beveridge 37,AdrianJones 37,Ross Anderson 36, WilliamMcGrath 36 C/B
Birdies: 5th: Dwayne Jenkins,Glen Walker, Greg Evison, Wilson Pollock, William McGrath, SteveKlemke11th: Glen Roberts, UweTomski, GarryJansen SaturdayMarch 21st, Leon Christie Memorial 4BBB Stableford
Winner’s: MickPoxon &Bruce Aplin 47 pts
Runner’s Up: Nathan Jenkins &Dwayne Jenkins 46 pts
DTL’s: PeterGrima &Andrew Tangusso 45, Darren Cheney&BarryWatkins 45, Phil James &Craig Blackshaw44, Peter Collier& WarwickGriggs 44, Lachlan Dart & Nathan Dart 44
NTP’s: 2nd: SteveKlemke5th:Phil James –Charli Killeen 11th:Paris Christian 13th: Paul Fogarty15th: SteveKlemke YALLOURN
Ladies 18 Hole StablefordThursday 12-3-26
Winner: Lola Carter (18) 36 pts
DTL: Heather Ware (26) 35 ptsSue Riches (34) 34pts
NTP: 2nd Heather Ware 8th Heather Ware 14th Lola Carter &birdie Gobbler: JanWilson on 11th
9HoleStablefordTuesday10-3-26
Div 1: Loretta Booth (30) 18 pts Div 2
Donna Brown(35) 19 pts
Ladies Thursday19.3.26
YallournBowlWinners: YallournNo1
Team: Lola Carter,Loretta Booth, Donna Brown, score105 pts
Runnersup: Trafalgar No 1Team Sue Klemke, Cheryl Deppeler,Jan Jansen, score104 pts
Div 1Winner: (0-24) Lola Carter,Yallourn 41 pts
Div 2Winner: (25-45) Maureen Bishop, Yallourn40pts,on c/b Kerryn Del Piccolo, Churchill/Monash
DTL: to 32 pts
NTP: 2ndKerriAhernWarragul 8thLinda Chappell Trafalgar 14 th Merryn Dear Churchill/Monash
Tuesday17-3-26 9Hole Stableford
Winner: Lola Carter (18) 19 pts
PISTOLS
Monday2/3/26
Air pistol
CGrade: DO'Rourke 490-86-576. DGrade: AChip 486. NNewman485-113-58. DSykes 451-106-557.H Miller 423-130-553. L Morris 413-153-566. LDePetro303-158-461
Wednesday4/3/26
StandardPistol
CGrade: BKelly474-79-553. DGrade: FBorgnine 462-122-584. HShiels 446-123-569. MHoward 418-143-561.L Morris 333-150-483. DBest 321 Saturday7/3/26
Morning Rapid fire
BGrade: DFarnham 486-73-559. DGrade: CGoodwin 482-101-583.
Afternoon standardpistol
CGrade: CBenelli 482-100-582. DGrade: WMcGlyn 411-180-591.H Miller 349-176-525. Monday9/3/26/ Air pistol
CGrade: DO'Rourke 290-89-579. DGrade: HSheils 449-110 559. HMiller 440-128-568. DSykes 423-106-529. LMorris 402-143-545.
Wednesday11/3/26
50 Mt pistol
DGrade: WMcGlyn 367-137-514. FBorgnine 347-203-550. CBenelli 342-190-532, L Morris 317-262-579. HSheils 293-187-480. BChapman 237-264-501. DO'Rourke 163-317-480.
Saturday14/3/26
Morning centrefire
CGrade: CBenelli 500-81-581
DGrade: CGoodwin 465-128-593.AUrban 430. RMiller 342-251-593. 25 mt pistol
BGrade: DFarnham 538-66-604. DGrade: PLeys 417-232-649. HMiller 411-155-566. NDarnum361
Classic pistol
DGrade: LMorris 252-150-402. Afternoon 50 mt pistol
DGrade: FBorgnine 339-190-529. LMorris 283-245-528. HMiller 118-259-377
TENNIS
RIVERSIDE
Grand Final Results
Section 1Singles
Moe White5- 42 def Trafalgar Red1- 22 Riverside –Semi Final Results
Section 1Mixed
Moe 4-38def Neerim District 5–36
Drouin Maroon 6-47def Drouin Gold 3-40
Section 2Singles
CRICKET
CLVBGRADE
BY LIAM DURKIN
RAIDERS proved to be the best in BGrade.
Theteam fromYinnar celebrated the start of an outstanding weekend for the club by winning the BGrade premiership.
The BGrade triumphacted as aprecursor to the Raiders AGrade flag the next day.
Chasing94against Imperials, Raiders survived afew nervous moments to eventually win by four wickets.
Dennis Caulfield was the onlybatsmantomake acontribution for Imperials, scoring 36.
SatwantPooni had an outstandingfinal, taking 5/16
He saw the back of Caulfield, and then the last four wickets all for just 19 runs.
The home side looked on track at 3/49, yet successive wickets kept things interesting.
Raide rs veteran Jes se Berryma n-Lam bert however faced nearly 100 balls to take valuable time outofthe game.
While he only scored 19, his innings was worth twice as many in the context of the mach.
The winning runs were hit in the 38th over, making for an extra special celebration as Raiders won the premiership on its home ground.
Joel Randall took 2/21 in alosing effort.
Pooni was named player of the match.
There was still some reason for both sides to celebrate, as Raiders and Imperials each earnt promotion to Premier Bfor next season.
Raiders may see this premiership as aleveller from last season, which they lost on the seventh ball of an over.
The winning team was: Kapil Arora (captain), Amal Joshy,Sahil Khan, Satwant Pooni, Hardeep SinghRai,NaunihalSingh Sandhu, Rupinder Sidhu,Jeevan Varghese, Jesse Berryman-Lambert, Patrick Mills and Ken Hutchinson.
Congratulations: CricketLatrobe ValleyB Grade premier,Raiders. Photograph supplied
CRICKET
CLVCGRADE BY
LIAM DURKIN
NEVER easy to win from fourth.
Even when you only qualify on percentage.
CATS did it the hard way to win the Cricket Latrobe Valley CGrade premiership. The team from Cal ligne eS outh defeat ed Jeeralang-Boolarrainthe decider,following a whirlwind few weeks.
CATS won its last three home-and-away games to sneak into finals, before rolling minor premier Gormandale in the semi-final, and then the Panthers by 35 runs in the decider.
Batting firstatYinnar hard wicket, CATS compiled 6/179 from the allotted 40 overs. Despite being 3/19,Tony Harrup and Corey Beaver rescued the innings with scores of 36 and 32.
JacobCecil (2/31) and Oliver Stanton (2/34) took apairofwickets each for Jeeralang-Boolarra. Jeeralang-Boolarra made agood fist of the chase,
but were behind the run rate for the most part.
The score was 3/98 when skipper Ben Duffy was dismissedfor 37,which was essentially the game.
Nathan Spark added 36 off 40 balls, but when he went out,the Pantherswere still morethan 50 runs behind with only two wickets in hand.
Beaver snared 3/37 and Bresciano Wilson 2/43 to see Jeeralang-Boolarra all out for 144.
Harrup took 2/23 and was named player of the match for his all round efforts.
In abizarre situation, CATS qualified for finals despite winning less games than fifth-placed Rovers.
CATS will go into Premier C, as will Gormandale as the minor premier.
Jeeralang-Boolarra hasplans to return to A Grade, and with astrongC Grade team, there is aplausible starting point for the whole club.
The winning team was: Dale Fleming (captain), Corey Beaver, Tom Hagley, Tony Harrup, River Hendrix, Harrison Low, Shane Mustoe, Steve Webley, Bresciano Wilson, Luke Wilson and Liam Pass.
SPooni 8.5-1-16-5, SKalyan 8-2-17-0
RAIDERS BATT IN G KHutchinson bJ Randall 12 RSidhu bT Donoghue 11 HRai lbwDLoots.............................................................. 0 JBerryman-Lamber
CRICKET
CLVPREMIER C BY LIAM DURKIN
EVERYONE can stop talking aboutMoe winning aflag this year now.
It's already happened.
Moe won the Premier Cdecider in Cricket LatrobeValley after acomprehensive Grand Final performance.
TheLions were too strong for Rawson, winning by 46 runs No matter what grade, Moetends to do the same thing for afinal
This was no exception.
TheLions batted first and used up allthe overs to post 161.
This looked some way off when the score read 9/107, yet some wizardry down the order turned the game.
YoungsterHaydn Edwards played just about the innings of his life, scoring 36 off 40 balls batting at number 10.
Grand finalstend to create unlikely heroes, and this was certainly one of them.
His effort got the Lions out of trouble, and backed up the earlier work of Noah Keltie (34) and skipper Robert Straughair (29).
DarrenWilkie (3/28) and JasonWiseman(3/30) led the way with the ballfor the Kookaburras,
ablyassistedbyMitchWilliams (2/26) on the Toongabbie Village Green. Rawson's innings never really got going, although Jake Casey (36) and captain Lachlan Watson (35) did their level best in atotal of 115. Moe however bowled very well as aunit, with four of five bowlers taking wickets.
The two Craigs, Boswell (3/9) and Veenman (3/17) did the damage, along withplayerofthe matchEdwards (2/31).
Moehas enjoyedwhole-clubsuccessinrecent years, with all three senior grades winning premierships.
AGrade salutedin2021/22, BGrade last season, and now CGrade this season.
The Lions will enjoy returning to Ted Summerton Reserve later this year,althoughmay still look to keep Burrage Reserve Newborough as asecond turf wicket.
With aturf wicket also at Moe RacingClub, league officials will surelywant to seethreedecks in town.
Engaging withthe racing clubtosee if track staff could prepare awicket seems alogical pathway.
The winning teamwas: Robert Straughair (captain), ShannonMurphy(captain), Noah Keltie, James Keltie, Shaun Curtis, Kye Micallef, Craig Veenman, Haydn Edwards, Frank Manduci, Ronnie Whitney, Henry Bootman and Craig Boswell.
CRICKET
CLVPREMIER B
BY WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER
THORPDALE Gentleman's Club Cricket Club completed adominant finalsseries at the weekend.
The Blues defeated Ex Students by five wickets in the Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier Bdecider. Chasing 94 at Morwell Recreation Reserve, the boys from the bushdefeated their city counterparts by five wickets.
The Sharks were well-placedat4/77, yet a stunning catch from Thorpdale's Cougar Millsom changed momentum.
Millsomturned intoJonty Rhodes momentarily, diving to his left to intercept afull blooded pull shot from Chris Potalej at mid-wicket.
Potalej was on 30 at the time and looked like taking his side to acompetitive total.
The dismissal led to asteady loss of wickets, as Blues all-rounderKayne O'Connell cleaned up with figures of 5/9.
Heath Ferguson contributed with 2/4 after handing overthe wicket-keeping gloves halfway through the innings.
Zack O'Connell also took2/26, while Shannon Pickering conceded just eight runs in six overs. Potalejgot one back, taking ablinderwith the gloves diving in front of first slip to see the back of O'Connell.
Thorpdale was 1/41, and lost afew wickets on the run before Pickering and Ferguson steadied to see the team home in the 37th over.
Sam Farmer remained athreat and took 3/23.
The win marked athird BGrade premiership for Thorpdale in the last 10 years, although first in the Cricket Latrobe Valley era.
The Blues finished third on the home-and-away ladder, but got most of it first-choice players back for finals to defeat the top-two teams.
Thorpdale defeated Glengarry by 10 wickets in the semi-final.
Incredibly, thiswas the firstseason Ex Students did not win asenior premiership in any grade for some 30 years.
ZackO'Connell is now in aleague of his own as a four-timecricket premiership winner for Thorpdale (2008/09, 2018/19, 2020/21, 2025/26).
His younger brother Kaynewas named player of the match. If the sight of Wild Turkey cans at the team photo was any indication, it was going to be abig night up on the hill.
While that bourbonwas mixedwith coke, it is likely late Thorpdale Cricket Club icon and teetotaller Harvey Poole was looking down proudly with just the latter.
"Nothing happened at Thorpy without Harvey, what he did, unbelievable,none of us would be the cricketers we are without Harvey," club president James Durkin said.
"You always know he'sthere. Ireckonhe's proud as punch having acan of Coke right now."
The winning team was: Kayne O'Connell
Lancaster and Corey Davis.
CRICKET
CLVPREMIER B
BY WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER
THORPDALE Cricket Club celebrated after winning its third premiership in nine seasons at the weekend.
Club president James Durkinhad the distinction of also playing in the Grand Final. Here, the now three-time flag winner takes readers into the game, and the celebrations that followed.
WC: How confident were you leading in?
James Durkin: You’reneverreallyconfident when you play Ex Students. You’ve never beaten Ex Students until the winning runs are hit or the winning wicket’s taken. They’re avery good club, this is the first time in 30 years or something they haven’t won asenior flag. You’ve never beaten them until you’ve beaten them.
WC: Was there much emphasis on the toss?
JD: We always wanted to bowl first. We maintain we’re abetter chasing team because we can dictate how we need to bat to chase the score that they’ve given us, rather than us batting going ‘what do we think is agood score that we can defend?’
Being abowler down without Moose (Matt Powell) as well, and the batter down without Moose. When you bowl first in afinal, you’re in the game longer. If you bat first and get rolled for 80, you’re out of the game, but if you bowl first and roll them for 90, well you’re in the game for the first 45 (overs) and then you’re in the game for the next 45.
WC: Did you have atarget in mind?
JD: You definitely thought with their bowling attack you didn’t want it to get much higher than 120-130.
WC: You'll admit afew things went your way?
JD: Afew things fell in our favour. We knew SamFarmer wasinjured cominginto the game The Sunday of theAGrade semi-finalhehurt his hammy in the warm-up. Then Rob Voss hurt himself batting. He hit aquick single to Shannon (Pickering) at short cover, took off and did his hammy. He had to have arunnerfor the rest of his innings. Every timewe’ve played Ex Students,asIsaidto Daniel Churchill, "we never get to play each other full strength".Wewere missing Matt (Powell) and twoblokes who probably would have walked into our team but they chose not to play because they didn’t want to bat down the order and not get ago.
Definitely Cougar’s(Cougar Millsom) catch changed momentum, but getting Matt Robertson lastover before drinks, (he) hit asweep shotstraight up in the air.Hewas 20 off 19, motoringalong, didn’t miss the middle until then.
You take that and just keep chipping away. We swapped keepers at drinks and Heath (Ferguson) cameonand lbw Daniel Churchillfirst ball, felt like we were moving, then Rob Voss getting injured we sort of thought ‘if you get injured batting and
then call for arunner, you not really going to open the bowling and steam in’.
WC: Did yousense Ex Students had momentum at any stage with the bat?
JD: Potalej (Chris Potalej) was batting well for his 30 and Matt Robo, they were going at anice clip, so it was more that when we went bang-bang with Matt Robertson and Chris Potalej, that was probably breaking the back alittle bit.
All our finalswefielded well. Our last three games to get into finals we had to beat Toongabbie, we bowled them out for 77, the semi-final we bowled Glengarry for 80, (and) Grand Final bowled Ex Students out for 93.
WC: What wasthe report back from the boys batting?
JD: The balls that were pitched up jagged alittle bit. There was no swing,itwas all off the deck. The roar pace of Sam Farmer,it’sjust quicker than something you’ve ever faced for along time. Cougar walked off the ground and said ‘just didn’t see it’, and that’s just what it is, when you play Toongabbie, Centrals and Churchill, you’re not going to face someone at Sam Farmer’s pace. You play aclub like Ex Students who have the power to drop AGrade players back and we have to pick with what we’ve got.
WC: You won five down and with plenty of overs to spare, but it wasn't as comfortable as the scorecard suggests?
JD: Theovers wasnever an issue. No matter who
is bowling to you,you feel if you could go at two an over in a45over game and get to 90, you just need one bad ball or acouple of extras and you’ve got the extra three.
Losing Jags (Kayne O’Connell) early gave them momentum. It’s no secret he’s the big wicket. They got Kane earlywith an absoluteripper (diving catch from wicketkeeper Potalej in front of first), but Daniel Taylor, Mark Graeme got to 1/40, you can kill the game with someone like Daniel or Mark who like to take the game on.
Tac (Taylor) got 20 in quick time, if he kept going and gets a35the game’s dead. Then Shannon and Zac (O’Connell) (who are) just compact batters, taking what was there, running hard between the wickets, great techniques,justpicking offtheir bad balls. Ferg (Heath Ferguson) coming in at the end, good eye, good technique, picking off his balls when he needed to.
WC: How good was the catch to get rid of Kayne?
JD: Ispoke to Jaenschy (Adam Jaensch) after the game. He was at first slip and didn’t see it. He hadhis hands over his head just to protect himself and he goes ‘thank God Potalej got in front of him’.
WC: Any real nervous moments during the chase?
JD: WhenSam Farmercame back for his second spell and rock and rolled Cougar second ball you thought ‘ohhh’, now he’s bowling to our six, seven, eight, nine, 10, he gets on aroll, that could be a problem, because that was 5/50 chasing 94.
Even Shannon said it would have been hard for
him to get the 44 runs all by himself, but Ferg got through it.
WC: Were you next man in?
JD: We kept swapping the order based off who wasbowling. Robbie (Kerrison) the way he bats, he’s more aggressive so you want him against the slower bowlers, so Iwas going to be next in to negate Sam Farmer and just be busy at the wicket with Shannon or Ferg.
Iwas feeling alright. You sort of just know what to expect.Ifyou don’t play the game over in your head before you’re going to be fine, it’s just another ball.
WC: Celebrations looked pretty lowkey out on the ground?
JD: It’s mutual respect. They’re (ExStudents) unbelievable. You’ve got someone likeDan Churchill who gets to go to nine premiership reunions in a row. They are always there, always there abouts. When the leagues merged and everyone told us ‘they’resohard to beat in finals, you will never beat them in finals’, some people tell me they’ve never beaten Students ever.
We’re 4-1 against them with two washouts. You don’t take it for granted, it’s mutual respect.
WC: Kayne was an obvious choice for man of the match?
JD: Five for nine off nine is pretty unbelievable. Everyone contributed,you couldn’t say anyone played badly. Shannon bowled unbelievable for no wickets, even Tac, 20 at the end, Shannon 15 not out, it’s all he had to do.
WC: Where would Matt Powell have batted had he played?
JD: He would have batted five and bowled first change. He’s just as much apart of this as the 13 blokes who have amedal. If you don’t have Matt throughout the year,someone who is bowling nine overs, good fielder, good bat, you might not be in a position to have the medal.
WC: How was the night?
JD: After party back at the rooms. Pub first as always, photo up the top (group photo on the balcony of the Thorpy pub), back to the rooms, worked our way from the rooms to the pub to the bowls club for their championship day on Sunday. Me and afew others when we were bad at cricket we got apretty good break between cricket and footy, but now we’re good Iget to rock up to footy trainingonWednesday and play apraccy gameon Saturday off absolutely no preseason.
WC: Three flagsnow, all memorableintheir own right?
JD: This oneprobably meansthe most to me personally, first one as president with the work off field. But they all have their special meanings. The first one's always your first, the second one when you go undefeated and beat ateam with six AGraders in it and then this one. WC: Heard the footy coach wasbest on Saturday night? JD: He was very good off field. He got himself enoughfun ticketsfor 18 hours and usedall 18 hours.
CRICKET
CLVPREMIER A
BY LIAM DURKIN
THE Globo Gym Purple Dragon Cobras might have had Blade, Laser, Blazer and all kinds of azers
The Churchill Cobras however have JK, Kearnsy, Gurt and abloke called Ayresy. He hada fair finalsseries.
The Cobras alsohave some of the finest role players ateam could ever hopefor in Tugga, Covers, Willow and Ric
This combination of star powerand seasoned honestlysaw Churchill to the CricketLatrobe Valley Cricket Premier Apremiershipatthe weekend.
The Cobras did it the hard way, coming from fourth to defeatMorwell on theTigers’homedeck.
Bowling first at KeeganStreet, the visitors took advantage of grey skies and amoist surface to rock and rollMorwellfor 113.
Day 1was delayedbyuptotwo hours to allow conditionstosettle, and Churchillhad littlehesitation sendingMorwell in.
Tigers veteranMarkCukier top-scored with 52 off 106 balls openingthe batting,while lefthander Blake Mills contributed 25.
The ball however was reportedly darting in all directions, making life extremely challenging for thoseonstrike.
The scorecard saidasmuch, with extras forming part of atrio that were the only ones to reach double figures.
Five ducksand four other singlefigure scores led to the Tigerslasting 56 overs out in the middle.
Seam wasacleargo-to on the wicket. Churchill only used three overs of off spin from John Keighran, while RyanAyresand Chris Williamstook nine wickets between them
Steve Warr took the decisive wicket of Cukier, whichsaw Morwell go from 4/75 to 8/100 Ayresnabbed arguably the biggest wicket in the Tigers' line up, getting Tim Ford for asecond baller. Churchill had ample time to batbefore stumps, and knocked 53 runs off the total by the close of play. More importantly,the Cobras still had eight wickets in theshed.
Churchill got through atricky 19 overs period, navigating bad light as the game went well past 6pm.
Warr reportedly struggled to pick up the ball, trying to get throughasmany overs as he could.
An earlystart wascalled on Sunday, where the equation for both teams wasrather simple
For the Cobras, they justneeded 53 runs to win on firstinnings, whichmeant they could then simply take even moretimeout of the game
The Tigers meanwhileneeded quick wickets
Morwell struck acouple of blows, including Jordan Higham for 40, and Ben Kearns some time later to leavethe scoreboard reading 5/85.
Keighran however brought all his experience to the table, getting his side to parity.
He was dismissed when scores were level, yet afew extra runs from Kurt Holt pushed the total toward 130.
While Churchill had now won on firstinnings, there was still so much time left in the game for Morwell to try and setupa reverse outright.
Everoptimistic,and as only mothers cando, Simone Clymo, mum of Morwell captain Blair, believedthe side would still winreverse outright.
Her hopes and those of players wearing yellow and blacksoon faded however, as Ayresfoundawilling ally for the second week in arow
Having denied Ex Students the week before in similar fashion, lefthander Matt Harveystrode to thecreasewith just one thing on his mind -crease occupation.
He ended up batting with Ayres for 30 overs, forcing the gametoastage wherethe Tigers felt therewas no chance of any other result.
Harvey, to his credit, has shelved his usually attacking nature for the betterment of the team thisfinalsseries,holding up an end once first innings has been achieved.
You’d never believed he played baseball.
He remained notout acrosstwo finalsseries,facing atotalof188 balls for 15 runs.
That was the job required at the time however.
The pair did not look like getting out, but by the same token, were taking absolutely no risks whatsoever.
On one occasion, Ayres padded afull toss back to the bowler, and safely playedahalf tracker into thering.
He farmed the striketosuch an extenthedidn’t take singles after hitting the ball to deep fine leg,
much to the bemusement of Harvey’s old man, Graham ‘Grub’ Harveywatching on from theside lines.
Whilethe lead only hovered around40runsfor what seemed an eternity, the biggest issue Morwell hadwas giving themselvesenough time to take13 wickets.
Armchair plans were for Morwell to treatitlike atwenty20 if theyever didbowlthe Cobrasout.
Alead of 100 or even 80 could haveset up aHail Mary declaration,but theCobrashad other ideas Churchill players were whited up on the side lines before tea, readying forthe team photo
Therewas general consensus the game would be called at tea, yet Morwelldecided to playon.
‘Another 10 overs’ was the cry frommost in attendance, but with Ayres unbeaten on 56 after playing a textbook straight drive,and Harvey blockingevery ball of the 71stover,the gameeventually came to an end just before 2pm.
Subdued celebrations took place, most likelya reflection of the fact Churchill knew victorywas in sight with everypassing over Ayresaddressedthe group as captain out on the ground, before Holt made sure to make mention of the skippers’ effortinvirtually delivering the premiership off hisown bat.
Ayresput together what is surely one of the most incredible individual finals efforts on record, scoring 93 not out in the semi-final and 56 red in the decider, to go with five-fas in both finals as well.
As they say, you don’t mind recruiting Poms when they put up numbers likethat.
Ayres was an obvious choice for man of the match, and made suretorecognise“themost important person on the team” in scorer Deb Brighton
“Justtomakefinals wasamassive achievement for us, and then to go to Students on their home turf and knockthem off in one-and-a-half days,tocome here,goodtoss to win if I’m going to be honest,but we knew what it was all about, bit of pressure but the boys have donewell," he told the Express postgame.
"I said if we bat deep, therunswill come. Just bat time. If we bat 40 overs, we'll score 50 runs,get in front of them, andyou deflate them.
"I thought they'd go at lunch, Iwas thinking 53 overs leftinthe day,we're 50 clear, but fair play to them, you've gotta haveacrack.
"If they got me out after tea it's probably game on, they'dtry and smack afew and get us back in."
Injured player and favourite son Ryan Harvey, who is nowclub president, was also deservedlyrecognised as part of theeffort.
Chris Williams, at thegrandold age of 41, won his first AGrade premiership, and was one of many important roleplayers.
The rightarm pacebowler reportedly started swinging the ball prodigiously this season, getting ballsfromwell outside off stump to go over the top of middle.
In previous years, playing in the lower grades, the same deliverieswere hacked into the leg side, but playingagainst playerswith actualtechniques meanthesuddenly became alethal weapon.
Ric Velardi was another solid role player, who like Warr, found ajob occupying the crease to allow Ayres and Keighran to flourish down the order.
Keighran,one of Churchill’s greatestplayers who hasbeen battlinginjuryinrecent years, may have thought another premiership would elude him, yet he wasabletoadd afurther medaltothe collection
Kurt Holt was brought into the team duringthe
last few weeks of the season as astrike bowler, changing the complexity of thesquad. He has now won multiple flagsplayingfor Churchill in the two main sporting codes,and was on hand with abottle of unopened champagne to kick celebrations intogear
Youngsters Brae Kelly and Archie Norman have bothpaidtheir penance in the lower grades in recent years, and shouldbeplayers forthe future
The win completed aremarkable feat for the Cobras, who were relegated from PremierAonly two seasons ago. From that moment,Churchill maintained its desire to get backinto the topgrade, although even those closest to the camp probably didn’t think apremiership wouldbeonthe cards this quickly Churchill didn't even make the AGrade Grand Final last season,and had to win two of its last threegames of the regularseason last month just to qualify.
TheCobras snuck into fourth after afew results went its way
Asublimeinnings from Ben Kearns got Churchill the win chasing 250 against Moe, while Cobra officials admitted the revertingofthe lastround fromatwo dayer to aone dayer against Morwell certainly helped.
The Cobraswere pumped by Ex Students in Round 13,but turned the tablescompletely in the semi-final, after getting aballthat reportedlyhooped around corners
Comethe Grand Final,they wonthe toss and cashed in when conditions were conducivetoswing and seam.
Had Morwell bowled firstonthat pitch with Ford and Brendan Brincat, there is everychance they would have bowled Churchill out for asimilar score.
The luck of adrawina final.
Sometimes things just fall intoplace
Ryan Ayres(captain), Matt'Covers'Harvey, Jordan Higham, Kurt 'Gurt' Holt, Ben Kearns, John 'JK' Keighran, Brae Kelly, Archie Norman, Ric Velardi, Stephen 'Tugga' Warr,Chris 'Willow' Williams, JacobDunn, -Deb Brighton (scorer), Ryan Harvey(president).
CLVAGRADE
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
RAIDERS players perhaps broke out their best Joe Cocker, now that they’re up where they belong. In garnering immediate promotion ayear on from being dropped, the team from Yinnar made sure to grab the Cricket Latrobe Valley AGrade premiership on its way out after defeating Rovers at Toongabbie Recreation Reserve.
Day 1ofthe Grand Final forced players to wait more than two hours after the designated start time of 11am due to light morning rain, ensuring that when teams arrived onto the field for the contest, the energy was bursting at the seams. Once it was game time, Raiders won the toss and sought to monitor the wicket, electing to bowl. Roversopeners LiamLittle and Tyler Pearce were faced against Keenan Hughes and Will Robertson Pressure was assuredlyatahightobegin, and just as the Traralgon batsmenbegan to get themselves moving ever so slowly five overs in, acolossal, quick-time error occurred for Rovers.
Asquare cutfrom Little forced the Raiders slips on the move, and as Little pushed for two runs, a split second hesitation gave the fielders time to getback to wicketkeeper Tom Griffiths, forcing arun out.
While thatwas one down already, it was still early days -but the Raiders continued to work sharply. Simon Duff and James Hayter were sent almost instantly, with Robertson delivering awell-timed edge to the former and then Hughes belting the ball into the pads leg before against the latter. Within the first nine overs, Roverssupporters and players alike had to be wondering what was going on as they sat 3/8 after just 30 minutes of play. It appeared as though vice skipper Ewan Williams began to right the ship for Rovers at second drop. Williams attempted to break the tide by sending across the first boundary of the match, managing afew cheers from the crowd and easing some of the mounting tension on his side.
His partner, the lonesome opener Pearce, continued to keep it safe, especially when facing the rampaging Hughes, who entered the Grand Final with an astonishing 62 wickets to his name. Pearce eventually succumbed to the Raiders tall viaafine edge, pushing Rovers to 4/23.
GRAND FINAL RAIDERSV ROVERS at Roger Ries Oval,Toongabbie
ROVERS
Williams continued to be the onlyone to truly take it to Hughesand Robertson,securing additional fours when on strike.
It seemedasthough, singlehandedly,hewas quieting the Raiders, who were lively from the moment they stepped onto the field and remained just as chirpy as they earned four early scalps.
In another troublesome turn for Rovers, Williams attempted asweep shot that went horribly awry and was caught just before the drinks break.
Navdeep Singh and Will Coad were then undone soon after at the hands of Robertson and Hughes respectively, and the atmosphere was sucked out of Roger Reis Oval, as Rovers already lookedahead to areverse outright attempt if they could hold up with the ball in hand.
Darion Duncan added some spice with acracking hit that sent the ball over the fence, only for two balls later to be dismissedasHarri McColl smashed the wicket in half.
Rovers finished the innings all out with just 47 runs to their name, as all three Raiders bowlers achieved multiple wickets, through Hughes (4/14 andseven maidens), Robertson(3/22), and McColl (2/8).
The Raiders innings didn’t start all too well, as Williams quickly sent opener George Cheshire packing.
WhileGriffithswas also exited early, the likesof Michael Higgins and captain Liam Maynard truly moved the needle for Raiders.
Higgins tallied 31 runs off 60 balls in his opening stand,but an unbroken half-century fromMaynard lit aspark that was weirdly needed for his side, despitebeing putinacommandingpositionfollowing their fielding effort.
No other teammate made more than 17 (coming from Hughes), as Raiders made 140 all out just before midday on Day 2.
Due to the late start on Saturday, the following day’s playbeganearlier,offering achancefor Raiders to celebrateinthe blisteringsun in the wee hours of the afternoon if they could repeat their bowling effort from Day 1.
Given thatRoversentered its secondinnings
needing to set up areverse outright, it wouldbe assumed that they’d go down swinging.
The team from Traralgon never got going however, as Hughesand Robertson again ripped the heart out of Rovers in quick succession.
McColl caught Ewan Williams trying to drive Hughes at the end of the 11th over, whichwas followed by Robertson blitzing Hayter for just eight and then smashing the wickets the very next ball to remove Duncan,thrusting himself on to ahat-trick.
Duff (who took 7/41 off 30 overs)was able to handle the next ball from Robertson to move off strike, but soon after he was trapped absolutely plumb from Hughes, meaning the result was almost written in stone.
One final wicket from Robertson when he bowled Coad saw Rovers admit defeat and the two teams shook hands.
The score by that stage was 7/75 off 17.1 overs, giving Raiders awin on first innings.
Given how the match ended, along with Raiders being in control seemingly from the moment it began on Day 1, celebrations were relatively subdued, bar the blurting out of the club song inside the rooms.
Cricket Latrobe Valley Umpires Association President and gamedayumpire Leon Langstaff noted that the decision for man of the match was difficult, before announcing Robertson as the deserved recipient for his seven wickets across two innings. He took 3/22 and 4/15.
Hughes equally had the right to be bestowed the honour withseven wickets and seven maidens overall, as did Maynard for his unbeaten 50.
The Raiders skipper acknowledgedthat halfway through the season it wasn’t looking too great for his outfit, in which they sat with just one win from their first six games before rebounding in the home stretch.
“Toturnthings around the way we did, (we)had alot of guys puttheir hands up and getitdonewith the bat or the ball and got us back into aposition where we could be heretodayand get the job done,” he said when accepting the perpetual shield and premiership cup.
THE PREMIERSHIP TEAM WAS:
Liam Maynard(captain), George Cheshire, Tom Griffiths, Michael 'Juice' Higgins, TomHood, Keenan Hughes, Tim Hutchinson, Harrison McColl, TomRobertson, Will Robertson, Harvey Rogers-Collen, Ray'Razor' Stanlake(scorer) and Jason'Jock'MacFarlane (president).
FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
BY LIAM DURKIN
WAS always going to happen.
Traralgon Football-Netball Clubwillhost this year's Gippsland League Grand Final.
The Maroons are expected to open anew facility in coming weeks, with the long-awaited multipurpose pavilion nearing completion.
Traralgon has beenwithoutproper change room facilities for the best part of five years.
Majorfloods leftthe previous structure unusable after June 2021.
Since then, it has been an ongoing battle to secure funding and agree on concept plans, not to mention bureaucratic nonsense that could only fit the bill of 'world's gone mad'.
Somewhatbizarrely, Traralgon Recreation Reserve is only considered a‘local’ facility by the powersthat be,this coming despite the venue hosting AFL preseason games and Big Bash League cricket matches in the past.
The new raised facility, sitting alongside the wingofthe oval, is flood-proof, and accommodates football, netball, cricket andboxing.
The$6.2 millionredevelopment also boasts four change spaces, two first aid rooms, social/meeting space, kitchen, elevated timekeepers and media rooms,aswell as anew netball court, and game day public amenities
Parking is not an issue at Traralgon,with plenty
of grass space on the eastern wing, while the ground has some of the best lighting in the league.
Acommon, yet rather trivial, criticism is that spectators viewing from ground level on the wing cannot see 'the other side'.
Traralgon last hosted the Grand Final in 2019, when Maffra held off Leongatha to win the senior decider by eight points.
The game ended somewhat controversially, after amarkwas not paidlateinthe matchtoLeongatha interceptor Chris Verboon.
All Leongatha players around the ball stopped, while the the Eagles wentforward and kick a decisive goal.
Overonthe netball court, Morwell won the A Grade flag that season, while Moe finished third in both football and netball.
Jokes are already doing the rounds in league circles about the Lions doing the same this season.
Moe senior coach Leigh Poholke couldn't help himself when Traralgon was announced as host.
"If only there was anew facility that you could watch netball and football at the same time," he commentedonthe league's socials,referringtoTed Summerton Reserve, Moe's soon to be completed Commonwealth Games upgrade.
The Gippsland League (wouldn't takeagenius to figure out who), going well against what is usually seen, responded.
"Good news! Traralgon is preparing new netball courts next to the new multipurpose pavilion, allowing spectatorstoenjoy bothfootball and netball for this year’s Grand Final!"
CLV BY
WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER
THORPDALE Cricket Club takes working remote to new levels.
This is by necessity for the one team club, who are forced to navigate some unique challenges.
While most players are Thorpy locals, work andfamily commitments meantheycan only afford to return home on weekends to have ahit. It is well they do, for it is likely there wouldn't be aclub if they didn't.
Training is once aweek and (very) optional.
"We just strip it back, it is just one night a week on aThursday, get there if you can," club president James Durkin said.
The Blues make it all work,and have 11 cricketers come game day, the majority of whom poses enough sporting ability and are fit enough to remain super-competitive at Premier Blevel in Cricket Latrobe Valley. Durkin trainsalongsideteammateShannon PickeringinMelbourne, while young father Heath Ferguson is another to commute back to his old stomping ground for the Saturday fixture
The trioformpart of agroup comprisingthe likes of Kayne O'Connell, Matt Powell and Blaeden Dyke, who all grew up together and simply enjoy playing as ateam of mates.
Being serious about the game but less serious about your own has made Thorpdale adestination social club.
Theclub discovered thisinthe formofcurrent Thorpdale Football-Netball Club seniorcoach
Parochialism aside, given all the Maroons have been through in the last five years, it seems reasonable they are given hosting rights this year.
MOE has played practice matches against Mornington-based clubs Rosebud and Hastings over the last fortnight.
KeeptabsonRosebud if you are alocal footy junkie -theyare very, very good.
Traralgon meanwhile is still not even training on its home ground due to issues with the lights.
The Maroons have relocated (again) to Duncan Cameron Reserve up the road.
Infrastructure works are also continuing at MorwellRecreation Reserve,completing the trifecta.
The most important item -anew bar -isbeing installed outside the social rooms.
Moe, Morwell and Traralgon have rotated as Grand Final hostfor most of the Gippsland League's history.
Elsewhere, just how long aseason it will be for Sale was again thrust into the spotlight, after the Magpies lost to minor leaguesideWarragul Industrialsby100 points in apractice match at the weekend.
At last count, Sale has lost at least 15 senior players, and replaced them with only arounda quarter of that.
The currentpriceoffuelcould also mean lesscars make their way through the gates of Gippsland League grounds for the first few rounds of the season.
Players will likely arrange lifts with each other, although hoping not to draw the short
the same. One does not simplydrive to Bairnsdale without stopping at every pub on the way home.
DanielTaylor, who has become asurprise recruit.
"He said last year in March, 'put me down for four games, I'll fill in for you when you're short', then after acouple he goes 'this is the most fun I've ever had playing cricket', he just kept playing and playing," Durkin said.
"It is just 11 to 12 best mates playing cricket together,takingthe piss out of each other in the field, having fun, win or lose, it is what it is, we still come off, have abeer.
"We never try and recruit players. I've always said (to anyone looking to join) 'I can't promise you success, but Ican promise you will come up and have fun'."
The president himself essentially runs the show from the driver's seat of the trucks he drives to make aliving.
Mind you, all he reallyneeds to do is make sure there is beer in the fridge and someone to steer the club bus on aSaturday.
"The bus is very good because it just eliminates the hassle on away games, (instead of) needing four designated drivers, if you've got abus, you only need one. You have abit of fun on the way back, couple of pubs," Durkin said.
Granted all of this sounds like Thorpdale is a club where actually playing cricket is asecondary thought, the Blues havewon threepremierships from six grand finals across the last decade.
They are also street smart enough to navigate weeks when the unavailable list far outweighs the available list.
"We spoke about it in August when we knew all these things. We just said 'we have to make it
apoint that we have to win every game, or most games, when we have our best team'," Durkin explained.
"That way, our four mulligans can be the two bucks parties or the two weddings, and we pretty much did that.The first game we lostthat wasn't wedding or bucks party affected was January.
"There's blokes like Brandon Watson, Shaun Falla, BrendanPisa,Ben Britten, they fillin when we need them. When we had Fergs bucks party, they all put their hand up and said 'we'll playsoyou don't have to forfeit'.Even though we didn't win those games, they didn't get belted so it doesn't hurt your percentage.
"It also helps withthe ladder, the quirks of the fixture who you get three times, who your washouts are against.
"Heath's wedding got washed out on the
Fridaynight,but we wereplaying Moe who were third-last. If we won that game the game against Toongabbie(in the last round) would have been adead rubber, but you get washed out and it becomes 'we need everyone available for Toongabbie'."
Thorpdale faced astrange situation leading into the GrandFinal,withPowell getting his dates mixed up for an overseas venture, meaning apossible$2500 expense to change his flights in order to play.
"I said 'it's agame of cricket man'. $2500 to play cricket when you can go to Canada," Durkin said. When you put it through that lens, the choice is pretty simple.
Grand final matchreport-Page37
SOCCER STATELEAGUE BY ALLAN ROBERTS
ROUND 1ofthe Veto Men's StateLeague commenced last Saturday.
Reigning StateLeague South championsand local clubFortuna'60 started the newseason witha promising 3-1 win.
The first assignment was atrip down to the Peninsula to face off against Somerville Eagles.
With anew coaching team, eight to 10 players missing across the squad due to weddings, cricket finals etc, it was going to be abig test of depth for the travelling Fortuna against an unknown team.
Somerville wasfired up after taking the three points in the reserves match against avery undermanned Fortuna squad, but as pundits know, it is not the entrée that determines the end of season standings around promotion and relegation -but the main course.
At the end of the 90 minutesofsenior football, Fortuna continued its unbeaten way, quietening the Somerville team and spectator base in the process.
The gamekickedoff at the picturesque Westernport Athletics ground in beautiful autumn conditions.
It didn't take long for the visiting Lions to start dining out on some Eagle for dinner.
Damon Scott continuedwith last year’s leading goal scorer form, smashing aballinto the top left of the Eaglesgoal in the 15th minute after some great build up play.
New recruit Rory Wagner scored on debut in the 23rd minute after get onto asquaredballfrom best on ground DJ Matar.
Matar was paid close attention all game by the Eagles,but along with Nonda Lazaris, the duo carved up the park all match.
The hard work of Lazaris was rewarded with agoal in the 26th minute, with the assist going to Scott, giving the visiting Lions a3-nil lead.
Fortunawas 3-nil up at the halftimebreak, showing why they will be achallengerfor promotion at the end of the season.
In the second half, DevinLee fromSomerville gave the home side some hope, scoring agoal from a defensive mix up in the six yard box. TheEagles, to their credit, put in asolid 20 minutes of footballand pushed Fortuna hard by creating several chancesbut the Lions managedtowrestlethe game back and finish it off with no further damagetothe scorecard.
Fortuna coaches,Ash Ross and Robbie Stephen hadthe following to sayabout thegame:
SWIMMING
TRARALGON Swimming Club etched its name into the record books with a27thsuccessive win at the Gippsland Championships held in Sale.Scoring1708 points, the team defeated the very powerful South Gippsland Bass team (1506)and ever improving Warragul (871) to not only win the overall point score but the 14 years/under team point score (by 0.5 from Warragul) and coveted relay points score award (367 to South Gippsland Bass 303).
The 124 swimmers, ranging in age from six to 67, competed in 355finals winning 56 gold, 40 silver and52bronze medals.
Captain Ash Nicholes (19) was the standout swimmer of the meet, winning 11 gold and one bronze, and breaking one Gippsland and three event records
in adominating performance, making every final he competed in He wasablybacked up in the boys events with Zayden Burton (16), Kody Said (16), Lockie Bellion (18) and Brody Cargill (17) all winning multiple medals.
With the girls team, captain Olivia Baillie (19) was astarwith two gold, five silver and two bronze medals.JessWhiting (19) and Phoebe Balcombe (15) were also big point scorersfor the club, with anumber of gold, silver and bronze medals. Jess and Zayden were record breakers with numerous Gippsland and event records.
The relays were again astrengthofthe club, winning 13 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals.
One event record was broken in the women's 35 years/over 4x50freestylerelay, withShannon
Lorimer, Keisha Maccubbin, ClareRawsonand Caitie Mitchell combining to break the previous record by 0.58.
Traralgon Swimming ClubSenior Head Coach, BrianFord spoke highly of the performance and result.
"Winning one Gippsland Championship as aclub is challenging, winning 27 in succession speaks to thelegacyofthe many fantastic coaches, parents andswimmers the club has had over the past 30 years," he said.
"We were chased hard thisyear by bothSouth GippslandBass and Warragul, however to come away with another win was amightyperformance of which we are immensely proud. There is no doubt thatGippsland is indeedthe strongest region in country Victoria."
AFL EXPORTS
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
LATROBE ValleyAFL export Bailey Humphrey is in danger of missing three of the first four games of the season.
TheMoe,Newboroughand Trafalgar junior was cited for rough conductfor asling tackle on Richmond's Maurice Rioli Jr in Round 2. Gold Coast won by 10 goals over the Tigers at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
Humphrey returned to the Suns' line-up after a latewithdrawal in their win overWestCoast the week before, and has been hit with atwo-match ban for the Rioli incident.
The Match Review Officer labelled it as careless conduct, high impact and high contact.
The Suns have the bye in Round 3, meaning Humphrey will miss Gold Coast's Easter Sunday
clash against Melbourne and then Sydney in Gather Round.
After booting four goals in the Suns' Opening Round thrashing of Geelong, Humphrey was kept relativelyquietagainst the Tigerswith 14 touches and two clearances.
TRARALGON'S Andrew McQualter added his first win of the year as coach of the West Coast Eagles.
On home turf, the Eagles bested North Melbourne by 17 points at Optus Stadium to conclude Round 2onSunday.
Former Gippsland Power captain and 2025 Number 1draft pick Willem Duursma booted the opening goal of the match, finishing with two majors and 15 disposals.
Duursma matched up againstone of his brothers, Zane, for the first time in his career, with the older Foster sibling adding 11 touches and four tackles for North Melbourne.
Warragul's Jacob Konstanty, who attended
school at Newborough's Lowanna College, played his first match of the season for the Kangaroos, and finished with agoal and nine disposals.
MELBOURNE had lesser luck in its second hit-out for 2026.
The Demons succumbed by 48 points to Fremantle at Optus StadiumonSaturdaynight.
Morwell's Changkuoth Jiath had 14 disposals and seven marks in the loss.
Churchilllegacy player,Calsher Dear missed out on selection oncemore for Hawthorn during their win 17-point win over Sydney on Thursday night.
The son of former Norm Smith Medallist, the late Paul Dear hasn't managed agame for the Hawks since their first finals win last season against GWS.
Traralgon's Tim Membrey and Morwell's Ben Ainsworth did not play due Collingwood and Carlton having the bye.
“Wagner was verystrong and skilful for his first start for the club. Scott'sleftfootwas verydangerous DJ Matar played extremely well and was excellent all game.
"Very impressed with the front three who played very well and put the game to bed in the first half, withgreat support fromLazaris.Spiteri played well coming back from injury along with CassarCummings who controlledthe midfield. Dontae Marino had asolid defensive game in his first senior start at left back. Amazed at JoelPalermo and how he got through the 90 minutes when he was cramping and in trouble after 25 minutes.
"We were both very impressed with the fight and resolve the boys putinfor the secondhalf considering the conditions, no subs and boys being underdone with several returning from injuries. Positive signs aheadfor the rest of the season."
EARLIER in theday, an undermanned Fortuna reserves lost 6-nil.
With plenty of players to come back in, it is hoped thesidewill hit it's straps in coming weeks.
This Saturday (March 28), Fortuna '60 are at home versus the Yarra Jets and should welcome back at least six players to the squad.
Ressies kick off at 1pm and seniors at 3pm at the Den (Crinigan Road, Morwell). Entry is free.
• 1kgScotchFillet Steak
• 1kgPork Chops
• 1kgBBQ Chops
• 1kgBBQ Steak
• 1kgMinted Chops
• 1kgTopside Mince
• 2kgRoast Beef
• 2kgCorned Brisket ASSORTED PACK ONLY $231
• 1kgBreast fillets skinless
• 4Breast Schnitzels
• 1Kgwingettes
• 2kgMaryland
• 1 #18 Chicken FAMILY PACK
$72 SAVE $14
