REGIONAL EDITION MANSFIELD • MURRINDINDI • NILLUMBIK • WHITTLESEA • YARRA RANGES
56 PAGES
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● Wayne Phillips has been ‘retired’ as a candidate in the Beale Ward by-election
Ex-MP Wayne Phillips is already a Councillor in NSW he Victorian Electoral Commission has removed former Eltham MLA Wayne Phillips from the list of candidates for the Beale Ward byelection in Banyule. The twist came after the VEC discovered that Phillips is already serving as a Councillor until September 2028 in the New South Wales municipality of Cobar, approximately 800-km away from the City of Banyule. VEC guidelines specifically prohibit Banyule by-election candidates from being a Councillor elsewhere, including interstate. Candidates are required to sign a declaration that they do not hold such a municipal position elsewhere. The Local Government Act Section 34 (2) (c) provides that a person is not qualified to be a Councillor of a Council if a person “is a Councillor of another Council constituted under the Act or a member of a corresponding body (however designated) under an Act of another State or a Territory of the Commonwealth”.a me Cr Phillips is a former Liberal Party MLA for Eltham, and previously held the position of Shire President of Diamond Valley. He was also a Beale Ward Councillor, before being defeated by Elizabeth Nealy.
8-hour drive
Ms Nealy resigned as a Banyule Councillor on July 3, and has become the Labor Party’s candidate for Mill Park, in a hope to succeed local MP Lily D’Ambrosio. The Cobar Shire website shows Phillips as a Councillor of that municipality, and lists his address as 9922 Mulya Road, Cobar NSW 2835. Cobar is more than eight-hour drive away from Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Cobar Shire minutes note that Cr Phillips applied at its July 23 meeting for leave. He did not attend that meeting. The candidates for the Banyule Beale Ward seat are now to be: ■ Hill, Kevan ■ Taylor, Fleur ■ Landers, Kate ■ Rooks, Niclola ■ Barra, Renato ■ Farrell, Logan ■ Sandars, Lauren Maureen Gee, Election Manager for Beake Ward, issued a bulletin on Thursday (Aug. 27) to candidates: “Candidate Wayne Phillips has been retired from the by-election as he was not eligible to
● Cobar is a 807-km drive away. be a candidate in accordance with the Local Bovernment Act 2020 (Vic.). “We have removed Wayne Phillips’s name from the ballot papers being prepafred for the by-election in accordance with the Local Government (Electoral) Regulations 2020 (Vic.) “Public notice of the retirement will also be published on the relevant election page of the VEC website.
Name removed
“The ballot paper that will be included in the ballot pack mailed to voters in Beale Ward will not include the name of the retired candidate.” Nominations closed on Tuesday last week (August 25). The mail-out of the ballot pack will begin on Monday, September 14. Voting will close at 6pm on Friday, October 2. “Post or hand deliver your completed ballot pack by the deadline to make your vote count,” Ms Gee said. “Our advice is not to leave it until the last minute,” Ms Gee said.
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MARKETING FEATURE
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BASED IN NORTHERN VICTORIA
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56 PAGES: LARGEST READERSHIP OF ANY LOCAL NEWSPAPER IN MURRINDINDI SHIRE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026
Local Briefs Flowerdale success ■ “The highly successful Post Office at the Flowerdale Community House is going from strength to strength,” Cr Eric Lording told last week’s Murrindindi Shire imeeting. “Volunteers are to be thanked for their efforts and support to make it the success it is proving to be. It is now a very busy site.”
Time to pay rates ■ Cr Anita Carr, Deputy Mayor at Murrindindi Council, says that Rates Notices on their way. “The 2026-27 rate notices are on their way to your letterboxes and inboxes, with notices being distributed this week, so keep an eye out for them,” Cr Carr told the August 26 meeting of the Council. “There are several ways to pay your rates. While the traditional quarterly instalment option and lump sum payment due in February remain available, additional payment options introduced over recent years may better suit many ratepayers and help them stay on top of their accounts. “When you receive your notice, you can set up a direct debit payment plan that works for your household budget. “Payments can be made weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, providing greater flexibility and making it easier to spread the cost across the year. “I encourage everyone to review their notice as soon as it arrives and consider whether a direct debit arrangement would be beneficial. “It is also important to note that you have two months from the date of issue to query your property valuation with the ValuerGeneral Victoria. “Property valuations are conducted by the Valuer-General - not by Council. If you believe your valuation is incorrect, please contact the Valuer-General's Office directly. “Contact details and relevant information will be included on the back of your rates notice. “Another aspect of this year's rates notice is the State Government's Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund charge. Council is required to collect this charge through council rates as part of State Government policy. “It is important to understand that every dollar collected for the ESVF is passed directly to the State Government. Council does not retain any of these funds. “If you are experiencing financial hardship or have overdue rates, I strongly encourage you to contact Council's Rates Department as soon as possible to discuss your situation confidentially and develop a payment plan. “The sooner you seek assistance, the easier it is to manage the debt and avoid additional interest charges. Council officers are there to help and work with you to find a suitable solution. For assistance, please contact the Rates Department on 5772 0333,” Cr Carr said.
New roof for rooms ■ Mansfield Shire tennis players are set to benefit from a new roof at the Mansfield Tennis Association Clubrooms. The works, delivered as part of Councils’ 2025/26 Open Spaces and Streetscapes Capital Works Program, addresses issues that will help protect the facility from weatherrelated damage, ensuring the clubrooms remain a valuable community asset for years to come. Mansfield Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the Council was committed to maintaining and improving community infrastructure that supports local clubs, volunteers and residents, in turn protecting pathways into sport and fitness. "Mansfield's a sporting shire and our clubs play an important role in our community.”
DOG OWNERS PUT ON NOTICE
■ Mitchell Shire dog owners are being put on notice after 142 dog attacks were reported across the municipality in the past financial year. The attacks have caused devastating injuries to people and animals, with some victims requiring hospital treatment, family pets killed and dogs responsible for attacks euthanised. Reported dog attacks increased from 130 in 2024-25 to 142 in 2025-26. Reports of wandering dogs also rose from 181 to 195, while Council impounded 398 dogs during the past financial year. Mitchell Council says it is taking a zero-tolerance approach to irresponsible dog ownership and warning owners that failing to contain and control their dog can have life-changing consequences.
Attacks increase
Mitchell Shire Mayor Cr John Dougall said the increase in reported attacks was concerning and reinforced the importance of responsible pet ownership. “Dogs are an important part of many Mitchell Shire families, but owning one comes with a clear responsibility to protect other people, pets and animals in our community,” Cr Dougall said. “The majority of owners do the right thing. However, the consequences can be devastating when a dog is allowed to wander or isn’t kept under effective control. “No family should have to deal with a serious injury or the loss of a beloved pet because another owner failed to meet their responsibilities.” Mitchell Council says it will take enforcement action when dogs are found wandering, uncontrolled or involved in an attack.
Repeat offending
Since July 1 last year , dogs must be kept on a leash in public places across Mitchell Shire, except in designated off-leash areas. Current fines include: ■ $418 for failing to register a dog or cat ■ $314 when a dog is found wandering at large during the day ■ $418 when a dog is found wandering at large at night ■ $523 for a non-serious dog attack. Serious attacks and repeat offending may be referred directly to court rather than dealt with through an infringement. A court may impose fines, order the owner to pay court and Council costs and expenses
● Cr John Dougall, Mayor incurred by the victim, ban the person from owning a dog for up to 10 years or, in extreme circumstances, impose a prison sentence. The Council may also seize a dog or declare it dangerous or menacing. In some cases, a court may order that the dog be euthanised. “Council will continue educating the community, but where owners put others at risk, we’ll take appropriate enforcement action,” Cr Dougall said. “We’re asking every dog owner to check their fencing and gates, follow the on-leash requirements and make sure their registration details are current. These simple actions can prevent an attack and help keep our community safe.” Mitchell residents should report wandering or uncontrolled dogs to the Council on 5734 6200. After hours, residents should contact Council if a dog is wandering, behaving aggressively or has been involved in an attack. If the dog is calm and it is safe to do so, it may be contained while Council is contacted. People should never approach or attempt to contain an aggressive dog.
Regional Round-Up Powelltown powered ■ A new battery, storing locally generated renewable energy, will allow the Powelltown Pavilion to be activated as a community hub in emergency situations, thanks to a partnership between the Powelltown Sporting Club, Yarra Ranges Council and the State Government. The new battery technically known as a Battery Energy Storage System was unveiled at a community event, with representatives from the Powelltown Sporting Club, Council, renewable energy installer UB Energy, and the community present. The project included an additional 35kW of solar panels on the roof of the pavilion and over 200kWh of battery storage sourced from local renewable energy company, PowerPlus. O’Shannassy Ward Councillor, Jim Child, said the battery - funded through the State Government’s 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program - would help build local resilience in an emergency. “The Upper Yarra is no stranger to power outages in extreme weather; having battery storage will mean the pavilion can be activated during an emergency, offering the community a safe place to gather with at least 72 hours of back-up power,” Cr Child said. In the event of a power outage, the battery will automatically start within 30 seconds, and the pavilion will be able to operate autonomously from the grid, allowing people to charge phones and use the pavilion facilities. “When it’s not being used in an emergency, the battery will store energy generated from the large roof-mounted solar array that can be used to power the pavilion, helping to greatly reduce electricity costs for the club.” Powelltown Sporting Club President, Kevin Sanders, said: “ On behalf of the Powelltown Sporting Club and the community of Powelltown, I would like to thank the State Government for the initial grant from their 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program, and secondly I would like to thank Yarra Ranges Council for their guidance, project management and co-contributing their own funds to the project and lastly I thank UB Energy for sourcing the equipment and installing. “This project is a great example of community, Council and the State Government working together to deliver an outstanding outcome for local residents. I’m proud to have been part of it,” Cr Child said. The Council provided project management, technical expertise, and delivery support, while a community-led Innovation Working Group helped shape the project.
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Paid parking stays in Warburton MAYOR PAID $157,920 ● Main St, Warburton Photo: Yarra Ranges Council ■ Visitor paid parking will continue in Warburton. Yarra Ranges Council officials say this will ensure the availability of parking and improve traffic flow around the township. This follows the Yarra Ranges Council's endorsement of the recommendation in the evaluation of the Warburton Paid Visitor Parking Pilot Program. Introduced in May 2025, the pilot saw the introduction of paid parking for non-Yarra Ranges residents in a bid to alleviate parking congestion, improve traffic flow, and vehicle turnover. Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Richard Higgins, said the pilot improved traffic flow and parking turnover in high-demand visitor areas. "We heard from the Warburton community that parking was a significant issue. “With visitation increasing, it was important to find a solution that improved the flow of traffic without impacting Yarra Ranges residents,” Cr Higgins said.
■ City of Whittlesea Mayor Cr Lawrie Cox has received a pay rise- and will now be paid a total annual allowance of $157,920 ($3037 per week). This is an increase of approximately 10.6 per cent, according to local government observers. The pay bonus was fast-tracked by the he Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal which handed down a new determination. This brought a comprehensive remuneration review forward three years earlier than scheduled. Then-Minister for Local Government, Nick Staikos, had asked for the early view. Paul Hamer and Tim Richardson have since been Minister in that portfolio. The hefty increase comes as the Whittlesea municipality has been placed into a “growth council” category.
"Warburton is a beautiful town, and an extremely popular weekend destination with limited space for parking. “The trial gave us the opportunity to make an informed decision about the effectiveness of visitor paid parking before committing to a long-term solution," Cr Higgins said. The evaluation drew on traffic and economic data as well as business and community feedback. It identified opportunities to reduce parking costs and improve the visitor and trader experience. "As well as drawing on the traffic and economic data, we engaged with local business through workshops to capture their feedback and it's clear from the evaluation that parking availability and traffic has improved, however we've also learned some valuable lessons along the way and the recommendations reflect those insights," Cr Higgins said. “It's clear from the evaluation that parking availability and traffic has improved, however we've also learned some valuable lessons along the way and the recommendations reflect those insights."
● Livia Bonazzi, Shire CEO
Query about bike trails
New charges
Based on the findings, Yarra Ranges Council will implement changes from October 1: ■ Reduce the weekend parking rate on Warburton Highway, Station St and Thomas Avenue from $3.50 to $2 per hour. ■ Introduce seasonal pricing for visitor parking at Warburton Water World: • March to November: $2 per hour on weekends and public holidays. • December to February: $6 per hour, seven days a week during the peak summer period. The Council will continue to provide free parking for all Yarra Ranges residents who hold a valid resident parking permit, and these permits will remain free. The pilot generated approximately $136,000 in revenue, which will be reinvested into projects and improvements within the Warburton township. "We made a commitment that funds generated from paid parking fees would be reinvested back into the Warburton township and we’ll deliver on that commitment,” Cr Higgins said. “Council will now work through the best process to ensure those funds deliver lasting benefits for the local community,” Cr Higgins said. Parking for Yarra Ranges residents remains free at all times.
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● Jaclyn Symes, Victorian Environment Minister ■ Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish has asked Environment Minister Jaclyn Symes about the condition of the Cascades mountain bike trail between Lake Mountain and Marysville. “Concerns have been raised about erosion, fallen trees, overgrown vegetation, debris, exposed rock, reduced visibility and the adequacy of maintenance arrangements, with reports that these issues may be creating safety risks for trail users,” Ms McLeish said. “The trail is an important tourism and recreation asset for Marysville, Lake Mountain and the region more generally. “It supports local businesses and attracts visitors from across Victoria. “What action is the Government taking to ensure the Cascades mountain bike trail is maintained to an appropriate standard, and are sufficient resources being allocated to trail inspection, maintenance and hazard removal to address community concerns about rider safety?” Ms McLeish asked.
■ Yea Police were left dumbfounded, detecting the driver of a vehicle travelling 50kmh over the speed limit in Molesworth. The driver will now be relying on others to get themselves around. The motorist was hit with a $1046 fine, and a 12-month licence suspension. There is a 60-kmh limit posted speed limit through the town of Molesworth.
Christmas axed ■ Whittlesea Agricultural Society’s Christmas Tree Extravaganza and Christmas Market have been cancelled. The Show Society said the decision was made with much regret. “We encourage stall holders to apply to the Whittlesea Monthly Market in the leadup to the show as they have a great number of people attend each week.”
● Cr Lawrie Cox
NO IDEA ABOUT POLL COSTS
Limited space
Local Briefs 50-kmh over limit
■ Murrindindi Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Livia Bonazzi says she has no idea what the cost will be for the by-election caused by the resignation of Kinglake Ward Councillor Jodi Adams. The Local Paper last week lodged a written question with the Council: “What is the expected cost to the Murrindindi Shire Council of the Kinglake Ward by-election?” Ms Bonazzi replied: “The Victorian Electoral Commission is currently finalising arrangements for the Kinglake Ward by-election and has not yet advised Council of the expected cost. “Once those arrangements are confirmed, the VEC will provide Council with an estimate of the costs associated with conducting the by-election.” The Local Paper revealed last month that Cr Adams had not attended a Council meeting since last November, but was paying her $28,110 allowance for the year.
EVs at Mansfield ■ Drivers of electric vehicles will soon benefit from an extended selection of charging points in Mansfield, with the number of EV charging bays in the Foodworks car park on Early St set to increase. Works wre scheduled to take place over the past two weeks to see two additional EV charging bays installed. These additional bays will help reduce wait times for drivers during peak periods, particularly over the busy seasons.
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New operator at Mill Park
Rod Basto, Horse Racing
■ The City of Whittlesea has appointed Clublinks as the new operator of Mill Park Stadium. “Clublinks brings extensive experience in managing community sport and recreation facilities, including the successful operation of Narrandjeri Stadium and Bundha Sports Centre for neighbouring councils,” said a Whittlesea Council representative. “The appointment will ensure Mill Park Stadium continues to deliver on its vision as a welcoming, inclusive and accessible community facility that encourages participation in sport and active recreation while supporting the health and well-being of people of all ages and abilities. “Mill Park Stadium will remain the proud home of the Whittlesea City Basketball Association, continuing its important role as a hub for local basketball, community sport and social connection. “The transition to the new operator has been carefully planned to ensure there is no disruption for existing user groups, sporting clubs, program participants or casual visitors, who will continue to enjoy access to the stadium and its facilities. “The partnership also marks an exciting new chapter for the stadium, with a strong focus on enhancing the customer experience, growing participation and delivering positive community outcomes. “Future programming will include
● Mill Park Stadium increased opportunities for juniors, women and girls, older adults and people from diverse communities, helping more residents enjoy the benefits of sport, recreation and community participation,” the Whittlesea Council representative said.
Call for fund
Celebrating 57 years in local media
■ Darebin City Council, the first government anywhere in the world to declare a climate emergency, has unanimously passed a motion calling on the Federal Government to establish a National Climate Compensation Fund, funded through a levy on major coal, oil and gas corporations, to help meet the rising costs of climate-fuelled disasters landing on councils and communities across Australia.
Editor: Ash Long Features Editor: Peter Mac Columnists: Len Baker, Rod Basto, Matt Bissett-Johnson, Rob Foenander, Peter Kemp, Aaron Rourke, Cheryl Threadgold, Julie Houghton, Kevin Trask Honorary Reviewers: Juliet Charles, Sherryn Danaher, Linda Hartley, Lyn Hurst, Kathryn Keeble, Beth Klein, Graeme McCoubrie, David McLean, Maggie Morrison, Peter Murphy, Lucy Nicolson, Jill Page, Elizabeth Semmel Logistics: Tim Granvillani, Erica Koldinsky, Tyler Sandiford
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● Yan Yean Railway Station. Photo: Museums Victoria.
● This is the September 2 issue of The Local Paper (including the Melbourne Observer) for 2026. Digital issues are produced weekly, and print issues are published fortnightly.
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Local Briefs Northern priorities
Mitta Mitta fatal ■ A man has died in hospital following a single vehicle crash in Mitta Mitta. Emergency services responded to reports from a passerby of a vehicle seen down an embankment just off Omeo Hwy just after 11am on Tuesday (Aug. 25). The vehicle was located with an injured male trapped inside and a high angle rescue was initiated. The man was identified as a missing Harrietville man that had not been seen since August when 23 he left in his car from a hotel in Harrietville. The 85-year-old was taken to hospital with non-life-threating injuries at the time but has since died in hospital. The investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
NDIS fraud alleged ■ A man has been arrested after he allegedly defrauded the National Disability Insurance Scheme of around $700,000 over a two-year period. A joint investigation run by Hamilton Crime Investigation Unit detectives and the National Disability Insurance Agency commenced after a man allegedly defrauded his own NDIS plan between June 28, 2024 and June 30, 2026. Investigators allege the man, who is an NDIS participant, established two businesses for the purpose of defrauding the NDIS. It is alleged the man submitted false invoices for services he claimed to receive and distributed the funds into his bank accounts. Detectives will also allege that the man dealt with property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime. A search warrant was executed at a residential property in the Horsham area, and a 48-year-old man was taken into custody. He was to be interviewed in relation to the incidents. Detective Sergeant Mark James from Hamilton Crime Investigation Unit said: “Our team worked extensively on this investigation to stop this person from allegedly defrauding a scheme designed to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community for his own financial gain.” “Victoria Police and the NDIA are committed to identifying and holding accountable anyone who seeks to profit through dishonest NDIS claims.” A representative for the for the National Disability Insurance Agency: “The vast majority of NDIS participants and providers do the right thing and use Scheme funding appropriately. We will continue to use intelligence, data analytics and joint investigations to identify, detect and disrupt fraud, so NDIS funding is protected for the Australians who rely on it.”
Human remains discovered ■ Homicide Squad detectives found human remains as part of their investigation into a shooting in Wildwood. The remains were found around 3pm covered in grass on Havelock Rd in Clarkefield. The coroner has been advised and a postmortem will occur in due course. The discovery follows an incident where a 37-year-old Meadow Heights man was allegedly shot following a dispute with the occupants at a property on Wildwood Rd about 7.20pm on August 19. A 56-year-old Wildwood man was arrested on August 20 and charged with one count of intentionally cause serious injury. Detectives will now consider alternate charges following the results of a postmortem. Police believe the parties involved were known to each other.
Officer charged ■ A senior constable from southern region has been charged following an internal investigation. The 35-year-old man has been charged with common law assault (x4). The incident occurred in November 2025 while the police officer was on duty. He was charged on summons to appear before a magistrates’ court at a later date.
■ Mitchell Shire Council has joined the Northern Councils Alliance in calling for State Election commitments to the infrastructure and services Melbourne’s north needs. “We continue to hear from Mitchell Shire residents about the need for improvements to the Hume Freeway, better rail connections and easier access to hospital and specialist health services,” said a Council represenattive. “These concerns form part of a broader regional campaign bringing together the Mayors of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Mitchell, Merri-bek, Nillumbik and Whittlesea. “Our priority projects are well-defined and, in an election year, we are asking all candidates to work with us to ensure our community has access to jobs, education and services. The Northern Councils Alliance's key priorities are: ■ Upfield to Wallan rail extension ■ Northern bus network transformation ■ Hume Freeway expansion ■ Outer Metropolitan Ring Road /(E6) ■ New outer north hospital ■ Northern Trails Network ■ Inclusive Employment Program Mitchell Shire Mayor and Northern Councils Alliance Deputy Chair, Cr John Dougall, said investment was needed to give communities fair access to opportunities and essential services. “Where you live should not determine how easily you can access opportunity,” Cr Dougall said. “Investing now will ensure our region is equipped for the future.” More than one million people live across Melbourne’s north, with the population expected to reach 1.5 million by 2036.
Safety Expo ■ Expressions of interest are now open for stallholders at Nillumbik Council's 2026 Bushfire and Community Safety Expo. The Council is inviting community organisations, emergency services and agencies, local businesses, food vendors, and not-for-profit groups to apply to be part of this community event. “Taking place on Sunday October 18 from 10am – 2pm at Alistair Knox Park, Eltham, the free family-friendly event will bring together residents, emergency services, community groups and local businesses to promote bushfire preparedness, community safety, emergency readiness and wellbeing ahead of the summer season. “This year's event has expanded to include a broader range of community safety topics, including bushfire preparedness, emergency management, e-bike safety and community resilience.” The Expo will feature emergency services displays, practical safety information, , children's activities, and expert advice, creating a vibrant and engaging event for residents of all ages. Nillumbik Council is seeking stallholders who can help inform, educate or engage the community on safety, preparedness, wellbeing and resilience. The event provides an opportunity for organisations to: ■ connect directly with local residents ■ showcase programs, products and services ■ share expertise and practical advice ■ strengthen community awareness and preparedness ■ support a key annual community safety initiative. There is no cost to host a stall. Expressions of Interest are now open and close on Sunday (Sept. 6).
At Gathering Place ■ Monash University engineering students have visited the City of Whittlesea's Aboriginal Gathering Place to gain insight into how culture, community and engineering come together to create spaces that foster connection and belonging. The visit provided students with a firsthand look at how cultural values and community aspirations helped shape the design of the Aboriginal Gathering Place and the surrounding landscape. During the visit to the Aboriginal Gathering Place, located within bunjil nganga Parkland, Quarry Hills in South Morang, students heard from project partners and explored how engineering, design and culture were woven together throughout the development.
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Local News
Release rail study: Lovell WOLLERT INCINERATOR ‘CANNOT PROCEED’
● Wendy Lovell MLC
■ Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell has demanded that the Labor State Government release the Wollert Rail Feasibility Study. “The feasibility study is crucial to providing a clearer understanding of the Wollert rail extension project and informing future decision-making, and yet the study has been pushed back several times and the Commonwealth project webpage for the study now gives a completion date of mid-2026,” Ms Lovell said. “Extending the rail line to Wollert is a priority of both the City of Whittlesea and local residents who were sold homes in the area on the promise that public transport would imminently arrive. “The City of Whittlesea is frustrated with the constant delays which create uncertainty and prevent forward planning. “Residents who are forced to fight through car traffic every morning are also demanding answers on the future rail service.” Ms Lovell spoke in Parliament last week to note that mid-2026 has passed, the study must be assumed to be finished, and the Minister for Public Transport [Gabrielle Williams] must now release the study. Ms Lovvell said: “Labor must stop hiding the results of the Wollert Rail Feasibility Study, and publicly release the study so that stakeholders and local residents can have a clearer understanding of the project’s feasibility.”
Regional Round-Up Spend money locally n Northern Victoria MLC Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell says that the news that Victoria will axe 140 senior public service jobs proves millions have been wasted for years by the Andrews and Allan Labor Governments while regional Victoria was ignored. “The announcement by Treasurer Colin Brooks that the scores of highly paid positions, including in the Suburban Rail Loop Authority, will be cut to save taxpayers $100 million over four years, confirms what regional Victorians have been saying for a decade - Labor built a bloated inner-city bureaucracy it never needed. Ms Tyrrell said the admission was staggering. " This is Labor finally owning up to wasting millions of dollars on senior bureaucrats and vanity projects," Ms Tyrrell said. "If Labor can find $100 million by cutting 140 executives, it’s admitting it was wasting much more than that year after year as regional roads crumbled and hospitals and police were left to struggle with critical shortages.” Ms Tyrrell said hundreds of millions of dollars could have been spent on resurfacing and rebuilding the Victoria’s regional road, instead of patching potholes. “The Labor Government could also have put more police on the front line and kept police stations open to tackle crime across the state, especially in Northern Victoria.” “Every dollar wasted on a bloated bureaucracy in Melbourne is a dollar stolen from regional Victoria, and One Nation will fight to ensure that money is returned to roads, health and community safety where it belongs,” Ms Tyrrell said.
● Protesters against the Wollert Waste to Energy Incinerator. Photo: Melinda Wilson, Australian Clear Air Alliance.
■ The Australian Clean Air Alliance is calling on the State and Federal Governments to uphold their own environmental laws and immediately reject the proposed Wollert Waste to Energy Incinerator by Cleanaway Waste Management Limited. A new Parliamentary Briefing Document, written by the Australian Clean Air Alliance and distributed to all Victorian Members of Parliament. Alliance representative Melinda Wilson says that the document confirms that the Wollert project cannot lawfully proceed under the Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic), the Waste to Energy Incineration Regulations 2024 (Vic), and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). The briefing details over two decades of documented alleged environmental and safety violations by Cleanaway and its subsidiaries across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, including multiple prosecutions, fines, and ongoing non-compliance with EPA licence conditions. “This is not a matter of political discretion it is a matter of law,” said Ms Wilson. “Cleanaway’s record fails the fit and proper person test under Section 88 of the Victorian Act,” Ms Wilson said.
Ignore
“If the Government ignores that, they are breaking the very legislation designed to protect Victorians from environmental harm. If those laws are not enforced here, it sends a signal that corporate polluters can operate above the law.” “Official government and EPA records, including NSW EPA GIPA disclosures reveal repeated breaches involving hazardous waste mismanagement, dioxin emissions, and public health risks at the company’s Silverwater Medical Waste Incinerator. “Under both State and Federal law, these failures automatically disqualify Cleanway from holding or applying for new environmental licences. “Cleanaway should never be approved to build Australia’s largest incinerator.” The Australian Clean Air Alliance is calling for immediate action: ■ EPA Victoria must refuse any permit, licence, or approval for the Wollert Waste to Energy project; ■ The Federal Minister for the Environment must formally declare the project inconsistent with the EPBC Act 1999 (Cth); ■ Both Governments must reaffirm their duty to uphold the law equally, without exemption for corporations with a record of serious offences.
MPs contacted
The Parliamentary Brief and Media Release were emailed today to all Members of the Victorian Parliament, including the Premier, Ministers, Shadow Ministers, and crossbench representatives. Background The Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic) and Waste to Energy Incineration Regulations 2024 (Vic) prohibit licensing of any operator who fails the “fit and proper person” test. The EPBC Act 1999 (Cth) and National Waste Policy 2022 impose corresponding Federal obligations for environmental compliance and hazardous-waste tracking.
$182,416 in grants
● Rotary Club of Yea 40th anniversary dinner ■ Murrindindi Shire Council has invested $182,416 through its 2025-26 Grants and Sponsorships Program to support local projects, events and initiatives. During the 2025-26 financial year the Council supported 73 projects through the Program's six funding streams, with successful projects reflecting the breadth of locally led ideas and activities taking place throughout Murrindindi, a Shire representative said. Funding has supported a diverse range of initiatives, including upgrades and equipment for Alexandra Junior Soccer Club, the Buxton Community Fun Day, the relocation of a historical storage building for Kinglake Historical Society, Yea Rotary Club's Garden Expo 2026 and work to restore Strath Creek's iconic historic water wheel. The Council also backed larger community celebrations, including Triangle Arts Group's Marysville Music Weekend, and sponsored Alexandra Football Club's ANZAC Day 2026 Commemoration Service. “While each project is different, together they help people connect, participate and contribute to community life, fostering a sense of belonging, resilience and wellbeing,” the representative said. Murrindindi Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher said the diverse range of successful projects highlighted the initiative and dedication of local volunteers and organisations. "Behind every successful application is a local group, volunteer or individual with a vision for their community and the commitment to make it happen," Cr Gallagher said. "Whether it helps young people get involved in sport, brings neighbours together at a local event or preserves an important part of our history, each project contributes to a stronger and more connected Murrindindi Shire." "We have seen time and again that strong communities are built by local people. Council is proud to support the volunteers, organisations and individuals who help make our towns vibrant, connected and resilient,” Cr Gallagher said. murrindindi.vic.gov.au/grants
Local Politics Opposed reforms ■ Indi MHR Helen Haines says she opposed both gambling and NDIS reforms in Federal Parliament. “More than 80 per cent of Australians support a total ban on gambling advertising, and the Government's reforms didn’t go far enough,” Dr Haines said. “Hundreds of people across Indi have contacted me sharing personal experiences of gambling harm and calling for stronger protections for children, and vulnerable Australians. “The Government made some improvements after pressure from the crossbench and the community, including tighter restrictions on inducements and an opt-out register for online wagering advertising. “But gambling companies can still advertise widely. The Murphy Report was clear: partial bans don’t work. “This was a huge opportunity for meaningful reform that was lost because the Government and Coalition backed big money over addressing gambling harm. “Protecting Australians should come before gambling company profits,” Dr Haines said.
Regional Vic. slugged ■ Regional Victorians have been hit with a secret tax to bankroll a metro project most will never use, after the Auditor-General exposed the Carroll Labor Government's hidden 1 per cent levy on every single public transport fare, according to Nationals leader Danny O’Brien. “The Victorian Auditor-General revealed Labor quietly hiked every public transport ticket by 1 per cent from January 2025, buried inside the annual fare increase in a bid to fund the problematic Suburban Rail Loop project,” Mr O’Brien said. “That equates to an additional $60 a week in public transport fares, more than $3000 a year for frequent commuters in a bid to raise $8 billion by 2062. “VAGO found 60 per cent of the revenue raised, an estimated $4.8 billion by 2062, is earmarked to fund the Suburban Rail Loop East, making the secret tax the project's single biggest source of value capture funding. “The tax was signed off in 2021 when current Premier Ben Carroll was Minister for Public Transport.” Mr O'Brien interrogated the government in Parliament on Wednesday (Aug. 26), asking why regional Victorian travellers were being slugged a new tax to cover the cost of the Suburban Rail Loop, a project most of them will never use. "Once again, it's regional Victorians paying the price for Labor's chaos in Melbourne," Mr O'Brien said. “If regional Victorians knew they were going to be charged an extra fee to use public transport, shouldn’t they expect all that money to go towards improving an increasingly unreliable V/Line network and bus services rather than a new way to navigate Melbourne’s suburbs?”
Page 14 - The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026
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Local People Man With A Pram ■ Fathers and families will gather at 9am Saturday (Sep. 5) at Mansfield Botanic Park for a Man With A Pram walk. Participants will meet at the main rotunda near the playground, corner of High St and Mansfield–Whitfield Rd. This will mark 10 years since a simple suburban walk grew into a national movement for fathers and families. Man With A Pram began in 2016, when new father Tom Docking was pushing a pram through suburban Melbourne and wondered whether a simple walk could help fathers feel less alone. At the time, Tom and his wife Kate had a two-year-old daughter and another baby on the way. Six weeks after the idea emerged, they launched the first grassroots walk in Ringwood. “It felt like throwing a birthday party and wondering if anyone would come,” Tom said. “I knew my dad and brothers would be there, but then families we had never met started appearing. “That was when we understood the walk could be a doorway to something deeper — connection, honest conversation and support for dads and their families.” For Kate, watching unfamiliar families arrive was the moment she realised how many others were experiencing the same isolation, anxiety and uncertainty they had encountered during early parenthood. “Seeing those families turn up showed us that people genuinely wanted more connection and support,” Kate said. “Ten years later, the heart of Man With A Pram is still simple: create a welcoming place where fathers and families can show up, walk together and know they are not alone.” That first walk has grown into a national Father’s Day event series and community campaign, bringing families together through local walks and encouraging a more father-inclusive approach to pregnancy, birth and early parenting. The Mansfield event gives Mansfield and North East Victoria a local entry point into the anniversary story, with dads, babies, partners and supporters able to walk together in a relaxed community setting. Tom describes the transition into fatherhood as moving from ‘dude to dad’ — not through one dramatic transformation, but through small decisions to show up, seek connection and become more present with your family.
Local Briefs Early fire season ■ “With an earlier start to the fire season expected this year, I encourage everyone to keep an eye on information from their local CFA regarding preparations ahead of the season, tips for staying safe throughout the fire danger period, and the importance of being proactive by creating or updating your personal fire plan,” Deputy Mayor Cr Antia Carr told last week’s Murrindindi Shire Council meeting.
Tour at Millbuilt ■ Cr Anita Carr has told Murrindindi Shire Council meeting that she was excited to be given a tour of the Millbuilt offices and factory in Toolangi. “Millbuilt is the company building the Key Worker Homes on 21st Street in Eildon as part of the Eildon Key Worker Housing Project. “To say ‘wow’ is an understatement. The setup at Millbuilt is next level, the quality of the homes is outstanding, and the people behind the business are even more impressive. “It is a fantastic outcome to have these homes for key workers being built locally within our shire by a local business. “I am looking forward to seeing the 21st Street homes completed and welcoming their new residents. It is also exciting to see the next stage of the project on 8th Street set to commence very soon, helping to deliver even more housing opportunities for key workers in Eildon and for the district,” Cr Carr said.
Wide readership
● This edition covers Mansfield, Mitchell, Murrindindi, Nillumbik, Strathbogie, Whittlesea, Yarra Ranges
The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - Page 15
Local News
Roos: 1-in-6 cars are write-offs ■ North-east towns are prominent on the list of areas hit worst by car-kangaroo collisions. RACV Insurance claims data reveals Victorian motorists experienced a collision with a kangaroo nearly 20 times a day on average last year, with crashes becoming more frequent, costlier and more severe. RACV members lodged almost 31,000 kangaroo-related collision claims between January 2021 and June 2026, peaking in 2025 with 7,232. The average claim reached almost $9000 in 2025, up 48 per cent since 2021, while one in six kangaroo collision claims resulted in a writeoff in 2025, compared with one in nine in 2021. RACV General Manager Insurance and Roadside Bill Bloodworth said the growth of Melbourne's outer suburbs, which has seen the transformation of bush and farmland for housing developments, has resulted in more motorists travelling through areas historically inhabited by kangaroos. "A lot of people assume this is only a ruralroad issue. As our outer suburbs grow, more cars are sharing the road with more kangaroos, and the result is more collisions, more written-off vehicles and bigger repair bills for everyday Victorians," Mr Bloodworth said. “We tend to see higher claims volumes in the cooler months, when claims from April to August run more than 20 per cent higher than the rest of the year. "The risk is greatest at dawn and dusk, so motorists should slow down, stay alert and scan the roadside, particularly where kangaroos are most active." Top 10 suburbs for kangaroo collisions lodged by RACV members between January 2021 and June 2026 were: ■ Sunbury (281 claims) ■ Wallan (232) ■ Heathcote (230) ■ Benalla (226) ■ Gisborne (209) ■ Craigieburn (193) ■ Bendigo (181) ■ Doreen (165) ■ Woodend (158) ■ Castlemaine (155) The steepest increases between 2021 and 2025 were recorded on Melbourne's fringe, with claims in Wallan more than doubling, up 112 per cent, from 33 to 70, Kilmore rose 193 per cent, Mickleham 169 per cent and Gisborne 93 per cent. RACV's tips to avoid a kangaroo collision: ■ Know the peak times: kangaroos are most active at dawn, dusk and night. ■ Slow down: ease off in areas with wildlife signage or when visibility is poor. ■ Scan the roadside: watch both sides of the road and the tree line for movement. ■ Don't swerve: if a collision is unavoidable, brake firmly in a straight line, as swerving can cause a worse crash. ■ Use high beams: when it's safe and there's no oncoming traffic, they help you spot animals sooner.
● Bill Bloodworth, RACV.
Mr Bloodworth said while hitting a kangaroo could be distressing, drivers should prioritise safety. "Pull over safely, turn on your hazard lights and check on your passengers. If anyone is injured, call 000, and if the animal is injured, contact local wildlife services on 8400 7300," he said.
Secondary College production was big ■ Murrindindi Shire Deputy Mayor Cr Anita Carr has congratulated Alexabndra Secondary College on its production of I’m Big, Yoiu’re Little. “I attended the opening night of Alexandra Secondary College's production of I'm Big, You're Little and was absolutely blown away by the talent of the students. “It was a fun, engaging, and entertaining performance inspired by the movie Matilda, with the live music and lighting adding greatly to the overall theatrical experience. “It was fantastic to see so many students involved and shining on stage. They all had their moments to shine and brought their own unique interpretation to their roles, along with individual quirks and personalities that made the performance so special. “Congratulations and well done to everyone involved. “Your hard work, dedication, and talent were on full display, and you should all be incredibly proud of what you achieved,” Cr Carr told
Busy times for Councilllors ■ Cr Paul Hildebrand last week told Murrindindi Council of the busy life of a Councillor. “On August 1, a number of Councillors and Council staff attended the Terip Terip Trivia Night. “The hall was packed and the competition was extremely close. Our team, the Pothole Warriors, finished on the same score as two other tables. “After a bit of luck in the final result, the Pothole Warriors were declared the winners. It was a great night and another example of the strong community spirit in Terip Terip. “I also attended two Comedy and Conversation events, the first at Molesworth Hall and the second at the Habbies Howe shearing shed in Highlands. Both events were very well attended and there were plenty of laughs, with comedians Des Dowling and Dave O’Neil having the crowds in stitches. “Warren Davies, the Unbreakable Farmer, also spoke at both events, sharing his experiences and talking about resilience, mental health and the challenges faced by people living and working in rural communities. These events are a great way of bringing people together while also opening up important conversations. “On Friday night (Aug. 21), I attended a men’s night at Fawcett Hall. It was a great evening with a good meal, a few beers and plenty of good conversation. James Jensen also made the trip to speak with the group and
was happy to sit down and have a chat with anyone who wanted to talk. It was a relaxed and enjoyable night and another good example of our local halls being used to bring communities together. “he Yea Tigers women’s football team played off in the Outer Easten Football Division 2 Senior Women’s Grand Final. “Jess Kennedy and her team brought the premiership cup home to Yea. Congratulations to Jess, all the players, coaches, volunteers and supporters. “It was a fantastic achievement and one the whole Yea community can be proud of. “On [the] Saturday night, I dusted off the penguin suit and attended the Hunt Club Association of Victoria Black Tie Ball held at Flowerdale Estate, Flowerdale. It was a fantastic evening, with plenty of people to meet and catch up with, a delicious meal and a great cover band playing a number of hit songs. “It was a very enjoyable night and a great event for the district. “On Sunday morning [(Aug. 23)I travelled to Terip Terip to hear James Jensen, a former SAS patrol commander, speaking about his military service and his experiences with leadership and resilience. “It was a very interesting and thought-provoking presentation. His experiences highlighted the importance of leadership, teamwork, looking after those around you and remaining resilient when faced with difficult circumstances,” Cr Hildebrand said.
Council Rounds No conflicts ■ A number of Murrindindi Shire Councillors assured that there were no conflicts of interest, when they met at last week’s meeting. Cr Anita Carr noted that she had an interest in relation to an item as a social member of the Eildon Golf Club, however there is no conflict as this matter was decided under delegation by officers. Cr Sandice McAulay noted for the purposes of clarification and the public record that she is was no longer a member of the Alexandra and District Dog Obedience Club Inc and that there was no conflict in relation to an item as the matter was decided under delegation by officers. Cr Sue Carpenter noted that she had an interest in a as she is a member of the Yea Rotary Club, however there is no conflict as this matter was decided under delegation by officers. Cr Damien Gallagher noted that he had an interest in relation to an item as a member of the Thornton Eildon District Football & Netball Club and the Buxton Progress Association Inc, however there is no conflict as these matters were decided under delegation by officers.
Speakers at Council ■ A number oif citizens addressed Councillors at last week’s Murrindindi Shire meeting. Greg Conlon, Charles Spanjer, Therese Bradshaw, Ken Eades , Raelene F Mold and Jennifer Walden each spoke against a proposal to develop a quarry on Killingworth Rd, Killingworth. Nick Anderson spoke in support of the Development Plan Planning Application for 6489 Melba Hwy, Yea. Ruth Huffett spoke in support of the Planning Application for 30 Malaraway Rd, Glenburn. Terry King spoke about safety concerns in relation to the Downey St and Grant St intersection in Alexandra. Trevor Johnson spoke about quality concerns in relation to unsealed road repair works.
Scheme ‘works well’ ■ Murrindindi Shire Council’s planning scheme has been reviewed by an independent consultant. “The report finds that the local planning scheme is generally performing well and can be further improved by a range of actions over the coming period,” Councillors were told. “Initial implementation via a planning scheme amendment will bring the Murrindindi Planning Scheme up to date across multiple policy areas, while subsequent strategic planning work will address emerging issues and respond to State Government planning reforms and policy direction.’
Foundations ■ “Healthy Foundations Murrindindi is a new program that has been funded by a State Government grant,” Cr Sue Carpenter told last week’s Council meeting. “We aim to help shape a healthier future for children and families in Murrindindi, and have an opportunity to design bold, practical and place-based solutions that create lasting change for current and future families, by bringing together health professionals, education providers, community organisations, etc to design interventions to improve health outcomes for the community and in particular children. “I am looking forward to this collaboration with the community and will be ttending a ‘Design sprint’ at the Yea Shire Hall to be held on September 15-17. “The program seeks to address the poor health outcomes identified in the Community Health and Wellbeing Plan and it is pleasing to see Council stepping up and leading this initiative,” Cr Carpenter said.
Tree comment ■ Cr Sue Carpenter said: “It was unfortunate that a large gum tree had to be removed in Melbourne Rd, Yea. “It had been leaning for many years and the rootball was lifting the road. “In the future it was at risk of becoming dangerous and could have fallen and taken the road out, or even traffic on the road so it was necessary to remove it. Fortunately, there are several other large gums in the vicinity, Cr Carpenter said.
Page 16 - The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026
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Whittlesea District-Kinglake Whittlesea, Kinglake, Doreen, Donnybrook, Humevale, Kinglake, Kinglake West, Mernda, Pheasant Creek, South Morang, Wollert and Yan Yean.
Safer roads ■ The City of Whittlesea is inviting residents to have their say on the draft Road Safety Plan 2026–2036 and help shape a safer future. The draft Road Safety Plan provides strategic direction for improving road safety over the next 10 years.
Whittlesea-Kinglake
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■ Scullin MHR Andrew Giles opened refurbished student amenities at Findon Primary School. The refurbishment provides the school with modern facilities, ensuring students’ health and safety requirements are met. The project involved a complete refurbishment of four student toilet blocks. The project was delivered with the Federal Government’s funding of $494,693 through the Schools Upgrade Fund Round 2, with additional funds coming from Findon Primary School. Mr Giles said: “This project is the result of a lot of hard work and strong advocacy from the Findon Primary School community, and it will make a real difference for students every day. “When I visited Findon Primary School in 2024, students and staff spoke directly about
the need for modern, accessible amenities. “I was proud to work alongside the school community to advocate for this upgrade, and I'm pleased that the Albanese Government has been able to support its delivery. “Every student deserves access to safe, modern and inclusive learning environments. Investments like this help ensure that children in our community have the facilities they need to learn, grow and thrive. “The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening local schools because we know that giving young people the best possible start in life begins with investing in the places where they learn. “That's why we're continuing to support school communities across Melbourne's north with the infrastructure they need to help every student reach their potential.”
HOON DRIVERS IN YAN YEAN ■ Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell and Yan Yean’s Liberal candidate Amanda Dow are calling for more police to tackle dangerous hoon driving in the Yan Yean electorate. Ms Dow has been speaking to residents near Hazel Glen Drive and Yan Yean Rd who are concerned about the noise, smoke, and danger on the roads caused by reckless hoon drivers. Ms Lovell has heard from constituents who live near Upper Plenty and shared video footage of large gatherings taking place after midnight where drivers race and do burnouts that frighten neighbours and keep them awake at night. Residents report that the gatherings continue despite notifying the police many times, and feel deeply disappointed with the state Labor Government’s failure to effectively tackle this issue, she said. “Under Labor, police stations in the Whittlesea Police Service Area are operating at only 40-60 per cent of their staffing allocation, which leaves officers struggling to adequately address the problem.” Ms Lovell spoke in parliament and asked the Minister for Police to allocate more police officers to the Whittlesea PSA to provide intensified law enforcement of dangerous hoon drivers in the area. “Residents in the Yan Yean electorate have had enough of hoon drivers who gather
■ The Federal GovernmentGovernment is investing $1.4 million to support early childhood education and care services across five services in Scullin. Through Round 5 of the Community Child Care Fund Sustainability and Capital Support program, grants will be provided over three years from 2026–27 to 2028–29. Scullin MHR Andrew Giles last week visited Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, which is receiving $600,000 in funding to help more local children get a great start in life. The Government extended the grants from two years to three, giving providers greater certainty to plan for the future. Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh said: “Communities across Australia don’t all look the same, and neither should the early learning services that support them. “Around two-thirds of the services receiving these grants are in regional, rural and remote Australia, reflecting our commitment to supporting children and families wherever they live. “We want more children in more places to have the benefits of quality early learning.” Mr Giles said: “As the northern suburbs continue to grow, local families need access to quality early learning and care, close to home.” “This funding builds on our work to make early learning more accessible and affordable – from delivering a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators to introducing the 3 Day Guarantee. It means more families in Melbourne’s north can access the care their children need.” Whittlesea Family Day Care Scheme, South Morang. $210,000. Thomastown West PS TheirCare, $210,000. Montessori Beginnings Thomastown, $262,053.08 Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Child and Family Centre Incorporated, Thomastown. $600,000.
TOOLANGI
Council pays visit ■ Murrindindi Council paid a visit to Toolangi on July 29. for a community meeting, Cr Paul Hildebrand told the Shire meetin g last week. “There was a good turnout, with residents taking the opportunity to raise a number of local concerns and issues. “These community meetings are important, as they give Councillors and Council staff the opportunity to listen directly to residents and better understand what matters to each community.”
NILLUMBIK
Award winners
● Amanda Dow, Yan Yean candidate late at night to race and terrorise local residents with loud burnouts. “The Minister for Police must allocate more police officers to Whittlesea PSA so they can tackle dangerous hoon drivers in the area.” Ms Dow said: “Residents have told me that hooning can begin as early as 6am weekdays on Hazel Glen Drive.
“With the amount of students that walk to and from school, it is becoming a real safety concern trying to cross the road and not get hit by hoons on scooters and motorbikes”. “Only the Liberals have a real plan for community safety. “We will hire 3000 more police and enforce tougher consequences for criminal offenders,” Ms Dow said.
■ Volunteer Award winner Sabi Buehler was recognised at the Nillumbik Community Awards for her decades of service to the community through education, storytelling and lifelong learning. As founding president of Nillumbik U3A and the driving force behind the Nillumbik Festival of Stories, she has helped create spaces for people to share experiences and build connections. The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek received the Community Group Award for more than 30 years of supporting local residents through initiatives including the Diamond Creek Rotary Town Fair, Food Pantry and partnerships with community organisations across the Shire. Young Citizen Award winner Esme Johnson was recognised for her commitment to environmental conservation and youth leadership. Other category winners included Eltham Jazz, Food & Wine Festival Committee (Arts, Culture and Heritage), Jennifer Johnsen (Diversity and Inclusion), Nillumbik Gardens for Wildlife (Environment and Sustainability) and First Nations Friday creators Keira de Hoog and David Kerrigan (Reconciliation).
The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - Page 17
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The Yea Paper Devlin's Bridge, Flowerdale, Glenburn, Highlands, Homewood, Kerrisdale, Killingworth, Limestone, Molesworth, Murrindindi, Yea
Yea District Briefs Local plan approved
Structure plan preserves charm
■ Murrindindi Shire Council last week approved the Development Plan for 6489 Melba Highway, Yea, in accordance with the Development Plan Overlay in the Murrindindi Planning Scheme. The development plan proposed includes the construction of a new internal road and will provide up to 22 lots. The Development Plan application has been advertised to adjoining landowners and relevant referral authorities. External agencies have provided general comments for inclusion in the Development Plan. No written submissions were received from adjoining landowners.
Refusal at Glenburn ■ Crs Sandice McAulay and Sue Carpenter combined last week to propose that a planning permit be refused for a two lot subdivision (house lot excision), use and development of land for a dwelling and removal of native vegetation at 30 Malaraway Road, Glenburn. Reasons were given that: ■ The proposal fails to meet the objective a clause of the Murrindindi Planning Scheme, which seeks to limit house lot excision ■ The proposal does not meet the relevant objectives of clauses of the Murrindindi Planning Scheme as the proposal will result in excessive vegetation losses with limited to no environmental benefit. ■ The application fails to meet the objective of a clause as the proposed dwelling and additional lot in an area of high bushfire risk ■ The application is inconsistent with the purpose and decision guidelines of the Farming Zone.
● Cr Sue Carpenter
No suburbs here ■ Yea’s local Councillor, Sue Carpenter, said: “We do not want to become a suburb of Melbourne. We want to retain and protect our unique rural charm, whilst having a thriving population that can be supported by our GP's, hospitals, schools etc. The Yea Structure Plan and work in Alexandra have demonstrated that there is enough community infrastructure (ovals, schools, etc) to sustain growth and commercial land for retail, jobs, etc.”
■ The Yea Structure Plan clearly sets out how Yea can grow while retaining its charm in the future, Cr Sue Carpenter told last week’s Murrindindi Shire Council meeting. Future growth opportunities for housing, employment, services and movement are foreshadowed, she said. “The Planning Scheme review has been completed and endorsed with several minor changes to align with State Policy. “This sets a pathway of Strategic planning work to support the future growth and sustainability of our wonderful shire. “It provides confidence with an independent report on the Statutory planning service outperforming similar Councils across Victoria and ahead of the State average. “For a small Shire that has been impacted by fires and floods it is great to see that the team are so responsive and supportive. “We have also endorsed a development plan for land on the east side of Yea, which will unlock this potential in an organized and structured way as we welcome more families. “Our future looks exciting. Recently, Council has approved a development plan in Alexandra unlocking growth opportunities across multiple properties to the east of the Hospital. “Residential Design Guidelines ensure that growth and development can be done in a sensitive way to protect our valued landscapes and charm. “As a Council we are also building homes in Eildon with support from the State for key workers. The team have secured external funding and support to undertake this valuable work, reducing the demand on our funds. “The future work identified in the planning scheme review will provide a framework for growth in local employment, homes, and growing our economic prosperity, all whilst protecting our unique charm and character.”
DINDI BEES Charlie Nancarrow The Honey Bank with Dindi Bee Supplies 34B High St, Yea. Phone: 0413 627 194 9696 6096
The Alex Paper Acheron, Alexandra, Buxton, Cathkin, Crystal Creek, Devil's River, Eildon, Fawcett, Kanumbra, Koriella, Maintongoon, Marysville, Nabethong, Taggerty, Thornton, Whanregarwen and Yarck.
Alexandra Briefs Help for businesses ■ Murrindindi Council offers a pre-application process to help businesses understand and navigate any Council permits or approvals that may be required, Cr Sandice McAulay told last week’s Shire meeting. “Getting in touch early can help clarify the process and identify what you may need before you get too far down the track. “We also listen for common themes and emerging issues within our local business community. “Where we identify a need, we can arrange guest speakers or information sessions to provide practical, relevant advice. “For example, Council previously arranged for the Australian Taxation Office to provide information about changes affecting short-term accommodation. “The session helped demystify the changes and provided greater clarity around the associated tax implications. “Please register with our Economic Development team to stay up to date with business information, opportunities and future sessions,” Cr McAulay said.
A Good Spring ■ “The past month has again been dominated by the weather, with good rainfall across most of the Shire,” said Cr Paul Hildebrand. “The rain has brought plenty of runoff, with some minor flooding in parts of the district causing a few concerns. Lake Eildon’s storage level has continued to rise and is now around 57 per cent capacity. “While there is still plenty of mud and wet paddocks making travel around properties a little more difficult, the outlook is very positive, and it is shaping up to be a good spring,” Cr Hildebrand told Council.
Hospital’s ‘volunteer merger’ ■ Better access to care is the claim as Eastern Health and Alexandra District Health come together. Ingrid Stitt, Minister for Health, last Friday (Aug. 28) approved the voluntary merger after both health services declared it would deliver clear benefits for their communities. “The services will work as one system – making it easier for patients to access the care they need closer to home,” said a Government representative. “The merger will mean more specialist care available in Alexandra including more lowcomplexity surgery, a new dialysis service and improved access to diagnostics. “Patients will benefit from better co-ordination between the two services, making it easier to move through the health system – from referral through to treatment and recovery – and get the care they need closer to home. “The merger will also create more training, education and career opportunities for staff across both health services. “Alexandra District Health will retain its name and strong local identity, with local services continuing to care for the Alexandra community. “A new board with strong local representation will oversee the combined health service – ensuring the local community continues to have a strong voice in the delivery of local health services. Ms Stitt said: “Bringing Eastern Health and Alexandra District Health together means better connected care and more services close to home for people in Alexandra and across the north-east.” “This is about making the system work better for patients – less travel, better connections between services and more care available closer to home.”
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Police Beat Preston collision ■ Police are investigating a collision in Preston on Sunday morning (Aug. 30). Emergency services were called to reports that two cars had collided at the intersection of Murray Rd and Albert St about 2.45am. The driver of one of the vehicles, a 38year-old Kensington man, was transported to hospital under police guard in a critical condition. The passenger of that vehicle, a 28year-old Coburg man, was transported to hospital under police guard with nonlife-threatening injuries. The driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle, a 41-year Preston woman, was transported to hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries. Exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation is ongoing.
Numurkah crash ■ Police are investigating a fatal crash in Numurkah on Sunday morning. Emergency services were called to reports that a car had lost control and crashed into a tree on Sampsons Rd just after 2am. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene. Investigation into the circumstances is ongoing.
HELLS ANGEL PROSPECT ROAD RAGE INCIDENT
■ Detectives from Taskforce Echo have charged a Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang prospect as part of an investigation into a road rage. With assistance from South Melbourne uniform members, a search warrant was executed at a residential address in East Bentleigh. A 38-year-old East Bentleigh man has since been charged with criminal damage and public display of prohibited insignia. The man was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Feb. 8. A Hells Angels prospect vest and a Hells Angels hooded jumper were seized from the address. The charges follow an incident where an 18-year-old woman was driving along Dandenong Rd in Murrumbeena around 11pm on Monday, August 17. Detectives will allege she was then cut off and forced to stop by the vehicle being driven by the East Bentleigh man. He exited his vehicle and allegedly verbally abused the woman, before punching the passenger side mirror on her vehicle, causing it to fall off.
● Photo by Victoria Police
Crime Watch Frankston hit-run ■ Somerville Highway Patrol officers have charged a teenager following an alleged hitrun collision in Frankston. A woman and her dog were struck on the footpath by an allegedly stolen grey sedan on Franciscan Avenue about 3.45pm on Tuesday, August 25. The 44-year-old woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Her dog sustained minor injuries during the incident. The driver allegedly continued a short distance, then crashed into a stationary vehicle and a residential fence further down the road, before attempting to flee on foot. The grey sedan was allegedly stolen from a Frankston address on August 25. The 17-year-old boy from the Mornington Peninsula area was arrested nearby and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He’s been interviewed by police and charged with 17 offences including: ■ reckless conduct endangering Life ■ reckless conduct endangering serious injury ■ drive in manner dangerous ■ careless driving ■ fail to stop vehicle after an accident ■ fail to render assistance after accident ■ possess controlled weapon (x4) ■ unlicensed driving ■ burglary ■ theft of motor vehicle
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BUSINESS SUSPENDED FROM ENERGY PROGRAM ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 6-1-7-3 Lotto Numbers: 6-15-17-24-33-35 Some very positive influences surround you during this period. Avoid pushing too hard to get your own way, as patience could lead to an even better opportunity. Be cautious when dealing with strangers, as first impressions may not reveal the full picture. TAURUS (April 21 - May 20) Lucky Colour: Beige Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 4-11-1-9 Lotto Numbers: 4-11-19-22-30-34 The opportunity of a lifetime may be just around the corner. Recognition for past efforts or a chance to regain lost ground is strongly indicated. Appreciate the support of loved ones and avoid taking their feelings or ambitions for granted. GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) Lucky Colour: Green Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 3-11-1-4 Lotto Numbers: 3-11-12-21-30-39 Do your best to avoid unnecessary tension within the home. Aside from minor domestic issues, this is a progressive and rewarding period. Your health should remain strong, and you are likely to feel positive and content with your achievements. CANCER (June 22 - July 22) Lucky Colour: Brown Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 5-11-1-3 Lotto Numbers: 5-11-13-14-23-32 A small financial windfall may come your way. However, it is wise to manage your money carefully over the coming weeks. Communication delays or misunderstandings could arise, so allow extra time for important arrangements and remain patient. LEO (July 23 - August 22) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 1-2-2-7 Lotto Numbers: 1-11-19-28-37-44 A change to your plans may initially seem disappointing, but it could ultimately work in your favour. Others may create temporary friction, and your ideas may not receive immediate support. Unexpected visitors, however, are likely to bring enjoyable moments and welcome distractions. VIRGO (August 23 - September 23) Lucky Colour: Yellow Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 7-1-1-5 Lotto Numbers: 7-11-15-20-25-34 Financial luck is indicated during the coming weeks. Take extra care when making important decisions and consider every option before committing. Minor challenges in your love life should be temporary and will work themselves out with patience and understanding. LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Lucky Colour: Pink Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 6-8-8-4 Lotto Numbers: 7-16-19-28-35-41 Many Librans will focus on bringing renewed excitement into their relationships. Creativity and affection can strengthen emotional bonds. Remember to appreciate yourself and maintain confidence, as genuine attraction comes from self-acceptance rather than perfection. SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Lucky Colour: Brown Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 7-9-6-8 Lotto Numbers: 5-15-16-32-37-43 An open and honest discussion with your partner could strengthen your relationship and clear away misunderstandings. Trust and communication will prove far more valuable than impulsive decisions. Also, take care not to overextend yourself physically and allow time for proper rest. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 20) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 3-9-1-11 Lotto Numbers: 3-13-14-27-32-37 This is a wonderful period for bringing renewed enthusiasm into your love life. Your natural ability to relax and maintain a positive outlook will help you avoid unnecessary stress. Balance work with recreation to enjoy the best this period has to offer. CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19) Lucky Colour: Yellow Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 4-7-9-1 Lotto Numbers: 4-17-21-22-37-44 Your enthusiasm for life and relationships continues to grow, and you may be more willing to embrace new experiences. While this adventurous spirit is rewarding, remember not to neglect your health. Maintaining your energy through rest and sensible routines will benefit you greatly. AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 19) Lucky Colour: Green Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 6-2-8-5 Lotto Numbers: 5-14-23-32-40-41 Relationships are likely to become more passionate and engaging. Friends you have not seen for some time may reappear, bringing renewed energy and happiness into your life. Their company will be uplifting and inspire fresh perspectives. PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Lucky Colour: Orange Lucky Day: Friday
Racing Numbers: 5-1-3-8 Lotto Numbers: 9-19-22-34-37-43 This is a period of exploration and personal growth in your relationships. New romantic opportunities may broaden your outlook and bring excitement into your life. At the same time, maintain a healthy lifestyle by getting sufficient rest and looking after your overall wellbeing.
■ The Essential Services Commission has suspended the Victorian Energy Upgrades accreditation of Royal One Pty Ltd for allegedly submitting doctored photos and falsified customer details to fraudulently claim certificates for energy efficiency projects. The VEU program is an energy efficiency program that helps Victorians cut their energy bills by supporting households and businesses to use energy more efficiently. Accredited businesses undertake energy efficiency upgrades that entitle them to create Victorian energy efficiency certificates, which they can then sell. This is the fourth enforcement action resulting from the commission’s Fraud Taskforce – a unit focussed on stamping out fraudulent activity in the VEU program. The taskforce reviewed photos Royal One submitted as evidence of upgrades and found markers that some photos had been digitally alerted. The inconsistencies were confirmed using third party data matching. Phone audits of Royal One’s listed consumers provided further evidence of this attempted fraud. Royal One is no longer accredited under the VEU program, as its VEU accreditation expired shortly after the suspension. Royal One did not apply to renew its accreditation. The commission has the power to cancel accreditation and ban businesses from the VEU program. Had Royal One applied to renew its accreditation, the commission would have considered this conduct when assessing whether it was fit and proper, and competent and capable to participate in the program. Essential Services Commission Chairand Commissioner Gerard Brody said: “The Fraud Taskforce continues its important work stamping out fraudulent
75 Years Ago From Our Files ● 1951
● Gerard Brody, Essential Services Commission Chair and Commissioner activity to support VEU program integrity. “The taskforce uses data, tip-offs and other intelligence to identify areas of unusual activity and in this case, uncovered what we allege to be deliberate and fraudulent conduct from Royal One. “Immediately suspending Royal One directly affected their ability to generate income from the VEU program. The message is clear – deliberately breaking the rules puts your business at risk.”
● The Argus. Sept. 1, 1951.
Four up to these five By Dick Reynolds It’s a "fight-to-the-finish-for-the-four" at Footscray today. The outcome, as I see it, depends on . . . RON CLEGG: If he is carrying an injured thigh muscle the dice will be loaded against South. ARTHUR EDWARDS: New full forward and not such a gamble as it might appear . . . He's good. CHARLIE SUTTON: 'Scray's captain, whose ruck work will be vital. His shadow, BILL WILLIAMS, can do a lot of damage in a few minutes. ERWIN DORNAU: South's full back, solid, bustling. Young Edwards will need to lead out often.
Priest shot ■ Roman Catholic men today will guard their East St Kilda church against- another attack by the woman who yesterday shot a young priest. The guard of about 25 youths and young men wifl begin its watch at 6.40 a.m. - 20 minutes before the first Mass. Detectives think that the woman may be a member of on anti-Catholic sect which holds meetings on the Yarra Bank. They say that the woman is between 25 and 50, of slight build, wifh dark hair.
Where is John Smith? ■ What has happened to Mr. John Smith, 38-year-old Heidelberg company secretary, who vanished in Sydney nine days ago? His disappearance has presented the New South Wales police with one of the most baffling mysteries for years. Police inquiries, inquiries by executives of his company, information given by Mr. Smith's relatives and friends have yielded few clues. There is absolutely no motive for his disappear ance. Those who knew and admired John Smith as a diligent, gifted businessman of impeccable character and integrity told me one by one: "We are dumbfounded. “It is impossible to suggest a plausible reason." Mr. Smith was secretary of BeetleElliott Ltd., a firm of plastics manufacturers. Colonel P. K. Chanre. managing director of the firm, said: "The financial position of the company is beyond reproach - we made more than £ 60,000 profit this year.”
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Great Destinations. Interesting Things To Do. Fascinating People To Meet.
Places To Go www.Places2Go.com.au
Travel Briefs Just You ■ After launching its dedicated solo travel product down under last year, specialist solo tour operator Just You is offering savings on 2026 tours, including Christmas in India and a Sri Lankan sojourn. Deals include savings of $400 on Just You's 13- day Spirit of India at Christmas tour, departing December 18, 2026. Now priced from $6399, the trip includes 11 nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner daily, plus some lunches, a Just You Holiday Director, local transport and porterage, and a guaranteed room for each traveller with no single supplement. The festive adventure includes a tour of Old Delhi, a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, a boat trip on the Ganges, the pink city of Jaipur, and game drives in Ranthambore
TASTES OF AFRICA SERIES LAUNCHES
■ RACV has cemented its position as one of Victoria's leading accommodation providers, securing multiple wins at the 2026 Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence across its properties and earning Hall of Fame recognition for RACV Torquay Resort.
Out bush ■ A bunkshojuse used in the 1960s and ‘70s as temporary accommodation for workers who built Copeton Dam has been refurbished for family and group bookings, and six new ‘pod cabins’ with stunning views over the dam have also been installed by Reflections. About 40kms south of Inverell on Kamilaroi Country in the New England region of New South Wales, Reflections Copeton Waters sits on the foreshore of the dam, a major sport and recreation hub for water sport enthusiasts and anglers chasing giant Murray Cod.
Border watch ■ In the latest development in regional tourism, award-winning Australian comedian and Albury-raised Geraldine Hickey has swapped the stage for a rather unexpected new role: tourism ambassador and tour operator for her hometown. As part of Albury Wodonga’s new summer tourism campaign, Geraldine takes two unsuspecting visitors on a very local tour – from paddling on the Murray and exploring the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk, to Wonga Wetlands, Albury’s skate park and a riverside finish at Gateway Island. Geraldine’s Hometown Tours video is available on Youtube.
Travel Briefs Multiple wins
● From left: Kauthar Abdula, Santilla Chingaipe, Rendah Haj. Photo: Nicole Cleary
■ Tastes of Africa , a 3 x 15minute series hosted by Santilla Chingaipe takes viewers to home kitchens and hidden eateries across Melbourne’s African-Australian community, launched on YouTube this week. The series will be available to global audiences on YouTube via distribution partner African Australian. The series follows Santilla Chingaipe’s vibrant, cross-cultural journey through Melbourne’s African food scene, where every bite is served with a story.
Guided by the wisdom of aunties who’ve carried recipes across oceans, and joined by younger African-Australian friends and chefs who are adapting traditions in bold and unexpected ways, Santilla dives into home kitchens and hidden eateries. Together, they explore the flavours of the continent; from Ghana’s waakye to umxhanxa from Zimbabwe. But this isn’t just about food, it’s about what food carries; the journeys of migration, the joy of survival, and memories - lots
and lots of memories! Through shared meals, intimate conversations, and plenty of laughter, Santilla uncovers how African food in Australia is not only thriving, but evolving; shaping new identities, new communities, and new ways of belonging. In the finale, Santilla returns to her own kitchen to host a celebratory feast featuring some of the dishes and memories gathered along the way. Blacksand Pictures was a recipient of Screen Australia’s Business Enterprise initiative in 2023.
Solo girls ■ Victorian women have revealed themselves to be the nation’s most keen to travel by themselves, with 22 per cent feeling that they are the only travel companion they require. Despite this, many are still keen to make friends along the way (88 per cent) but value the freedom and independence a solo trip can provide (52 per cent). The data is part of a nationally representative, first-of-its kind whitepaper, Reflections Holidays: Wander Woman Report, utilising independent research to provide insight.
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Places To Go
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Places To Go
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Places To Go
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026
Bush Telegraph ‘Pause gas peipeline’ ■ Plans to drill a gas pipeline underneath the internationally significant wetlands on Port Phillip Bay should be halted in light of the impact H5N1 bird flu is having on birds that rely on the habitat, conservationists say. The Australian Conservation Foundation is calling on Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to intervene and stop multinational chemical and gas infrastructure company Vopak from proceeding with its drilling plans. “The Port Phillip Bay wetlands are a crucial feeding ground for dozens of species of migratory shorebirds and seabirds, including species that are being hit hard by bird flu,” said ACF Geelong group representative Lauren Dillon. “Victoria’s little penguins, which are already being killed by bird flu, forage across the central part of the bay where Vopak plans to construct its gas processing hub. “These wetlands are the most important winter habitat for the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot, which migrates every year between Tasmania and Victoria’s coast.” Many of the species that inhabit the wetland are considered to be at high risk from H5N1. “A bird sanctuary should not be put under extra stress during the bird flu outbreak,” Ms Dillon said.
BIRD FLU DOESN’T STOP AT THE BORDER ■ Hundreds of dead birds are piling up at Nelson in south-western Victoria while just three kilometres away South Australian crews are actively collecting carcasses, exposing serious questions about Victoria’s response to the growing H5 bird flu threat, says Emma Kealy, Shadow Minister for Agriculture. Nelson residents have reported hundreds of dead birds accumulating around the Glenelg River Estuary, part of the internationally significant Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay Ramsar site. Local ecologists estimate at least 400 carcasses have accumulated around the river mouth, while South Australian authorities across the border have dedicated crews collecting and disposing of dead birds and humanely euthanising sick birds where appropriate. The Victorian Government has acknowledged that carcass removal will not occur everywhere and says it is prioritising areas of high visitation and public amenity. Ms Kealy said the stark difference between the responses on either side of the border demanded an explanation. “Birds and bird flu don’t stop at the South Australian border, but unfortunately state government competency does” Ms Kealy said.
● Emma Kealy, Shadow Minister
Whiparound Rural Aid helps ■ Thanks to the generosity of Rural Aid supporters, hundreds of farming families have continued receiving practical and emotional support as they rebuild. Rural Aid support between January 1 to June 30 has included: ■ Financial support to more than 300 families. ■ More than 4000 hay bales to help farmers feed livestock. ■ 114 water tanks to improve water resilience. ■ Nearly 10 million litres of drinking water for 437 farming families. Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the support delivered in the months following disaster was critical, as farmers worked through the long process of recovery. “Natural disasters can change a farming family’s life in a matter of hours, but recovery takes much longer,” Mr Warlters said. “Once the initial response is over, farmers are often left repairing fences, replacing damaged infrastructure, caring for livestock and working to get their businesses back on track. “The reality is that many farmers can feel isolated when they are facing these challenges. Rural Aid is there to remind them they are not alone, providing practical assistance, wellbeing support and a connection to people who understand what they are going through.”
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Victorian Rural News
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Victorian Rural News
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IS SUPER SYSTEM FAILING THE VULNERABLE?
■ Australia's superannuation system is at risk of disadvantaging vulnerable members, creating a gap between the legislated promise of dignity and the lived reality of retirement Australia's superannuation system holds more than $4.3 trillion in retirement savings, making it one of the world's largest pension systems. As millions of baby boomers transition into retirement, the industry faces its greatest test: supporting potentially vulnerable members through the most complex financial decisions of their lives. Yet cracks are appearing in the superannuation system's design and implementation, with regulators such as ASIC highlighting shortfalls in what is expected of superannuation funds and communication with members who may be more vulnerable. These include victims of elder abuse or those suffering from cognitive decline,
through to culturally diverse members or those who may be living in Indigenous or remote communities, according to UNSW Sydney experts who have studied structural gaps in the nation's retirement framework. Redefining vulnerability in Australia’s retirement system The traditional understanding of vulnerability in superannuation is far too narrow, and retirement circumstances vary dramatically from individual to individual, said Katja Hanewald, Associate Professor in the School of Risk and Actuarial Studies
at UNSW Business School. “People differ widely in wealth, health, and family situations and must navigate complex decisions as they enter and move through retirement,” explained A/Prof. Hanewald, who said that this complexity extends beyond simple demographics. Retirees, for example, need to coordinate superannuation with the Age Pension, aged care, or family transfers, while she noted that unexpected health shocks or cognitive decline can make these decisions exponentially harder. Scott Donald, Associate Professor in the
School of Private & Commercial Law at UNSW Law & Justice, also highlighted the vulnerability of superannuation fund members experiencing declining cognitive ability or practical autonomy. Some lacked the ability to use the internet or access online banking services, which he said creates barriers to managing their retirement savings. A/Prof. Donald identified other vulnerable groups that the system routinely overlooks. Significant categories included those working in the cash economy or casualised roles, or those living in Indigenous or remote communities. “These are people for whom the superannuation system does not work,” said A/ Prof. Donald, who previously worked in the funds management industry advising governments, superannuation funds, insurance companies and fund managers on investment strategy, governance and regulation.
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Home Sweet Home Check winter bills ■ The biggest power bill of the year could be about to hit your inbox Winter energy bills are arriving, and for many Australian households they will be among the largest bills they receive all year. Months of heating and longer periods spent indoors can make bills covering the coldest part of the year significantly more expensive. For many households, the usual response is simply to grimace and pay. Energy Rebate Check, a free service that checks which government energy rebates apply at any Australian postcode, says a large winter bill can also be the most useful bill to compare because it shows what a household consumes during its most expensive season. The service includes a free comparison tool built for exactly that job. The free service allows households to photograph an electricity bill and have artificial intelligence read the usage and rate information before checking it against more than 8000 energy plans from over 70 retailers. "The worst time to discover you are on the wrong plan is immediately after paying the biggest bill of the year on it," Energy Rebate Check founder Josh Liptak said. "Your winter bill is a free health check. It shows your real usage when demand is at its highest. Two minutes and a photograph of the bill can show whether your energy plan is contributing to the problem."
Bucking the trend ■ "Australia's residential building industry is bucking the national training trend after new figures reveal construction trade qualifications continue to grow despite an overall decline in VET enrolments," HIA Executive Director Future Workforce Mike Hermon said today. “New National Centre for Vocational Education Research data shows overall qualification enrolments fell by more than five per cent in 2025,” said Mr Hermon. “However, Architecture and Building was the only major field of education to record growth, with almost 14,000 additional enrolments, while Construction, Plumbing and Services and Electrotechnology qualifications also posted strong gains.”
‘Australia will build more homes despite policy changes, not because of them’ ■ “Despite recent changes to housing taxation and investment settings, HIA expects the number of homes commencing construction to continue to rise in both 2027 and 2028, albeit, slower than would have occurred,” said HIA Chief Economist, Tim Reardon. HIA released its Economic and Industry Outlook report. The report includes updated forecasts for new home building and renovations activity nationally and for each of the eight jurisdictions. “As outlined in the Federal Budget, increased taxes on established housing will reduce the supply of new homes, while the subsequent prohibition on SMSFs borrowing to invest in residential property will remove another source of new home finance. “These policies have interrupted an expansion in home building that was already underway. “They will not necessarily cause commencements to fall across Australia. “The effect is that Australia will build fewer homes than it otherwise would have. We anticipate that over the Housing Accord period Australia will fall 186,000 homes short of the 1.2 million homes target. “Population continues to grow, households continue to form at a rate faster than supply of new homes and Australia already has a significant shortage of homes. “HIA expects these structural forces to increasingly dominate the housing cycle and result in a return to positive home price grow from early 2027. “The increase in commencements should not, however, be interpreted as evidence that Australia's housing shortage is being resolved. “Rather, it is the shortage itself that will eventually generate the market conditions required to support more construction. “There is a fundamental difference between reducing the price of an established home and reducing the cost of delivering a new one.”
Home Affairs Rewiring Australia ■ Expanding the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme will turn more factories, schools and farm sheds into local power stations, says Rewiring Australia. This will cut nergy bills for local businesses and keeping more of the benefits of cheap solar within communities. “The Federal Government is extending the scheme from solar systems of up to 100 kilowatts to one megawatt, reducing the upfront cost of larger commercial installations by around 20 per cent,” said Rewiring Australia CEO Francis Vierboom. He said the reform allows communities to generate and use far more affordable electricity locally. “Every community has enormous roofs sitting above warehouses and shopping centres that could be producing cheap electricity,” Mr Vierboom said. “That power can be used locally to run machinery and refrigeration, electric vehicle chargers or other equipment and help slash costs for businesses and prop up local economies. “The Illawarra offers an early example of what this could look like, with work underway to establish an urban renewable energy zone linking local rooftop generation with nearby businesses and communities. “Now the scheme is expanding, communities across Australia will be able to generate more affordable energy close to where it is needed and reduce their reliance on distant generation and costly new infrastructure. “With families and businesses under pressure from high power bills, it’s great to see the Federal Government back reform that helps bring energy costs down and keeps more money and opportunity local,” Mr Vierboom said.
Faster land supply
● Tim Reardon
■ “The median price of residential land eased by just 0.4 per cent in the March quarter to $403,570, but remains 8.7 per cent higher than a year earlier, growing more than twice as fast as consumer prices and almost three times faster than wages,” stated HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt. The HIA-Cotality Residential Land Report provides updated information on sales activity in 52 housing markets across Australia.
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Homemaker
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Homemaker
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What’s On State Theatre opens
Local Theatre Il Trovatore ■ According to Caruso, Verdi’s Il Trovatore requires four of the world's finest singers to play the lead roles. Congratulations to Melbourne Opera for securing top-tier local talent to fill those parts. This debut production at the Athenaeum Theatre is dedicated to Australia’s beloved international soprano, the late Joan Sutherland - the company’s founding patron—to mark the centenary of her birth. Internationally acclaimed Australian soprano Helena Dix makes her debut in the role of Leonora, while Matthew Barkley, another internationally recognised Australian artist, makes his debut as director. Green Room Award-winning tenor Rosario La Spina, portraying Manrico, brought the house down with his fiery, heroic rendition of Di Quella Pira. Baritone Christopher Hillier, celebrated for his commanding stage presence, displayed exceptional dramatic range as Count Di Luna. Completing the stellar quartet, bass Steve Gallop brings his widely recognised, powerful lower register to the role of Ferrando. Rising Australian dramatic soprano Amanda Windred shines as Inez, and accomplished mezzo-soprano Sarah Sweeting delivers a confident, assured performance in the demanding role of Azucena. The dark, brooding, minimalistic set, cleverly lit by Tom Vulcan, came to life during the rousing Romany scene. The exhilarating choreography in the fight scenes also deserves special mention. Led by chorus master and conductor Raymond Lawrence, the Melbourne Opera Chorus excelled in both Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie (the Anvil Chorus) and the dramatic soldiers' chorus, Squilli, echeggi la tromba. The company's final operatic offering for 2026 will be the cheeky, comical Così fan tutte this September, also at the Athenaeum and in February 2027 Melbourne Opera will present Richard Wagner’s Parsifal with an all-Australian cast at the majestic Regent Theatre.
Review by Lucy Nicolson
MSO ■ American conductor Jonathon Heyward makes his debut on October 15 and 17 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, bringing his acclaimed intensity and clarity to Shostakovich's epic Seventh Symphony. He's joined by classical saxophonist Steven Banks, who also debuts with the orchestra in the demanding solo role of Tomasi's Saxophone Concerto. In a setting where the saxophone is rarely heard, Stephen will step onto the MSO stage as one of the instrument's most compelling advocates. Written under siege, Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony carries the weight of a nation's survival. Yet it's remembered for its accessibility, sweeping cinematic tones, and its ultimate sense of faith and humanity. Shostakovich himself considered it a continuation of the hope he explored in his Fifth Symphony. It also stands as one of the last truly great works in the symphonic tradition. The performance is titled Hope and Bravery. Performance Dates: Thursday, Oct 15 at 7.30pm, Sat October 17 at 2pm. Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall Bookings: mso.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
Five finalists ■ Five Victorian artists have made the finalist selection for the prestigious Sculpture event Sculptures in the Garden to show in Mudgee in October. ■ David Doyle from Hamlyn Heights will have four works on show. ■ Neil Findley from Orbost will have three works exhibiting. ■ Matt Hill from Blairgowrie will have one work showing ■ Andre Sardone from Mandurang will show four works for hist time at the exhibition ■ Claire Tennant from Kennington will have three works.
DANCE PALACE BY FINUCANE AND SMITH ■ Celebrating 30 years in entertainment, Finucane and Smith have made an art form of showcasing performers who defy convention, cross boundaries and exist gloriously outside the usual moulds. Dance Palace is no exception. It’s a wild, weird and wonderfully unhinged carnival of cabaret, burlesque, dance, music and performance art - a collision of the bizarre, the beautiful and, at times, the completely bonkers. At iconic Luna Park in St Kilda, the energy and music are pumping as you enter the recently opened Luna Palace. Performers in glitter and rhinestones, or nearly nothing, usher you to your seats. Moira’s grand entrance delivered the delightfully unhinged, erratic tirade audiences have come to expect from a Finucane and Smith production. She launched into a glorious, self-absorbed rant - ostensibly about promotional undies and how they funded their adventures over many years, tantalisingly peeling them off in layers. This is followed later by an equally intense and utterly fabulous adoration of krill. Dance Palace promises “to get your heart singing and your blood running hot” - it does not lie. Some of the usuals shine. Mama Alto’s extraordinarily high vibrato dazzles, alongside an ethereal reimagining of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides, Now. Maude Davey, the ‘mistress of alternative theatre’, is a showstopper with her frenetic rendition of Jacques Brel’s Carousel, building to a gloriously manic crescendo. Others delight, while some feel out of place. Bellydancer Raksha Parsnani, soprano Piera Dennerstein, songstress Mandeera Kosgahakumbura and burlesque artist Maple Rose do their art forms proud. That said, sound was occasionally too loud, overwhelming and heavy on the echo and reverb. Yumi Umiumare was a standout. Hello Kitty handbag act aside - no idea what that was about - her second-act strip performance was mind-blowing. It had the disciplined stillness of a samurai before battle, slowly dissolving into the strange, sensual, otherworldly movement of Butoh. Dance Palace is not about polished, predictable performance. It’s about being surprised, provoked and occasionally bewildered. Love it or scratch your head, you certainly won’t be bored. Performance dates: Until September 12 Venue: Luna Palace, Luna Park, St Kilda Bookings: trybooking.com/events/landing/1582908
Review by Beth Klein
Two ■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG) delighted audiences when presenting English playwright Jim Cartwright's two-hander, the 40-year classic Two. Award-winning director Natasha Boyd extracted memorable performances from her talented cast duo - Chris Mentor (Landlord) and Angelique Pascoe (Landlady). Fourteen different characters were portrayed by the two actors, including twelve diverse patrons visiting the hotel. The play takes place over one night in the late 1980s in The Red Lion Hotel in the UK North Country. The atmospheric set depicting the bar was designed by Boyd and Paul Sims, and the meticulous attention to detail and era authenticity was most impressive. Cartwright’s characters appear in various self-contained scenes, offering insight into the lives and socialisation of working class people in Thatcher’s England. As Boyd points out in the program, the people and themes are still relatable today.
● Mama Alto in Finucane and Smith's Dance Palace. Photo: 3 Fates Media. The audience never knows who will arrive next, and whether their story will bring humour, sadness or drama. The naturalistic everyday banter and bickering between the Landlord and Landlady add further realism. It’s not until the arrival of a young boy seeking his father that we learn of an earlier tragedy in their lives. Mentor and Pascoe seamlessly transitioned into portraying their various characters, imbuing their physicality and voices, changing wardrobe with admirable speed and depicting a gamut of emotions. Both actors also broke the imaginary fourth wall to address and included the audience in their believable storytelling. The multiple wardrobe changes and quick entrances require a first class backstage team. Bravo to Stage Manager Karen Dowling and her crew, and also to Costume Designer Frances Orlando. Cartwright’s play Two may lack a core narrative, but replacing this are the entertaining vignettes, which provide a splendid showcase for the actors’ outstanding performances. Congratulations to STAG, Natasha Boyd, her cast and crew.
Review by Cheryl Threadgold
R.A.I.N ■ Award-winning choreographer Harrison Ritchie-Jones returns to Arts House with the premiere of R.A.I.N, a new contemporary dance work that takes a familiar mindfulness framework and lets fiction and shifting realities take over. The season is September 16-20. R.A.I.N takes its name from the meditation framework Recognise, Allow, Investigate and Nurture, a practice designed to help people move through difficult emotions and cultivate self compassion. Ritchie-Jones and long-time collaborator Michaela Tancheff use the framework as a provocation rather than instruction, a structure to push their movement partnering practice to its limit and see where it steers them once it starts to break. Performance Season: September 16 - 20 Times: Wed.– Fri., 7.30pm, Sat., 2pm and 7.30pm, Sun., 5pm. 50 mins, no interval Thurs. September 17 – Post-show artist talk; Sat. Sep. 19 at 2pm – Audio Description available on request Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne Tickets: Standard $40, Reduced $25, BLAKTIX $15, Companion Card Fre. A small transaction fee will be charged per order. Bookings: artshouse.com.au 9322 3720
■ To celebrate the reopening of the Ian Potter State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne has announced that Victorians are invited to Housewarming (October 9-12 ), a series of free performances putting the spotlight on some of the state’s best performing artists. Some 18,000 free tickets will be available to the fast-paced high-energy theatre experience, specially commissioned to reopen the Ian Potter State Theatre. Housewarming features dance, circus, music and theatre from leading performing arts companies and artists, directed by Melbourne theatre-maker Michael Kantor. In Housewarming , award-winning musical comedy star Jude Perl will take audiences on a journey in search of the mysterious Lyrebird missing from the theatre's iconic red curtain. Perl is joined by Principal Artist Brett Chynoweth (The Australian Ballet), singer-songwriters Emma Donovan and Eliza Hull, as well as dancer, roya the destroya, Circus Oz, Opera Australia (The Magic Flute), The Australian Ballet (choreography by Tim Harbour), Melbourne Theatre Company (My Brilliant Career) and Bell Shakespeare (Mackenzie). Also featured are The Australian Ballet School (Butterfly), Stephanie Lake Company (The Chronicles), a new commission by Robin Fox, Melbourne children’s choir The Yarra Voices, Cypher Culture x Jungle City, and musical theatre students from the Victorian College of the Arts. Family-friendly performances have been scheduled to mark the iconic theatre’s reopening, with The Listies taking the stage on Sunday October 11 as part of the Housewarming line-up, to ensure fun for all ages. On Monday October 12, shows for schools have been scheduled. All performances are free and with tickets expected to be in high demand, members of the public are encouraged to book online to secure a seat. Housewarming has been made free for Victorians through the generosity of donors to Arts Centre Melbourne. Entry to Encore, a new exhibition at AMPA celebrating 50 years of the Australian Performing Arts Collection will be free across the Housewarming weekend. Visitors can also enjoy free guided tours, DJ sets, and roaming performances from Born in a Taxi. A line-up of food trucks will roll into the Forecourt serving delicious authentic Italian woodfired pizza, flavourful Korean and Japanese street food, and premium Greek doughnuts all weekend. Also on offer will be a Connoisseur ice cream pop-up and treats from Arts Centre Melbourne's Protagonist Cafe and The Barre. In addition, over two nights – October 9 and 10 – visitors can experience a laser light show, Spire Alight, on the iconic Theatre's Building Spire. Using cutting-edge laser-light technology to trace every striking architectural detail – including its iconic ‘ballerina’ steel skirt – the Spire will be transformed from a static metallic tower into a breathtaking animated artwork, glowing to life in a spectacular laser-mapped light show. Arts Centre Melbourne’s Ian Potter State Theatre is reopening six months ahead of schedule following its first major refurbishment since opening in 1984. The theatre, which closed for upgrades in March 2024, will be the first completed milestone of the Victorian Government’s city-shaping Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project. The first performance at the upgraded theatre will be a premiere First Nations-led concert, Gugu Dindi Gunyah (Many Rivers, One Home) on Saturday October 3. Arts Centre Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Karen Quinlan said: “The reopening of our renewed Ian Potter State Theatre is a huge milestone for Arts Centre Melbourne and a great achievement for all who have worked to make it a reality. This refurbishment means there is a future for our beloved theatre to showcase world-class performances, and we are delighted to welcome our resident companies home.”
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Observations Joseph Nolan
● Joseph Nolan ■ Elite athletes undergo intensive daily practice routines to get match fit for big event, but did you know that the same approach applies to musicians preparing for a marathon? Internationally acclaimed BritishAustralian organist Joseph Nolan has been putting in four hours of practice each day for the past couple of months in preparation for his Grand Organ Festival at Melbourne Town Hall from September 3-5. Nolan will perform a marathon series of four concerts across three days, beginning with the Organ Gala concert on Thursday September 3 at 7.30 pm. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will join Nolan in a concert featuring Bizet’s Carmen Suite no 1, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Nocturne, and other delights, culminating with Saint-Saens’ Symphony no 3, Organ, known to most of us as the soundtrack to the film Babe. On Friday September 4 the MSO chorus and orchestra combine with Nolan to perform a choral program featuring Durufle’s Requiem, conducted by Warren Trevelyan-Jones and featuring soloists mezzo - soprano Sally-Anne Russell and baritone Simon Meadows. Then on Saturday September 6, Nolan hits the heavy part of his marathon, with the Organ Gala concert at 2pm and a separate organ recital at 6.30pm. Nolan boasts an impressive musical history, having been organist at the Chapel Royal at St James’ Palace in the UK. He has recorded on many of the world’s greatest organs in historic buildings, including Buckingham Palace. And he has received more than 100 five-star reviews for his performances, making him an organist who always delights his audiences. Hearing the spectacular four-storey Melbourne Town Hall organ brought to life by a master like Joseph Nolan is sure to be a concert worth attending. For tickets and more information, visit mso.com.au
Julie Houghton
Auditions ■ The Basin Theatre Group: The Railway Children (Adapted by Jason Triggs based on the novel by Edith Nesbit) September 5 at 10am at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin. Director: Jason Triggs. Audition bookings: trybooking.com/events/landing/1606759 ■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: Breaking Down All the Walls (Written and Directed by Nicholas Bufalo) September 5 afternoon, September 8 evening. Venue tba. Audition enquiries: email Breakingdownallthewalls@ gmail.com ■ Essendon Theatre Company: Drinking Habits 2 (by Tom Smith) September 12 at 10 am at the Bradshaw St. Community Theatre, 9 Bradshaw St., Essendon. Director: Bethany Simmons. Submit an audition form to arrange an audition time via the website or forms.gle/HZ56b3d2ot6VoKD68
Cheryl Threadgold
The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - Page 41
MELANCHOLIA TAP SHOW ■ Studio Stocks' contemporary tap dance production Melancholia returns to Chapel off Chapel for three performances from October 1-3. Following its warmly received premiere season, Melancholia returns with an ensemble of some of Australia's leading tap dance artists, alongside Jade Wood, former Senior Artist with The Australian Ballet. Created and choreographed by internationally recognised tap dancer and former Australian Ballet dancer Garry Stocks, the production challenges traditional perceptions of tap, combining contemporary movement, theatrical design and percussive rhythm in a work exploring grief, resilience and human connection. The production is accompanied by a powerful score featuring music by Max Richter, Hans Zimmer and Ólafur Arnalds, further enhancing its emotional and cinematic atmosphere. Jade Wood does not tap dance in the work, but instead performs through her classical and contemporary movement vocabulary while Garry simultaneously tap dances and partners and lifts her. The result is a unique contemporary pas de deux bringing together two very different dance languages. Although Garry's professional career began with The Australian Ballet, he has since established an international career as a tap dancer, choreographer and educator, and is now working to build a stronger professional future for contemporary tap dance in Australia through Studio Stocks. Performance Season: October 1 - 3 Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St., Prahran Bookings: chapeloffchapel.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
La Mama ■ Doppelgangster for La Mama's Hope Punk Climate Festival presents Cold War 2.0, from September 2-6 at 7.30pm at the La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton. Devised and Performed by Aquilla Sorensen and Tobias Manderson-Galvin, the cast reportedly will present 'a tasteless and odourless solution of anarcho punk, cheap illusions and mutually assured dialogue.' Performance Season: September 2 - 6 at 7.30pm, (Doors open at 7pm) Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton Bookings: lamama.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
I’m Not Mad. I’m Maddie ■ Comedian Maddie Jai retraces the milestones nobody celebrates in her solo hour stand up comedy debut I'm Not Mad, I'm Maddie, on October 6, 7 at 8.45pm,October 12 and 13 at 6.15pm and October 18 at 5pm at Grouse Melbourne, 171 Smith St, Fitzroy. One autistic (not Mad) Maddie explores events such as surviving systems not built to suit, to hiding backstage at exclusive events behind six-foot drag queens. As the roadie for award-winning, international touring performers from Isis Avis Loren to Tash York, and Memphis Mae, Maddie possesses the 'unique and frustrating' ability to always end up talking to the most influential person in the room. Performance Season: Oct 6 (preview), Oct 7 at 8.45pm; Oct 12, 13 at 6.15pm, Oct 18 at 5pm Venue: Grouse Melbourne, 171 Smith St., Fitzroy. Bookings: melbournefringe.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
Slugs ■ The Creepy Boys present Slugs at the Meat Market, North Melbourne from October 1-17. Part electro-punk concert, part play, part clown show, and part basement puppet nightmare, Slugs is described as 'a technicolour acid trip' Created by real-life partners S.E. Grummett and Sam Kruger, it features puppet Joni Mitchell, a two-person horse and just about every body part they have.
● Melancholia contemporary tap cast. Photo: Brodie James. At its heart, Slugs is two people trying to have a good time while the world burns. For 60 minutes, at least, we are free. Nominated for Best Show at the 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Slugs became an underground hit and earned universal praise. Bringing Slugs to Melbourne has particular significance for the pair, who spent a year living here during the first COVID19 lockdown, first in Brunswick and later in a “little apartment cube in the sky” in Moonee Ponds. The unusual introduction to the city transformed both their personal and creative lives. This time, thankfully, they get to experience Melbourne with an audience in the room. Slugs is a show designed to exist completely and unapologetically live. Together as Creepy Boys and through their respective solo works, Grummett and Kruger have toured Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, appearing at Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre, Latitude Festival, SummerWorks, PuSh Festival, Prague Quadrennial, Midsumma Festival, Adelaide Fringe and Fringe World. Their work has also been featured on BBC Radio 4. Now, after performing in Edinburgh, Creepy Boys are coming home, creatively at least, to Melbourne. Produced by Skint and presented for the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Performance Details: October 1-17 Venue: The Stables, Meat Market, 3 Blackwood St, North Melbourne Bookings: melbournefringe.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
Come From Away ■ CLOC Musical Theatre presents Come From Away at the National Theatre St Kilda from October 9-24. This show will reunite CLOC's original 2024 cast and creative team. Co-directed by Rob Robson and Tailem Tynan, with musical direction by Malcom Huddle, Come From Away is based on the remarkable true story of events in the days following September 11, 2001, when 7000 passengers from around the world were unexpectedly grounded in the small Newfoundland town of Gander. The community welcomed them with open arms, and this is a story of kindness, generosity, friendship and human connection. CLOC Musical Theatre’s President and current Come From Away cast member Ric Birkett says: “There is something incredibly special about bringing Come From Away back to the National Theatre and reuniting the original cast and creative team. "The 2024 production resonated so strongly with our audiences, and its message of kindness, generosity and community feels just as important today. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to share this remarkable story with audiences again and to welcome both returning fans and those discovering it for the first time.” Performance Season: October 9-24 Venue: National Theatre, St Kilda Bookings: boxoffice.cloc.org.au
Cheryl Threadgold ● Off the back of sold-out seasons in London's West End and the United States, and a record-breaking tour across Australia and New Zealand in 2025, this September will see the return of BIG Live’s critically acclaimed Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Local Theatre Shows ■ Malvern Theatre Company: When the Rain Stops Falling (by Andrew Bovell) Until September 5 at Malvern Theatre, 29 Burke Road, Malvern East. Director: Peter Newling. Bookings: malvern theatre. com.au ■ Warrandyte Theatre Company: Boeing Boeing (by Marc Camoletti) Until September 12 at the Warrandyte Mechanics Institute, Yarra St., Warrandyte. Directors: Tegan DeClark and Taryn Johns, Bookings: trybooking.com/au/event/1606177 ■ Powderkeg Players: Closer (by Patrick Marber) September 4-19 at St Albans Senior Citizens Centre, 171 William St, St Albans. Director: Del Jordan. https://www.trybooking.com/DNOFM ■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: Crimes of the Heart (by Beth Henley) September 4-19 at 35 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: James Antonas. Bookings: htc.org.au ■ Eltham Little Theatre: Dancing At Lughnasa (by Brian Friel) September 4 – 19 at the Eltham Performing Arts Centre, 1603 Main Rd., Research. Director: Sean McKenna. Bookings: eltham littletheatre.org.au/ ■ Phoenix Theatre Company: Alanis Morissetti’s Jagged Little Pill. September 4-12 at the Doncaster Playhouse.Bookings: phoenixtheatre company.org ■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (by Jeffrey Lane) September 10-26 at the Lilydale Mechanics’ Institute, Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Alan Burrows. Bookings: lilydaleatc.com ■ Essendon Theatre Company: Top Girls (Caryl Churchill) September 10- 19 at the Bradshaw Street Community Theatre, Bradshaw St., Essendon. Director: Darby Turnbull. Bookings: essendontheatrecompany.com.au ■ Williamstown Little Theatre: Holding the Man (by Tommy Murphy based on the novel by Timothy Conigrave), September 9-26 at 2 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Bruce Akers. Bookings: tickets@wlt.org.au ■ NOVA Music Theatre: Hello, Dolly! September 11-20 at The Round, Nunawading. Bookings: theround.com. au/HelloDolly ■ Frankston Theatre Group: As You Like it (by William Shakespeare) September 25-October 4 at Frankston High School Performing Arts Theatre, 97 Foote St., Frankston. Director: Ruth Gilmour. Bookings: Trybooking. ■ The 1812 Theatre: Switzerland (by Joanna Murray-Smith) October 1-24 at 3 Rose St., Ferntree Gully. Director: Andrew Ferguson. Bookings: 1812theatre.com.au ■ Babirra Music Theatre: Disney’s Frozen – the Broadway Musical. October 1 – 11 at the Round Theatre, Nunawading. Director: Joel Batalha; Musical Director: Peter Verhagen; Choreographer: Kim Adam. Bookings: babirra.org.au ■ The Basin Theatre Group: You’re Only Young Twice (by Ron Aldridge) October 1-11 at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin. Director: Bob Bramble. Bookings: Email: tickets@ thebasintheatre.au ■ Encore Theatre: Steel Magnolias (by Robert Harling) October 9-18 at the Clayton Theatrette, Cooke St., Clayton. Director: Susan Rundle. Bookings: encoretheatre.com.au ■ CLOC Musical Theatre: Come From Away October 9-24 at the National Theatre, St Kilda. Co -Directors: Rob Robson and Tailem Tynan; Musical Director: Malcom Huddle. Bookings: cloc.org.au ■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: Cock (by Mike Bartlett) October 21 – 31 at the Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale. Director: Travis Handcock. Bookings: mordialloctheatrecompany. com.au ■ Fab Nobs Theatre: Jesus Christ Superstar October 24-November 7 at 33 Industry Place, Bayswater. Enquiries: fabnobstheatre.com.au ■ Avid Theatre at 1812 Theatre: Closer (by Patrick Marber) October 28 – November 7 at 3 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Michael Fenemore. Bookings:1812theatre.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold
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The Nightline, at Malthouse Bagging Room Red Hill 2027 ■ The Red Hill Country Music Festival is returning on February 7 to Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula after more than a decade away. To be run in conjunction with the Pig and Whistle Tavern, the artist line up is being finalised with announcements to be made soon about this and other events that will be part of the day.
Everything ■ Mum of four, Tammy London, has dropped her new single. Titled Everything, Tammy says: “It’s a song about lasting the distance and doing life with your special person. There are so many songs out there about when you first fall in love but not too many about longterm relationships. I wanted to honour that.”
Doors unlocked ■ Returning to St Kilda’s Memo Music Hall, Unlocking The Doors are touring Australia throughout January to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Doors’ iconic debut album. They’ll perform the record in its entirety alongside a set of classic Doors favourites. January 16. Tickets at trybooking.com
Rob Foenander ● If you enjoyed The Gruffalo, don’t miss its much-loved sequel. Following sell-out seasons around Australia and the world, The Gruffalo’s Child is coming to St Kilda for the school holidays, September 19–21.
■ Never having rung in to a nightline, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. From the first steps via an exterior four level set of stairs, after cold, firm instructions from a sort of strict principal “concierge”, door entry permitted full viewing of a space with 40 separate round tables. Each had its own tightly focussed light, self dial telephone and self select eight point channel input. Sparse instructions, like no talk permitted, were all in mime. Approximately 40 minutes of solitude with only your selection of incoming conversations. This was a powerful experience, wherein apart from the anonymous, at times almost night ramblings of whomever I dialled in to, there was nothing. Those streams of at times almost semi consciousness purveyed sadness, self deprecation, boredom, amusement, emptiness, longing ... Nothing to focus on but the voice at the other end of a phone line stimulated my own images of the callers – sad reflectives, sardonically amused, aged and overwhelmed, plagued with insomnia, broken biological sleep patterned shift workers, exhausted mums. The bleakest sentence of all was “It’s me again ...” I was listening to the voice of someone who was so in need of a human voice that they obviously rang in many, many times – the nightline was their society ...
This was a powerful experience, wherein apart from the anonymous, at times almost night ramblings of whomever I dialled in to, there was nothing. - Maggie Morrison “It’s good to talk” was a repeated sentence. “Why am I awake?” another. Despite my outside thoughts of sadness within callers, there was mostly a suggestion of a sort of acceptance and calmness about their being able to share thoughts with someone. A paradoxical caller was a solo flautist – lovely music being played but perhaps the only listeners for the sounds were via the Nightline. Occasionally alien light flashes and stormy weather sounds burst intrusively into “our” precious time – an outside world was there, but not for these callers in the night. Created by celebrated documentary maker Roslyn Oades and award winning sound artist Bob Scott with collaborators, this is unusual, compelling, immersive theatre which will open your mind to a different concept of human “sustainability”. Until August 29, Bagging Room, Malthouse Tickets from $38 Malthouse box office
● Photo: Simon Fazio
Review by Maggie Morrison
● The first all-day Good Friday telethon was aired in 1957.
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BREAK OF DAY
■ Revulsion and sympathy are counterpointed in this eloquently related tale of the universal human condition in Steve Rodger's play, Break of Day. Compromised by her adolescent pregnancy, single mother, Pamela (Kat Stewart), packs goods in a warehouse. An old school friend, Sanjeeva (Chum Ehelepola) is now her supervisor. The burdensome arrival of her geriatric and demanding father, Pop (Richard Piper) undermines any hope that Pam's daughter, Rae (Sherry-Lee Watson) will finish her school assignment on time. Additionally, Rae's boyfriend, Jedediah, (Theo Clarke) is preparing for his audition which will allow him to leave the work he has cleaning the factory. The work is visceral at times. The traumatic description of childbirth is negated by the love Pam has for Rae. Theo's clearing of a toilet blockage by hand is juxtaposed with his recitation of Caliban's soliloquy from The Tempest. The base of life is a primordial ooze. Rae's dissertation on Nabokov's 'Lolita' finds an immediate resonance in Pop's less than desirable past. Though roundly condemned, Pop becomes a figure of sympathy at the end of the play. Past choices and current reality clash. Watson and Clarke capture the exuberance and hopefulness of youth. Piper finds the complexity of Pop's character where insistence meets the guilt and shame. Ehelepola's scene uploading his character's vocal track is comedy gold but it is Stewart finding the simple frustration of her situation and projecting her hopes and dreams onto Rae where we see just how easily individuals are caught and compromised by unwise choices. Sarah Goodes direction and use of a revolving set (Anna Cordingley) facilitates an energetic momentum. The two tiered factory overlooking the simple, crowded household is telling. Paul Jackson's lighting allows alleys and spots to be purposefully utilised and the faint echo of a
● Kat Stewart (Pamela) and Sherry-Lee Watson (Rae) in Break of Day. Photo: Pia Johnson of a police siren in Jethro Woodward's sound scape hints at the consequences about to ensue at the end of the play. This work resonates on so many levels speaking of life's pathos and the constraints eroding the hopes and desires of many struggling to make ends meet. A must see. Until August 29 The Malthouse
Review by David McLean
Closer ■ Powderkeg Players present the Oliver award-winning drama Closer by Patrick Marber from September 4-19 at the St Albans Senior Citizens Centre. Directed by Del Jordan, Closer follows the lives of out-of-towner Alice, photographer Anna, obituary writer Dan and dermatologist Larry over several years as they meet, bond, separate and move on. The modern classic is described as "a provocative, witty and emo-
tionally devastating play that views love and sex like politics: it's not what you say that matters, still less what you mean, but what you do. “It is a brilliant exploration of the brutal anatomy of modern ro mance, and the painful truths we hide from those we love." Powderkeg Players is a St Albans community theatre company whose motto is “theatre that lights a fuse”. Del Jordan says: "This production will set the scene with bright projections that will immerse audiences in each setting. “To help set the mood, this production will also be infusing a memorable 90s trip-hop soundtrack, featuring artists such as Portishead and Massive Attack, alongside original jazz-inspired music made specifically for the show." Content warning: this production contains coarse language and mature themes, including scenes of a sexual nature. Performance Details: September 4-19 Times: Fri./Sat. evenings at 8pm, matinees Sun September 13, and Sat September 19 at 2pm. Q and A with cast September 11. Running time: Approx. 2 hrs, including a 20 minute interval Venue: St Albans Senior Citizens Centre, 171 William St, St Albans Tickets: $27 full price / $22 concession Bookings: powderkegplayers. com/shows/
Cheryl Threadgold
Vale Johnny Young
● Tully Jones (Anna), Wayne Gleeson (Larry), Jordyn Grubisic (Alice) and James Hammond (Dan) rehearse Closer.
■ Australian entertainment legend and Young Talent Time host Johnny Young died late last month, aged 79. Young’s family said the beloved television and music industry figure died following a short illness with pancreatic cancer. Young was host of Young Talent Time, which launched the careers of some of Australia’s best-known entertainers. He wrote hit songs including The Real Thing and Smiley. He was recognised with inductions into both the TV Week Logies Hall of Fame and the ARIA Hall of Fame. Young leaves behind his wife Marisha, sister Cornelia, daughters Anna and Fleur, son Craig (dec.), seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Rourke’s Reviews Undertone ■ (M). 94 minutes. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD. This quite brilliant horror/ drama is a compelling examination of falling into a frail mental frame of mind, and how easily one can be consumed and engulfed in a particular ‘state’. Nina Kiri is terrific as Evy, who has moved back home to look after her dying mother (Michele Duquet). Evy makes a living as a podcaster, debunking ghost stories and other supernatural events, and is working from home while she cares for her mother. Her colleague Justin (Adam DiMarco), who we only hear over the phone, has come across an intriguing case, dealing with ten audio files of a husband recording his wife sleeping at night. With each file, the content seems to unsettle Evy in various ways, especially when she is told some surprising personal news. For me, Undertone looks at the looming shadow of motherhood, whether it be pre or post, and how women see themselves if they don’t feel immediately euphoric about having a child, or how they’re perceived about the way they have raised their child. Men’s reactions are also important, presented as disconnected voices but still remaining dominant. Writer/director Ian Tuason, making an impressive directorial debut, looks at all aspects, including familial, societal and religious, and creates a growingly tense, overpowering atmosphere. The use of sound, and the move from one sonic world to another (mentally brittle to reality), is superb, with Tuason beautifully mixing that sound with the house being largely consumed by darkness. Certain soundscapes re minded me of Maurice Pialat’s incredible The Mouth Agape (1974). Some have compared this to Paranormal Activity, but this is so much more intelligent and involving than that superficial mega-hit. RATING - ****½
The Drama ■ (MA). 105 minutes. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD. After the universally acclaimed Dream Scenario, which saw Nicolas Cage given one of his best roles in years, editor/writer/producer/director Kristoffer Borgli returns with The Drama, and while it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as his previous film, it still resonates, offering another darkly humorous examination of the flaws and failings of people and how they react to certain information and situations. The story centres on Emma and Charlie (Zendaya and Robert Pattinson), who will soon be married, and are currently organising the specifics of their wedding. Both are working on their speeches, and we see in flashback how the two met, which a mix of sweetness and creepiness. One night, while trying some wine for the wedding with friends, Mike (Mamou-
● Aaron Rourke dou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim), each is asked what is the worst thing they’ve ever done. What one person says will shake, fracture and potentially destroy everything. Like Borgli’s Dream Scenario, and his earlier dark comedy Sick Of Myself, The Drama looks how seemingly good relationships and logical sensibilities can easily implode, with all of us walking a fine line between happiness and despair, and what lengths we may go to in releasing those feelings when all hope seems lost. Borgli touches on topics and themes in a way that makes us react personally to them, using bleak comedy to allow them to make an impact. Working with cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan (Bones And All) and composer Daniel Pemberton (Eddington, Ferrari), Borgli creates a look and feel that is distinctly his own. The two leads are excellent. Zendaya displays a level of vulnerability and uncertainty that is completely convincing, bringing layers to the character of Emma. Pattinson continues to impress, making a rather unlikeable character ap proachable. The supporting cast are all fine. Personally, the film appeared to be heading toward a particular conclusion. When that doesn’t happen, and it takes a different route, it initially feels like a disappointment. While many may see this eventual conclusion as a cop out, it can also be seen as offering a satisfying, alternate ending, endorsing a point made during the film. The Drama seems to be receiving a more mixed re sponse like Borgli’s Sick Of Myself, but like that film, one has to get on the director’s darkly comedic wavelength. The subject is serious, but the examination is absurdist, showing how eternally strange human nature is. RATING - ****
Aaron Rourke
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■ The popular television soap opera Days of Our Lives began in the USA in 1965 and premiered in Australia in 1974 on the Nine Network. It was a smash hit and built up a legion of fans. Days of Our Lives has been popular on Australian television for the past 52 years. Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes became a ‘superstar couple’ with their characters Julie and Doug Williams. Susan Seaforth Hayes was born in California and came from a theatrical family. Susan joined the cast of Days of Our Lives in 1968. She has also played roles in The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and Sunset Beach. Over the years Susan has been a guest star in television shows such as The Fugitive, Bonanza, Matlock and Perry Mason. Bill Hayes was born in 1925 in Illinois and by the time he was 20 Bill was singing on the classic American television series Your Show of Shows hosted by Syd Caesar. In 1955 he had a hit song with The Ballad of Davy Crockett which sold over three million copies. Bill sang in Broadway shows and guest starred in many television series before landing the role of Doug Williams in 1970. He married Susan Seaforth in 1974 and they published a book titled, Like Sands Through The Hourglass which became a best seller. They have enjoyed working on the show and loved getting their scripts to find out
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Whatever Happened to ... Susan Seaforth Hayes & Bill Hayes By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM what would happen to their characters in future episodes. In 1977 Susan and Bill were in Melbourne for the Logie Awards. During their time in Australia they performed their floorshow in various states. Whilst in Adelaide, television and radio personality Anne Wills announced on ABC Radio that Susan and Bill would be at the airport and 4000 fans turned up to say ‘Hello’. Since that event, Susan and Bill became very good friends with Anne, who had won 19 Logie Awards in South Australia. The famous Hollywood couple have appeared onstage - Susan has played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and Bill has played Billy Flynn in Chicago. Their book, Like Sands Through The Hourglass, is
● Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes available on the internet. Sadly, Bill Hayes The Time Tunnel - Remember When passed away in 2024. Susan Seaforth Hayes Sundays at 10.10pm with Simon still appears on Days Of Our Lives and over Owens and Andrew McLaren. the years has received many awards for her And on 96.5 FM work on the show. That's Entertainment - Sundays Kevin Trask at 12 Noon. Kevin can be heard on 3AW www.innerfm.org.au
THE SCROLLS - 3000 DAYS - AT BURRINJA GALLERY Entertainment Extra The Deplorables ■ Writer/director Christine Davey’s The Deplorables tells the story of Australia’s first women’s cricket match. In 1874, a young teacher, Barbara Rae (an excellent Marie-Claire Tchernomoroff), places an advertisement in the local Bendigo newspaper with a request for “Ladies who are desirous of playing cricket” to meet. A women’s cricket match for charity is planned for the annual Easter show. What could be more civilised? After all, cricket is “a game that breaks for cups of tea.” A running gag throughout, “What if their wombs explode!” reflects the prevailing attitude that women were too delicate for exertion and highlights the pseudo-scientific myths persisting about female anatomy. Based on Louise Zedda-Sampson’s Bowl the Maidens Over, Davey draws on archives and media from the time, incorporating fascinating ephemera and colourfully creating not only interest in the women’s games but also what these women were up against. For example, a news report recorded that over 2000 spectators turned up to watch the match and further opined that at least some of the women players were “almost pretty”. Following the game, a media frenzy erupted. Charming, witty, and fascinating, the enthusiastic and talented cast brings this incredible story to life. Interspersed with lively music and movement by Tess Parker are lovely vignettes, such as an emerging friendship between cricketers Miss E Gerber (Danae Reid) and Miss Katie Petrie (Madeleine Potter) that may be the beginning of something deeper. A very moving epilogue underscores how little is known of these early pioneers. Many are known only by their last names as recorded in news reports. Danae Reid’s Miss E Gerber, in another running gag, speculates throughout on her first name, wondering what it might be. At 70 minutes, the production is over too soon. Presented at Theatre Works.
Review by Kathryn Keeble
Men At Work Revisited ■ Colin Hay will be bringing his world class band from LA in October to venues across Australia, offering a night as they revisit the quintessential songs of his seminal 80s outfit Men At Work. It has been 45 years since the conception of one of the world’s most celebrated Australian albums. With tracks like Down Under, Who Can It Be Now and Be Good Johnny still in high rotation on airwaves across the globe, there is no denying that Men At Work’s debut studio album Business As Usual has stood the test of time. “What has clearly stood the test of time, are the songs. Forty-five years on, I still hear them in the street, on the radio, in supermarkets, they are still going strong,” said Colin Hay. Having spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and five weeks at No. 1 in the UK albums chart, Business As Usual defined an era where Australian rock music emerged from the beer-soaked stages of local haunts and started to make its mark on an industry saturated by sequins and synth. Since then, frontman Colin Hay has had a prolific career touring as both a solo artist and a long-term member of Ringo Starr and His AllStarr Band. In more recent years he has collected a stellar group of LAbased musicians to tour under the moniker of Men At Work, giving punters abroad the experience of that eclectic and iconic sound imprinted on the fabric of Australia’s identity. Tess Fox Wed. Nov. 4 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne.
The Scrolls – 3000 Days … and counting – Sharon Field What does it mean to pay attention to the natural world every single day? In response to a 2021 United Nations report warning that global temperatures must remain below 1.4 C increase by 2030, botanical artist Sharon Field embarked on an extraordinary act of observation and hope. Beginning on Earth hour, March 2 2022, Sharon committed to creating one botanical drawing for the 3,000 days leading to 2-3-. Focusing on plants and intricate they share with their surrounding ecosystems The Scrolls – 3000 Days and Counting is both a personal ritual and a powerful reflection on our changing environment. Each drawing captures a fleeting moment in nature, together forming a growing visual record of connection, resilience and care. Exhibition: September 3-6 and October 23 – 25. Burrinja Art Gallery 351 Glenfern Rd., Upwey
Kew Tesserae (Mosaics) in Contemporary Art. Join us for this fascinating talk by artist curator Cetta Pilati on the use of mosaics in contemporary art. Learn how to figurative and abstract artworks are treated created ising tiny squareshaped tiles (tesserae) of glass, stone and ceramic. Using examples of her own and other’s work Pilati will take us through the process of how these intricate works of art are designed and mane. Exhibition: Saturday November 15 at 3pm. Altered States – Daniel Crooks with paintings, Videos, Photographs and Sculptures from the Lyon Collection. The Gallery are pleased to present the current exhibition in the galleries featuring works by some of Australia’s leading contemporary artists.| Exhibition: closes Sunday May 30 2027. ■ The House Museum and Galleries will be closed from Thursday October 8 - Sunday October 11 (inclusive) for a private event. Lyon Museum and Galleries 217-219 Cotham Rd, Kew
Caulfield Creative Currents Explores the depths of the creative mind the way ideas make shape – through quiet reflection, bold expression and everything in between. Bringing together traditional contemporary approaches, the exhibition Highlights the skill, care and individuality of each artist. Exhibition closes Sunday September 6. Patient as dust: Restless as tide Explore the relationship between natural and man-made materials mixed media and sculpture exhibition. Addressing themes of suitability, feminism, and our relationship with the environment, the viewer is invited to reflect on what is observed, cel-
The Arts With Peter Kemp
ebrated and what is wasted. The exhibition challenges traditional exhibitions notions of the female artist, reclaiming practices such as collecting and preserving as important acts of cultural, ecological and feminist expression. Exhibition closes Sunday September 6. Glen Eira Art Gallery Cnr Hawthorn & Glen Eira Rds, Caulfield
Peter Kemp
Ben Folds and MSO ■ The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will reunite with iconic American singersongwriter, composer and pianist Ben Folds for two performances as part of a national orchestral tour. Folds will reimagine his beloved songbook with the MSO and Principal Guest Conductor Benjamin Northey, performing with the Orchestra for the first time in six years, at Hamer Hall on Friday-Saturday, January 2930. The concerts build on the MSO’s extensive history with Folds where the orchestra and the Emmy nominated artist have collaborated several times over the last two decades. Folds is looking forward to returning to Australia and performing with the country’s leading symphony orchestras, including the MSO, as part of a national tour which will also see him perform with the Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. "Sharing the stage with an orchestra as my band is an honour I don't take lightly. I consider them among the finest musicians in the world and together we offer audiences a musical experience like no other”, Folds said. "As a student of the orchestra, I sincerely believe they are a shining example of what we can accomplish in society when we all work in concert and harmony for a greater good." Ben Folds is an Emmy-nominated singersongwriter who has created an enormous body of genre-bending music that includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, a holiday album, and numerous collaborative records.
The TheLocal LocalPaper Paper- -Wednesday, Wednesday,September February 18, 2, 2026 - Page 49 45
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Local Briefs Comms. concerns
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026
RURAL AID CALLS ON AUSSIES TO LEND A HAND TO FARMERS
■ Rural Aid is calling on Australians to help carry the weight for farming families who are doing everything they can to keep going through disasters, adversity and the daily pressures of life on the land. Behind every farm is a family carrying more than most of us will ever see. They’re caring for livestock, working the land, supporting their families, keeping their businesses going and wondering what the next season will bring. For many, the weight is becoming too much. Drought, floods, fires, rising costs, financial pressure and the uncertainty of farming can take a heavy toll. Often, the hardest struggles are the ones no one sees. Farmers are used to getting on with the job. They don’t always ask for help. They shouldn’t have to face the toughest times alone. “A donation today can help make sure a farming family has someone in their corner when they need it most, providing practical support, a helping hand and hope when the road ahead feels overwhelming,” said a Rural Ais representative. For farmer Tanya Bertram, recent drought has had a devastating effect. Watching the creek on her 250-acre property run dry has meant facing the ongoing cost of keeping livestock fed.
● Tanya Bertram
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“We’ve still got possibly six months that we’re going to be hand feeding livestock. That’s quite costly,” Tanya said. Rural Aid provided Tanya’s family with hay and financial assistance, helping them keep their cattle going through the dry conditions. She has a simple message for anyone thinking of donating to Rural Aid. “This is where your food comes from,” Tanya said. “Our sheep go to markets, they go to the butchers, they go to your supermarkets.” “If you can support Rural Aid, please do. It means a lot to farming families knowing there’s someone there when things get tough.” For Chinchilla cattle farmer Les Mayer, a severe storm changed everything in the space of an hour, destroying his hay shed and damaging his home. “It happened within a space of an hour, a quite frightening hour and we haven’t been able to live at home since,” Les said. Months later, Les and his family are still working towards returning home. Rural Aid volunteers helped clear the property, taking a significant burden off the family. “It’s just a big relief that Rural Aid has come and done all this for us,” Les said. Les said supporting farmers means supporting every Australian.
■ Concerns were raised about the widespread disruption to critical infrastructure during the Longwood summer fires and the consequences for both emergency response and community safety. Parliamentary Inquiry Chairman Michael Galea said evidence was heard that failures in telecommunications and power networks significantly affected firefighting operations and residents' access to emergency information. "The resilience of critical infrastructure, particularly telecommunications networks, was a recurring theme throughout this inquiry," Mr Galea said. "Communities, firefighters and emergency services rely heavily on power and communications systems during emergencies. “When those systems fail, the impacts are felt across every aspect of emergency response and community safety,” Mr Galea said.
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UP TO $1760 FREE ADVERTISING FOR EACH LOCAL BUSINESS
Every local business throughout the bushfire affected region qualifies for up to $1760 worth of free advertising in The Phoenix newspaper. The offer is available throughout 2026, to all business owners in the municipalities of Mansfield, Murrindindi, Mitchell, Nillumbik, Strathbogie, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges. The packages are totally free of cost. There is no obligation. The free advertising packages provide a free 40-word line listing, worth $40 each fortnight until December 9, 2026. That’s a free $40 ad in 23 print issues (plus more free ads in 22 further online issues on alternate weeks). Each advertisement is listed in The Phoenix Newspaper and also online at www.phoenixnews.com.au To apply for a free advertising package, complete the form online, or mail the coupon (below) to The Phoenix, PO Box 1278, Research, Vic 3095. All advertising packages are subject to the approval of the Editor of The Phoenix. The free advertising packages are being privately funded by the owners of The Phoenix and its major supporters throughout metropolitan Melbourne, country Victoria, and interstate. Not a cent of tax - or public-money - is being used to fund this unprecedented promotion of local business. The Phoenix is operated by Local Media Pty Ltd of Eltham, publishers of The Local Paper and the Melbourne Observer.
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The 2, 2026 2026 -- Page Page 47 51 The Local Local Paper Paper -- Wednesday, Wednesday, September February 18,
SPEED ON SHOW AT SANDOWN
■ To be run away from Moonee Valley for the first time, the Group 1 A. J. Moir Stakes will be contested on the Sandown Hillside track over 1000 metres this Saturday (Sep. 5). The race is best remembered for the 1982 win of Manikato, when he burst through the $1 million prize money barrier. That was back when the Moir Stakes was run on Cox Plate day. All these years later, the first horse to be considered among some of the possible chances, will almost certainly push past $15 million in career earnings on Saturday: Giga Kick Top class sprinting star. All bar one of his wins has been over longer than 1000 metres. So, the danger here is that they may prove a bit sharp for him. However, he looked super at the trials recently and may be fresh enough to settle just behind the leaders. The uphill run home should be to his advantage as well. Extragalactic Due back at the track following a break after a progressive autumn. That culminated when just beaten in a bob of the heads photo finish in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville. Promising mare with three wins and three seconds from just seven starts. Has won first-up from a spell previously and twice at 1000 metres. Natural Fling With just three starts for two wins and a second, this would be by far her biggest test. As a three-year-old filly, she is asked to carry a lot less weight than her older rivals under the weight-for age scale. However, given her limited racing career compared to the achievements of others, she would receive a far greater weight advantage under handicap conditions. Bookmakers are sure to be keen to lay her, and rightly so. Cavalry Girl Continued on her winning way, proving too good again in the Group 3 Carlyon Stakes a fortnight ago. That was run over the same track and distance as the Moir. In fact, of her seven wins to date, six have been over 1000 metres. Her only other victory was in the Lightning Stakes at Morphettville over 1050 metres. Taking the leap into Group 1 company is the only concern. My Gladiola Quality four-year-old mare ready to return to the races. The last time this daughter of I Am Invincible resumed from a spell, she finished second to Tentyris in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington over 1000 metres. That run alone means she must be respected. Point Barrow Another classy four-year-old mare who scored at this track and distance on a previous occasion. Has won five races from only nine starts and started favourite in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield as a three-yearold. She is well and truly in the mix firstup from a spell. Bazaball Rewarded Has won all seven races over this distance, including an easy win on the Sandown Hillside course in June. Cavalry Girl has proven the better mare on the day at each of her past two starts, but she has
● Giga Kick. Racing Photos.
Rod Basto
● Extragalactic. Racing Photos.
been covering extra ground in the run. Would like to see her on the rail, but this is probably a bit rich anyway.
Cup Countdown ■ One of the more perplexing betting moves ever seen occurred recently on the 2026 Melbourne Cup. This unusual activity happened a fortnight ago, around the time of a jump out against quality opposition at Caulfield. The horse in question appeared to do everything right when finishing just behind the placegetters. Yet, why when $51 was freely available in futures markets, would someone start backing down the horse on the exchange at shorter odds?
As little as $17 was taken for reasonable money and there was even a bet placed at $10. Being through the exchange, these prices are potentially reduced even further, with a commission being taken on all winning bets. At the time of writing, this galloper was engaged to make a return to racing at Caulfield in the Heatherlie Stakes over 1700 metres on Saturday, August 29. No doubt that performance would have impacted his odds in the latest markets. The Cup is still 62 days away, so there is still plenty of time for him to work his way into the field. Where there’s smoke there’s fire, so let’s take a look at his credentials: Zahrann Bred in Ireland and had five of his first six starts there with one in England, recording three wins, two seconds and one unplaced run. His greatest prize money earning effort was when second in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot over 2414 metres. Two of his wins were at Listed level at Leopardstown (2414 metres) and in a Group 3 at the Curragh (2011 metres). Since arriving in Australia, the son of 2025 British and Irish champion sire, Night Of Thunder, had two starts prior to last Saturday (Aug. 29). Melbourne Cup winning trainer Ciaron Maher ran him at Flemington on both occasions. In the first of those, he worked home well over 1600 metres, finishing just out of a place. His next run was in early June over 2000 metres, and it resulted in a solid third. He certainly has the potential to scale greater heights and become one of the more favoured runners come Cup day.
Horses To Follow ■ Cignetti, He’s Regal, Crocodile, Colonel Klink
Racing Calendar ■ Wednesday, Sep 2: Sandown Hillside ■ Thursday, Sep 3: Warrnambool ■ Friday, Sep 4: Mornington ■ Saturday, Sep 5: Sandown Hillside, Mildura ■ Sunday, Sep 6: Bendigo ■ Monday, Sep 7: Tatura ■ Tuesday, Sep 8: Moe
Page 52 - The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 2, 2026
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STATEWIDE • MELBOURNEWIDE • LOCAL PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE AN EXISTING MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT
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PUBLIC NOTICES Notice of Precipe For the record, the woman living in her private capacity, known by her proper name, Leah Bridget of Elwood, Victoria, is permanently domiciled on the land and soil of the Terra Australis State (Terra Australis). I am not a voluntary transactor in commerce. I hold, by right of original claim, the paramount security interest over all estates, property, assets, and collateral, both registered and unregistered. This absolute security interest extends over all associated copyright-protected trade names, including LEAH FRAME, FRAME LEAH BRIDGET, LEAH BRIDGET FRAME, LEAH B FRAME, LEAH B. FRAME, L.B. FRAME, L B FRAME, FRAME LEAH, Leah Bridget FRAME, LEAH Frame, Leah FRAME, FRAME Leah, LEAH B. Frame, Leah B. FRAME, Leah Frame, Leah Bridget Frame, Leah B. Frame, L.F., LF, LBF, L.B.F., and MS LB. My lawful reconveyance to the land and soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis was recorded under Public Recording Number RPP44 63900 05100 28447 50606 on the Proclamation Date 24 July 2025. Consequently, all usufruct subjugation ties with the corporate government of Australia are severed. I declare that I am no longer under government oversight, rescind government benefits, have removed myself from all voting rolls, and refuse and waive my right to enter into a RECOGNIZANCE everywhere as a person before the law. This standing reflects the peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens) from which no derogation is permitted, binding all state organs and corporate entities regardless of domestic legislative provisions to the contrary. The Australian government and its affiliates are hereby instructed to cease and desist misaddressing and misrepresenting the name Leah Bridget Frame in all capital letters contrary to the rules of standard English grammar and immediately cease and desist infringing upon my estate, private property, assets, collateral, and copyright-protected trade names. By the Christian woman: Leah Bridget.
PUBLIC NOTICES Integrating life coaching principles combined with Psychic and Mediumship. Excelling at photo readings, connecting with those who have crossed over. 1 photo = 1hr reading. Also providing coaching support for those looking at emotional support strategies and adopting new perspectives. 1hr sessions at $120 Ph: 0414 614 121
Gravesite For Sale CHELTENHAM MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY Rare opportunity to purchase at CMPC. Coastal Rise N.130 Up to 3 Burials plus additional Cremations. Unique position beside flowering Gums and Bench Seat. Must inspect to appreciate impressive site. Inquiries: 0417 556 755
PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE TO PATIENTS OF GLEN IRIS MEDICAL CENTRE Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
WANTED
Orvos Group Pty Ltd (ACN 123 522 387) as trustee for Orvos Group Unit Trus and RAO Services Pty Ltd (ACN 123 522 396), which operate the Glen Iris Medical Centre business at 118 High Street, Glen Iris VIC 3146 (Business) are pleased to advise that they have reached agreement to sell the Business to Bupa Health Centres Pty Ltd (ACN 601 714 738) (Bupa Medical), effective 31 August 2026.
MOTOR BIKES WANTED
Patient health records (other than any records which patients direct Bupa Medical to deal with as outlined below) have been transferred to Bupa Medical, who will maintain and manage those records on an ongoing basis in accordance with accepted medical records management practices.
Not going, in need of repair, or unwanted. Cash or pick-up. Text or phone 0439 828 509
If we hold health records of yours and you would prefer that we transfer your health information to another health service provider, or to you, please contact us on the contact details provided below as soon as possible.
FORM 2 Regulation 16 NOTICE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PLANNING PERMIT APPLICATION DETAILS The application reference number is: P2026/1467 The applicant for the permit is: SORRENTO MOON PTY LTD The Land affected by the application is located at: 93 CAMPBELLS ROAD PORTSEA VIC 3944 CP 155776 VOL 9522 FOL 480 The application is for a permit to: • DEVELOP DWELLING ADDITIONS AND ALTERATIONS • TO VARY THE WORDING OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IN INSTRUMENT F904541 TO READ AS FOLLOWS: “...WILL NOT AT ANY TIME HEREAFTER ERECT OR PERMIT TO BE ERECTED OR PERMIT TO REMAIN ERECTED... ANY BUILDING OTHER THAN ONE SEPARATE DETACHED DWELLING HOUSE ON EACH LOT... HAVING AN AREA OF NOT LESS THAN 1200 SQUARE FEET AND HAVING OUTER WALLS OF BRICK ROCK STONE MASONRY OR GLASS HAVING A ROOF OF SLATE, TILES, METAL OR GLASS PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT NOTHING HEREIN CONTAINED SHALL PREVENT THE ERECTION... OF USUAL OUTBUILDINGS FOR THE DWELLING HOUSE ERECTED ON EACH LOT PROVIDED THAT SUCH OUTBUILDINGS HAVE OUTER WALLS OF BRICK STONE MASONRY OR GLASS AND A ROOF OF SLATE, TILES, METAL OR GLASS” • TO VARY THE WORDING OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IN INSTRUMENT K194879 TO READ AS FOLLOWS: “…THE LAND DESCRIBED IN SCHEDULE 1 NOT ERECT OR PERMIT TO BE ERECTED ON THE LAND DESCRIBED IN SCHEDULE 1 HERETO ANY DWELLING HOUSE OR OTHER BUILDING OTHER THAN A BELOW GROUND SWIMMING POOL AND OR A NORMAL OUTBUILDING ANCILLARY TO THE MAIN DWELLING” A permit is required under the following clauses of the planning scheme: Planning Scheme Matter for which a permit is Clause required CLAUSE 43.02-2 (DDO2) CONSTRUCT A BUILDING OR CONSTRUCT OR CARRY OUT WORKS CLAUSE 52.02 VARY A RESTRICTION The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 How can I find out more? You may look at the application and any documents that support the application free of charge at: www.mornpen.vic.gov.au You may also call (03) 5950 1010 to arrange a time to look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the responsible authority, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. This can be done during office hours and is free of charge. Privacy Notification: The personal information provided in an objection is collected for planning purposes in accordance with the Planning & Environment Act 1987 (the Act). The public may view an objection in accordance with Section 57 of the Act whilst the planning application is current
We are pleased to note that Bupa Medical is committed to continuing our tradition of providing the patients of the Business with convenient, high quality medical services and we expect to manage the transition with no disruption to our patients.
Cheltenham Golf Course 135 Weatherall Avenue (also known as 35 Victor Avenue), CHELTENHAM VIC 3192 RFNSA Site Number: 3192009 1. Telstra is proposing to upgrade an existing mobile phone base station located at the Cheltenham Golf Course, 135 Weatherall Road (also known as 35 Victor Avenue), CHELTENHAM. The proposed upgrade will improve Telstra 4G and 5G services in the area. 2. The proposed upgrade works on the existing monopole consist of: • Removal of twelve (12) existing antennas • Installation of three (3) new panel antennas (each less than 2.8m in length) • Installation of six (6) new panel antennas (each less than 1.1m in length) • Installation/replacement of ancillary equipment • Works inside the existing equipment shelter 3. In accordance with Section 7 of the Industry Code C564:2025 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment, we invite you to make comments about the proposal. 4. Please direct comments to Mark Baade (Planning Consultant) on mark@saqconsulting.com.au, 0417 088 000 or to SAQ Consulting, P O Box 50 Clayfield QLD 4011 by Wednesday 16th September 2026. For more information about the proposal, scan the QR Code or visit www.rfnsa.com.au/ 3192009 Telstra Limited ACN: 086 174 781 SAQ Consulting ACN: 627 531 926
Contact Details: Glen Iris Medical Centre, 118 High Street, Glen Iris VIC 3146 Email: practicemanager@gimc.com.au
Copyright Notice, Acknowledgements The Copyright Act 1968 – Section 42 (‘Fair Dealing for purpose of reporting news) provides: (1) A fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, or work with an adaptation of a literary, dramatic or musical work, does not constitute an infringement of the copyright in the work if: (a) it is for the purpose of, or is associated with, the reporting of news in a newspaper, magazine or similar periodical and a sufficient acknowledgement of the work is made; or (b) it is for the purpose of, or is associated with the reporting of news by means of a communication or in a cinematogrpah film.” We acknowldege the original source of advertisements in this issue
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