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Rolling sleeves up for charity By Shelby Brooks Curtis Span of Pakenham has raised $330 to donate to charity CBM Australia, which will cover the cost to restore 10 children’s eyesights in developing countries. Curtis, 11, who attends Maranatha Christian School in Officer, has spent the last 18 months travelling around the south east suburbs to take the undesirable job of making smelly wheelie bins sparkle. “It’s a really dirty job so I thought not many people would want to do it,” Curtis said. “I want to donate money so others can have sight. You wouldn’t like it if you were without sight and if I couldn’t see I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things. “I want to challenge everybody to at least donate $33 to give one person a miracle.” See full story page 2 Curtis Span cleaned wheelie bins to raise money for charity. Picture: SUPPLIED
Tiny homes push Pakenham could soon be next to experience the tiny home trend, with a real estate developer purchasing a local caravan park to develop a new affordable living community. Lei Feng, director of Preer Property Group, said the he purchased Pakenham Caravan Park on Racecourse Road roughly a year ago, with the intention to turn some free land on the site into a space for tiny houses. “We’re a development company. The idea was not to develop the caravan park but to fill a niche gap for affordable housing,” Mr Feng told the Gazette.
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cent permanent residents living in long term housing, either in cabins or caravans. “But most of those cabins are constructed with old style weatherboards and the quality of life is far from desirable.” Mr Feng said within the south east suburbs, demand for long term living options in caravan parks were high. “Caravan parks are overbooked,” he said. “We get about four phone calls a day for places like Pakenham but they’ve run out of placement.” Mr Feng said tiny homes can be rented between $200 and $230 a week, compared to a
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“We want to try leverage our expertise in real estate development to get some addition unused land in the park to turn into our tiny home concept.” Tiny houses are affordable living options that utilise small footprints and clever architectural design. Mr Feng was inspired by a trip to the US three years ago, learning that 24 million Americans live in long term housing in trailer parks. “Throughout Australian history, caravan parks have been for tourists but in the last 30 years it has morphed into residential communities,” Mr Feng said. “Caravan parks are made up of about 80 per
house for $400. The small footprint homes can be built with the proper fit outs, with “architectural flavour”, Mr Feng said. Preer Property Group has developed tiny homes in caravan parks along the Mornington Peninsula with great success already. Pakenham is next on their list. “We’re working on a permit to submit to Cardinia Council with the hope to expand to 20 architecturally driven cabins at the Pakenham Caravan Park,” he said. “Interest from the local community has been high.“
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Curtis Span has raised enough money to restore 10 people’s eyesight. Pictures: SUPPLIED
Cleaning wheelie bins came as an idea to earn some extra pocket money.
Curtis is donating $333 to CBM Australia.
Cleaning up for charity By Shelby Brooks An enterprising 11-year-old has raised over $300 to help restore 10 children’s eyesights. Pakenham’s Curtis Span is participating in Miracles Day, held 19 August by charity CBM Australia, which aims to raise enough money to fund 50,000 cataract surgeries to people living in the world’s poorest countries. Curtis raised his donation from his wheelie bin cleaning business, which he began as a way to earn some extra pocket money last year.
“My mum said I had to start making my own money myself rather than just using her money,” he said. He initially decided to clean bins because he thought there would be a high demand. “It’s a really dirty job so I thought not many people would want to do it,” Curtis said. But after learning about the charity CBM Australia, which works with overseas partners to deliver sight-saving cataract surgeries to people with severely compromised vision, Cur-
tis decided he wanted to donate his earnings. “I felt like what drew me to it was because I thought doing everything without sight would be super super hard,” Curtis said. “I want to donate money so others can have sight. You wouldn’t like it if you were without sight and if I couldn’t see I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things. “There will be a bunch of kids whose life will be harder without a miracle.” Curtis said he cleaned “a lot” of bins around
the south east suburbs to raise the funds. The grade 5 student from Maranatha Christian School in Officer might be sometimes grossed out by especially dirty bins, but he said it was worth it. Mum Michelle said she was very proud of Curtis. “He has a natural heart for others and is very compassionate but is also very business savvy,” she said. To donation head to cbm.org.au or phone 131 226.
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Stirring trouble By Mitchell Clarke
Stirring trouble By Mitchell Clarke It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing any-
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It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing anything but joy. During the one hour exercise limit - which is now a distant memory - Spoonville sites across Cardinia Shire were the most popular place to visit. Despite the fad having died down entirely, the Cardinia Lakes community was understandably upset at news their local site appeared to have been targeted by cruel vandals. Estate resident Laksika noticed the destroyed site during her daily walk on Sunday 24 January. “I think someone has just walked over it or kicked them all over. It’s very sad to see it. We always used to stop there and have a look for new ones,” she wrote on Facebook. The reaction from her neighbours was similar. “Absolutely disgusting. The highlight of our walk is our toddler stopping to look and admire the spoons,” one local woman said. “That’s so disappointing. My kids had spoons in there,” another woman added. Pakenham Hills Ward councillor Jack Kowarzik said the news was “really frustrating”. “Spoonville was created by locals for the enjoyment of local children and to see it vandalised is disappointing,” he said. Cardinia Art Society president Jillian Ronald described Spoonville as an “amazing initiative” during Melbourne’s lengthy lockdown. “It’s given joy and positivity in some very dark times and I just think it’s really disappointing that, when the community put together a project to support each other during a difficult time, that someone would take the trouble to destroy it. They’d be better off going home to create a spoon and putting it with
In happier times - Maci, Willow and Aubrey at a Pakenham Spoonville site. 214450 the rest,” she said. “I’d suggest there’s much better things they could do with their time.” The ‘Spoonville’ trend was born out of Winnersh, England, in an attempt to improve mental health by simply making people happy as they were out and about during daily exercise. The quirky saga soon made its way to Cardinia - after Australia’s first ever site was constructed up the highway in Longwarry. Within weeks, the site had spread to Pakenham, Officer, Garfield, Nar Nar Goon, Emerald and Beaconsfield.
Ms Ronald acknowledged the Spoonville craze had now hit a dead end. “They’re getting a little bit tired, so maybe it’s time for the spoons to come home,” she said. Ms Ronald, who commissioned the two local sites at Lakeside in Pakenham, encouraged community members to collect their spoons from their local sites. She added that in mid-February she’d look to clean up all remaining Spoonville’s and relocate any leftover spoons to an “undisclosed location”.
The once popular Spoonville trend appears to have hit a dead end. Picture: FACEBOOK
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Heartbreak as thousands of books go up in smoke By Shelby Brooks Around 15,000 books have been destroyed in a suspicous fire which broke out in the Centre Court Arcade on Tuesday 3 August. The Centre Court Book Exchange, operated by Jim Gregory for the last 15 years, was hard hit in the fire by smoke, soot and water damage. Mr Gregory thinks his shop could hold between 30,000 to 35,000 books and predicts about half will be unsalvageable, but he hasn’t been able to assess the damage yet. “They’re doubled up on the shelves so the ones at the back might be able to be saved,” Mr Gregory told Star News. He’s worried that with every passing hour the risk of his books and store being infested with black mould increases. “Books only need a few drops of water to be wrecked,“ he said. “The longer it stays all wet, the bigger the chance of black mould in the shelving.” Mr Gregory, who turns 70 next year, said he may be forced into early retirement. “If I’ve got the energy I’ll clean up what I can and find another shop on a temporary basis because I don’t think I’ll get in the arcade for a while,” he said. “Just to clean 30,000 books, at two minutes a book would take 1000 hours which would be 125 days working non-stop just to clean them. “I’d then have to have them sorted and ordered, install new shelves and then put them on the shelves. “If they’re too badly damaged they’re not worth cleaning, it would be better to dump the whole lot and go out and buy fresh ones but it that takes time to build up reasonable stock.” For more, read this week’s Pakenham Gazette.
Jim Gregory is worried black mould will destroy what is left of his 30,000 piece book collection. 246839
The arcade the day of the fire. Picture: MEAGAN CLARK
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Jail for massage rapist By Cam Lucadou-Wells A 75-year-old Clyde North masseuse has been jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a customer in his home studio. Michael Stelios Sergides, trading as ‘Mobile Just Massage’, had been messaged by the woman in response to a Gumtree ad on 26 June 2018. Seeking help for soreness and fatigue, she asked for a 60-minute deep tissue massage. Sergides told her he couldn’t go to her home. She needed to meet at his address because he had car troubles. During the session, he digitally raped and sexually assaulted the client on the massage table for about 20 minutes, Victorian County Court judge Martine Marich said in sentencing on 10 August. It was an “opportunistic” and “grave example” of offending.
“You took advantage of her vulnerability in an entitled way which has caused her deep and enduring trauma to her.” There was no prior consent. Not till after the assaults did he ask if he could massage her intimate parts. When she said no, he replied: “I always ask”. He denied this conversation to police. The client declined a shower and a glass of water at the studio and left as fast as she could. She rang her friend to say “we basically just paid for me to be molested” and reported the incident to her mother and to police. She stated that she felt frozen, worthless and empty during the assault. Afterwards, she felt lost, out of control and isolated from friends and relatives. “Nothing brought me joy anymore,” she wrote in her victim impact statement.
She self-harmed, paused eating, couldn’t bear to leave the house. The thought of seeing Sergides again “terrified me”. “He took more than a small piece of me. For a moment he took away my reason for getting up each day, my only reason to live.” She worked hard to heal, sought help to become strong again and to reclaim her life, she stated. “I decided he wouldn’t win any more.” Sergides pleaded not guilty to the charges in a judge-only trial. Judge Marich said she found inconsistencies in Sergides’ evidence, but accepted the complainant’s account beyond reasonable doubt. The victim’s friend had later rang Sergides who told her the contact was a “regular part” of his service, but thought he’d asked her consent.
In a police interview, he denied the allegations, saying he would not massage lower than the stomach. Below that was a “no no”, he said. Sergides, a former Narre Warren-based real estate agent, received glowing references from an employer, a developer, relatives and family. He had taught at Knox Gymnastics in 1979 and was owner and head coach at Grips Gymnastics Club in Dandenong from 1983-2004. Judge Marich noted Sergides’ lack of criminal history, prior “good character”, the trial’s delay, his age and ill health and his unlikeliness to reoffend. Sergides was jailed up to five years and nine months. He will be eligible for parole after three-and-a-half years. His term includes 55 days already served in pre-sentence remand.
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Local children are being encouraged to get involved in the workshops and get creative.
A sample of one of the butterflies that will be made out of glass, steel and colourful optical film.
Call out for creative kids By Gabriella Payne Cardinia Shire Council is calling on school aged children to channel their inner artist and get involved in creating a new public art sculpture, set to be made up of dozens of eyecatching butterflies. Local families are invited to bring their kids along to a series of free art workshops at the Cardinia Cultural Centre, where they will have the chance to help design the unique butterfly sculpture with artist Nick Athanasiou from interactive art company, Skunk Control. The kaleidoscopic artwork is set to be displayed in the new Rix Road Integrated Child and Family Centre and will be a stunning collaborative centrepiece for all to enjoy. The design will incorporate both light and movement, and will be made up of 23 multicoloured butterflies that glimmer and refract light and colour throughout the space. The artwork draws inspiration from local butterfly species found throughout Cardinia Shire’s heathland areas, including Jalmenus Evagoras (aka, the Imperial Hairstreak or Imperial Blue) and Oreixenica Correae, (aka the Correa Brown) - and there’s no doubt the artwork is set to be a showstopper. The artistic visionaries behind the sculpture, Skunk Control, specialise in creating engaging works that draw on elements of technology and design, as well as their backgrounds in engineering, science and education to delight their audiences. The Cardinia Shire Mayor, Brett Owen, encouraged all budding young artists to get involved in the project.
“We’re inviting local children to help select the colours used in the final artwork and make their very own butterfly using the same special optical filters used by the artists,” Cr Owen explained. “This is a great opportunity for children to get involved in the Rix Road project and have input into what the final sculpture will look like.” “We’re a growth area and we have a lot of kids in our community, so it’s important we listen to them and get them involved. It will be fantastic for children to turn up to the new centre and be able to say ‘I helped make that’. It will give them a real sense of ownership and agency,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for local kids to get involved, not just in an artistic sense but to also investigate the science behind colour and light.” “On a personal note, I can’t think of a more welcoming or cheerful way to enter a building than to see a kaleidoscope of butterflies.” The two free art workshops are set to be held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 August, pending the easing of Covid lockdown restrictions. Following the workshop, the completed butterflies will be gathered by the artist and the most popular colour scheme proposed will be used for the art installation. These workshops will be held in line with Cardinia Shire Council’s CovidSafe plan and numbers are strictly limited. For more information and to register your interest, visit https://bit.ly/childrens-artworkshop or call the Cardinia Cultural Centre team on 1300 787 624.
The new collaborative artwork will be made up of dozens of colourful butterflies that refract light throughout the space. Pictures: SUPPLIED, SKUNK CONTROL
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Police probe into ‘torture’ Police have arrested four men as part of an investigation into a series of kidnappings, nonfatal shootings, serious assaults and extortions in Melbourne’s south east suburbs. On Saturday 7 August police took action to locate a 30-year-old Cranbourne East man and a 27-year-old Cranbourne man who were allegedly being held and assaulted. The Cranbourne East man was being held at a property in Cranbourne, while the Cranbourne man was subsequently taken to a property in Dingley Village. Police attended the Cranbourne property and shortly after 12.45am on Sunday 8 August arrested a 39-year-old Cranbourne man with the assistance of the Special Operations Group. A search of the property uncovered a number of firearm accessories. Just before 1am, a 26-year-old man was arrested at his Dingley Village property, also by the Special Operations Group, along with a 26-year-old Balaclava man. The Cranbourne man had been seriously injured and was taken to hospital for treatment. Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad and Casey Crime Investigation Unit yesterday executed a warrant at a factory in Oakleigh as part of this investigation. They located a loaded handgun, sawn-off shotgun, and a range of drugs. Then on Monday 9 August, Armed Crime Squad detectives executed a warrant at a Taylors Lakes address and this property will now be forensically examined. A 38-year-old Taylors Lakes man was arrested in Sydenham and will now be interviewed by police. Also on Monday 9 August, detectives from Casey Crime Investigation Unit arrested a 34-year-old Clyde North man who will also now be interviewed.
The Tongola Court property was searched by police. 246504 The three men arrested on Sunday morning have all been charged with intentionally cause serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, intentionally cause serious injury, recklessly cause serious injury and false imprisonment. All faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court earlier on Monday and have been remanded in custody to appear again on 1 November. The arrests followed a plea by police on Thursday 5 August for information relating to
Picture: DANIELLE KUTCHEL
a series of incidents in Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs. Investigators said they were looking at links between a number of incidents over the past six months, including kidnappings and extortions. A warrant was executed at a residential property in Tongola Court in Cranbourne on Thursday 5 August in connection with an incident in May, in which a 21-year-old male sustained life-threatening injuries. The man was stabbed, bashed and burned
in what police have likened to torture. He spent several weeks in intensive care in the Alfred Hospital and is not yet fully recovered. Police initially believed the man had been kidnapped and taken to a park, but now understand he was taken to a house where he was held captive and seriously assaulted for several hours before being released. The Tongola Court property was being examined by police to determine whether it was a potential crime scene, and the occupants of the property were said to have been cooperating with investigations. Speaking to media on Thursday 5 August, Detective Senior Sergeant Glen Cruse from Casey Criminal Investigation Unit said the exact circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear, but that information received by police had led them to execute the search warrant. He said there had been an increase in a type of offending that he described as “torturous assaults” in the area. “Generally speaking, these types of incidents are linked to drug trafficking networks, syndicates or other organised crime,” he said. “We believe that to be a likely motivating factor.” Det Snr Sgt Cruse said the incidents occurred around Cranbourne and Dandenong. He added that police would be able to provide “a level of protection” for those looking to come forward with information. Police stressed that the incidents are believed to be targeted in nature and confined to a particular network of people, and there is no reason for the general public to be concerned. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic. com.au
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STAR NEWS 5
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Count up Beaconhills College prep student Eddie Zhang is not about to let a little thing like a pandemic stand in the way of learning arithmetic. Eddie was busy this week counting the numbers of his very impressive dinosaur collection, part of Beaconhills College’s ‘100 days of school’ milestone.
A nurse at the Cranbourne vaccination hub. 247012
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On Friday 6 August, a story was shared to our Facebook page regarding an incident at Beaconsfield Woolworths where a person opened up the SPC tins on the shelf. It followed an announcement by SPC to mandate vaccines for employees. Here’s how our readers responded online. Dwayne Godden: So parents not watching there kids or just don’t give a dam [sic]. I would have a guess. Diana van Eck: You would think that this would be a childish act because it isn’t going to hurt SPC. The lovely lady who allegedly did this act of terrorism failed to think through what was done. The act done here
actually helps SPC as they now get to sell another shipment of product to the supermarket. This act of terrorism was on the people who shop in this supermarket as the supermarket will raise their prices to cover the loss. Shame people don’t do the full assessment on a project, isn’t it? If it were kids, I am sure that when the CCTV was put out to identify them the parents would deal with them. However, if the person it is alleged did this, I hope it is considered an act of terrorism and is treated as such. David Griffiths: When certain activist groups tell their members to target SPC, these kinds of things were bound to sadly happen.
Tammy Gibson: Just to help undo this crappy behaviour I’m going to buy extra SPC! Belinda Whelan: They won’t be the first to make it mandatory, no one is wrecking incontinence pads because of aged care… wth? Nicky Di Iorio: It’s absolutely moronic and childish people would do this, though completely understand in the fact the company is taking away people’s rights. Jason Mahony: Love how some are against SPC workers having a mandatory vaccine .... are you screaming that aged care workers must? Lots of residents choosing not to have it along with their visitors, but the staff are the problem right.
APT defence grant A leading advanced manufacturing company in Melbourne’s south-east has secured a Federal Government grant of more than $1 million to help it grow its defence work. Australian Precision Technologies (APT), located in Berwick, is one of several businesses to benefit in the latest round of the Government’s Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) grants program. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the $1.05 million grant would help APT, a precision engineering specialist, expand its operation supporting equipment across the Australian Defence Force. “This SICP grant will support APT’s expansion and update its capability in precision machining and milling,” Ms Price said. “They are both important pieces of the advanced manufacturing capacity required by our growing defence industry. “The funding will support the purchase of
La Trobe MP Jason Wood, left, with APT managing director Richard Weinzierl. Picture: SUPPLIED equipment and the construction of a purposebuilt clean assembly room.“ Already, APT has hired three new staff in its assembly area and engaged a student on
placement, with another student to start this month. Ms Price said she wanted to see more Australian businesses like APT benefit from the Government’s SICP grants program. Federal Member for La Trobe, Jason Wood, said: “Located only in our backyard in Berwick, APT is another local business thriving as a result of the Morrison Government’s support for our defence industry. “Having visited the business myself, I know that this grant is a huge vote of confidence in the future of the business and importantly, local jobs.” Eleven companies received grants in the latest round of SICP grants. Grant applications can be made at any time and submitted through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability at business.gov.au/Grantsand-Programs/Sovereign-Industrial-Capability-Priority-Grants pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Underfunding on interface Victoria’s Interface Councils say they need sustained State Government funding to continue providing for residents’ needs into the future. According to new analysis of this year’s State Budget, commissioned by the Interface Councils, funding for a number of large state infrastructure projects in Melbourne’s growth communities has resulted in an ‘above trend’ increase in funding. Speaking on behalf of the Interface Councils group, Mayor of Mitchell Shire Rhonda Sanderson said that while the level of investment was a positive, the Interface Councils would be working to ensure shortfalls in specific areas were addressed as a matter of priority. “With the rapid and sustained growth of our communities we need to make sure that all levels of government provide funding to emerging areas of need, particularly in social infrastructure and issues such mental health,” Cr Sanderson said. The Interface Councils group is made up of the 10 municipalities that form a ring around metropolitan Melbourne, representing around 1.6 million residents living in the outer suburbs. Included in this group is the City of Casey. The Interface Council areas accommodate approximately 28 per cent of Victoria’s population and 36 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne’s population. Over the past five years the areas have been responsible for accommodating 45 per cent of state population growth and 53 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne population growth. According to the group’s analysis, the 2021/22 Budget allocated 46 per cent of new funding to Interface Council areas, which is an increase from 34 per cent in 2019/20 but the same share as in the 2018/19 budget. No data is available for 2020/21. The analysis by Ethos Urban notes that over recent years the funding provided to Interface Councils via the State Budget and other
The City of Casey is advocating for funding for Berwick-Cranbourne/Clyde Road. grant programs has been more closely aligned to Interface Councils’ total share of population and growth. However, cumulative underfunding over preceding budget years had resulted in significant underfunding in some expenditure categories, the group said. When new and existing funding is considered over the four-year forward estimates, Interface Council areas say they were allocated: 23 per cent of total allocated investment for
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key infrastructure items, 52 per cent for early childhood facilities, 47 per cent for roads, and 42 per cent for education and training. Just 9 per cent of allocated state health funding was directed towards Interface Council areas in the 2021/22 Budget, and this contrasts with 58 per cent of allocated funding for non-interface metropolitan council areas and 33 per cent for regional council areas. The population within the Interface Coun-
· · ·
cil areas is forecast to grow at a faster rate than non-interface metropolitan and regional council areas over the next 15 years. The group says this means “significant and sustained infrastructure funding” is needed to support the community’s needs over the coming years. Casey CEO Glenn Patterson said the council advocates to both State and Federal governments for funding for projects and services within the municipality. “This year’s State budget allocated funds towards the Cranbourne Community Hospital and upgrades to Hall Road and the Western Port Highway, which are all very welcome,” he said. The State Government’s $50 million Growing Suburbs Fund allows the City of Casey to apply for funding for community infrastructure projects as well, he added. But the high rate of residential growth Casey faces is increasing pressure on social and infrastructure needs, he said. “Congestion and connectivity issues are amongst the top concerns raised by our residents. “Key projects that our community needs include the duplicated rail extension from Cranbourne to Clyde to link up new growing communities of Cranbourne East and Clyde North and immediate upgrades to the Clyde Road corridor,” the CEO said. The council is currently seeking a shortterm state commitment to duplicate priority sections of Berwick-Cranbourne Road/ Clyde Road and Clyde Five-Ways Road. “This is a critical road project, the community’s expressed highest priority, to duplicate up to 8 km of arterial road on one of Casey’s busiest and most congested traffic thoroughfares, providing a vital connection between Berwick, Cranbourne and Clyde,” he explained.
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 7
NEWS
Joint effort for homeless By Danielle Kutchel Cardinia Shire Council has joined forces with the City of Casey to host a forum aimed at finding solutions to tackle the growing homelessness crisis. More than 120 housing and homelessness workers, representing over 65 different organisations, attended the 2021 Casey Cardinia Housing Summit on Thursday 5 August. Now in its second year, the summit was held in the middle of National Homelessness Week. The number of people accessing homelessness services increased sharply in Cardinia between 2017 and 2019, according to ABS data. Over the border, things look grim. Census data from 2016 reveals around 1000 people are homeless in Casey each day – an estimate that service providers believe is in fact a vast undercount – highlighting the importance of holding the summit. Attendees heard from a range of speakers, including Dr Andi Diamond from the Local Government Regional Charter Group.
Casey and Cardinia are among the 13 local governments to join the Charter Group, which released a best practice guide over National Homelessness Week called the Housing First for People Sleeping Rough Practice Guide for Local Government. The 13 eastern and south eastern Council CEOs formed the Regional Local Government Homelessness and Social Housing Charter Group in late 2019 to end homelessness and advocate for more social housing. Speaking at the summit, Dr Diamond said the councils had come together in 2019 to hear that “the single most powerful way councils can help end homelessness is to advocate for increased social housing”. She said the councils had made join submissions into the Victorian inquiry into homelessness and were running a range of campaigns this week to highlight that homelessness is not limited to the Melbourne CBD, but rather impacts people across Victoria. “Through Covid, we’ve seen increased vulnerability in communities,” she added, noting that councils were seeing “new demographics” appearing in their homeless populations.
In Casey, there is particular concern for the growing number of women and children without a roof over their heads, which is often due to domestic violence concerns. Summit attendees also heard from Jessica Featherston from Launch Housing, who spoke about how service providers had responded to the pandemic to help house people as well as how people experiencing homelessness can participate in the upcoming Census. Zara Msonda-Johnson from Homes Vic and Leslie Dredge CEO – Community Housing Sector Advocates Victoria spoke about the services currently available in Casey and Cardinia, including incoming public and social housing builds. Laura, a young woman with lived experience of homelessness, shared her thoughts on how to best engage those living on the streets. She is now a youth worker, helping others in the same position she was once in. Laura encouraged housing providers to think creatively about how to reengage young people back into housing and the community. “Connect and find different ways of engag-
By Danielle Kutchel
8 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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Councillor is sworn in
Hair finalist’s pretty in pink A Berwick hair stylist is among the greatest colourists in Victoria, after winning a place in the final of a national hair colour competition. Tiana Dean, now a qualified hairdresser at Fallachi Hair on Gloucester Avenue, Berwick, was one of the top five Victorian finalists in the Matrix Collective 2021 competition earlier this year. At the time, she was a third-year apprentice and decided to give the competition a go while she completed her training. She was the only apprentice to make the list of finalists in Victoria. Using one of her co-workers as a model, she mixed together different shades of pink to come out with a light, shimmery hue that caught the judges’ eyes. “It came out really nice,” Ms Dean said. She snapped some pictures, noted down the details of the colour and sent them in for the competition – and was quickly told that she had been named a finalist. “It was so exciting and so unexpected,” she said. Ms Dean was invited to a training day where she recreated her look at Edwards and Co salon in the city to be judged against the other four finalists in person. She said it was great to learn new tricks of the trade there from some of the industry’s best. “I’d heard of a few of the stylists through the hairdressing world but it was great to see them as well.” A Zoom party was later held where the winners from each state were announced. Although Ms Dean wasn’t the winner, she said the experience has been invaluable as she moves on to the next stage of her hairdressing career. “The experience is the biggest thing,” she said. The salon also won a “hamper of goodies” including plenty of styling products for future creations. Ms Dean is now looking forward to getting back in the salon after lockdown ends and doing what she does best. She loves “the feeling of making someone feel really good about themselves” by giving them a new look. And, she’s always happy to help people with a new colour, joking that everyone should try pink hair. “Pink is my favourite colour!” she laughed.
ing with them that don’t come with stigma,” she suggested. After the summit, Cardinia Shire mayor Brett Owen said Cardinia Shire was committed to increasing stocks of social and affordable housing through its Social and Affordable Housing strategy. The seven-year strategy outlines how the council will work with local agencies towards increasing access to diverse, high quality, sustainable and affordable housing responsive to the needs of a growing and diverse community. “Council can have a direct impact in supporting the growth of social and affordable housing stock in our area,” he said. “This might be through the planning scheme or leading the conversation in our community around why we need more social and affordable housing and who it benefits. “For example, secure, stable and safe housing for children is absolutely vital to their wellbeing and ability to flourish,” he said. If you’re experiencing homelessness and need support, please contact: WAYSS - wayss.org.au ERMHA - ermha.org
The pink hair Tiana entered into the competition.
Tiana Dean with Fallachi Hair owner Mario.
Pictures: SUPPLIED
The new councillor for Westernport, Kaye Cameron, was sworn in Monday 9 August, filling the vacancy left by much respected former Councillor Ray Brown. Born in Kooweerup and with a long family connection to Westernport Ward, Cr Cameron follows in the footsteps of her great, great grandfather J.P. Angus Cameron in representing her local community. “My great, great grandfather was a Councillor on the then Cranbourne Shire Council for many years. Back in those days, the Cranbourne Shire covered a huge area including Kooweerup,“ she said. “I’ve lived in the Cardinia Shire for almost my entire life and was the first female police officer to be stationed at Pakenham in the tiny Police Station on Main Street.“ Outlining her priorities for the council, Cr Cameron says her focus will be on supporting the growth of Westernport taking the community’s views and needs into careful consideration. “Westernport ward is quite unique in that it is made up of predominately farmland with the growing towns of Lang Lang and Kooweerup, as well as Cardinia and Bayles,“ she said. “While I want to see Westernport Ward grow and thrive, it is important this growth is appropriate, and the right infrastructure is in place. Equally important is for the community’s needs and concerns to be taken into account.“ Cr Brett Owen, Mayor of Cardinia Shire, extended a warm welcome to the new councillor. “I look forward to working with Cr Cameron in the best interests of the Cardinia Shire community,” he said. “There are some exciting community projects underway in Westernport such as the Cora Lynn Reserve pavilion project, the Catani Reserve cricket net upgrade project, Cochrane Park skate park works and the upcoming opening of the Kooweerup Reserve football and netball pavilions and I look forward to working with Cr Cameron on delivering for our community.“ Cr Cameron ran unsuccessfully in the council election in 2020 as part of the The ‘Clean Up Cardinia’ cohort.
Kaye Cameron, bottom left, is Cardinia Shire newest councillor. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
The James Bathe Pavilion is now set up as a walk in vaccination clinic, administering AstraZeneca for the time being (until Pfizer arrives in the near future). 246543 pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
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KINDNESS IS KEY - LOCAL FAVOURITE - BE KIND COMMUNITY - KINDNESS IS KEY - LOCAL FAVOURITE - BE KIND COMMUNITY - KINDNESS IS KEY
Pakenham’s James Bathe Community and Sports Hub has been transformed into a new, walk-in Covid vaccination clinic, and staff are encouraging eligible locals to come down and do their bit for the community. Run by community health organisation EACH, the sport hub’s pavilion provides the perfect light and airy space for community members to walk in and get their jab and only recently opened its doors to the public on Monday 2 August. While Pfizer is on the way and should arrive in the near future, the clinic is only offering the AstraZeneca vaccine at this stage - but locals are encouraged to come down and have a chat about what option is right for them. One of EACH’s on site nurses, Helen Burrows, said that the first few days they’d been open had been a little quiet, but now that word was getting out in the community about the clinic, all the staff “are ready to go and meet the people of Pakenham”. “So people will come in and be checked in, and then they’ll be ushered into one of our booths - we have four at the moment, but we aim to expand in the near future,” she explained. “You’ll come through and the nurse will collect your details and make sure that you’re not allergic to anything, and then we will give you your vaccination. “Then you’ll come back out and wait for 15 minutes before exiting through this door here,” she said, gesturing to the doors that open out onto the expansive footy grounds, “and then, you’ve done a huge favour to both your fam-
ily and community and we can’t thank you enough.” Dr Vishal Patil said that the clinic’s trained medical staff were able to answer any questions locals may have about the vaccines, but he encouraged each individual to chat to their own GP about what option was best for them. “Obviously once the Pfizer vaccine is available, we will get more and more of a crowd, but in terms of AstraZeneca, it’s a case by case basis,” Dr Patil said. “It’s up to the patients to go to their regular GP and have a discussion about what is best for them, but we as an organisation will be providing vaccines as per the state guidelines.” Doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available for walk-in appointments, while people will need to book in to obtain their dose of the Pfizer vaccine once it arrives - which, according to staff, could be arriving “as early as next week”. “It’s about being clear that you will be vaccinated, and if you choose not to have the AstraZeneca vaccine for any reason, then Pfizer will be coming and available very soon,” Ms Burrows said. “We’re all very fortunate that we’ve got vaccines available, they’re free and they’re hopefully going to be easy to get,” she said. “I’ve had AstraZeneca and I’m very happy with it!” “Medicine is always about balancing the risk with the outcome, but we are very passionate about vaccinating and getting our community safe again,” she said. For more information about your eligibility or the new walk-in clinic, visit https://www. each.com.au/covid-19-vaccination-clinics/
KINDNESS IS KEY - LOCAL FAVOURITE - BE KIND COMMUNITY - KINDNESS IS KEY - LOCAL FAVOURITE - BE KIND COMMUNITY - KINDNESS IS KEY
By Gabriella Payne
Come in and grab a cuppa before you walk around the lake..
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The team at the vaccination clinic are ready and raring to go! L-R: Tony, Fiona, Helen, Rahul and Pictures: GABRIELLA PAYNE William. 246543
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 9
NEWS
No station ‘relief’ in sight By Danielle Kutchel Residents of Beaconsfield have spoken out about what upgrades they’d like to see at the suburb’s ageing station. And one of the biggest issues is sure to be a ‘relief’ when rectified. The toilet block at Beaconsfield station is locked, and has been for many years, residents say. Suzanne, whose daughter is now commuting from Beaconsfield station, wants to see the toilet block unlocked for use. Currently, commuters would have to cross their legs and hang on tight until they get to a station with toilets, or until they get to their destination. Likewise Robert, whose wife and daughter travel on the train, wants to see the station upgraded with better amenities like security and functioning toilets. “It’s an unmanned station with no amenities,” he said. “It’s also a well-used station, people come from other areas because they want to get on this line. “My daughter comes back late, at this time of year it’s dark and she doesn’t even want to walk home. Functioning amenities would be nice.” He suggested better lighting and security cameras to make things safer for commuters. Graeme, who has lived in Beaconsfield for around three decades, said more undercover areas for waiting commuters needed to be provided. “I used to catch the train all the time, and certainly there were times when it was raining and there’s hardly anywhere to go,” he said. “It’s no good getting to work wet.” He also suggested an extra entrance to the station closer to the recently opened new carparks, although he isn’t sure about the feasibil-
Gembrook MP Brad Battin, and Beaconsfield residents Suzanne, Graeme and Robert. 246849 ity given the station’s current layout. “It’s great to get the extra car spaces, but … everyone’s got to walk down there,” he said. Suzanne, also a long-time Beaconsfield resident, said that like Graeme she wanted to see more all-weather coverage for commuters, especially the large numbers of school students who flow through the station each day. She also suggested some beautification around the station, and agreed with Graeme that a second entry point would be useful. Furthermore Suzanne is concerned there
isn’t enough seating for station users like her daughter and said more seats should be installed. Their calls are being supported by Gembrook MP Brad Battin, who said the lack of toilets is “illogical”. “I’ve had so many from the community calling for the urgent need of an upgrade for Beaconsfield station, not only for toilet facilities but a number of people living with a disability needing shelter on the platform where they wait to board the train,” he said.
The State Liberals had committed to an upgrade of the station at the last state election. The current Labor Government recently committed to removing the two level crossings in Beaconsfield however currently has no plans for an immediate upgrade to the station. But according to the State Government, nothing in the level crossing removal project precludes an upgrade to Beaconsfield station in future. The design of the station will be subject to future planning works.
12507752-SN33-21
10 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
The Cranbourne Cup meeting is about to be thrust into the thick of the Spring Racing Carnival action.
The Cranbourne Cup is now worth $500,000.
Cup secures prime date By Garry Howe The Cranbourne Cup has taken one of the most significant turns in its long history. The region’s premier sporting and social event will be thrust into the thick of Spring Racing Carnival as a stand-alone Saturday meeting on 13 November. This prime date is the first Saturday after the famous four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival, with the nation focused on racing. As part of the change, the cup distance moves to 1600 metres and prizemoney increases significantly to $500,000 and $1.5 million for the entire card. Chief executive Neil Bainbridge said it was an exciting development for the club.
He said it would showcase the Cranbourne racing product nationally, with the meeting broadcast live and free to air as part of Channel 7’s Spring Carnival coverage. “The club is absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity,” Mr Bainbridge said. “The weather is better and racing is at the top of mind. “This will further entrench Cranbourne as a premier venue for racing in Australia. We are flying our flag to the highest point.” Mr Bainbridge explained that the change from 2050 metres to the 1600 metre journey was made by the club in consultation with Racing Victoria to ensure a better flow of races at the top level, not only for Cranbourne but the industry as a whole.
The Cranbourne Cup will come 14 days after the time honoured Kennedy Cantala Stakes (formerly Emirites Stakes) on Derby Day and give the highest caliber of horses another bite at the Spring Racing Carnival cherry. The club was also mindful that the Ballarat Cup is run over the 2000 metre journey the following week. Mr Bainbridge said the increase to $500,000 prizemoney would make it the richest Cranbourne Cup in history. He said the Cup would be the main race meeting in Australia that day, ensuring keen interest both locally and throughout Australia. Attendance may be capped to 7500 due to Covid restrictions, so the first set of hospitality packages have been released to members only
at this stage. Mr Bainbridge said it would pay to get in early, because he anticipates the packages will be snapped up quickly. In another boost to the club, several leading Caulfield stables are expected to relocate to Cranbourne by the end of September. The likes of Ciaron Maher and David Eustance, Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr, John Moloney, Clinton McDonald and Graeme Begg are set to call Cranbourne home, providing a massive boost to the quality and numbers of horses trained out of the centre. Mr Bainbridge said the relocation of Caulfield trainers would mean an extra 230 horses a day working at the training complex.
Cranbourne - a town steeped in turf history By Garry Howe The move to a stand-alone Saturday Spring Racing Carnival date is the latest in a long line of milestones for the proud Cranbourne Turf Club. Right from the outset, Cranbourne has had an indelible link to the industry’s greats. The winner of the first Cranbourne Handicap (precursor to the Cup) was Toryboy, who two years earlier had won the Melbourne Cup and a procession of turf champions have graced the local track over the years. Cranbourne was little more than a general store, a pub and a few houses and the Melbourne Cup still a novelty when racing first came to town. Yet the town - and what would become one of the world’s most famous horse races have an indelible link. Cranbourne was gazetted as a town in 1861, the year Archer won the first Melbourne Cup. The local turf club was formed six years later and a former Melbourne Cup winner, the aged gelding Toryboy, won the first feature race, the Cranbourne Handicap. As author Marc Fiddian noted in the club’s official history Of Heath and Horses, that win established a very early link between Cranbourne and metropolitan racing. The first race conducted on that initial two-day meeting on 22-23 April was a Maiden Plate, won by a horse called Warrior. The two mile (3218m) Cranbourne Handicap carried prizemoney of 30 sovereigns and attracted a field of seven. Incredibly Toryboy, who had won the Melbourne Cup two years previously, did not step out as favourite. Yet carrying 52.5kg (8st 4lb) he won easily from Cartouche, with the punters’ elect Crono coming in third. Toryboy had run fifth in Archer’s first Melbourne Cup in 1861, sixth to the same horse the following year and, having missed the pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
Toryboy, winner of the 1865 Melbourne Cup and the first Cranbourne Handicap, painted by Samuel Knights. ’63 and ’64 cups, was officially considered ‘aged’ when he lined up at Flemington again in 1865. He was trained by P. Miley and owned by Prahran draper B.C. Marshall, who is purported to have won a fortune on his Melbourne Cup win, loading up at 100-1 and again at 20-1. The reason for his confidence was a secret trial the Sunday before the cup, where he clocked three minutes, 44 seconds for the two miles, exactly the time posted in the cup on the Tuesday. A grateful Mr Marshall gave the entire prizemoney - just over 1000 pounds - to the trainer and the jockey and sold the trophy, which he considered a ‘monstrosity’ to the Flemington Hunt Club (and is now owned by wine icon Wolf Blass).
So the link between Cranbourne and the industry’s major players had been established - and has continued in the ensuing years. The racecourse has hosted - and produced - some of the country’s best horseflesh. Champion sprinter Manikato - who won the William Reid Stakes in five successive years - won his first race on the course, the two-year-old Tooradin Handicap in January 1978. The 2007 Cox Plate winner El Segundo unleashed a jaw-dropping burst down the straight to win his maiden race in 2005 for trainer Colin Little and jockey Michelle Payne. Unbeaten speedster Black Caviar - the horse of this generation - won her first trial at
Picture: STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA
Cranbourne by five lengths! Locally trained stars like Sky Heights, Apache Cat, Pinker Pinker and more recently The Quarterback have enjoyed success at the top level. Trainers the calibre of Maurie Wilmott, the Harrisons, Colin Alderson, Greg Eurell and Mick Kent have regularly played on the big stage, as have jockeys Pat Hyland, Simon Marshall and Craig Williams and the like. Administrators from Lawson Poole and Joe Taylor through Colin McKaskill and Yvonne Blackwood to current chairman Geoff Whiffen and chief executive Neil Bainbridge have seen to that. The tradition started by a Melbourne Cup winner over 150 years ago continues to this day. Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 11
THE LOWDOWN
Tell us a fun fact about yourself! I was a TV reporter with Win News in Shepparton for the past 3.5 years. What are you most passionate about? The environment and sustainability. Did you always want to become a journalist? No, I first studied fashion styling. Following this, I realised I had a passion to write and then my desire grew to become a journalist. What do you love about being a journalist? Learning everyday and meeting some very inspiring people who are making an impact. What would your last meal be? Seafood of any kind. What was your most memorable moment? I got married in the Yarra Valley in April, definitely a dream come true and very fortunate it could finally go ahead. What was your favourite subject in school? Drama and art, certainly was a tie between the two. What event past or present would you like to witness? Elvis Presley or Johnny Cash live in concert. Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner? Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn, Johnny Cash, June Carter and my husband Daniel. What are you currently listening to/watching or reading? I’m somewhat addicted to American Dad at the moment, the alien Roger really makes me giggle. How would you describe your fashion sense? Vintage and op shop obsessed. Have you had a pet that has made an impact on your life? Yes, and she’s still making an impact on my life. Fifi, a 12-year-old pomeranian.
Renee Wood, digital editor for Star News Group. 246836 If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook? Pumpkin lasagne. Where is your dream holiday destination? New Orleans. What were you like as a kid? Loud and adventurous.
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
THREE … facts about Covid vaccines
1
Let’s get this out of the way. Your risk of clots from AstraZeneca is very small - around 1 in 25,000 after the first dose of AstraZeneca, and the risk of death from a vaccine-related clot is less than 1 in 500,000 according to infectious diseases and vaccine expert at the University of Sydney, Professor Robert Booy. If you have any queries after receiving your vaccine - any vaccine - and if you don’t feel well, get thee to a GP for a check up.
2
Australia is currently rolling out two vaccines: AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Moderna has received provisional approval for use from the TGA and is expected to be available in mid-September. Moderna is a mRNA vaccine, same as Pfizer.
3
No, mRNA vaccines don’t change your DNA. They can’t get into your DNA - they’re different molecules. Rather, the vaccine teaches your cells to make a coronavirus spike protein. This triggers an immune response, and teaches your body how to respond if it ever comes into contact with the virus.
What is your favourite colour and why? I can’t choose just one - blue, pink and green. Do you consider yourself an extrovert or an introvert? It depends on what day. Extrovert on a Friday, introvert on a Sunday.
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Pop-up dining spaces sprang up throughout the city last year as Covid safe practices restaurants and forced cafes to turn to the streets for space, and after a successful summer initiative is set to run, the be months - a decisionextended over the coming that has left some munity members comvery unhappy. The pop-up outdoor dining program originally developed was as a way for businesses to adapt to the ever-changing Covid ronment and saw temporary platformsenviseating areas quite and literally “pop up” Cardinia, with seating around spaces in many areas, taking over car parking including in Pakenham’s Main Street. Whilst many people are enjoying making use of the new al fresco spaces, longtime enham local and Pakactive community Jack Mitchell said member that the lack of cleanliness and maintenance of the Main Street was “an absolute disgrace” and neededspaces addressed by the to be council. “I travel all over the state and I have seen a main street never in as bad a shape Street, Pakenham,” as Main Mr Mitchell said. “It’s just dreadful, everywhere, there’s there are cigarette butts bird and the street pavementspoo all over the place Outdoor dining spaces are falling apart. are proving quite “Why anybody divisive along Pakenham’s would want to Main Street now go to the Main Street. is beyond me,” Mr Mitchell said. Picture: CARDINIA The other, less glamorous SHIRE COUNCIL view of the Main Street outdoor dining Mr Mitchell has be going anywhere lived in the area area. anytime soon, as since 2004 dinia Shire and said he has the Carraised Picture: JACK MITCHELL dinia Shire Council this issue with the Car- sions of Council are now calling for expres- dining spaces had proved popular interest for businesses mer and helped over many times, but avail. to support businesses sum- the shops - but it’s to no new, free “parklets” to apply mainly the dirtiness after a the problem,” - hoping to see more for difficult year. that’s “They told me porary outdoor he said. temthat they’ve got seating areas spring “Outdoor dining but it’s just getting big plans, Cardinia. “We have this big, certainly brought up across the worse,” he said. low-hanging tree a buzz to and streets of the shire outside all these parrots following a tough “Taking away the Cardinia Mayor keep coming along year. It’s great to see parking out the Brett Owen said making a mess. of the shops for and the community front a successful summer that after Cardinia some embrace venues and show trial of the parklets, unbelievable - most outdoor seating is just council Yesterday the council them some much the needed love,” were excited of the seats can’t came because she said. used.” complained to even be ing areas installed to see more outdoor dinwe them and they But the owner and throughout the area. said ‘yes, it’s very dirty’, but Mr Mitchell said “We trialled the they told us that Kebabs, Sam Bayraktar operator of Pakenham clean that the council parklet concept we should sending “someone should be mer in it up.” told over Star News that he sum- and other business Pakenham and we’re down there to clean as the council are owners on Main now on the look- that it up” out for new Mr Bayraktar said Street felt “accountable” for the restaurants, cafes that the area had the spaces are worthwhile ensuring the shire ly become “a dumping recentand bars across saster outdoor seating areas had been that would love to “a difor us”. ground” for people and usable if they are going to be taking leave rubbish and host a parklet from to March onwards,” Cr Owen unwanted junk as up car parking spots. “It’s a total mess,” said. that he didn’t have well, and Mr Bayraktar said. However, the pop-up Councillor Tammy the resources or “We can’t even use dining spaces won’t to be cleaning up the time the seating, it’s so highly of the concept, Radford also spoke less. the “ridiculous” point- side. mess outstating that the al fresco First of all we lost “It’s become more our car parks in of a dumping ground front of and an eyesore than something nice,” he said.
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NEWS
Casey and Demons are still partners By Danielle Kutchel An upcoming major redevelopment for Gosch’s Paddock will not impact the partnership between Melbourne Football Club and the City of Casey. The upgrade to Gosch’s Paddock – the club’s AFL and AFLW training oval – was announced by the Victorian Government on Monday 2 August, with the government calling it a “win” for the club and the wider community. The $3 million redevelopment will increase the dimensions of the oval to better match the measurements of the MCG and Marvel Stadium as well as creating a surface to meet AFL/ AFLW standards. Lighting will be improved and behind-goal netting and camera posts installed. Work is due to start this month and be completed before the start of the 2022 AFL premiership season. The State Government has kicked in $2 million, with the AFL and Melbourne combining to contribute $1 million. Currently, the club’s AFL and AFLW programs both play their home games on larger ovals at the MCG and Casey Fields. The upgrade will bring Gosch’s Paddock into line with these two ovals. Melbourne Football Club welcomed the announcement and stressed its long-term commitment to the City of Casey and Casey Fields. The club embarked on a 30-year partnership with the City of Casey back in 2009. “Casey Fields is an important part of the club’s short and long term vision,” said Mel-
Melbourne Football Club is expected to continue to use Casey Fields. bourne CEO Gary Pert. “The ground is where our AFLW, VFL and VFLW sides will continue to play their home games and it will remain an important high performance training facility for both our men’s and women’s programs. “As a club, we have always been clear of our intentions to establish an inner-city home base that is close to the MCG, which will eventually house our football departments and administration under one roof.” He said the upgrade would provide the club
with greater flexibility in its training schedule in future, with access to two AFL-standard ovals. The City of Casey’s manager of active communities, Angie Peresso, also welcomed the planned upgrade. “These upgrades to Gosch’s Paddock will provide great facilities for the Melbourne Football Club and don’t have any impact on the community partnership between the City of Casey and MFC. “We wish our partnership club all the very best for the remainder of the 2021 season.”
Ready for a ‘great’ ride By Danielle Kutchel A father and son duo are gearing up for the Great Victorian Bike Ride later this year. Berwick’s Graeme Pickering and his 13-year-old son Matthew will take on the 537 kilometre route from Saturday 27 November to Sunday 5 December. The route will take more than 3000 riders through the majestic Grampians and past the award-winning Art Silos in Western Victoria. The nine-day bike riding holiday will start in Rainbow and include stays at Rainbow, Brim, Horsham, Halls Gap, Dunkeld and Pomonal, with a finish in Great Western. Graeme said he was looking forward to the shared father-son journey. He and Matthew are keen cyclists and have ridden rail trails together previously – but they’ve never attempted a ride as big as the Great Victorian Bike Ride. As a long-time cyclist, 59-year-old Graeme said he’s not “intimidated” by the length of the journey and was looking forward to the bonding experience with Matthew. Come September, the pair will begin riding weekly to prepare for the event. They’ve got a couple of favourite local rides, including up Payne Road behind Berwick, and through the back of Officer to Salisbury Road. The Great Victorian Bike Ride will be a different type of challenge – but Graeme, who has a couple of marathons and a triathlon under his belt, is feeling confident about the trip. He’s also looking forward to visiting small country towns along the way. “They’re so friendly there, it should be lovely,” he said. To find out more or join the ride, visit bicyclenetwork.com.au/rides-and-events/greatvictorian-bike-ride/
Top award for inquisitive Beaconhills student By Danielle Kutchel VCE is one of the toughest periods of a student’s life – but the hard work has paid off royally for a Berwick Beaconhills College student. Sharni Seamons, now in Year 12 at the Berwick Campus, received a Premier’s VCE Award in recognition of her outstanding subject score. Sharni achieved a perfect score of 50 in VCE Extended Investigation last year. A second student, Sam Sail, who attends the Pakenham campus, also received an award for his 50 in French. Extended Investigation is a “very unique” subject, Sharni explained, in which students choose a research question to commit to and produce a mini thesis on that topic by the end of the year. Sharni chose to investigate female portrayal in pop music videos, and whether this influences the gender role construction of adult women and girls. Her research question came from her broad interest in feminism. “I really enjoy writing and it was an opportunity to look into something I wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to,” she explained. While lockdown was a challenge, Sharni said it actually benefited her studies in a way by providing her with plenty of extra time to knuckle down on her thesis. “It was almost a hobby that kept me occupied during lockdown,” she said. “I think it was actually advantageous, the way last year played out for me.” When she saw her final study score of 50, she said she cried in surprise. “At the end of the year I didn’t come out of it as confident as I was hoping,” she said – so being named one of the top students in the state was a shock. Now with the end of year 12 looming, she is applying the research and writing skills she picked up as part of the investigation subject, pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
Singer-songwriter Kerrigan La-Brooy. 246509
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Another winning rhythm By Danielle Kutchel
Sharni Seamons.
Picture: SUPPLIED
to her final subjects this year. And after her 2020 experience, she has some sage advice for this year’s VCE cohort. “Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel, you will get out of it. “There will be an end result and if you put in the work, it will show.”
Berwick singer-songwriter Kerrigan LaBrooy has picked up another country music gong. Mr La-Brooy, also the pastor and founder of Gethsemane Church and Charity in Cranbourne, was announced as the winner of the country category of the 5th annual LDM Music Awards, which were held in New York City on Sunday 1 August. The winning song was an original penned by Mr La-Brooy entitled ‘Together Tonight’. Mr La-Brooy watched the announcement from his home and sent in a video acceptance speech. Speaking to Star News, he said the win was totally unexpected, even despite his previous awards successes. The accomplished singer-songwriter has picked up a swag of awards for his music over the years. When writing his songs, Mr La-Brooy
said he drew inspiration from experiences, family, friends, and the community, setting feelings to melody. Next up are the Red Carpet Awards, in which he is nominated in 17 categories. Mr L-Brooy’s daughter Tempest is also nominated in a category in these awards, following in her father’s footsteps. The church’s television show, Gethsemane TV, is nominated for an Antenna Award in September. Also later this year, Mr La-Brooy will see if he can pick up an award in any of his four nominated categories in the International Songwriters Competition. His wife Michelle said she “couldn’t be more proud” of her husband’s success. “This is very much the first time I’ve walked the journey of his career and it’s amazing,” she said. But Mr La-Brooy said couldn’t have done it without her. “Behind every great man is an even greater woman,” he said. Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 13
BUSINESS PROFILES
Get gifts of good taste A Dandenong South online business has struck on the perfect Covid-19 survival food. In 2019, husband and wife Ash and Sasha Hewawasam took over the Taste Buds business, which specialises in indulgent chocolate bouquets and edible gift hampers. The savvy pair quickly refined and struck on a thriving formula, increasing annual revenue from $800,000 to $3 million. With 40 per cent market share, it’s the second-largest online food hamper business in Australia. In the process, they cut some of the less trendy products, and got a feel for what was popular. They tinkered with products’ colours, sizes and prices, and spent up on marketing on Google and Facebook. Gift hampers are tailored for ‘him’ and ‘her’, with Father’s Day offerings including combos of chocolates and snacks with tawny port, beer, bourbon or Scotch. Peak times are the indulgent events on the calendar such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Christmas. Half-metre chocolate Christmas trees are particularly sought, Mr Hewawasam said. The business was a brave new venture for the couple. Mr Hewawasam, a former accountant and Dulux chief financial officer, said his wife suggested they make a change and carry out their own business. “She said why should you work seven days a week making other people rich. “Why don’t we work for ourselves?” Brokers presented a few options for businesses to take on. They latched onto Taste Buds because they “loved the idea” and thought they could “take it to the next level”. During Covid-19 lockdown, they have branched into further online companies Hampers Galore and Healthy Essentials Australia from their Dandenong South base. Hampers Galore offers luscious gift packages of snacks, chocolates with wine, champagne, beer or Moscato. They target a range of tastes and occasions, with products as lockdown survival kits, tradies snack hampers, and Moet Lovers pack. Healthy Essentials Australia delivers 1400 healthy foods and supermarket items including vegan hampers, gluten-free hampers, household cleaning and laundry products, baby food, nappies and wipes.
Taste Buds staffer Nat with an appetising chocolate-heart bouquet. 246286
The Taste Buds team. 246286
Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS
Drinks and chocolates are a popular combo. 246286
Where you can start imagining living your best life Living at Aviva Communities Officer is like living in a small and very convenient suburb, with everything you need right around the corner. With homes starting from $425,000 there has never been a better time to view the Aviva Communities Officer stunning range of homes and start imagining living your best life. You will have real peace of mind as not only is Aviva the developer of the community but also the builder of the homes. The team care about the entire vision of the project, and therefore have a greater sense of responsibility for the quality of home construction and ensuring that your home is built right the first time. This also ensures you will have a clear timeline of the completion of your home and when you can move in which enables you to make important decisions like when is the best time to put your current home on the market. Not only are there compelling financial benefits for you when you become a Homeowner at Aviva Communities Officer but also you enjoy the 5 star amenities on your doorstep. A heated indoor swimming pool, wellness centre, bowling and croquet, a Movie theatre , a beautiful library to enjoy and luxury Lodge to meet new friends, connect with new activities and socialise. To enquire or make a time to view contact Andrew 0455 245 438 or visit www.avivacommunities.com.au 14 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Trail a birdwatcher’s prize By Gabriella Payne Spring is fast approaching and many birds are back chirping and brightening up walking trails throughout the Pakenham and Officer areas. On Wednesday 4 August, Star News photographer Gary Sissons went for a lunchtime walk along the Cardinia Aqueduct Trail and snapped some stunning photographs of the local bird life he saw along the way. The trail, a winding gravel track through a hidden pocket of bushland, is home to many native species - and if lucky, walkers might even see the odd kangaroo or wallaby on their journey. Gary said it was a beautiful trail that spanned about 5km in length and he encouraged other keen birdwatchers in the area to add it to their itinerary. “I spent an hour on the Cardinia Aqueduct Trail and the bird life is getting better as the spring season approaches,” he said. Among the birds Gary spotted in the space of just one hour were some eastern yellow robins, white-throated tree creepers, crimson rosellas and superb fairywrens to name a few. Gary suggested families bring their kids down for a walk and give bird watching a go - it could even be a fun new game. “Take the kids with a pen and paper and discover how many species you can see or photograph!” he said.
An Eastern Yellow Robin, spotted on the Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. 246437
Pictures: GARY SISSONS
Eastern Yellow Robin on the Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. 246437
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. Australian Golden Whistler (Female). 246437
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail.Australian Golden Whistler (Female). 246437
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. Superb Fairywren (Male). 246437
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. White-throated Treecreeper. 246437
pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. Peregrine Falcons.
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. Crimson Rosella. 246437
246437
Cardinia Aqueduct Trail. Superb Fairywren (Male). 246437 Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 15
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Security Door and Flyscreen Installer Timbarra Security Doors and Screens based in Pakenham requires a fitter to measure and install flyscreens and security doors. Van and tools provided or sub contractor considered. Must have current drivers licence, white card and willing to travel. Good rates of pay. Training provided.
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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STAR NEWS 17
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Clubs explore the options By Nick Creely and David Nagel Several clubs from the AFL Outer East competition are exploring the option of moving to neighbouring leagues as they assess the best competition fit for their clubs. Narre Warren Football Netball Club has put forward a formal expression of interest to the governing body of the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL) - AFL South East (AFLSE) - to join the MPNFL from next year, while Beaconsfield, Cranbourne and Doveton are also considering their options moving forward. The News understands that Frankston Dolphins - who currently play in division four of the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) - have also lodged a formal expression of interest to join the MPNFL. While Beaconsfield, Cranbourne, Doveton and Narre Warren have had group discussions, they are keen for each situation to be dealt with independently. They are four of the eight clubs that played in the former South East Football Netball League (SEFNL) in 2018, before seven of those clubs - including Berwick, Officer and Pakenham - transferred to the AFL Outer East competition in 2019. The eighth SEFNL club - Tooradin-Dalmore - found its new home in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC), also in 2019. Berwick was a member club of AFL Outer East for just two years before switching to the Premier Division of the Eastern Football Netball League this year. MPNFL clubs - who were required to vote with a 75 per cent majority for a change to competition structure - have previously rejected a move of all SEFNL clubs to the MPNFL in 2018. But a growing desire to implement promotion and relegation across three divisions - up from the MPNFL’s current two-division structure - could see clubs considered in a more positive fashion this time around. Narre Warren president Stuart Stephenson confirmed that the Magpies were exploring the option of making the move to the MPNFL next year. “Yes we have put forward an expression of interest to join the MPNFL,” Stephenson said. “When we joined the AFL Outer East competition it was done on the understanding that we would review our situation after two
Narre Warren is one of several AFL Outer East clubs that are keeping their options open in regard to what league they participate in next year. 235926 Picture: ROB CAREW or three years, and that’s the position we find ourselves in now.” Beaconsfield President Troy Robinson said the club was mandated to explore its competition options for the future. “It’s in our constitution that we conduct a competition review with each affiliation agreement that we sign and that’s the position we’re in at the moment,” Robinson said. “We are considering our options, which include the MPNFL and Eastern, but our preference is to maintain our relationship with AFL Outer East and to see that competition grow.” Cranbourne president Shane Baker said his club was moving cautiously, after earlier attempts to switch to the MPNFL had been re-
jected by member clubs of the league. “We have expressed our interest but that is all,” Baker explained. “We would welcome further discussion around the prospects of shifting and whether there’s a shift in the MPNFL clubs collective mindset. “Geographically it makes sense but we are being cautious in our approach. “After all, our ground is situated between AFLSE Head Office and the MPNFL clubs. “Our junior affiliate club remains under AFLSE so from our perspective, as it was in 2018, it is logical geographically.” AFLSE - under the leadership of its new
Regional Manager Will Dakis - will now work through a process of consultation with the MPNFL clubs to garner the level of interest in taking additional clubs on board. AFL Outer East Regional General Manager Aaron Bailey told the News that the league is confident that the clubs will remain aligned with them long-term. “As was agreed at end of three years, clubs would review their position,“ he said. “We’re confident all clubs will remain with the AFL Outer East in the long term, and this is simply a part of the three-year process as agreed.“ The News has contacted Doveton for comment.
Netball Australia launches Olympic bid for Brisbane By Nick Creely Netball Australia has signalled a strong intention to have the sport played at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. In what would be a major development for the sport, and for many talented players across the country and in the rich netball community of Melbourne’s south-east, Netball Australia has the support of World Netball as it strives to compete under the five famous Olympic rings. The sport has been in the Commonwealth Games since 1998, and Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan believes it’s only fitting that it enters the Olympic fold. “In such a challenging time, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have brought so much joy to households right across Australia,” Ryan said in a media release. “I, like many people in the netball community, have watched in awe of our Australian athletes who have represented our country with pride, humility and determination. “We congratulate them for their incredible achievements and wish our Paralympians the best of luck as they compete in two weeks’ time. “We want our junior netballers to dream of Olympic glory in the sport they love. “We want our netball fans, who are the proudest and most passionate supporters, to 18 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 12 August, 2021
Netball in the Olympics could open the door for many of our local stars to compete on the world stage. 242702 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS cheer on their favourite athletes as they compete in the green and gold with the whole world watching on. “Our sport deserves to be played on the biggest stage.” Netball, which is played all over the globe by over 20 million people across over 80 countries, is the biggest team sport for wom-
en and girls, and continues to thrive for men and boys across local communities too. The Suncorp Super Netball League is the world’s best netball competition and the Origin Australian Diamonds are among this nation’s most successful sporting teams - currently ranked No. 1 in the world. Male participation in netball is increasing
year-on-year, with a growing number of men and boys taking part in a range of competitions offered both by affiliated entities and in competitions and pathways offered by the Australian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association, as well as a range of social competitions. In the local area, the AFL Outer East and West Gippsland Football Netball Competition netball leagues are among the strongest in Victoria, with the region seeing high participation rates and high-quality local netball, something that should increase in the coming years if the sport is played in the 2032 Olympics, giving plenty of incentive for more and more youngsters to take up the sport. The Netball World Cup is also set for Sydney in 2027, with 16 national teams to battle it out for the title of world champion - another huge boost for Netball Australia’s plans for Brisbane 2032. “All our Member Nations are excited at the potential of being part of the Olympic Family in 2032,” said World Netball President Liz Nicholl. “We are committed to exploring the potential with Netball Australia and ensuring that our case for inclusion adds significant value to this very special Olympic movement.” Netball Australia will now work closely with World Netball, the Australian Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
SPORT
Kangaroos stay in touch By Nick Creely Remaining connected throughout the challenges surrounding lockdowns and local sport is undoubtedly one of the fundamental aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic. And for local clubs in the AFL Outer East competition, there is no clear date on when - or if - the season will recommence, but for them, it’s all about focusing and preparing in some way, shape or form that somewhat resembles normality. It’s really the only way forward from here as finals draws nearer and nearer with each passing day, and for Officer coach Doug Koop - with his side sitting fourth in a fascinating Division 1 season - there is still plenty of incentive and drive amongst the playing group despite not knowing when they can all run out as a team once again. “Not being able to play football and being separated has been tough, not only for us but for everyone,“ he said. “These lockdowns present several challenges from both physical and mental perspectives. (But) our goals remain the same regardless of lockdowns and until were told otherwise we’ll keep preparing for the next week, the next game and ultimately finals.“ Koop said that each and every member of the club is driving the standards and ensuring they’re not dropping the ball in terms of preparation. “Being apart doesn’t mean the hard work stops because there is still plenty being done to prepare both mentally and physically,“ he said. “As a coaching staff we can continue to review footage and learn more about those were set to come up against and set plans to try and combat future challenges. “For our players, training alone might be hard but collectively we all understand that it’s the players and teams who prepare the best off the park are those that will succeed. Training together or individually this concept doesn’t change.“ It’s been a bit of an up and down season for the Kangaroos, who boast a 6-3 record and remain one of the premiership fancies, with the likes of Jesse Longmuir (30 goals), Jake Ingaliso, Anthony Bernardo, Dylan Chapman, Ben O’Loughlin and Brent Moloney all putting together outstanding seasons, with sides such as
Officer coach Doug Koop. 171050 Picture: ROB CAREW
Keith Maclure gets the wicket of Cain O’Riordan. 198879
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Maroons make decision on a move to Leongatha By David Nagel
Crafty Kangaroos forward Jesse Longmuir is having a big impact this season. 241423 Mt Evelyn, Monbulk and Gembrook all in the mix to hold the cup aloft when sport makes its return. Koop said that the Kangaroos will be ready and raring to go on a moments notice, whenever that might be. “To date the players have been amazing in their efforts,“ he said. “We’ve set up training programs that make the players accountable to each other, the players are driving the standard and when we are allowed to return the benefits of this work will be clear.“ What isn’t clear at this stage is when the AFL Outer East season will re-commence with Victoria in the midst of its sixth lockdown, which is due to expire on Thursday at 11:59pm depending on case numbers, however there remains a strong possibility this will be extended.
Nyora Cricket Club has made an official request to its current governing body – the West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA) – to make a move to the Leongatha and District Cricket Association (LDCA) for the beginning of the upcoming 2021/22 season. Nyora has submitted its application request, providing 21 days’ notice to the WGCA, with clubs to vote on the application at the association’s affiliation meeting on Tuesday, 31 August. WGCA clubs will need to vote with a 75 per cent majority for Nyora’s application to be a success. Nyora’s request will also have to be rubber-stamped by the Victorian Country Cricket League (VCCL), with a successful request seeing it move from Region 8 – South East Country, to Region 7 – Gippsland. The LDCA has also sent a communication to its member clubs, outlining Nyora’s request, which is based on the location of the club and its inability to continually compete with the larger clubs in the WGCA. President of the WGCA Rob Hansen said Nyora’s request was indicative of the demographical challenges that currently face sporting codes in the region.
“It’s a challenge to get the balance right, with the ability to attract participants quite different for the bigger and smaller clubs around the region,” Hansen said. “Nyora has been finding it hard to compete with those larger clubs and has a smaller catchment to call on, which makes it difficult to compete. “We’ve seen the impact that those same demographics have had on football competitions over the last few years, with significant changes being made to those structures. “Unfortunately, sporting codes can’t avoid the challenges that those demographics bring to the table.” Nyora fielded two senior teams in the WGCA last season, finishing fifth in the SubDistrict competition and last in D Grade. Back in May the Maroons announced the signing of former Crib Point champion all-rounder Henry Dolphin as its playing coach for the 2021/22 season. Dolphin has scored more than 7000 runs and taken over 200 wickets with his consistent leg spinners. Nyora is the second club to request a transfer from the WGCA in recent times with Devon Meadows making the move to the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association (MPCA).
Road Safety Round provides a clear message to all Victorian footballers, officials and supporters across the state were due to don blue armbands on the weekend to honour people killed on our roads and show their commitment to road safety. Road Safety Round was to showcase one of the longest running community relationships for an AFL entity, marking the 30th year of the AFL Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) partnership. The TAC Road Safety Round, which was due to be held from August 6-8, would involve more than 1200 clubs leading road safety conversations in their communities, reaching the more than 700,000 members of grassroots regional and metropolitan football and netball clubs. The blue armbands, which were to be worn state-wide, have a QR code that links to an online hub that features stories from ambassadors and the football community, sharing why road safety matters to them. St Kilda Football Club senior coach Brett Ratten, whose son Cooper died in a car crash in 2015, launched the round at RSEA Park last Wednesday, alongside representatives of the TAC and AFL Victoria. The Hon. Ben Carroll, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, threw his support behind the round. “You would be hard-pressed to find a grassroots football or netball club in Victoria that hasn’t experienced road trauma, which has an pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
From left, AFL Victoria Community Football Manager Sophie Williams, St Kilda Senior Coach Brett Ratten, and Samantha Cockfield, Head of Road Safety TAC at RSEA Park last week. 246521 Picture: SUPPLIED ongoing ripple effect through the whole club.” Minister Carroll said. “Road Safety Round is so crucial in having
important conversations with the people who travel on the roads every day, and encouraging them to make safe choices and look out
for each other.” Brad Scott, Head of AFL Victoria, echoed Minister Carroll’s sentiment, sharing that every club and individual can play a role in driving state-wide change. “Local footy clubs are the heart of the Victorian community,” Scott said. “So once again, we’re privileged to be teaming up with the TAC and marking 30 years of working together and leading the conversation to help reduce the incidents of road trauma. “Last year, 126 people died on regional Victorian roads, and there were 85 fatalities in metro areas, that’s too many families and people in our community having to live with the loss of a loved one. “We know that many footballers drive long distances every weekend to play the game they love, but this message is important every day of the year.” Despite the round not going ahead, community members can still get involved by filming their reason for wearing the band and wanting safer roads, sharing socially using #tacbandtogether, or visiting tac.vic.gov.au/ bandtogether to learn more. TAC Road Safety Round was originally scheduled to take place in July, however lockdown led to postponement. It is complemented by the TAC’s Club Rewards Program that offers grants of up to $10,000 to clubs that engage with their members on road safety issues. Thursday, 12 August, 2021
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