Established in 2003
proudly serving the Northern Suburbs
11 NOVEMBER, 2025
Messy play encouraged
Main: Hume Men’s Shed members Gino Merlo, Anthony AJ Magaton and President Bruce Tripptree with their hand-crafted mud kitchens. Above: Anthony AJ Magaton adding the final touches, and Anthony with his young apprentice Darren. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 514750
The Hume Men’s Shed in Craigieburn is bringing creativity and community spirit together, selling handmade mud kitchens and sinks designed to enhance outdoor and sensory play for young children. The kitchens are made by shed members from recycled and sustainable materials. “We’ve probably sold about 20 so far,” president Bruce Tripptree said. “Some have gone to kindergartens, but most of them have gone to the public.” “All the money goes straight back into the Men’s Shed. It helps us pay rent, buy materials and keep our programs running.” Hume’s Men Shed also mentors students from Hume Valley School, providing hands-on learning and community connection through shared projects. Each mud kitchen is built with care and delivered directly to customers, with prices starting at $250 for a basic model and up to $600 for a deluxe version with a working water connection. Contact Bruce Tripptree on 0403 111 213 or email humemensshed@bigpond. com to support local craftsmanship while inspiring messy, imaginative play for kids.
Aged care concern By Jack O’shea-Ayres More than 100 Whittlesea residents have voiced their opposition to a proposed three-storey aged care development, claiming the project is “not in the right location”. The proposed $5 million development of a 51-bed residential aged care facility at 3 Black Flat Road has sparked widespread concern among locals, who gathered at a community meeting on 18 October to discuss the development’s potential impacts. While residents made it clear they support aged care in principle, they claim
the semi-rural location, which sits next to a childcare centre currently under construction, is unsuitable due to traffic, parking and safety issues. Local resident Janine Harvey has coordinated the community opposition, and said the project’s design failed to account for the realities of the area. “This development is for 51 beds and just 21 car spaces - totally insufficient for staff and visitors,” Mrs Harvey said. “We’d be faced with a big increase in traffic, with cars parking up residential streets. The area is not designated for that kind of congestion.
“The traffic and parking issues would also affect the residents close by but also many people, including residents from Eden Park and beyond that use Black Flat Road as access to Whittlesea.” A sustainable design assessment (SDA) by Lorax Co which formed part of the planning application, indicated that the design aimed to “promote walking, cycling, and public transport, in that order, and to minimise car dependency”. According to the application, the site provides 139 square metres of carparking around 3.9 per cent of the total site area - as well as eight secure bicycle parking spaces
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and end-of-trip facilities, including showers and lockers for staff. The SDA states the facility is “expected to service approximately 180 staff members and residents on average each day,” supported by a layout which “promotes low-emission transport choices and reduces reliance on on-street parking”. Planning permit application documents include plans for a driveway and parking area running parallel to the western boundary, which will provide undercroft parking for 21 vehicles. Continued: Page 5.
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