Tuesday, 18 November, 2025
New Mayor of Yarra Ranges elected
Remembrance Day marked in Lilydale
A Nunsense show prepares to come alive
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Explorers flying by Three female pilots, who all trained at Lilydale Flying School, will be jetting off in early December to tackle by air the Burke and Wills exploration trail in a day. The nearly 3000 kilometre trip will take them through differing climates and landscapes, with the final destination being Karumba, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Undertaking the flight is all part of the International Dawn to Dusk Challenge, something Theresa MacDonald, Amanda Deed, and Delia Jones have each completed at least once before. And because of the distance they’ll be travelling through outback Queensland, it seemed appropriate to the team to fundraise for mental health and support charity Outback Futures. To read the full story, turn to page 12
Pilots Theresa MacDonald, Amanda Deed, and Delia Jones will follow the inland trail of explorers Burke and Wills. (Mikayla van Loon: 517526)
Time’s up for crime By Mikayla van Loon Police command met with the Mooroolbark community on Wednesday 12 November, for a Neighbourhood Policing Forum to provide a candid overview of policing challenges and reforms in the Yarra Ranges. Eastern Division Two Superintendent Steve White, who oversees 660 officers across Knox, Maroondah, and Yarra Ranges, highlighted staffing shortages as a key concern. With approximately 60 personnel off work in his division, often
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due to mental health, he stated that police are “running on minimum resources.” In response, Superintendent White supports Chief Commissioner Mike Bush’s announced reforms to shift officers from station reception duties onto the streets, potentially leading to station closures. He argues this is a necessary step to boost police visibility and get officers where they can best deter and respond to crime. A significant topic was the rising number of family violence reports, which police view as a positive indicator of increased community confi-
dence in reporting. Superintendent White noted that police success is measured by this rise in reports, which helps them hold perpetrators accountable. Detective Inspector Troy Andrews, who manages the Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit, confirmed the unit’s “victim-focused” approach, aiming to disrupt high-risk offenders through “pro arrest, pro remand” tactics. Youth crime was also identified as a major priority, with a notable increase in offenders aged 10 to 17 this year.
Superintendent White confirmed that police are actively targeting groups like the Mooroolbark-based Burmese youth gang, ABZ38, known for aggravated burglaries and stealing high-end cars for “street cred” on social media. Detective Inspector Andrews noted that these young people are “a different style of offender” who exploit the justice system, often starting with serious crimes like armed robbery. To read more, turn to pages 2-4
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