Mail - Mt Evelyn Star Mail - 25th November 2025

Biggest and best yet

The fourth annual Lilydale Melba Festival and Street Fair is set for 7 December, promising its biggest celebration yet as it continues to expand in size and community recognition.

Lead organiser Bec Rosel noted the event has grown from 60 to over 100 stallholders.

This year’s festival will interweave Indigenous culture, celebrate Dame Nellie Melba’s history, and feature a partnership with the Lilydale Rotary Christmas Market.

Highlights include the traditional street parade, live music, and the closing event for the Badass Women of the Yarra Ranges exhibition. It’s not one to miss.

FIND ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED IN THIS SPECIAL EDITION PULL-OUT

Parents’ protest

By Mikayla van Loon

Parents at Lancaster Preschool in Mooroolbark are frustrated over the planned 2026 shift to a long-day, 7.5-hour format for both three and four-year-old kindergarten, citing concerns over its impact on children’s wellbeing and family logistics.

The change, which will see three-year-olds attend two days and four-year-olds three days on a rotational schedule, aligns with Yarra Ranges Kinders’ (YRK) move to standardise its services and respond to the State Government’s $14 bil-

lion Best Start, Best Life reforms, which mandate increased hours in the coming years.

YRK chief executive officer Juliette Hammond said the change will align Lancaster with 14 of its other services and allow the preschool to offer more places to meet growing demand.

However, several parents, some with children who have complex health needs like epilepsy or developmental delays, argue the extended days are developmentally inappropriate and may cause issues with toileting, eating, and fatigue. One mother noted that the 8.30am to 4pm sched-

ule clashes directly with primary school drop-off and pick-up times, forcing families to compromise their children’s attendance.

Parents also questioned the timing of the July notification, which they say left little time to find alternative sessional kindergartens. Furthermore, parental anxieties escalated over a potential plan for a 3/4 composite class due to high demand for three-year-old places. While YRK ultimately dropped the composite class plan following community feedback, parents contend the lack of transparency has caused significant distrust.

The situation is compounded by resignations from all current teaching staff, which YRK stated is “consistent with sector trends.” Ms Hammond reassured families that recruitment of qualified educators is complete and new teachers will be introduced soon.

Despite YRK’s commitment to the reforms and sustainability, parents remain concerned that financial drivers are being prioritised over the specific needs of children at the single-classroom facility.

Key insights revealed

By Tanya Steele

Key community players across the Yarra Ranges gathered in Belgrave on 14 November to participate in a unique exercise being run nationally on disaster preparedness.

The Yarra Ranges Council (YRC), in partnership with Disaster Relief Australia (DRA), hosted representatives from Warburton to Upwey and over 80 stakeholders, some from opposite ends of the Yarra Ranges, gathered for the session.

Clad in their socks, the groups began the day with introductions, then people began to walk across a printed fabric map of the region they live, work and respond in.

A representative from Disaster Resilience Australia led quite open conversations to draw out local information from several different perspectives.

Yarra Ranges Council Director Communities, Leanne Hurst, said on the day, the simulated scenario of a catastrophic fire event sparked some really rich dialogue on roles and responsibilities in an emergency, as well as how decisions are made across the response, relief and early recovery phases of an emergency.

“The Big Map provided us with a unique perspective of the hazards and risks we all live with, so it’s a powerful tool that is linking agencies with the community, to help strengthen those relationships while also building awareness,” she said.

Community members, including Upwey High School students, contributed great insights on their recovery priorities and asked direct questions of agencies.

With a large contingent of people having freshly moved to the Yarra Ranges in the last five years, it means some people haven’t been through major bushfire or flooding events at allthe number given was around 35 per cent of the population.

Representing CFA in Kalorama, long-term fire brigade member Virginia Porter said she thought it was an excellent exercise and highlighted the extent of our risk areas across the ridgetop.

“The communication between the various agencies and community groups was paramount and highlighted the different priorities in an emergency situation,” she said.

With the bigger picture being the recurring theme, organisations like CFA, SES, Yarra Ranges Council and more, ran through the scenario, with smaller non-government-led agencies like township groups, radio stations and food relief groups chipping in with their own priorities and the realities of things that could be happening on the ground.

“The exercise showed that, as agencies, we need to focus more broadly and connect with the community to increase the benefits of the work we all do,” said Ms Porter.

The whole day continuously touched on the mental strain that is placed on the community when big climate and emergency events happen, and the necessity of having a safety net and proper coordination between the council, emergency services, and community groups to ensure effective response and support.

In the first days of an event, it was asked, How would people communicate? Check on their neighbours. Would family violence go up? Would schools go back? How are vulnerable and single-parent households coping?

Vice President of the Millgrove Residents Action Group (MRAG), Phil Pomaroff, said the exercise was a unique and interactive way to gain a better understanding of the place community lives.

“Importantly, the surrounding areas as well,” he said.

“Placing dots across the location of critical infrastructure around us, such as roads, bridges, telecommunications, emergency services, and community assets, the map gave insight into precious resources that could be drastically impacted by fire and flooding in extreme weather events,” he said.

“We learnt how all the emergency management services need to work together and how the community can play its part in a mock disaster scenario.”

Anecdotally, the facilitator mentioned that in times of disaster, there will always be community members who will step up and naturally create support for others.

Belinda Young from Mothers of the Hills was present on the day and said via social media that being part of this community-wide conversation was an important step in strengthening how our local families prepare and connect.

Lilydale SES Unit Controller Shaun Caulfield said the Big Map was an excellent way for community and emergency services, as well as support agencies such as the council.

“To connect with each other, in a unique way – it gives a unique perspective to the landscape, and was well facilitated, and ensured a wide range of community voices were heard by those that respond in different ways to emergencies and crises,” he said.

“It gives communities a sense of empowerment during a time when they can be at their most vulnerable.”

“The Big Map is a useful tool to engage with the community and help them better plan and prepare for any potential disaster,” said Mr Pomaroff.

Ms Hurst said, having now run this session with agencies and other stakeholders, Yarra

Ranges has identified some enhancements that will be incorporated into a session for community members in the future.

The exercise hopefully creates real, actionable opportunities that will, in turn, be used to strengthen disaster resilience and improve emergency planning at a local level. Established in 2016, Disaster Relief Australia is a veteran-led not-for-profit that brings together the skills and experience of veterans and other dedicated volunteers to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters.

Big Map will hopefully be run for all community in early 2026 and will offer anyone who lives in the Yarra Ranges to learn and connect in a safe and productive way.

“We encourage anyone interested in learning more to keep an eye out for future events and to get involved,” said Ms Hurst.

Forced to dump load

A

Firefighting crews had to remain on scene for several hours to keep the

under control.

A warning was issued to the community at 10.55am via VicEmergency notifying residents and commuters of smoke visibility.

IN BRIEF

Locals must be ready for fire season

By Callum Ludwig

With the Fire Danger Period imminent for the Yarra Ranges, local police are urging residents to be prepared and aware of the dangers of fire season.

Planning is key to surviving any major fire event but police also want residents to understand the consequences for any reckless or intentional behaviour that causes fires.

Local area commander for the Yarra Ranges, Inspector Lee Coulthard-Clarke, said they’re expecting the fire danger period to start in the Yarra Ranges in late November or early December, and it’s really important that people understand that fires are likely to start, especially in hot, dry or windy weather.

“We all need to be aware of our surrounds in respect of fire, Victoria Police is committed to the ‘You Light It, You Own It’ campaign which is being run by Crime Stoppers and it’s important to know that any spark can start a fire,” she said.

“There is a penalty for recklessly starting a fire and that’s up to 15 years imprisonment and police will take action for those who recklessly light fires or deliberately light fires.

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“We have a zero tolerance approach around that.”

Residents need to be wary of different causes of fires such as sparks from farm machinery or power too, leaving campfires unattended or burning off without a permit.

Inspector Coulthard-Clarke said she’d also like to ask people that if they see behaviour that could lead to a bushfire, they report it to their local police, Triple Zero or Crime Stoppers either by phone or online.

“The details that you should include or look to include in your report are the time, the place, the age of the person or persons, weight, height, hair colour, clothing and any vehicle description and police will then use that information to make relevant inquiries to identify those people,” she said.

“Going back to the Montrose fire, it was the observations of the local community that led us to identify those responsible.”

“Locally in the Yarra Ranges, we’ll be running a dedicated fire patrol during the fire danger period, which uses an intelligence-led approach to identify areas of interest or persons of interest who have previously been known to deliberately light fires in our community.”

Police encourage all residents to refresh themselves on their fire plan and if they don’t yet have one, to make one now.

Inspector Coulthard-Clarke said if the Fire Danger Rating is extreme or catastrophic, you are risking your life if you wait and see if the fire is coming.

“We can’t guarantee the presence of police or other emergency services during an evacuation time and we can’t always ensure that we can evacuate you so please look at the warnings and leave early,” she said.

“I would encourage everyone to download the VicEmergency app so that you can be proactive in keeping your eyes out for those warnings… the Montrose fire was so unexpected, being extreme and in the middle of the night, it caught everyone unaware.

“Our main remit is around traffic management and evacuation, and we support the control agency to do those things as best we can… we are in constant communication with our other agencies, so we can be absolutely prepared as possible for any emergency, whether that be flood, fire or otherwise.”

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Teenager charged with armed robbery

Police charged a teenage boy following an attempted armed robbery at Lilydale Railway Station on Sunday afternoon, 23 November.

It is alleged the victim, an 80-year-old Lilydale man, was in the railway station carpark off Main Street when he was approached by a male on a scooter about 1.50pm.

The boy allegedly produced a knife and made demands for the victim’s wallet.

When the victim refused, the boy allegedly slashed him with the knife before fleeing.

The man was transported to a medical centre with non-life-threatening injuries.

The 16-year-old from the Yarra Ranges area was located on Main Street a short time later and arrested.

He has since been charged with attempted armed robbery, recklessly causing injury, intentionally causing injury, possession of a controlled weapon and common law assault.

He was remanded to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

Motorbikes stolen from Lilydale

Police are seeking information relating to the burglary and theft of two Yamaha motorbikes from a business premises in John Street, Lilydale on 10 October.

It is alleged that two people smashed their way into the premises and stole the two bikes, pushing them through the Lilydale High School towards Melba Avenue. One of the offenders is then seen in CCTV footage riding the bike out of a car park. Both offenders were wearing dark coloured hoodies.

The motorbikes appear to be blue in colour.

If you have any information regarding the offence, please contact the Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit on 9739 2401 or make an anonymous report via Crime Stoppers.

Burglary in Wonga Park

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a burglary in Wonga Park on 12 November.

It is believed offender attended the St Johns Road residence about 12.15pm and stole electronics and gardening equipment.

The offender is described as male, Caucasian, in his 30s, of medium height and build with short dark hair.

He was believed to be wearing a black ‘Balenciaga’ t-shirt, beige pants, black runners, and a black cap.

Investigators have released an image of a man who may be able to assist with enquiries.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Distinctive car stolen

Mount Evelyn Police have called on the public for information surrounding the theft of a car from Wandin East on Wednesday 19 November.

The victim was attending the Rotary Club of Wandin’s Custom Car and Bike show when their distinctive VN Holden Commodore was stolen from their Old Baker Road home.

The car’s registration is 2378H8 (Club Plates) and anyone with any information or dashcam footage of this vehicle can contact Mount Evelyn Police on (03) 9736 2473 or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

Reference 250481275.

CCTV for war memorial

By Oliver Winn

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, two CCTV cameras will finally protect the Seville War Memorial from malicious vandals.

At this year’s Remembrance Day service, Seville War Memorial Committee chair Anthony McAleer OAM announced two security businesses had offered their labour and money to have the cameras installed.

“It’s fantastic. It just gives us that level of protection that I think we need.

“We certainly want to ensure that the memorial is there for generations to come, and anything else we can do to protect it and look after it is fantastic,” Mr McAleer said.

The head of local security company Advanced Security Grant Tucker will install and monitor the cameras for free, while security system suppliers Provision ISR have donated the cameras and covered installation costs.

The new cameras aren’t just any ordinary, consumer-grade products either - Mr Tucker said he got commercial-grade cameras because he wanted to ensure the criminals would be clearly identifiable.

“They’ve got a 60-metre infrared and they’re pointed directly at the war memorial, so I’m putting two cameras in, one either side of it, so we’ll see them coming in and see them going.

“Having that longer lens on them, that’s the key to be able to get the image. A lot of cameras only have a 25-metre IR, but I’m getting a longerrange one through my supplier.”

Mr Tucker has a strong connection to Seville and said when the memorial got damaged, “it wasn’t a vandalism to the community, it was a vandalism to our heritage”.

With no cameras to catch the criminals, Mr McAleer said it was disappointing their wasn’t any evidence to provide to the police.

“The fact that we didn’t have any extra evidence we could give the police in regards to it was very disappointing. So, it’s certainly labelled the need to have that extra surveillance there on the memorial.”

With Advanced Security monitoring and installing the camera and Provision ISR donating the cameras themselves, it saved the committee roughly $4000 in upfront costs.

But Mr McAleer said the real savings will be avoiding the costs of damages from vandals.

“Having this here, this is what we’re hoping is going to deter anything like that. So that will hopefully be ongoing savings to the community.”

He noted how damages from the vandalism in 2023 were paid for through grants, which meant the public were funding the costs to fix the memorial.

“So even though we missed out on that funding that was supposed to be given to us earlier, it’s still not going to cost the general public any funds. And it’s the kindness of a local community group and an organisation that has been able to make this to happen.”

The Yarra Ranges Council have taken a long time to give the committee permission to use its nearby power supply to install the cameras, citing concerns surrounding privacy with the Seville Water Play Park close by.

But Mr McAleer said he reassured the council the waterpark won’t be in the camera’s field of view.

“We’ve worked out with the shire, the cameras aren’t going to be aimed at the water play park, they’re going to be aimed at the memorial itself.”

Mr Tucker said the CCTV cameras’ contents are only accessible by the technician and Victoria Police, as the network isn’t connected to the internet.

“It’s actually a localised system. So it doesn’t have any internet connection.”

A Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson said council was working with the Seville War Memorial group on the installation of CCTV.

“It is hoped that the presence of the cameras deters future acts of vandalism against the Memorial and could assist VicPol investigations should another incident occur.”

Police procedures probed

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Trigger warning: this article contains references to suicide, if you or someone you know needs support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14

A Ringwood woman, who died by suicide while being held at the Knox Police Station, was left unobserved for one hour and 26 minutes, despite police identifying that she required frequent checks, a coroner’s court has found.

The 40-year-old woman died in hospital the following day after police discovered her unresponsive in her cell on the evening of 2 December 2021.

During the hearing in Melbourne on 12 November 2025, Coroner Audrey Jamieson ruled her death was “preventable” and that a series of delays, missed welfare checks and failure to follow risk-management procedures contributed to the fatal outcome.

According to the Coroner’s findings, Victoria Police was aware of the woman’s heightened risk.

Her vulnerability was documented in LEAP and E-Justice warnings, which recorded her of being at “risk of suicide or self-harm” and this information was known to the officers responsible for her care and despite this, Coroner Jamieson found that completion of her Dynamic Risk Assessment was “delayed.”

Although police policy recommended a suicide-resistant blanket for detainees assessed as being at risk, the Coroner found that police issued her a ‘standard’ blanket.

Further Coroner Jamieson’s findings showed that from around 6.30pm, the woman required Level-Three observation, meaning in-person checks and engagement every 30 minutes, however, no physical checks were carried out between 6.32pm and 7.58pm.

During this period, she made two earlier attempts to harm herself before passing away between 7.11pm and 7.13pm.

“Any (Level-Three) physical check conducted approximately 30 minutes after the last (at 6.32pm) was likely to have disrupted her self-in-

jurious activities,” Coroner Jamieson said.

Instead, she remained unresponsive and unnoticed in her cell for 45 minutes before officers entered the cell and commenced CPR.

While the Coroner could not say whether earlier intervention would have changed her clinical outcome, she found the delay deprived her of a chance at earlier assistance.

The custody supervisor on duty was found to have “failed to ensure custody staff undertook the tasks required to ensure (her) health, safety and welfare” during the critical period.

Coroner Jamieson said it was unclear whether this failure resulted from inadequate handover, unclear tasking, competing operational demands, or a combination of factors.

Broader systemic issues were also identified within Victoria Police policies and practice guides.

Coroner Jamieson stated key terms relating to mental health and self-harm, including “risk of suicide or self-harm,” “self-inflicted trauma,” “likelihood of self-harm or suicide,” and “im-

minent risk of suicide or self-harm,” were not clearly defined. The absence of clarity, she said, may affect officers’ understanding of risk levels and appropriate responses.

Coroner Jamieson also highlighted a lack of guidance on what qualifies as “new information” that should trigger a revised self-harm rating and emphasised that demeanour and denial of suicidal ideation are “unreliable” indicators of safety.

To prevent similar deaths, the Coroner recommended that Victoria Police display required observation levels for each detainee within the Watch House, clarify mental-health-related terminology in the Victoria Police Manual and practice guides, provide further training on assessing risk and seeking CHAL advice, and improve the recording of handovers to ensure all relevant information is communicated.

“Given the cumulation of failures and delays identified above, I find that [her] death could have been prevented,” Coroner Jamieson said.

New Liberal leader welcomed by Eildon MP

The Victorian Liberal Party has seen its third change in leadership in under 12 months but this time, in a historic step, a woman is at the helm.

Opposition Leader and Berwick MP Brad Battin lost the top job to Kew MP Jess Wilson on Tuesday morning, 18 November, after a successful spill.

The 35-year-old is the state party’s third leader in 11 months after John Pesutto was dumped and replaced by Mr Battin in late December.

The first-term millennial MP is the first woman to be elected leader of the party, helping also make history with both Labor and Liberal now led by women.

Eildon MP Cindy McLeish congratulated Ms Wilson on her appointment and said it is a positive step for women in politics and the Liberal Party, noting several positions held by women.

“The election of Jess Wilson, the first female leader of the Victorian Liberals, speaks volumes,” she said.

“The Liberal Party now have a federal and state leader which are positive steps.”

Ms McLeish also pointed to the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister, Lia Finocchiaro, and newly appointed State Director of the party, Alyson Hannam, also the first woman to hold the position.

Bringing the state budget back under control, ending the “crime crisis”, boosting healthcare and increasing home ownership were among Ms Wilson’s top priorities heading into the November 2026 election.

“Victorians have a clear choice,” Ms Wilson said.

“A choice between a tired, out-of-touch Labor government or a new generation Liberal team.”

Supportive of both Ms Wilson as a person and a leader, Ms McLeish was pleased to see Ms Wilson take the reins.

“Jess is an amazing talent who has an incredible work ethic. She understands the need for a clear vision so that the state can get ahead. She has a policy focus and a strong grasp of the miserable state of Victoria’s economy,” she said.

“Complexity isn’t a deterrent; rather, it’s a challenge. At the same time, Jess has a young family and knows what it is like to juggle a career and motherhood.”

Portfolio changes haven’t yet been established but some key positions have been decided.

Former tennis ace turned MP Sam Groth fended off David Southwick to remain the party’s deputy leader.

Bev McArthur replaced David Davis as the party’s upper house leader, with Evan Mulholland retaining his upper house deputy position to round out Ms Wilson’s leadership team.

The leadership coup sets up a head-tohead battle between Ms Wilson and Premier Jacinta Allan to run the state.

Former opposition leader Michael O’Brien said Ms Wilson was the premier’s “worst nightmare”.

Ms Wilson is viewed as a more electorally potent challenger to Labor as a member of the party’s moderate wing and a young mother with business savvy.

The former staffer to ex-federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has previous experience as a Business Council of Australia executive and was immediately elevated to the key portfolio of education after entering parliament in 2022.

Mr Frydenberg immediately thrust his backing behind Ms Wilson, declaring she

“has what it takes to lead the state”.

“I have seen first-hand her ability to get across complex policy and to communicate ideas effectively and with empathy,” he wrote on social media.

Ms Allan, who took over from Daniel Andrews as premier after his retirement in September 2023, deflected when asked if she faced a tougher election fight with Ms Wilson as Liberal leader.

“No matter who is the leader of the Liberal Party, they’re still a Liberal,” she said.

The coalition will need to gain at least 17 extra seats to form a majority government. The Liberals and Nationals have been out of power in Victoria for all but four years since the turn of the century.

Tensions within the Liberals have simmered since a crushing defeat at the 2022 election, spilling into a defamation lawsuit launched by first-term MP Moira Deeming against Mr Pesutto.

History made in 2025

By

From the first woman elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1933 to the first female Premier in 1990, this year marks a significant and historical moment for the Victorian Liberal Party.

Kew MP Jess Wilson being elected as the leader of the Liberals marks a new chapter for the major party, and irrespective of political alignment, it’s a positive step forward for women in government.

Politically engaged Yarra Ranges resident and former council candidate Amy Muratore said, optically, having two female leaders is positive but women are not “necessarily exclusively (recognised for) their experience and leadership qualities”.

“I think Jess Wilson is going to be an excellent opposition leader. She’s incredibly intelligent and she’s a great communicator, and obviously has a wealth of experience,” she said.

“However, we need to acknowledge that the goalposts and the way in which women in positions of leadership are judged is far different to the way men are judged.”

Ms Muratore said she would hope the tropes and stereotypes that are typically rolled out when women are in “positions of power”, like their age, whether they have children and what they’re wearing, can be left behind.

Drawing comparisons between the election of Sussan Ley as Federal Liberal Party leader and Ms Wilson, both rising to power during times of unsteadiness, Ms Muratore said it would take the full backing of the party to ensure Ms Wilson was respected for her leadership.

“When it comes to women in positions of leadership, it takes the people who stand behind them, and also the men that are in the room, when that leader, who is in charge is making the decisions and calling the shots, that they stand by their leader.

“She’s a young, 35 year old, very new MP. Yes, she’s experienced. Yes, she worked for the treasurer. But it will be really interesting to see

how the senior men in the Liberal Party respond to having to take orders from her.”

Describing Ms Ley’s appointment as that of “a sacrificial lamb”, Ms Muratore said she felt that her role was undermined by a need to rebuild the party brand. It could also be a “glass cliff” scenario, a term coined by Australian National University gender equality expert Michelle Ryan and her research partner Alex Haslan, the idea of women and people from minority groups, being thrust into leadership roles during times of crisis. With more than two decades of parliamentary experience under her belt, Ms Ley was “incredibly qualified” for the job, Professor Ryan

said.

“But the timing definitely suggests that it’s somewhat of a glass cliff,” she told AAP in May.

“The fact that they’ve come out of an unprecedented loss at an election, and this is the first time a woman is leading - I don’t think those two things are unconnected.”

Jacinta Allen, who was elected as Labor Party leader after the resignation of Daniel Andrews, Ms Muratore said was “surrounded by a great group of senior and experienced women who are part of the optics and part of the messaging”, making the two parties “apples and oranges”. She hoped Ms Wilson had the same support network.

As for the outward encouragement for more women to join all levels of government, Ms Muratore said it would “come down to how both women are treated in the media” and just treated in general. It would require less “gendered rubbish” and a focus on good policy to shift the tide.

Five years ago Ms Muratore ran for council and one of the most asked questions was how she was going to “juggle it with being a mother”, something she doubted male candidates were asked.

“If people are looking to our two senior women leading the state, and they’re actually criticised and critiqued based on leadership and policy, maybe (it will encourage more women).

“But the global trend of women in politics, it’s really depressing. More and more women are not entering because they don’t feel safe to do so, and the women that are, are behaving like men to get to the top.”

With a historic number of women elected to Federal Parliament in the 2025 election, Australia’s reportcard in the global ranking system jumped 11 places to be 13th out of 146 in the Global Gender Gap Index.

In Victoria, 50 per cent of parliament representatives are women. The Liberal Party has 12 female MPs across the upper and lower house from the 32 MPs, including Ms Wilson.

“I’m hopeful that perhaps it will influence the next generation of kids that are politically activated,” Ms Muratore said as a teacher by trade.

“It’s going to be a really interesting time having two women against each other. I think the optics of a young, let’s face it, conventionally attractive, good communicator in the Liberal Party against Jacinta Allen, who has been framed as older, tired, all this kind of stuff will be an interesting thing to watch.”

Women For Election was also contacted for comment and perspective. A response is being prepared.

Kinder changes draw ire

By Mikayla van Loon

Where it started:

Changes to the hours and structure of a kindergarten in Mooroolbark ignited concerns among parents who felt blindsided by the new schedule for 2026.

Yarra Ranges Kinders’ Lancaster Preschool will shift to a long-day format of 7.5-hour days for both three and four-year-olds next year.

The threes will attend two days, and the fours will attend three days on a rotational schedule.

But the parents who chose sessional kindergarten for a reason have said the longer days seem extensive for little bodies, impact school drop-off and pick-up times, and may cause toileting and eating challenges.

Neah, a mum of two, whose eldest son is currently finishing up four-year-old kinder and her youngest was due to start in 2027, said sessional kindergarten was necessary to ensure her oldest son’s health.

“He has developmental delays and a genetic condition that, at the time, included a heart issue that put him at increased risk for hospitalisation from minor illness,” she said.

“Sessional kinder offered shorter days, which reduced the risk of exposure to illness.”

She said that if the changes to the timetable had come earlier, she doesn’t believe her son would have coped.

“My child, like many others with or without disabilities, benefits enormously from routine, familiar faces, and predictable friendships,” Neah said.

“A rotating roster or extended days would have disrupted all of that. It’s hard to overstate how important peer relationships are at this age, particularly for children like mine who rely on the scaffolding of familiar friends to learn how to interact with toys and others in safe and productive ways.”

Similarly, mum Melissa, who has one child enrolled at Lancaster Preschool, choosing sessional kindergarten suited her child’s needs.

“I am very concerned about how the long hours and fewer days of kinder will impact my child. My child suffers from epilepsy and is medicated to control this. The medication he has to take has side effects that include fatigue,” she said.

“It’s possible that going into school, he will need adjusted hours or extra rest times to cope, which I am sure would make any child feel different to their peers.

“I was assuming and hoping this wouldn’t be something we would have to navigate at this stage, but I am extremely hesitant to allow him to attend kinder for hours that are longer than a school day.”

The period of notice was also questioned, with parents notified in July at the time enrolment offers were sent out, meaning there was little option to apply to other sessional kinders, as most would already be full.

For Jessica, who has one child in kindergarten and one in primary school, the increase to 7.5 hours, with a start time of 8.30am and a finish time of 4pm, means one of her children will most likely be late.

“Itclashesdirectlywithmyson’sprimaryschool time. If I get my daughter (to kinder) on time, and she’s upset for a moment, needs a bit of extra support, or there’s an extra school bus that I get stuck behind on the way, my son will be late to school, which isn’t OK for primary school,” she said.

“She also struggles with toileting, so five and a half hours is a long time. An extra two hours on top of that, honestly, it’s probably a health issue. Same with eating. Little kids, they’re so excited to be at kinder and running around, they don’t tend to want to sit down and eat a whole meal.

“With a four or five and a half hour session, they can get a light snack. But when it becomes a day that’s essentially longer than a school day, that’s another issue that just me, personally, in my family, will face.”

Another mum, whose eldest child is at the kinder, said that eating, or lack of, was her main concern.

“My main concern surrounding the extended hours is eating - quite often my child won’t eat much during the day at kinder as they’re too busy playing,” she said.

“Long daycares of similar hours to the proposed can operate that way as they offer every child the same meals from their kitchen, so there’s no jealousy or envy of another child’s lunch as they’re all eating the same thing.”

Unlike long-day care, where parents can drop off and pick up at flexible times and children are provided meals throughout the day, kindergarten

is designed to be an introduction to school.

“Sessional kindergarten, it’s almost like a mini school program. It’s the same kids on the same days, at the same time, same routines, and for the people who choose that, there are some really strong benefits to it,” Jessica said.

Had the extended hours been implemented for 2027 instead, Jessica said it would have meant those who were enrolling for that year could plan and accept the changes, or look elsewhere for a service that suited them.

“For us, next year, we really don’t have that option anymore. There aren’t other choices. The other kinders are full.”

The extended hours for both three and fouryear-old kindergarten fall under the State Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms, introduced in 2022, to offer free kindergarten to all.

The $14 billion shake-up of the early childhood education sector will see three-year-old kindergarten programs increase to 15 hours a week by 2029 and a 30-hour-a-week pre-prep program by 2036, replacing current four-year-old kinder programs.

A gradual roll-out of pre-prep began in six rural and regional local government areas this year.

Metropolitan councils, including the Yarra Ranges, will be required to offer 30 hours of preprep by 2034, with staged increases in hours during that time.

All kindergartens will be prescribed to the reforms by 2036.

Yarra Ranges Kinders’ chief executive officer, Juliette Hammond said these changes were in response to growing preferences from families and the Best Start, Best Life reforms.

“This change will align Lancaster Preschool with 14 of our other services already operating under a 7.5-hour model,” she said.

“The rotational model allows for more children to attend the kinder, so it will facilitate us offering more places to meet demand.

“As a not-for-profit provider operating 22 kindergartens across the local government areas of The Shire of Yarra Ranges and Knox City Council, we continuously review our service models to meet community needs while ensuring sustainable operations.”

But Neah said because of the proposed hours, some parents with school-aged children will be unable to arrive on time or pick up their children on time and this should be accounted for in the funding.

“If YRK wants to give an option for longer days for children who fall under the early Pre-Prep roll outs, that would make more sense than expecting parents to either drop children off late or pick them up early if the hours don’t suit, thereby cutting their kinder hours below the 15 funded hours.

“If parents are forced to have less than 15 hours due to the need to work around the change in expected time table after taking their placements, YRK should have to report that and not receive the full 15-hour government funding for every single one of those students.”

As someone with a background in childcare, Neah has seen the reverse of longer days and the impact. She said she wouldn’t be surprised if, in years to come, research showed that longer days were not the answer.

“I’m concerned that these changes reflect a misunderstanding of what young children actually need,” she said.

“Long, structured days are not always beneficial, particularly to kinder-aged children, and the idea of extending their time beyond what even older school-aged children manage just doesn’t seem developmentally appropriate.”

The escalation:

Within three months, the concerns of parents had

escalated beyond just timetabling and the length of kinder days, with the motivations and communication from management called into question.

In late October, a co-signed letter from 14 Lancaster Preschool parents called for Yarra Ranges Kinders’ to reinstate the 2025 timetable, reject any notion of three-four composite classes, undertake genuine consultation with parents and teachers, and uphold values of transparency.

As a single classroom-style building, parents rejected the idea of combining the two age groups.

“After months of frustration and disappointment, we write to express our deep concern and objection to the proposed 3/4 composite kindergarten class for 2026,” the letter states.

“Let us be absolutely clear: we will not accept a 3/4 composite class structure next year. Any plans for this should be reconsidered immediately.”

Reasons for rejecting the three-four classes included the compromising of children’s learning outcomes, social development, and school readiness, as well as the lack of communication and preparedness for parents who had already enrolled under the separated structure.

In communication shared with Star Mail from YRK’s senior management, it stated that the threeyear-old age group had “significantly more applications” than the four-year-old cohort, with vacancies still available for this age group.

“This trend of high three-year-old demand and lower four-year-old demand is a theme across many of our communities in 2026,” YRK’s communication reads.

“This means that unless we explore new ways of managing demand, such as mixed age groups, we may need to turn away local families who are seeking access to kindergarten.”

Permanently appointed YRK chief executive officer Juliette Hammond confirmed this in a response to Star Mail, stating that consideration for combining the age groups was “due to high demand and low availability of three-year-old places”.

“Parents were asked to indicate if they were supportive of this approach and after substantial community feedback, YRK made the decision not to introduce mixed-age groups at Lancaster in 2026,” she said.

“This does, however, mean that unfortunately, some three-year-old families will miss out on Lancaster next year. YRK are offering these families an alternate place at nearby services.”

For Neah, she chose Lancaster Kindergarten “on a whim” after booking a tour to compare with another kindergarten but “was completely won over”.

“The environment was warm, joyful, and clearly designed with children’s emotional wellbeing in mind,” she said.

“I have a background in childcare and could see from the moment I started my tour that the staff were incredibly nurturing and it was clear they loved what they did.”

Shesaidthiswasthereasonmanyparentschose Lancaster, for the environment it fostered and the teachers who were wonderful to be around.

Neah said the proposed changes, both to the timetable and the potential for classes to be combined, felt like YRK was putting the financials ahead of the wellbeing of the children.

“Instead of being concerned that single room kinders are less profitable, maybe their focus should be on bolstering the dual room kinders and not destroying everything about one that parents have specifically chosen for the environment that it provides,” she said.

The former Parent Support Group (PSG) president, who resigned effective immediately on Thursday 13 November, because of a misalignment of values, and who wished to remain un-

named, said the timeline for the Best Start Best Life reforms was implemented for a reason.

“The 2036 timeline was put in place for a reason: to attract more teachers and have processes to allow for changes, like establishing two rooms,” she said.

Multiple parents also confirmed with Star Mail that all teaching staff have resigned. They are finishing term four, but will not be returning in 2026.

Two weeks ago, parents didn’t believe teachers had been appointed permanently for the 2026 year, sending a wave of instability through the group.

This has driven some families to leave the kindergarten entirely, enrolling elsewhere for 2026, choosing instead to pay out of pocket for the surety of what they are getting.

“The solution to gain more enrolments is actually creating more enrolment problems,” the former PSG president said.

Neah has also chosen not to send her youngest son to any YRK kindergarten in 2027.

The former president said, “it is gut-wrenching” for the kindergarten to lose such incredible staff.

“Thank you for the equitable inclusion of my son. Thank you for your support and genuine care for our children, for the love you poured into Lancaster, and for the genuine warmth you bring to the place,” Neah said of the teachers and educators at Lancaster.

Ms Hammond would not comment on the number of resignations YRK had received this year, but said “The number of resignations for 2026 is nothing unusual and is consistent with sector trends”.

“What we can confirm is that YRK is working to ensure continuity of staffing and program quality for 2026,” she said.

“We are about to confirm all positions for 2026. We can reassure families that recruitment of qualified, experienced educators has been completed ahead of schedule to ensure stability. We will confirm the Lancaster teaching group with families very soon.”

Ms Hammond said Lancaster families would be given the opportunity to meet the new teachers ahead of term one beginning.

While the former PSG president has decided to keep her son enrolled at Lancaster for 2026, she said it was purely based on friendships.

“We wanted to move him, but he has made friends this year and they will all be attending primary school together in 2027,” she said.

“I feel trapped friend-wise. If I could move him, I would, but he only has one year left.”

Parent Melissa said, “The lack of transparency from YRK has caused significant distrust amongst the families.”

“There are plenty of options available for families who prefer or require longer days, whether at day cares or other sessional kinders. Lancaster could be a point of difference in offering shorter days for those who have that preference or need.

“YRK seem to be pushing ahead for the proposed changes by the government well ahead of time, and without the suitable resources at a single classroom kinder.”

But Ms Hammond disputed this claim, stating that “YRK is not implementing anything earlier that other EYMs are”.

“Changes were required sooner at some services to meet workforce requirements, to ensure financial sustainability, respond to demand trends, and avoid turning families away—particularly in areas where three-year-old enrolments are increasing rapidly,” she said.

This distrust was echoed in the co-signed letter, stating that “YRK has lost the trust and respect of many families”.

“Our children deserve to thrive, not simply cope in an environment shaped by cost-cutting and poor management decisions.

“YRK appears more focused on financial consolidation — through extended hours, rotational timetables, composite classes, and “casual care” days — than on educational quality.”

Ms Hammond said she recognises and “respects the right of families to voice concerns”, especially when it comes to the education of their children.

“I recognise periods of change can be challenging, that emotions are currently heightened in the early year sector and that this has been a particularly difficult year for some families.

“Although I may not agree with the opinions expressed and stand behind the decisions made this year, I acknowledge we need to improve communication and engagement with our families.”

Custom car craze at Wandin

By Oliver Winn

The first show of the 2025/26 Wandin Custom Car and Bike show series took place on Wednesday 19 November attracting hundreds of cars and almost a thousand spectators.

Vintage car and bike enthusiasts gathered en masse at the Wandin East Recreation Reserve for the highly popular event where prizes were handed out to those with the best vehicles.

Rotary Club of Wandin foundation chair Brian Hogdson said the show was a great way for car enthusiasts to celebrate.

“There was a real buzz in the air as car enthusiasts shared their motivation and enjoyed the large variety of food available.”

But, Mr Hodgson said the overwhelming enthusiasm from attendees might’ve been the event’s downfall with major traffic delays and lengthy queues causing chaos.

“Unfortunately the event did not start as planned.

“On behalf of the show committee Brian Hodgson wants to apologise to local residents for the inconvenience and particularly apologizes to those people attempting to drive home from work and facing traffic congestion.”

Once the traffic cleared the event kicked on well and many prizes were won.

Debbie Wilson won best original car for her 1966 S 600 Honda, which has been in the family for 50 years.

Meanwhile, best car in show went to Jim Mullins with a fully rebuilt 1967 Chevy Nova SS.

The event is a fundraiser for the Royal Children’s Hospital and is the last seven years the Rotary Club of Wandin has given the Royal Children’s Hospital over $100,000.

The huge congestion was caused by a change in starting time for the event, and despite being “advertised extensively” in the show’s marketing material, people still showed up early.

“The event managers advertised extensively that gates would open at 5pm yet by shortly after 4pm over 100 cars were in a queue to get in. The roads became congested to such an extent that the traffic management team could not get into place.”

The show’s press release stated the start time was changed to 5pm in response to suggestions it ended too early.

“We also have difficulty recruiting our many supporting volunteers before 5pm,” the show’s press release stated.

“So, the gates will not open until 5pm. The event will not have traffic management in place before then and parking staff will not be on duty before then. It is requested that you don’t arrive early – it will only create unnecessary congestion on the roads. “

Mr Hodgson said the message from attendees was “clearly received” and that in future the event will be staffed from 4pm.

Aside from cars and bikes, the show was also host to a rockabilly village with fashion from the vintage era, as cars and culture are often intrinsically linked.

KNOXBROOKE CAR PARK SALE

New look for old name

If you have travelled along York Road, Mount Evelyn recently you may have noticed changes happening at Yarra View Nursery and Yarra View Garden Centre. It’s a new, but old name all at the same time.

Knoxbrooke was established in the 1960s to provide support and opportunity for people living with disability. Knoxbrooke established Knoxbrooke Nursery in the late 1980s as a pioneering social enterprise during the era, which provided employment and training options.

In 2000, the name changed to Yarra View Nursery when Knoxbrooke acquired the current York Road site and today Knoxbrooke Nursery employs over 130 people from the local region, producing over two million plants per year.

“Returning to our original name is about recogniding the strength in all of Knoxbrooke’s services from school-leaver education to community access programs and of course, employment through our varied social enterprises,” general manager Scott Buckland said.

It’s a new (old) name, but has the same amazing products and great service that Mount Evelyn locals have come to expect. And of course, every purchase you make helps continue to support jobs for people of all abilities.

Knoxbrooke Nursery Car Park sale commences on Thursday 27 November and continues until Sunday 30 November. Open from 8.30am to 4.30pm every day during the sale.

Main

Stage LIVE! Main Stage LIVE!

9am-WelcometoCountry& SmokingCeremonybytheDjirriDjirriDancers

9:30am-TheDanceDen

9:50am-BadassWomenoftheYarraRanges

10AM-STREETPARADE!

10:10am-SanfonaJazzBand

11:05am-TopDeckCoverBand

12:10pm-SoloistGraceForster

12:50pm-LilydaleHighSchoolBands

abc|hsd|funkempire

2:15pm-LilydalePrimarySchoolStudentChoir

2:35pm-Dance&Dash

FREE EVENT FREE EVENT

Location

Lilydale Cenotaph

LILYDALE STREET FAIR

Countdown for street fair

The countdown is officially on until the Lilydale Township Action Group’s fourth annual Lilydale Melba Festival and Street Fair.

Its return in 2025 marks an incredible journey of expansion and community recognition, as the event continues to grow in size and participation.

Street Fair founder and lead organiser Bec Rosel said the annual event has gotten to a stage where stallholders and performers are coming to her, not the other way around.

“When we had our first one in 2022, we had like 60 stalls, and that was huge back then. Now we have well over 100, and I have to turn people away,” she said

Bec said the Kinley Main Stage this year has a great mix of up-and-coming performers and established artists, as well as crowd favourites from primary and secondary school acts.

For the first time, Indigenous culture and heritage will be interwoven into the day in a small but significant way.

“This is the first year we’ve implemented that, and it won’t be in a massive way, but on the main stage, in the parade, and we’ll have workshops and storytelling throughout the day, and then next year we’ll be building on that,” Bec said.

Championing the history of Lilydale has become a large part of the Festival, evidenced last year by the name change to acknowledge Dame Nellie Melba.

Partnering with the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum and She Shapes History, the festival will help celebrate the closure of the two-month-long exhibition Badass Women of the Yarra Ranges. She Shapes History founder Sita Sargeant will host a talk on the main stage, followed by a floor talk at the Museum as part of the closing event for the exhibition.

Visitors will also be able to collect a driving tour map to explore women’s histories throughout the region in their own time from the Museum or the Lilydale Historical Society stall.

The much-loved 10am street parade, CFA open day and the designated family and children’s zone, with the Jitter Bugs Kids Disco, activities, face-painting and more, will all make a return to the program.

Lilydale’s outdoor pool will open early again this year for the Lilydale Pool Party from 12pm to 3pm. With local vendors opening on the day and food trucks setting up, no one will go hungry, with

so many delectable options to choose from.

The Wonderific roaming performers will also make a return, keeping people entertained throughout the day across the whole festival.

With this year’s event being hosted on the first Sunday of December, the same date as the monthly Lilydale Rotary Craft and Produce Market, Bec said the two entities have decided to collaborate for the event.

“This is the first year that we’ve clashed with it. So we invited them to be part of our event,” she said.

“Rotary has come on board, and some of their market stall holders that would have been at their event are now going to be amalgamated into ours.

“The Christmas market is one of their big fundraising opportunities. So we want to really emphasise the benefit of Rotary to the community because a lot of people, I don’t think, are really aware of what Rotary does because it’s an international organisation, but locally, they’re very important too.”

Volunteers, Bec said, are integral to not only the Festival but also so many organisations like Rotary across Lilydale.

Community groups and organisations from across the suburb and region will have stalls set up on the day for people to engage and learn about opportunities in the community.

“We want to really encourage people to look into Rotary, to become volunteers, and volunteer in general.

“We definitely want to put a call out to volunteers for not only our event, but I think, to anything that they can do in the community, because volunteers are at such a shortage, and organisations like Rotary need volunteers. And then obviously, things like our event can’t happen without volunteers.”

Bec said a lot of this wouldn’t have been possible without the grant from Yarra Ranges Council, nor the support of the Lilydale Township Action Group.

Counting down the days until 7 December, Bec said all she hopes for is good weather and even better vibes.

“Last year was perfect. If we can achieve last year in every capacity, in the smoothness of how it ran, in the vibe on the day, the weather on the day, the feedback after the day, just the total joy of it all, if we can replicate that, which I anticipate we can, then I’ll be really super happy.”

To enquire about volunteering, contact Bec via email at rosel.bec83@gmail.com

GRAND FAMILY ESTATE WITH DUAL LIVING ON 12.25 ACRES OF SCENIC EMERALD LAND

SET in one of Emerald’s most exclusive pockets, this stately, fully rendered brick residence delivers space, style, and flexibility on a grand scale. Melbourne, CBD is an easy hour away—yet here, you’ll feel a world apart.

From its elevated position, the home captures sweeping views across 12.25 acres of beautifully cleared land. Inside, the main residence offers four spacious bedrooms (all with WIRs), including a luxurious master suite with a superb ensuite. Multiple living zones— formal lounge and dining, family, meals, and rumpus—ensure comfort and room for the largest of families.

The gourmet timber kitchen is a chef’s delight, featuring granite benchtops and quality stainless steel appliances. Large, lightfilled windows frame the countryside views, while ducted gas heating and reverse-cycle air conditioning ensure year-round comfort.

A triple garage links the main home to the second, fully self-contained residence—ideal for extended family, guests, or even as an Airbnb income stream. Designed for complete independence, it offers two bedrooms (BIRs), a spacious living area, central kitchen, and large bathroom—all with separate utilities for ultimate privacy.

For the equestrian or hobby farmer, the property features eight fully fenced paddocks, each with water and electric fencing, plus a huge six-bay powered shed with lockable storage and hay bays. An extra-height 15m x 9m powered shed with drive-through access is perfect for trades, storage, or serious hobbies.

Outdoors, relax or entertain in the covered alfresco area, surrounded by immaculate gardens and sweeping lawns—ideal for summer cricket or family gatherings.

This is a rare opportunity to secure a premium lifestyle property just 4km from Emerald’s charming township. Grand, flexible, and beautifully maintained—homes of this calibre seldom come to market.

THE PERFECT BLEND OF HILLS LIFESTYLE

BEAUTIFULLY positioned on a tranquil nothrough road just moments from the heart of Belgrave, this exceptional property combines modern updates, flexible living options, and a true connection with nature. Set on a picturesque 1,220sqm (approx.) block with Monbulk Creek gently meandering by, it’s a home that perfectly captures the relaxed Hills lifestyle.

From the moment you arrive, the home’s striking street presence impresses - a sealed driveway, double garage, and stylish steel balustrades lead the way to a residence that is both sophisticated and welcoming.

Across two thoughtfully designed levels, this home delivers outstanding versatility. The lower level features a stunning open-plan living zone warmed by a wood fire, anchored by a gourmet kitchen showcasing Smartstone benchtops, 2-pack cabinetry, a Bosch dishwasher, gas cooktop, and stainless-steel oven. Entertain with ease thanks to the seamless flow out to a covered alfresco area and a lower deck complete with pizza oven - all overlooking lush gardens that roll down to the creek’s edge. Upstairs, the clever retention of the original kitchen (with gas cooktop, wall oven, and dishwasher) adds impressive flexibility - ideal for multi-generational living, guest accommodation, or growing families. A cosy lounge and meals area with a second wood fire and reverse-cycle heating/cooling ensures comfort year-round. Four adaptable bedrooms, two stylish bathrooms, and an additional living zone complete the layout, ensuring there’s room for everyone.

Every detail of this property reflects thoughtful design and quality living, from the inviting indoor spaces to the serene outdoor zones perfect for entertaining or simply enjoying the sounds of the creek.

Homes offering this level of versatility, privacy, and beauty are a rare find - and this one delivers it all. ●

A BRIGHT AND WELCOMING HILLS HOME

SET on a generous 1,143sqm in the heart of Selby, this well-presented three-bedroom home delivers easy living with a brilliant blend of indoor comfort and outdoor appeal. With local schools, Belgrave township, and Wellington Road all within easy reach, commuting and day-to-day convenience are a breeze.

A covered single carport leads to the tiled entry, where the bedroom wing occupies one end of the home. Here you’ll find the master bedroom with built-in robes, two additional bedrooms also with built-in robes, and an updated family bathroom featuring a floating vanity and skylight that welcomes warm natural light.

The upper level reveals a bright open-plan kitchen, living, and dining space with floating floors, large windows, and excellent yearround comfort thanks to gas ducted heating, split system, and a wood fire heater for those cool Hills nights. The kitchen includes an electric cooktop and dishwasher, while sliding doors open out to an expansive undercover entertaining area complete with an outdoor kitchen — perfect for weekend gatherings, long lunches, or simply enjoying the leafy surrounds.

Outside, the fully fenced rear yard provides plenty of space for children and pets to explore safely, while a garden shed and a second single carport add welcome practicality.

A relaxed, well-located home with great character and even better outdoor living — ready to move in and enjoy.

This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today. Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

ABright,PracticalHomewithBigBackyardAppeal.

Setona generous1,888sqm,thisinvitingthree-bedroom,one-bathroomhomeoffersspace, practicality,andrelaxedHillslivingjustmomentsfromCockatootownship.A circulardrivewayleads to asinglecarportandtheentryofthehome.Inside,thelight-filledkitchenanddiningzoneincludes anewdishwasher,900mmfreestandingelectricovenwithgasstovetop,andgreatstorage,while theadjoiningloungefeaturesfloatingfloorsandslidingdooraccesstothebackgarden.Gasducted heatingprovidesyear-roundcomfort.Downthehallwayisthemasterwithbuilt-inrobes,twofurther bedrooms(onewithrobes),anda centralbathroomwithseparatetoilet.Outdoors,theexpansive yardincludes acubbyhouse,threegardensheds,anda 20,000-litrewatertankforthegardens.A peaceful,practicalpropertywithplentyofroomtoenjoynowandpersonaliselater.

SamanthaScott M 0438680032

Private10AcrePropertyOfferingDualLiving& LifestyleIncome. Tuckedawayon10privateacres,thisdouble-brickhomedeliversspace,comfort &lifestyleinone invitingpackage.Theopen-planliving& diningareafeatures awoodheater,whilethekitchen shineswithwhitecabinetry,darkbenchtops,stainless-steelappliances,largepantry &a servery windowtotheelevatedalfrescodeckwithglassbalustrading &leafyviews.Fourbedroomsinclude amasterwithwalk-inrobe &ensuite,whilethemainbathroomservestherest.Downstairs,a huge garageoffersparkingformultiplevehiclesplusextraundercoverspaceidealforconversion.A separate2-bedroom,1-bathroomstudiowithitsownentertainingareaaddsdual-livingpotential. Theacreageblendsnaturalbush& establishedgardens,withHydrangeassupplyinglocalnurseries, multiplesheds,coolrooms,ampletankwater &double-glazedwindows.

ArchitecturalElegancewithPanoramicViews! Perchedon2,671sqminpeacefulAvonsleigh,momentsfromEmerald’stownship,schools& shops, thisstriking4-bedroom,2-bathroomhomeblendsarchitecturalflairwitheverydaycomfort &breath takingtreetop &valleyviews.A wideverandahwrapsaroundthehome,leadinginsidetosoaring ceilings,timberfloors&astunningcentralatriumthatfillsthespacewithnaturallightbyday& frames thestarsbynight.Thestylishkitchenfeaturesstonebenchtops,integratedappliances &a

outlook —perfectforrelaxedliving& entertaining.Themastersuiteenjoysverandahaccess,walk-in robe &ensuite,while 3furtherbedroomsareservicedby afamilybathroom.Freshlypainted& fitted withgasductedheating &evaporativecooling,thehomealsoincludesanundercoverentertaining area,doublegarage,carport& leafygardens —a trueHillssanctuary.

M 0438680032 AaronDay M 0407365994

‘AmberCottage’ –Charm,Light &HillsSerenityon1,012sqm Welcometo‘AmberCottage’, acharacter-filledthree-bedroom,two-bathroomhomesetona sunny1,012sqm.A shelteredverandahintroduces awarm,invitinginteriorwithpolishedfloorboards, gasductedheating,and awell-designedkitchenwithgasstovetop,integratedoven,and dishwasher.Downthehallisthefirstbedroomandupdatedfamilybathroom,whileupstairsthe masterfeaturesbuilt-inrobesandanensuite.Thethirdbedroomincludesitsownrobeandnookfor studyorplay.Freshlypaintedwithsoaring9ftceilingsandelevatedviews,thehomefeelsbright, spacious,andreadytoenjoy.Outside,a sealeddrivewayleadstoa doublecarport,under-house storage,watertank,anda fullyfencedyardwithfruittrees,a veggiepatch,andplentyofroomfor kids,pets,andevena futureshed —a charmingsliceofCockatooliving.

FAMILY ENTERTAINER IN THE HEART OF COCKATOO

TUCKED away in a peaceful pocket of Cockatoo, this beautifully presented home combines family comfort, modern functionality and exceptional outdoor living. Designed with family life and entertaining in mind, it offers generous proportions, multiple living areas and a warm, welcoming atmosphere throughout.

At the heart of the home, a spacious openplan living zone showcases a stylish kitchen with stone benchtops, quality finishes and a large butler’s pantry. The adjoining dining and lounge area is the perfect place to gather, complete with a cosy woodfire (with the added bonus of a Turboheat heating system) for the cooler months, while a separate rumpus room provides a versatile second living space to suit all ages and occasions.

Accommodation includes four generous bedrooms, with the master suite offering a private retreat featuring a walk-in robe and ensuite. The remaining bedrooms, each with built-in robes, are serviced by a sleek family bathroom, and a dedicated study provides the option for a fifth bedroom if required. Comfort is assured year-round with ducted heating and evaporative cooling. To help keep the costs down, there is an extensive solar array connect to a 9.8kwh battery.

Step outside and discover the impressive alfresco area that flows seamlessly from the main living zone, ideal for relaxed entertaining or weekend gatherings. Beyond, the inground pool and spa create a resort-style ambience, surrounded by neatly landscaped gardens and lush lawns. A double carport, large 6m x 6m shed/workshop, wood shed and additional side access add practicality and convenience to the property’s appeal.

This home offers the perfect balance of lifestyle and comfort. Just moments from local schools, shops, parks and the charming township centre, it presents an exceptional opportunity to secure a spacious, stylish home designed for modern family living.

• Justin Barrot 0438 683 781 Brittany Barry 0412 861 094

• Barry Plant Emerald – 5968 4522 ●

CHARACTER FILLED HILL HOME WITH ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

BRIMMING with charm and overflowing with opportunity, this expansive two-storey hills home offers versatility, space and unforgettable character, all in a superb Upwey location. Perfect for large families, multigenerational living, home based businesses, or those simply seeking room to grow, this property promises a lifestyle rich in comfort and flexibility.

Set across a generous block and with an inviting wrap around verandah, the home features multiple living areas and inviting entertaining spaces, providing an adaptable floorplan that can easily shift with your family’s needs. Four large bedrooms are thoughtfully positioned throughout the home, accompanied by a spacious main bathroom. The master suite includes a walk-in robe and full ensuite, offering a peaceful retreat for parents.

Large and spacious, the kitchen allows for everyday cooking with its huge amount of bench space, cupboards and practicality whilst two great dining spaces have been well designed for formal and informal gatherings.

One of the standout original features is the exquisite, pressed metal ceilings: A beautiful period detail that adds so much warmth and timeless charm.

At the rear of the property lies a beautifully tiered, landscaped garden complete with terraced flat lawns that are perfect for children, pets and outdoor gatherings. A paved entertaining area with a convenient outdoor toilet elevates alfresco living even further. This home excels when it comes to flexibility:

• A separate home office or teenage retreat includes its own modern bathroom and kitchenette, ideal for extended living requirements or business use.

• Inside the main house, a second kitchen offers options galore-use it as a galley bar or additional facilities for extended family living.

Practicality is also well covered, with a workshop, storage and plenty of off-street parking for multiple vehicles. Public transport is mere metres from the front gate, and schools and shops are just a short walk away, ensuring everyday convenience is always at hand.

With its character-filled charm, versatile spaces, and rare multi-accommodation options, this is an absolute must-see for buyers seeking a home that can adapt to their lifestyle with ease. ●

RIVERSIDE LIVING MADE EASY

DISCOVER this neat and inviting home set on a flat, low maintenance block directly across from the picturesque Yarra River. Offering a blend of comfort and convenience, this property presents a fabulous opportunity to secure a no fuss lifestyle in a sought after location.

Featuring three bedrooms plus a study, this home has been thoughtfully updated with a modern kitchen and bathroom—ready for you to move straight in and enjoy. The lightfilled interior flows effortlessly to an outdoor entertaining area complete with a fire pit, ideal for relaxed evenings with family and friends. Stay comfortable year-round with a wood fire for winter warmth and a split system for cooling in summer. Outside, you’ll find a double carport, plenty of additional parking, and a super-tidy yard complete with lock up garden shed, and a front verandah ideal for the morning cuppa's.

Situated just steps from river walking tracks and only minutes to public transport, this property will appeal to a wide range of buyers— first-home seekers, downsizers, or those looking for an easy-care lifestyle in a beautiful riverside setting.

FamilyLivingwithSpace,ViewsandConvenience

Agreatfamilyhomelovinglycaredforandlookedafterforyearsandsittingin afantasticlocation. Offeringthegrowingfamilyloadsofspacetoexploreandenjoy,thehomeoffers 3bedroomsplusan ensuiteandwalkinrobeinthemainbedroom.Plentyoflivingspacewith aseparatelounge/living roomplus aformaldiningandadditionalmealsareaandgoodsizekitchenwithamplebenchand cupboardspace.Ventureoutsideandenjoytheopenspacesittingon afantasticparcelofland of2023sqmwithbeautifulestablishedgardenswith acolourfularrayoffloweringtreesandshrubs. Adoublecarportandbiglockupgarageprovideamplecaraccommodationplusextraroom forcaravans,boats,trucksandtrailers.A greatfamilypropertythatofferssomethingforthewhole family!Greatviewsandsituatedjust ashortwalktolocalschools,shopsandtransport.

LightandBrightin aHandylocation

Ideallylocatedwithlocalschools,shopsandtransportnearbythissuperneathomeissuperbly presentedinsideandoutandwillsuitifyou’rewantingtodownsizeorfirsthomebuyerswithanthe easycarelifestyle.Offering 2bedrooms,largeopenfamily/livingareaand agoodsizekitchen/meals area,thereisnothingtodobutjustmoveinandenjoy.Outsideoffers apavedarearearyard, securelyfencedgarden,shedandcarportplustheaddedbonusofsolarpoweraswell,situatedat theendofthecourtandsetinpicturesquesemiruralsurroundingsit’stheperfectplacetoliveand enjoytherelaxedlifestyle. 25HilltopCrt,YarraJunction

DavidCarroll

595ThonemansRoad,HoddlesCreek $1,500,000 -$1,650,000

TheUltimateCountryHideawayon172Acreswitha Bonus! Arareandveryuniquelargeacreageproperty,offeringtheultimatebushgetawayinstunning surroundingsand acompleteoffgridlifestyle -sittingonapprox.172gloriousYarraValleyacres. Offering 3bedroomsallwithbuiltinrobesplusanensuiteandwalkinrobeinthemainbedroom. Thekitchenisveryimpressivewithqualityappliancesandfixturesthroughoutwithamplebenchand cupboardspaceplus aseparatemeals/diningarea.Outdoors,a hugelockupgarage,beautiful openrollinggrassedareasandacresandacresofbushtoexploreandenjoy.Boastinga fantastic rurallifestyle,thispropertyboasts averyuniquefinancialbonusofferinggenerousbiodiversitycredits offeringthenewownersa substantialfinancialincomeandbonusfortheyearsahead. Atrulyunique andspecialpropertyoffering afantasticlargeacreagerurallifestyle.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

2WaterlooAvenue,Warburton$1,260,000

AWarburtonMasterpiecewithBreathtakingViews Thisnewlybuiltexceptionalhomehasbeendesignedwithstyleandsophisticationthatwillappeal toall.Thishomefeaturespremiumefficiencythroughout,boasting a6.5starenergyrating,double glazedwindowsanddoors,lowenergyLEDlighting,andnaturalgashydronicheating.Theversatile layoutincludesfourbedroomsandthreebathrooms.Upstairs,themasterbedroomfeaturesquality carpets, alargewalkinrobe,and asumptuousensuite.Entertainerswilldelightinthekitchen,which servesasthecenterpieceofthehome.Withamplespace,stonebenchtops,seamlessandextensive cupboards,qualityappliances,anda butler’spantry.Twoadditionalbedroomsanda largefamily bathroomcompletethislevel.Downstairsoffers afabuloussetupwith adoublegaragespanning around56m², astoreroom,and astudio/bathroomwithitsownpatioandaccesstothegardens.

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

265

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

ACROSS

1 Australian tree which bears yellow flowers (6)

4 Not representative of a type or group (8)

9 Notions (5)

10 Doom (9)

11 Zest (5)

12 Offering (9)

13 Dodge (8)

15 Resident doctor (6)

16 Oppose (6)

18 Omission represented by three periods (8)

23 Opinion (9)

24 Writing material (5)

26 Result of a taipan attack; cocktail (9)

27 Sugary (5)

28 Observation (8)

29 Against (6)

DOWN

1 Complains (coll) (7)

2 Layers (5)

3 Classes (7)

5 Ditch (6)

6 Modern Iranian language

7 Skinny wind instruments (9)

8 Source of light (7)

10 Deputised group (5)

14 Dilapidation (9)

16 Amends (7)

17 Wise (7)

19 Liquid measure (5)

20 Way that has no outlet (7)

21 Impish persons (7)

22 Hanger-on (6)

25 Newspapers (5)

or

Find us along Main St Service Rd, clarke St & surrounds!

Plan your day from 9am - 3pm!

SUNDAY 7 DEC

9am - Official Opening on the Kinley Main Stage

10am - Street Parade!

10:15am - Doggy Fashion Show Judging - on the green next to the main stage

11am - Vintage Vehicle Display and exhibitions at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum

12pm - Lilydale Outdoor Pool Party begins!

12:30pm - Grab some lunch and enjoy live entertainment on the Kinley Main Stage!

1:15pm - Yarra Valley's BIGGEST Chicken Dance! Jitter Bug DiscoChildren's Zone 2pm - Time for last minute shopping!

3pm - Event officially closes

Doggo dress-ups are back

Get ready, dog lovers—your favourite furry fashion event is returning! Doggo dress-ups are back again this year with the much-loved Pups on Parade and Fashions on the Field, proudly supported by Claws n Paws Pet Supplies Montrose. It’s time to let your pooch strut their stuff and showcase their style in front of a cheering crowd at the Lilydale Street Fair.

All dogs are welcome to join their handlers for the 10am Street Parade, giving everyone the perfect opportunity to show off their fun and fashionable outfits. To get ready for the big moment, please meet the Parade Organisers at the Lilydale CFA complex at 9.45am. Once you’re prepped and primped, the parade kicks off, and the excitement rolls straight onto the green next to the Kinley Main Stage for judging at 10.15am.

There’s plenty to get tails wagging, with prizes awarded for a variety of categories, so whether your pooch rocks a hilarious costume, a glamorous ensemble, or something uniquely creative, there’s a chance to take home a win. And don’t worry— participation is completely free, making it easy for everyone to join in the fun.

To make sure the event runs smoothly and safely, organisers ask that all dogs remain on a lead at all times, and that handlers come prepared with poo bags. You can find registration forms on the event’s Facebook page @lilydalestreetfair, so be sure to sign up ahead of time and secure your place in the parade.

The Doggo Dress Ups at the Lilydale Street Fair are more than just a parade—they’re a celebration of our four-legged friends and the joy they bring to our lives. Whether you’re entering your own stylish pup or simply coming along to enjoy the adorable outfits, it’s an event sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

So polish those paws, fluff those tails, and get ready for a morning of fashion, fun, and furry festivities. We can’t wait to see you and your doggo there! Pull

Three decades in Lilydale

Nestled in the heart of Lilydale, AG Automotive has been a cornerstone of the community for over three decades.

Established in the 1980s, this family-run business began humbly in a Wandin home garage, specialising in fitting LPG systems imported from Holland.

The high standards and exceptional quality of their installations quickly earned them a stellar reputation, necessitating a move to a larger facility at 21 Industry Court in Lilydale.

Today, AG Automotive stands as a beacon of excellence in the automotive industry, offering a comprehensive range of services including automotive repairs, Vicroads inspections and certificates, and specialised services for EV/Hybrid vehicles, LPG systems, and automotive air-conditioning systems.

Their commitment to quality is evident in their use of the latest specialist equipment and employment of highly trained and skilled technicians.

One of the most respected names in the LPG industry, AG Autogas has a rich history of innovation and customer satisfaction. After a brief hiatus, the business was rejuvenated in 2006 when John, the original founder, returned to the LPG industry.

In 2017, John entrusted the leadership to David, a longtime employee, ensuring that the same high standards and dedication to excellence would continue.

AG Automotive is committed to providing great value for money, a tradition that continues with their latest offer: a 10 per cent discount for readers who mention this article. This gesture reflects their ongoing dedication to serving the community and providing topnotch automotive services. For all your servicing and customising needs, AG Automotive remains your trusted one-stop shop, delivering unparalleled service and expertise.

Tuesday 2nd December 2025, 11am to 3pm

NEWS Stable One’s key advice

By Callum Ludwig

Stable One welcomed people passionate about the plight of homeless people from around the country over the weekend for a conference on the benefits of safe, community-based shelters.

Held at Eva Burrows College in Ringwood over Friday 14 and Saturday 15 November, attendees came from Queensland, Western Australia and across Victoria who either run a winter shelter or are interested in establishing one in their community.

Stable One chief executive Katherine Kirkwood said as a small grassroots charity based in the Yarra Valley, it’s always incredible to see how far the impact of Stable One’s work has reached.

“Preparing for the event involved months of planning - coordinating presenters, preparing workshop content, gathering stories and data from across our Network, and arranging accommodation and logistics for attendees coming from interstate, there was a real sense of anticipation leading into the weekend, and I’m so pleased at how it all went,” she said.

“We had approximately 50 people attend across the Friday night and Saturday program, this included representatives from our Winter Shelter Affiliates in Frankston, Wangaratta, Bass Coast, Bendigo, Benalla, Toowoomba, Gympie and Nambour, and of course from our own Yarra Valley Winter Shelter.

“We also welcomed emerging groups exploring shelters in Bundoora, Mildura, Bunbury and Warragul and key local partners such as Anchor Community Care also attended, as well as several Stable One Board members.”

In 2025, eight winter shelters operated in over 60 partner churches, staffed by over 1300 volunteers, homing 180 guests for nearly 3500 ‘bed nights’. Two more affiliates of the Winter Shelter Network are working on starting up in 2026.

Ms Kirkwood said the diversity of the group - volunteers, pastors, welfare workers, coordina-

tors, Council representatives and community leaders - made for really good conversation, and the feedback they have received tells them that this is what participants appreciate the most.

“Connecting with others who have a similar commitment to supporting people facing homelessness, learning new ideas and exploring our differences and similarities is hugely encouraging for those who attend,” she said.

“The conference was incredibly important while each region has its own challenges and strengths, homelessness is a shared social issueand bringing people together to listen, learn and encourage one another is vital.

“The work is undeniably hard and complex,

to be with like-minded people, and to foster this sense of shared mission, helps project coordinators and volunteers feel supported - it also shows others that perhaps they can do it to.”

The conference focused on three main themes:

Hospitality and justice - Ms Kirkwood and Board Consultant Dr David Wilson reflected on the very “un-religious” and radically ordinary hospitality demonstrated by Jesus, and explored how the concept of social justice is so intricately woven throughout the bible.

Mental health and empathy - where attendees heard from Leanne Nicholson and the Opening Doors team at Anchor Community Care who pro-

vided key tips on engaging with, and caring for, those who are struggling with mental ill-health.

Restorative practice - Project Coordinator of Wang Night Shelter Di Duursma helped attendees see how conflict experienced within shelters, when addressed through the right lens, can become an opportunity for growth and healing.

Ms Kirkwood said for her, the biggest takeaway was the widespread excitement for this community-driven initiative.

“Winter Shelter isn’t a top-down program - it grows through relationships, generosity and local leadership, hearing stories from so many regions, and seeing how each shelter is making waves beyond their own community, confirmed again that this movement really is what we call a repeatable and contagious miracle,” she said.

“My hope is that more regions will feel inspired to explore establishing a Winter Shelter program in their own communities, already this year we had welcomed four new Affiliates to our Winter Shelter Network - at the Conference we announced the fifth - Nambour in Queensland.

“When a small, grass-roots Yarra Valley charity can help spark and support this kind of movement across multiple states, it really shows what’s possible when communities collaborate, I’m so proud of this good work our founder, Jenny Willetts, began back in 2017, and it’s an absolute privilege to help lead it forward.”

Attendees also broke up into small groups at different times to address relevant questions, covering topics such as mental health, the ‘alongsider’ role, volunteer management and the affiliation process with Stable One.

“It’s so uplifting to be part of a growing faith movement, knowing Shelters have a proven role in restoring hope & creating connection,” Toowoomba Winter Shelter project coordinator Helen McGrath said.

“Thank you for bringing us all together.”

Positions slashed cuts at heart of CSIRO and STEM

By Maria Millers

Protons, neutrons, electrons, fees Spin, charm, and strange, all have their place In one atom’s snug mysteries,

Ode to the Atom by John Updike: This is again the time of the year when many young school leavers are thinking of what path to take next.

In recent years there has been a concerted campaign by government encouraging students to choose STEM subjects over humanities to the detriment of humanities teaching, both in schools and universities.

Last week it was announced that the CSIRO will slash up to 350 full time jobs to address rising costs. It comes on top of more than 800 positions already made redundant in the past 18 months.

It’s understandable that many feel frustrated, or even cynical, when they see cuts to revered scientific institutions like the CSIRO and when at the same time they had been steered towards careers in science, technology and research.

First, a question stirs the quiet air, A tremor in the stillness of the mind.

A shape half-formed, a possibility That waits for evidence to make it shine. We guess—but guessing isn’t where we end. We test. We measure. Doubt becomes a friend. For only what survives the trial of truth Can be the seed from which our knowledge grows.

The Hypothesis

Despite a relatively small population, Australia has made global-scale contributions in a number of domains: medicine, materials, communications.

Think medical application of penicillin; the black box flight recorder; spray on skin for burn victims; polymer banknotes; WIFI wireless networking components and cochlear implants. One wonders how Donald Horne would have responded to the current cuts.

WOORILLA WORDS

In Donald Horne’s The Lucky Country (1964), his main argument was that Australia’s success has come largely by luck, not by the skill, intelligence, or vision of its leaders. In his usually misunderstood and misused quote that Australia is a Lucky Country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck, he argued that Australia’s elites were complacent, unimaginative and resistant to innovation.

He may well have added lacking in vision beyond the next election.

He warned that unless Australia developed better leadership, cultural maturity, and economic planning, its luck would not last.

Horne would very likely have been strongly critical of the CSIRO cuts.

He’d have interpreted them not as a financial necessity, but as a worrying sign that the country is failing to invest in its future intellectual and scientific capacity and in its youth.

He would despair to see Australia relying again on its natural “luck,” instead of building the deep, resilient institutions that can sustain longterm national development.

He might even have changed his ironic ‘Lucky Country’ view of Australia to a blunter assessment of it being a Stupid Country that continues to follow short term goals at the expense of future generations.

Harsh as it sounds, we are indeed stupid to accept an economic model that relies heavily on exporting raw minerals we dig out of the ground, shipping them to where they are value added and

then returned to us at a high price.

So we export iron ore rather than steel, lithium concentrate rather than batteries, raw agricultural products rather than manufactured food and gas for which we end up paying through the nose for the refined products.

Meanwhile our best and brightest follow that well-worn path to countries where their talents are welcomed.

What’s happening is better understood as a long-running tension between political priorities and investment in science, innovation, and other long-term planning.

Even before the cuts we were employing fewer people in STEM manufacturing and research than other comparable countries.

So what incentive is there for young school leavers to aspire to science and research?

In the crucible of time, Where elements collide and combine,

The catalyst of change whispers,

And new paths unfold

The Catalyst:

Moreover we are at the whim of what happens overseas and the health of budgets no matter what party is in power, is dictated by what we get for our raw materials.

Add to that the unhealthy presence of lobbyists from resource companies lurking in the corridors of our Parliament looking for favourable treatment from our elected representatives.

So when money tightens that’s when governments panic and start cutting back, Invariably, the first casualties are science, higher education, welfare and of course research.

There are few votes in research.

This vicious cycle has been repeated under multiple governments of both major parties.

And those newly minted school leavers struggling with decisions of what career path to follow may consider that we employ fewer people in STEM manufacturing and advance d technology than other countries.

It seems strange why we have managed our bountiful resources in such a profligate way and

become captive to a cycle that repeats time and time again.

This aligns with Horne’s warning about overreliance on what is immediately profitable or politically expedient, rather than building a mature, intellectually resilient nation.

And yet other resource rich countries have taken a different path.

When North Sea oil wealth was discovered, Norway established a sovereign wealth fund to channel surplus revenues into long-term savings rather than immediate consumption.

This allows its citizens a high standard of living without being exposed to volatile resource pricing.

Norway can afford to deliver strong public services in health, education, welfare, pensions.

Botswana was once among the world’s poorest nations but since Independence in 1966 as the world’s largest diamond producer has channelled the diamond revenue into education, healthcare, infrastructure, rather than purely consumption. It has had current account surpluses over long periods and has transformed itself into a middle income nation.

A great example where the resource sector has not been allowed to distort politics or the economy.

This is directly in line with Horne’s belief that real national leadership should recognise that institutions like CSIRO are not just a line item — they are foundational to Australia’s future.

This keeps Australia dependent on exporting dirt while importing expensive finished goods — the opposite of how advanced economies build wealth.

This aligns with Horne’s warning about overreliance on what is immediately profitable or politically expedient, rather than building a mature, intellectually resilient nation.

The cuts should not be seen just as cost-cutting, but as symptomatic of a broader strategic failure: not enough investment in institutions that matter.

And a dereliction of duty to the next generation.

BUSHFIRE PREPAREDNESS Preparing for fire season

By Gabriella Vukman

With the arrival of a bushfire season that is forecast to be particularly potent in the Yarra Ranges, preparation is key to protecting the local area and its people.

While each region of the Yarra Ranges is affected differently by bushfire and therefore has its own set of actions specific to each individual landscape, there are some universal initiatives that can be taken by all residents to preserve their own safety, as well as that of the local area. Have a Bushfire Plan

When it comes to preparing for fire season, it is common knowledge that it is better to get out as early as possible. But what do you do if you don’t have much warning?

According to the Country Fire Authority, a bushfire plan should answer the following questions;

1. Which Fire Danger Rating is your trigger to leave?

2. Will you leave early that morning or the night before?

3. Where will you go?

4. What route will you take - and what is your alternative in the event that a fire is already in the area?

5. What will you take with you?

6. What do you need to organise for your pets and livestock?

7. Who do you need to keep informed of your movements?

8. Is there anyone outside your household who you need to help or check up on?

9. How will you stay informed about warnings and updates?

10. What will you do if there is a fire in the area and you cannot leave?

Vice President of the Millgrove Residents Action Group Phil Pomaroff said, “bushfire preparedness is having your plan, and these days the advice is to have a resilient property plan, but also that you have a ready-to-go-box with items such as a battery operated radio, key documents and key information.”

“You should leave as early as you can. You sometimes don’t get a lot of notice about fire advancements or the change of wind directions that can occur. So having a simple plan to get out as soon as possible and keep aware of what’s going on is important,” he said.

Mr Pomeroff also suggested that residents download the VicEmergency Application on their phones.

What To Do With Pets

No one likes to think about what to do with their pets in the case of a bushfire, so Community Safety Coordinator at the Kalorama CFA, Virginia Porter, has done the thinking for the community.

Focusing on dogs, Ms Porter wishes to prompt the community to plan where they will go and what they will do with their pets on days with severe fire warnings.

Finding that many people feel as though they cannot leave the area, due to having pets, Ms Porter sought to address this issue.

“What we found is that a lot of people won’t leave because they can’t take their dogs with them,” Ms Porter said.

“We want to make sure everyone can leave, as soon as possible, before a fire strikes. We want people to leave on an extreme or a catastrophic day when there’s no fire in the area so that they’re out before something happens.

“Especially up in the Dandenongs, if a fire starts up there on one of those days, it’s going to impact people very, very quickly. So we want their plans to be that they’re going to leave before there is a fire.”

Ms Porter has compiled a list of dog-friendly activities and places to visit on extreme fire danger days.

“There’s dog-friendly cafes, there’s dogfriendly pubs and bars, breweries, there’s paths and beaches that you can take them to,” she said.

“You can take your dog to work with you, if you have that discussion with your employer beforehand.

“You can go down to Studley Park Boathouse, hire a rowboat and take your dog for a row on the Yarra River. There are whole sections of dogfriendly shops in South Yarra and all sorts of different things people can do.”

Ms Porter’s list of dog-friendly destinations in-

cludes parks and beaches, various activities, dogfriendly accommodation, cafes, breweries, shops, pubs and bars.

The full list can be found on the Kalorama Fire Brigade’s Facebook page.

In terms of other pets, Ms Porter suggests purchasing carriers for cats and other small animals, and securing access to large open areas with water sources for livestock and larger animals.

Making Your Home More Fire Resilient

While property owners are always advised to leave in the instance of a fire, there are ways to mitigate fire damage to property.

First among Vice President of Millgrove Residents’ Action Group Phill Pomeroff’s list of property protection types is guttering.

“You have got to install fire guards in your guttering. That is priority number one,” he said.

“Most fires occur through ember attack, so the fire might be five kilometres from you, but the embers can fly over, and if they get into your roof or under your house, they can start their own fire.

“It is essential to have your roof protected from anything getting into it, which can be done with guttering, but it is also important to have venting and guards to protect underneath the house, through allowing air to flow and stop the embers from getting in.”

Ensuring gardens, wood and trees are cut back from, and moved away from the house is another suggestion of Mr Pomeroff’s.

Member of Healesville Community Emergency Group, Graeme George, suggested other actions on top of fuel reduction for rural areas outside of townships.

The Healesville Community Emergency Group has created a plan for whole landscapes that takes weather patterns and terrain into account.

The plan recommends a tripartite approach to the mitigation of impacts from fire, including fuel reduction, the protection of forests that are regenerating and landscape modifications that slow wind speeds, provide heat shields and trap embers to protect assets.

Mr George told the Star Mail in October, “We live in a very fire-prone environment, but our problem now with climate change is that fires are more frequent, they’re more intense, and in combination with past logging practices and prescription burning, there’s too much fire in the landscape and it’s doing too much long-term damage to ecosystem resilience.”

“The critical amount of fuel is the fuel within 100 metres of an asset. Houses are most likely to burn down if there’s fuel within 100 metres of them,” Mr George said.

Finding that the risk of fast-moving fires on open farming landscapes where original tree covers have been removed has been overlooked, the Healesville Community Emergency Group’s Bushfire Mitigation Plan recommends the installation of wind breaks on open landscapes.

Situated away from assets, these windbreaks can be formed from native vegetation and, along with slowing strong winds, can double as habitats for local wildlife.

Mr George said, “there’s shelter belts that can be designed with a slope to them so they can lift the wind over assets that you want to protect, such as livestock in a refuge paddock, or a house or other farm infrastructure.”

“The shelter belts need to be species that are less flammable than our native vegetation, which

means moving away from the stringy barks, pine trees, conifers and tea trees, which can lift the fire into the canopy very quickly,” he said.

According to Mr George, keeping paddocks closely grazed is another action landowners can take to mitigate bushfire damage.

When it comes to bushfire preparedness and protection, Mr George insisted that the community is key.

“The government and the CFA’s approach to making communities safer is that community involvement is critical to getting good outcomes,” Mr George said.

“We can’t rely on agencies to do all the work for us. The community has to get behind it, they’ve got to support the agencies, and particularly landowners have got to do their bit.”

Mr George encourages locals to go along to the Healesville Community Emergency Group’s meetings, attend events such as forums and trivia nights and help out.

BUSHFIRE PREPAREDNESS

Keeping up with the literature and being in touch with the local fire brigade were also among Mr George’s recommendations.

Chair of the Kalorama Mount Dandenong Fuel Management Group, Virginia Porter, noted that when it comes to property maintenance, it is important that everyone takes responsibility for their own property, for themselves and for the sake of their neighbours and local community.

According to Ms Porter, efforts that individuals need to implement include maintaining their properties and creating their fire plan.

Ms Porter said, “What we’re telling people in Kalorama and Mount Dandenong might differ from what people are being told in Sassafras and Ferny Creek, so they need to go to their local brigades. And most of the local brigades that I know of are having community events in the lead up to summer.”

“Kalorama-Mount Dandenong Brigade actually has a service called Property Advice Visits where trained people will go out and walk around the property with the property owner and give them advice on what they need to do.”

The Kalorama Mount Dandenong Fuel Management Group meets every second month and will be hosting drop-in sessions where the community can bring their fire plans in for discussion.

Ms Porter said, “We’re also always looking for people who are keen to come along and give us a

to do with your kids and your dogs and your animals and horses or whatever you’ve got.”

“The CFA guys are always happy to talk and help out, so people should really go and make use of that.”

According to Chair of the Kalorama and Mount Dandenong Fuel Management Group, Virginia Porter said, “What we’re telling people in Kalorama and Mount Dandenong might differ from what people are being told in Sassafras and Ferny Creek, so they need to go to their local brigades.”

“And most of the local CFAs are having community events in the lead up to summer.

“Kalorama-Mount Dandenong Brigade actually has a service called Property Advice Visits where trained people will go out and walk around the property with the property owner and give them advice on what they need to do.”

Environmental Scientist Graeme Lorimer confirmed that every location in the Yarra Ranges is affected by fire differently.

“Each particular location has its own unique aspects and vegetation, and subsequently, needs to be considered on its own merits,” he said.

“There is a lot of online information that can guide people so that they get more specific information that’s tailored to them.”

Mr Lorimer used Montrose environmental features as an example.

“In Montrose, there are north-facing steep slopes, there are south-facing slopes, there are urban areas, there are larger properties, including some of the ones that got burnt last March and each of them has different requirements,” Mr Lorimer said.

“Everybody though, should be paying attention to what the official guidance is for a property like theirs and they need to be aware that things are changing almost year by year, not just because each season is different from the last but because climate change has completely changed the way that we have to manage bushfires.”

The Yarra Ranges - A Changing Landscape Mr Lorimer noted that new weather patterns are among the effects of climate change, and alter the patterns of bushfire.

“Going back 20 years ago in Montrose, we’d always say you need to be principally concerned about the strong northerly winds after a very dry period, and also the south westerly change after one of those northerly winds so you should be looking to your north, particularly and looking to your southwest,” Mr Lorimer said.

“Now we get really strong winds from the northeast and that’s changing. Almost yearly, we’re seeing a trend towards different wind directions, such as more winds like over recent weeks.”

“We have had so much more strong wind than historically and fuels are changing, vegetation is changing in response to climate change, and so people need to be alert, firstly to what the guidance is online from the authorities like the CFA and CSIRO but they also need to keep up to date and understand how things are changing.”

Professor in Bushfire Behaviour Trent Penman noted that climate change is already negatively impacting ecosystems and could lead to increased risk of fire and severe weather.

Chair of the Kalorama Mount Dandenong Fuel Management Group, Virginia Porter noted that all kinds of people have attended the VR workshops thus far.

“We have had new residents, people with young families, empty nesters, and some experts who had been in the CFA for over 55 years attend sessions.

“At the beginning, I was a bit concerned about how these different participants would find the workshops, but so far, most people have come away going ‘wow,’” Ms Porter said.

“Everyone that we’ve put through the session so far has said that they will be going away and reviewing their bushfire plan, so it’s got them all thinking, which is amazing.”

The program’s main message is not just about having a good plan.

Ms Porter said, “The sessions are also about how one’s ideas, judgement and mindset can change under pressure.”

“The program is terrific and it is going to save lives,” Ms Porter said.

The Virtual Reality program is funded by a foundation and was created by x and y, who have experienced the devastation of bushfires firsthand during Black Saturday.

Ms Porter hopes that the program will soon be taken up by local CFAs and other community groups.

“I would like to see this virtual reality program embraced across the board in the future because after the first session we had, it was clear that everybody living in a bushfire area needs to do this,” Ms Porter said.

“We have had virtual reality for things like gaming for ages. We should have been doing this years ago. It is good we are catching up now.

“It’s great that there is funding to do this because it is a really expensive process to put together.”

Tecoma local and mother of two Tanya Steele shared her perception of the immersive fire experience.

Tanya’s Experience

“I’m a 41-year-old, with two kids, two cats and a partner, living in Tecoma. I grew up in a town in the north west of WA, so I have memories of getting ready for potential cyclones every year - luckily, my town was never hit too badly, but I have a healthy respect for the weather,” Tanya said.

“I wasn’t prepared to think about some of the questions in the workshop, but they were vital ones, like who would be likely to take charge in an emergency.

“I couldn’t quite get my head around why people would want to stay to defend a property, my family’s plan has always been to leave.

“But hearing and experiencing the realities of how quickly fire can move - I now think we really need to get off the mountain first thing in the morning.”

Tanya said the VR itself wasn’t super realistic, but it was enough, and that she could hear a radio playing and a family and other background noise.

“What struck me about it was the increase in volume, embers hitting the roof and the wind picking up; it really bothered me,” Tanya said.

hand when we need it.“

Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Director Forest and Fire Operations for Port Phillip Region, Tamara Beckett, noted that the responsibility of fire preparation and risk management does not fall on home-owners alone.

Along with property maintenance such as trimming trees, keeping up to date with information and having a fire plan, Ms Beckett said, “Businesses, community organisations and agencies all need to work in tandem to prepare and minimise risk.”

The installation of water sprinklers on roofs is also highly recommended.

Check in With Your Local CFA

Due to the varying topography, flora and fauna, and climates of the Yarra Ranges, there are specific fire preparedness and risk mitigation practices that are suggested for individual suburbs.

Member of the Warburton Emergency Planning Group Gordon Buller said, “The best advice I can give the local community in terms of bushfire preparedness is to chat to their local CFAs and go to their open days.”

“They have got heaps of written information that you can take home in the form of a handful of brochures,” Mr Buller said.

“They have got all the information you need on how to prepare your house, how to prepare yourself, how to leave early and what to take, what

“We really need to have some hard conversations about what environments we are wanting to keep around in the future and what that means for fire,” he said.

“If there’s species or ecosystems that are under severe threat from climate change, and the interaction with fire, will the state invest in protecting those, or will we have to accept that there are communities that are not going to be viable under climate change. If so, should we place our efforts elsewhere?”

New Technology and Local Bushfire Preparedness Events

Virtual reality (VR) has been brought to the Yarra Ranges, and features among new technologies designed to assist bushfire preparedness.

The VR program runs as a series of two-hour, free immersive workshops and provides an opportunity to strengthen emotional preparedness, sharpen decision-making under pressure, and help protect local neighbourhoods this fire season.

Participantsansweraseriesofquestionsabout household emergency planning and preparedness before donning a heat jacket and VR headset equipped with noise-cancelling headphones.

Titled Heat of the Moment, the virtual reality experience aims to prompt participants to think about their action plans in the case of a fire.

The Kalorama-Mount Dandenong Fuel Management Group is the first community group to try out the new fire safety technology, and the response has been positive.

“I know now to be aware that noise is a major stress trigger for me.

“Watching the scenario and hearing the family interact, become stressed and try to leave - I hadn’t considered how everyone’s stressed versions of themselves could really slow down leaving. I found myself panicking a little for them. Why weren’t they gone already?

“I want to go through it with my family properly and do a rehearsal, so they know and so they can help on the day.”

Tanya said the experience of it will stay with her and it has given her a healthy respect for getting prepared.

“I am trying to think about my bushfire plan and practice as kind of like a first aid course. We’ll practice, refresh regularly and hope we’ll never have to use it, but when you do, perhaps it will be automatic,” Tanya said.

“I would also like to know what my neighbours will do and let them know what we plan to do.”

Anyone can attend the VR sessions and the next three are scheduled to take place at the Fernlea Community House at 356 Belgrave-Gembrook Road in Emerald.

The dates for the upcoming sessions are: Tuesday, 25 Nov 2pm to 4pm.

Sessions are free and there are twelve spots available per session.

Register at www.ibe.org.au/sign-up-consent

For more information on bushfire preparedness, visit the Country Fire Authority and the Yarra Ranges Council websites.

A second chance

By Mark Menze

As the year winds down and calendars fill up, it can be hard to find time for the things that really matter.

That’s why Animal Aid Coldstream is opening its doors after hours on Friday 28 November, giving the community a chance to meet the animals waiting for a second chance, at a time that works.

From 4.30pm to 7.30pm, the Coldstream shelter will host a Twilight Adoption Evening, inviting locals to discover the joy of adoption in a calm, early evening setting.

With shelters at capacity and kitten season already in full swing, this event is about making

aid Animal

Mark Menze Animal Aid CEO

it easier for good people to meet great animals, and maybe take one home.

There’ll be free microchipping, practical advice from our vets and trainers, adoption spe-

cials, and some tasty food and sweet treats on offer.

You can even bring your own friendly, vaccinated dog along to meet a potential new mate. If adoption has been on your mind but hard to fit in, this is your chance.

The team will be there to help you find the right fit - no pressure, just genuine conversations and real opportunities to open your home to a new furry family member.

Twilight events will also run in Sale and Bairnsdale.

Twilight Adoptions: Friday 28 November | Coldstream Shelter open until 7.30pm.

CPP Community Theatre

Cosi Set in a psychiatric facility, Cosi is a play about friendship, romance, community and difference. It’s 1971 and Australia is protesting the war in Vietnam.

But inside the facility, the resident patients are listening to Mozart, learning their lines and occasionally skipping their medication - it’s art, it’s mayhem.

It’s a wonderful roller coaster all the way to opening might.

CPP Community Theatre will be holding an information night, where you can come along to meet the director, hear about the vision for the production, partake in some readings of the script and sign up for an audition.

It’s highly recommended that you attend if you are interested in auditioning for Cosi, as this is the start of the Company’s audition process.

Even if you are not planning to audition, come along anyway – there are plenty of other ways to get involved.

Information Night:

• Tuesday 25 November at 8pm (doors open from 7.30pm).

The Factory – 71 Bayfield Road East Bayswater.

Auditions:

• Sunday 30 November 30.

• Tuesday 2 December.

• By appointment only – You will have an opportunity to book an audition at the Company’s information night.

• Please note, for this production the Company will be looking to cast those aged 18 years and over.

Performances:

• April 10 – 18 2026.

Inquiries:

The Information Night, or have any further questions, if you are unable to attend and have any further questions, please email auditions@cppcommunitytheatre.com.au.

Burrinja Art Fair:

Join us for a vibrant day of art, music, food and community as Burrinja transforms into a festive marketplace celebrating local activity.

This special event is set to be unmissable, perfect for families, friends, and anyone who loves handmade, original art.

Wander through Burrinja and explore more than 40 artisan stalls, take part in hands-on activities, enjoy live music performances, and discover unique gifts – all lovingly created by local makers.

No imports. No mass production, just true artisan craft.

The perfect place for Christmas gifts. Every stall is unique – making this ideal opportunity to find something special for a loved one or to spoil yourself.

• When: Sunday 6 December 10.30am – 4pm.

How wicked was it?

For Good Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

Rated M

3.5/5

Wicked: For Good, the second part of John Chu’s epic film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, won’t win over nonfans (largely due to the messy plot), but For Good will delight fans for the same wellacted, beautifully-produced reasons as last year’s Part One.

Erivo is still a sensitive, commanding force as Elphaba, a freedom fighter branded a public enemy by Oz, and Grande is a ditz of deep pathos as Glinda, a beloved public figure in a regime she secretly abhors. The musical numbers are joyful and lavishly-staged, the art direction is still stunning, and For Good has a darker, more mature tone.

The oppression of Oz’s talking animals is a major focus in the first Wicked film but almost an afterthought here. I felt little sympathy for Elphaba’s sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who strips the Munchkins of their rights out of spurned love, and as a dictator who supports (albeit reluctantly) a worse dictator, I can’t shake the impression that Nessarose is essentially Oz’s Mussolini. A contrived love triangle emerges between Elphaba, Glinda and Captain Fiero (Jonathan Bailey) in the rushed third act, along with an incredibly obvious twist about Elphaba’s origins, and even with the bad guys deposed and displaced in the end, it troubles me that Glinda retains her power and prestige by preserving the oppressors’ deceptive narrative.

Moreover, much like that mediocre Dark Tower movie from 2017, For Good is less interesting when it draws directly from L. Frank Baum’s novel and the 1933 Wizard of Oz film, with cameos from Dorothy (whose face is never shown) and a poignant but inconsequential subplot about the creation of her companions.

Lively, vibrant and moving but sloppilyplotted, Wicked: For Good is like the title – good, not great – and is playing in most Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Grit, Soul and Musical Alchemy – Tex Perkins and Matt Walker

Two of Australia’s most revered musicians unite for a raw, powerful live show, blending new material, timeless covers, and iconic classics. Tex Perkins has been around for a while now, The Beasts. The Cruel Sea, The Dark Horses, The Man In Black, to name a few.

Tex has built his reputation on a restless sense of adventure, an ability to evolve and adapt, a dark sense of humour, and a knack of teaming up with uniquely talented players who help to bring out the best in him.

Matt Walker is one such player, long established as a respected singer-songwriter and much sought after guitarist.

He’s worked wit many great people over his 30-year career.

Tex and Matt finally released the self-titled album Tex Perkins and The Fat Rubber Bad in QQAQ while they wrote and produced together, and was followed by the band’s second album, Other World, in 2023.

• Season: Saturday 29 November at 8pm.

1.

2. The proposed upgrade will consist of:

• Replace of existing antenna shroud with new shroud;

• Replacement of three (3) existing Optus/Vodafone panel antennas with three (3) new Optus/Vodafone panel antennas (each not more than 2.8m in length);

• Installation of twelve (12) new Remote Radio Units (RRUs);

• Installation, relocation and removal of ancillary equipment, including GPS antennas, mounts, feeders, cabling, combiners, and other associated equipment; and

• Internal works within the existing equipment shelter.

3. In accordance with Section 7 of the Industry Code C564:2025 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment, we invite you to make comments about the proposal.

Please direct comments to Vanessa Wan at 0447 240 015 or via email at Optus.submissions@servicestream.com.au or via post at Level 3, Tower B, Zenith Centre, 821 Pacific Highway, Chatswood NSW 2067 by 5pm, Wednesday 10 December 2025. For more information about the proposal, scan the QR Code or

Partnership sees record

By Les Hutchings

The First XI were at home on Alan Smith Oval, Pinks Reserve against Warranwood in the Wilkins Cup competition. On day two, Kilsyth resumed on 5/76 off 27 overs chasing Warranwood’s score of 193. Runs were difficult to come by with Warranwood’s tight bowling restricting the scoring. The sixth wicket fell on 90 in the 37th over when night watchman Lahiru Randeepa was caught behind by Xavier Farrell off fast bowler Jake Gilbert for an important 1 off 59 balls. At the drinks break, Kilsyth had crept to 6/115 after 45 overs, with Will Beard on 19 not out and Sagar Ahir 17 not out. After drinks, they continued on, eventually adding 55 for the 7th wicket, the highest partnership of the entire match. At this point, Sagar Ahir was brilliantly stumped by Xavier Farrell for 26 from 48 balls (4 fours and 1 six), off opening bowler Cody Marshall. The Redbacks were now 7/145 off 54 overs with Will Beard on 36 not out. Beard brought up his 50 off 164 balls and was slowly but surely inching Kilsyth closer to the target. Soon after, the 8th wicket fell on 168 in the 69th over. Isuru Umesh had contributed a valuable 8 off 42 balls (1 four), before being caught behind by Xavier Farrell off Jake Gilbert. Then another wicket, LBW to medium pacer Glyn James and Kilsyth were 9/175, needing another 19 runs to win for the last wicket. New batsman Nuwan Sampath batted well in the circumstances and the score reached 9/184 after 74 overs with Sampath on 5*. Then on the second ball of the next over, Gilbert had Sampath well caught in the slips but the umpire had called a foot no ball and Sampath survived. Then, on the last ball of the same over, Sampath struck a boundary and Kilsyth were now 9/189 off 75 overs. In the following over, Will Beard cut a boundary off the fourth ball to level the scores on 193. Then Sampath struck the last ball of the 77th over towards the midwicket boundary and the batsmen ran one to give Kilsyth victory by one wicket in an incredible game of cricket. Will Beard finished on 59 not out off 184 balls (7 fours), and Nuwan Sampath 10 not out off 19 balls (1 four).

For Warranwood, Captain Jake Gilbert bowled his heart out, delivering 28 overs of blistering pace, 8 maidens, and taking 4/79, well supported by Cody Marshall, 14 overs (2 maidens) 3/51, and Glyn James 23 overs (8 maidens) 2/43. Spinner Robert Sayer also bowled with great economy to keep the pressure on, sending down 8 overs and yielding only 5 runs with 6 maidens.

The Second XI resumed their match against Warranwood at Quambee Reserve, Number 1 Oval after amassing 4/287 on day one. Warranwood batted all day to finish on 4/289 off 74.5 overs and claim the win. Mark Farrell played a masterly innings of 129 not out off 227 balls (13 fours), and received good support from Captain Daniel Turner, who scored 40 off 33 balls (8 fours), Nathan Lingwood 40 off 81 balls (4 fours), Lachie Pitt 31 off 58 balls (4 fours), Luke Johnson 21 off 34 balls (3 fours), and Alan Love 17* off 17 balls (1 four and 1 six). Kilsyth had four individual wicket

takers, Max Wills 1/25 off 6 overs (2 maidens), Ryan Tooth 1/13 off 2 overs, Tim Asbury 1/36 off 7 overs (1 maiden), and Matthew Youngb1/46 off 14 overs (3 maidens).

The Third XI continued their two-day game against Croydon Ranges at Roy Baldwin Oval, Pinks Reserve. Croydon Ranges resumed on 1/11 off 8 overs chasing Kilsyth’s score of 219. In the 22 nd over, with the score on 38, Matthew Burgess broke through to take the second wicket after Mark Unternahrer took a diving catch at first slip. Then Unternahrer trapped Daniel Moody LBW for 30 off 72 balls (5 fours), and Ranges were 3/49 after 25 overs. Two wickets fell on 61 with the first two balls of Mark Unternahrer’s fourth over, both bowled, to give him 3 wickets in four balls. The sixth wicket fell on 62 when Russell Hutchings took a regulation catch at silly mid-on off Matthew Burgess. Then David Payne, who had scored 27 off 29 balls (6 fours), was bowled by Mark Unternahrer and Croydon Ranges were now 7/76 in the 33rd over. With the score on 98, Tait Harper picked up the 8th and 9th wickets resulting from a good catch by Matt Harper at cover and a sharp catch by Robert Hutchings at short cover. Spinner Matthew Smith claimed the last wicket, stumped by Anthony Cook to see Croydon Ranges all out for 109 of 47 overs. Daniel Gauci remained 18* off 57 balls (3 fours). For Kilsyth, Mark Unternahrer took 4/22 off 11 overs (2 maidens), Matthew Burgess 3/34 off 16 overs (7 maidens), Tait Harper 2/9 off 6 overs (3 maidens), and Matthew Smith 1/11 off 3 overs.

Following the tea break, Kilsyth, with a lead of 110 on the first innings, enforced the follow-on. However, the game was called off after 19 overs with Croydon Ranges 2/63 in their second innings. Ranges’ batsman Joshua Torney was 40* off 43 balls (7 fours). Kilsyth’s Matthew Burgess took 1/8 off 6 overs (4 maidens), and Russell Hutchings achieved a run out with a good throw to

’keeper Anthony Cook.

The Fourth XI continued their split innings two-day match against third-placed Warrandyte at Warrandyte High School. Kilsyth commenced their second split on 5/102 off 36 overs in reply to Warrandyte’s first split of 4/185. However, the Redbacks were all out for 181 in 55.5 overs. Geoff Kennedy scored 32 (3 fours), Mark Sfiligoj scored 31 (5 fours), Ryan Kaal 30 (6 fours), and Greg Gommers 23 (3 fours and 1 six). Cooper Winter captured 3/56 off 15 overs (4 maidens), Harry Marshall 2/37 off 14 overs (2 maidens), Ben Trayford 2/3 off 2.5 overs, and Neil Ganju 1/16 off 4 overs (1 maiden). Warrandyte then continued their innings finishing on 5/289 off 50 overs when the game was called off at the tea break. Tom Ellis scored 40 (7 fours and 1 six), Tim Dixon 38 (6 fours), Sean Dixon 28 (1 four and 4 sixes), Noah Butcher 37 (3 fours), Mark Butcher 96* (10 fours and 3 sixes), and Scott Brimelow 22* (2 fours and 2 sixes). Wicket takers for Kilsyth were Shaun Goodwin 2/38 and Brodie Goodwin 2/69. The Fifth XI played at home against Templeton at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bowl. Making their senior debuts were three Under 12 players: Zion Solomons, Aiden Nicoll and Ryder Pahi. Vermont won the toss and elected to bowl with Kilsyth being dismissed for 122 off 27.1 overs. Kilsyth’s main run getters were Ben Nicoll with 29 off 38 balls (4 fours), Shane Smith 20 off 15 balls (4 fours), and Louis Potter 16* off 36 balls (1 four). Vermont’s multiple wicket takers were Nomin Mawaththa 3/6 off 2.1 overs (1 maiden), Ishaan Deshpande, 3/27 off 3 overs, and Maanas Boddu 2/16 off 2 overs. Vermont passed Kilsyth’s score for the loss of one wicket, finishing on 1/127 off 17.5 overs. Quinlan Doddrell top scored with 50 retired not out off 49 balls (4 fours), and Oliver Retchford was 49* off 45 balls (1 four and 2 sixes). Eleven-yearold Zion Solomons opened the bowling and took

his first senior wicket (1/27 off 5 overs, 1 maiden). On Sunday, the Women’s First XI played at home against the undefeated Montrose for the second time this season. Kilsyth were missing the three Gibbs sisters for this match, so it was going to be a challenging assignment. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat. In a sensational start, opening bowler Jacinta Goodger-Chandler claimed two wickets with her first two balls of the match (both bowled), to have the Redbacks reeling at 2/0. It was soon 3/10, 4/15 and 5/21 after 5.3 overs with Goodger-Chandler snaring two more wickets (bowled and LBW), and Zara Close one wicket (bowled). This brought Avanthi Jayawickrema to the crease to join Tegan Unternahrer. By drinks, they had taken the score to 5/79 off 18 overs with Jayawickrema 31* off 37 balls and Unternahrer 18* off 40 balls. At the compulsory closure after 36 overs, the score had reached 5/161 and they had shared a Club record unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 140. Avanthi Jayawickrema was 81 not out off 94 balls (14 fours), and Tegan Unternharer 31* off 90 balls (3 fours). Jacinta Goodger-Chandler was the standout bowler, taking 4/6 off 7 overs (2 maidens), and Zara Close took 1/31 off 7 overs (1 maiden).

A 64-run opening partnership off 13.3 overs between Charotte Stevens and Jacinta GoodgerChandler got Montrose off to a great start before Stevens was bowled by Courtney Anderson for 26 off 47 balls (2 fours). The second wicket fell on 92 in the 22nd over, caught behind by Avanthi Jayawickrema off the bowling of Ashleigh Katoa. It was 3/146 after 29.3 overs when Belinda Hutchings took a good catch running in at cover to dismiss Kaitlyn Kile for 18 off 20 balls (2 fours) from the pace bowling of Georgia Smith. However, Montrose reached 3/162 off 31.3 overs to win the game after Jacinta Goodger-Chandler hit 3 consecutive boundaries to finish on an unlucky 99 not out off 89 balls (15 fours). The single wicket takers for Kilsyth were Georgia Smith 1/13 off 4 overs, Ashleigh Katoa 1/29 off 6 overs, and Courtney Anderson 1/30 off 5 overs. After seven rounds, Kilsyth’s Women’s team are fourth on the B Grade ladder.

Solomons slams 76 off 29 balls in T20 match

By Les Hutchings

Last Tuesday, Kilsyth Cricket Club played Warranwood at Quambee Reserve Main Oval in Round Four of the RDCA T20 Tournament.

It was the second match within a week for these two teams who also played in a two-day match in the Wilkins Cup competition. Warranwood won the toss and elected to bat. The Sharks got off to a flying start before the first wicket fell on 23 after 2.4 overs. Charlie Moore was the batsman out for a quick fire 20 off 13 balls, after skying an attempted big hit to mid-on and was well caught by Tim Asbury off the bowling of Isuru Umesh.

The score then raced to 1/66 off six overs and Warranwood looked like posting a huge score. Then Joshua Thomas was bowled by Sagar Ahir for 13 off 10 balls at the end of the seventh over and the Sharks were now 2/71.

From there, Kilsyth managed to put a brake on the scoring through good bowling and after 13 overs, Warranwood were 2/96. Opener Xavier Farrell was the third wicket to fall for a brisk 52 off 39 balls (six fours and two sixes), caught by

Tim Asbury who took another skied catch off Isuru Umesh’s first ball of a new spell. Warranwood were now 3/96 after 13.1 overs. It was soon 4/104 off 14.2 overs when Nathan Lingwood was caught behind by Will Beard off the bowling of Andy Solomons for 11 off 21 balls.

Neale Brown was then well caught by Andy Solomons at long off from the bowling of Dylan Smith for 17 off 12 balls, and the score was now 5/119 after 17 overs. In the next over, Andy Solomons picked up two more wickets on 119, (caught and bowled, and bowled), and Kilsyth had gained the ascendancy. Then, on the last ball of the innings, Will Beard took his second catch behind the stumps with Isuru Umesh claiming his third wicket and Warranwood finished on 8/132cc off their allotted 20 overs. For Kilsyth, opening bowler Isuru Umesh captured 3/22, Andy Solomons 3/21 and Dylan Smith 1/25 (all off four overs each), whilst spinner Pasan Ganegoda bowled economically and without luck to finish with 0/15 off his four overs. In the field, Andy Solomons, Tim Asbury and wicket keeper Will Beard all took two catches each.

Kilsyth set about the run chase positively, with 21 runs coming off the first two overs. In the third over, Luke Ivanovic was the first wicket to fall, well caught by Mitchell Caspersz off the bowling of Cody Marshall for 14 off 11 balls. This brought Andy Solomons to the crease and after playing two dot balls, he proceeded to hit the next two balls for consecutive sixes.

From there, the momentum continued with Solomons bringing up his 50 from 18 deliveries (six fours and four sixes). His partnership with Jack Childs was a classic and Kilsyth equalled Warranwood’s score of 132 in 9.4 overs.

Then, unexpectedly, Solomons was bowled by Ayden Robinson when the ball nicked the bail. Solomons had played a brilliant innings of 76 off 29 balls (six fours, eight sixes and four singles). In the next over, Jack Childs scored the winning run to be 29 not out off 24 balls, and his second wicket partnership with Andy Solomons had yielded 110 runs in 7.3 overs. The wicket takers for Warranwood were Cody Marshall 1/17 off two overs, and Ayden Robinson 1/29 off three overs.

SPORT

Mixed results for Mt Evelyn

A mixed bag of results for the Mt Evelyn Cricket Club over the weekend with four of the six senior games going down to the wire, making for exciting cricket for onlookers in fantastic conditions.

The Community Bank - Mt Evelyn 1st XI were set the monumental task of chasing down East Ringwood’s explosive total of 6/367 which was made in quick time, considering an early declaration still gave them 18 overs to bowl on day one. The Mounters crawled to 2/33 overnight, and with the key wickets of openers Adam Smith and Jesse Fraser, East Ringwood had a clear advantage entering day two.

Nightwatchman Caleb Hrabe would fall soon upon the resumption of play. Sensing they need to get themselves into the contest, and with many overs up their sleeves, the 1st XI initially cautiously went about their business knowing wickets in hand later in the day would prove pivotal. Alex Brisbane-Flynn’s contribution with the bat will go largely unnoticed, but the time he spent at the wicket and the quality bowling he absorbed, opened the game up for the rest of the batting order.

Jake Blackwell and Daniel Giblin would be the initial beneficiaries of the cautious approach as they were able to start striking back at the Kangaroos and giving them some headaches. The pair would put on a 152-run partnership for the fifth wicket, and although the run rate wasn’t at its normal rate of knots for the home team, there was plenty to like about how the game was starting to break open for the Mounters. East Ringwood would finally break the partnership in the 73rd over, prising the wicket of Giblin for another solid contribution of 67, a crucial wicket with Mt Evelyn still requiring 154 runs off the last 25 overs with half the batsmen back in the shed.

Giblin’s wicket brought Jett Hartman to the wicket and some scoring intent in pursuit of an unlikely victory. Hartman would put together a blustery run-a-ball half-century to put the pressure right back on the confident Kangaroos line-up. Blackwell would get caught up with the Hartman whirlwind, and would subsequently increase his intent at the wicket, sensing victory wasa real possibility, especially if he could remain at the wicket. Blackwell would raise the bat for the 1st XI’s first century of the season, and was duly applauded by all and sundry, for his innings had breathed life into a team looking for inspiration. Blackwell and Hartman would put on 66 runs inside 11 overs before Blackwell would be dismissed for 121, an incredible innings. Due to game circumstances on both days, captain Campbell Mole entered the game at lowly number eight, and it proved to be an opportune time for the hosts. Mole’s calm, calculated and thoughtful approach to the run rate would be pivotal in continuing Blackwell’s effort. At 6/327 with just over six overs remaining, the game was well and truly in Mt Evelyn’s grasp, but at a required run rate at still a run-a-ball, they would have to earn it. Hartman’s enterprising innings would end on 55, and when Mike Mawson followed shortly after, East Ringwood breathed life into their tiring efforts, knowing that now with only two wickets in hand, the Mounters had to balance the risk of losing the last two wickets against the need to continually tick the scoreboard over. Mole and Bohdie Jones would ensure the game would go down to the last overs as they pushed the final equation to 15 runs off the last two overs with still two wickets in hand. The silence around Gary Martin Oval was deafening. The hush before each ball was gripping. After knocking off a couple of singles, Mole sensed the time was now for a boundary to ease the tensions. A swipe to midwicket looked to be on target for a maximum. With Bailey Anderson balancing himself for a catch on the boundary, it became apparent that the game rested on the shot as time stood still during the ball’s journey. Anderson would flirt with the boundary as the ball approached, and sensing he would be taken over the line, flicked the ball up upon catching it, stumbled back a step, regained his place in the field of play, and completed a remarkable catch, and all but clinched the victory.

Jones and Lachie Morrow would give it their best shot to chase the remaining runs, but the East Ringwood attack would keep their composure and would bowl the Mounters out with two ball to go for 361, seven runs short of victory. Blackwell would be awarded the Remembrance Day Medal for his stoic century leading to the epic finish. The loss is a two-edged sword for the Mounters who are now desperate for wins. The loss leaves them struggling to rise above the relegation race with three teams in the gun this season. On the flip side, the resilience, effort and ability to stay in the chase should give the team some confidence heading into some crucial matches in the lead up

to Christmas break.

The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI entered day two of their clash with Seville needed to chase 254 for victory. The chase was on target early with experienced campaigners Luke Jones (44) and Jamie Shaw (61) setting a sturdy foundation on which the chase could be built. Unfortunately for the Mounters, there would be limited contributions from the rest of the batting order in a disappointing display from a team looking to feature at the pointy end of the season. The visitors were bowled out for 198 in the 70th over, a game they could’ve, and in many ways should’ve, won. Two losses on the trot have seen the 2nd XI slip to 4th on the ladder, a precarious position considering the closeness of the competition. A refresh, and a determined focus, is needed to reverse this short form slump if it’s not to extend into something more significant.

The Rhead Group 3rd XI found themselves in a tight tussle against Templeton. After day one, and each team’s first split, the Mounters would resume their innings at 4/96, in pursuit of chasing Templeton’s 5/119, and extending on to a defendable total. Despite no significant individual contributions with the bat, the Mounters would be able to scramble to a decent total of 189. Not a brilliant total, but defendable none the less. The total quickly became a lot bigger on the back of some brilliant bowling from Alex Whiting (4/49). Whiting would collect three quick wickets as the Taipans would lose 4/15 in quick time to turn the game completely in the Mounters favour. Unfortunately for the visitors, they couldn’t find the final wicket despite every effort made. Chris Allen and Arun Nair would expertly navigate their team through to victory with an impressive 57 run unbeaten 10th wicket partnership. The loss is a bit of a kick in the guts for the Mounters, as a win would’ve seen them on top of the ladder, the loss however now sees the 3rd XI in a log jam in the middle of the ladder. The stint up to Christmas is now vital to the 3rd XI’s chances of featuring in finals action.

The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI’s contest with Yarra Glen reverted to a one-day clash this weekend after the unfortunate injury of Alastair Churchill on day one. Yarra Glen would open the

contest with the bat and would compile a useful score of 8/217 with a steady and consistent approach with the bat. The Mounters wouldn’t be too disappointed with their efforts with the ball as most bowlers would contribute to the team’s efforts. Zeke Tressider, Campbell Manser and Craig Steele would all net two wickets apiece. Lachie Robertson’s brilliant knock of 81 would ensure the Mounters were always a step ahead in the chase. A steady flow of runs, and wickets in hand, would prove vital. Campbell Manser was a useful ally early with a handy innings of 36 contributing to game defining 86 run opening partnership. A steady flow of wickets through the middle of the innings would give the Riverpigs some hope, but Chase Missen (40 not out) and captain Chris Doyle (27 not out) would close the door on any thoughts the visitors had of victory cruising to the total with six wickets in hand and some four overs in the bank. The win is the 4th XI’s third on the trot as they now make strides up the ladder and put themselves in a position to take full advantage should they have some favourable results leading into the Christmas break.

The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI dominated day one against North Ringwood with Mt Evelyn’s score finishing at 3/225 in reply to North Ringwood’s 9/166. The only questions of interest heading into day two were, could young star Ezra Joyce post his maiden century, how many runs do Mt Evelyn need to chase outright victory, and could the Mounters secure vital outright points. Unfortunately Joyce’s fantastic innings would be wrapped for 83, although a disappointing end, the innings showed the maturity and class of this young cricketer, and the promise of many more runs, and opportunities for centuries will always be there. It’s only a matter of when, not if. Captain Jason Dunstone would elect to push the score well beyond enough as he would post a blistering 68 not out, along with an equally dominant 53 not out from Mark Kuhne pushing the score to a mammoth 7/402. A lead of 236 and ample runs should they take the last Bulls wicket promptly and enforce the follow on.

North Ringwood’s innings would be wrapped up for 167, leaving the Mounters over half the day to capture ten wickets to secure outright victory.

At 4/6, the outright result looked an inevitable result, but as is quite often the case, the Bulls batting order dug in their heels to avoid the ignominy of an outright defeat. The middle to late order of the Bulls line up would muster the internal fortitude to resist the Mounters advances and would hold out until the final ball reaching 8/104 when stumps were drawn. Ben Dunstone would be the pick of the bowlers taking 4/18 whilst his opening partner, Mark Kuhne, would take 2/28. The win has the 5th XI humming, and all but the beating they received from ladder leaders Boronia, things have been on the up for the Mounters in their quest to feature in finals after rising two grades in the offseason.

The Flowtec 6th XI have been consistent in their effort and approach all season despite not chalking up too many wins. This weekend they travelled to Croydon Ranges in a game that would prove to be a tight affair. Croydon Ranges would bat first, and the game would start with a real arm wrestle as tight bowling from the Mounters would be matched by some defiant batting from the Ranges. At drinks, the hosts would by 1/51 a score they could build on, but by no means out of hand for the visitors. The second half of the innings panned out somewhat as expected as the Ranges would capitalise on wickets in hand extending the total to 5/197. Noah Bell would be the pick of a disciplined bowling attack taking 2/21.

The Mounters would make a fair fist of the chase with a similar approach to that of their hosts. Steady to start with, keeping wickets in hand. Opener Luke Thomson would be the pick of the batters making an impressive 42, whilst contributions from Lucas James and Shane Cantelmi would keep the innings moving forward. Matt Bell would produce his best innings of the season making 31, and the Mounters looked set to challenge the total. Bell’s run out would prove to be the handbrake despite the best efforts of Chris Anderson (45 not out) and Liam Glover. Eventually, the Mounters would run out of deliveries, and when stumps were drawn, they were agonisingly short of the victory target finishing on 7/185. Despite their lowly ladder position, spirits remain high amongst the team with the reward of victory not too far around the corner.

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