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17 DECEMBER, 2025

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Merry Christmas everyone!

Children across Melbourne’s western suburbs, including Penelope, 4, are eagerly counting down the days until the big man in red arrives. As the end of 2025 draws near, the team at Star Weekly would like to wish readers and advertisers a Merry Christmas and safe and happy 2026. The first edition for 2026 will be out on Wednesday 7 January.

United’s lifeline By Anna Harrington, AAP

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Embattled soccer club Western United has received a legal lifeline and holds out hope of returning to the A-Leagues after reaching an agreement to avoid being wound up by the Australian Taxation Office. The club was wound up by the ATO in August, after it had already been stripped of its A-Leagues licence, then vowed to fight that decision. Facing liquidation, United’s ownership West Melbourne Group had an interlocutory hearing in the Federal Court on Thursday 11 December. Justice Penelope Neskovcin ordered the parties into mediation, indicating that was

the “last shot” for a resolution. After several hours, the parties returned with an agreement in the afternoon. Provided payment is completed by 7 January orders to wind up WMG Football Club (United) will be set aside. Major lender Johnson Controls is set to pay the required $15.5 million to cover the ATO debts. In the morning’s hearing, it was also noted Lederer Group Pty Ltd had proposed to step in further funding. The founder of Lederer Group is billionaire Paul Lederer, the former Western Sydney Wanderers chairman. Mr Lederer is still a shareholder and club director at the Wanderers but stepped down

as chairman last June. The road ahead remains unclear for United, who remain a club in name only with no players and few staff on the books as they sit out the ongoing season. Facing a tax bill amid concerns over unpaid wages and superannuation - and while under a FIFA registration ban Western were stripped of their A-Leagues licence by Football Australia (FA) in August. The wind-up order followed, and men’s and women’s players and staff were all left in limbo before the Australian Professional Leagues put the club into hibernation before the current seasons. The club welcomed Thursday’s development.

“Today’s outcome is a positive step forward for Western United Football Club,” the club said in a statement. “It provides a clear pathway for the club to reset as we move into the next phase of our future and our eventual return to the A-Leagues. “We are deeply appreciative of the patience and resilience shown by our members, partners and staff throughout this difficult process, as well as the support of Wyndham City Council and Stephen Conroy and the APL. “Further details on the direction of the club and the broader project as well as additional comment will be shared in due course.”

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Call for better bike links By Jaidyn Kennedy A cycling advocate is calling on the state government to invest in better local cycling routes and arterial paths for riders in the western suburbs. Infrastructure Victoria, the state’s peak infrastructure advisory body, released its 30-year infrastructure strategy for Victoria recently, which included a recommendation that the state government should deliver a network of cycle corridors in Melbourne, including a link between Werribee and Footscray. Pierro Varro of Bike West said Infra-

structure Victoria’s call for the Werribee to Footscray cycling route to be established was good advocacy progress, but a network of highly connected footpaths across the west are needed first. “We don’t envision people using that corridor all the way from Werribee to Footscray … a comfortable bike trip for most people is about five kilometres,,” Mr Varro said. “We need to encourage some people to leave their cars at home and do some of their trips by bike, so our roads continue to function and residents of Melbourne can get to places reliably and quickly.”

Mr Varro said areas such as Wyndham and Melton would benefit from improved local networks due to a large number of residents being younger than 18. “I would start building networks around schools and it gives kids the ability to independently get to school without having to be dropped off by mum and dad,” he said. “Being able to get to work and get that pocket money without relying on mum and dad or infrequent buses to get their part time gigs is a bonus. “Also, when kids turn 18 and tend to buy cars as soon as possible, that is a time when you don’t have a lot of money and

you are spending huge amounts of money on transport.” He said investing in cycling infrastructure and getting more cars off the road is needed as Melbourne’s population expands. Star Weekly understands the state government has upgraded the Federation Trail between Werribee and Brooklyn to make it more accessible to cyclists and will link it with the new 2.5km elevated veloway along Footscray Road – which opened on Sunday 7 December – as part of its plan improve cycling infrastructure in the western suburbs.

Briefs Human remains found in Brookfield search Police have discovered what appear to be human remains at a Brookfield property linked to the disappearance of a toddler in 2014. The child was never reported missing. Melton police began investigating earlier this year, leading to the excavation on 8 December. The coroner has been notified and the Missing Persons Squad has taken over the case. Current residents are not connected to the investigation.

Attempted robbery

Dr Jennie Barrera. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 523140_01

Jennie Barrera honoured with police award Dr Jennie Barrera has been honoured for her contributions to building stronger relationships between multicultural communities and police. The long-time Wyndham Community and Education Centre chief executive was nominated by Senior Sergeant Anita Harraway and received the award at the Victorian Multicultural Awards on 4 December. Dr Barrera said it was more than personal recognition but the culmination of an entire community’s commitment to building a better world. Dr Barrera said building positive rela-

tionships between police and multicultural communities is essential because trust, safety, and social inclusion depend on it. “Many communities come with histories of trauma, conflict, and mistrust of police from their countries of origin,” she said. “Positive relationships help overcome historical fear, build confidence, and reassure communities that policing in Australia is different. “The most rewarding aspect of being this conduit is seeing trust genuinely take root and grow. “Seeing individuals and communities

who once felt hesitant begin to step forward with more confidence, knowing they will be heard, respected, and supported to access the resources and services they need is very important.” Dr Barrera, who is also a Wyndham councillor, said any individual can take a genuine interest in the personal stories of others and help prevent conflict or misunderstanding in our personal lives. “Engaging consistently and sincerely is also important for building trust and an environment where people feel valued, understood, and empowered.”

Little River residents welcome a new space for youths and kids Possy Newland Reserve in Little River is now home to a new play and youth space. The park upgrade includes a new playground equipment and surfacing, an upgraded sports court and new bouldering wall, an upgraded sheltered barbecue area and new landscaping. The Youth Space, installed near the basketball court, will allow the council’s youth services team to engage young people through sport and recreation activities throughout the year. It is designed to be a supportive, welcoming area for young people, a place

that encourages connection, wellbeing, and participation. The exterior of the new youth space is also being transformed by Wyndham artist, Ayelet Brooks, with a beautiful new mural inspired by the You Yangs and the surrounding landscape. As part of the official opening on Friday 5 December, year five and six students from Little River Primary School had the opportunity to leave their mark and contribute to the mural. The upgrade cost the council a total of $1.09 million and was supported by a

2 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

$50,000 state government grant. Mayor Josh Gilligan said the upgrade will bring benefits to the community. “It is wonderful to see this transformation of Possy Newland Reserve into a district-level play space that can be enjoyed by Little River families and the Wyndham community,” he said. “Increased recreation opportunities that encourage physical fitness and activity with family, friends and neighbours creates a strong, healthy and connected community.”

Police are investigating and appealing for public assistance following an attempted armed robbery and assault in Melton West on 9 December. Investigators have been told a 17-year-old girl was walking her dog to a park off Centenary Avenue when she was approached by an unknown male about 2.30pm. The man made demands for the victim’s phone and a scuffle broke out, during which he produced a knife. The girl then attempted to flee and suffered a minor laceration to the upper body before the offender fled prior to police arriving. The girl was treated at the scene by paramedics. the offender is described as approximately 30 years old, 170-180cm tall, with a dark complexion, skinny build and was clean shaven. He was wearing a black hooded jumper, black shorts and red and white converse shoes.

Aggravated burglary charges Police have charged a man after it was alleged a knife was produced during an aggravated burglary in Strathtulloh on 24 November. It is alleged the male offender entered the Basildon Crescent home just before 1pm, where the occupant of the house was woken by the offender who demanded cash whilst armed with a knife. The victim was taken to the garage where he managed to flee from the offender. Police executed a search warrant at a Strathtulloh address on 4 December and arrested a 38-year-old man who has since been charged with aggravated burglary, armed robbery, false imprisonment and threats to kill. He was remanded to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 26 February.

FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

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New party for the west By Cade Lucas and Jaidyn Kennedy Labor’s stranglehold on the western suburbs will be put to the test at next year’s state election, with the West Party announcing five candidates to contest lower and upper house seats across the region. After a strong showing as an independent candidate at the Werribee by-election at the beginning of the year, West Party founder and Wyndham businessman Paul Hopper will again contest the seat, but this time will be joined by a suite of candidates aiming to capitalise on vot-

er disillusionment with the two major parties, a long serving Labor Government and a sense of neglect across Melbourne’s west. Gill Gannon in Williamstown and Luan Walker in St Albans will join Mr Hopper in contesting lower house seats, while former Wyndham councillor Sahana Ramesh and Dr Joe Garra will campaign for the upper house. “I’m very pleased with the calibre and quality of the candidates who have come forward to join the cause,” Mr Hopper said of those who will join him campaigning for the West Party, with more expect-

ed to be announced in the new year. While failing to win the seat, Mr Hopper said the Werribee by-election result convinced him that there was an appetite for a centrist political party that solely focused on the west. “There was an enormous swing from Labor, with not much of it going to the Liberals and most of the swing went to myself and other minor parties,” he said. “I think that really shows where the mindset of the voting public are, they’ve had enough of the two party system.” Mr Hopper said the West Party would focus on crime, youth services, health,

education and roads and public transport infrastructure. Dr Garra said running candidates in both houses will give the party more credibility by increasing voting options. “If it is a close election, winning seats in the upper and lower house could give us a good say in what happens,” Dr Garra said. He stated improving local infrastructure within the western suburbs and encouraging white collar businesses and healthcare services to set up in the west. “Long term, it will save money. We are spending a fortune on moving people to work– let’s move the work to the people.”

Christmas lolly drop returns It wouldn’t be Christmas in Werribee if you didn’t hear the sounds of sirens and a merry ’Ho Ho Ho’. One of Wyndham’s Christmas traditions will take place again this year, with the Werribee Fire Brigade running its Christmas eve lolly drop on 24 December. This year brigade trucks will be visiting local parks and playgrounds to bring Christmas cheer to all in the community. Father Christmas will be with the fire trucks to hand out lollies and receive last minute orders from children on what they want for Christmas. Families wanting to know when they should expect Santa and the firefighters to come down their street, are encour-

aged to check the Werribee Fire Brigade’s Facebook page for updates. Long-time volunteer Darryl Wells said it is a tradition that has been going on for decades and is a great chance for emergency services and the community to revel in the good cheer of Christmas. “We have been doing it for about 35 or 40 years and it gets a good reaction from the fire brigade within the community but also gives a lot smaller kids and families the chance to speak with Father Christmas,” Mr Wells said. “It is the interaction between the kids and Father Christmas that gives good vibes in the community.” Darryl Wells and Jake, 11. (Damjan Janevski) 522009_01

YOUR GARBAGE, RECYCLING, GREEN AND HARD WASTE COLLECTION FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON There will be no waste bin collections on Christmas Day 25 December, 2025 and New Years day 1 January, 2026. The following changes have been made to the garbage, recycling and green waste collections during the Christmas/New Year period.

CHRISTMAS WEEK

Wyndham Vale Men’s Shed members at Iramoo Community Centre. (Damjan Janevski) 507917_01

Shedders spruce up community centre If you find yourself at Iramoo Community Centre and happen to notice a bright coloured basin near the children’s playground, you can thank a few handy blokes. The Wyndham Vale Men’s Shed, more specifically. The shedders recently surprised users of the community centre by installing a new children’s kitchen area by the existing playground. Shed spokesperson Peter Gibbons said the guys got involved after seeing the state of the old basin area the kids were using. “The shed became involved when we were asked if we could do something about the existing kiddie’s kitchen which consisted of an old washbasin and a separate cook top and was in a bad state of repair,” Mr Gibbons said. “I suggested the design to our mem-

bers, then one of our members, John Cassar, sourced some surplus wood from Bunnings, built it at his home, then transported it to the shed where other members assembled the parts and painted it. “It was a good team effort.” It should be worth noting the community was not exactly expecting this move of kindness. “The best part of it was the reaction from the Iramoo Community Centre staff when they discovered that we had installed it while they were away,” Mr Gibbons said. “Since then, it has been such fun watching the kids busy doing kitchen stuff.” Anyone interested in joining the shed can phone 8742 6448 or call in on a Tuesday, Thursday or Friday between 9am and 3pm.

If your regular collection falls on:

It will be picked up on:

Thursday 25 December, 2025

Friday 26 December, 2025

Saturday 27 December, 2025

NEW YEAR WEEK If your regular collection falls on:

It will be picked up on:

Thursday 01 January, 2026

Friday 02 January, 2026

Saturday 03 January, 2026

Please ensure that all bins are placed out the night before these collection days. Note: There will be no bin deliveries or repairs during public holidays. There will be no hard waste collections on Christmas Day 25 December, 2025, Boxing Day 26 December, 2025 and New Years Day 1 January, 2026. For further information please scan the QR code. 12825361-MS50-25

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 3

BEHIND THE NEWS

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Tackling gambling harm Council areas across Melbourne’s north-west continually record some of the highest gambling losses from Electronic Gambling Machines (EGMs), or poker machines, in Victoria. Advocates are calling on the state government to introduce measures to protect vulnerable people struggling with gambling addiction. Sam Porter reports.

oving to Melbourne’s west was supposed to be a fresh start for Merapi and her husband. After struggling with EGM addiction in their previous hometown of Auckland, the couple settled in Victoria to be closer to Merapi’s sister. Once in Melbourne, Merapi noticed there were four gambling venues within a few-kilometre radius of her family’s new home. “It doesn’t matter which way we went — north, south, east or west — there was a venue. We could even walk to some of them,” Merapi said. “We found that the venues here were massive. We couldn’t believe it. Our gambling just grew and grew and we did try and stop but we just couldn’t.” According to the state government, the social costs of gambling harm across the state were estimated to be $14.1 billion in 2023. In regions already experiencing social and financial disadvantage the impacts of gambling harm are much greater.

Living in poverty, that was our norm. I accepted that this was normal because I deserved it. Because I was the one that made these - Merapi choices For Merapi and her husband, the high density of nearby poker-machine venues made it easy for them to gamble again. “We were in the same place we were when we were in New Zealand, if not worse,” Merapi said. As a result of gambling harm, the family was evicted from seven homes in 11 years, and Merapi and her husband had their cars repossessed. It affected the community around them, especially their children. “The two older [kids] were jumping from school to school. There was no stability,” Merapi said. “Living in poverty, that was our norm. I accepted that this was normal because I deserved it. Because I was the one that made these choices.” Merapi said she hit rock bottom after she was caught tampering with money at her local sports club where she was working as the treasurer. It was the turning point she needed to get better. “We knew this was not our values. This is not how we were raised, but something about gambling and our pokies addiction drove us to become this way.” Merapi and her husband decided to self-exclude from local gambling venues and sought professional help. Merapi received free, confidential financial and therapeutic counselling from IPC Health over the course of three years. “It (therapeutic counselling) changed my life. We have learned to celebrate the small things like staying in a house and not being evicted, like owning our own car, like making sure our children have stability in the schools they’re at,” she said. “But it takes a lot. This is not an easy thing to overcome. You really need a village behind you.” IPC Health community engagement officer Sarah-Jane Blunt is part of the organisation’s Gambler’s Help team. She said EGMs are the most harmful products on the market.

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello. (Supplied)

IPC Health community engagement officer Sarah-Jane Blunt with chief executive Jayne Nelson. (Sam Porter)

“They’re designed to make people keep coming back for more because even when people have a near miss, with the sounds and the music and the lights that go off, their brain releases dopamine. So they’re still thinking that they’ve actually had that win when we know they haven’t,” Ms Blunt said. Ms Blunt said communities are losing huge amounts of money from gambling harm. “We’re losing more money because of all the financial impacts, the emotional psychological stress as well, the depression and suicide, relationships and domestic violence, and productivity.” IPC Health chief executive Jayne Nelson said people start gambling for many reasons, including for entertainment or social connection, and sometimes to cope with stress, financial pressure or difficult life circumstances. However, she said in many cases gambling harm is about environments rather than individual choices. “Regions become gambling hotspots when there is a high concentration of poker machines, long trading hours, and venues located close to where people live, shop and socialise. Harm is much higher in communities experiencing financial stress or disadvantage,” Ms Nelson said. “In Melbourne’s west, we see all these factors come together.” According to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, the City of Brimbank has led in EGM losses statewide for more than a decade now. In the 2024-25 financial year, more than $175 million was lost to the 953 EGMs in the municipality — an average loss of $1129 per adult. Brimbank ranks in the bottom ten per cent of council areas in Victoria on the 2021 SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, with a score of 912. The council area’s unemployment rate is

4 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

also higher than the state average. “There’s a statistical correlation between unemployment and gambling loss,” Ms Nelson said. To reduce gambling harm in hotspot regions, Ms Nelson said measures should be taken to lower the number of EGMs in high-loss areas and introduce mandatory pre-commitment systems to allow people to set safe gambling limits. “Reducing gambling harm requires systemic change, not just individual effort,” she said. Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) chief advocate Tim Costello agrees. He said the state government should mandate compulsory cashless cards that allow people to set their own loss limits, as voluntary use of such cards is not enough. “You’re locking in your losses saying ‘I can’t afford to lose more than $200’ and then you are locked out for the time you designated… It might be 24 hours or a week,” Mr Costello said. The initiative was recommended by the 2010 Productivity Commission Inquiry into gambling. “You give people the right to still gamble and give them a proven method to safeguard them because we know once in front of the machine you will lose all track of time,” he said. The state government said it’s investing more than $41 million to prevent and address gambling harm, including increased funding for the Gambler’s Help program. “We’ve also slowed spin rates on new machines [and] reduced the cash load limit to $100 to prevent and address gambling harm across Victoria,” the spokesperson said. According to the state government’s 2025-26 budget, 81.5 per cent of the estimated $2.7 billion gambling tax revenue will go towards the Hospitals and Charities Fund, the Mental Health Fund,

and the Community Support Fund, leaving the remaining 18.5 per cent as direct revenue. The state government also recently trialled the mandated cashless ‘YourPlay’ card in Monash, Ballarat and Greater Dandenong council areas. The trial ended on 30 November with its evaluation to commence soon, the state government said. However, the AGR criticised the trial for its lack of engagement with local councils and for not including a mandatory, binding loss limit feature. As a result, Monash council withdrew its initial support of the trial. In a joint letter signed by members of the AGR and 13 Victorian councils including, Brimbank, Wyndham and Maribyrnong, representatives expressed their dissatisfaction with the trial and called on the state government to meet to discuss gambling reforms. Today, Merapi and her husband are well-supported by the people around them. Merapi offered advice to her younger self. “I would say to her to understand that gambling, it doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t actually care. It has no sense of family, has no sense of self or culture... nothing” she said. Merapi, a respected community leader, works as the manager for Life Community Kitchen in Melbourne’s west. The organisation provides thousands of free meals each year to disadvantaged locals. “I knew that I was called for greater things. It was just delayed, but I got there in the end.” Gambler’s Help Victoria: 1800 858 858 (24 hours) IPC HEALTH (Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong and Wyndham): 7037 2104 or email gamblershelp@ipchealth.com.au

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Mosque graffiti condemned By Jaidyn Kennedy Muslim leaders from across Wyndham have condemned recent vandalism at the Virgin Mary Mosque in Hoppers Crossing, but thanked the wider community for their support. Police are investigating the incident which is believed to have happened sometime after midnight on Friday 5 December. Mosque’s committee president Hanif Shaikh said the congregation has been grateful for the community support. “I have received several emails and messages from non-Muslims offering to

help clean it up and condemn what happened … and politicians from all levels have shown their support,” Mr Shaikh said. “I sensed that there are people as outraged as us because they know how important our institution is to the community. “The thing is that we always quote the teaching of our beloved prophet about being calm, being neighbourly and understanding situations like this are mere tests. “We can’t control every situation but we are working with the police, but apart from that we continue to send positive messages.

“We are reminding our congregation to share a similar message to neighbours and friends.“ He said the community is making sure not to overact and to focus on the positive messages received from other residents. “We could dwell on it but that is just going to make things worse – all of us have been young and mischievous, and then realised maybe I shouldn’t have done that,“ Mr Shaikh said, Imran Khan, the secretary at the nearby Melbourne Grand Mosque, condemned the incident. “We stand here to strongly condemn the

shocking and unacceptable act of Islamophobic graffiti that occurred at the Virgin Mary Mosque,” Mr Khan said. “This attack is not just on a religious place - it is an attack on the values of peace, respect, and harmony that we, as a community, uphold and cherish. “An attack on any religious place is an attack on all of us. Our Muslim and non-Muslim community members stand united against hatred, racism, and attempts to divide us. “Wyndham has always been a place of diversity and togetherness, and acts like this will never break that unity.”

Roi-Yim is growing up 2025 has proven to be the year of the elephant at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Young Roi-Yim is the latest animal causing a buzz at the zoo, as he starts to sprout tusks, marking the start of his journey to adulthood. The three-year-old Asian elephant made the celebrated move from Melbourne Zoo to Werribee earlier this year with his mother, two sisters and rest of his herd. Having been described as shy and close to his mother, he is now beginning to transition into the solitary life of bull elephants and spend more time with his father Luk Chai. Elephant Trail keeper Andrea Smith said it’s an exciting time in Roi-Yim’s development.

“He’s getting some nice length on his tusks now. He’s starting to use them during play sessions with his sisters, and he’s also starting to use them to push his 4500kg dad around too,” Ms Smith said. Elephant tusks are made of ivory and begin growing shortly after birth, but they are initially very small and not immediately visible. They grow continuously throughout an elephant’s life, but daily use keeps them at just the right size. They also have many interesting purposes – to dig for water and feed, for protection, to shift large objects, for sparring and to signal strength and maturity to other elephants. Roi-Yim is growing tusks. (Zoos Victoria)

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Carols in the Spotlight

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Taysha (14) has won the young person of the month for her contributions to music and inclusion in Wyndham. (Damjan Janevski) 523670_07

Taysha: Sounds of success

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Taysha is making self-belief, perseverance and genuine acts of inclusivity sound pretty good. The fact she has more than 150,000 streams on Spotify and has reached number one on the @Abreak American Indie Charts might be a big part of that. However, the 14-year-old singer-songwriter is very much present in her community, and has been named Wyndham’s Young Person of the Month. Taysha’s passion for music, acting, and performance inspires young people to believe in themselves and pursue their passions with confidence. Last year, she released Fearless – a single dedicated to encouraging people to fight their hardest battles with courage. She is a regular on the local music circuit, having performed at Christmas by the Lakes in 2024 and 2025, this year’s Wyndham Business Awards, the Laverton

Festival, events and the Point Cook Pop Up Park and at Werribee Rotary’s women’s mental health events in 2024 and 2025. Mayor Josh Gilligan said her art brings about community unity. “Taysha’s passion and creativity is inspiring and encourages other young people to think big and follow their dreams,” Cr Gilligan said. “Wyndham City thanks Taysha for bringing the community together and encouraging inclusion through her creative performances at many community events.” One Wyndham recipients are residents aged between 12 to 25 who positively contribute to the Wyndham community and are role models to other young people. Each month council selects a Wyndham resident to be awarded the ‘Young Person of the Month’. Winners are awarded a $300 gift voucher of their choice and other prizes.

Visit The Dynamic Studio in Werribee on Friday 19 December for a night of community sing along. Between 7-10pm, all of the best known Christmas carols will be on the list, and all are welcome to try their heart at them. Bring your snacks, drinks, and Christmas spirit, as well as your own pillows or low-lying chairs to sit on the floor and make yourself comfortable. There will be a few standard chairs available at the back for those who prefer not to get down low. Doors open at 6pm and admission is $5. Tickets: https://events. humanitix.com/carols-in-the-spotlight

Heavy Horses in Werribee South The National Clydesdale and Heavy Horse Festival will return to Werribee Park on the weekend of 17-18 of January. The festival is one of Australia’s largest heavy horse shows, with more than 100 classes in the show ring including harness classes, rider and led classes and stud stock. The festival shines a spotlight on heritage heavy horse breeds including Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons, Friesians, Highland Ponies, Fjords and Haflingers. Come down and watch the show ring activities with full commentary, visit the displays in the trade village and grab a bite to eat and the food trucks, with free kids craft activities. It is also a day for education about the various breeds. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

ONEWyndham August Winner

Mahlaqa

September Winner

Jack

October Winner

Fatima

November Winner

Gem

December Winner

Taysha

Young Person of the Month Congratulations to the following young people for being awarded the One Wyndham Young Person of the Month for the months August, September, October, November and December.

The award aims to build the profile of young people who are positively contributing to the Wyndham community and thank them for their dedication.

Learn more: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/onewyndham 12829267-CV50-25

6 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

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SECTION

Trucks off local roads West Gate Tunnel now open With direct access for freight, the West Gate Tunnel is taking thousands of trucks off local roads every day. That means quieter, safer residential streets for our community. Thank you for your patience while we delivered this vital project for Melbourne’s west.

more ways to move Find out how your journey could change at bigbuild.vic.gov.au 12829486-KH50-25

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 7

MY PLACE Seabrook resident Raymond Wright has lived many lives during his time in the western suburbs. He told JAIDYN KENNEDY about them. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do? I am an 80-year-old pensioner at this stage of my life, but what I have done would take a page. I left school at 13 and became an apprentice upholster, then I moved on to be a quality controller at an oven appliance manufacturer. I was also a crane driver and welder, worked as a foreman in the trucking industry before launching my own transportation company. I was a house re-blocker, licenced scrap metal dealer, licenced marine dealer with bottles and cans. Eventually, I opened a pallet repair and supply business with yards in Footscray and Altona. What is your connection to Wyndham and Hobsons Bay? I grew up in Footscray, then lived across Williamstown and Newport. In 1984, I purchased 35 acres at 440-448 Point Cook Road. It was a hobby farm lifestyle and outdoor activities, but then transformed into a farm with quarantine status for Melbourne and Werribee Open Range Zoos where I had an egg-hatching facility for ostriches. My wife and I would educate zoo staff on the handling and breeding of ostriches. That then metamorphosed into a tourism Mecca that won recognition in tourism magazines and at the Melbourne show. Where are your favourite places to spend time in the area? I enjoy going up to the dog park at Apex Park and 100 steps in Altona Meadows, as well as taking in the views by the wetlands. I enjoy cycling on the Federation Trail. The cafes in Sanctuary Lakes, the rest of Point Cook and Watton Street are places I like to spend time at. I have all the facilities I ever need here, and Seabrook itself, is a quiet area. What is something people might be surprised to know about you? I have run successful businesses all my life,

Ray Wright. (Damjan Janevski). 524253_01

including stocking Zoos Victoria with their ostrich. Our stock was sourced from the original industry that existed in Australia that began in the 1800s - that was originally for their feathers. In the early 1990s, a few

people noticed that Namibia and parts of South Africa- barren areas with terrible agricultural conditions- had a booming ostrich economy. You had tycoons making money off it and in living what were known

as feather palaces. So, some people had a vision of revitalising an old industry simply for the meat and the leather, which is equivalent to pig skin if not better.

Order now on www.aussietoysonline www.aussietoysonline.com.au 8 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

Advertising feature

Operation Roadwise 2025 launches this holiday season A statewide road policing activity called Operation Roadwise 2025 that targets the main causes of road crashes will be conducted during the 2025 Christmas Holiday break from Thursday 18 December to Thursday 1 January 2026. This has been identified as a period of potentially high risk in terms of exposure to road trauma to the Victorian community. Focus on road safety Operation Roadwise 2025 aims to increase driver awareness and encourage responsible driving to reduce road trauma during this time of increasing road use. Police will target high risk driving that has been identified as the main causes of lives lost and serious injuries in crashes, including: • Speeding • Distracted driving, especially involving mobile phones • Not wearing a seatbelt along with restraint compliance • Driving while fatigued • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Impaired Driving) Road Policing Advisor Senior Sergeant Fletcher Pearson from Westgate Highway Patrol said, “During this road policing operation, Victoria Police will implement a strategically co-ordinated and tactically focused approach targeting the key contributing factors to road trauma”. Police will be out in force both to educate drivers and to enforce road rules, to prevent deaths and serious injury. We’re watching your speed. Are you? Motorists are requested to stay within the speed limit, don’t drink alcohol or take drugs and drive, leave your mobile phone out of reach, wear your seatbelt and make

not putting yourself or others at risk on the roads, put your phone away where you can’t be tempted to use it, for example in the glove box or in the boot to avoid being distracted. He also said the work of his group along with initiatives like the Operation Roadwise during the 2025 Christmas Holiday break would hopefully reduce the number of serious road crashes on our roads. He asked the community to report speeding drivers to Crime stoppers number 1800 333 000

Road Policing Advisor Senior Sergeant Fletcher Pearson from Westgate Highway Patrol.

sure you are well rested. Fatigue is one of the biggest killers and is a major cause of the loss of life on Victorian roads. Drivers are requested to plan their trip, be patient and ensure that you take at least a 15-minute break at least every two hours and don’t drive if you are tired. Motorists will see numerous police units on our major arterial roads during this holiday period and speed cameras will be set up in identified speed and high collision locations throughout the state. Those planning to travel during this period can expect to see an increase in vehicles travelling on our major freeways and highways. Police will be targeting drivers who attend the end of year work functions as it has been identified that there is a risk that some drivers will take risks whilst they are impaired by alcohol and drugs. Drivers should plan their trips, be patient and ensure that they have frequent breaks when driving long distances.

Road trauma isn’t just about the lives that are lost – it’s about the enormous impact on the community from family members to the emergency service workers who must deal with these tragedies on a daily basis and to the police who deliver devastating news to loved ones. The whole community has a responsibility and a role to play in reducing road trauma. Remember, travel so that you arrive at your destination safely and enjoy your Christmas/New Year holiday. Community effort RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council chairman Jim Giddings said it has been demonstrated time after time that speed is a contributing factor in most road crashes. Therefore, stay within the speed limit and drive to suit the conditions you face. Speeding increases both the risk of a crash happening, and the severity of injuries sustained when a crash does happen. Mr Giddings said to make sure you’re

Plan Your Trip, Stay Safe Here are some key tips for a safe holiday break: • Plan your trip: Check traffic conditions and plan rest stops to avoid fatigue. • Stick to the speed limit: Every km/h over the limit increases your crash risk. • Don’t drink and drive: If you plan to drink, arrange alternative transport. • Put down your phone: Distracted driving is dangerous. • Wear your seatbelt: It’s the law and could save your life. • Get enough sleep: Fatigue impairs your driving ability. • Check your vehicle: Ensure tyres, brakes, lights, and windscreen washers are in good condition. Holiday driving has its challenges and drivers should drive in the hours they are normally awake, take regular breaks to reduce fatigue and allow extra space between vehicles. Drivers need to adapt to the conditions of the road. The onus is always on the driver to suit the conditions they are facing, and that includes the quality of the road. Remember, travel so that you arrive at your destination safely and enjoy your Christmas holiday break.

DRIVING IS NOT A GAME! SPEED KILLS! Don’t make a Grave Mistake Speed is the largest single factor in fatal road crashes on our roads. RoadSafe Westgate and your local council support reporting speeding drivers to Crime Stoppers.

REPORT SPEEDING DRIVERS

1800 333 000 RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council is a road safety advocacy group that implements road safety programs and is supported by the municipalities of Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham. 1092275-HM38-13 1204680-HM44-15

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 9

FEATURING ... EDUCATION

Advertising feature

Hoppers Crossing SC celebrates the Class of 2025 On Friday, 24 October, Hoppers Crossing Secondary College proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2025 — marking the end of their high school journey with a day filled with pride, laughter, and emotion. This remarkable group of students began Year 7 during the first COVID-19 lockdowns, overcoming challenges that helped shape a resilient, adaptable, and united cohort. Their six years of secondary schooling have been anything but ordinary — yet through every challenge, they have demonstrated courage, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to learning and each other. The celebrations included a shirt-signing tradition, where students and teachers shared messages and memories that captured the spirit of friendship and community that defines the college. The day was also highlighted by a new and heartwarming tradition — the Lap of Honour — where graduating students were cheered on by staff and students from all year levels as they made their final walk through the school grounds. The moment symbolised both reflection and excitement for the journey ahead. At the Graduation Assembly, the Class of 2025 was recognised for their growth, achievements, and contributions throughout their VCE and VCE-VM studies. Their legacy is one of determination, optimism, and unity — qualities that have made a lasting impression on the school community. To the Class of 2025, Hoppers Crossing Secondary College extends its warmest

congratulations. You have shown what can be achieved through resilience and teamwork. As you step into your next chapter, may

you carry with you the lessons, friendships, and confidence gained during your time at the college. Congratulations, Class of 2025 — your

future is bright, and your legacy will always be part of Hoppers Crossing Secondary College.

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CONGRATULATIONS WYNDHAM CENTRAL COLLEGE FOR ACHIEVING AVID NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL EMPOWERING LEARNERS ELEVATING FUTURES

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Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 11

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FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors

40 years ago

30 years ago

20 years ago

10 years ago

18 December 1985

20 December 1995

7 December 2005

16 December 2015

A Werribee South woman said she would spend Christmas in jail rather than obey a possible court order evicting her from her home.

A Hoppers Crossing family of four was killed in a horrific head-on smash on the Princes’ Highway at Laverton North on Saturday night.

Eight weeks ago, Shane Bourke’s time was consumed by his family and business. That changed on October 4 when he decided to run for another term on Wyndham Council.

Paid parking has been scrapped from a new $7.4 million Cherry Street carpark in Werribee’s CBD – for now.

Sharon Warren with her dogs Honey and Cheeky at a special Christmas party at the Williams Landing dog park. (Damjan Janevski) 522006_04

Santa will join volunteers from Caroline Springs CFA including Ryan Baker, Daniel Pigott, Danny Vella, Ryan Greenleigh, Adam Blythe and Aaron Krizowsky on Christmas eve. (Damjan Janevski) 519748_04

Faces of the west

Maci, 11, Tori, 13, and Hanna, 15, are counting down to Christmas. (Damjan Janevski) 522165_03

Diggers Rest Primary School principal Sheridan Thomas with pupils Christie, 10, Jasmine, 12, Yusuf, 11, Charlotte, 11, Finn, 6, Maari, 6, Sam, 6, Liam, 6, Fyfe, 5, Willow, 6, Luz, 5 and Nephi, 6, are celebrating upgrades at the school. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 520767_04

12 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

Each week Star Weekly photographers are out and about capturing events and people across the west. Keep an eye on this new weekly section for faces you may know.

Reverend Ian Hennebry and Melton Anglican Church parishioners Robert Davie, Graham Watt, Meredith Welham and Sam Welham helped organised a Christmas Fair. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 520852_01

Elita Berisha, Tylah Shilligton, Majier Adut, Lachy Dovaston, Paul Curtis, Zac Banch, Bailey Scottand Jackson Archer took part in an all-abilities basketball clinic at Werribee’s Eagle Stadium. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 520756_06

Christmas Messages Wishing all of our patients a Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year

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Western Health and Beauty Clinic Our clinic offers Bulk Billing services with both female and male doctors available. We provide comprehensive care for women’s health, Men’s health and children’s health in a warm and supportive environment. We are dedicated to offering friendly, thorough and compassionate care for every family. Booking is an easy online hotdoc and health engine Or call us to make a booking, our team is ready to assist you with anything you need. Your family’s health is our priority. Thank you. We look forward to caring for you.

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Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 13

COMMUNITY

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

Wyndham Turkish Coffee Club

1.30pm, the metro west branch of national seniors meets at the Deer Park Club, with meals available to purchase. The group also holds lunches on different Fridays each month, as well as activities such as theatre visits, bus trips and more.  0425 713 004, or lesley1.collins@ outlook.com

A place for older Turkish and Cypriot Turkish migrant women in Wyndham to gather, connect, learn and advocate for one another over coffee. Anyone is welcome to join the group at the Wyndham Park Community Centre from 1-2pm on the first Tuesday of each month.  Lutfiye, 0474 533 923

Lizzy Bizzy Food Swaps Victoria State Rose Garden

Come along to the Manor Lakes Community Centre to exchange excess homegrown food. From vegetables, fruits, eggs to seeds and oils, members of the community are encouraged to participate and help reduce food waste. Runs between 10am-12pm last Saturday of every month.  Liz, 0448 781 111

The Victoria State and Rose Garden Supporters group are always welcoming new members to help keep Werribee Park beautiful. The volunteers work 7am-noon on Wednesdays and 7-11am on Saturdays. If you enjoy gardening, roses or just enjoy the company of like-minded people, visit www.  victoriastaterosegarden.com.au

Resume Help

Wyndham Makers and Farmers Market This market serves as a hub for talented artisans and small businesses to display their unique creations, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and take their ventures to new heights. Food trucks, live music and children’s activities are regular staples. Runs on the third Sunday of every month at Werribee Racecourse. Gold coin entry.

Altona VIEW Club Altona VIEW is a not-for-profit club that welcomes ladies from the Wyndham, Hobsons Bay and other areas to join in for lunch the third Wednesday of each month, at 11am at the Altona RSL. Come along and enjoy the speakers each month. Other outings are arranged and it is a great opportunity to make new friends.

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Ally Aurora at Sandra Brogan’s festival house

Contact  altonaview@gmail.com or Julie, 0421 315 846

Baby Bump and Beyond program The Bump Baby and Beyond program is a free service, excluding small fees for some excursions, that is offered to pregnant and or mothering young women up to age of 25 years who live, work or study in Wyndham. The group meets every Wednesday between 11.00am - 1.00pm at the Youth Services Centre, 86 Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing.  Wyndham Youth Services team, 8734 1355

Soulful Spreads Community Cafe Soulful Spreads is a purpose-driven social enterprise based in Tarneit that looks to create meaningful work and training opportunities for women and young people with disabilities. Come meet for a meal and support inclusion, empowerment and connection. Meets 8.30am-12pm every Monday and Thursday at the Tarneit Community Learning Centre.  info@soulfulspreads.com

Wyndham National seniors meeting

Wyndham council is providing resume workshops for young people aged 15-25. Book into a one-on-one session, online or in person, with an education and youth services librarian to get some help crafting your resume and answering interview questions. Sessions run at 9am, several times a week.  resumehelp@wyndham.vic.gov.au

Practise English with Let’s Talk A weekly meet to help members of the community improve their practical English conversation skills to help with daily tasks such as shopping and booking appointments. Meets 10am each Saturday at Werribee Church of Christ, 200 Tarneit Road, Werribee  Bronwyn, 9741 6051

On the first Wednesday of every month at

Haimo Liu and his dog Duo Duo. 522006_06

A good dog day! Terry and Dianne Trafford with their dogs Willow and Poppy. 522006_01

Adam Moffat with some of the crew. 522006_03

14 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

The Chessington Street Dog Park in Williams Landing was home to a very special kind of Christmas event on Friday 5 December. A group of furry friends and their humans that have been catching up for more than a year decided to have their very own pooch Christmas party. One of the organisers, Dianne Trafford, said locals from Williams Landing, Point Cook, Seabrook and Altona Meadows love to bring their pets along to the park, and have come to love the spot as it allows for bigger and smaller dogs to be separated. “We have a fairly busy life, but we try to take the dogs as much as we can, but some people are there very virtually every day,“ she said. “We all love our dogs and we have a fabulous time ... it is really good to have people with the same interests. Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski attended the party.

Shanna Li with Noodle. 522006_09

Ange Hart with dog Ebony. 522006_07

Bill and Sharon Warren with their dog Cheeky. 522006_02

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

ENTERTAINMENT

Werribee is gearing up for the return of the popular Park Lounge– a mini Midsumma scene to showcase the best of pride in the west. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of glitter, glamour and good vibes at this free celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture, creativity and community hosted by Wyndham council at Kelly Park. Step into a dazzling world of music, dance, and magic with a stellar line-up of LGBTQIA+ artists and their fabulous allies.

From soulful ballads to high-energy drag, poetic performances to heart-pounding beats, the stage will sparkle with talent and fierce self-expression all night long. Whether you’re a dancefloor devotee or a laid-back listener, there’s something to stir every soul and meaningful connections to be made. Get ready for an unforgettable night hosted by the fabulous Lazy Susan, with show-stopping performances that will hit

every beat and get you in a dancing frenzy. Performances will come from DJ Gay Dad, Wild Gloriosa, Harper Bloom, Arcoiris Queer Latin Group, Alice Skye, Dandrogyny and Kevin Silvester—topped off with a spectacular headline set by Jude York. Everyone is invited to enjoy the fun and dance the night away in an inclusive and welcoming space. Park Lounge runs at Kelly Park between 6-10pm on Saturday 31 January.

(Supplied)

Pride evening at Werribee

Festive sparkle in Hillside

Organisers of the Spotswood Summer Sessions Tony Mead and Matthew Oczkowski at the Forrest Street site where the sessions will again be held in February and March next year. (Damjan Janevski) 520579_01

Summer sessions return to Spotswood After an incredible response to the inaugural Spotswood Summer Sessions at the beginning of this year, the organisers have unsurprisingly chosen to run a second edition in 2026. Held across two weekends, one in February and one in March, next year’s summer sessions will closely resemble this years, with local musicians, bands and DJ’s featuring in a series of pop-up music events in Forrest Street, Spotswood. Taking up the entire afternoon the

sessions offer the perfect opportunity to grab some tasty bites from nearby traders and gather with friends and neighbours, and soak up the summer vibes. The 2026 summer sessions begin on Saturday 7 February and Sunday 8 February, presented by Hobsons Bay council’s HBCC Make It Happen grants program. A month later, the summer sessions’ second weekend takes place on Saturday 14 March and Sunday 15 March. The March series is made possible by a

West Gate Neighbourhood Fund grant from the West Gate Tunnel Project. Along with live music and good vibes and free entry, both February and March summer sessions shine a light on everything that makes Spotswood special, the vibrant local community, incredible local food, creativity, and connection. The Spotswood Summer Sessions are organised by the Spotswood Traders Association. Details: summersessions@ ourhoodspotswood.com

Hillside is set to shine with festive cheer as the community comes together for Twilight Christmas at Hillside on Friday 19 December. Running between 3.30-6.30pm at the Hillside Shopping Centre, the free family-friendly celebration promises an afternoon packed with colour, music and Christmas magic. Shoppers and families can look forward to a special visit from Santa and Mrs Claus, who will be available for photos and meet-and-greets throughout the event. Little ones can dance the afternoon away at the Lively Santa Disco, while roving performers bring added energy and excitement to the centre’s outdoor spaces. The event also offers the perfect opportunity to embrace the season of giving by supporting the area’s local cafes and restaurants, with many eateries within the centre offering special deals just for the evening, making it an ideal chance to enjoy a relaxed dinner, a festive treat or a post-shopping snack while soaking up the cheerful atmosphere. Residents, locals, community members, visitors and everyone in between are being invited to gather their family and friends to make the most of the community celebration, which marks a highlight on the local festive calendar each year. For those looking to immerse themselves even further in the Christmas spirit, a full line-up of seasonal events happening across the municipality can be found at www.melton.vic.gov.au/ Out-n-About/Events/Christmasin-the-City-of-Melton, with regular updates shared via the Melton City Much More Facebook Page.

Catch the best of Barnesy on the green at Keilor

Keilor Bowls and Community Club chairman Joe Watkins, Soul Chisel’s Steve Callanan and social media & community director Lisa Dillon. (Damjan Janevski) 519778_01

Locals looking for an afternoon of classic tunes, great food and good vibes can head to a music festival in Keilor this month. Keilor Bowls and Community Club will host a ‘day on the green’ event, which is sure to get local music lovers grooving along to the greatest Cold Chisel and Jimmy Barnes hits. Keilor Bowls Club social media and community director Lisa Dillon said it’s the club’s first time hosting the event. “We don’t have a lot of local music festivals…Hopefully we can make it an annual event,” Ms Dillon said. “We’re actually ripping up the green. If it gets damaged it doesn’t matter too much.” The festival will be headlined by Soul Chisel, a Jimmy Barnes tribute band, which is fronted by Keilor local Steve Callanan.

“It’s going to be an eight-piece band with brass instruments,” Ms Dillon said. “We’re going to invite some other local talent to entertain too.” There will be food available to purchase as well as full bar service on the day. “Come and spend a day on the green. Enjoy local music, local talent with the local community,” Ms Dillon said. The Keilor Bowls and Community Club ‘a day on the green’ event will run from 2-7pm on Sunday 21 December at 2 Mercedes Street, Keilor. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets to sit on. Tickets are $50 per person with kids under 16 years of age free to attend. Bookings: keilorbowls.com.au/ day-on-the-green

Christmas in Hillside, 2023. (Supplied)

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 15

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which Victorian soccer team defeated Marconi Stallions FC to win the 2025 Australian Championship? 2. Barbados-born fast bowler Jofra Archer plays for which national cricket team?

3. Jessica Stenson recently became the fastest Australian woman over what distance?

10. College football coach Lane Kiffin is set to lead which team for the next seven years?

4. The Socceroos are currently set to play the US and which South American country in Group D of the 2026 World Cup?

11. How many teams will participate in the 2027 Rugby World Cup?

5. After a dramatic race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, who claimed the Formula 1 world title?

13. In what year was tennis introduced as an Olympic sport?

12. Which three stadiums will host Men’s State of Origin matches in 2026?

6. Which Canada-based WNBA team is Australian basketball legend Sandy Brondello set to coach in 2026? 7. Cameron Smith finished second to which Danish golf professional at the 2025 Australian Open? 8. Akech Aliir last played for which NBL club? 9. CanterburyBankstown Bulldogs will add what to the backs of their jerseys for their 2026 Las Vegas match?

LeBron James

14. Starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, which sport is the focus of the 2009 film Invictus?

Bathurst 1000

19. What is the controversial motto for the upcoming Brisbane Olympics?

15. Which sporting brand is the long-term apparel partner of Football Australia?

20. In a recent Ashes match at Optus Stadium, who memorably caught-andbowled England opener Zak Crawley?

16. How many years long was LeBron James’ recently broken double-digit scoring streak?

21. Former Formula One driver Kimi Räikkönen is from which country? 22. In the NHL, the Sabres play out of which city?

17. Which National League team was recognised by the UN as the world’s first carbon-neutral soccer club?

23. How many metres can you run before the ball has to touch the ground in the AFL?

18. How old is the youngest player to earn an official chess rating?

25. Which sport is the focus on the TV show Shoresy? 26. In which year did Melbourne Storm win its first premiership? 27. Tessa Virtue won Olympic medals in which sport? 28. And who was her partner? 29. Christian Brigham is the real name of which WWE wrestler? 30. Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey previously played for which AFL club?

24. Who won the 2025 Bathurst 1000 race?

1912

1. South Melbourne FC 2. England 3. 42.195km (marathon) 4. Paraguay 5. Lando Norris 6. Toronto Tempo 7. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 8. South East Melbourne Phoenix 9. Player surnames 10. Louisiana State University Tigers 11. 24 12. Accor Stadium, MCG, Suncorp Stadium 13. 1896 14. Rugby union 15. Nike 16. 18 17. Forest Green Rovers 18. Three 19. Believe. Belong. Become. 20. Mitchell Starc 21. Finland 22. Buffalo, New York 23. 15 metres 24. Matthew Payne and Garth Tander 25. Ice hockey 26. 1999 27. Figure skating 28. Scott Moir 29. Carmelo Hayes 30. GWS Giants

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Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 17

PUZZLES

easy

1 5 8 9 8 2 2 9 9 3 4 3 1 7 4 3 2 8 6 5 8 2

6 2

4 1

DECODER

5 2 7

17 1

2 2 7 3 4

3 6 4

7 6 9 5 6 4 8 6 2

14 26

15 11

17 15

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

17 4

20 7

21 8

22 9

23 10

24 11

25 12

6 2 3 1 5 8 9 4 7 7 9 8 6 3 4 2 1 5 1 5 4 2 9 7 6 8 3 8 7 9 3 6 5 4 2 1 2 6 1 4 7 9 5 3 8 3 4 5 8 2 1 7 9 6 5 8 7 9 4 3 1 6 2 4 3 2 7 1 6 8 5 9 9 1 6 5 8 2 3 7 4

8 2 9 3 4 6 5 7 1 3 6 1 5 2 7 8 9 4 4 7 5 9 1 8 2 3 6 9 4 3 6 8 2 7 1 5 2 1 6 7 9 5 3 4 8 7 5 8 4 3 1 6 2 9 5 9 7 1 6 3 4 8 2 1 3 2 8 5 4 9 6 7 6 8 4 2 7 9 1 5 3

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

Today’s Aim: 15 words: Good 22 words: Very good

12 13 14

16 17

21 22

23 25 26

WORDFIT 3 LETTERS AGE ASH AWE COL EEL EKE END EVE LIP MOO ONE OPT PAT PUP RUM TEE TNT TWO URN UTE WHO YOU

No. 268

L A G O O N

ENSUE ERRED GAMER GATED GENRE GLIDE HARPS ICIER INANE KNOWN LASER LEAPS LOSES MEWED NOBLE OKAYS OLIVE OMEGA OUTER PIPES PRANK REELS

4 LETTERS DRIP GAIT HOWL LAID MOST PEEL REDO REST SLAT TAPS 5 LETTERS AGENT ALIBI ALIKE ATONE AWARE CLEAN DARED DOPES

RIPEN SANER SENSE SPREE STEER STEPS STRAP STRIP TALES TEASE TEEMS THUDS TIMED TOADS TUTOR WASPS WORLD YIELD

LAGOON SHREWS SPAWNS TATTOO 7 LETTERS MOURNER PHYSICS SCEPTRE SEASONS TAWNIER WALKERS

8 LETTERS ATHEISTS UNEARTHS UNTANGLE UPSTREAM 10 LETTERS DESCENDING DETHRONING

6 LETTERS HOARDS HORSES

19-12-25

No. 375 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down. NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

U D

18 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

B L A S T L O W E R U S A G E R E R U N B R E E D

doer, dome, doom, door, dote, GODMOTHER, good, gored, groomed, herd, hoed, homed, hood, hooted, horde, method, mode, mood, mooed, moored, mooted, motored, redo, rode, rodeo, rood, roomed, rooted, toed, trod

2 8 1 6 3 4 7 9 5 7 6 4 5 9 8 2 1 3 3 9 5 7 2 1 4 6 8 4 7 2 8 5 9 1 3 6 6 5 9 3 1 7 8 2 4 8 1 3 2 4 6 9 5 7 9 3 7 1 8 5 6 4 2 1 2 6 4 7 3 5 8 9 5 4 8 9 6 2 3 7 1

A E

T E

10 12

C L Q S A H G V Y N M W K

A O

30 words: Excellent

hard

9-LETTER WORD

medium

easy

5x5

3 hard

6 9 5 7 2 8 6 3 8 1

1 6 3

1 6 8 4 7 8 5 4 6

No. 300

22 25

medium

19 20 21

U J D O X B P Z T R F

23 24 26 27 28 29

3 4 5 6 7 8 13 16

1 8

Marriage partner (6) Roman equivalent of the Greeks’ Poseidon (7) Crimson (7) Temporary release (4) Sympathy (10) Maybe (7) Plants absorb carbon – (7) Leeway (8) Pretty (10) Island group in the Indian Ocean (8) Drink made with wine, fruit and brandy (7) Bravery (7) Passage (7) Colourful arc (7) Redfaced (6) Cosy retreat (4)

1 2

Related to sound (5) Retreat, climb down (9) Of equal value (2,3) Closest to the centre (9) Workroom for an artist, photographer, etc. (6) Plant scientist (8) Inexorable (10) Termination (3) Stomach muscles (3) Exaggerated representation (10) Stigmatise (8) Beauty treatment (6) With many uses (9) Temperate (5) Assertion (9) Pulled (5)

12 14 15 17 19

DOWN

ACROSS 1 4 9 10 11

No. 268

QUICK QUIZ

To whom was King Henry VIII married the longest?

Would water freezing to form ice be considered a physical or a chemical change?

Who directed the films Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019) and Barbie (2023)?

Winona Laura Horowitz is better known by what name?

Vanderpump Rules was developed as a spin-off from which other US reality TV series?

Rachel McAdams (pictured), Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried star together in which 2004 teen comedy film?

‘Come over to the window, my little darling/I’d like to try to read your palm’ are the opening lines of which song?

Spaghetti alla puttanesca, a pasta dish typically made with tomatoes, olives, anchovies, chilli, garlic and capers, originated in which Italian city?

What is the capital city of Peru?

10 Monkey Grip, The Spare Room and The Children’s Bach are novels by which Australian writer? ANSWERS: 1. Catherine of Aragon 2. Physical change 3. Greta Gerwig 4. Winona Ryder 5. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 6. Mean Girls 7. So Long, Marianne by Leonard Cohen 8. Naples 9. Lima 10. Helen Garner

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.

QUICK CROSSWORD

D A R E D T U T O R T A L E S O L I V E I N A N E A G E N T P I P E S M E W E D T E A S E C L E A N O P T P U P E K E D R I P H O R S E S S E N S E T N T T E E Y O U G A T E D S H R E W S M O S T L A I D U T E A T H E I S T S S C E P T R E M O U R N E R E N D G A I T U P S T R E A M S P A W N S H A R P S R E S T W H O P A T U R N L A G O O N S L A T O K A Y S A S H K N OW N L I P A W E O M E G A I C I E R S A N E R E R R E D WO R L D N O B L E R E E L S L O S E S G L I D E

No. 268

S O N I C B A C K P E D A L E A A O E I A P I N N E R M O S T O N P A R U T M L D H X I B O T A N I S T S T U D I O N N A L P D U E R E L E N T L E S S E N D T N E M A B S C A R I C A T U R E L A O A E R A F F A C I A L D E N O U N C E G R T N N N O I V E R S A T I L E S O B E R I G V S I O I E T O W E D S T A T E M E N T

SUDOKU

A versatile family SUV

RATINGS Looks: 8/10 Performance: 8/10 Safety: 8/10 Thirst: 7/10

By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring

Practicality: 8/10

Isuzu Ute MU-X is a seven-seat family SUV from a Japanese company that has a long history of producing hard working vehicles. Indeed, Isuzu has a history dating back for more than 100 years in light commercial vehicles including a couple of decades when they were sold here rebadged as Holdens. The MU-X is one of only two vehicles offered by the Isuzu Ute brand alongside the D-Max utility with which it shares the same chassis and numerous other components. MU-X has been a major success in Australia. Sitting on the same platform as the brand’s D-MAX utility it’s currently sitting in second place behind Ford Everest and well ahead of other ute-based rivals such as Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner. Originally powered exclusively by a 3.0-litre, four-cylinder, common-rail turbo-diesel engine, a 2024 upgrade to both MU-X and D-Max added the option of a 1.9-litre, turbo-diesel unit. The smaller engine proved to be short-lived and it was replaced in mid-2025 by a new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine that provided greater power and torque outputs, lower emissions and greater towing capacity. At the same time the chassis and suspension were upgraded along with technical and safety improvements. A new flagship MU-X model called X-Terrain was added with the MY2025 update, joining the existing three variants: LS-M, LS-U and LS-T. The entry level LS-M is available with either two- or four-wheel drive. All others are 4×4 only. Our test vehicle here was the X-Terrain. We’ll get into one of the 2.2-litre models early next year.

Styling MU-X is a good-looking vehicle that’s aimed at those looking for an attractive vehicle that’s going to appeal to family buyers looking for something that’s more than an upmarket station wagon. The bonnet is tall and slopes down at the outer edges. The windscreen has a practical, relatively upright slope in that it doesn’t reach too far back and therefore keeps the sun off the driver and front passenger. The roof stretches back so that it provides a tall load area, again adding to the practical nature of this vehicle. Two new exterior colours have been added to the MY2025 MU-X with Neptune Blue and Slate Grey joining the previous six. Our test X-Terrain came with the exclusive Slate Grey. X-Terrain adds XT badging, black radiator grille, fender flares and 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels, lower body side skirts and highway-terrain tyres.

Interior Inside, MU-X has an upmarket look as it’s aimed at those who want a quality family vehicle not simply an off-road machine. There’s excellent interior space for all occupants in each dimension with tumbling second-row seats making passenger access to the third-row reasonably easy. X-Terrain gets leather accented seats with red stitching, red ambient interior lighting and a 360-degree surround view monitor. There are cup holders in all three rows, 12 in total as well as 18 storage options. Boot space with the third-row seats folded is 1119 litres, dropping down to a reasonable 311 litres with all seven seats in place. All models come with full size spare

Comfort: 7/10 Tech: 8/10 Value: 7/10

Isuzu Ute MU-X is a well-priced, powerful and versatile. (Pictures: Supplied)

wheels, all bolted beneath the rear of the vehicle. Steel in the LS-M and LS-U, alloy in the LS-T and X-Terrain.

Infotainment The LS-M variant comes with a seven-inch colour touchscreen and four-speaker audio. Others get a nine-inch screen and eight JVC Kenwood speakers. Likewise, LS-M comes with a smaller (4.2-inch) driver’s instrument display compared with the 7.0-inch screen in LS-U, LS-T and X-Terrain. In bright sunshine we struggled to read the screen with light bouncing off it. Fortunately, there are two physical controls for the audio and some toggles below the screen to adjust the air con settings. Embedded satellite navigation is only included above the LS-M Connectivity is by way of wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Engines/transmissions The 3.0-litre four-cylinder common-rail turbo-diesel engine has maximum power of 140 kW and peak torque of 450 Nm from 1600 rpm. Transmission is through a six-speed Aisin automatic. The new 2.2-litre drops to 120kW and 400Nm but gets an Aisin eight-speed auto transmission.

Safety The Isuzu Ute MU-X gained a five-star safety when tested in September 2022. The subsequent upgrades in the past two years have added numerous extra features

as required by ANCAP to maintain the maximum score. Standard safety features across the MU-X range start with eight airbags including front centre and driver’s knee protection together with the mandatory stability and traction control and autonomous emergency braking. Isuzu’s Intelligent Driver Assist adds forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with engine stop/start, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, emergency lane keeping, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and braking and trailer sway control. There’s also hill start assist and descent control, roll-over mitigation, post-collision braking, forward collision warning, mis-acceleration mitigation, intelligent speed limiter, driver inattention assist, rear cross traffic alert and ISOFIX child seat anchors in the outer centre-row seats. Rear parking sensors are standard in all variants but only the LS-U and above get front sensors. LS-T and X-Terrain also come with a 360-degree surround view camera.

As is often the way with turbo-diesels MU-X it’s a bit sluggish off the mark but once it gains momentum it responds quickly. There’s strong mid-range torque delivering plenty of pulling power. Steering is on the light side, making low-speed manoeuvrers easier and providing good feedback. The vehicle turns in nicely and holds the path chosen by the driver without the need for small changes to keep it on the chosen path. Keep in mind that you’re driving a 4WD not a passenger car but it is excellent in the way that it responds to road conditions. The MU-X range is covered by Isuzu’s unusual six-year/150,000km warranty – most of its rivals have five years and unlimited distance. It does have capped price servicing and up to seven years roadside assistance. Fuel consumption with the X-Terrain as listed at 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres. We didn’t spend much time off-road and averaged just under 9.0 L/100 km. Pretty good for such a relatively large vehicle.

Driving

Summing up

With its 235mm ground clearance, getting into and out of the MU-X X-Terrain can be challenging especially for occupants at opposite ends of the age range. Black sidesteps and grab handles at all doors do help. As is the norm nowadays there are numerous safety settings that are accessed through the touchscreen. They are nowhere near as intrusive as many other, mainly Chinese vehicles, and can be turned off reasonably easily.

Isuzu’s stock-in-trade diesel power and genuine off-road ability have drawn consistently high sales numbers to the MU-X throughout the six years that it has been on the Australian market. It’s well-priced, powerful and versatile, combining large and comfortable family transport with genuine off-road capability. We have one in our family that spends most of its time either transporting children around or using its 3500kg towing capacity to comfortably pull a double horse float.

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 19

SPORT

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

The weather again played havoc on Saturday for local sports people but there was still plenty of action. Star Weekly photographer LJUBICA VRANKOVIC was out shooting some of the action.

Playing through a storm

Keilor’s Mark Jacobsen. 523147_03

PEGS’ Maddumaage Tharindu. 523161_13

Deer Park’s Jair McAllister. 524045_01

Sunbury’s Jackson Treweek. 523161_01

St Albans’ Sammika Perera and Joshua Hine. 524045_08

St Albans’ Sammika Perera. 524045_23

Western Crusaders’ Kalisitiane Lotulelei. 520090_74

Western Crusaders’ Tyson Garnham and Geelong’s Euan Spikers. 520090_76

20 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

Werribee’s Darren Hooper. 523147_01

Western Crusaders’ Dennis John Battistella Jr tries to break through. 520090_54

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

SPORT

The Deeble class of 2025 Some of the most talented athletes in the western suburbs will be vying for the prestigious 2025 Don Deeble Sports Star award next month. The Deeble committee will reveal the name of this year’s champion athlete at an awards dinner on the last Wednesday in January. The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club, Ascot Vale Sports and Trophies and Star Weekly. The first nominee was Smrithi Adepu, a 14-year-old rising badminton star. Last year alone, she became the Australian under-15 champion as she claimed gold in singles and mixed doubles, earned the Australian national under-17 silver medal in singles, and secured the prestigious Victorian Open women’s singles title. She is already part of the Badminton Australia pathways squad, the Junior Falcons, and is focused on making the

senior squad and competing in the Oceania Championships. Western Jets star Thomas Burton was the March nominee. Burton entered his AFL draft year with a resume most people can only dream about. A member of the AFL Academy, he was later named co-captain of the Vic Metro side. While Burton wasn’t drafted, he is training with Richmond with the hope of being added to the Tigers rookie list. Young cricket star Jackson Martin was named the April nominee. Martin burst onto the season when he debuted in Yarraville Club’s first XI as a 12-year-old. He has continued to excel and made his Victorian Premier Cricket first XI debut this season while still able to play under-17s. May nominee Kiara Boyd has a sporting career that only most can dream of. Boyd is in Victorian underage programs for both netball and football. At this stage she isn’t keen on making a choice of which sport she wants to focus on.

June nominee Louis Kaing is the youngest of the nominees for 2025. At just 13, he is a two-time national and three-time state taekwondo champion. After overcoming significant adversity, including being unable to compete for more than eight months, his passion and dedication to taekwondo drove an impressive return to competition. July nominee Nicola Morris puts plenty of kilometres through her legs. After deciding to start triathlons, Morris fell in love with cycling. She was recently selected for the under-17 Australian track development team that went to Malaysia to train and compete in the YSD Track Series. She is now part of the AusCycling Victorian Road Development Academy. Another footballer was named the August nominee, Thomas McGuane. McGuane has had a big name to live up to his whole life being the son of former Collingwood premiership star Mick McGuane. Thomas has found his own way on the

football field having grown up at Keilor Football Club. September nominee Sam Simmonds started playing tennis as his brother did. He quickly fell in love with the sport and has won a number of titles since. October nominee Denise Chan didn’t quite have the 2025 she was after with a back injury. The volleyball player represented Australia at under-16 level in Thailand before being stuck on the sidelines. “The next thing I knew I was getting an email saying I’d made the under-16 Australian team to play in Thailand. I didn’t even know they were scouting for that team,“ she said. The final nominee, Jobe Stewart, started taekwondo when he was just eight. Stewart soon made inroads and in October he was chosen to represent Australia in his first World Taekwondo Championships in China. He hopes to go to the Olympics following in the footsteps of his sister, Reba Stewart.

Ten elite young western suburbs athletes will be vying for the prestigious 2025 Don Deeble Sports Star award next month. The Deeble committee will reveal the name of this year’s champion athlete at an awards dinner on the last Wednesday in January.

FEBRUARY

Smrithi Adepu

Nicola Morris

School: Maribyrnong Sports Academy Sport: Badminton Achievements: Junior International tournament and part of the Badminton Australia pathways squad. Quote: “The Asian players train full-time, and their precision, skill, and attacking strength are on another level, and seeing them train puts a lot of things into perspective and motivates me to keep pushing harder to keep up with them.”

Club: Brunswick Cycling Club Sport: Cycling Achievements: Under-17 Australian track development team, AusCycling Junior Pathways Program and has been offered a position with the AusCycling Victorian Road Development Academy. Quote: “My dream is to one day be selected to represent my country at the elite level, to finish on the podium and to be the best I can be.”

JULY

Thomas McGuane

Thomas Burton

MARCH

Club: Western Jets/Point Cook Football Club Sport: Football Achievements: Named Vic Metro under-18 co-captain and captain of the Western Jets. Named in the AFL National Academy. Won Western Jets best and fairest. Quote: “I feel that I must set the standards. I can see my younger teammates may be nervous or unsure, it’s my role to instill confidence in them.”

AUGUST

Sam Simmonds

Jackson Martin

APRIL

School/Club: Maribyrnong Sports Academy/Essendon Cricket Club Sport: Cricket Achievements: Victorian Premier Cricket first XI debut, made Vic Metro under-17 team and bowled to the Australian cricket team in the nets. Quote: “Bowling is my strength, but my batting is improving all the time.”

SEPTEMBER

MAY

OCTOBER

JUNE

School: Maribyrnong Sports Academy Sport: Volleyball Achievements: Under-16 Australian Championships, under-16 Australian team. Quote: “While we didn’t reach the ultimate success in that competition it taught us all so much about the game and what it takes to be the best.”

Jobe Stewart

Louis Kaing Club: Convergence Combat Sports Sport: Taekwondo Achievements: 2025 World Cadet Championships, Australian Cadet Taekwondo team. Quote: “My goal is to be the best I can be. I will try hard every time I compete to ensure I get better results next time.”

Club: Brooklyn Tennis Club Sport: Tennis Achievements: Victoria captain in the School Sport Australia competition and represents Kooyong Tennis Club as a foundation scholarship holder. Ranked in the top 10 under-18 players in Australia. Quote: “I found that I could change it up and match them tactically, but my consistency as a player must improve.”

Denise Chan

Kiara Boyd School/Club: Maribyrnong Sports Academy/Western Jets/Western Warriors Sport: Football/Netball Achievements: Under-17 Victorian netball team and under-18 Vic Metro football side. Quote: “My sporting goals are simple, I want to do my best and try and get as far as I can on both sports, and I don’t want to let people down.”

School/Club: Maribyrnong Sports Academy, Keilor Football Club/Western Jets Sport: Football Achievements: Vic Metro under-18s, Essendon District Football League premier division premiership, Western Jets vice-captain, made his Victorian Football League debut. Quote: “You can have a 30-possession game but be more effective and influence a game more with better running patterns and 15 possessions.”

NOVEMBER

Program: Taekwondo Australia Performance Pathway Program. Sport: Taekwondo Achievements: World Taekwondo Championships, finished fifth in the Canadian and Korean Open titles. Quote: “You need a lot of discipline when you are 15, 16 and your mates are going out, you must train, remain disciplined with your training, missing socialising with friends and staying on a strict diet.” Wednesday, 17 December, 2025 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 21

SPORT

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Agius steps up at West Point By Tara Murray Jacob Agius will step up at West Point having been named the club’s men’s coach for next year’s FV state league 6 north-west season. Agius was the club’s reserves coach this year and will continue his coaching journey with the senior side next year. Agius has been a member of West Point since 2019 as a player in both seniors and reserves. He assisted coaching the reserves in 2022 and was part of the club’s 2024 technical directors that built the club’s junior program. When he retired last year he stepped into coaching. Agius said he was excited to have the op-

portunity at the club he has called home. “It’s a big step and I can’t wait to get started,” he said.. “Coaching is something I have wanted to do since I started playing. “When I was young I would watch the game and analyse the tactical game, it’s like chess.” Agius said jumping into the senior role happened earlier than he would have expected, thinking that he might spend more time as a reserves coach. But when the opportunity arose, Agius jumped at the chance. He said having been involved at the club was a positive as he knows how the club and the program runs.

It was a tough season for West Point which finished bottom of state league 4 west with two wins for the season. Under a new competition structure, West Point will play in the new state league 6 north-west competition. Agius said this year was a bit of a holding year as the club worked out the direction it wanted to go as the restructure came. “Everyone is aligned on where we want to go,” he said. “We want to focus on development going forward. “We’ve got juniors and we want that pathway into the seniors and reserves. We want to develop our own players. “The senior squad will have a very young average age. They are ready to step up.”

Agius had a young reserves side in 2025 and many of those players will step up into the senior side. He said having coached many of the players before made the trial process easier. “My primary objective for the upcoming season is to build a highly competitive reserves and seniors program capable of challenging for promotion,” Agius said. “We will achieve this by thoughtfully integrating talented players graduating from our junior pathway who are now ready to make the step up into senior football, while continuing to strengthen the overall depth and quality of the squad.” The club is still seeking sponsors for next season.

Edwards puts on a batting show

Addison Bishop-Worn in action for Werribee. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 443946_20

Bishop-Worn makes a stunning debut By Tara Murray “The Werribee Giants product delivered one of the most impressive debut performances Melbourne Ballpark has ever seen.” The praise doesn’t get much higher for Werribee Giants Addison Bishop-Worn after he made his Melbourne Aces debut in the Southern Stars and Stripes Shield. For the 19-year-old, it was a whirlwind few days after being surprised to get a call up to the Aces squad let alone debut and have such an impact. “I’m still trying to believe it happened,” he said. “It’s crazy. “It was really intense and I really felt like after the first game a sense of belonging. “I’m sort of proud of myself with how competitive I was with the older guys who are much older.” Bishop-Worn was a late call up for the second game on the shield. He didn’t have long to prepare for what was about to happen. “I was on the way to the field and was 20

minutes away,” he said. “[Coach Jon] Deeble gave me a call and said that I was starting. “The nerves set in but I went to a really simple mindset and let it happen. “I said to mum you have to be on time today but I can’t tell you why. She knew then I was in the team.” Bishop-Worn scored three runs in the opening match including giving the Aces a late lead. In the series finale, Bishop-Worn stepped in for his first at-bat and launched a threerun homer to right field to score his first home run and fourth run for the weekend. The performances led to the Aces media team heaping praise on Bishop-Worn saying it was one of the most impressive debuts at the game. “That was amazing when I read it,” he said. “I thought damn, I impressed myself.” Bishop-Worn said the hitting a homerun in his second game was a feeling that he had never experienced before. His first up performances left those in the Aces impressed.

22 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

“They’ve invited me back,” he said. “I didn’t expect much game time and I was just happy to play an innings of two that was it basically.” Baseball is in the blood for Bishop-Worn. His dad David Bishop-Worn is president of the Werribee Giants while his brother Cooper Bishop-Worn also plays for the Giants. “It was around seven when I started at Werribee,” he said. “They have been very welcoming and a lot of the older guys have taken me under their wing and guided me through to where I am today.” While attention is on the Giants current season, Bishop-Worn has one eye on attending college in America this year for his next big step. “I’m figuring out what is the right school for me,” he said. “It wasn’t until last year I was looking at college. I was a bit skeptical if I would be able to compete at that next level. “I want to go now and continue my career.”

It was the Scott Edwards show in the latest round of the Western Suburbs Churches and Community Cricket Association T20 division 1 competition. The fourth round of the competition kicked off on Tuesday night, with the highlight of the round and the competition so far coming on Thursday. Altona Sports hosted Williams Landing on Thursday night and put on a batting display. Altona Sports made 2-304 from its 20 overs. Netherlands captain Scott Edwards was the star of the show as he made 229 not out off just 81 balls. He hit 14 fours and 23 sixes in the first double century in the competition. Williams Landing never got close to the target, bowled out for 118. Elsewhere, Glen Orden remains undefeated, while Manor Lakes is on the board. Glen Orden continued its good form as it accounted for Tarneit Central. Tarneit Central made 6-169 from its overs with Mandeep Singh top scoring with 47. It was all single wicket takers for the Thunder. The Thunder timed the run chase to perfection, hitting the winning runs with five balls remaining The Thunder finished 5-197. Captain Sai Chaitanya Chatrati top scored with 88. Daljit Singh took two wickets for Tarneit. Manor Lakes was able to get the job done against Truganina United. Both sides were searching for their first wins of the tournament. Truganina made 9-124 from its overs. Vineet Bhimani (21 not out) and Ashutosh Patel (25 not out) put on 46 for the final wicket to give their side some hope. Goutham Gandhi took three wickets for Manor Lakes. Manor Lakes was cruising at 1-90 before it lost 3-3 to give Truganina some hope. Manor Lakes was able to steady and made the runs with nearly six overs remaining, finishing 4-125. In division 2, Altona Sports, Truganina Strikers and Western Eagles were the winners. Brimbank Strikers, Western Lions and the Indigos were the winners in division 3, while Yarraville Club, Altona Sports and Manor Lakes won in division 4.

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Lowther new Werribee coach Former AFLW Geelong coach Dan Lowther is headed down the highway after being named Werribee’s new Victorian Football League coach. The Tigers announced on Wednesday night that Lowther would take on the role, having coached Geelong’s AFLW role for the past five seasons. Lowther guided that side from second-last in the season before his appointment, to back-to-back finals series. That run included a preliminary final appearance in 2023, where they fell to eventual premiers Brisbane. Werribee’s new coach also brings extensive AFL experience with Geelong, dating back 29 years. Lowther played 34 AFL games for the

club in the late 1990s across a six-year playing career. He has since served as a VFL assistant coach, AFL analyst and AFLW assistant before being elevated to the senior role. Werribee chief executive Mark Penaluna said they are incredibly excited to welcome Lowther as their senior coach. “He brings an abundance of experience from his time coaching in the TAC CupCoates League, to the VFL and his most recent role in the AFLW,” Penaluna said. “He has the right credentials to take over from Jimmy Allan and keep our club at the top of the VFL competition.” Lowther said he’s extremely excited about the job at hand, and to land at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

“The opportunity to lead such a strong and respected club is a privilege and one I’m looking forward to,” he said. “ “Stepping back into a men’s program was always a goal of mine and I’m looking forward to working with a young group of players and staff hungry for more success.” Lowther is the 27th coach for Werribee. He replaces premiership coach Jimmy Allan, who had been planning on coaching the side again, who has joined St Kilda as an assistant coach. Allan is the third straight coach to depart the club to take on AFL coaching roles. Meanwhile, midfielder Xavier Ivisic is the latest player to sign on with Werribee for next year’s Victorian Football League season.

Ivisic arrives at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval after spending 12 months at AFL level with Geelong. His opportunities were limited by a syndesmosis injury, resulting in him not managing an AFL appearance in his debut season. At VFL level, he made 13 appearances for the Cats, averaging 15 disposals and 3.5 tackles while playing primarily as an outside midfielder and flanker. Among his standout performances were 20 disposals, seven marks and a goal against Brisbane in round 13, a career-high 24 touches against Collingwood in round 17, and a two-goal, 15-disposal effort in a win over North Melbourne the following week.

O’Connor Moreira drafted in AFLW

Brett Smith. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 510981_05

Cats show strong form despite washouts By Tara Murray Hoppers Crossing is playing its best cricket of the past couple of Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association seasons, it’s just a matter of getting on the field. The Cats have been one of the teams left frustrated as rain has washed out matches, or meant others didn’t end in results in the east-west. On Saturday, they were able to get out on the field against Mt Waverley after day one was washed out. “It’s been frustrating the last couple of weeks,” captain-coach Simon Lambert said. “We were on top against Noble Park and the rain came too soon and we made 350 against Bayswater but we couldn’t get the 10 wickets. “They are two wins we could have had. We’re playing some good cricket. “I think it’s the best cricket we’ve played since I’ve come to the club. “It was good to get a whole game in.” The Cats decided to have a bowl first.

They were able to bowl Mt Waverley out for 140 in the final over. Lambert said there was something in the pitch early on and they were able to get some early wickets. “They were behind the eight ball and not able to get back,” he said. “We thought 200 was where that total needed to be to be competitive.” Brett Smith took four wickets for the Cats, while Abbas Faiyaz took three. Lambert and Bibek Virk then put the pressure on from ball one with the bat and didn’t let Mt Waverley back in. The Cats hit the winning runs in the 23rd over, finishing 1-141. Lambert was 71 not out. Lambert said he and Virk had set an approach of taking it to the opposition from ball one and it was working. “Bibek came in last season,” he said. “He is only 19 and the last two games he made 90 odd off 70 and 50 odd off 50. “Yesterday [Saturday] he was going at a run a ball. He has been sensational. “Most teams just nudge it around early

on. We’ve turned it upside down and gone hammer and tong from ball one.” Lambert said Jaimin Patel had also been strong in top four as well. The Cats now face Melton in a T20 game, the final game before the Christmas break. Lambert said they were excited to get back to the shortest format. “It seems to suit us more the shorter the game,” he said. “We won the T20 competition last year and it favours the way we play. “We’re aggressive. Hopefully we can get some momentum running into Christmas.” Meanwhile, Werribee lost to Noble Park on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Noble Park made 7-213 from its 45 overs. Dean Russ and Tim O’Brien took two wickets each for the Tigers. The game was reduced to 38 overs due to the weather, with the Tigers set 197 to win. The Tigers were bowled out in the 35th over for 173. Ryan Alifraco top scored with 58. After seven matches, Hoppers Crossing sits fifth on the ladder and Werribee in ninth.

Western Jets’ Charlie O’Connor Moreira will stay close to home, while former number one draft pick Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner has got her wish in the AFLW draft. O’Connor Moreira, who was a revelation for the Jets in the back half of the season, was picked by the Western Bulldogs at pick number 45. Speaking before the draft, O’Connor Moreira said an ankle injury early in the season meant she thought her draft prospects were over. Her move from the forward line to the wing was also a big factor in her being drafted. “I’m pretty grateful to be able to experience it this year,” she told Star Weekly before the draft. “My ultimate goal is to get drafted and after what happened at the start of the year I didn’t think it was going to happen. “Whatever happens on draft night happens.” O’Connor Moreira, made her senior debut with Williamstown CYMS this season, having played juniors at Altona and Point Cook. Weston-Turner will play with North Melbourne in next year’s AFLW season. After the Kangaroos and Western Bulldogs couldn’t get a trade done, Weston-Turner had to nominate for the draft. She managed to get through to pick 37, the Kangaroos first pick and they quickly picked her up. Weston-Turner, who was drafted from Spotswood and the Western Jets, had played eight games in two seasons at the Bulldogs. She played just one game this year. Weston-Turner is still connected to the western suburbs, coaching Albion’s under-16 girls team. North Melbourne AFLW list manager Flynn Loft said Weston-Turner brings a wealth of talent and will be a valuable addition to the team. “We’re excited to welcome a player of Kristie-Lee’s unique ability and immense potential into our program,” Loft said. “We saw in her junior career and in glimpses in her first two seasons that she is an athletic player with a genuine X-factor that can change a game.

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