Thursday, 5 February, 2026
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Effortless transition Clyde Grammar School welcomed students back to campus last week, marking the start of the fresh 2026 academic year filled with learning and opportunity. The school grounds were busy as students across all year levels returned to classrooms, reconnecting with peers and teachers after the summer holiday break. Many took their first steps into the world of schooling whilst others are completing their final year of primary education. Foundation students began an important milestone as they settled into school life, while returning students approached the year ahead with confidence and familiarity. Teachers and staff were on hand to ensure a smooth transition, supporting students as routines were slowly reintroduced and learning curriculums commenced. Principal Leanne Evans said that the first day of school was a “special milestone” for both students and families. The return to school has brought renewed energy to the Clyde Grammar community, with classrooms once again active and playgrounds full of much chatter, learning and conversations. For more on this story, go to page 23
Principal Leanne Evans with Gregory, Mark and Eliana. (Stewart Chambers: 531335)
Tunnel trouble extra interchanges, longer walks and tighter connections. The changes have sparked heated discussion in local community forums, with some passengers reporting their daily trips are now 20 to 40 minutes longer, particularly for travel to Richmond, Flinders Street and Southern Cross. Cranbourne Residents and Ratepayers Asso-
ciation president Anthony Tassone said feedback showed “clear winners and losers”, with south east commuters bearing the brunt of the transition, though others have reported benefits for trips to new Metro Tunnel stations and Parkville’s health and education precincts. Commuter frustration intensified when an afternoon-peak disruption left many passengers stranded on trains for up to two and a half hours
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The first week of Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel timetable has drawn strong criticism from commuters on the Cranbourne and East Pakenham lines, with concerns about longer journeys, added complexity and reliability coming into sharp focus. Many south east commuters say the new service pattern has removed their one-seat ride into the City Loop and key inner-city stations, forcing
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without air conditioning due to an overhead power fault near Armadale Station. The incident, which was not related to the tunnel itself, occurred on just the second working day of the new timetable. Shadow Public Transport Minister Matthew Guy described the incident as a “big failure” and a “disgrace”, as commuters continue to adjust to the largest network change in decades. For more on the story, turn to page 22