Crowds gathered at Banjo Paterson Park on Saturday 28 February as the Lynbrook Residents Association hosted its annual Holi Festival, filling the park with music, dancing and vibrant clouds of coloured powder. Performances by the Bolly Dazzlers, a DJ set and live drumming kept the crowd moving throughout the afternoon.
Organisers said the celebration captured the spirit of Holi, with families and friends sharing culture, connection and joy.
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Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has unveiled the first plank of the Coalition’s housing strategy to fast-track land release in growth areas as the State heads into an election year.
Speaking at the Future Victoria Summit on Wednesday last week, she criticised the current Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) approval system as slow and overly regulated, with some projects not expected to begin until the late 2030s. PSP is a blueprint for developing new sub-
urbs in growth areas, outlining land use, infrastructure, and services needed to support future communities. There are now 27 PSPs in the pipeline across Melbourne’s growth areas, including four in the City of Casey: Croskell, Casey Fields South (Employment), Devon Meadows and Clyde South.
Star News reported last year that Casey Council and developers are concerned that reduced land supply has impacted housing affordability,
as PSP approvals have slowed in recent years. The last PSP approved in Casey was in 2019. However, her strategy has not met universal approval. Housing experts warn that releasing more land alone is unlikely to significantly reduce house prices. RMIT Associate Professor Trivess Moore said affordability depends on multiple factors, including labour shortages, construction capacity and material costs.
City of Casey mayor Stefan Koomen also spoke out on the policy, saying any further growth in the outer suburbs has to come with real investment in the supporting infrastructure.
“We’ve got waitlists for swimming lessons, huge waits on the road just to get to a train station because often people are having to travel 20 minutes by car just to get on a train without the supporting bus network,” he said. Full story page 2
By Violet Li
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has unveiled the first plank of the Coalition’s housing strategy to fast-track development in growth areas as the State heads into an election year.
Her housing strategy for the growth areas includes fast-tracking existing Precinct Structure Plans (PSP).
Speaking at the Future Victoria Summit on Wednesday 25 February, Ms Wilson said her focus is to make it easier and more affordable for young people to own their houses.
She believed that the State’s Precinct Structure Planning (PSP) system is “broken” , defined by “delay, fragmentation, and excessive regulation with some commencement timelines stretching into the late 2030s”
PSP is a blueprint for developing new suburbs in growth areas, outlining land use, infrastructure, and services needed to support future communities.
Under the Coalition’s proposal, growth-area PSPs would be given clear end dates to accelerate delivery, while revenue collected through the Growth Area Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) would be redirected back into the communities it comes from, funding earlier construction of roads, schools and community facilities.
“We will fast-track home building in existing identified growth areas,” Ms Wilson said at the Summit.
“Done properly, these can be vibrant new communities where people can raise their families with all the amenities nearby.
“The government’s focus on infill development in existing suburbs has left new growth areas neglected.”
The announcement comes amid slowing home construction across Victoria, with Aus-
By Violet Li
tralian Bureau of Statistics data showing just 54,332 new homes were completed in the year to September 2025, the lowest annual figure since 2014.
Ms Wilson blamed both planning delays and rising government charges, saying taxes, fees and levies now make up more than 40 per cent of the cost of a new house-and-land package in Melbourne.
TheCoalition’spledgetofast-trackgrowth-ar-
ea planning comes amid mounting frustration from the Casey Council and the industry over stalled PSP timelines in Casey’s south.
Four key PSPs in the City of Casey growth corridor, including Croskell, Casey Fields South (Employment), Devon Meadows and Clyde South, remain in progress years after the last residential plan was finalised in 2019.
Star News reported in August 2025 that Casey Council and developers are concerned that re-
duced land supply has impacted housing affordability, as PSP approvals have slowed in recent years.
“To maintain housing affordability in Casey, it’s critical that the Croskell (Employment) and Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows PSPs must be finalised in the next 12 months, and that preparation of Clyde South PSP is expedited to ensure delivery by 2028,” City of Casey Manager Growth and Investment Kathryn Seirlis told Star News then.
According to the State Government’s 10-year vision for the greenfield PSPs, Casey Fields South (Employment), Croskell, and Devon Meadows PSPs will be completed by the end of 2028, and Clyde South PSP by 2033.
Greenfield consultant James Thomas, CEO of Core Project, previously talked to Star News and warned that the State Government’s 10-year greenfield rollout risked pushing new homes even further into the future.
He said two of Casey’s key precincts, Devon Meadows and Clyde South, had already been flagged for fast-tracking under earlier Victorian Planning Authority priorities, yet little progress had followed.
“So, from whenever they get the plan approved before the first home goes in, it generally takes about two years, assuming development starts immediately,” he said in late 2024.
“Unfortunately, the pace of Devon Meadows PSP means you are unlikely to see a home there until at least 2027 at the earliest, more likely 2030.”
Alongside the growth-area reforms, the Coalition also flagged plans to expand inner-city residential zones, restore planning control to councils, and unlock housing in regional centres. Casey has a mandated housing target of 87,000 for the next three decades, with 28,500 in the non-greenfield and 58,500 in the greenfield.
The Opposition’s plan to fast-track land release in growth areas is unlikely to significantly reduce house prices on its own, according to an RMIT housing expert.
Associate Professor Trivess Moore, of RMIT’s school of property, construction and project management, said making the houses affordable is “more complicated” than just simply releasing land.
“I think that it could lead to more affordable housing if there are a number of other factors that are also supported as well. For example, simply releasing more land when you don’t have more people to build the housing won’t necessarily deliver the housing any quicker,” he said.
“It won’t necessarily help reduce the cost of materials. It won’t necessarily result in more affordable housing overall.”
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson unveiled the first plank of the Coalition’s housing strategy on Wednesday 25 February, to fast-track the existing 27 Precinct Structure Plans (PSP), including four in the City of Casey, as the State heads into an election year.
Those growth-area PSPs would be given clear
end dates to accelerate delivery.
This focus has been opposed to Labor’s housing policy, which centres on mid- and high-rise apartments in established middle suburbs near train stations and activity centres.
Professor Moore said that shifting the focus from the medium-density apartment-type development to lower-density housing would perhaps cost a little bit more contained or controlled for an individual household.
“But I think there’s been some evidence that has come in Australia over the past six to 12 months that has suggested that it’s actually going to be quite a lot more housing supply that’s required to go into the market before you see significant cost reductions in housing,” he said.
“Simply having more land to build on without being able to have more people build, reduce the cost, etcetera, is unlikely to see the cost of that housing significantly reduced.
“I think that certainly more housing is needed, and I guess we probably don’t know exactly how much more before the costs start coming down.
“It also depends on where that housing is going, because we see that there are some apartment developments around Melbourne where
there are a number of unsold apartments in the building. Simply building more doesn’t necessarily translate to more people purchasing housing.”
The expert also cautioned against focusing solely on speed when it comes to approving PSPs in growth corridors such as Casey.
While some streamlining may be possible, he stressed that PSPs are designed to ensure new suburbs balance housing with infrastructure, amenity and employment land, decisions that shape communities for decades.
“We want to make sure we get the decisions right about these new suburbs, because once the design is locked in, once construction starts, it’s very hard to change things later on,” Professor Moore said.
“We’re going to be building things that are going to last 40, 50, 60 years or more. We don’t want to end up in a situation where we rapidly build a whole heap of housing, and then in ten years, we have a whole heap of issues with defects.
“We don’t want to have a situation where we’ve failed to put into practice the best design because otherwise those communities will suffer in the longer term.
“The other thing to think about is to make sure you get that amenity infrastructure in early be-
cause these communities go in with the promise of a train line or a shopping centre or a school. We see it time and time again that those things often get put in very late.”
In response to the Opposition’s policy, a State Government Spokesperson said Jess Wilson’s plan wouldn’t result in any more homes, would cut 300,000 new homes and push up the price of housing.
City of Casey Mayor Stefan Koomen went on ABC radio to speak about the Opposition’s housing policy for growth areas, where he said any further growth in the outer suburbs has to come with real investment in the supporting infrastructure.
“We’re already doing the heavy lifting out in the outer suburbs. We’re building lots and lots of houses. I think the key thing is if we’re going to put more houses out in the suburbs, we need to have the supporting infrastructure,” he said.
“That’s the real challenge we’ve got at the moment…
“We’ve got waitlists for swimming lessons, huge waits on the road just to get to a train station because often people are having to travel 20 minutes by car just to get on a train without the supporting bus network.”
A man has been charged following an incident at a property in Cranbourne East where a Toyota SUV allegedly rammed a Ford off Collision Road about 2.30pm on Saturday 28 February.
The 28-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage, threat to inflict serious injury and firearm offences.
When police arrived at the scene, the Ford was unoccupied, and the alleged driver of the Toyota was found to be inside a nearby property.
Local police, with the assistance of the Critical Incident Response Team, negotiated with the man until he surrendered to police without incident at about 2.30pm.
As part of the investigation following the
man’s arrest, detectives executed a warrant at the property and seized what appears to be a homemade firearm.
The Cranbourne man has been remanded in custody to appear before the Bail and Remand Court in Melbourne on 1 March.
A 29-year-old man who was also arrested at the scene has been charged with making threats to inflict serious injury in relation to an unrelated matter involving a person known to him earlier in the day. He has been bailed to appear before Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 20 May 2026. Investigators spoke to the owner of the Ford, and enquiries revealed the Ford was unoccupied during the ramming.
By Jensy Callimootoo
Occurrences of sexual offences on Casey school campuses have fallen over the past year; but the municipality’s figures remain well above neighbouring areas.
According to data from the Crime Statistics Agency, 35 sexual offences were reported in Casey schools from October 2024 to September 2025.
This marks a reduction from the previous year’s 46 offences.
Casey’s neighbouring LGAs, Greater Dandenong and Cardinia, both reported a total of six sexual offences over the same period.
Casey is reported to have an estimated 102 schools, including public and private schools; Greater Dandenong has a total 26 schools while Cardinia Shire has a reported 33 schools in the region.
A police spokesperson said that the majority of these sexual offences are relating to non-contact offending, which includes the distribution of unauthorised sharing of explicit images or videos.
In line with this, ongoing research by Collective Shout, found that easily accessible built-in AI apps were being excessively utilised in Australian schools by young boys to undress their classmates — predominately girls.
Caitlin Roper, campaign manager for Collective Shout said that the research intended to find what a teen boy could do with a smartphone and access to a photo of a female classmate.
“How difficult would it be to turn an ordinary image of a woman or girl into pornography? What, if any, barriers might prevent this?,” they said.
“We found that through nudifying apps, users could digitally undress women and girls for free and in seconds.”
The grassroots organisations aim to inhibit the sexualisation of girls and women, and as technology-facilitated abuse becomes increas-
ingly popular among young offenders, the organisation is calling for a global ban on nudifying and undressing apps.
The state’s law enforcements have also tried to grapple with the intensifying issue.
With Victoria Police developing programs and discussions that aim to enhance safety in school — telling Star News that protecting young people is a “priority”.
“Police, including detectives, proactively visit schools across the state to enhance overall safety, provide advice on a range of topics relating to the law, safety and wellbeing, as well as develop solutions to steer young people away from crime,” said a VicPol spokesperson.
“This also includes ensuring students and staff are aware of the consequences of non-consensual sharing or distribution of intimate images and know how and where to seek help if they are a victim.”
Anne Atcheson from Sexual Health Victoria (SHV) says that preventative measures based in education have proved useful in both research along with the observations from educators.
SHV facilitates school based education programs across all three LGAs by having active
discussions and information sessions tailored to young people.
Much of the program provides a model that relates to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) — with consent including digital consent and respectful relationships as core themes.
Each program is catered to different year levels, tailored to meet the needs of the group.
“The school programs, called everyBODY Education Programs, are mapped against the Victorian and Australian Curriculum,” said Ms Atcheson.
“Foundation students begin with basic information about public and private body parts and places as well as help seeking strategies.
“By the end of primary school we are talking about puberty, reproduction and relationships.
“In secondary school we step more into future sexual health, online sexual content including the laws and ethics of sexual relationships.”
Anne says that preventive measures like sexuality education have shown to have positive effects by increasing young people’s knowledge and improving their attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health and behaviours.
She adds that SHV’s observations during these educational programmes further support the research findings.
“Our experience in schools and communities supports (the research),” she said.
“By raising topics to do with bodies, sex and sexuality, young people are more likely to understand their rights.
“They are more likely to understand consent and how to seek help if they need it.
“SHV educators often follow up with schools following a revelation from a student in relation to their safety or need for extra support.”
If you or someone you know has been impacted by digital sexual abuse, go to esafety. gov.au
By Jensy Callimootoo
More than 250,000 households, small businesses and community organisations have installed home batteries — with the majority of them subsiding in the outer suburbs of Victoria. The top postcodes for take-up in the La Trobe federal electorate reflect a mix of growth corridors and established regional townships.
Clyde and Berwick as well as Cardinia Shire suburbs like Pakenham and Officer are among the highest local take ups for subsidised batteries under the Albanese Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program.
The program allows for Australian households, businesses and community organisations to get a discount of around 30 per cent on the upfront cost of installing a range of small-scale battery systems.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said the figures demonstrate that households are seeking practical ways to reduce their power bills and gain more control over their energy use.
Home batteries allow households to store excess solar energy generated during the day and use it during the evening peak, reducing reliance on higher-priced grid electricity.
Thegovernmentarguesthatwideruptake also supports grid stability and places downward pressure on wholesale prices.
Senator for Victoria, Lisa Darmanin, pointed to strong participation in Melbourne’s outer south-east, particularly in the federal electorate of La Trobe.
Leading suburbs in the South-East for home batteries: ■3978 (Clyde North, Clyde, Cardinia) – 437 installations ■3810 (Pakenham and surrounds) – 424 ■3809 (Officer, Officer South) – 274 ■3806 (Berwick, Harkaway) – 130 ■3807 (Beaconsfield, Guys Hill) – 70
■3984 (Lang Lang and surrounding coastal towns) – 63
EFFECTIVE 2 MARCH 2026
The updated Casey Community Local Law 2025 is now in place.
Local Laws are simple, fair rules that guide everyday behaviour in our city. They keep our community safe, protect public places, support local businesses and reduce behaviours that can affect others.
The Local Law covers things like caring for pets, putting rubbish in the right place, looking after your property, respecting public spaces, and using private land in a way that doesn’t impact neighbours.
For more information visit: casey.vic.gov.au/local-laws
TIP:
We’ve put together a community guide that explains the Casey Community Local Law 2025 in simple, easy-to-understand language. It shows how the rules work in everyday life.
By Jensy Callimootoo
Regulars of Casey Central Shopping Centre have expressed their frustrations over new traffic fixtures intended to increase road safety — with many saying it’s achieving the opposite.
Several bright yellow mini roundabouts have been installed in Casey Central carpark at key intersections as a means to help vehicles slow down and improve visibility.
According to the centre manager, Linda Lauder, the decision to install the mini roundabouts followed traffic audits and recommendations from specialised traffic engineers, aimed at improving traffic flow and enhancing customer safety.
With the works completed on Sunday 22 February, Casey Central announced in a social media post that the new changes were designed to reduce congestion during peak times, improve safety for pedestrians and drivers and slow traffic through busy areas.
Shell Dargent, a regular at Casey Central, tried to get around the roundabout, leaving yellow markings on her tyre.
“I now have yellow paint on my wheels and I only drive a ford V8 and I couldn’t get around, I even reversed up,” she said.
On another occurrence, Shell witnessed a car hit a pole as the driver tried not to make contact with the roundabout, an incident she says, was “a direct result” of the new fixtures.
“This poor man with a small car was trying to do the right thing and go around it (roundabout) but in doing that, his front left side of the car hit a pole and broke his headlight,” she said.
Following an inquiry by Star News, Ms Lauder said that the roundabouts are intended to be ‘rollover’, meaning larger or longer vehicles can drive over the new fixtures.
“The roundabouts are designed for low speed environments, larger standard vehicles can safely overrun the roundabouts at low speed, and whilst smaller vehicles can over-
run the roundabout, they are not required to do so to safely navigate around them,” Ms Lauder said.
Becky, who owns a Kia Carnival, couldn’t get around the roundabout either without doing a three-point turn, with cars behind her waiting, she says it’s creating a bigger hazard.
“It’s just silly,” she said.
“I don’t really know why they thought this would be a good idea.”
“It’s so dangerous because I couldn’t even get around the roundabout, those cars had to wait for me to back up.
“Make it make sense,” she added.
Another shopper, Paul, who owns a low-sitting ute, avoided the roundabout; he instead drove to the far side of the car park.
He told Star News that even if he tried to get around it or drove over it, it “would cause
some damage to my tyre”.
While some shoppers said the roundabouts make manoeuvring around the carparks tighter, they did ultimately support the road safety measures the centre was taking.
“I think it helps everybody slow down, so I don’t mind it,” said a worker who did not want to be named.
Paul said he doesn’t dispute that people need to drive slower in the car park, but that the roundabouts weren’t the solution.
“Repainting the already existent white lines and giveaway signs would’ve been a better solution, I think,” said Paul.
When asked if the centre would take on this feedback from its customers, Casey Central said that they recognise “change takes times”, specifically for regulars who are already familiar with the space.
Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA) hosted its annual Holi Festival at Banjo Paterson Park on Saturday 28 February. A spokesperson of LRA said it was a beautiful day, and it really came alive by late
afternoon. “The energy was incredible, vibrant, joyful and exactly how Holi should feel,“ she said.
“People were laughing, dancing and covered in colour. The Bolly Dazzlers were amazing. The
DJ had everyone dancing, and when the drummer joined in, it turned into this spontaneous mini dance festival.
“You could really feel the joy in the crowd.
By Dya Singh and Dr Jamel Kaur Singh
After last week’s column on Pauline Hanson, a familiar refrain surfaced again:
“Migrants are buying up Australia” and killing the “Castle” dream!
It’s a powerful line.
It taps into something primal. Land.
Home.
Security.
But before we react - let’s step back.
Because property in Australia is not just an asset class.
It is cultural mythology.
For many Australians, home ownership represents stability, adulthood and achievement.
The “Great Australian Dream” is not just a house with a backyard - it is psychological reassurance.
But here’s what often gets missed: for many migrant families, property is not about greed.
It is about survival memory.
When you come from countries where governments have fallen, currencies have collapsed, property rights were uncertain, or conflict displaced families - land equals control.
Not control over others.
Control over your future.
That mindset doesn’t disappear at Customs.
Culturally, some communities are wiredthrough lived history - to prioritise asset accumulation early.
Pooling family income.
Living multigenerationally.
Sacrificing lifestyle for leverage.
Other Australians prioritise independence first. Move out young. Travel. Rent. Build lifestyle before asset base.
Neither approach is morally superior.
They are cultural nuances.
And then there are cultures - including First Nations communities - whose relationship with land is not ownership at all.
It is custodianship.
Belonging to the land.
Not the land belonging to you.
That worldview clashes fundamentally with Western capitalist property systems built on title, leverage and capital growth.
So when we talk about “who owns Australia,” we are not just talking about mortgages.
We are talking about competing philosophies of land itself.
Yes, there are legitimate debates around foreign investment policy.
Yes, housing affordability is real.
Yes, governments must ensure fair access and transparent rules.
But the idea that migrants are somehow culturally programmed to “take over” misunderstands what is actually happening.
Many are simply following the same aspi-
ration that built modern Australia in the first place: security through ownership. The difference?
Some pursue it more strategically.
Some pursue it collectively.
And some delay it.
The property market itself is shifting. Interest rates have stabilised.
Rental demand remains strong. Selective softening is creating strategic opportunity.
But fear distorts perspective.
When housing becomes framed as “us versus them”, we stop asking better questions:
Are we educating Australians on financial literacy equally?
Are we aligning policy with long-term supply?
Are we teaching portfolio thinking rather than emotional buying?
Because here’s the uncomfortable truthmarkets reward strategy, not sentiment.
And strategy is culturally learned.
As migrant parents who built security brick by brick, property meant dignity.
As a daughter working in strategic acquisition, property means leverage.
Two generations.
Two lenses.
Same underlying principle: security matters.
But fear will never solve affordability.
Smart policy might.
Financial education certainly would.
And cultural maturity absolutely will.
Truth be told… the real question isn’t who is buying Australia.
It’s whether we understand why we all want to.
“There were colours everywhere, smiles everywhere, and a genuine sense of celebration. It was a beautifulreflectionofwhatHoliisallabout:culture, connection and pure joy.“
By Corey Everitt and Violet Li
Discussion has emerged around amalgamating local government into “super councils”, with proponents citing financial strain and economies of scale, while a former local mayor argues that “local government should stay local”
As reported in The Age, Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly said he wants an “adult conversation” about the amalgamation of local government, as he and Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin revealed they are willing to consider a redrawing of their boundaries with the City of Melbourne. Lord Mayor Nick Reece described the idea as “bold”
Mayor Jolly said the council had identified close to $10.5 million a year in cost-shifting and could be forced to make cuts and “become the Maggie Thatcher of Victoria” . Former premier Jeff Kennett backed the discussion.
The man responsible for reducing Victoria’s councils from 210 to 79 in 1994 told The Age he would merge Melbourne’s 31 councils into just five today.
The City of Casey itself is a product of those reforms, formed in 1994 through the amalgamation of the former City of Cranbourne and City of Berwick.
Casey’s longest-serving ex-councillor and ex-mayor Wayne Smith said his views on amalgamation had shifted over time.
While he initially opposed the 1994 council mergers, he learned to appreciate that “sometimes bigger is better”
“It was economies of scale. It was cheaper and more efficient to run bigger operations than every council running its own operation,” he said.
“It probably makes sense to revisit amalgamations, but they’ve got to be councils that have some sort of natural affinity with each other.
“I think with Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, they certainly would have.
“The big part will be who’s going to be the boss? Who’s going to be the most important? And, of course, Dandenong and Casey will always argue that they’re more important, and that’ll be
bigger is better“.
up to them to battle that out.”
Mr Smith said the benefits of scale would be most obvious in the service delivery. He pointed to programs such as home care and Meals on Wheels.
“Also rubbish collection, those things where there are contracts involved. You might be able to bargain better if it’s a bigger catchment,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that representation could suffer if councils became too large. “They absolutely could,” he said of the risk that residents might lose their local voice.
“But it’s up to the people who get elected, the representatives.
“If you went bigger, you’re not going to get councillors who can give the time and the energy unless they were full-time.
“We have to look seriously at full time councillors, but then they would have to be accountable.”
Long-timeex-councillorofCityofBerwickRay Bastin said he did not support the idea of creating larger “mega councils” , arguing that expanding electorates would weaken local representation.
“The local government is about being close to the residents. The larger the electorate, it means that you can’t have that contact,” he said.
Mr Bastin recalled that back when he was a councillor, he door-knocked, hand-delivered
leaflets and even responded to a resident’s flooding emergency at 11.30pm.
“That’s what I expect of councillors. They’re local,” he said.
“And I’m quite sure that seeing the councillor is representing a greater size electorate, he would be hoping for a greater salary package. Even if the salary package equated the combined income of the current councillors, I still maintain that the residents would not be getting their best representation.
“You expect these councillors to turn up to your local AGM meetings, the monthly meeting of say the tennis club or the footy club, you want that close contact.
“And if it’s a larger area, you might have 10, 12 different clubs all vying for you on the same night for you to drop in. The representation would be more distant, not as close.”
Former Pakenham Shire mayor Bill Ronald, who was sacked when Kennett dissolved 210 councils into 79 in 1994, said the debate depends on geography.
He said it is a worthy discussion for the inner city, which has “completely different set-ups” to outer Melbourne, but he would never support proposals from Kennett, whose merger was a “complete disaster” for this growth area.
“Our position was that we were a growing municipality and that to amalgamate us would just give us too much growth all of a sudden, rather than having the ability to cope with the growth over time, and that proved to be the case,” he said.
The premise of an inner-city merger would be to pool funds, resources and assets across the area.
Cardinia recorded $303.5 million in revenue in 2024–25, Casey $629.2 million, and Greater Dandenong $305.5 million.
Greater Dandenong Mayor Cr Sophie Tan said further amalgamation has not been discussed and is not a priority. A spokesperson for Greater South East Melbourne said the issue is not relevant to its role.
Cardinia and Casey declined to comment.
Police patrols at Fountain Gate have been extended until the end of this year, the State Government has announced.
From December, police and PSOs in shopping centres were placed across Melbourne in response to violence, thefts and anti-social activity.
According to the Government, Operation Pulse led to 84 per cent of customers feeling safer at shopping centres.
It also led to a 73 per cent drop in retail theft stock loss and a 50 per cent drop in violent incidents.
Premier Jacinta Allan announced on 1 March an additional $6.5 million to extend Operation Pulse until the end of 2026.
It will not impact existing police staffing or deployments, according to the Government.
“We have new solutions to keep you safe, with PSOs in shopping centres, violence reduction in our schools, and Adult Time (for Violent Crime) in the law.”
“We’re putting police and PSOs where the problems are, protecting you where you shop, work and spend time.”
As part of the operation, Victoria Police have:
■Made 452 arrests and laid 971 charges
■Seized more than 100 weapons
■Conducted 3,800 vehicle checks as part of highly visible patrols
Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the operation was “delivering results”.
“Victoria Police is stopping crime before it begins, responding quickly and removing dangerous weapons before they can be used.”
Mark your calendars – Summerset Cranbourne North’s Community Market Day is back!
Join us for a fun-filled day of shopping, entertainment and good vibes.
Browsearangeofstalls,featuring:
• Gorgeousjewellery
• Beautifulplants
• Uniquearts&crafts
• FREEcoffee
• FREEsausagesizzle
• FREEicecream
Enjoy live entertainment from a band while you eat - the perfect soundtrack to a wonderful day.
Whether you’re looking to shop, eat, or just soak up the atmosphere, there’s something for everyone.
Entry is FREE, so gather your friends and family and join us for an unforgettable day!
Saturday 14 March, 10am to 2pm
Summerset Cranbourne North 98 Mannavue Boulevard, Cranbourne North 03 7068 5642 | cranbourne.sales@summerset.com.au
Join us this International Women’s Day and listen to the inspiring, Sarah Davidson.
Sarah’s story embodies the theme of Greater Dandenong Council’s International Women’s Day event and the mission of Council’s South East Business Networks (SEBN), to celebrate women’s achievements while fostering meaningful conversations about equality and opportunity.
About Sarah
After starting her career as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at a top international firm, Sarah and her partner Nic, “made the jump” when her “side project” which started off as a creative outlet grew itself into a booming business.
Out of their own personal frustrations at a gap in the market, they founded organic matcha green tea company, Matcha Maiden, in late 2014. A plant-based wellness brand that grew from a kitchen side-hustle into a global enterprise. Soon after, she co-founded Matcha Mylkbar, Melbourne’s celebrated plant-based cafe, redefining healthy dining and community connection.
If that isn’t enough, Sarah created an acclaimed podcast Seize the Yay, where she continues to amplify voices and ideas that challenge traditional notions of success.
This is a ticketed event, book your seat today to ensure you don’t miss out.
· When: Thursday 12 March
· Time: 12pm – 2pm
· Where: Drum Theatre, Dandenong
Sarah Davidson.
· Cost: $55 incl. GST
· Booking: greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/IWD26
If you require additional assistance to participate, please contact our Business Team via business@cgd.vic.gov.au or 8571 1550.
International Women’s Day (IWD) has a long and powerful history in Australia, reflecting more than a century of activism, reform and progress toward gender equality.
The origins of International Women’s Day lie in the global labour and women’s suffrage movements of the early 20th century. The first official International Women’s Day was held in 1911 following a proposal by German activist Clara Zetkin at an international socialist conference in 1910. In Australia, the day was first marked in 1928 in Sydney, organised by the Militant Women’s Movement. Early rallies demanded equal pay, an eight-hour day for shop girls, paid leave and an end to unemployment for women.
Australia was already considered progressive in some respects — white Australian women gained the right to vote and stand for federal parliament in 1902 (although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were excluded until 1962). However, despite these early gains, women continued to face entrenched inequality in pay, employment, education and political representation. International Women’s Day became a focal point for calling out these injustices.
Through the 1930s and 1940s, IWD gatherings in Australia focused on workers’ rights and peace movements, particularly during the world wars. In the 1960s and 1970s, the day took on renewed energy with the rise of second-wave feminism. Activists campaigned for equal pay, reproductive rights, access to childcare and protection from discrimination. In 1969, Australian women won equal pay for equal work in principle, followed by the landmark 1972 equal pay case that extended this to work of equal value.
The 1970s also marked a turning point internationally when the United Nations officially recognised International Women’s Day in 1975, during International Women’s Year. This global endorsement helped broaden the day beyond labour activism, embedding it in
mainstream institutions, government and corporate Australia.
Today, International Women’s Day in Australia is observed annually on March 8 and has evolved into both a celebration and a call to action. Events range from grassroots rallies and community breakfasts to major corporate conferences and awards ceremonies. Organisations such as UN Women Australia play a significant role in promoting annual themes that highlight issues including gender-based violence, economic inequality and women’s leadership.
The importance of International Women’s Day in Australia remains clear. Despite decades of reform, gender inequality persists. The national gender pay gap, while narrowing, continues to favour men. Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles across business, politics and many industries. Rates of domesticandfamilyviolenceremainanational crisis, disproportionately affecting women.
IWD provides an opportunity to reflect on progress made while acknowledging the work still to be done. It also creates space to recognise the achievements of Australian women across all fields — from politics and science to sport and the arts — and to elevate the voices of First Nations women, migrant women and women from diverse backgrounds whose contributions have historically been overlooked.
In recent years, International Women’s Day in Australia has increasingly emphasised intersectionality — recognising that gender inequality intersects with race, disability, sexuality and socioeconomic status. This broader understanding reflects a more inclusive and contemporary feminist movement.
More than a commemorative date, International Women’s Day in Australia is a reminder that rights were won through sustained activism and must be continually defended. It honours the legacy of those who marched before, while inspiring new generations to push for a more equal and just society.
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Men and women each bring distinct strengths to our society. While no two individuals are the same, biological and psychological differences shape how we approach challenges, relationships and leadership. These differences are worth celebrating because true masculinity and femininity are not toxic; they provide balance, resilience and depth to our society.
Importantly, men and women are equal in value, dignity and talent. I was blessed to grow up in a home where I was loved and encouraged to pursue excellence alongside my brother. As a mother of two sons and two daughters, I have sought to pass on that same belief in opportunity and aspiration. Watching my children thrive in their careers, relationships, home ownership and service to their communities has been one of my greatest joys.
Women contribute unique perspectives, practical wisdom and thoughtful leadership. History shows us that our institutions are stronger when women are empowered to lead in the boardroom, cabinet room and parliamentary chamber. Victoria has made meaningful progress on this front. Following the 2022 State Election, women won just over half of the 128 parliamentary seats. In the Legislative Council, the ratio is even larger with women holding 22 of 40 seats, with strong representation on the Liberal and Nationals side.
I was proud to be one of four women MLCs, including three from the Liberals and one from the Nationals, to be elected for our first term. This International Women’s Day, let us ensure that talented women in leadership are not the exception, but the expectation. Let us foster a political culture where women actively support one another, and where capable, courageous and principled women are empowered to stand up for their communities, protect their children and advance our shared values. As your local member, I will continue to play my part in this mission.
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By Violet Li
Devon Meadows Football Netball Club has kicked off its 2026 season in style, raising more than $17,000 at its annual Golf Day fundraiser.
Held at Settlers Run Golf and Country Club on Friday 20 February, the event attracted 92 registered players, close to the maximum the course could accommodate.
Fundraising subcommittee member John Flanigan, also one of the sponsors of the club, said the golf day is to raise both funds and exposure for the club.
Now in its sixth year, the event has grown steadily, with this year’s 92 players marking a record turnout.
Participants included local players, business owners and sponsors, as well as supporters from across Melbourne who travelled more than an hour to attend.
Mr Flanigan said golf was chosen as a fundraiser because it appeals to a broad audience.
“It’s something that older people, younger people, players, and interested businesspeople can come out and enjoy,” he said.
“Golf day is something more of a social event, where we can also bring along our guests who support the club but don’t necessarily get on kickball anymore because it’s too tough.”
For a club based in Devon Meadows, an area without a traditional town centre, the event also plays a key role in building visibility, according to Mr Flanigan.
“Being Devon Meadows, we don’t actually have a town. We don’t even have a shop down there. It’s very important for exposure. It’s an extension of Botanic Ridge and Five Ways, but Devon Meadows itself is a sporting ground with small hobby farmers all around us,” he said.
“So it’s a good way of exposing the club in the area. It’s a good way of providing a thank you to a lot of the players and sponsors who come along on the day.”
The strong fundraising result comes on the back of a historic year for the club, which won its first-ever senior premiership in 2025 (MPNFL Division Two Senior football premiership), along with two netball premierships. Now stepping up into Division One in the
Mornington league, increased costs have made off-field fundraising more important than ever, Mr Flanigan said.
By Lucy Waldron
THE moment the Save the Date landed in the mailbox, I knew this wasn’t going to be just another wedding, it was going to be an adventure. Printed in simple, bold letters was the location: Koh Tao, Thailand.
A destination wedding. A celebration in paradise.
For my cousin Jamie and his partner Hope, this was more than just a ceremony. It was a chance to bring together family and friends from the US, Argentina, and Australia for a week on a tiny island in the Gulf of Thailand, a place where time felt slower and joy came easily.
I imagined warm breezes, barefoot evenings, and the sound of the ocean in the background. And from the moment we arrived, Koh Tao delivered exactly that, and so much more.
Our first taste of island life came, quite literally, in a Thai cooking class. Hosted by Thai Cooking with Joy, we learned how a handful of humble ingredients could create flavours that lingered long after the plates were cleared.
The star of the class? Spring rolls. What looked simple turned into a hilarious test of rolling skills. Surrounded by the scent of sizzling garlic and an ocean view stretching to the horizon, it became one of those rare moments you want to bottle up forever.
The festivities officially kicked off with a welcome party. We’d spent the afternoon carefully perfecting hair and makeup, only to climb into the island’s version of a taxi: the back of a Ute.
Within minutes, curls unravelled, makeup melted, and any illusions of glamour were left on the roadside.
But it didn’t matter. Everyone arrived equally windswept, and somehow, that made it perfect. Under warm air and soft lights, conversations flowed, laughter echoed, and the night blurred into something quietly beautiful.
If the welcome party broke the ice, the Queens Cabaret melted it entirely. Drag queens lit up the stage with sequins, power ballads, and pure joy, a celebration of music and queer expression that had everyone on their feet.
It became one of the week’s most talked-about moments. If you ever visit Koh Tao, add this to your must-do list.
The next day brought calm seas and slow magic. We boarded a boat and drifted around the island’s reefs, snorkelling through crystal-clear water. Koh Tao, meaning “Turtle Island,” lived up to its name, we spotted a turtle gliding lazily beneath us, unbothered by its human audience.
There were also three baby blacktip reef sharks, darting through coral gardens as schools of colourful fish swirled around us.
Then came the big day. The wedding opened with a downpour, the kind that makes the world hold its breath. And just minutes before Hope walked down the aisle, the rain eased and the sun spilled across the shore.
With the ocean as a backdrop and loved ones gathered close, Jamie and Hope said, “I do.” It felt
cinematic, like the island itself had conspired to set the scene.
“Having our wedding celebrations on Koh Tao was a dream come true,” Hope said.
“Due to our families being from different countries, we decided to invite 60 of our closest
friends and family to our favourite little island in Thailand.
“Seeing everyone we love explore and enjoy Koh Tao was so special, and I am so grateful that everyone made the long journey to Thailand to be with us.”
For Hope and Jamie, the week was overwhelming in the best way possible.
“When you looked around and realised all these amazing people are here because of Jaime and I, we felt so loved and supported and were so happy to see everyone relaxed and on holiday mode,” Hope said.
The celebration stretched long into the night, shoes abandoned, music loud, laughter louder. The next day was slow and sun-drenched, spent lazing on a nearby island, letting the hours stretch like soft linen.
But Thailand had one last plot twist. A storm rolled in just as we left the island, turning our little boat ride into something straight out of an action movie.
Waves crashed, the wind howled, and we clung to the sides, laughing through the chaos. By the time we reached land, we were soaked, windswept, and grinning like fools.
Leaving Koh Tao was unexpectedly emotional. Teary hugs, promises to meet again, that quiet ache that comes from saying goodbye to something truly special.
A wedding had brought us together, but the island gave us so much more, shared adventures, new friendships, and the kind of memories that only happen when you’re far from home and fully in the moment.
Koh Tao, you were paradise.
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By Violet Li
After 70 years as a respected and much-loved part of Victoria’s sporting and community landscape, Cranbourne Golf Course closed following its final day on Saturday 28 February.
The final day was fully booked, with morning and afternoon fields filled. A farewell lunch followed, giving members one last chance to say goodbye.
For long-time members of the private club, though they had learned of the closure about two years ago, the end was still deeply and inevitably emotional.
“It was very sentimental,” member Steven Baron said.
“Very emotional. But that’s life.”
Steven joined the club 37 years ago and travelled from the Bayside area for decades to play at Cranbourne. His decision to join Cranbourne was deeply connected to the club’s history and its origins as a place of inclusion.
According to the history archive, Cranbourne Golf Club was formed in 1951, following discriminatory practices against the Jewish community by a significant number of Victorian golf clubs.
After identifying suitable land in the rapidly developing Cranbourne district, the construction began. Assisted by renowned architect Sam Berriman, curator of the Huntingdale course, the fairways took shape over two years. The course was officially opened on 9 April 1954.
“When I joined the club 37 years ago, if I wanted to join one of the member clubs near where I live, I was living in Cheltenham at the time, there was anything between a 2- and 6-year waiting list, but I could join Cranbourne straight away,” Steven recalled.
“I was happy to join because of the heritage of the club, the design of the course, and the members who were there. I’ve been very happy to travel that distance all that time to play at a great club.
“You’ll find that back when I joined 30-odd years ago, most of the members didn’t live anywhere near Cranbourne. They would travel out there, then it was on the freeway to a very, very good golf course, but more importantly, a terrific community of people who are members.”
Though the Golf Course started with a Jewish origin, Steven said that the membership of Cranbourne Golf Club wouldn’t have been more than 20 per cent Jewish.
“It’s a golf course that had no restrictions. It was welcoming everybody, whether you were Chinese, you were Japanese, or Vietnamese,” he said.
Speaking about the closure, Steven said it was very sentimental that the circumstances were such that it had to close.
“I can understand why, with the diminishing membership and the costs of maintaining a golf course, like everything, the cost of living is going up,” he said.
“But the fact that the club did everything it could and placed every member at another golf club was a wonderful thing.”
Approximately 250 members have transitioned to Huntingdale Golf Club, while others will go to Southern, Keysborough, Settlers Run, Sandhurst and Patterson River Golf Clubs.
Darren Walker from Narre Warren South, a
member since 2004 and former club captain, said he was absolutely shattered when he heard the closure news.
“I was captain of the golf club at the time. And it felt like the rug had been pulled out from underneath. They’re getting too much down a deadend sort of alleyway,” he said.
“The golf club has probably struggled financially for most of the time that I’ve been in, but we felt like coming out of Covid, we’re in a position to hit the ground running a little bit more golf.
Participation was increasing. Membership was increasing.
“There were opportunities for us to do some things to kind of shore up the financial future of the club, and sort of the next thing we knew, it was all out the window.”
Darren was one of the members who transitioned to the Huntingdale Club, and he had already been playing there since January.
“Part of what you learn in life is to learn from what’s happened, but try and look forward to it with as much optimism as you can,” he said.
“It’s a different environment. It’s a different club. It’s a different set of people, but there are some familiar faces. It’s a fantastic golf course.
“Life goes on. Probably always going to be that regret that we didn’t manage to keep Cranbourne Golf Club going.”
Darren said the Cranbourne Golf Course maintained an exceptionally high standard.
“Day in, day out, Cranbourne’s up to a very high standard,” he said.
Across its history, Cranbourne earned a respected place in Australian golf, hosting two Australian Amateur Championships in recent years, a Victorian Open, and a host of Victorian pennant finals, while also supporting junior development, competitive club golf, and a strong social culture.
The club also produced elite players, including David Micheluzzi, now competing internationally, and hosted national tournaments in recent years.
But beyond the well-maintained course, tro-
phies and championships, both long-time members spoke most passionately about the people they met there.
Steven recalled playing alongside members in their 90s who continued walking six kilometres a round.
“For them, the closure was very sad. Now one has joined another club because if he stops playing golf, physically and mentally, it’s not good for him. But the fact that he’s out there twice a week playing golf is fantastic,” Steven said.
For Darren, some of his strongest memories revolve around the “Saturday 20”, a long-running weekly tradition where regulars would each put in $20, winner takes all, before shouting drinks for the group.
“My experience of golf is that it’s much more of a leveller than it is an elitist thing,” Darren said.
“Private golf clubs, I think, are probably not well understood that they’re looked upon as being sort of the elitist environments, wealthy people or something like that.
“I know some wealthy people through the golf club. I also know a lot of a lot more people who are just everyday Jacks and Joes who play golf because they enjoy the challenge and because they like the community aspect of it.”
He said for some members, the discipline and structure of regularly turning up to play had provided stability and direction in their lives.
“Like everywhere else, there are people who are good humans and less good humans, but golf is an equaliser,” he said.
“It brings everybody under the same sort of level. And if you’re part of that particular family and that particular community, then, you’re always a part of it.”
Both Steven and Darren’s stories with the golf club echoed what Cranbourne Golf Club Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kenny said in a farewell media release to the public.
“This club had meant different things to different people —competition, friendship, opportunity, belonging — but what unites those experienc-
es is the strength of the community behind them.
“That legacy will endure long after the last putt is struck,” he said.
The 2026 Cardinia Jobs and Skills Showcase is back this month, to connect job seekers with local employers, training experts and designated job support agencies. Designed to support people at every stage of their employment journey, this event offers a welcoming space to explore pathways, gain practical advice and discover real opportunities close to home.
Held on Wednesday 18 March at the Cardinia Cultural Centre, the event starts at 9.15am with a comprehensive Jobseeker Information Session, led by Workforce Australia – Local Jobs. This session is tailored to help participants understand today’s job market, navigate in demand industries and sharpen their resume and interview skills. Whether actively jobhunting or wondering what might come next, the session provides job seekers with local insights and tips to start using immediately
From 10am, attendees can step into the main expo, the Jobs and Skills Showcase, featuring more than 60 employers, educators and career specialists from across the region. Exhibitors range from
major local employers to emerging industries, apprenticeship providers, training organisations and community services. The expo offers something for young jobseekers, career-changers, parents returning to work and anyone looking to build new skills
Cardinia
Cr
said this event plays a vital role in strengthening a skilled and connected local workforce.
“Events like the Jobs and Skills Showcase help our community explore new possibilities and feel
more prepared,” he said.
“They’re also a great boost for local businesses, giving them the chance to meet job seekers who are ready to become part of a thriving local workforce. Council is proud to support an event that helps residents take the next step in their careers while strengthening our local workforce.”
The Jobs and Skills Showcase highlights the power of partnership, supported by Workforce Australia – Local Jobs, Federation University, Star News Group and Care Talent. Together, these organisations are helping create clearer pathways into local jobs and training and strengthening Cardinia’s economic future.
Bookings are essential for this FREE event, and demand is expected to be strong.
Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time, preparing to upskill, or exploring a new direction altogether, the 2026 Jobs and Skills Showcase is your opportunity to gain clarity, make connections and take the next step with confidence.
Secure your place today:
Harmony Festival
Live multicultural performances, traditional dances, interactive workshops, and a variety of food vendors to celebrate Casey’s rich cultural diversity.
• Saturday 7 March 12pm-6pm at Greg Clydesdale Square, Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre, 125 High St, Cranbourne; free event. International Womens Day
E-Girl Empowerment brings together women of diverse cultural and professional backgrounds and inspiring speakers for a program of purpose discovery, leadership development, wellbeing and community contribution.
• Saturday 7 March 12pm-4pm at Lynbrook Community Centre, 2 Harris St, Lynbrook; $25. Bookings: buy.stripe. com/00w7sM0Ay8QC3qMeLy7Zu07
Salsa in the Park: Family Fiesta
Salsa dancing and delicious food in the outdoors.
• Saturday 7 March 6pm-9pm at Wilson Botanic Park Berwick; free event. Bookings required at events.humanitix.com/salsa-in-the-parkfamily-fiesta
Open Space: Andrew Swift
Enjoy heartfelt ballads to boot-stomping anthems as Golden Guitar award-winning artist Andrew Swift headlines a night of great Australian country music with rising stars Ethan Calway and Tegan Blackstock.
• Saturday 7 March, 6pm-9pm at Bunjil Place plaza, Narre Warren; free event. Details: bunjilplace.com.au/events/open-space-andrewswift
Live Gospel Music
Urban Praise presents its first event for the year, Nobody Greater. A powerful celebration of faith, music and community with soulful singers and live band.
• Saturday 7 March, doors open 7pm at Winepress Christian Church, 54-60 Intrepid Street, Berwick; $20/children under 4 free. Bookings: events.humanitix.com/nobody-greater-urbanpraise-incoporated
Downsizing talk
Stockland Halcyon presents a Live Talk panel on downsizing for over 50s, with expert insights into wellbeing, design and the financial side, featuring Dr DarrenMorton,AnneFlahertyandSharonPollock.
• Tuesday 10 March, 10.30am-12.30pm at Halcyon Jardin, 215S St Germain Boulevard, Clyde North; free event. Registration essential at register.stockland.com.au/register/ dc__registrationform?fkid=shc-event-halcyonvictoria-feel-it-live-it-panel-10032026
Berwick Farmers Market
No craft market with farm fresh fruit and veggies, open range ethical eggs, honey, baked goods, artisan breads, vegetable seedlings, ethically raised meats, jams and preserves, dairy, wine, nuts, ready to eat goods.
• Saturday 14 March 8am-12pm at Old Cheese Factory, Homestead Road, Berwick.
Car Boot Sale
Stall holders wanted. Earn money while having a quick cleanout of your trash-and-treasure, or come and grab a bargain. All outdoor Sites available: 3x3 - $20, car only $10, 6x3m - $30
• Saturday 14 March 8am-2pm at Akoonah Park, Berwick; entry free. Bookings form: berwickshow.org.au or 0407 866 049.
genetic condition. Delicious, fresh-cooked pizza lunch.
• Sunday 15 March 11am-1pm at Cranbourne Scout Hall, South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne; free event. Bookings required: trybooking.com/DIXIT
Autumn/ Winter Gardening Workshop
Learn about what produce grows best in Autumn and Winter. Learn how to prepare soil, choose the right crops, fertilising, pests and diseases, companion planting and plenty of practical tips
• Tuesday 17 March 10am-12pm at Old Cheese Factory, Homestead Road, Berwick; $5. Bookings: events.humanitix.com/autumn-wintervegetable-gardening
Harmony Day cooking
Celebrate diversity through the joy of food. An interactive cooking activity.
• Tuesday 17 March 11am-1pm at Autumn Place Community Hub, Doveton; free event. Bookings essential on 9792 7382.
Dads Matter Family Campfire Night
Horse Gear Market
Clear the tack room and fill your wallet, or grab a bargain. Stall holders wanted. All outdoor Sites 6x3m - $30 and 6x6m including car and float $35
• Saturday 14 March 8am-2pm at Akoonah Park, Berwick; entry free. Bookings form: berwickshow.org.au
Open Space: Cookin’ On 3 Burners with Stella Angelico Trailblazers from the worlds of funk, hip hop, soul and future sounds come together for a music event like no other. Melbourne’s funk power trio Cookin’ On 3 Burners, with GRID Series Release Party feat. M4RTHA, Kiid Koda, ACP & Jordz.
• Saturday 14 March 6pm-9pm at Bunjil Place plaza, Narre Warren; free event. Details: bunjilplace.com.au/events/open-space-cookin& percnt;E2%80%99-on-3-burners-stella-angelico
SWAN Cobbers BBQ
Meet and chat with other dads, granddads and father figures of children with a rare or undiagnosed
A free, fun night for dads, grandfathers, their children and family. Games, entertainment, drumming, marshmallow toasting, a free sausage sizzle (halal) and veggie burgers.
• Thursday 19 March, 6.30pm-8.30pm at Cranbourne West Community Hub, 4 Flicka Boulevard; free event. Registrations: trybooking. com/DJDNI
Creative Wellness Fair
A free creative wellness event celebrating arts, culture, and mindful living. Tai Chi, Yoga and Zentangle and more family fun activities as we explore how ancient wisdom enriches modern life — nurturing harmony in body, mind, and community. All ages welcome. Presented by We at One Harmony Organisation.
• Saturday 21 March 10am-4pm at Cranbourne West Community Hub, 4 Flicka Boulevard, Cranbourne West; free entry. Details: facebook.com/creativewellnessfair
Bakhtar Casey Nawroz Festival
A celebration of culture, diversity and unity. Presented by Bakhtar Cultural Organisation.
• Saturday 21 March 1pm at 23-47 Gunns Road, Hallam.
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By Blair Burns
Dasun Opanayaka couldn’t have had a better debut season in the DDCA after moving to Springvale South and recently being crowned the 2025/26 Wookey Medallist.
Actually … there is one way it can be better and that is if the Bloods can win two more matches and hold the Turf 1 cup aloft.
Opanayaka stormed home in the vote count to win the association’s top honour with 33 votes, just one ahead of Berwick’s Jake Hancock (539 runs @ 89.83) and Buckley Ridges opener Dale Tormey (645 runs @ 46.07).
The 31 year old, who has close ties with Springy skipper Cam Forsyth and a number of other players at the club, made the move from Elsternwick to the DDCA in the off-season.
And it is fair to say he has slotted into the team seamlessly, but also taken the competition by storm as a damaging all-rounder.
The gun cricketer prides himself on consistency, especially with the bat, and that is exactly what he delivered every single week, scoring 515 runs at an average of 73.57, also taking 27 wickets at 19.22.
His season by the numbers has been ultraconsistent, with scores of 0*, 13*, 43, 38*, 49, 22, 49*, 71, 39, 83 and 55, gradually moving from seventh in the batting order to fourth.
In his last six matches, he also took two fivewicket hauls which came against Hallam Kalora Park (5/34) and Dandenong West (5/64).
He said bowling in different conditions and playing in the UK for a number of seasons had helped him hone his craft.
Opanayaka said he had loved his experience so far at Springvale South, and had never expected to win the Wookey Medal.
“I didn’t go into the year expecting to win the Wookey Medal, I have seen some of the past winners and probably thought I wouldn’t impact the game as much as they have,” he said.
“I sort of model my game around trying to be consistent, being able to draw from other peoples’ experiences has been good.
“Cam obviously backs me 100 per cent and the boys back me, so that has been a pretty easy transition into the DDCA, hopefully we can play well over the next couple of weeks, win our final and then win it all.”
At round 10, Opanayaka was 11 votes behind the top of the table, but his teammates knew it was at the end of the year where he would come home strong.
“Jordy (Wyatt) and Cam Forsyth were having a look to see if I could poll and come home strong, which I was fortunate enough to do,” he said.
“Looking at some of the names on that list in the top 10, there are some really good players, so to even compete with them and finish at the top, I was pretty lucky to do that.”
Opanayaka, who grew up as predominantly a batter, said he worked his way up the order throughout the season, playing more of an anchor role for the aggressive hitters around him
South all-rounder Dasun
like Jordan Wyatt.
“It makes my job a lot easier being able to back the guys in coming after me to score at a quicker rate and I can sort of stay at the wicket and not score as quickly,” he said.
“In previous years, I think they were looking for a batter that could be the one who could bat most of the innings and be there so the other guys can come out and score freely, which is what I sort of model my game on.”
Opanayaka came to the Bloods from Elstern-
wick, but he had spent eight years playing Victorian Premier Cricket with Dandenong prior to that, across mainly the Firsts and Seconds.
“I had already played with six or seven of the guys before, so it was pretty comfortable to slot straight into the team and the boys have been absolutely fantastic – hopefully I have repaid the faith to them by winning this award,” he said.
In Turf 2, it was Coomoora’s Krishan Alang who won by the length of the Flemington straight to finish with 36 votes, ahead of Cranbourne’s
Harsaroup Singh (22 votes) and teammate Malan Madusanka (17 votes).
Alang scored 530 runs at an average of 66.25 and took 23 wickets to be easily the most valuable player in the competition.
Turf 3 was much closer as St Mary’s bowler Danidu Chamikara won with 12 votes, which was great reward for his 33-wicket season.
Buckley Ridges’ Suren Ekanayake came runner-up with 11 votes, while there was a three-way tie for third position.
By Justin Schwarze Consistency, persistence
and belief.
Those three words have defined Paddy Cross’ journey to the top level after the livewire utility was officially picked up by Melbourne on Monday during the AFL’s Supplemental Selection Period.
The 23-year-old has overcome serious injury, and multiple surgeries, to make his dream come true, and continues a rich family tradition at the top level.
Paddy’s grandfather Ray, who recently passed away on January 17, aged 84, played 57 games for St Kilda, including the 1965 grand final against Essendon.
The Beaconsfield junior, now Nar Nar Goon local, spent three years on Casey’s list and broke out at VFL level in 2025 playing a forward/wing role, where he kicked 24 goals from 18 games.
Getting his body right played a major factor, as Cross overcame repeat hamstring injuries that restricted him to just 10 total VFL games across 2023 and 2024.
The low point came when he injured himself
in the warm up before a game, with growthplate/hamstring injuries providing a constant source of frustration.
But his standout 2025 season that saw him win Casey’s Rising Star award and play a crucial part in the Demons’ run to the semi-finals piqued the interest of Melbourne’s recruiting team.
He booted five goals across two finals, including four in the Demons’ elimination final victory over Williamstown.
Cross was then invited to train with the senior squad twice a week throughout the preseason, including lining up alongside the club’s best forwards in the Demons’ intraclub match sims.
After defender Steven May’s retirement announcement on Sunday, Melbourne filled the vacant list spot by signing Cross.
The AFL was always a dream for Cross despite being overlooked in the draft.
He played in the Talent League for the Gippsland Power and returned as an overage 19-year-old before spending the last three years on Casey’s list.
With his two injury-interrupted seasons, it taught him plenty about facing adversity and rebounding from hardship.
“Obviously I want to play AFL footy and I feel like I’m capable, but it’s just about getting my body right which is one tick so far and playing a full season of VFL will be really good for me, so I’m just taking step by step,” Cross said in an interview with the Pakenham Gazette last year.
“I feel like the second rehab I got a lot out of, even though it was tough on the mind.
“I looked at ways I could grow, which was putting on size, so I focussed on that.
“I’ve never been a big body so I definitely wanted the strength to help me add strings to my bow and play as a deep forward and mid at VFL level where you’re coming up against mature AFL listed players.
“So I honed in on my physical attributes and obviously looked at ways I could make my game more impactful.”
Cross is the second player in 12 months to be elevated from Casey’s list to the Melbourne senior side after Jai Culley was picked up in 2025.
By Justin Schwarze
The relegation battle will come down to the wire on the last day of the season as Devon Meadows has plenty of work to do against Upper Beaconsfield in round 14 of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) Premier Division.
The Maroons batted first at Booring Reserve and never really got comfortable, failing to create any momentum while at the crease with just one lone partnership of 50 runs.
Dominic Evans (9), Billy Gerrard-Kett (14) and Aidan Whitfield (2) fell in the first 25 overs to leave the visitors 3/57.
Josh Westra (28) then departed after a fighting knock opening the batting to be 4/63.
Upper Beaconsfield’s most productive batting stand then ensued, with captain Will Haines (18) and Josh Trembath (44 not out) adding exactly 50 runs before Lucas Ligt got the big fish of Haines. It was followed immediately by the dismissals of Billy Williams (0) for a golden duck and Tyler Astle (1).
Kyle Gibbs (17) and Scott Pitcher (11) scored handy runs at the tail end, but when Ben Marsh claimed his third wicket of the day, AJ Claxton (2), the Maroons were all out for 160.
But the visitors got the last laugh, taking 2/20 in the remaining 18 overs to put a huge statement on the game.
It included Haines getting his revenge, dismissing Ligt (8) when the superstar hit it straight to mid on.
And Zach Bates (0) wasn’t far behind him, snicking off a Gibbs delivery to be 2/8.
Nathan Kleinig (0 not out off 37) was incredibly patient and ensured not to give away his wicket, while Connor Harmor (12 not out) survived alongside him and saw the Panthers through to stumps without further damage.
Devon Meadows needs 141 runs on day two on its home deck to stay up in Premier Division.
Pink Ladies Day at Pakenham was owned by the visiting Tooradin as the Seagulls posted 288 in their time at the crease.
The Lions jumped out of the gates as rising youngster Sendhil Naidu potentially spoiled Josh Lownds’ league runscoring title as he edged one through to Zach Flaxman for just two.
Cal O’Hare (13) couldn’t build on last week’s performance and Tooradin was 2/36 .
Lahiru Jayakody (54) then alleviated pressure
and rounded out his magnificent home-and-away campaign with his fifth performance of a half century or better this season, paired well with a good score from Russell Lehman (21).
But Praveen Perera was seeing them like beach balls as the next man in, smacking his way past the half ton mark and into the 90s.
Unfortunately, he departed on 98 when he
edged a Nicholas Sadler delivery, but his impressive knock included 12 fours and came from just 93 balls.
Momentum kept rolling with Tyler Evans (43) putting together his second-best batting performance of the season.
Jack Mannix (24) also chipped in and the Seagulls cruised to 288.
Pakenham didn’t make the most of its opportunities, dropping chances and stringing together a poor display in the field.
However, Jason Williams added another four wickets to his name, while Jack Anning would be pleased with teenage talent Mitch Varty bagging three poles.
At Gunton Oval, Cardinia will move towards the postseason with a victory as the Bulls require just 16 more runs to get over the top of Officer.
The Bullants batted first and looked in for a long day when they fell to 2/10 after Cooper Pursell (1) and Billy Carlyle (5) were gone early.
But an 89-run partnership between Ash Smith (52) and teenager Dylan Aluthwatta (40) provided some hope to the innings.
The positivity was short-lived however, as Lachie Volpe produced big wickets as he has all season, dismissing Smith and Aluthwatta, followed by Chandrika Wathukarage (23) and Adam Reid (3).
Jack James (15) was the last Officer bat to reach double digits and the visitors were knocked over for 165 inside 50 overs.
Volpe dealt most of the damage, taking 4/28 from 17 overs.
Agamjot Dhindsa got the first say of the chase, trapping Morteza Ali (7) in front to have Cardinia 1/7.
But brothers Travis (28) and Bradey Welsh (36) navigated the difficult period and piled on 62 runs as a duo.
Matt Welsh (37) and Travis Wheller (27) then solidified the deep batting effort before also falling, leaving the Bulls 6/150 overnight.
Lachie James’ impressive Premier season continues with the promising quick securing two more wickets.
There’s plenty to watch on the final day of the season, with Trevor Bauer and Imesh Jayasekara both very good chances at the league runscoring, while Charith Keerthisinghe is in a very strong position to take home the wicket-taking honours. Bauer (555 runs) trails current leader Lownds (581 runs) by 27, while Jayasekara (507 runs) would need a knock of 75 or better to leapfrog Lownds (and hypothetically Bauer) and finish first. Volpe’s four-wicket haul pushes him to the pinnacle with 36 on the year, but Keerthisinghe will need just one to at least tie the Cardinia spinner and two to take the title outright.
By Justin Schwarze
There’s still plenty to play for on the last day of the season as day one of round 14 of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) A Grade competition had it all.
Two games hang in the balance that will be pivotal in deciding finals positions, with Pakenham Upper/Toomuc’s season holding on by a thread in a matchup with Carlisle Park.
The Yabbies were in all sorts at the crease at Hunt Club Oval despite a classy half century from Chris Ryan (58).
Youngster Addison Tucker (13) and Niran Warnakula (20) were the only other bats in double figures as the visitors were rolled for 146 inside 40 overs.
Adam Hollingworth took figures of 3/15 from seven overs while Dylan Anderson snagged two wickets in just his second first XI game for the season.
In the day’s remaining 37 overs, both sides had their moments but ultimately the Vikings got through to stumps with their noses in front.
John Langley got the big wicket of skipper and dangerous bat Jarrod Armitage (18) reasonably early, followed by two wickets in quick succession.
Warnakula dismissed Ryan Hughes (36) and Ryan Mibus removed Hollingworth (12) to shift the hosts to 3/76.
Tanvir Singh (10 not out) and Ethan Davies (5 not out) survived to stumps to be 3/88, still needing 59 runs for victory.
But with arguably Carlisle Park’s three most established bats in the shed, a little concentration and a moment of madness could see Pakenham Upper/Toomuc produce a gallant comeback.
A red-hot Emerald side is well in the hunt at home against fourth-placed Nar Nar Goon.
The Marygoons batted first and were led by Rajiv Kumar (49), Jarratt Eastburn (34) and James Markland (31 not out) to reach 196 after 58 overs.
James Sheerin’s ridiculous form continued as he posted 4/22 from 15.5 overs, bringing him to
13 wickets from his last two games.
Bailey Tucker also bowled well with three poles.
The Bombers were left with 19 overs to conclude the action, reaching 2/53 overnight with losses of Ethan Crosher (7) and Jack Raukola (5).
Owen Thorne (23 not out) remains the visitors’ top priority after knocks of 97 and 75 leading in while Mark Alenson (12 not out) accompanies the skipper.
Will Selleck took the two wickets for Nar Nar Goon, while Emerald needs a further 144 runs to win.
Tooradin is set to be on its way to the postseason with the Seagulls in a commanding position against Cardinia.
The Bulls took to the crease on enemy territory at Rutter Park and couldn’t get going with Jye Shaw-Remy (27) being their top scorer.
Tye Whitnell tore through the middle order to
finish with a four-wicket haul and help bowl out the visitors for 121.
An all-round effort from Ryan Birkett, Liam Simpson and Luke Townsend saw all three take two scalps each.
The Seagulls showed a dominant batting display in the turnaround, trimming 102 off the target from just 24 overs.
In the process, they lost just Ryan Birkett (30) as Cooper Shipp (48 not out) and Michael Ralph (18 not out) will look to make it an early day two finish.
Merinda Park was a wrecking ball at Lochaven Reserve, showing no mercy to Pakenham. Yuvraj Singh (11) was the only Lion in doublefigures as the visitors were knocked over for just 52, with Sasindu Perera’s monster season adding yet another feat.
Perera recorded 5/20 from 13.1 overs, the fifth time he’s taken four or more wickets in an innings this season.
Matt Dennerley and Brad Hodge played solid supporting roles with two wickets each.
The Cobras were far from convincing in their time with the bat, making 5/63 before declaring to chase extra points.
Singh bagged three wickets for Pakenham.
The Lions were then sent in again for 12 more overs, losing 3/12 to limp to stumps.
Dennerley trapped Steve Insall (6) in front before rattling the stumps of Jake Webster (0), while Perera picked up a sixth wicket for the contest when he dismissed Singh (0) LBW.
Kooweerup is well-positioned to end its season on a high as the Demons produced with bat and ball on Saturday at home against Clyde. Mathew Bright (72), Seth O’Hehir (66 not out) and Indiana Boswell (50) all raised the bat for half centuries to spearhead the hosts on their way to posting 285.
O’Hehir then made an impact with the ball, providing two breakthroughs to leave the Cougars 4/30 in pursuit.
By David Nagel
Three teams enjoyed their first wins of the season in round three of the South West Gippsland Dart League (SWGDL) while the top-four cemented their claims as early premiership contenders.
The action was hot right across the SWGDL, with tons thrown for fun and many teams having their highest peg outs for the season smashed to smithereens.
Amongst a long list of contenders, Cheers produced the most impressive performance of the round; defeating Mud Rats 12-3 in a match up between two previously undefeated sides.
Liam Edwards was in great touch for Cheers, throwing seven tons and landing a 116-peg, while his teammate Shane also fired in seven triplefigure scores.
Snipers also kept its unbeaten record intact with a 10-5 win over AAA Dartz.
Dean Gibbs was once again phenomenal for Snipers, throwing eight tons which included a classy 110-finish.
Tim was also on fire for Snipers, while Ted Jordan continued his fine season for AAA with three tons for the evening.
Also flying high at the moment is Just Social; commanding 13-2 winners over Dart Attack.
The skills of Terry, Tony and 4X4 proved too
Club, taking his season tally to 10 tons and putting a line through one winning leg with a spectacular 111 finish.
Doug Amos continues to be a shining light for the Devils, throwing three centuries and landing a quality 89-checkout.
Fight Club’s new and improved form will be put to the ultimate test in round four against topof-the-table Cheers.
Another team celebrating its first triumph of the season is Bullseyes, who scraped home with an 8-7 victory over Gembrook.
Bullseyes had an extremely tough draw to start the year, against Cheers and Snipers, and relished the opportunity to get a win on the board.
Stephen had a big influence on the match with a high-pressure 42 peg, while Wombat responded for Gembrook with a 66-finish to a leg.
And Any Excuse is also on the board after a 9-6 win over Generals.
8-7, Just Social def Dart Attack 13-2, Any Excuse def Generals 9-6.
LADDER
Cheers, Just Social, Predators, Snipers 12, Mud Rats 8, Fight Club, Gembrook, Dart Attack, Dart Vaders, Generals, Bullseyes, Any Excuse 4, Dart Devils, AAA Dartz 0.
FIXTURE R4
Gembrook v Snipers, Just Social v AAA Dartz, Mud Rats v Bullseyes, Dart Attack v Predators, Fight Club v Cheers, Dart Vaders v Generals, Dart Devils v Any Excuse.
MOST TONS
Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 26, Laim Edwards (Cheers) 16, Shane B (Cheers) 15, Tony B (Just Social) 15, 4X4 (Just Social) 13.
180s
Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 2, 4X4 (Just Social), David S (Dart Vaders).
BEST TEAM PEG OUTS
much for Dart Attack to handle, with Tony really dialled in with six tons on the night.
And Predators remain the fourth undefeated team after a 10-5 victory over Dart Vaders.
It was a big round three for Fight Club, who chalked up its first win for the season with a dominant 11-4 win over Dart Devils.
Brad Allan was the star of the show for Fight
Tye was exceptional for the winners, throwing a 112 checkout, while Brendan was consistent throughout the night with his scoring power.
SWGDL SUMMARY – ROUND 3
Cheers def Mud Rats 12-3, Fight Club def Dart Devils 11-4, Predators def Dart Vaders 10-5, Snipers def AAA Dartz 10-5, Bullseyes def Gembrook
Steve P (Predators) 131, Jamie/Liam (Cheers) 116, Tye (Any Excuse) 112, Brad (Fight Club) 111, Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 110, Jai M (Dart Attack) 103, Tony B (Just Social) 94, Hoss/Doug (Dart Devils) 89, Scott D (Mud Rats) 79, Mateo (Generals) 74, Wombat (Gembrook) 66, Tony A (Dart Vaders) 52, Keith G (AAA Dartz) 48, Greg/Stephen (Bullseyes) 42.
Kooweerup Bowls Club played host to 54 members of the South West Gippsland Midweek Bowling Group in windy conditions on Thursday.
And what a day it was, with group president John Nicholson signing in the players while Bev and Vern worked hard to organise the teams.
A big thank you goes to Kooweerup greenkeeper Cameron Davey for his work throughout the day, and also to Tracey and Steve for running the bar for the bowlers.
Once the group started playing it became evident that the wind was a factor for the day.
This doesn’t bother some bowlers, who seem to relish the conditions, but it certainly does
make it hard for the mere mortals.
There was once again lots of laughter across the green, but this did not distract from the quality of the bowls.
There were however a few charitable bowlers who were happy to assist the Royal Children’s Hospital with some nice donations after delivering some wrong-bias bowls.
As usual we have winners and we have the rest of us and this week’s winners on 36 points were Louis Magri (S), Gillian Harper (3), Tony Morris (L)) and Gwen Jeffery (2).
Runners up on a score of 35 were John Nicholson (3), Peter Gratton (S), Tamara Fourd (L)
By Justin Schwarze
Pakenham/Kooweerup showed pure grit and saluted to take home the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) Under-18s premiership over Beaconsfield last Wednesday.
Both teams were formidable all season, coming into the grand final with records of 5-1.
At Toomuc Reserve, the Lions batted first and posted 8/130 in their 20 overs at the crease, a run rate of 6.5 an over.
Noah Langham (33) top scored for Pakenham/ Kooweerup in a knock that came off 28 balls.
Andrew Thompson (15), Lincoln Varty (13 not out), Cullen Anderson (13), Mitch Varty (11) and Liam Kezik (11 not out) were the other batters in double figures, signifying a well-rounded team effort.
Levi Strohbeck and Sharad Kulkarni each managed a pair of wickets for the Tigers.
The chase began poorly for Beaconsfield as Thompson claimed the wicket of Saad Malik (2) in the second over.
But a strong 58-run partnership between Kulkarni (37) and Daniel Guzzardi (22) got the innings back on track and put pressure back on the hosts.
And that’s when Pakenham/Kooweerup responded.
Cooper Davey, Lachlan Taylor and Lincoln and Mitch Varty worked as a collective to slowly push the contest back onto their terms.
Davey took three crucial poles while the other three each managed a pair to knock over Beaconsfield for 110, marking a 20-run grand final triumph.
and Steve Banks (2).
Best One Game winners on 19 points were Rob Pagnoni (S), Cameron Davey (3) and Peter Thorley (L).
This week the group will be meeting at Lang Lang Bowls Club to once again fight it out for teams of the week.
Please be on site by 10am to allow time to prepare the teams.
Unfortunately with numbers generally reaching our capacity we will have to be strict on a 10am cut-off time.
Meanwhile, till then, have fun and stay safe.
-Maggie Prosser
