Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 24th March 2026

Vale Vinny

By Gabriella Vukman

Yarra Glen Football Netball Club is mourning the loss of its former president, Vincent “Vinny” Erickson.

The life member of the club died suddenly on the evening of Thursday 12 March.

Known for his warmth, generosity and unmistakable presence, Vinny has left a lasting mark on all who knew him.

In a statement, the Yarra Glen Football Club shared t he news “with heavy hearts,” describing Vinny as “a kind and loyal friend who touched the lives of so many people in our club and local community.”

Club treasurer David Ball said his contribution to the club was enormous, but it was his personality that people will remember most.

Vinny served as president for over a decade from 2013 to 2023, only stepping down due to health concerns.

Vinny will be honoured at his memorial by his friends, family and the Yarra Glen community on Friday 27 March.

Read more on page 19

By Oliver Winn and Gabriella Vukman

Labour hire regulators descended on the Yarra Valley in March, launching court action over a renowned apple orchard and holding a forum to educate businesses on compliance issues in the region.

It comes after two damning investigations identified the region’s horticulture industry as among the worst for serious issues such as labour hire licence fraud and unlicensed operation. The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) took aim at

Sanders Apples for allegedly sourcing workers from the unlicensed labour hire provider, Dombin Workforce Pty Ltd.

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and LHA held a forum with local growers, industry groups and labour hire companies on 17 March to engage with local businesses and industry bodies about ways to improve compliance.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said it was a priority to improve compliance in order to protect labour hire workers vulnerable to exploitation.

“Improving compliance in the agriculture sector, including horticulture, is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman given its reliance on vulnerable migrant and seasonal labour, as well as its often complex labour supply chains. It is important for growers to have oversight of the labour on their property.”

Sanders Apples, Dombin Workforce and its director Bintari Endang Purwati will face the Supreme Court of Victoria, and could cop fines of up to $650,000 per breach, which could top a total of $19.5 million.

Worker exploitation is rife within the horticulture industry due to the seasonal nature of the work and high proportions of migrant workers from a range of backgrounds, including Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers.

While enforcement activity is set to continue across the Yarra Valley, both regulators and industry believe a coordinated effort is required to address unlawful practice and fix structural issues in the industry.

Read more on pages two and three

Yarra Valley under scrutiny

By Gabriella Vukman

Regulators have intensified their focus on Victoria’s horticulture sector, with senior officials meeting growers and labour hire operators in Healesville amid mounting concerns about widespread non-compliance in the Yarra Valley.

A forum, held on 17 March, brought together representatives from the Labour Hire Authority and the Fair Work Ombudsman, alongside local businesses and industry groups.

The forum meeting followed a major compliance operation conducted in February and the release of a troubling 2025 report into workplace practices in the region.

Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner Steve Dargavel said recent investigations had uncovered serious breaches, including alleged fraud involving labour hire licences and businesses operating without proper authorisation.

Legal proceedings have already been launched against two Yarra Valley entities, signalling a tougher enforcement approach.

The concerns are backed by findings from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Horticulture Strategy (2021–24), which identified the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula as the worst-performing horticultural regions in the country.

Of the 36 employers investigated in the region, 83 per cent were found to be non-compliant with workplace laws.

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, “100 per cent of labour hire providers inspected were non-compliant with workplace laws” and “54 per cent of growers inspected were non-compliant.”

The findings reflect a broader national trend, with labour hire providers recording higher breach rates than growers across all regions examined.

A spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman told Star Mail non-compliance among

labour hire operators commonly involved record-keeping breaches, pay slip violations and worker underpayments.

The spokesperson noted contributing factors included pressure on growers to meet tight production deadlines, demand for low-cost produce, the vulnerability of migrant workers, cashin-hand arrangements, competition between labour hire providers, and weak oversight of supply chains.

The Healesville forum provided an opportunity for regulators to address these issues directly with industry.

Around 40 representatives from the Yarra Valley horticulture and viticulture industries attended the forum, including local growers, labour hire businesses, and industry bodies.

At the forum, Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth and Commissioner Dargavel engaged with businesses about improving compliance and reducing risk.

“This is an important conversation to have in the Yarra Valley, at a critical time – we need to see action,” Mr Dargavel said.

“Solving compliance issues in high-risk areas requires regulators like the FWO and LHA to work closely together, and the industry should expect to see an increased enforcement effort from both of us.”

The Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed that the high breach rate reflects targeted enforcement, not random sampling.

A spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman told Star Mail, “The employers investigated in all 15 regions as part of the FWO’s Horticulture Strategy (2021-24) were targeted for surprise inspections because they were considered to be at high-risk of non-compliance.”

According to the spokesperson, the inspections were informed by intelligence including past breaches, anonymous reports, prior inqui-

ries, and data from government agencies and labour hire regulators, as well as the presence of vulnerable migrant workers.

As a result of investigations in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, the FWO issued 31 infringement notices to labour hire employers, totalling $229,742.

In June 2025, the regulator launched a twoyear campaign targeting the five least-compliant horticulture regions, including the Yarra Valley.

Inspections under this campaign are unannounced and focus heavily on labour hire providers, which accounted for 80 per cent of non-compliant employers in those areas.

The FWO Spokesperson said, “The Fair Work Ombudsman is committed to changing employer behaviour to ensure that workers in this sector receive all their legal entitlements – but we know we can’t do it on our own.

“We need the sustained investment of industry partners, including employer groups and unions, to deliver a more compliant horticulture sector.

“We will continue to hold employers doing the wrong thing to account, but we prefer that they get it right in the first place. We have an array of free resources, including a new labour hire Guide, to steer them towards sustainable compliance.”

Alongside this, the Labour Hire Authority continues its own enforcement activities, including unannounced site visits, licence actions and prosecutions.

While regulators intensify compliance efforts, industry operators say workforce shortages remain a parallel challenge that is shaped by many items.

According to locals, one such shaping factor is the ability for the Yarra Valley (particularly the Healesville area) to access labour through extended visa programs.

To qualify for a second or third year working

holiday visa in Australia, backpackers must complete 88 days of specified work in eligible regional areas, generally defined by postcode.

Although much of regional Australia qualifies, including all of South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and large parts of regional Victoria according to the Department of Home Affairs website, some Yarra Valley locations fall outside eligible zones.

Healesville local and owner and operator of Kangaroo Ridge Retreat Rebecca Ritter, feels this inconsistency limits access to a key labour source for local growers.

“There was a talk that we had with Aaron Violi about trying to shift the postcodes so that a lot of the farmers here can access labour from those people who need visa extensions,” Ms Ritter said. She noted that eligibility varies across the region and can be checked by postcode, but the current settings leave some growers at a disadvantage when competing for workers seeking visa extensions.

The issue is compounded by broader structural challenges.

Ms Ritter said, “Housing is another issue.”

“People who need to work are not looking for a 10 hour or 15 hour job, they’re looking for fulltime work,” she said.

“To be able to afford a house out here on a casual wage is almost impossible.”

Ms Ritter described the situation as complex and interconnected.

“It’s a really multifactorial issue… that won’t be solved by just addressing postcodes alone.”

While enforcement activity is set to continue across the Yarra Valley, both regulators and industry acknowledge that improving compliance and stabilising the workforce will require a coordinated effort, addressing not only unlawful practices, but also the structural conditions shaping the region’s labour market.

Filming for TV show interrupts traffic flow on Black Spur

By Gabriella Vukman

On Thursday 19 March, the Fernshaw Picnic Ground Carpark and the Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Area Carpark were both closed to the public and delays of up to seven minutes were expected along the Maroondah Highway and Black Spur roads.

The closure and delays were due to the filming of season two of the Australian television series, High Country.

According to a notice posted on the Black Spur Conditions and Closures Facebook Page by the film company, delays of up to seven minutes could be expected during filming hours, which were between 9.30am and 4.30pm on Thursday.

The notice also informed the public that the production company would be engaging traffic management to reduce risk and promote safety along the Black Spur.

The notice also noted that permits and approvals had been obtained from Parks Victoria and the Department of Transport and Planning.

Parks Victoria confirmed that it was unable to provide specific production details due to

standard privacy requirements.

However, it advised that the film company utilised the car park for essential production parking, equipment rigging and as a turnaround point for filming vehicles. Access was restricted during these hours to ensure the safety of both park visitors and the production crew.

On the day, visitors were encouraged to use nearby Parks Victoria or municipal facilities located along Maroondah Highway, including Fernshaw Picnic Area (5.7 km, approximately seven minutes), Narbethong (7.6 km, approximately seven minutes), and Maroondah Reservoir Park (14.3 km, approximately 16 minutes).

Parks Victoria also noted that advanced notice of the temporary closure was provided on its website prior to filming, supported by onsite signage and traffic control personnel.

The stretch of road impacted by the filming included sections of the Black Spur between Fernshaw Picnic Ground and Dom Dom Saddle Carpark, and the Maroondah Highway from “Rd32/490 Maroondah Hwy” , travelling towards the Mount Juliet Walking Track Carpark.

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) confirmed that it had granted a permit

for the production company to film on the Maroondah Highway and Black Spur Drive.

Filming on the Maroondah Highway was approved and managed by the Department of Transport and Planning as the responsible road manager.

According to the Department, temporary road closures were needed so that filming equipment, including drones and camera mounts, would not pose a distraction or safety risk to those travelling through the area.

DTP advised Star Mail that it began discussions with representatives from the TV production earlier this month.

Following advice from DTP and Victoria Police, a traffic management plan was developed to safely undertake filming of required scenes while minimising disruption to road users. There is an online application process for events impacting on the arterial road network. Applicants need to show that they can safely undertake their activity by submitting a traffic management plan developed by an accredited traffic management company.

DTP confirmed that there are currently no further requests to film on this road.

A spokesperson from DTP told Star Mail, “The Department of Transport and Planning provided a permit for a production company to film on a section of the Maroondah Highway and Black Spur Drive on Thursday 19 March provided the company adhered to a comprehensive traffic management plan designed to minimise disruption to road users.”

“As a condition of the permit, the company was required to make adequate efforts to inform the general public of the activity,” the spokesperson said.

Sanders Apples to face Supreme Court

By Oliver Winn

Sanders Apples is facing court over allegations it sourced workers from an unlicensed labour provider, the Labour Hire Authority announced on 18 March.

The case comes after the the Labour Hire Authority (LHA) and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) identified the Yarra Valley as one of the worst regions for worker exploitation and underpayment.

Dombin Workforce Pty Ltd allegedly supplied labour workers to pick and pack apples at the Three Bridges farm on at least 30 occasions between 1 November 2023 and 18 June 2024, despite not having a labour hire license.

Sanders Apples, Dombin Workforce and its director Bintari Endang Purwati face fines of up to $650,000 per breach, which could top a total of $19.5 million.

Labour Hire licensing commissioner Steve Dargavel said there was no excuse for growers who use unlicensed labour hire providers.

“We’ve made it easy for growers to avoid dodgy operators, so if you use an unlicensed provider, you can expect to feel the full force of the law,” Mr Dargavel said.

“It’s critical that Victorian business-owners know this: you face the same significant penalties for using an unlicensed labour hire company as you do for being an unlicensed labour hire company.”

Businesses can easily check if a labour hire provider is licensed through the Labour Hire Register.

Sanders Apples declined to comment.

Following an LHA compliance operation in February, and a 2025 Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) report, the Yarra Valley’s horticulture industry is a hotspot for serious issues such as labour hire licence fraud and unlicensed operation.

In the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula region combined, the FWO report found 83 per cent of investigated horticulture businesses non-compliant and 100 per cent of labour hire businesses in breach.

The FWO and LHA held a forum with local growers, industry groups and labour hire companies on 17 March to engage directly with local businesses and industry bodies about issues in the region and ways to improve compliance.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said it was a priority to improve compliance in order to protect labour hire workers vulnerable to exploitation.

“Improving compliance in the agriculture sector, including horticulture, is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman given its reliance on vulnerable migrant and seasonal labour, as well as its often complex labour supply chains. It is important for growers to have oversight of the labour on their property.”

Labour hire workers are vulnerable to exploitation and underpayment, are often migrants and usually reliant on their employment for income and accommodation.

Worker exploitation is rife within the horti-

culture industry due to the seasonal and transitory nature of the work, and high proportions of migrant workers from a range of backgrounds, including Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers.

Mr Dargavel indicated links to organised crime within the horticulture industry in an ABC article.

“Some of the problems are associated with organised crime, money laundering, serious criminal matters,” he said to the ABC.

Dombin Workforce Pty Ltd was contacted for comment.

Sanders Apples, Dombin Workforce Pty Ltd and its director, Bintari Endang Purwati, will face the Supreme Court of Victoria on a date to be set.

Increased police presence at shopping centres

Yarra Ranges Police will increase police patrols across three major retail precincts in the Yarra Ranges area to bolster safety and deter crime. It was announced on 18 March as part of Operation Uplift, which aims to target anti-social behaviour and general crime such as theft at shops in the Yarra Ranges.

Targeted locations include: Chirnside Park Shopping Centre, Lilydale Mainstreet Shopping Precinct and Brice Avenue Mooroolbark Retail Strip.

Commander Yarra Ranges Local Area, inspector Lee Coulthard-Clarke, said the it was the police’s duty to ensure people are safe from crime at major retail precincts.

“In the coming weeks and months, you may notice an increase in police presence across many of our retail areas across our local government area.”

Yarra Ranges Teen arrested after stolen Lamborghini crashes in Glen Waverley

A Yarra Ranges teen is among three people arrested after an allegedly stolen Lamborghini crashed in Glen Waverley on 12 March.

Police allege a group of offenders gained entry into a property on The Esplanade in Maribyrnong on 12 March about 1.15am.

They allegedly stole a black 2020 Lamborghini Urus wagon and fled the scene.

Air Wing followed the Lamborghini through several suburbs before it returned to Glen Waverley and drove through a shopping centre car park.

Three occupants got out of the car and fled on foot, one of which being a 13-year-old girl from the Yarra Ranges area.

The girl was arrested on 15 March and charged with aggravated burglary and theft of a motor vehicle.

She appeared in a children’s court and bailed to appear at a later date.

Two other 16-year-old boys from the Darebin area were arrested and remanded to appear at court at a later date.

One offender remains outstanding.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, with footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or anonymously at crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Mt Victoria radio issues

Investigations into the cause of a fault at the Mt Victoria ABC 96.1fm Radio Transmitter are underway, the Yarra Ranges Council announced.

Warburton locals raised concerns after interruptions to the broadcast were noticeably worse than recent times.

Yarra Ranges Council Emergency Management team is aware of the issue and is investigating further.

This investigation includes liaison with the repeater service provider (CartGIS) to confirm the fault.

Council understands the importance of this service and will provide a more detailed update indicating a plan forward by the end shortly

If you or any of our impacted Warburton community members have any additional observations please forward them through as they may assist with building a case to present to ABC/TXA.

Please report any 96.1fm issues as they occur to 1300 368 333 or email mail@yarraranges.vic. go.au.

Animal rescuers feel the brunt of soaring fuel price

By Oliver Winn

Some animal rescuers in the Upper Yarra have “reached their limit” under pressures caused by the rapid rise in fuel prices across the country.

It comes amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East which saw the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil corridors.

Karen Maynard is a member of the Upper Yarra Wildlife Rescue Network and she said the high fuel prices had forced her to cut back on the amount of animal rescue callouts she could respond to.

“As a member of the Upper Yarra Wildlife Rescue Network, with the price of fuel I am very careful about how many callouts and rescues I can realistically attend.

“At times we have had to go to Healesville Sanctuary three times in a day… with fuel costs this isn’t feasible,” Ms Maynard said.

The long distances she’d be required to travel have made her think twice about responding to callouts that often see her travelling the entire length of the Warburton Highway, from Seville to McMahon’s Creek.

“You’re driving everywhere you go, so for your costs, you think, ‘Oh, hang on a minute. I’ve already filled up once this week. Don’t know if I can fill up again.’

“It’s very demoralising, because you never thought you’d have to make that choice,” Ms Maynard said.

Fuel prices skyrocketed after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.

Iran has closed one of the world’s busiest oil corridors - the Strait of Hormuz - in response to the US-led war launched against it, causing a global shortage in fuel.

The Federal Government flooded the market with an extra 800 million litres of petrol and diesel in a bid to fix supply shortages plaguing some regional areas on 17 March.

Between late February and mid-March, average petrol prices have shot up nearly 50 cents a litre across Australia’s five largest capital cities, according to the consumer watchdog’s first weekly report on the fuel market since the start of the war.

For eight years, Ms Maynard has been a part of the network caring for vulnerable wildlife alongside other rescues in the area.

The network is volunteer run and some of its members are retirees, meaning they often don’t have the income to adjust for extra costs.

“Some people, they’re semi-retired, so they’re on a very fixed income and they know what they allocate every week.

“They’ll reply, and they’ll say, ‘Look, we really just can’t do it. We really can’t afford the fuel at these prices,’” she said.

Ms Maynard said some rescuers had “reached their limit”

“I know more than one that have reached their limit emotionally, where they’ve had to step away because of the pressures that they’re already under.”

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Outer east feels fuel hit

By Oliver Winn, with AAP

Outer east residents have shared their experiences with the spike in fuel prices across the country, revealing the impact it’s having on household wallets.

It comes amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East which saw the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil corridors.

The Star Mail posted on local Facebook community groups where locals left comments sharing their experiences.

User Nicki Shea said it had made it harder to run their farm and keep their business afloat.

“It’s impacted our farm work and it’s impacted running our business. We’ve had to implement a fuel levy to customers to try and cover some costs,” the comment read.

Meanwhile, user Kate Lamb raised the issue of price gouging, which is being investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

“Why did the prices increase the first day the war started? That fuel was already bought at lower prices. Investigate that and tell me petrol stations aren’t price gouging,” Ms Lamb said.

The ACCC announced an investigation into allegations of anti-competitive conduct by major fuel suppliers concerning diesel availability.

Big fuel suppliers such as Ampol Ltd, BP Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, and Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd are under investigation.

ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said it’s not usual practice for the ACCC to announce investigations, but given the significance of the issue, the ACCC is confirming this enforcement investigation.

“It is important that fuel market participants and the community know that we are closely watching market conduct in relation to all fuels and we will not hesitate to act swiftly to enforce Australia’s competition and consumer laws,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Our investigation is at a preliminary stage, and therefore we are yet to form a view about these matters.”

Red Relish Cafe owner in Yarra Junction said small businesses were taking on extra costs as the fuelbutterflyeffectspreadthroughoutkeyindustry supply chains.

“Fuel price rises equals freight price rises equals food price rises.

“It’s not just about filling up the car. Businesses are already feeling the impact. I’ve received correspondence from our suppliers today that they are adding another fuel levy to our invoices, but they will monitor the situation closely,” Ms

Cordina said.

Oil prices have soared and global supplies cut after Iran’s de-facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation against US-Israeli strikes.

Yarra Ranges local Geoff McDonald touched on the topic of panic buying and said it’s only further contributing to the fuel cost crisis.

“While there are people filling up multiple jerry cans, the price will remain higher than if they only filled their car as needed.

“The greater the demand the higher the price. We are already being ripped off with the local service stations price gouging,” he said.

An Adelaide University supply chain expert, associate professor Devika Kannan, said panic buying was not justified and only worsened the situation.

“Many people are experiencing a sense of dejà vu… as panic buying re-emerges amid concerns about disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.

“Panic buying can be understood in a psychological manner, as perceived threats and expectations of scarcity impact social norms and people’s behaviours.

“However, this is not justified from a supply chain system perspective because it worsens local shortages faster than the underlying supply disruption itself,” Ms Kannan said.

A worker from an independent service station in Wesburn reported being verbally abused by customers taking out their anger on staff behind the counter.

The Local Fuel and Country Fried Chicken Wesburn staff member, who didn’t want to be named, said it was the first time they’d experienced anything like it.

Motor Trades Association interim executive director Peter Jones told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that service stations across the country were reporting an increase in abuse to staff.

“We’ve had a lot of reports of service station attendants and staff being harassed,” he told AAP.

“They are not the people that make the price. In rural areas where there is no fuel, whether it be diesel or petrol, emotions are relatively high ... we’ve asked for people to be respectful.”

Ms Kannan said both individuals and businesses have been urged to prioritise fuel for essential trips and rely on alternative modes of transport.

“In other words, this includes reducing non-essential car trips, increasing the use of public transport, e-mobility, and car-pooling, and expanding remote working.

“These can help conserve fuel for critical sectors such as freight, agriculture, and emergency services.”

Backlash on sulphur move

By Callum Ludwig

In a bid to help avoid a fuel crisis due to the impacts of war in Iran, the Australian Government temporarily reverted fuel quality standards to allow higher sulphur levels until May 31 2026.

The decision reverses a change that game into effect in December 2025 but will allow around 100 million litres a month of new petrol supply that would otherwise have been exported.

Ampol Australia has committed to prioritising regions of shortage and the wholesale spot market that supports independent distributors and harvesters with this additional supply.

However, the higher sulphur context creates more risk once again for Australians living with heart and lung conditions, including asthma.

Yarra Glen resident Darren Lewis lives with emphysema, asthma and chronic lung and airway infections and said he is a living sensor for the toxicity in our air.

“When the sulphur goes up, my ability to breathe goes down,” he said.

“I am not alone in this, there are thousands of us with respiratory vulnerabilities who are being told that supply security is more important than our lungs.

“The smack in the face is coming, and we are the ones breathing it first.”

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) was contacted for comment.

Prior to the introduction of the 10 parts per million (ppm) sulphur standard in December 2025, almost all petrol vehicles in Australia operated on fuels containing between 50 and 150 ppm sulphur.

Professor Brian Oliver, whose research is focused on lung diseases, wrote an article for The Conversation detailing the impacts of reverting to “dirty fuel”

“Because Australia only switched to ultra-low sulphur petrol in late 2025, there has been little time for large population-level health gains to accumulate,” Prof Oliver said.

“Air quality improvements from cleaner fuels tend to emerge gradually, rather than within weeks or months.

“That means a short-term reversal is unlikely to cause sudden, dramatic new health effects for the general population. There is no evidence a two-month increase will trigger a wave of new disease.”

Burning fuel creates air pollution, namely the gas sulphur dioxide and fine particles (called PM2.5) which are bad for your health when inhaled.

Prof Oliver said there are some caveats but the change is also not equivalent to introducing a brand new pollution source.

“Sulphur emissions worsen air quality and

Think more time for what you love

disproportionately affect people with existing heart and lung diseases (especially asthma),” he said.

“Traffic-related pollution causes harm even at the relatively low levels found in Australia, we do not know precisely how much additional SO2 or particulate pollution this temporary change will generate in Australian cities, because it depends on traffic patterns, weather and how petrol is blended at the refinery.

“We suspect any added health burden will be small, short-lived, and concentrated near busy roads and enclosed spaces – but not zero.”

The temporary allowance of up to 50 parts per million sulphur until 31 May is supported by the Fuel Standards Consultative Committee, whose

membership includes state and territory air-quality and environmental-health representatives.

According to the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the monitoring stations in Warburton, Healesville, Yarra Glen and Mooroolbark all largely recorded ratings of ‘Good’ over a 48 hour period between Wednesday 18 March and Thursday 19 March. Mooroolbark saw a reduction to a ‘Fair’ rating between 5am and 7am on Thursday 19 March, Yarra Glen fell to ‘Fair’ between 5am and 1pm on Thursday 19 March and Warburton was recorded as fair from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 3pm on Thursday 19 March.

An EPA Victoria spokesperson said the relaxation of fuel standards is temporary and will not result in any measurable change in air quality over the short term it’s expected to be in place.

“In the meantime, the new standard of 10 ppm for sulphur content was only introduced in December last year and the temporary standard of 50 ppm brings Australian petrol back to the level that prevailed in most fuels before that change,” they said.

“For live air quality monitoring around Victoria, visit EPA Air Watch epa.vic.gov.au/check-airand-water-quality”

Prof Oliver advised that the precautionary measures for during this period are largely the same as all for reducing traffic pollution harm:

Avoid idling vehicles in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces such as garages and underground car parks where exhaust pollutants can build up quickly.

Reduce unnecessary car use where practical, particularly in congested urban areas.

Keep your distance from heavy traffic, especially for people with asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), heart disease, pregnant people and young children.

Ensuregoodventilationifdrivinginslow-moving traffic, including closing your windows and setting the car aircon to recirculate.

Follow asthma or heart management plans and get medical advice if symptoms worsen.

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Animal rescues concerned

By Oliver Winn

Proposed regulations for the animal rescue sector could inhibit rescue groups and leave more animals to die in pounds, a Yarra Valley animal shelter has warned.

It comes after the Victorian Government’s works to finalise its Authorised Pet Rehoming Organisation (APRO) scheme - a voluntary, benefits-based scheme Victoria’s cat and dog pet rehoming organisations, including pet rescue groups and community foster care networks (CFCNs).

Forever Friends Animal Rescue (FFAR) founder Saskia Adams said rescue groups were concerned about privacy, unnecessary administrative demands and less capacity to care for animals.

“If regulatory changes force even a small number of rescue organisations to scale back operations or close entirely, the consequences for animal welfare outcomes will be immediate and severe,” Ms Adams said.

The APRO scheme doesn’t start until 10 April 2027.

Ms Adams said animal rescues that don’t join the scheme would be forced to provide personal details of foster carers and have them registered as the owner of an animal in their care.

“Foster carers are recorded as the ‘owner’ of the pet, and their personal details provided to the registry. We have had consistent feedback from foster carers that they do not want to be listed as the owner (after all, some carers will only have a foster animal for a few days) and it raises legitimate privacy concerns.”

Extra record-keeping requirements under the scheme would also result in less energy being devoted to rescuing animals.

“These incredibly selfless community volunteers, some who are already performing 100 hours a week of unpaid work - do not deserve these extra burdens. Further, this will result in less time devoted to direct animal care

“If rescue capacity decreases, more animals will remain in pounds and shelters with no pathway to rescue placement, and euthanasia rates will inevitably rise as a direct consequence. This would not be acceptable to the wider community.”

While participation in the scheme is voluntary, groups that don’t join won’t have access to various benefits touted by the scheme.

The scheme’s benefits include avoiding council pet registration costs through a 12 month exemption for cats and dogs under their management.

APRO scheme groups would also receive a free Pet exchange Register source number - a requirement for any person selling cats and dogs in Victoria.

But how the APRO scheme will work hasn’t been set in stone, and an Agricultural Victoria spokesperson said feedback was being reviewed to shape the regulation.

“The scheme recognises the important role pet rehoming organisations play, while also providing consistent standards and oversight for the management and rehoming of animals

by these organisations.”

“Consultation is an important part of getting the scheme right, and all feedback will be considered as we finalise the regulations,” an Agricultural Victoria spokesperson said.

Ms Adams said FFAR’s submission to the APRO scheme asked for animal rescues to be treated the same as shelters and pounds when it comes to record keeping.

“We recommended rescue groups be recognised as the legal owners of the animals in their care. We should not need to supply this information to an online registry, but be obliged to keep records of our foster care placements and make them available if required.

“This maintains accountability while protecting the privacy of volunteer foster carers and reducing a very demanding and unnecessary administrative burden,” she said.

Ms Adams highlighted how groups under the scheme would be prevented from selling or giving away declared dangerous or menacing dogs or cats or dogs with “known aggression”

She argued these rules ignored the great potential of rehabilitation work and would result in an inevitable death sentence for animals once they’re declared dangerous.

“No responsible rescue organisation seeks to place genuinely dangerous animals in the community. Public safety must always remain paramount.

“However, the introduction of this regulation removes any recognition of the successful rehabilitation work that we undertake with dogs and cats once considered aggressive.”

She pointed to past examples of dogs once considered dangerous who’d been rehabilitated and had their dangerous declarations removed by relevant councils.

“Diesel the Staffy is one such example. Following rehabilitation, he went on to become an award-winning therapy dog at Headspace, supporting vulnerable teenagers.

“Another dog, Chief, declared ‘Dangerous’ many years ago after a homeless owner with addiction issues allowed him to roam, later spent four years here at our Sanctuary providing animal-assisted therapy to special-needs children, teens and non-verbal adults.

“Under this proposal, dogs like Diesel and Chief would not have been given the opportunity for rehabilitation, and countless children, teens and adults would have missed out on the love and healing they have provided.”

Report says some gun owners not upholding commitments

By Callum Ludwig

A new report from think tank The Australia Institute has claimed that some gun owners may not be upholding the commitments they make to obtain a firearm for sport or hunting.

The report has drawn criticism from the national shooting organisation for its “inflammatory language” in the wake of the Bondi massacre in December last year.

Former Olympic shooter and president of Yering’s Melbourne Gun Club Craig Henwood said they have over 500 members, and a high percentage do get out to the club throughout the year.

“One thing I will say is we have found since Covid where the cost of everything has gone up, the cost of our ammunition, for instance, has more than doubled and the cost of our clay targets has gone up significantly so we have seen our members drop off, but I wouldn’t say you could put that down to non-compliance,” he said.

“It’s more that we’re in a climate at the moment where the cost of living is so expensive and people now just shoot for what they can afford.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel all over the world competing and I can definitely say that our firearms laws are definitely right up there, and that is important, as we need to make sure that the right people who are using firearms are the ones who have got them in their hands.”

In Victoria, to own a Category A/B firearm, similar to those used in the Bondi attack, having financial membership or a letter of support from a club are two potential methods to legally possess a firearm, but active participation is not required.

Hunting is another option, with shooters needing to have landholder permission to shoot on their property or financial membership of a club, with a support letter or active participation not required.

Primary producers, armed security guards, prison guards and other pre-approved employment purposes can also legally acquire these firearms.

Mr Henwood said shooting was a very inclusive sport and a very safe sport.

“It’s not uncommon to see a 13-year-old girl competing against an 85-year-old man in the same competition. We also have people who are in wheelchairs or are otherwise disabled who compete, and when you compare shooting on a level of injuries compared to the likes of AFL or netball, we have very little to no injuries,” he said.

“We’ve got three young juniors that are coming through now that are making Australian teams and it’s been great watching them come through, they started through the Lilydale High School program and were coming out and doing it as one of their school activities though unfor-

tunately, the last 12 months they’ve had to cease that because they haven’t got a teacher available.

“We have a safety induction and our safety instructors won’t sign off on them until they’re 100 per cent certain that person ticks all the boxes… if there’s someone there that they feel needs to have another session with them, they will book them in for another session.”

Bondi shooter, Naveed Akram, has been reported by the ABC to have done ‘safety training’ with a hunting organisation years prior to the terrorist attack late last year.

“There are hundreds of thousands of people who don’t use their firearms for the reason on their licence, and that is a major concern,” said Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute.

“The huge gap between those who say they need a gun for hunting or sports, and those who

actually do either, exposes the façade that underpins gun licensing across this country.

“Australia’s firearm laws are rightly a point of national pride, but they can only keep Australians safe if they remain ironclad. Right now, this genuine reason loophole leaves the door wide open for someone with bad intentions to get around Australia’s firearm laws.”

According to the report, the Sporting Shooters Association (SSAA)’s Victorian branch is the only branch to publish its financial reports, and it reported $9,721,411 in revenue for the year ending April 2025.

“The Australia Institute consistently includes misinformation in their reports related to firearms which is helping no one, and is actually becoming dangerous,” SSAA chief executive Tom Kenyon said.

“Since the Bondi Terrorist incident, leaders across the nation, including the Prime Minister, have been calling on the community to lower the temperature when commenting on such sensitive matters, yet the Australia Institute seem to want to fan the flames with vigour.

“Real information is important, and we back our members to comply with the strict firearms regulation that already exists in Australia, and we are deeply concerned by any misinformation that may compromise the safety of the public, or our members and their families.”

The report has incited the ongoing feud between the SSAA and The Australia Institute in recent years, with The Australia Institute having taken aim at the SSAA for covert political spending, mimicking the tactics of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the US, opposing gun reform and allowing ‘the incursion of the far-right into their ranks’

This story has been edited to remove a defamatory error that inferred The Australia Institute sent death threats to the SSAA. Star Mail apologises to The Australia Institute for this oversight.

Strike, but schools to open

By Melissa Meehan AAP, with Star Mail

Retired teachers could be back in the classroom as public school staff in one state walk off the job after rejecting an 18.5 per cent pay rise.

Strike action for 24 March was confirmed by Star Mail for Healesville High School, while some parents of children attending Lilydale primary and secondary schools were yet to learn how classes would be disrupted as of Thursday morning, 19 March.

In the Dandenong Ranges, one primary school’s communication to parents said it was “expecting a large percentage of our staff will take part in the stop work”, and it would confirm the school’s program on Monday afternoon, 23 March.

A major high school in the Hills said students were expected to attend, despite some teachers most likely taking part in the action. Parents were advised, however, that if they knew students would not be attending school, to log an attendance note so it could plan accordingly.

The number of teachers from across the Outer East should become clearer for schools and families by the end of the week, with teachers required to confirm with the union whether they are participating on Friday afternoon ahead of the strike action.

The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union knocked back the latest offer from the state government on Monday night (16 March), saying it doesn’t deliver the pay increases that properly value the work of school staff.

It would also increase excessive workloads and exacerbate the more than 12 hours of unpaid overtime public school employees do each week, according to the union.

If the industrial action goes ahead, it’ll be the first statewide teacher strike in Victoria since Labor returned to government 13 years ago.

Victorian Branch President Justin Mullaly said the offer of 18.5 per cent was “completely unacceptable” and would do nothing to fix the staffing shortage crisis across the state’s public schools.

“An offer like this does not go far enough to keep experienced teachers in the system nor attract the next generation who are the future of the profession,” he said.

“I don’t think the premier and education minister could in good conscience look Victorian parents in the eye and say they are doing their best to support the workforce who teach their children.”

The offer is the first made by the state government after eight months of negotiations.

The offer proposes an eight per cent pay rise for teachers and principals, four per cent for education support staff on April 1, and three per cent each year across the following three years.

This figure is a far cry from the 35 per cent pay increase the union had been demanding.

Education Minister Ben Carroll said he would continue to work with the union after they rejected the “very competitive offer”

He said both the government and union would prioritise dialogue over discussion.

But if the strike goes ahead next week, Mr Carroll assured Victorians that schools would remain open.

“Our schools will be open, we are calling on the union again to work with us, this is a serious compelling offer,” he told reporters in Ascot Vale.

When asked how this was possible, Mr Carroll said school’s would use retired teachers and ca-

sual staff - but conceded if the strike went ahead, a normal curriculum would not be run.

Victoria isn’t the only state in pay negotiations with teachers, Queensland and Tasmania are offering an eight per cent pay rise, and the Catholic system recently offered a 13 per cent pay deal.

Mr Carroll said the rejected pay deal would have put Victorian teacher salaries in line with New South Wales, but provide better conditions - including flexible work arrangements.

Union members working in Victorian public schools will stop work for 24 hours on Tuesday 24 March, after the Fair Work Commission-endorsed ballot had 98 per cent of members vote to take stop-work action.

Silver tourism in the Valley

By Gabriella Vukman

The Yarra Ranges’ tourism industry has once again made a name for itself on the national stage, with standout performances at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2025.

Two Yarra Valley standouts, CherryHill Orchards and Kangaroo Ridge Retreat, were among Victoria’s 16 awardees.

Both Kangaroo Ridge Retreat and CherryHill secured silver, bringing national recognition back to the region.

Held at the historic Fremantle Prison, the Tourism awards celebrated the country’s most innovative and high-performing tourism businesses.

The Yarra Ranges’ strong showing reflects the depth, creativity and resilience of its visitor economy, with operators across the state recognised for delivering world-class experiences.

For CherryHill Orchards, the silver award in Excellence in Food Tourism marks a significant milestone for the family-run business.

General Manager at CherryHill Orchards Michael Appleton told Star Mail the local venue is prideful of their silver plaque.

Mr Appleton said, “It feels incredibly rewarding to be recognised as one of the country’s leading food tourism destinations. We’re really proud of the achievement and genuinely grateful for the recognition.”

“As a third-generation, family-owned and operated business, there are decades of experience, passion and care behind what we do, and there’s a real sense of pride right across the business,” he said.

“This award reflects the people behind it who show up every day and bring the CherryHill experience to life.”

Mr Appleton noted the CherryHill team’s commitment to authentic, high-quality experiences continues to set the orchard apart.

“I think there are a few reasons, but first and foremost, it comes down to our incredible team,” Mr Appleton said.

“They consistently deliver genuine country

hospitality, and our guest feedback really reflects that. Year after year, our team is the highest-rated part of the experience,” he said.

“They’re the face of our brand, and it’s their interactions that truly bring the CherryHill experience to life.”

Mr Appleton added that connecting visitors directly with produce is central to the experience.

“A big part of what makes CherryHill special is giving guests the chance to connect with the land and to taste the produce they’re enjoying, right at the source, it doesn’t get fresher than that,” Mr Appleton said.

“The real stars of the show are our big, sweet, juicy cherries, which we’ve been proudly growing in the Yarra Valley since 1940.”

The team was also present at the awards night.

Mr Appleton said, “We attended the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards night, and it was a pretty incredible and unique setting, celebrating under the stars alongside some of Australia’s best tourism operators… and thankfully, we weren’t locked in at the end of the night!”

Looking ahead, for Mr Appleton the ambition is clear: “We’re going for Gold next year,” he said.

Across the Valley in Healesville, the team at Kangaroo Ridge Retreat is also celebrating their silver award.

When it comes to taking the leap and creating an award-winning venue, the team at Kangaroo Ridge Retreat know all too well that a little wine courage goes a long way.

What started with a few glasses of pinot noir and a wine-fuelled spur-of-the-moment idea, evolved into a luxury experience now recognised on the national stage.

Owner Rebecca Ritter reflected on the journey from a spontaneous idea to an award-winning retreat.

Ms Ritter said, “We bought this place in 2017, almost nine years ago now and it has gone so fast.”

“I showed the advert for the Kangaroo Ridge Retreat property to my partner one night, when we had had a couple too many Pinot Noirs, and

April 4th & 5th

Saturday 9:30am until 5:00pm Sunday 10:00am until 4:00pm

we were like, we can do this,” Ms Ritter said.

“I don’t think we would have had that sense of, we can do this, if we hadn’t had a little bit of wine courage.”

Kangaroo Ridge Retreat offers boutique cabins perched in the hills above Healesville, designed to immerse guests in nature while remaining close to the town centre.

“It feels like you’re in the middle of quite a lot of bush, really,” Ms Ritter.

$40 for Family

( 2 Adults & 2 Children)

$20 per Adult

$5 per Child

(15 & under)

Despite the secluded feel, the experience is designed for ease, minimal planning, and indulgence.

Ms Ritter said, “If you’re leaving on a Friday after work you can just rock up.”

“There’s pyjamas here… you don’t have to do anything else and leave,” she said.

For Ms Ritter, the silver win was both exciting and affirming.

“I was very, very excited and very proud of my team for getting silver,” she said.

“I am stoked to get second and it kind of proves that no, actually we’ve been reviewed again… and we came second.”

The recognition comes at a difficult time for the industry.

“We’re a small family-run business, and this recognition comes during a challenging period for many tourism operators across Victoria,” Ms Ritter said.

“For us, it’s also a story about regional small business, consistency, and the wider Yarra Valley

community that helps make visitor experiences meaningful, from local makers and growers to trades and fellow tourism operators,” she said.

Ritter noted the broader pressures facing tourism operators.

“This year’s been challenging,” Ms Ritter said.

“We have got the softening of the market because of the cost of living crisis,” she said.

“It’s really a particular market that is struggling and it is the top end, luxe market.”

Ms Ritter remains optimistic about the future.

“We’ll keep evolving, we’ll keep trying to keep our cabins modern, and fresh,” she said.

“We’re hopeful that it will come back.”

The dual silver wins for CherryHill and Kangaroo Ridge Retreat highlight the Yarra Valley’s growing reputation as a destination that blends premium food, wine and accommodation experiences.

From hands-on agritourism to secluded luxury stays, the region continues to deliver the kind of diverse, high-quality offerings that are resonating with visitors and judges alike.

With Victoria set to host the national awards again in 2027, the spotlight will only grow brighter.

For operators in the Yarra Valley, this year’s recognition is not just a celebration of success, but a signal of what’s still to come.

Moderating Mooroolbark

By Oliver Winn

While Facebook community groups can be chaotic spaces, well moderated groups can contribute vastly to a township’s ability to connect, a content moderation expert said.

In the Star Mail’s second article exploring the roles of admins in Facebook community groups, it shares the story of Mooroolbark Community.

Regina Atkinson is one of the admins for Mooroolbark Community, which is run by the Mooroolbark Traders and Community Group.

She said pride for her township was what sparked her moderation journey.

“I put my hand up just because I’ve lived here since 1980. So you know, I’m a proud Mooroolbarkian.

The Mooroolbark Traders and Community Group established the facebook group in 2018, to help locals connect and support local businesses.

The group saw significant growth during the Covid-19 lockdowns, as people increasingly turned to local networks to remain connected and engaged within their community.

But, Facebook community groups can be rogue spaces when not managed correctly.

Dr Timothy Koskie is a media communications postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney.

He said moderators have a large impact on the health of an online forum, such as a Facebook community group.

“What moderators do operates on a kind of dualistic level. On the one hand, they do exist as somebody is watching.

“And we know… that spaces where we feel like someone is watching operate very, very differently to spaces where we don’t feel like that,” Dr Koskie said.

He said groups that have active admins and moderators stay clean as the quality and relevance of posts are maintained.

Ms Atkinson said for the Mooroolbark Community group, measures such as restricting users from posting for 24 hours after they join gives ad-

mins time to perform background checks.

“It gives us time to do a little bit more of a background search, making sure that they’re affiliated either with Mooroolbark or even in the country because it does waste a lot of time when we have someone from overseas posting stuff that’s just not relevant.

“So we make sure it’s very clean because if you look at some of the other sites, they get diluted,” Ms Atkinson said.

A charter establishes the rules of the group which helps guide enforcement actions.

“So the rules are about making sure that you

engage in the forum in a really clear and kind manner. So there’s to be no hate speech, no racism. It has to be for us to keep a clean Facebook group.”

Dr Koskie said in any environment where power is concentrated in the hands of a few people (such as group admins), that power can be used for good or ill.

“But if you’ve got a moderator that’s particularly active… that’s going to change how the document looks at the end of the day. That’s going to change the attitudes it represents and the values that it represents.

“Any time you’ve got somebody who’s in a position to make decisions in what we might call a democratic environment in that case, any person who has the ability to push things or pull things back and they don’t have accountability… you’re going to start to see some damage coming from that lack of accountability in terms of how the group operates,” Dr Koskie said.

Therefore it was crucial to have a way to keep admins accountable.

Ms Atkinson said group’s moderators hold each other accountable to ensure the group doesn’t get affected by one person’s personal views or opinions.

“Definitely having a lot of moderators on there or admins certainly helps, but also it keeps us accountable too. So if I’m having a bad day I can’t go and delete multiple things,” she said.

Ultimately, Ms Atkinson and the others involved with moderating the Mooroolbark Community group are held accountable by their pride for Mooroolbark.

“We’ve all got the common goal of making sure that the page stays clean and moving forward and a benefit. We’re quite protective of what goes up there.

“It’s a great way of just keeping the community together as a whole and having pride.”

Yarra Junction, now and in the future

We talked to three Yarra Junction locals about being good neighbours. Archer, aged 13, Jacinta aged 20 and David aged 73 years.

All agreed that they feel Yarra Junction is a friendly town. Archer said “it’s just a really good little spot of paradise”. Jacinta said “I worked in Yarra Junction for four years and I found everyone who came through very friendly and up for a chat always”. David agreed and also mentioned the diversity that we have in Yarra Junction, noting that you unfortunately “don’t always see people hanging out together.”

The three locals liked the Good Neighbour initiative and have participated in some of the activities. Archer wrote on the graffiti wall, a quote from his basketball club. Jacinta and David both enjoyed the Friday night music. “It was really beautiful especially when the sun started to go down and the fairy lights were out and it looked really gorgeous.”

In the future, Jacinta would love to see more of her age group involved in events in Yarra Junction. David felt that people in his age group, being retired, have a bit more time to get involved but he would like to see more opportunities to “just sit around and shoot the breeze and get to know one another”. He would love to see a regular evening music event.

All our interviewees feel that it is important to be able to hear what people want, in all age groups, even if they don’t have the time to get involved or organise events themselves. Archer suggested “you could …like speak to the actual kids. You could do a convention or something, or get an assembly of the school and a show of hands.” David mentioned that it’s important to hear from different groups, and suggested reference groups could be an option.

When looking to the future, all three feel that with the loss of the arcade the town needs to find new ways of gathering. Archer suggested some new picnic tables near the skate park. David and Jacinta agreed, adding that it is the little things that can help everyone feel welcome. David finished our interview with some words of wisdom. “It takes everybody to make it work. We’re all in this together. It’s not just a select group of people who are being called to be good neighbours. It’s young people, its kids, … and even old people like me.”

Let’s Sing

Around 2pm on Sunday the 29th of March, at the Good Neighbour Month family picnic, we invite you to join a free singing circle led by Barb MacFarlane.

Barb loves nothing more than to bring any group into wonderful harmony; something she does effciently and with humour. Singing is our birthright and everyone can sing. Group singing is a lovely way of blending your unique voice with others into a new and beautiful sound. Barb’s singing circle is inclusive of age, gender, mobility and is a gentle, fun and creative group activity.

An old Zimbabwean proverb says “if you can walk, you can dance and if you can talk, you can sing”. Creating a unique sound in a singing circle is like making a patchwork quilt in a group. A thing of beauty comes from everyone’s input. Barb makes the learning fun and easy. Short 3/4 part songs, rounds, quirky ditties and gorgeous homogeneous sounds come surprisingly quickly. We stay with each song for a while to enjoy the sound that we’re making, past the learning and settling in bit. Being with others, even strangers, in a circle, making lovely soundscapes, is a different way of togetherness. We don’t need to know anything about the person either side of us, but we’re all connected by the circle and the song making. We become one.

Barb comes highly recommended. During school terms, she facilitates a regular Singing Circle at Lilydale Community House at 7 Hardy Street, Lilydale on Thursdays at 1.30PM. at $10 per session.

Let’s Laugh at the Community Picnic.

We all know that laughter makes us feel good, but did you know it’s also doing amazing things for our physical, mental and social wellbeing. It begins with deep breaths that increase oxygen flow and stimulates the heart and lungs. It increases the release of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins - our natural “feel good” chemicals, reducing stress and motivating us to connect with others. Yes, as an acronym, that does spell DOSE. Is that why it’s said that laughter is the best medicine? Even just a few minutes can help calm the nervous system and lift our mood, and when we laugh together, barriers soften, trust grows and social tensions ease. With a background in neuroscience and psychology, and a life shaped by caregiving and community work, Bron Roberts, the Chief Happiness Officer at Let’s Laugh, has been leading community laughter sessions for more than 20 years. She’s seen even the most sceptical of participants join in what is ultimately a lot of fun that feels, and is so good. She knows the powerful impact that laughter can have on resilience, well-being and human connection. To her, laughter isn’t frivolous - it’s foundational.

Blending gentle movement, playful connection and loads of laughter, Let’s Laugh laughter sessions not only lift the mood of any event, they bring a playful sense of fun to everyone involved. They’re fully inclusive and you don’t even need to be in a good mood to begin. Some people say that just being around the laughter session brings joy to their hearts

Come down to the Community Picnic, Sunday the 29th March at 1pm, and join Bron for a giggle, a chuckle or a really good belly laugh.

Yarra Junction Public Arts Project.

As we draw near to the end of Good Neighbour Month, we are all looking for ways to keep the kindness and the community connections going. The next community project we will beinvolved in will help to keep that flow going. Local Community organizer, Jeremy Angerson tells us all about that project in the following article...

Yarra Junction is set to transform its streets with the launch of the Yarra Junction Public Art Project, a community driven project that will deliver two street art murals in the township. With funding provided by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning Tiny Towns Grant and Community Bank Warburton and Yarra Junction Community Grants Program.

The initiative will see two professional artists appointed to design and deliver major public artworks; each created in close collaboration with local youth and the wider Yarra Junction community. More than murals, the works will be shared statements of identity, creativity and place, celebrating what makes Yarra Junction distinctive while inviting visitors to slow down, look closer and stay longer.

Following the appointment of each artist, a series of inclusive engagement activities will roll out across the township. These will include in school workshops with local students, open town hall discussions, and informal dropin sessions where community members can meet the artists, share stories, and contribute ideas. From personal histories to hopes for the future, community voices will directly influence the themes, concepts and visual language of each mural.

Strategically located across two prominent sites in the township, the completed murals will strengthen Yarra Junction’s identity as a creative destination within the Yarra Valley. The project aligns placemaking with cultural tourism, using public art to enrich daily life, spark conversation and attract new audiences to local businesses and experiences.

The Yarra Junction Public Art Project is an investment in community pride, creative opportunity and long-term vibrancy. By placing collaboration at its core, the project demonstrates how art can connect people, tell shared stories and reimagine public space.

We invite the Yarra Junction community to be involved in the workshops and share their ideas and stories about the township, ensuring the murals endure as catalysts for connection and belonging long after the final brushstroke dries, leaving a legacy shaped by community voices and shared imagination.

Can you open your home and heart to a child in need?

As a foster carer of 10 years in Melbourne’s east, Katrina Cuddon can promise one thing.

“Once you try foster care and realise the real need that these children have of people like ourselves, giving them a home, a family, love and structure is so valuable that you won’t want to stop doing it,” she said.

Anglicare Victoria, the state’s largest provider of Out-of-Home Care, is urging more locals like Katrina to become a foster carer, with safe, nurturing homes needed right now across the region.

Foster carers can come from all walks of life, with a range of

emergency, short-term and longterm care arrangements to suit different households. For Katrina, fostering fits right into her life as a secondary school teacher.

Anglicare Victoria Deputy CEO Sue Sealey said many more locals would have the professional skills or personal experience for foster caring, with support available every step of the way.

“Anglicare Victoria is committed to supporting carers with training, ongoing expert help, and national advocacy,” she said.

“We encourage anyone interested in fostering to get in touch with us.

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Plan for hard waste time

By Tanya Steele

Hard waste, love or loathe, is a regular fixture across the calendar for Yarra Ranges residents between January and March.

By the start of April this year, residents across the regions will have had the chance to purge larger and more hard to get rid of waste items, but sometimes knowing what to put out can create issues.

The Yarra Ranges also has an avid community of people willing to comb through the piles and re-use and recycle kerbside waste.

Generally, it’s considered polite to leave it neat after you are done.

Right now, residents can put out three cubic meters of hard waste, metals and bundled branches.

Bulky items such as white goods, metal items, mattresses and electronic waste can also be placed out for special recycling.

Strategic education officer from Waste Management at Yarra Ranges Council, Lisa Loulier, said that as hard waste is picked up, the council encourage residents to put out things that can’t fit in the bin out for collection.

“Anything large, like pieces of furniture, and things like e-waste, electronic waste, something with a battery or a cord, or battery-powered or powered with a power cord,” she said.

A good way of getting rid of those items that can’t go into household bins, hard waste pickup, and e-waste is particularly useful as they are banned from being placed into regular bin collections.

One item that may raise a question mark is bean bags, and residents should not be putting these out for collection.

“They won’t be picked up by the contractors, because once the compactor tries to compact, the waste bean bags will explode and put the polystyrene balls throughout the area,” said Ms Loulier.

Nearby in Knox, a company called Foamex can help people with the safe disposal of things like polystyrene.

Used tyres will also not be collected, and residents are encouraged to take these to both tyre stores and transfer stations.

“You can recycle the tyres so they cannot be made into new things, whether that’s rubber massing and a whole range of different rubber products,” said Ms Loulier.

Environmental groups are big advocates for recycling to avoid waste and weeds ending up in local waterways and bushland.

“Other great drop off locations for harder to recycle items are Officeworks for stationery and office supplies, Plantmark for plastic plant pots, Bunnings also for plastic plant pots and batteries from old cordless tools, supermarkets for soft plastic and all types of batteries/phones,” said President Rown Jennion from the Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve group.

“Most people want to have their waste reused or recycled, but often aren’t sure where to start,” he said.

Items that can be placed for hard rubbish collection include, unwanted furniture that cannot be donated or reused by others, metals, whitegoods, electrical items e.g. computers, televisions, monitors, all battery and power-operated items and items with an electrical cord, mattresses, up to 10 pieces of timber (not fencing), glass, shower screens and mirrors (must be wrapped and clearly marked as glass.

This includes glass from tables, windows, doors that contain glass etc.

Later this year, more options for e-waste will come into play as Sustainability Victoria announced recycling hub plans for four locations across the Yarra Ranges on 10 March, giving residents more places to safely dispose of batteries, electronics and more.

Ms Loulier said the hubs will hopefully be open as soon as May this year.

“We’re really happy, and we’re looking forward to having these available for people,” she said.

The centres will allow residents to drop off an array of items that can be tricky to recycle safely, giving them more options.

“It’ll also be things like light globes, fluoro tubes, X-rays, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, that kind of thing will also be accepted in those recycling hubs as well,” said Ms Loulier.

The council are trying to create more visual and easier-to-access information for hard waste, but things like hard waste can remain difficult for people who don’t have access or capacity to find the right information.

For now, the hard waste is almost done for the season, and residents can contact Yarra Ranges for any assistance in placing their hard rubbish out correctly, on their customer service number 1300 368 333.

Or online at: yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Our-services/Waste/Hard-rubbish

Residents can also consider donating items to charities, selling or giving them away via online sites such as Facebook, Buy Nothing Groups, Marketplace and Gumtree, or see if family or friends are interested.

New species in burn area

By Gabriella Vukman

A variety of new and endangered species have been found throughout the forest near the Glenburn - Eagles Nest Rd area, which is scheduled for a planned burn in May this year.

The findings come after the ongoing analysis of data from a citizen ‘bio blitz’ in late November 2025.

More than 100 members of the public attended the bio blitz organised by the Kinglake Friends of the Forest group (KFF), to conduct surveys of the area and gather biodiversity data.

A range of experts were also engaged by KFF to provide special knowledge and aid in the data analysis and collection.

Among the many thrilling ecological discoveries was a new genus of moth, a rare moss, and two species of black fish, one of which, the Barred Galaxias, is endangered.

Listed as critically endangered under the FFG Act, and endangered under the EPBC Act, the Barred Galaxias, like the other Two-spined Blackfish found in the planned ignition zone, have small home ranges and low reproduction rates.

Specimens of the new species of moth thought to belong to the Heliozelidae family, were found on its presumed host plant, situated along the ignition line for the planned burn.

Ecologistssuggestthatwhilethespeciesawaits further description, its known habitat should be protected from fire and other disturbance.

Committee Member at KFF Aawa White noted she started paying attention to planned burning two years ago.

Ms White said, “We started looking into this because we were hearing more and more reports that planned burning and strategic fuel breaks are not actually keeping our community safer.”

“We are all people who live in high fire risk areas, so we have a keen interest in bushfire mitigation and whether or not it is effective.

“We also started to look at what the impact of planned burns were on the forests that we love.”

In late 2023, members of KFF began referring to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA) and the Joint Fuel Management Programme website to see what areas were scheduled for planned burning.

The group was surprised to find that one of the planned burn areas was home to many threatened species.

Ms White said, “When we checked it out in late 2023, we went out and did a little spotlight survey to see if there were any greater gliders in the area and it was pretty astounding.”

“We had never experienced that kind of density in a Greater Glider population before stepping

into that planned burn area.

“Every 20 metres we saw another one up in a tree.”

Due to their size, Greater Gliders rely on large hollows in large trees to nest. Logging, clearing, and burning reduce this habitat.

It was the findings of such a large population of Greater Gliders in the scheduled planned burn zone that prompted KFF to keep fishing.

“We just kept discovering new stuff, so then we thought ‘let’s invite the public out here to have a look,” Ms White said.

“We ran the bio blitz in November and it was amazing.”

During the bio blitz, a range of different surveys were conducted, including nocturnal surveys, frog and fish surveys, camera trapping, and a moth and fern survey, among others.

“We also did a survey looking into how damp forest flora species are disappearing from forests that are experiencing frequent fire, and how the fire is changing the actual species composition of forests,” Ms White said.

“The spot they are planning to burn is in recovery as there have been both wildfires and planned burns over the last decade.”

The bio blitz logged 238 species and 591 observations. For now, the KFF is focusing on the threatened, rare, and endangered species that were uncovered.

Ms White said, “The Barred Galaxias that we found in our bio blitz late last year is a critically endangered fish that the Victorian Government has actually spent a lot of money trying to save from extinction because they were impacted by the 2009 bushfires.”

“They have fragmented populations, so they are in big trouble.

“There is a population of them in the region that is scheduled to be burned in May, and we found some Barred Galaxias in new areas that weren’t originally on the VBA, but are going to be burned.”

Instead of roaming up and down rivers and streams, the Barred Galaxias prefers to remain in one place for its entire life.

“Seeing as we found the fish right where they are planning to ignite, the burn would mean that they lose their special, lifelong habitat,” Ms White said.

Members of the KFF were also alarmed to find that the fires for the planned burn would be ignited in a damp forest.

Ms White said, “Forest Fire Management Victoria tells everyone that they don’t burn damp forest because they know that it can’t cope with frequent fire.”

“If you burn it, you will change the composition into a more flammable composition, with

drier species like bracken that can cope with frequent fire.”

According to Ms White and the KFF group, burning delicate species can result in the facilitation of one large monoculture.

“In the Glenburn-Toolangi area in Toolangi State Forest, if you travel west along Marginal Road, you can see the left-hand side of the area is heavily dominated by dry acacia, a single species because it was burnt in 2021,” Ms White said.

“It just shows you that burning, even though you get this very short-term window where you’ve reduced the stuff on the ground that will burn in a fire, it also stimulates the shrub layer to regrow.

“You end up with a much denser shrub layer than before the burn that will dominate until the forest thins out.”

Ms White also noted that broad-scale burning programs tend to convert forests into a more flammable and less safe environment for local communities.

“Looking at datasets from the Black Summer Bushfires, research has found that it is the cumulative fire that has a huge impact on biodiversity,” Ms White said.

“It is planned burns and bushfires that is what is causing this massive decline in biodiversity across our forests and we are really worried about that, given that we are in an extinction crisis.

“Australia is currently leading the world in mammal extinctions.”

According to Ms White, there is currently no official process for reporting findings of the bio blitz to Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic).

“If we can’t get FFMVic to…we want to at least know what disappears when they are burning, and we want to be able to trace with data, the impacts on biodiversity.

“All we can do is go out there, document what we find and tell them about it and just hope that they will amend their burn plans to avoid the worst of the damage.”

While the KFF group sends multiple reports to FFMVic, they seldom receive responses.

“We only ever get a generic reply back from them,” Ms White said.

“If we want to know whether they have considered our reports, we have to put in a Freedom of Information FOI request.”

KFF shared the report from the bio blitz with FFMVic.

The report made suggestions to not light ignition lines where there are known populations of Barred Galaxias, or where there is a known observation of the blackfish.

The report also suggested that ignition lines should not be lit in the habitat of the host plants for the new species of moth until it has been iden-

tified, and that hollow-bearing trees should be saved at all costs.

Ms White said, “We are particularly concerned about the collapse of hollow bearing trees.”

“The Government’s own research has shown that in planned burns, 25 per cent of the hollow-bearing trees that are reached by fire, collapse.

“That is an enormous amount of Greater Glider, Sooty Owl and other habitat that we are losing, and there is already a limited amount of these hollow tree habitats.”

In the past, the KFF group was aware of one planned burn being cancelled in Central Victoria in 2024, due to the finding of a critically endangered orchid species, the Bald-Tip Beard Orchid, which had fewer than 10 plants remaining in Australia.

The Kinglake Friends of the Forest is a volunteer group of citizen scientists and formally trained ecologists.

Ecological consultant and senior zoologist at ABZECO David De Angelis was contracted by the KFF to help with the bio blitz.

“Both species of Blackfish that were found are susceptible to land clearing, habitat fragmentation, and potentially fire, as it breeds in the rocky bottom of streams,” Mr De Angelis said.

“If that rocky bottom gets covered in sediment or ash, even temporarily, it can become unsuitable for the fish to breed.

“If fire works are to be conducted near their habitat, they should be done in a sensitive manner by preventing sediment from fire works from entering the stream.”

While Mr De Angelis is not completely opposed to a planned burn going through the Glenburn-Toolangi area, he noted it should be done carefully, with the requirements of local species taken into account.

“Measures should be taken to protect the rocky in-stream habitat if a burn were to go ahead,” he said.

“It is critical that all species are considered when Forest Fire Management plans fire management activities.”

In addition to the critically endangered Barred Galaxias fish, the new genus of moth, and the rare species of moth, other notable species found in the chosen planned burn site were: the southern greater glider, yellow-bellied glider, platypus, koala, eastern pygmy possum, sooty owl, powerful owl, blue-winged parrot, and a type of plant known locally as ‘silky golden tip’

Findings from the BioBlitz are still being analysed, with more information surrounding the species residing within the Glenburn-Toolangi area still to come.

EASTER

Hop into Community Market

The much-loved Healesville Community Market is set to come alive this Easter, offering a vibrant day out for locals and visitors alike. Known for its relaxed atmosphere, quality stalls and strong sense of community, the market’s Easter edition promises something special for every member of the family, including the four-legged ones.

A highlight for younger visitors will be the arrival of the Easter Bunny, joined this year by Mrs Bunny, bringing smiles, photo opportunities and a touch of magic to the day as they hand out Easter eggs to the kids and Easter doggo biscuits for the furry family members. But this year, it is not just the children who are in for a treat. Pet lovers will be delighted to discover a unique offering from Doggy Delights Australia, ensuring furry companions do not miss out on the festivities.

Based in Croydon, Doggy Delights Australia began as a humble homemade venture, inspired

by a simple but heartfelt need. Founder and creator, driven by a love for her rescue dog Sash, struggled to find healthy store bought treats without additives, preservatives or confusing ingredients. The solution was to create her own, simple, wholesome and made with care.

Today, that passion has grown into a dedicated shopfront business, but the philosophy remains the same. Every treat is handmade using human grade ingredients, with no preservatives or grains, and each product is tested and approved by Sash herself. It is a labour of love that resonates strongly with pet owners who want only the best for their dogs.

Market goers can expect an impressive range of goodies, from custom “pawty” cakes and pupcakes to dog friendly donuts, biscuits, ice creams and even puppuccinos. With each item crafted in small batches rather than mass produced, the

focus remains firmly on quality, uniqueness and care.

Beyond the treats, Doggy Delights also showcases a range of essentials for dogs, alongside products from other local small businesses, further strengthening the sense of community that markets like this are known for.

The Easter market in Healesville is more than just a shopping experience; it is a celebration of local creativity, connection and shared values. Whether you are browsing handmade goods, enjoying delicious food, or simply soaking up the lively atmosphere, there is something undeniably

special about supporting small businesses face to face.

For those who consider their pets part of the family, this year’s event offers an extra reason to attend. With thoughtful, high quality treats available for dogs, it is a chance to include every member of the household in the Easter celebrations.

As the community gathers once again, the Healesville Community Market continues to showcase the very best of local talent, passion and heart, making it a must visit event on the Easter calendar.

Easter Bunny will be here on Sunday April 5

10.30am - 12.00pm with the assistance of Mrs Bunny handing out treats for all the kids & all the fur babies also!

Healesville River Street Markets

8.00am - 1.30pm

River Street Car Park 1st Sunday of the Month

Stallholder Enquiries Welcome

Coronation Park 3rd Sunday of the Month

Stallholder Enquiries Welcome

Large variety of Stalls including:

• Home made: cakes, candles, clothing, craft, jams, soaps

• New: carpets, clothing, collectables, paper & cards, shoes, tools, wool

seedlings etc

• Produce: eggs, fruit, vegetables

• Recycled: books, bric-a-brac, DVDs, CDs, clothing, furniture

• Tools: new & old

• Hot food & drinks available

Contact: 0488 445 112

EASTER Easter at the Blue Lotus

As Easter approaches, families looking for a memorable day out need look no further than Blue Lotus Water Garden, where the beauty of the gardens meets the joy of seasonal celebration.

Set among breathtaking water lilies and tranquil landscapes, the gardens provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxed yet festive Easter experience. From 3 to 6 April, the focus turns to one of the most anticipated highlights of the season, the Easter Egg Hunt, offering children a fun and engaging way to celebrate.

With the Easter Bunny and friends making special appearances throughout the event, youngsters can immerse themselves in the excitement of the hunt while enjoying the vibrant surroundings. It is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, explore the gardens and create lasting memories in a truly unique setting.

Tickets for the Easter Egg Hunts are available online only, and with demand expected to be high, early bookings are strongly encouraged.

The event offers excellent value, with children aged zero to 15 able to enjoy both the Egg Hunt and garden entry for just $10, while general garden entry pricing remains at $25 for adults and $22 for seniors and pensioners, conditions applying. Children under 16 who are not participating in the Egg Hunt can still enjoy free entry to the gardens.

Running from 21 March through to 19 April, the garden season offers visitors the chance to experience the full beauty of Blue Lotus Water Garden at its peak. However, it is the Easter celebration that truly brings an added sense of magic to this already stunning destination.

Whether it is the thrill of the Easter Egg Hunt, a chance encounter with the Easter Bunny, or simply the opportunity to wander through one of the region’s most picturesque attractions, a visit to the gardens over Easter is sure to delight visitors of all ages.

Join the

Tuck into the tastiest buns

There’s nothing quite like Easter at Beechworth Bakery Healesville—especially when the scent of freshly baked hot cross buns fills the air.

Made fresh daily, our hot cross buns are loaded with juicy, plump Australian sultanas and raisins, delivering that rich, traditional flavour everyone looks forward to this time of year.

Soft, perfectly spiced, and baked to golden perfection, they’re the kind of Easter treat that keeps you coming back for just one more.

Whether you enjoy them fresh from the bakery or toasted with a generous spread of butter, they’re even better paired with a barista-made

coffee—your perfect Easter moment, sorted.

Celebrating with family or hosting over the long weekend? Pick up a six-pack to share, grab a catering box for effortless entertaining, or simply treat yourself to one on the go.

And while you’re in, explore more Easter favourites—our fun Easter-shaped biscuits, light and crispy meringue nests, and our limited edition prawn & scallop pie, perfect for something a little different this season.

Don’t miss out—visit Beechworth Bakery Healesville or order ahead to secure your Easter favourites.

Ned Kelly’s story has captivated Australia for generations - now you can experience it like never before.

Discover iconic relics in extraordinary 3D detail, alongside fresh perspectives from leading Australian writers.

Vinny’s legacy lives on

By Gabriella Vukman

Yarra Glen Football Netball Club is mourning the loss of a particular big toothy smile.

Life member and former president at Yarra Glen Football, Netball Club Vincent (fondly known as ‘Vinny’), died suddenly on the evening of Thursday 12 March.

Known for his warmth, generosity and unmistakable presence, Vinny has left a lasting mark on all who knew him.

In a statement, the Yarra Glen Football Club shared the news “with heavy hearts,” describing Vinny as “a kind and loyal friend who touched the lives of so many people in our club and local community.”

“Always willing to have a chat and a beer or offer a supportive ear, he dedicated over a decade to shaping our club into what it is today,” the post read.

Vinny left behind his children Justin, Jayden, Jack, Isabella, Georgia and Spencer, with the club extending its love and thoughts to his family.

Club treasurer David Ball, who worked closely alongside Vinny for more than a decade, said his contribution to the club was enormous, but it was his personality that people will remember most.

Mr Ball said, “Vinny was a very, very big supporter of our footy club and the netball programme. He was enormous for the club.”

“He was a bit of a wheeler and dealer.

“He was very good at communicating with people, getting sponsors on board, making sure that the environment around the club was that of a friendly, happy family club.”

Vinny served as president for over a decade from 2013 to 2023, only stepping down due to health concerns.

“In those 10 years, we won our premiership in 2014, and that was largely because of his great efforts in recruiting the right sort of coaches and players, creating the right environment for them to thrive.

“He was a very, very big supporter of our netball programme, really invested his time and effort into making sure that they got the recognition and the facilities and everything else that they needed.

“So from a football club perspective, he was just totally irreplaceable.”

While Vinny stepped down as president, he never stepped away from the club.

“He would sit on the timekeeper’s shed and was still doing jobs around the club, even though he’d had to take a back seat from a committee point of view,” Mr Ball said.

Ball said working alongside Vinny also meant plenty of long, regular phone calls.

Sometimes at slightly inconvenient times.

“Vinny used to always ring me up on a Wednesday, which is the day I play golf,” Mr Ball said.

“Every time he used to say, ‘Bugger, I’ve called you in the middle of golf again’ , and it wasn’t until about two years later that he finally started calling me on other days.

“I’d be on the phone with Vinny for an hour at a time a couple of times a week right through the football season.”

Those conversations, Mr Ball confirmed, were never dull.

“He’d think of something that needed to be done for the club, or he would want to talk through an issue, and he’d start to go through all the problems of the world, as well as the problems of the footy club,” Mr Ball said.

“He was great to have a chat with, in fact, it was pretty hard to get off the phone talking to him.

“He was great to talk to and was always entertaining.”

Beyond his chat and his achievements through the club, it was Vinny’s welcoming nature that de-

fined him.

Mr Ball said, “He had a fantastic, big smile, and anyone that entered the clubs for the first time, he’d welcome them in, and they’d feel like they were at home.”

According to Mr Ball, Vinny’s kindness extended far beyond the clubrooms.

“Vinny as a person was just a wonderful, caring, friendly sort of guy. He’d go out of his way to help others,” he said.

“That included driving a long way to pick somebody up that needed a lift and the like, organising sort of social events.

“Vinny had a swimming pool and he always let

the local kids go over for a swim when it was hot.”

Beyond Vinny’s support for the club and his local community, Mr Ball noted that family came first for Vinny.

“Vinny had six kids and managed to look after them all really well,” Mr Ball said.

“He was always allocating the right amount of time to take them places and do things for them.

“He was a great family man, a great person to have as a friend.”

Plumber by trade, Vinny was constantly offering to fix things around the club and one particular story about a broken toilet seat became something of a running joke among committee members.

Mr Ball said, “We had a broken toilet seat, which any of us could have fixed. But Vinny would say, no, no, I’m a plumber, I’ll fix that.”

“We always got side-tracked and the broken toilet seat kept coming up on our monthly meetings as a job to be done for about 10 months,” Mr Ball said, chuckling.

“Every meeting, he’d say, oh, sorry, I’ll do that. I’ll do that. That was the one time he didn’t fix something straight away, and we hung it on him.”

Mr Ball said the overwhelming response from the community since Vinny’s passing speaks volumes.

“The number of Facebook posts that we’ve seen people writing about Vinny, and there are so many stories about their memories of him,” Mr Ball said.

“There’s an enormous number of people who want to talk about what a great guy he was, and all of the posts are all really warm-hearted.

“He really was a great guy.”

Vinny’s passing came as a shock, particularly given he had been in good spirits just days earlier.

Mr Ball said, “He was talking to us on a Wednesday night.”

“He had just gone to his daughter’s 18th birthday dinner, and he seemed to be fine for that,” he said.

“But just there on the Thursday night, went to bed and didn’t wake up.”

His passing has left a deep void at Yarra Glen, but his legacy of kindness, community spirit and that ever-present smile will live on through the countless lives he touched.

Vinny will be honoured at his memorial by his friends, family and the Yarra Glen community on Friday 27 March.

Toastmasters celebrates milestone 400th meeting

By Gabriella Vukman

The Healesville Toastmasters club is preparing to mark a major milestone, inviting the community to join in celebrating its 400th meeting on Monday 30 March.

Held at the Senior Citizens Hall on Green Street from 7.30pm, the evening promises to be both a celebration of the club’s long-standing presence in the community and an opportunity for locals to experience Toastmasters firsthand.

Vice president of membership Bruce Argyle said the event represents an important moment in the club’s history.

“This event is quite a milestone because we usually two meetings a month,” Mr Argyle said.

“So that’s about 20 meetings a year which means we have been going for about 20 years,” he said.

The celebration will bring together past and present members, including some who were part of the club’s early days, while also welcoming new faces from across the community.

“Everyone is welcome,” Mr Argyle said.

“We are going inciting people who have been a part of the journey from right back when we started, and newcomers who want to come along and see what we are about,” he said.

“It will be a bit of a celebration, there will be a big birthday cake and a bit of fun.”

Attendees can expect a lively and engaging evening, with a program designed to showcase

the spirit of the club. Despite not wanting to give too much away, Mr Argume noted there would be some “fun

awards and speeches” among other items. Importantly, the celebration is free and open to everyone, regardless of experience with public speaking. With around 15 members, the Healesville Toastmasters Club has built a reputation as a supportive and welcoming space where people can develop confidence and communication skills.

The 400th meeting not only celebrates two decades of growth but also highlights the club’s ongoing role in helping locals find their voice and connect more effectively with others.

Community members interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP to club secretary Kay on 0488 040 954 so organisers can cater for supper.

Weapons call for sponsors

By Oliver Winn

The Warby Weapons called upon local businesses to sponsor the basketball club to ensure every player can don a medal for its awards presentation night.

It needs community support to cover event costs and ensure that the awards night is as successful as last year’s.

Warby Weapons coach and president Deni Walker said the club needed donations to help with things like food and trophies on the night.

“Those things simply don’t happen, trophies don’t get ordered and we can’t feed our families who deserve to be celebrated on this night,” she said.

Though the club has expanded rapidly in the past three years, it relies heavily on community support due to its zero club fee model.

“Since our beginning in 2023, we have not charged club fees for any of our players or families to participate… So we’ve grown quite intensely,” Ms Walker said.

“By not charging club fees we are committing to our resolve that we really passionately believe that accessing team sports is so important, that we want anybody to be able to access that freely. And also by not charging club fees, we’re really supporting our families.”

What started with four players training every week at the basketball court near Warburton Water World, has grown into roughly 100 families and 15 registered teams that train multiple nights at the Yarra Centre.

Underpinning the club are its values of respect, resilience and inclusion, which drives its fee free model to ensure access to the benefits of sport remains available to everyone.

“We believe really passionately that sport and team sports and movement for overall health and development of our people and our communities is really important,” Ms Walker said.

Beyond that, the club also views the community as an extension of the team at the Warby Weapons.

“We talk a lot with our players about how we want to extend the nature of teamwork beyond the lines of the court.

“We’ve donated food and time to Koha Cafe. We’ve had a fundraiser for the CFA. We’ve supported local fetes and events for just cleaning up and picking up rubbish,” she said.

It’s also incredibly labour intensive to run a club and Ms Walker said she often worries of burnout in her volunteers.

“It’s so real. Burnout is not because they

weren’t enjoying their role. The burnout is not because the club loaded them up with more than they could handle. The burnout is not because they’re not passionate about the people that they’re supporting. The burnout is because of the administration and the financial pressure that comes with running a club successfully,” she said.

The club was grateful for the support it received from the Yarra Junction Football Club, Launching Place Jiu Jitsu and Heather May Grow.

“They have generously come alongside us, and we’re working together on the night in the hopes that if there’s any families who are interested in being involved in the work that they’re doing, then they’re able to [support them] as well.”

She also thanked the Yarra Ranges Council and the Yarra Centre for its generosity in letting

the team use its courts free of charge.

“The Yarra Ranges Council are a great support in the way that they allow us to train at the Yarra Centre without charging us fees to access the courts.

“They’re a wonderful support in that way in terms of ongoing costs. Without them and equally the support of the Yarra Centre, we would not be able to do that.”

But she said it was vital for the club to receive financial support so it can continue to give its families the free access to sport and recreation they deserve.

“We can’t do that if we don’t have financial backing from those who are willing in our community,” Ms Walker said.

Businesses interested in supporting the Warby Weapons can get in touch via email: deni_ clark@hotmail.com.

‘Bulldog’s Blend’at Wesburn Juniors’ community-run cafe

By Oliver Winn

The Wesburn Junior Football Club has gone from strength-to-strength this year with the opening of its Bulldog Cafe on 7 March.

The community-run cafe is taking training beyond the field with volunteer opportunities for young players and help fund the construction of a new club pavilion.

Wesburn Junior Football Club grants manager Josh Plunkett said the soft launch was a success, selling roughly 200 coffees in the first day.

“It was really good. A lot of people are very curious to see what we’re doing. The money we spent servicing the machine and everything, we made back and we actually made a profit,” Mr Plunkett said.

“The second weekend was a bit slower, we were doing kids snack packs with a sandwich, some fruit and things like that and that was very popular with the people that go to the park.

“I think it was a successful launch and it’s just going to get busier as people figure out that we’re there.”

Monique Terry drew on her past hospitality experience and manned the coffee machine on the day, while Silva Coffee curated the cafe’s signature taste with its own Bulldog’s Blend.

“They’ve been a big support for us getting off the ground. They’ve really helped us in servicing the coffee machine, coming up with a good blend that tastes good and will get the customers through the door.”

It isn’t just about serving coffees though - the cafe will provide a valuable opportunity for its youth to get work experience and build their confidence.

“The players can play football and then they can donate a couple hours in the canteen and then we’ll put them through their barista course and

food handlers and hospitality experience.

“They’re in a comfortable environment, they might not be on the level to go and put themselves out there into the workforce yet… but if we can present that to them in a place that they come for enjoyment… they get their courage up and their confidence by doing a bit in our cafe. Then that obviously adds to them as people, not just footballers,” Mr Plunkett said.

With one of the major Warburton Bike Park trailheads in close proximity to the club, Mr Plunkett said the Bulldog Cafe will take advantage of an increase in traffic to the area.

“We’ve seen the unique opportunity that not many clubs probably get the benefit of having,

something with that ecotourism piece right next to us there. So we’re trying to take advantage of that there.

“People tend to buy their coffees on the way up to the bike trails. We want them to know that we’re there and we’re open on the weekends so they can get their coffees,” he said.

Mr Plunkett also thanked Tasty Az catering in Mt Evelyn for donating the coffee machine for the club to use.

The Bulldog Cafe’s offerings has your typical club canteen fare but it also features a variety of healthier options such as protein balls, salad rolls and energy gels.

“The bike riders do tend to like the healthy

stuff… so we’re keeping the menu simple at the start, just until we get rolling and basically catering to what the customers want.

“Even as a generalisation in terms of healthier food, I think it’s good to be able to move in that sort of direction.”

The new cafe was a strategic move for the club which would benefit the players, the committee and the various customers it serves.

“This is a bit of a community initiative with the other user groups that we can take forward as a bit of a business plan that creates longevity for the junior club.

“We have struggled in the past raising the money required to get the new rooms done… because we’re not a senior club, we don’t have a bar, we don’t have things like that,” Mr Plunkett said.

The Bulldog Cafe will have its hard launch on 4 April with the opening of the new Warburton Bike Park trails.

Immerse in Greek culture

By Lee McCarthy

One of the added joys of travelling on a Viking cruise in Europe are the mini vacations offered in buzzing cities before and after sailing.

These trips give guests the opportunity to soak up the culture and vibe of the port city while preparing for departure.

As part of their packaging, Viking offer threeday extensions on their cruise options where everything is taken care of in the same perfect fashion that passengers become accustomed to onboard.

They have just launched a new three-night pre or post cruise extension on their ‘Greek Traditions’ cruises available on select Mediterranean ocean voyages from 2026 onwards.

The extensions are available on the following itineraries: the Ancient Mediterranean Treasures cruise, Italy, the Adriatic, and Greece cruise; Journey to Antiquities cruise; Mediterranean Antiquities Venice cruise and the Adriatic and Greece cruise.

Based in Nafplio in the Peloponnese, the extension immerses guests in Greek culture and cuisine, with olive oil, honey and wine tastings, a visit to ancient Nemea, guided walking tours, and time to explore one of Greece’s most charming historic towns.

Greek Traditions extensions include hotel nights in Nafplio with seven meals, three guided tours: Nemea and Nafplio; Honey and Wine Tasting; Olive Oil Factory and Tasting.

With extension prices starting from $2,699 and fully escorted by a Viking Tour Director, with all transfers included these extra days on land offer a divine opportunity to absorb the essence of Europe and the mediterranean.

For those considering the ‘Venice, the Adriatic and Greece’ option, this eight-day, four country cruise with six guided tours is now very affordable with pricing starting from only $6695.

The cruise leaves from Venice and takes in the spectacular Adriatic Sea with stops in Split, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Katakolon and Athens. An exceptional holiday taking in all the yearned for destinations in one cruise.

Those booking now can save up to $2500 with a ‘companion flies free’ option available on selected 2026-2028 voyages (check with Viking for full terms and conditions).

This cruise with allow travelers to discover Venice exploring St Marks Square, or the Doge’s Palace, the famed Rialto Bridge or learn about Venetian mask crafting.

Another city to discover is Split, one of Croatia’s oldest cities, it has a promenade which commands majestic views over a bay and the Adriatic Sea. There is time to explore the city centre and Diocletian’s Palace, journey to Trogir or the Krka Waterfalls.

In Split, take the opportunity to join the Executive Chef for a unique, market to table experience where guests take an interactive culinary adventure. Immerse yourself in local culture and cuisine at the local market and handpick ingredi-

ents under the guidance of the chef.

Later that evening, dine on regional dishes prepared by the culinary team, using produce from the market.

Next stop is Dubrovnik where visitors can walk the marbled Stradun in Dubrovnik, pass Sponze Palace and see the 15t Century Onogrio’s Fountain or sample some of the best of Croatia’s wines during a winery tour and tasting in the beautiful Konavle Valley.

Sail through scenic fjords to the remarkably preserved Kotor, Montenegro’s historic gem. Explore its Medieval Streets, visit the Cathedral of St. Tryphon or immerse yourself in the Maritime Museum.

In magnificent Corfu in Greece stroll the streets of Old Town, see Mouse Island and the Vacherna Monastery. For those chasing more physically challenging activities explore Corfu’s spectacular natural landscapes and inviting villages by bicycle on an invigorating tour.

Katakolon is huddled around a pretty little harbour dotted with colourful fishing boats. Nearby, the fertile valleys of the western Peloponnese are a bounty of olive groves, vineyards and orchards, and lead to the legendary city of Olympia. In Olympia visit the Olympic park, see the Temple of Zeus, and browse the Olympic Archaeological Museum.

This truly stunning eight-day cruise sadly ends at magnificent Athens.

This is one of the best ways to visit these much-loved cities especially for those over fifty who want a little bit of luxury without having to decide where the best place is to stay, eat, drink, exercise, or shop.

Guests can extend their holiday in Athens by joining another extension tour to absorb more of ancient Greece for a few days before leaving for home.

Find out about this and many more cruises available from Viking at www.viking.com or phone 138 747.

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Experience a legendary trip

For 96 years, The Legendary Ghan has been taking guests on unforgettable adventures between Adelaide and Darwin, traversing the heart of Australia’s magnificent Red Centre and connecting deeply with the outback and the breathtaking scenery that unfolds along its route.

Today, The Ghan offers more than just transit. Onboard you will find sumptuous, regionally inspired dining, well-appointed private cabins, attentive service, and the camaraderie of your fellow travellers. From March to November, The Ghan offers immersive journeys with a range of included Off Train Experiences in Marla, Alice Springs, and Katherine. In 2027, The Ghan continues to evolve with a new extended three-night, four-day itinerary – providing the chance to explore South Australia’s stunning Flinders Ranges, recently named one of the world’s top travel destinations by Lonely Planet, before continuing north into the Australian Outback. For those boarding in Darwin, the southbound journey, known as The Ghan Expedition, includes stops in Katherine and Alice Springs, where you can enjoy a unique outback dinner under the stars at the historic Telegraph Station, before continuing to Manguri and the opal capital of the world, Coober Pedy.

For those who wish to journey deeper, extend your travels with a choice of premium holiday packages, including The Legendary Ghan and Adelaide Safari Stay package, which combines travelling onboard The Ghan or The Ghan Expedition with an extraordinary stay at the new Monarto Safari Resort.

Just an hour’s drive from Adelaide, Monarto Safari Resort is the perfect destination for those seeking a combination of comfort and wildlife immersion. With expansive views across the Mallee Plains, this new resort offers access to the new

Park, making it an ideal getaway surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.

Comprising 78 rooms and suites that provide stunning views of the landscape, you will feel right at home while enjoying the serene surroundings. From the resort, guests will have the opportunity to observe remarkable wildlife including Giraffe, Zebra, Eland, Ostrich, Nyala, Oryx, Blackbuck, and Barbary Rams. You can also take advantage

Guests can also savour delicious contemporary Australian cuisine at Kutjera Restaurant & Bar which is open for breakfast, dinner and casual all-day dining.

During your stay, create unforgettable memories with an exclusive Sunset Wildlife Safari,

where you can observe and photograph freeroaming herds from purpose-built safari trucks as you enjoy the vast Wild Africa Plains of Monarto Safari Park after hours. General admission tickets to the park are also included, allowing you to explore at your leisure via a guided hop-on hop-off bus.

• For booking enquiries, please contact Julie at Exclusively Cruising today on Tel: 03 9762 2799 or Email: cruise@exclusivelycruising.com.au

This is your last chance to fly free, upgrade to business class or save up to $5,000 per couple on 2026-2028 river, ocean and expedition voyages*

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Delightful pygmy possums thriving

Not one, not two, but 12 Mountain Pygmy-possums have been born at Healesville Sanctuary as part of a breeding program for the Critically Endangered species.

Three mums have each produced litters of four offspring, the maximum number of young for the species.

The joeys were born last October and were carried in the pouch for four weeks before they were old enough to be left in their nest boxes.

While the joeys become fully independent at approximately three months old, only now have zookeepers had their first glimpse of the possums in person during their first vet checks at the Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre after watching their every move on CCTV.

Healesville Sanctuary’s Threatened Species

Coordinator Nicole Boys said the joeys look like tiny versions of the adults.

“The best way to identify them is by their big heads and much littler bodies,” Ms Boys said.

The team has decided to go with a moth theme in naming some of the joeys, as the species relies on eating Bogong Moths to feed their young during the spring.

Ms Boys said, “One of the mums is called Mammoth. So, we went with Behemoth, Mothil-

da, Woolly Mammoth and we have Mothball.

It is understood fewer than 2000 Mountain Pygmy-possums remain in the wild, so every single one of them is valuable.

Ms Boys said, “These little joeys will remain here in our breeding program, and hopefully, in the coming years they will go on to breed, sharing their genes.”

Mountain Pygmy-possums were once thought to be extinct until they were rediscov-

ered at Mt Hotham in the 1960s.

They are Australia’s only true hibernating marsupial spending at least five months of the year sleeping under snow.

They are a good indicator species for how our alpine habitats are faring as our environment changes.

The IUCN Red List classifies this species as Critically Endangered with a decreasing population.

Threats to their survival include the reduction of Bogong Moth populations as they are key spring food source, climate change, loss of habitat and predation from cats and foxes.

These tiny possums are finely tuned weight loss experts.

In the lead up to winter they almost double their weight to around 80 grams and then over the winter as they hibernate, they shrink back down to half the size.

Healesville Sanctuary visitors can see this species in the Animals of the Night nocturnal house.

Four females recently moved into a larger renovated habitat with a boulder field reflecting their natural habitat.

In Pictures: Ethereal cloudscapes in the Upper Yarra

By Oliver Winn

From

The great AI content heist

By Paul Thomas*

In a recent Australian Financial Review opinion piece, “There is nothing creative about AI not paying for news content” , Rod Sims made a point Australia cannot afford to ignore.

Sims is now chair of The Superpower Institute and an Enterprise Professor at the Melbourne Institute at the University of Melbourne. He is also the former chair of the ACCC, and when he warns about market power and unfair extraction, people should listen.

His point is blunt, and correct. There is nothing creative about AI companies taking professionally created content, building commercial products on top of it, and then refusing to properly pay the people who made that content in the first place. That applies most urgently to journalism, but it also reaches writers, photographers, artists and other creators whose work is being vacuumed up to make these systems more useful and more profitable.

That is not innovation. It is extraction.

And for regional Australia, the damage will be greater than it is in the cities.

In a capital city, people may still have a range of big media outlets, institutions and voices competing to keep public life under scrutiny. In regional Australia and local areas, the local paper is often the trusted source. It is the paper that covers the council meeting, the court matter, the hospital issue, the fire warning, the local business, the sporting club and the decisions that shape daily life.

If that journalism weakens, country communities feel it first.

That is why the Canadian research on this issue is so important. The study is called AI News Audit.

It was published in March 2026 by Taylor Owen and Aengus Bridgman of McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy and the Media Ecosystem Observatory. It is some of the clearest evidence yet of what AI companies are actually doing with professionally produced news content.

The researchers found AI models had absorbed Canadian journalism at scale and usually did not say so. In the technical brief, the researchers found that among knowledgeable responses, 92 per cent provided no source attribution at all. In the policy brief, they found AI systems gave no source attribution 82 per cent of the time, and when asked about specific recent articles, produced substitute

answers in 54 to 81 per cent of cases while naming the original outlet in the response text only one to 16 per cent of the time.

That is the heart of the problem.

The journalism is being used. The value is being captured. The source is being erased.

AI companies do not send reporters to council meetings. They do not sit through court hearings. They do not verify facts during floods, fires or elections. They do not employ the local journalist, the editor, the photographer or the creator who actually did the original work. But they increasingly want to scrape that work, absorb it into their systems, and profit from it as if it were their own.

For regional and suburban Australia, that is not some distant policy debate. It goes to whether local journalism survives.

The Canadian research also found that the outlets getting the most AI visibility were the biggest, free, nationally prominent organisations, while paywalled and regional and local publishers fell well below proportional representation. That should ring alarm bells here. It means smaller publishers can be mined for value while losing the audience and revenue they need to keep reporting.

And the consequences go well beyond business.

We are already living through an era of misinformation, half-truths and outright falsehoods spreading across social media at extraordinary speed. Much of it is unchecked. Much of it is designed to inflame, divide and mislead. If AI systems now scrape reliable journalism, strip out the source, and serve up confident answers that people cannot easily verify, the danger only grows. The Canadian policy brief warns that when AI delivers answers drawn from journalism but stripped

How we react to crises shapes our

By Maria Millers

The saying, Never Waste a Good Crisis is often attributed to Winston Churchill but echoed by many since.

At a government level it means using disruption to push through necessary change that otherwise would be resisted.

The current world crisis also brings to mind the phrase that Mark Carney, Canada’s Prime Minister recently unleashed, warning that the global order is in a state of ‘rupture.’

And looking around the world many would agree that:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.

This poem, The Second Coming, by W B Yeats was written in 1919 in the aftermath of the First World War and the beginning of the Irish War of Independence in January 1919, but could have been written in response to today’s conflicts.

It’s not just the inexplicable war against Iran and its impact on the world economy and facing the uncomfortable truth of our dependence on the oil and its by products from that region of the world, but also the uncertainties on the home front that fuel concerns.

We do not have to cast our memories too far back to see that we have become a nation that doesn’t cope with disruptions to our lives of easy convenience.

During Covid-19, Australian consumers stockpiled goods such as toilet paper and petrol due to fear of shortages, even when supply chains remained relatively stable.

In both cases, herd behaviour and fear of missing out created self-reinforcing cycles.

Rising prices and empty shelves encouraged more people to buy, further exacerbating the situation.

And it seems the same behaviour has surfaced again.

Petrol shortage and escalating prices impact more than the shortage of toilet paper.

We are a society that has made the car central

WOORILLA WORDS

to our lives with sprawling far flung suburbs and a reluctance to invest in better public transport.

We drive energy guzzling cars and are slow in adopting new technologies

And even though we are becoming health conscious we are still over dependent on cars.

Convenience is the byword.

Similarly it’s easier to turn the heating on in the house than to put on warmer clothing.

Have you noticed how little winter weight clothing is now available?

But crises can bring clarity.

And as things fall apart whether through war, job loss, illness or a relationship breakdown, illusions often fall away.

Here is the chance to ask yourself: what is it that I really value and what truly matters to me? What is unsustainable in my life?

In ordinary times, people tolerate dissatisfaction because change feels risky. Crisis removes those feelings.

The key point is that a crisis lowers the cost of change because the status quo is already broken.

What governments do structurally such as reform systems, you can do personally: whether change your lifestyle leave a misaligned career, reset boundaries in relationships or abandon an identity that no longer fits

It takes a crisis to face up to questions such as these rather than avoiding them.

The real danger is not crisis itself, but complacency in its wake.

It can bring a moment of clarity, an opportunity to reset and rethink priorities achieve insights, lead to action and even transformation

On a personal level a crisis can translate into something surprisingly practical—and powerful, captured by American Poet Mary Oliver in

of source and context, the public’s ability to judge reliability is diminished.

That is a direct threat to democracy.

Democracy depends on trusted, checkable and accountable information. People need to know where a fact came from. They need to be able to judge the source, test its credibility and read further for themselves. If AI becomes a black box that swallows journalism and other original creative work, then spits out unattributed answers, the public loses one of its most important safeguards.

Australia should be clear about this. If AI companies want to use local journalism and other professionally created content, they should pay for it. If they use original reporting and creative work to build commercial products, they should compensate the people and businesses that created that value. And if they rely on trusted journalism to make their systems useful, they should be required to clearly identify the source so readers can verify what they are being told.

That is not anti-technology. It is pro-fairness, pro-creativity and pro-democracy.

Rod Sims is right. There is nothing creative about not paying for news content. And in regional Australia, there is nothing abstract about the consequences. When local journalism is stripped for value and not sustained, it is our towns, our readers and our democracy that pay the price.

* Paul Thomas is co-owner and managing director of Star News Group, Today News Group and SA Today. He is a past president and life member of Country Press Australia.

future, good or bad

The Journey. A quiet but powerful poem about leaving behind noise, pressure, and fear. Crisis here is the moment when you stop living someone else’s life.

One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice— though the whole house began to tremble you felt the old tug at your ankles. “Mend my life!” each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones.

But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do— determined to save the only life you could save.

Of course there is the challenge of maybe having to tolerate uncertainty and be prepared to accept a lower standard of material comfort, but that is the calculus for each person to work through and weigh up whether the benefits outweigh the deficits.

But only if you engage with it deliberately: reflect, tolerate uncertainty and are prepared to experiment with new directions

Crises compresses time and change that can take years to face up to may happen very quickly.

Is that yearly winter escape to the northern summer worth the cost and stress?

And as air travel will undoubtedly be dearer because of fuel scarcity will choosing to fly become an ethical as well as financial decision?

Yet poetry also warns us that a crisis does not automatically produce transformation.

In The Hollow Men, T. S. Eliot describes a world of spiritual paralysis: “Shape without form, shade without colour.” Here is a wasted crisis—the moment when nothing is learned, nothing is changed, and emptiness persists.

We are the hollow men

We are the stuffed men

Leaning together

Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! Our dried voices, when We whisper together

Are quiet and meaningless

As wind in dry grass

Or rats’ feet over broken glass

In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour, Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

T S Eliot’s The Hollow Men describes a desolate world, populated by empty, defeated people who exist without conviction.

A crisis—a loss, a failure, a rupture—can either harden into bitterness or open into clarity.

As Mary Oliver writes in The Journey, “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began.” The turning point is not the crisis itself, but the decision that follows it.

It is to recognise that when the ground shifts, we are briefly freed from the weight of habit— and in that moment, we can choose differently. And that applies to supporting our government in making policies that benefit our whole community as well as personal changes in our own lives. Because the greatest tragedy is not that crises occur. It is if they pass—and leave us unchanged.

Council’s 2026 aims

My fellow Yarra Ranges Councillors and I recently launched our advocacy agenda for 2025-2027, which is linked to our Council Plan for 2025-29.

Essentially, our advocacy agenda lists priorities in our local area that we need to work on with others outside of Yarra Ranges Council to achieve, like other government departments, other Councils, or other funding bodies.

Sometimes it’s about securing funding for large-scale projects Council can’t afford on our own, and other times it’s about getting action on projects or issues that are important to our community but outside Councils remit.

We want better, more sustainable public transport. We’re calling on the State Government to strategically review key public transport projects, and provide funding, so community members in the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs can have services that are easy to access, connected to other forms of transport and reliable for their day-today lives.

We need safe pedestrian crossings with lights in high-risk areas. Nobody should have to risk

Best sci-fi of the year

Project Hail Mary

Starring Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller

M 5/5

Based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir and directed by the Lord & Miller duo behind the Spider-Verse series, Project Hail Mary is a transcendent work of high-concept, hopeful, heartwarming science fiction.

When an alien pathogen dubbed the “astrophage” causes the Sun to dim, science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) travels to a nearby star system and befriends an alien he names Rocky in his quest to save the Sun.

Gosling is immensely likeable as Grace, a kind, mild-mannered man who finds new depths of courage within himself. Project Hail Mary’s enthralling plot grips you tight from the first moments; when Grace wakes up with amnesia on the Hail Mary ship, the scenes of Grace adapting to his (and our) new environment deftly dovetail with flashbacks establishing his mission. The flashbacks feature plenty of dry humour drawn from Grace’s fish-out-of-water status and his blunt, no-nonsense boss Eva (Sandra Hüller), but never shy away from the severity of the situation, and the present-day humour emerges very organically from Grace and Rocky’s quirky coexistence as beings from vastly different species and cultures.

Drawing thematic and stylistic inspiration from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, Planet of the Apes and the 2009 Star Trek reboot, Project Hail Mary is rich with reverence for scientific discovery and friendship across divides. Grace and Rocky’s relationship is deeply touching, and it’s incredibly gratifying to watch them bond and put their minds together to study and combat the astrophage. Project Hail Mary is mostly a smart odd-couple character study in space, but also has some thrilling spaceship action scenes, a few well-considered music choices and a cute motif based on the Rocky film series.

Project Hail Mary is a highly-intelligent but wonderfully charming triumph of blockbuster sci-fi, and is playing in most Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Mayor’s desk

Richard Higgins

their life getting home from school or work and we have significant areas that are well visited but lack crossings across major roadways such as the Warburton Highway.

We’re asking for funding to connect the Yarra Valley Trail to Yarra Glen, with a bridge to cross the Birrarung/Yarra River. This infrastructure is expensive and crucial to complete this stage of the project.

We want to deliver a state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure centre. We’re going to need significant funding from the State and Federal Governments to make this happen.

CARTOON

We need better funding for services for young people, housing, better funding support for local animal habitats and better access to funding grants in the aftermath of the Growing Suburbs Fund being cut.

Ahead of the State Election, we’ll be highlighting our advocacy priorities to local representatives with the data and community feedback that proves they’re all worthwhile initiatives.

I, and other Council representatives will continue meeting regularly with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and contribute to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) push for these issues to get national attention.

We will also continue meeting with and writing to ministers to highlight local issues.

We will be encouraging the community – locals, businesses and community groups alike – to do the same and join with us on this cause.

You can visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/advocacy to find out more about our priorities and why they matter.

Sound of music coming

The 1812 Theatre

Summer of the Aliens

The year is 1962 and the world is worried about the Cuban missile crisis except for Lewis, a youth on the cusp of manhood growing up in a Melbourne housing commission suburb.

He is preoccupied with flying saucers much to the disgust of his friend Brian wo can only think of losing his virginity.

The play centres on relationships, especially the relationship between 14 year old Lewis and 14 year old Dulcie.

It is through Dulcie that Lewis begins to understand that the struggle to understand the world around him.

Summer of the Aliens is a vivid and amusing evocation of a family and a neighbourhood whose frequently strange behaviour Lewis is forced to interpret in the only way he can…the aliens must be amongst us.

Season: 9 April – 2 May. Bookings (03) 9758 2964. The Round

The Sound of Music – presented by Nova Musical Theatre

A amazing production commencing with the opening curtain, a picture of an Austrian Convent set in 1938.

All sets were provided with curtains of similar magnificent curtains magnificently painted and this critic sends congratulations to the artist or artists who painted the curtains.

Mariam the main character was played by Lauren McCormack.

A wonderful portrayal of the young novice at the convent to a governess to a wife in between a return to the convent seeking sanctuary from

love.

Kemp’s

urtain call curtain

A great performance though I did feel the technicians in the beginning let her down in some of the high notes.

Captain von Trappp, head of the Trapp family, was portrayed by Tristan Everret.

Another wonderful performance with a good singing voice and good acting especially with Laura McCormack. A good interpretation of the role.

The Mother Abbess was played by Meagan Gaffney, a wonderful portrayal and her understanding of Maria came through well.

Not only was Meagan a great performer she has a wonderful voice, and her singing brought the audience to applause.

Max Detweiler was played by John Leahy.

John really caught the character of a man who was happy to go along with whoever no matter what.

Burrinja Theatre Festival of Folk – Irish Mythen (Ire/Can)

Irish Mythen is an Irish-born Prince Edward Island-based singer-songwriter whose voice can quiet a festival field or bring it to its feet.

A joint winner of multiple Canadian Folk Mu-

Story about connection

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

Once I Was a Giant, by Melbourne-based author and illustrator Zeno Sworder, is the winner of the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature.

This visually astonishing book begins with a picture-book maker sitting frozen “in a concrete box where the light buzzes but nothing grows” , having run out of ideas. Suddenly his pencil speaks up. “When I say a small ‘hello’ he almost falls out of his chair. I explain that I have a story to tell. He stares at me, then he pinches himself, then he thinks.”

Thus we get to know the pencil’s past as a giant tree, having grown from a seed and experienced all the wonderful changes that took place in her forest.

From the sunshine to the starlights, from the birds chirping upon her branches to the insects living among her barks and roots, the tree had seen it all.

For she was the forest. She was a home. She also offered shelter to a tiny wanderer, and they soon became the best friends.

However, when the machines came and took the tree away, shaping her “into a thousand and one different things” , the wanderer started searching…

This is a deeply moving story, its words simple but subtle, its imaginary soft, quiet, dreamy yet expressive, conveying a sense of nostalgia and yearning for something that was once beautiful and innocent.

The only monotone drawing in the book reveals a devastated landscape where all the trees have been chopped down and cleared away.

It almost hurts looking at it.

But, without this image, it would be hard to appreciate the importance of reforestation.

Renowned Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran once wrote: “Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky. We fell them down and turn them into paper, that we may record our emptiness.”

There is a reason why the protagonist in Italo Calvino’s 1957 novel The Baron in the Trees retires to the trees and vows never to come down again: “Cosimo, in his yearning to enjoy fully that different green and the different light that shone through it, and the different silence, hung head down from the highest tree, and the upside-down garden became a forest, a forest not of the earth, a new world.”

Indeed, trees offer us a new perspective, that all things in nature are deeply connected, especially those outside of our known, human world.

With this book, the author helps us understand the concept of inter-connection and non-separation: “Life is intertwined. We can breathe in because trees breathe out.”

The ending of the book is almost magical, in the same way that life itself is full of practical, realistic magic that we witness everyday – a seed germinates, an egg hatches, and a butterfly emerges from its cocoon.

A pencil in an artist’s hand can tell the most amazing story. A tree can transform into books that transport us to other worlds. Highly recommended.

sic and East Coast Music Awards, Mythen has built a global reputation the old-fashioned way - by touring relentlessly and delivering unforgettable live shows.

They’ve appeared on stages from Glastonbury to Sydney Opera House, shared bills with artists including Rod Stewart and Lucinda Williams, and became one of the most requested return performers at major folk festivals.

Season: 27 March at 8pm.

MODERN CHARACTER

IN CENTRAL EMERALD

MODERN CHARACTER IN CENTRAL EMERALD

IS this the home you’ve been waiting for?

Only 4 years young and nestled on just over a quarter-acre on a sealed no-through road, this 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom character-filled home perfectly blends modern comfort with timeless charm. Polished timber floorboards lead you down a welcoming hallway and into a bright, open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area, bathed in natural light and ideal for both relaxed family living and entertaining. A second zoned living area provides extra space for family, relaxation, or hobbies, or just space of your own.

The master suite features a walk-in robe and a stylish ensuite with a spacious shower. Whilst the main family bathroom impresses with a freestanding bath, creating a perfect space for relaxation.

The contemporary kitchen is a chef’s delight, featuring an island bench, Caesarstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, and plenty of storage. You will enjoy year-round comfort with ducted heating, a gas fireplace, and two split-system air conditioners.

Outside, beautifully manicured gardens are surrounded by a fully fenced yard, featuring a sealed driveway with double carport and space for a caravan or extra vehicles. Extra features include a rear deck perfect for enjoying the peaceful outlook and lovely views, as well as a garden shed and gazebo sitting area.

All this within just a short stroll to town, with Supermarkets, transport, cafes and sporting facilities at your fingertips and with the scenic Emerald Lake accessible at the end of the road, this home combines lifestyle, convenience, and charm. Whether entertaining, relaxing in a sun-filled living space, or exploring the nearby lake, this property offers a lifestyle you’ll love coming home to every day. ●

CHERISHED FAMILY HAVEN ON OVER AN ACRE

TIGHTLY held and lovingly nurtured by the one family for four decades, this special property now presents an opportunity not to be missed.

Set on well over an acre and immersed in the serene backdrop of neighboring mountains, this character-filled residence is surrounded by established trees, creating a peaceful and private retreat. This sweet home just oozes charm, inviting you to step back into yesteryear while enjoying comfortable family living.

Inside, you’ll find a welcoming formal sitting room, separate dining and living areas, and three well-proportioned bedrooms. The master bedroom enjoys bathroom access, adding convenience and functionality to its timeless appeal. Inviting interiors ready to be enjoyed as-is or enhanced to suit your vision.

Outdoors is where this property truly shines. A generous deck flows from the back verandah, providing the perfect place to soak in the stunning mountain views, listen to the abundant birdlife, and unwind in complete tranquility. Established fruit trees, thriving veggie boxes, and expansive open spaces offer endless opportunity for gardening, recreation, or simply room to explore.

This is more than just a home — it’s a lifestyle property rich in history, heart, and possibility.

Opportunities like this are rare. Secure your slice of serenity today. ●

SOMETIMES you just know when you have found the right one, and 10 McAllister Road Monbulk, certainly has that feeling.

First impressions reveal a beautifully landscaped garden with a sweeping driveway to the double carport plus extra parking.

Meticulously maintained throughout, with that rustic flare – polished floor boards, iron features, combustion wood fire, split system and ducted heating, open plan kitchen/family room, movie/lounge room with built-in bar, four bedrooms with full ensuite and walk-in robe to master and the best feature is the brilliant outdoor entertaining area to relax and enjoy fun times while overseeing the kids play in their cubby house in the secure back yard.

Being this close to town (300 m) it is an easy walk to school, bowls club and dining, Woollies, Aldi or a cafe for that quiet coffee. ●

BUILDYOURDREAMHOMEON2/3ACRE

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Charmingcharacterweatherboardcottagethatfeelswarm&welcoming,filledwith naturallightandofferstwoseparatelivingareas,deck,fullyfencedlowmaintenance yard.There’salsoaseparatestudio,offeringgreatflexibilityasahomeoffice,creative spaceorguestretreat.Petownerswilllovethehandyoutdoordogshower,andthe homeisconvenientlylocatedjustoffasealedroadwithmainsconnections.Setinaquiet, peacefulsettinginagreatlocation,thisisahomethat’seasytoenjoyfromdayone.

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SometimesyoujustknowwhenyouhavefoundtheRIGHTone!Firstimpressionsreveal abeautifullylandscapedgardenwithasweepingdrivewaytothedoublecarportplus extraparking.Meticulouslymaintainedthroughout,withthatrusticflareofpolished floorboards,ironfeatures,combustionwoodfire,splitsystem,ductedheating,open plankitchen/familyroom,movie/loungeroomwithbuiltinbar,fullensuite&WIR,brilliant outdoorentertainingarea,acubbyhouse,securebackyard,andonly300mtoTown.

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TWO STOREY  VERSATILE LAYOUT

PERCHED proudly at the top of exclusive Surrey Road, this mid-century home captures elevated living at its finest.

Positioned on a prized corner allotment, the home enjoys a wonderful sense of space, while established trees provide natural privacy and a peaceful setting.

Spread across two versatile levels, the upper floor is bathed in natural light thanks to expansive windows that frame beautiful mountain vistas. Upstairs comprises open plan living with a wood fire, two generous bedrooms with built-in robes, an original kitchen rich with potential, a central bathroom, and separate toilet.

Downstairs presents endless opportunity — ideal as a teenager’s retreat, guest accommodation, or dual-living option. Here you’ll find two additional bedrooms, a spacious rumpus/living zone, a large utility room with laundry facilities, and an additional toilet.

Outdoors, a single carport is complemented by ample extra off-street parking.

Enjoy a lifestyle immersed in nature, just moments from the Aqueduct Trail, a short stroll to the Yarra River, and only minutes from the vibrant cafes and shops of Warburton.

Don’t miss your chance to secure a slice of one of Victoria’s most desirable and rapidly emerging regions. With the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination now open and several exciting new projects underway in town, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Secure this large home and location in one impressive package. ●

StunningNewHomewithUninterrupted,BreathtakingViews

Thisbrand-newhomemakesanunforgettablefirstimpression.Designedformodernliving,theopenplankitchenandlivingspaceisbothfunctionalandstunning.Upstairs,you’llfindthreegenerously sizedbedrooms,allwithbuiltinrobes.Themastersuiteistrulyashowpiecefeaturingaluxurious ensuitethatexceedsexpectations.Adoubleshower,doublevanity,separatetoilet,andwalkin robecompletethisexceptionalretreat.Themainbathroomservicestheremainingbedroomsand includesbothashowerandbath,aseparatetoilet,andadditionalstorage,ensuringpracticality meetsstyleonthislevel.Seamlesslyblendingindoorandoutdoorliving,slidingdoorsfromthemain livingareaopenontoadeckwhereyoucansoakinthestunningmountainscenery,peaceful surroundings,andabundantbirdlife.Thisisahomewhereeverydetailhasbeenconsidered!

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

SmallAcreageParadisewithGreatViewsandSpace Countrylivingatit’sbest!Thisbeautifulpropertyofferstheultimatesemirurallifestylethewholefamily willlove.Thehomeisbeautifullypresentedanddatingbacktothe1940’swithallthecharm,warmth andcharacteroftheearlydayswithhighceilings,decorativecorniceandbeautifultimberfloors. Boasting4bedroomsplusplentyoflivingspacewithaformaldining/livingareaandseparatefamily room.Thecountrystylekitchenissuperbandwellappointedwithqualityappliancesandample benchandcupboardspace.Headoutdoorssitbackandrelaxunderthehugecoveredentertaining areaandadmirethegloriousviews.Sittingonahugeallotmentofapprox.6000sqmoflushlawns,old establishedgardenswithanarrayoffloweringtrees,shrubsandfruittrees.Alargelockupgarage offersamplecarandworkshopspace.Afantasticpropertywithplentytoofferthewholefamily.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Setonapicturesquesmallacreageparadiseonjustover8gloriousacres,thispropertyhas somethingforeveryone.Therusticcountryfarmhouseoozescharmandcharacterboasting4 bedroomsincludinganensuiteandwalkinrobeinthemainbedroom.Separatefamilyandliving areasgivethegrowingfamilyplentyofspace.Thekitchenareaissuperbwithqualityappliancesand amplebenchandcupboardspaceincludingabutlerspantry.Hugesheddingwithcoveredhigh clearancetruckparkingandlockupgarage/workshop,plusaseparateopenmachineryshedding forfloats,boats,caravansandfarmequipment.Outdoorentertainingwithcoveredverandas anddecking.Forextraweekendguests,dependentfamily,teenagersorrelatives,theseparate1 bedroombungalowistheidealaccommodationsolution.Afantasticpropertyineveryaspect.

ComeHometoSerenityandNatureonover9acres

Setonapprox.9.1acres,(3.69ha)thefamilyhomeisthoughtfullypositioned,framedbyopen paddockstothefrontandrear,creatinganexceptionallevelofprivacy.Inside,thehomefeatures amodernkitchenwithgenerousbenchspace,electricoven,andawelldesignedbutler´spantry. Threewell-proportionedbedrooms,allwithbuilt-inrobes,enjoyingpeacefulviewsacrossthe surroundingforestandpaddocks.Alargemodernbathroom,andthebonusofanadditionaltoilet offthelaundryaddspracticalityforfamilyliving.Outdoorlivingisastandout,withthefrontdeck capturingsweepingviewsacrossopenlandandtreetopsperfectforquietmorningsorsunset relaxation.Completingthepropertyisalargepoweredshedofferingamplespaceforvehicles, storage,andrecreationalequipment,alongwithwatertanksandestablishedvegetablegardens.

CHARACTERFILLED HILLS HOME WITH MULTIPLE LIVING ZONES AND DUAL STREET ACCESS

SET amongst the serene surrounds of Upwey, this warm and character-filled residence at 82 Mast Gully Road offers space, flexibility, and a true connection to nature.

Showcasing beautiful timber-lined ceilings with exposed beams, the light-filled lounge creates an inviting heart of the home. Large windows frame leafy garden outlooks, while polished timber floors and a cosy, modern aesthetic blend comfort with charm.

At the centre of the home, the spacious open-plan kitchen and dining area is perfect for family living and entertaining. Featuring rich timber finishes, slate flooring, ducted heating, split system cooling and a wellappointed kitchen with quality appliances, this zone seamlessly connects to the surrounding living spaces while enjoying stunning elevated views through expansive windows.

The well-designed floorplan provides exceptional versatility for families of all sizes. The upper level features four bedrooms plus a flexible fifth bedroom or study-ideal as a home office, guest room, nursery, or additional bedroom depending on your needs. This adaptability makes it perfect for growing families or those working from home. The spacious main bedroom is complete with a walk-in robe and ensuite.

Multiple living zones-including a generous lounge, dining area, and sitting room-ensure plenty of space for both relaxation and entertaining.

Downstairs, a substantial rumpus room and separate office offer the ideal setup for working from home, a teenager’s retreat, or guest accommodation.

Adding to the home’s appeal is rear access to Gerratts Avenue, offering added convenience for parking, access, or future flexibility. ●

PUZZLES

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

ACROSS

1 Refrain; pass (7)

5 Social dance (coll) (5-2)

9 Young adulthood (11)

10 Reverential wonder (3)

11 Value (6)

12 Sound of wood burning (7)

14 Poke (4)

15 Normal or conventional (10)

17 Rival (10)

19 Book ID (1,1,1,1)

20 Fixed sum of money paid each year (7)

22 Brawny (6)

25 Bedridden (3)

26 Combined whole (11)

28 Leather factory (7)

29 Kings and queens (7) DOWN

1 Partly open (4)

2 Blizzard (9)

3 RollingintheDeep singer (5)

4 Unavoidably (11)

5 Knowledge (3)

6 Tastefully fine (7)

7 Predator (5)

8 Promotion (10)

12 Aficionado (11)

13 Doctor with superior knowledge in a specific field (10)

16 Vital, indispensable (9)

18 Territory ruled by an Islamic monarch (7)

21 Synthetic fibre (5)

23 Prepared (5)

24 Just (4)

27 Lively (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”.

HOLMES-TOOVEY OLIVER SEAN

2.9.1989 – 14.3.2026

Aged 36

Late of Blackburn, Victoria.

Oli was born in Brisbane, and moved to Upper Yarra Valley, Victoria as a boy, with his mum and 2 sisters. Since leaving home, he resided in or near Box Hill and Blackburn. Oli was a dedicated guitaristsongwriter, who also enjoyed creative metal work and welding, and tolerated his grumpy cat. He was employed previously as a landscaper-labourer, and lately as a mental health support worker. He had been looking forward to attending university later this year, and had a clear ambition to help other people. Oli was a considerate, gentle-natured young man, very much loved by family members and his long-standing network of friends. He will be sadly and often missed for a long time.

Friends are welcome to attend his funeral at Heritage & Heritage Pioneers Chapel, Woori Yallock, at 11am Tuesday 24th March, followed by 2.15pm burial at Upper Yarra Cemetery, Wesburn. Loved forever.

We will miss you every day. May your soul shine now with its true brightness.

With love from Mum, Dad, Annie, Laura, James, Aubrey, Eilish, Genevieve, Sean, Dan, Phil, Matt, Jake, Sapph and everyone.

EDITOR SUNRAYSIA DAILY

Location: Mildura, Victoria

Position: Full-time

Lead two important regional news brands and help shape trusted local journalism across print, digital and social.

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced and energetic Editor to lead the editorial direction of the Sunraysia Daily and Broken Hill Times, based from our Mildura office.

Are you a persuasive communicator with a passion for sales? Are you looking for a flexible, casual, or part-time role that allows you to showcase your

About Network Classifieds

This is a hands-on leadership role overseeing the Sunraysia Daily’s three-times-a-week printed edition, the Broken Hill Times, daily online publishing, and support for content across the company’s social channels.

You will lead the reporting team in Mildura and work closely with the small team in Broken Hill, while being supported by the Group Editor and our production hub team.

This is a strong role for someone who understands the importance of local journalism, can drive quality and consistency across platforms, and is committed to building audience and community impact.

About the role

In this role, you will:

•edit and oversee the Sunraysia Daily print editions published three times a week

•oversee editorial output for Broken Hill Times

•manage daily digital publishing across both brands

•assist with editorial content for the company’s social media channels

•lead, mentor and manage the team of reporters in Mildura and the small team in Broken Hill

•help drive strong news judgment, story generation, planning and follow-through

•work with the Group Editor and production hub team to ensure deadlines are met and quality standards maintained

•help grow audience engagement across print, online and social platforms

•maintain high standards of accuracy, fairness, balance and community relevance

•connect with the community, attend events and meet with key members of the community

About you

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have:

•experience in editing, newsroom leadership or senior reporting

•strong news sense and a passion for regional and community journalism

•excellent writing, editing and headline skills

•the ability to manage competing deadlines across print and digital

•strong people leadership skills and a collaborative approach

•confidence working across websites, digital publishing systems and social platforms

•an understanding of how to build audience through digital content and social distribution

•a commitment to accuracy, ethics and high editorial standards

•a great sense of community

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who can:

•lead from the front

•support and develop reporters

•produce strong, relevant and engaging local content

•balance the demands of print, digital and social

•work positively with editorial, production and management teams across the group

Why join us

This is a rare opportunity to play a leading role in two important regional news mastheads and make a genuine difference in the communities they serve.

You will join a business that values trusted local journalism and supports its editors with experienced group leadership and central production resources, while still giving you the chance to have real editorial impact at the local level.

To apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and resume, outlining your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role to paul.thomas@starnewsgroup.com.au

Based in Pakenham Network Classifieds is at the forefront of connecting buyers and sellers across multiple regions in Australia. With a strong online and print presence, we help communities find the perfect deals, services, and opportunities. As a Telephone Sales Representative, you'll play a crucial role in driving our sales efforts and expanding our network.

What You'll Do

•Engage with potential customers over the phone to promote our advertising solutions.

• Build and maintain strong customer relationships.

•Understand customer needs and provide tailored advertising solutions.

•Meet and exceed sales targets and performance goals.

• Collaborate with a motivated and supportive team.

Requirements

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Confidence in making outbound sales calls.

• Motivated, goal-oriented, and results-driven.

•Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

•Previous sales or customer service experience is a plus, but not required.

How to Apply

If you're ready to take on this exciting role with the flexibility you desire, we want to hear from you! Please send your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant skills and why you're interested in joining Network Classifieds as a Telephone Sales Representative to Sue Hall, Classified Advertising Manager, at sales@networkclassifieds.com.au.

Dead heat in trophy race

By David Waters

The conditions at Yering Meadows were perfect for golf.

The fairways were like carpet and easy to play shots from.

The greens, if you listened to tales of missed putts, were tricky. As usual it was only mind games.

The greens were consistent with speed and lack of borrow. So much for the lies told by hackers.

The Box Hill boys were set for battle in the match play final.

The Box Hill gold team were beaten once and had three ties to head their ladder.

Box Hill green were unbeaten and were only tied once by bottom team Gardiners Run green.

The game was set up for a tight contest and proved to be the case.

The handicap average for gold was near 11 while it was over 15 for green.

Someone should have had an advantage.

The result didn’t indicate that.

In the battle for honours, four games went to 18 holes, two had one to play and only two finished early.

Barry Lacy winning 7/6 over John Gonsal and Rodney Watson winning 4/3 over Colin Looker.

The Trophy Race was a dead heat with both teams claiming three wins and two halves.

They just couldn’t decide. A four and four tie result.

Happily they went back to Box Hill to celebrate together and share the polishing.

The teams not in match play, trialled a 4BBB aggregate stableford event for the team’s championship.

This year pairs playing from green and gold groups and different clubs.

A very social yet competitive way to play with others of very different handicaps and from other clubs.

The aggregate scores were close with individ-

ual pairs near 40.

Only two pairs stood out.

Garry Brady and Dale Goldsmith with 46 and Graeme Miller and Alex Dean with 47.

The calm conditions were disturbed on a few occasions.

Sand went flying and the ball did not.

A long hit off the tee with nice draw being drawn into water.

The two footer that lipped out.

These drew words of high decibel level and low grade vocabulary, to go with that a low score entry.

There was some fun as well.

Watching a remote controlled buggy sneak away from its owner to finish in the reeds.

Watching Chris Hull play a submerged ball. A

Horse Talk about trials

By Anita Prowse

The Wandin International Horse Trials were held under blue skies and perfect conditions for spectators and competitors alike.

It was great to see so many local names taking advantage of this amazing local event.

The International 4* was won by local Samuel Jeffree on Santoro, with Sophia Hill on Tulara Battango coming second.

• 3* was won by Lamoza Velisha on Call Me Cooley, with Kaitlin Teichart on Queen B II in second place.

• 2# was won by Alice Darby on Hermione Day, second was Edward Darby on Charismatic Day.

• EA 1* winner was Sophia Hill on Jen Jan Royale.

• EA 2* winner was Sophia Hill on Tulara Checkensky.

• OTT 1 * won by Samuel Jeffree on Delure.

• EVA 95 Division 1 winner was Chelsea Preistly on Kenlock Kricket.

• Division 2 won by Andy Daines on Aspen Park Cera Casallo.

• Division 3 was won by Tara Macdonald on Jetstar.

• 95 OTT winner was Bliss Vandenberg on Great Northern.

Congratulations to absolutely everyone that makes this amazing event possible and fantastic to see so many out there competing even with the current economic woes, well done everyone and happy riding.

bit of a splash, all wet and wild.

How about the good driver yesterday hooking new balls into water. Chipping a greenside ball 20 foot, to hit the flag, not dropping but leaving 6 inches for par.

Maybe the best for the day, was the first hit, before the camera was out.

A mighty swipe and a short woodge.

Two steps to reach the second shot, with a more satisfactory result.

Highlights and lowlights aside the day turned out to be a success for golf.

The participants agreed the course was well presented, the catering excellent and the companionship worth the early start to the day.

There were a few announcements then came the scores after which the trophies were presented.

The winning teams had their photos taken for posterity.

The day concluded, the season finished, players departed wishing good health and safe journeys, until meeting again at different courses or until next season.

Another great season of friendly competitive golf for old blokes over 55.

Scores:

Match Play:

• Box Hill gold Four tied with Box Hill green Four. 4BBB Team Championship:

• Churchill/Waverley green 166, Eastwood green 162, Eastern green 162, Eastern gold 160, Yering gold 160, Yering green 157, Heritage gold 153, Heritage green 152, Gardiners Run gold 152, Churchill/Waverley gold 148, Eastwood gold 147.

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