Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 31st March 2026

Strike ‘necessary’

By Gabriella Vukman and Oliver Winn

Staff from Healesville High School and Upper Yarra Secondary College joined a statewide teacher march for better working conditions and pay on Tuesday, 24 March.

The march came as part of a strike action initiative after nine months of negotiations between the Allan Labor Government and the Australian Education Union’s (AEU) Victorian Branch reached boiling point.

Victorian school teachers demanded a 35 per cent pay increase over four years to bring salaries in line with inflation, and measures to address workload, reduce class sizes and increase support staff.

Meanwhile, the government’s latest offer was a 17 per cent pay rise over several years with limited practical changes to working conditions.

Upper Yarra Secondary College assistant principal Michael Schultz said strike action was necessary as Victoria’s schools remain understaffed, underpaid and overworked.

“We didn’t want to have to tell a heap of students that they needed to stay home that day, but if we didn’t head into the city and we didn’t show that we think that this is important, then we’d just pay lip service to the whole thing,” Mr Schultz said.

“We needed to turn up and demonstrate that we were unhappy,” Mr Schultz said.

A week before the strike, the Victorian Government put measures in place to reduce workloads, including simplified student reports and wellbeing plans, among others.

Teacher salaries in Victoria are among the lowest in Australia, earning around $10,000 to $15,000 less per year when compared to other states.

Victorian entry-level teachers were paid around $79,600 in 2025, while in New South Wales a fresh teacher gets a starting salary just under $90,200.

Science Lab Tech at Healesville High Kerry Davies falls under the category of education support staff and does not currently get a paid lunch

break or compensation for the extracurricular hours she puts in.

“I am a science lab tech, but I also run the breakfast club, and I’m a sports coordinator, and I go on camps and do the social secretary stuff here

too,” Ms Davies said.

“Yesterday after the strike, I bought toppings on the way home because I do Milkshake Mondays, and I also had to buy dishwashing liquid for the Year 12 kitchen because they don’t have any,”

she said.

“We just do these things because we care and want to be involved, but we are all spread so thin with all of the extra things we do.”

Read more on page six

Petition for traffic lights

By Oliver Winn

Yarra Junction locals called on council to take action on a “hazardous” intersection in a busy area of town to address pressing safety concerns.

The calls came after a petition to install a traffic signal at the Hoddles Street and Warburton Highway intersection was tabled at the 24 March Yarra Ranges Council meeting.

Yarra Junction resident Amruta Joshi spoke to the petition and said children and seniors were often forced to run across the street to avoid oncoming traffic.

“It’s very hazardous and especially people with low mobility and people who have pets - pets can’t cross that fast.

“I’ve seen some very, very risky situations and we can’t expect so many people to go all the way to the other side just to be able to cross this particular junction,” she said.

O’Shannassy Ward councillor Jim Child said Ms Joshi started the petition after she initially raised the issue with him at an earlier date.

“We had a brief discussion some time ago… and it was no hesitation of mine to suggest and advise you how to do it,” Cr Child said.

“That particular crossing there, yes you’ve got two busy roads, you’ve got the Warburton Highway and we’ve got a mixture of young mothers and kids and families that just take a risk in crossing that road.”

The petition received 10 signatures and it was referred to the director of corporate services, Vincenzo Lombardi, who will prepare a report to outline the appropriate response for the matter.

Ms Joshi said supporters of the petition feared for their children when they crossed the busy intersection.

“All the people who have signed the petition and the neighbors and people in all of those areas have unanimously agreed that they get scared for their kids who go to the gym, go to the playground.”

She also addressed concerns about potential

interruptions to traffic as new sensor-based traffic lights would only stop when pedestrians are crossing.

“Given that we have really sensor-based systems now, we don’t have to always stop it. It’ll just stop when people have to press and cross.

“So a lot of issues about just slowing down on the highway can also be addressed with today’s technology,” she said.

Warburton Highway in Yarra Junction is an arterial road managed by VicRoads.

Cr Child flagged that the council weren’t the responsible authority for the road, and therefore it would have to advocate to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).

“I realise that it’ll probably put us in a position of advocacy where we have to seek support from the Department of Transport and Planning, Vi-

cRoads, but it’s a journey we must start and we must start immediately,” Cr Child said.

A DTP spokesperson said they would continue to monitor the intersection.

“We will continue to monitor the intersection of the Warburton Highway and Hoddle Street at Yarra Junction, and consider any necessary safety upgrades as part of future planning for Victoria’s road network,” a DTP spokesperson said.

Better broadband connection is coming for Chum Creek

Victorians in the country will benefit from improved broadband coverage thanks to the Labor Government’s Connecting Victoria program and the Australian Government’s Regional Connectivity Program.

Residents of Harrietville will be upgraded to Fibre to the Premises technology, while new nbn Fixed Wireless towers will be built to service areas near Blackwood, Chum Creek, Blue Hill Lookout and Sailors Falls.

Government Services Minister Danny Pearson announced the upgrades would make it easier for residents to connect with loved ones, work and study, stream content and access information during bushfires and floods.

The Fibre-to-the-Premises upgrades in Harrietville will roll out high-speed fibre optic cables that plug directly into each premise in the area, offering download speeds of up to one Gigabit, or 1000 Megabits, per second.

The four new nbn Fixed Wireless towers in Blackwood, Chum Creek, Blue Hill Lookout and Sailors Falls will provide the nbn Fixed Wireless service, offering access to download

speeds of up to 100 Megabits per second.

The towers have been designed to support faster downloads speeds in future. Together, the upgrades will provide improved nbn service to more than 1000 premises across the state.

The Regional Connectivity Program (RCP) is funded by the Australian Government with contributions from the Victorian Government and grantees.

The Labor Government has invested in mobile and broadband upgrades in more than 70 regional locations, with 63 of these sites now complete.

Across the state, the Victorian Government is working to fast-track more than 1300 mobile and broadband projects as part of the Connecting Victoria program, with Victoria now having the largest percentage of premises in Australia capable of achieving gigabit speeds through nbn’s fixed line network.

Victorians can check if they’re eligible for an upgrade via the ‘check your address’ function on nbn’s website at nbnco.com.au/residential/ upgrades/more-fibre

Growers miss forum

By Gabriella Vukman

On Tuesday 17 March, local industry groups, growers and labour hire companies attended a Yarra Valley Labour Hire Forum at Healesville Sanctuary.

Approximately 40 people attended the forum, which came after a wide-ranging compliance operation conducted by the Labour Hire Authority in February.

The outcome of a 2025 report from the Fair Work Ombudsman also influenced the decision to hold a forum.

According to the report and the compliance operation, the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula have the highest rate of non-compliance in the nation.

The Healesville Forum was attended by the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Victorian Labour Hire Authority, and its purpose was principally to update the horticultural businesses in the region on recent operations.

General manager at the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association (Wine Yarra Valley), Grove Galligan, attended thefForum.

Mr Galligan said, “The Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth, and the Victorian Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner Steve Gargavel presented a bit of an overview on the legislation that they are charged with enforcing.”

“They also briefed the audience on recent activities relating to the February sweep of the Yarra Valley and Mornington regions,” Mr Galligan said.

According to Mr Galligan, concerns brought to light by the authorities were the high rate of noncompliance in the wine and horticultural sector.

Mr Galligan said, “The complexity of arrangements in this sector became quite apparent, such as the link between labour hire, non-compliance and other criminal activity.”

“Anna and Steve said that unlicensed labour hire is common in multi-level supply chains and when you have numerous people involved in the value chain like contractors, subcontractors and subcontractors to those subcontractors, those arrangements become increasingly opaque between hosts and the head contractor,” Mr Galligan said.

“That makes it very hard for both the hosts and the labour hire contractors to manage each step of compliance in that value chain.”

Mr Galligan also noted that for regional areas such as the Yarra Valley, where most horticultural businesses are based, the extra burden to provide transportation and accommodation to labourers renders it more difficult to comply with labour regulations.

“There is a real shortage of accommodation options, and that has extra cost in terms of finding suitable worker accommodation in proximity to these regional horticultural businesses,” Mr Galligan said.

According to Mr Galligan, three-quarters of forum attendees were labour hire contractors.

“There were only a couple of local associations, Wine Yarra Valley being one of them, and

the Early Growers Association,” Mr Galligan said.

“The smallest representation was actually the growers,” he said.

“There were only two growers present.”

Wine Yarra Valley is the peak body for local wine growers, and represents over 70 members who are wine producers.

The association works to market the region both domestically and overseas, and aids with technical and professional development.

Mr Galligan said, “We help disseminate information to our members, letting them know what their legal obligations are, referring them to the sources of information to ensure they remain compliant.”

Mr Galligan maintained that the main challenge for the forum session was that it was held in the middle of the grape harvest.

“Holding a forum in the middle of grape harvest made attendance difficult for many of our members, particularly the vineyard managers who would be hands-on with vintage and harvesting the grapes,” Mr Galligan said.

“They are the ones who would have the closest relationship with labour hire companies, and they are the ones contracting labour hire workers,” he said.

“I would welcome a follow-up session from the Labour Hire Authority and the Ombudsman at a time when more of the wine sector can participate, receive the information straight from the authorities, provide feedback, and ask the questions that are particularly relevant to them.”

Planned burns in Yarra Ranges to ignite soon

Two planned burns are scheduled to take place near the Big Pats Creek and Powelltown communities in the next 10 days.

The Powelltown - Turner Road planned burn at 1.7km south east of Powelltown will be ignited if weather is suitable.

Note that some burns are carried out in stages, with part of the burn completed, and crews returning later to carry out further work within the burn area.

If so, you will receive notifications when the burn is once again scheduled to be carried out.

The planned burn at Big Pats Creek - Mississippi Creek Road, 4kms south east of Big Pats Creek, will also take place if the conditions are right.

Planned burns can produce heavy smoke which can impact visibility and air quality – locals are encouraged to factor in these conditions.

Access may be restricted where planned burning is being carried out – this can include forests, parks, national parks, state government and council reserves and along roadsides.

Stay informed about this planned burn here: plannedburns.ffm.vic.gov.au

Roads closed for Easter Holidays due to Warburton Bike Park opening With the opening of the Warburton Bike Park on 4 April, the Yarra Ranges Council advised sections of Mt Bride Road and Edwardstown Road will be closed to non-essential traffic between 9am and 5pm, from 4 April to 19 April.

This is due to the opening event permit requirements, as the roads are narrow, unsealed tracks leading to the summit of Mt Tugwell, with limited safe parking.

The temporary closure will help prevent congestion, improve safety for all road users, and minimise impacts on local residents.

“We’re expecting large crowds over the Easter school holidays, and these measures will help manage traffic for the benefit of locals and visitors alike,” Yarra Ranges Council mayor Richard Higgins said.

“During this period, only essential services and Warburton Bike Park shuttle buses will be able to access the road.”

The closure will not affect access to residential properties or general visitation to Warburton. Emergency services have been fully briefed and will continue to have unrestricted access.

Fire danger period ends

The Fire Danger Period (FDP) has officially ended for several local government areas.

As of 1am on Monday 30 March, Knox City Council, Maroondah City Council, Manningham Council and Yarra Ranges Shire Council, among others, exited the FDP.

It has been a long and challenging fire season and as we head into autumn, there is still heightened fire risk, with dry weather expected for many more months.

As fire restrictions begin to lift, CFA is urging residents to remain alert as the current and continued conditions can still lead to fast-moving grassfires even in cooler weather.

Tracking council objectives

By Callum Ludwig

The first progress report for the Yarra Ranges Council Plan has come in, with half of the 16 objectives on target for the four-year plan.

Six further objectives require monitoring while two have been delayed.

Deputy Mayor and Chandler Ward councillor Gareth Ward said at the Tuesday 24 March council meeting that it’s really great to see that this plan is tracking well.

“It’s one of our most important documents, if not the most important document, over our four-year term,” he said.

“Considering that this Council plan was adopted not all that long ago, after a real investment of time and energy from Councillors and officers, we’re here already with the first progress report showing that the large majority of the initiatives are on track.

“I think that’s a really great foundation for the rest of the plan.”

Both of the delayed objectives fall under the category of Protected and Enhanced Natural Environment.

The council set out to develop a placebased action plan that informs energy and resilient buildings and improvement works but this was delayed due to resourcing constraints, though progress has still been made to finalise the action plan and develop or strengthen related plans.

Yarra Ranges Council also aimed to undertake a gap analysis of climate adaptation and net zero initiatives, which included developing an Energy Transition Plan and the continued rollout of ‘The Adaptation Game’ (TAG). Resourcing constraints were also the reason for this being delayed, but the Council is reviewing the Liveable Climate Plan and the Draft Energy Transition Plan and confirming resourcing to try and get it back on track.

“Of the two items showing as delayed, officers have flagged that they’re addressing the resourcing pressures and developing recovery

plans, and I’m comfortable that Council will keep us kept across the progress on those as we move throughout the year,” Cr Ward said.

“It’s also good to see that we now have baseline indicators introduced for the first time in this report, and that gives us something really concrete to measure against going forward.”

All of the Council’s Healthy Connected Communities objectives are on track, which included preparing three twon centre plans, preparing budget submissions and advocacy plans, delivering and enhancing community

pavilions in Seville and Healesville and planning for an urban aquatic and leisure facility.

Of the other environmental initiatives, the Council is on track in using nature-based solutions to increase resilience of the natural landscape and will continue to monitor progress on increasing and protecting biodiversity links and tree canopy connections.

All of the Council’s Quality Infrastructure and Liveable Places projects are on track bar a goal to diversify housing options, which being monitored. This means the Ridges and Rivers

plan, storm and floodwater risk management and improved road safety and maintenance goals are progressing well.

All of the Council’s Prosperous Community and Vibrant Economy objectives are continuing to be monitored, which are enhancing local amenity and walkability, strengthening tourism destination management, establishing an Agri-Food Futures Centre of Excellence and Innovation and developing a new Green Wedge Management Plan.

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Speak up on draft budget

By Callum Ludwig

Yarra Ranges Council’s draft 2026-27 Budget is open for feedback for the next month after being put forward at the Tuesday 24 March council meeting.

The budget is headed by another rate rise of 2.75 per cent and almost $50 million in spending on roads, footpaths, drains, trails, recreational facilities and the natural environment of the Yarra Ranges.

Yarra Ranges Mayor and Chirnside Ward councillor Richard Higgins said it is a challenging economic environment at the moment and they’ve been forced to be responsible financially and to maintain long-term sustainability.

“The budget has been developed carefully to balance intermediate financial pressures and with the need to plan for future demands and services and infrastructure that our community do demand,” he said.

“This budget demonstrates that services and assets in the community are very valued and throughout the Council Plan 25-29, we heard very loud and clear about the services and the needs in our community and what they wanted to do.

“These include drainage... improvements in maintaining and renewing existing infrastructure, progressing multi-year capital projects and delivering essential community programs and support.”

Other key spending in the budget includes $6 million for sustainability projects and responding to climate change, including emergency management, as well as $17 million for programs and activities that “support the community through all stages of life.”

Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said it’s a pretty difficult task to manage a budget with so many moving parts and so many uncertainties.

“Financially we look at our debt levels, we look at our future financial position, it’s not okay to make short-term decisions like not putting rates

up when it actually has a generational impact on those that come after us,” she said.

“We are operating within the rate cap in spite of costs increasing way beyond, at a much greater speed, than what the rate cap set by the state government would suggest, with many pressures emerging all the time, including probably the impact of fuel prices which will continue to play out for us as a council.”

The council estimates it will bring in $266.3 million in the next financial year, spending $260.4 million to come to a $5.9 million surplus. The Council estimates a cash balance of $38.2 million by the end of June 2027.

Lyster Ward councillor Peter McIlwain said shortfalls in funding for councils is a great concern of his over time.

“Just at the time when climate change is real-

ly kicking in and biting at our heels, we are facing ongoing shortages with respect to our funds from grants, from our federal funding… we must devote as much resources as we can to winning this argument that the Council is not just a service wing,” he said.

“We’re not just a garbage service, we’re not just a service for registering dogs or doing drainage, we’re actually a third tier of government.

“If we look at, for example, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) comparators, we’re the lowest level of local government funding in the OECD, the closest comparator to Australia is Canada which is funded about three to four times what we’re funded in Australia.”

$46.7 million will be spent on the Capital Works Program, which will be funded through:

$21.4 million from Council operations (rates funded).

$10 million sourced from borrowings.

$200,000 from contributions from various sporting clubs.

$15.1 million from external grants.

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child said there are three pillars of this draft; service continuity, infrastructure investment and policy compliance.

“The draft budget guarantees the ongoing delivery of the essential council services that our residents rely on daily, and that’s probably the most important thing for us to do,” he said.

“The draft budget allocates significant resources to both the development of new assets and the critical maintenance of existing infrastructure, ensuring our municipality remains safe and modern, and that’s paramount.

“The draft budget fully adheres to the Local Government Act, our community engagement policy and maintaining the highest standards of transparency and governance, and that’s what makes a good council, and that’s what we are.”

An opportunity for ratepayers to present submissions to Councillors will take place during a special meeting on 13 May 2026 before the final budget is considered in June.

Walling Ward councillor Len Cox OAM said the council and the staff have put in a lot of work over weeks and months for this budget.

“I think it’s a pretty good budget, actually, but we’re very, very keen to write in here what the public also thinks,” he said.

“This is where the true democracy of local government comes in, that we’re certainly happy to get feedback from any or all of our public as to what they think of this budget we’ve drawn up.”

To read it yourself and provide feedback on the draft budget before 26 April, visit shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-council-budget-2026-27.

Read more in the Star Mail’s breakdown of the budget in the Tuesday 7 April edition.

Yarra Ranges’ tree policy decision postponed until June

By Tanya Steele

An updated policy for tree works and removal has been slowed for approval by a majority vote by councillors in the Yarra Ranges.

A last-minute notice of motion has seen changes to the Yarra Ranges Councils’ Tree Policy delayed until 9 June this year to allow “further consideration” on the matter.

Mayor Richard Higgins said at the meeting on Tuesday 24 March, that it was quite evident there were a number of questions that were still outstanding and that there was a bit of concern about things missing within the policy.

“That’s the reason behind the deferral,” he said.

The tree policy details how the council deals with tree inspections and works across the Yarra Ranges and how trees are dealt with both reactively and proactively.

It takes into account other council policies and strategies for the for the Yarra Ranges particular environment, such as the tree canopy strategy.

Last updated in 2017, the current tree policy was up for the community to weigh in on for an engagement between 15 January and 8 February

this year.

Councillors were not permitted to comment on the document that evening, but several changes had been drafted into the newer document.

Updated changes to the legislature had been made and a lot of operational detail was streamlined and stated to have moved into the Council’s Tree Management Plan and Tree Risk Assessment Framework.

As these are internal operational documents, they were not included in the council’s engagement draft policy.

Tree risk classification was stated to be based on information provided by the International Society of Arboriculture through a link and more detail said to be within the council’s tree risk framework.

A bigger change involved the approach to customer complaints and escalations.

The updated draft for 2024 to 2028 would see the tree policy follow the same approach as the Council’s four-tiered customer complaints policy in aid of creating a fairer and more just process for residents.

Applying to trees on council land, this fresh tree policy draft will also remove the old decision

removal process.

In the supporting documents for the new draft, the old process was acknowledged to have been successful at times in providing decisions on tree retention/removal that fell outside the normal arboricultural assessment framework.

“It does, however, mean that the process may not be equitable for all residents,” read the document.

In the engagement information on the Yarra

Ranges website, it was explained that the proposed process will result in more consistent, equitable and timely decisions for residents about trees on Council land.

Coming out against the motion to delay the update, Cr Fiona McAllister, Cr Peter McIlwain and Cr Jim Child OAM said they were prepared to vote on the policy that evening.

“I know a huge body of work has gone into this... and there have been several conversations with us as a councillor group... it’s not great governance for us to be doing this at the last minute,” said Cr McAllister.

“We were briefed very well,” said Cr Child. Cr Len Cox said he would support the motion, with the rest of the council also supporting.

“I don’t think we’re quite ready to vote on it tonight. I think we need a little bit more work on it, and council motions are important,” he said.

Come June, the policy change for tree management will again be up for endorsement.

“I think we need to see a broader understanding,” said Cr Tim Heenan.

Local teachers take action

By Gabriella Vukman

Healesville High School banners featured on the front page of tabloids across the state on Tuesday 24 March, among a sea of striking teachers, marching through the streets of Melbourne.

The strike action initiated by the Victorian arm of the Australian Education Union followed eight months of negotiations to secure better pay for public school teachers, principals, and support staff.

While the Government offered an 18.5 per cent pay rise package for teachers and support staff, the Union dismissed the package, maintaining that the offer did not account for unpaid overtime and excessive workloads.

The Union was seeking a 35 per cent pay increase, as well as a response to staff shortages throughout the state.

Over a dozen teachers from Healesville High School attended the rally on Tuesday, arriving back at school by 5 pm to ensure that their extracurricular programs were ready to run for the next day.

Science Lab Tech at Healesville High Kerry Davies falls under the category of education support staff.

“Personally, I joined the strike because we are all entitled to a pay rise and it has been too long,” Ms Davies said.

“It’s not all about the money either. We want to be recognised for and rewarded for what we do, and we want better conditions and more funding for our schools,” she said.

“The Government hasn’t listened, so we needed to strike to get them to pay attention.”

Finding another job with better conditions has never been on the cards for Ms Davies.

“I love my job, and I think teachers put up with the conditions because they love the job too, but we do just want to be paid accordingly,” Ms Davies said.

“We put in so many extra hours, like not only am I a science lab tech, but I also run the breakfast club, and I’m a sport coordinator, and I go on camps and do the social secretary stuff here too,” she said.

“Another thing is that Education Support Staff don’t get a paid lunch break like everyone else, and that is something that everybody should be able to have”

While her science tech job itself remains within her paid work hours, all of the extracurricular work that accompanies it is not.

Ms Davies said, “I don’t do science out of hours, but I’ll do shopping for science.”

“Yesterday I went after the strike to go and buy toppings on the way home because I do Milkshake Mondays, and I had to buy dishwashing liquid for

the Year 12 kitchen because they don’t have any,” she said.

“We just do these things because we care and want to be involved, but we are all spread so thin with all of the extra things we do.”

Teachers from Healesville High who attended the rally met at 9 am at Lilydale train station before congregating with other protestors at the Trade Hall and marching from there down to Parliament.

Ms Davies said, “The train before us was already packed with red, it was amazing.”

“We had a great day, but had to get back in time to pick up bread from the Wild Grains Bakery at four o’clock for the school, as we pick up the bread they are going to throw out at the end of the day and bring it back here to the school,” she said.

“It’s yet another thing that we do after hours to help the school community.”

A bit of luck and some well-made signs by local cartoonist Danny Zemp saw the Healesville High strikers land on the front page of various newspapers, and in the shots of multiple television broadcasts.

“By chance, we arrived at the right time and got to be right in front of the steps at Parliament, so everyone could see our signs,” Ms Davies said.

“I have had so many people sending me screenshots of us on the front page, and saying ‘we saw you on the news’,” she said.

Local Cartoonist and teacher at Healesville High School Danny Zemp, noted he prefers to share his opinions through his artwork.

Mr Zemp said, “Tuesday was the first time I have ever attended a strike.”

“I draw cartoons, and I am usually happy to protest in that way, but it was important for me to attend the strike to support every teacher in Victoria,” he said.

“Personally, I would also like to have good working conditions and fair pay.”

While Tuesday’s strike action was approved as protected industrial action by the Fair Work Commission, Mr Zemp noted that Healesville High School was supportive of the strike regardless.

Mr Zemp said, “The school has been very supportive of the strike action.”

No students from Healesville High attended the strike, and the school remained open all day.

Mr Zemp said, “We all informed the students that the school would be run on a skeleton crew, but we didn’t discuss the exact reasons with them.”

“That is for the principal to do.”

Information provided by Healesville High School to its parents indicated that 40 of an available 53 staff members took protected industrial (stop-work) action, to support their AEU colleagues state-wide for better working conditions and school funding.

The Principal at Healesville High School Mr Allan Rennick, also took stop-work action on the day.

President of the Australian Education Union Sub-branch at Healesville High School Joanna Yates said, “I work with neurodiverse students and the funding for that particular cohort has been dramatically cut.”

“The strike action is about the education of everyone, and what we’re entitled to as professional people should be the same as every other state in

Underpaid, understaffed: Upper Yarra teachers walk out

By Oliver Winn

Upper Yarra Secondary College staff joined a statewide teacher strike on 24 March to demand fairer wages and better working conditions.

Thirty-nine of the school’s education workers rallied in Melbourne’s CBD for Victoria’s first teacher strike in 13 years amid record underfunding and staff shortages.

Upper Yarra Secondary College assistant principal Michael Schultz said strike action was necessary as Victoria’s schools remain understaffed, underpaid and overworked.

“We didn’t want to have to tell a heap of students that they needed to stay home that day, but if we didn’t head into the city and we didn’t show that we think that this is important, then we’d just pay lip service to the whole thing. We needed to turn up and demonstrate that we were unhappy,” Mr Schultz said.

The strike occurred after nine months of negotiations between the Allan Labor Government and the Australian Education Union’s (AEU) Victorian Branch reached boiling point.

Victorian school teachers demanded a 35 per cent pay increase over four years to bring salaries in line with inflation, and measures to address workload, reduce class sizes and increase support staff.

Meanwhile, the government’s latest offer was a 17 per cent pay rise over several years with limited practical changes to working conditions.

A Victorian Government spokesperson described the offer as “significant”

“The significant offer we put to unions reflects the important work our educators do every day teaching and shaping our youngest Victorians,” a

Victorian Government spokesperson said.

A week before the strike, the Victorian Government put measures in place to reduce workloads, including simplified student reports and wellbeing plans, among others.

Teacher salaries in Victoria are among the lowest in Australia, earning around $10,000 to $15,000 less per year when compared to other states.

Victorian entry-level teachers were paid around $79,600 in 2025, while in New South Wales a fresh teacher gets a starting salary just under $90,200.

A problem Australia-wide is teacher burnout, with a 2025 University of New South Wales survey revealing that full-time teachers work 49 hours a week on average.

Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch president Justin Mullaly said experienced

teachers were leaving without enough newcomers to fill in the gaps.

“Victorian public schools have a serious workforce shortage because excessive workloads and uncompetitive pay are driving experienced staff out of the profession and making it difficult to attract the next generation,” Mr Mullaly said.

“This should be completely unacceptable in any state or territory, let alone for a Labor state government which prides itself on calling Victoria the ‘education state’.”

Mr Schultz said it’d been increasingly difficult to fill staff shortages at Upper Yarra Secondary College.

“We find it increasingly difficult to get staff because the conditions in education aren’t what they were.”

“It’s not an inviting job anymore and no doubt people watch the news and they see the challenges that schools have… it has just become increasingly more difficult to get teachers.”

He said he was concerned for the future of education because less people were wanting to become teachers due to the conditions.

“Whether they’re looking at the job and what they see in here, or looking at what they get paid, young people are not wanting to be teachers and that’s only going to get worse if they see the wages that are being offered in Victoria.

“If we don’t make it an enticing job then we’re going to have a bigger problem down the line.”

Pointing to Victoria’s NAPLAN scores, which consistently rank higher than the rest of the country, Mr Schultz said teachers were delivering more than what their salaries would indicate.

“Our NAPLAN results are the best in the country. So it shows that teachers are doing a great job

in Victoria. You don’t get those results without hard work.”

With union members ready to escalate industrial action, Mr Mullaly called on the Victorian Government to deliver a fair deal for teachers.

“The Premier and the Education Minister need to act immediately on this, and on delivering full funding through an agreement with the federal government which lifts Victoria off the bottom of the funding pile and delivers the resources in full, like other states and territories.”

Mr Schultz echoed his call, demanding for the government to show teachers that they’re respected.

“Our teachers are extremely capable of achieving the results that the government would like. Well, here’s an opportunity for them to show that they appreciate the efforts that our teachers have put in.”

New waste, higher rates

By Gabriella Vukman

The Yarra Ranges Council’s new waste management plan will see an $8 increase in waste service charges for residential properties, and an $11 increase for non-residential properties.

These additional costs are based on the inclusion of illegal dumping, litter collection, and closed landfill management as well as waste service education, litter management at events and festivals, and community waste management activities, into the Council’s waste management budget.

Before the introduction of the new plan, the waste service charge included only a portion of illegal dumping costs, including those linked to hard waste collections.

Tuesday’s Council meeting on 24 March saw the motion to support the adoption of the new plan passed unanimously.

Changes in state government regulations were a partial reason for the changes in the new plan.

Operating on a full-cost-recovery model in line with the Victorian Government’s 2026 Guidelines, the waste service rates of the new plan will not be higher than the costs incurred by the council for providing the service.

In Tuesday’s meeting, Councillor Jim Child noted: “The Council does not intend to profit from the new waste model, rather break even.”

“This policy is a transparent framework designed to align with the administrative good practice guidelines of 20226, while ensuring that our community receives high-quality waste management,” Councillor Child said.

According to the new plan, any surplus in funding will be filtered into the Council’s Waste Reserve fund.

Councillor Child said in Tuesday’s meeting, “The Waste Reserve’s purpose is to manage the natural variation in costs and budget, like landfill levies and fluctuation in recycling commodity prices.”

“This model ensures that any surplus gener-

ated in a high efficiency year is reinvested into future waste services,” Councillor Child said.

The new plan also sets the default bin allocation to 80 litres, which is the lowest cost service, and envelopes the previously stand-alone tip pass policy through incorporating the requirements into a new community waste voucher program.

Acting Director of Planning and Sustainable Futures at the Yarra Ranges Council Nathan Islip told Stat Mail, “Waste collection is one of our most fundamental services in local government, and one we take extremely seriously. “

“We work constructively and collaboratively with the State Government to deliver this service, which includes making submissions on how we believe it should be delivered, representing the

views of our community,” he told Star Mail.

“A recent example of this was our advocacy to the State Government against the implementation of glass recycling bins, in favour of expanding the Container Deposit Scheme to reduce contamination and provide community members with the opportunity to collect container refunds.”

In the face of the current fuel crisis, the Yarra Ranges Council confirmed their waste management contractor has not experienced reduced allocation of fuel.

According to Mr Islip, the Council is acutely aware of the global fuel crisis, and have been working through the impact on our operations.

Mr Islip confirmed the Waste Service Charge is calculated separately to rates, and varies by

household based on the waste service packages residential and non-residential ratepayers opt into.

Mr Islip told Star Mail, “We carefully forecast and calculate our Waste Charge for the year, with the goal of fully covering the cost of the service, and running our service as cost-efficiently as possible.”

“The charge is influenced by external factors, such as the Victorian Government’s landfill levy. We do not anticipate a surplus from the proposed Waste Service Charge in this year’s budget,” he said.

Scheduled for final adoption in June 2026, the Council’s draft waste policy and annual budget have been released to the community for consultation.

Registration charges are concerning

By Gabriella Vukman

Locals are voicing their concerns over the Council’s updated pet registration charges.

Rate increases and the absence of a pension rate on the council pet registration bills are among key concerns.

Healesville local Sandra Thom-Jones noticed the pensioner’s rate option was missing from her son’s pet registration renewal notice.

“My son is on a disability pension and he has a dog and a cat,” Ms Thom-Jones said.

“I help him with his banking, so I was looking at his paperwork and I noticed that the amount seemed quite high compared to previous years,” she said.

Upon looking up the amounts on the Council’s website, Ms Thom-Jones found that her son had been charged the full rate.

Ms Thom-Jones said she rang them and explained the situation.

“They said my son needed to take his pension concession card into a council building and show them, before they charge him the pension concession rate,” she said.

“The council said they are updating everyone’s pension cards to check that they are still valid.

“I thought it was weird because in previous years, they have just billed him the concession rate.”

According to Ms Thom-Jones, the absence of the information telling residents to update their pension card status from the pet registration renewal notices had prompted many dismayed residents to contact the council.

“I think it’s actually quite deceptive to not have the information on the renewal notices, and have no accompanying correspondence or documentation,” Ms Thom-Jones said.

“People who receive these notices will look at the amount and pay it, and the reason we have discounted rates for people on pensions is that we know that they can’t afford the full rate.

“It’s not just my son receiving this notice; it is a large number of people, and many of those people are on pensions and will just pay it if they don’t have someone advocating for them.”

Ms Thom-Jones’s son was charged $64 for his dog, which should have cost him $23, and $60 for his cat, which should have been $20.

“It is really important that people know not to pay the full rate if they have a pension,” Ms Thom-Jones said.

“These people love their pets and try and do the right thing and pay.”

Beyond the absence of information surrounding pensioners’ rates in the issued pet registration notices, the fees themselves have caused a ruckus in the community.

Lilydale local John Annison was shocked to

find that the registration for a neutered cat had risen by 20 per cent since last year.

“I went to pay the bill, and it was $60 per cat, and when I looked at my bank statements, I found last year’s payment was only $50,” he said.

“If they keep hiking the rates like that, in about three years it will cost $100 per cat.

“It is just outrageous that people have to pay this, especially when we are all struggling with the cost of living.”

Mr Annison has owned his two cats for twelve years and relies on them for companionship.

“Our cats are good company, and we have always had them,” Mr Annison said.

“We can afford to pay the fees, but I am worried about people who can’t.

“There are a lot of people living on their own, who like to come home to their pet, or who rely on animals for companionship.”

Mr Annison voiced concerns about people abandoning their pets.

“If the rates keep going up, people will think ‘oh my pet is getting too expensive,’ and by the time they pay pet bills and feed the thing, and everything else, they might end up getting rid of the thing, because it is all too expensive,” Mr Annison said.

“Inflation has taken off, but it is nowhere near 20 per cent,” he said.

“I think the Council’s increase in rates is simply boosting inflation.”

In 2019, it cost $26 to register a neutered cat, and in 2023 it cost $33.50.

Director of Communities at the Yarra Ranges Council Leanne Hurst said council fees and charges, including pet registration fees, are subject to an annual review.

“Pet registrations fees help offset the cost of providing vital animal management services to the community, such as collecting and returning lost animals and managing nuisance issues,” she said.

“The fee review process includes assessing inflation indexation and considering the rising costs of delivering animal management services.”

According to Ms Hurst, this year, the Council also needed to factor in scheduled increases to the State Government’s mandatory levy, which doubled from around $4.51 to around $9 per animal.

Ms Hurst said this is a mandatory fee that councils must pay to the State Government for each cat and dog registration they collect.

“We also monitor fees at comparable Victorian councils during reviews to ensure we remain broadly aligned and continue delivering appropriate, cost-effective services,” she said.

“We are conscious of cost of living pressures and do not take any decision to increase fees lightly and we are committed to keeping fees fair

and consistent with comparable councils, while continuing to support responsive services across the municipality.”

Ms Hurst confirmed that the Council undertakes annual reviews of their fees and charges prior to making any changes and takes multiple factors into consideration, including the ongoing cost of delivering the service, any changes to relevant legislative or State Government fees, and benchmarking with neighbouring and similar local government areas.

Regarding the absence of the option of a pensioner’s fee from the pet registration renewal forms issued by the council, Ms Hurst said this was an unfortunate error and they sincerely apologise to affected residents.”

“We reassure pet owners with a Pension Concession that they remain entitled to the discounted rate and we are taking steps to rectify the mistake,” Ms Hurst said.

“The error affected around 50 per cent of residents with a pension concession card and was the result of a system changeover, which was not detected in our testing.”

Ms Hurst confirmed the Council is contacting affected residents to outline the steps being taken to resolve the issue. This includes reissuing corrected notices, offering additional time to make payment where needed, and processing refunds for residents who have already paid their registration in full without the discount being applied.

Ms Hurst said affected residents who notice that their pension discount has not been applied are asked to disregard the notice and refrain from making payment at this time.

“A corrected registration notice will be issued within the coming weeks, and due dates will be extended so residents impacted by this error will not be disadvantaged further,” she said.

HEALTHY OPTIONS

Healthy options in Lilydale

At Main Street Medical and Main Street Cosmetic & Skin in Lilydale, preventive care is a core part of what we do—helping patients stay well through the right checks, screening and practical plans at the right time. Menopause and perimenopause are a good example of where early, structured care can make a meaningful difference.

For many women, this stage of life begins quietly and builds over time. Sleep disruption, hot flushes, mood changes, brain fog, fatigue, changes in periods, weight changes and joint aches are common, but they’re not always recognised early—especially when life is busy and symptoms are easy to dismiss.

To support women more effectively, Medicare introduced dedicated menopause and perimenopause health assessment services (from 1 July 2025). These longer, structured appointments are designed for people experiencing premature ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause or menopause. The purpose is simple: to create the time and space for a proper, whole-person review—rather than trying to cover everything in a standard consultation.

A menopause/perimenopause health assessment allows your GP to take a thorough history, check key physical measures such as blood pressure and weight, and—where appropriate—arrange relevant investigations or referrals. Just as importantly, it’s an opportunity to review preventive health needs that matter in midlife, such as cervical screening, breast screening and bone health, and to discuss treatment options in a balanced, individualised way. The outcome is a clear plan that suits your symptoms, your health risks and your goals.

In many cases, these Medicare services can be bulk billed for eligible patients (meaning no outof-pocket cost). If cost is a concern, our reception team can guide you on eligibility and fees when booking.

We’re also pleased to welcome Dr Maanasa Bandla, our new female GP registrar, now seeing patients at Main Street as part of our supervised training program. Dr Bandla works closely with our experienced team and shares our strong focus on preventive care and women’s wellbeing,

helping patients feel heard, informed and supported.

If you’ve been meaning to book a check-in but haven’t known where to start, a menopause or perimenopause health assessment can be a practical first step.

To learn more or to book an appointment, visit msmedical.com.au, book via HotDoc, or phone the clinic.

Main Street Medical & Main Street Cosmetic & Skin 285–289 Main Street, Lilydale.

Fast Freddies does it well

Fast, reliable and genuinely customer focused, Fast Freddies delivers a level of service that sets it apart.

Known for its efficient turnaround and supportive team, this locally trusted business has built a strong reputation for keeping vehicles moving safely and smoothly, no matter their size or purpose.

Purpose built with versatility in mind, the impressive facility has been designed to accommodate everything from everyday passenger vehicles to some of the largest machines on the road.

With easy access for trucks and buses, even B doubles can take advantage of the convenient drive in, drive out setup.

This accessibility makes Fast Freddies a go to destination for both individual drivers and commercial operators who value efficiency without compromising on quality.

At the heart of the operation is a tyre service equipped with the very latest technology. From passenger run flat tyres up to 26 inches through to heavy duty applications, every job is handled with precision using advanced computer balancing systems. The workshop is also fitted with cutting edge machinery, including a specialised truck tyre fitting machine designed to protect rims from damage, along with a state of the art wheel balancing machine capable of balancing truck wheels off the vehicle.

It is this investment in modern equipment that ensures every tyre fitted meets the highest standard of performance and safety. Backing this technology is a highly experienced team, collectively bringing more than 30 years of industry knowledge to the workshop floor. Their expertise spans tyre repairs, maintenance and product selection, giving customers confidence that they are receiving the right advice and the right solution every time. The range of tyres available is equally impressive, carefully selected to suit cars, light trucks, trucks, tractors, forklifts, industrial equipment and earthmovers. If a specific tyre is not immediately in stock, the team can typically source it quickly, often by the very next day, ensuring minimal

downtime for customers.

While mechanical services in Healesville are currently on pause, Fast Freddies remains firmly focused on delivering exceptional tyre care. With colder conditions approaching and Easter

The trusted name in town

Yarra Glen Automotive is a highly trusted local provider of mechanical services in Yarra Glen, offering a wide range of services including vehicle servicing, vehicle repairs, and vehicle certifications.

What started as a small local business has quickly become a trusted name in the wider community, known for providing honest advice, reliable repairs, and a welcoming service every time.

Owner Ashleigh Skillern is proud of the strong reputation the workshop has built and

credits much of its success to the culture within the team.

The culture, being as strong as a family, has even welcomed back a previous staff member, Oliver.

“We’ve worked hard to create a workplace where staff know they are valued,” Ashleigh said.

“That sense of care flows through to our customers, who can feel the difference when they bring their vehicles to us.”

Ashleigh credits much of Yarra Glen Automotive’s success to the team and what they contin-

ually achieve together.

Specialising in tyre and puncture repairs, wheel alignments, logbook servicing, and general servicing, Yarra Glen Automotive has everything covered to keep you on the road with confidence.

Their services also extend beyond cars, with caravan and trailer servicing and repairs available, ensuring your next trip is a safe one.

For those important details that make all the difference, the team can assist with air conditioning servicing, as well as brake and suspen-

sion repairs.

Supporting the community is just as important to the business as serving it. Yarra Glen Automotive proudly sponsors the Yarra Glen Bowls Club, the Cricket Club, and the Football and Netball Club, ensuring they give back to the people who support them.

You can contact Yarra Glen Automotive online through their website, via email, or by calling the team to book in your vehicle. Their team is there to look after you and put an end to your automotive woes.

Inaugural heritage policy

By Mikayla van Loon

The first-ever heritage policy and strategy for the Yarra Ranges has been drafted after two decades of advocacy from community groups.

Cited as “a strategic roadmap for how (the) council will understand, protect and celebrate the region’s diverse heritage” , the drafted strategy and policy puts focus not only on places, but also on people, environments, collections of art and significant attractions.

Yarra Ranges councillors voted unanimously in support of releasing the documents for community consultation on Tuesday 24 March.

The moment was strongly supported by the Yarra Ranges Heritage Network, a collective of 16 groups, mostly volunteers, from the region, who champion heritage and its protection.

Chair Maria McCarthy spoke on behalf of the network, emphasising the importance of these documents to guide the future preservation of these sites and artefacts.

“Heritage is much more than buildings. It is a collective memory of our communities, our

homes, our halls, our farms, our businesses, our landscapes that reflect the lives of the people who built and shaped this region,” she said.

“These places contribute greatly to the character of our towns and create a strong sense of identity and belonging.”

Ms McCarthy said having a strategy ensures that as communities “grow and evolve” , it “respects and protects the heritage that makes our communities unique”

It was also an important acknowledgement, Ms McCarthy said, of the work and many hours volunteers spend collating and telling stories, as well as safeguarding them for future generations.

Using the example of Herman’s Trough in Menzies Creek, an artefact that was removed by the council because its heritage status was unknown, Ms McCarthy said the policy would ensure a similar scenario did not occur again.

“Situations like this highlight why clear heritage strategy and policy are so important. With the guidance and triggers that this strategy will introduce, community heritage will be better recognised and protected in the future, saving the

council costly mistakes.

“This will also help avoid unnecessary distress and frustration for the many volunteers who work tirelessly to care for and protect the history of our local areas.”

The 10-year strategy shifts the response and management of heritage from ad hoc to a structured framework.

Working with the Heritage Network and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, alongside council teams and other groups, the policy and strategy documents aim to draw on “First Peoples, European and other diverse cultural knowledge systems…(to) promote a holistic and inclusive approach to heritage”

The Yarra Ranges is home to 443 local heritage places and precincts cited in the Heritage Overlay, 26 places are on the Victorian Heritage Register, and Coranderrk Aboriginal Station is on the National Heritage Register.

The Yarra Ranges Regional Museum has a permanent collection of over 14,000 items, and history groups hold a collection of over 100,000 items. RSLs, sporting clubs and other organisations also

TURNER DRAG CABARET

house memorabilia and historic items of significance.

Councillor Fiona McAllister pushed the motion through and said that while it took her some time to understand the need for direct policy and a strategy, it became clear as she read the documents.

“Whilst I am a huge believer in capturing the stories and the meaning of place, I didn’t completely understand the need for a heritage strategy initially, but I do now,” she said.

With significant places like Coranderrk and Powelltown, the largest timber mill in the state in 1912, and people like Dame Nellie Melba, as well as migrant journeys, agriculture, viticulture, tourism, artists, and gardens, Cr McAllister said there was much to celebrate.

“Our incredible history needs to be protected, and shared, and celebrated. Labelled, signposted in so many ways,” she said.

The motion was seconded by Cr Tim Heenan. Both the strategy and policy will be released for community consultation for six weeks.

Council no to fraud forum

By Callum Ludwig

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is taking proactive action to halt corruption before it occurs, getting out to local councils to discuss best practice.

Yarra Ranges Council were one of a number of councils invited to a forum in May in Mansfield Shire to “learn how to identify, prevent and manage integrity risks.”

Yarra Ranges Council’s acting director corporate services Jarrod Reid said while they encourage these conversations across the local government sector, Yarra Ranges Council would not be sending staff to this event.

“Yarra Ranges Council has a well-established Fraud Control Policy that outlines our approach to preventing, detecting and managing fraud and corruption involving Councillors, employees, volunteers and contractors,” he said.

“This policy reflects our strong stance on integrity and our ongoing commitment to maintaining community confidence in our systems and processes.

“We are aware of the upcoming fraud forum and recognise the value of sector-wide collaboration, particularly for smaller councils that may benefit from shared experiences and good practice.”

The upcoming forum is focused on helping these councils to understand and collaborate on managing conflicts of interest, misuse of information and resources, improper influence and vulnerabilities in procurement.

IBAC Deputy Commissioner Colleen Bell, who will be speaking at the forum, said integrity in government, including local government, is on the forefront of people’s minds now more than ever before.

“I think it’s really important to start with preventing public sector corruption and misconduct, and that comes from awareness and education and of course it’s important, I think, for rural and regional councils to work togeth-

er,” she said.

“We found in the most recent parliamentary inquiry, which really did shine a light on the fact that there are systemic barriers for rural and regional councils in terms of numbers of staff and limited resources so it’s about pulling together and implementing best practice fraud and corruption controls as a collective.

“As far as IBAC’s goal, at the end of the day, it’s to have a public sector and police trusted by the community to act with integrity.”

Deputy ombudsman Kerryn Ellis from the office of the Victorian Ombudsman, chief

municipal inspector Michael Stefanovic and manager of investigations David Walker from the Local Government Inspectorate will be the other speakers at the event.

Ms Bell said the forum is about ensuring councils lead with and understand the importance of a culture of integrity and getting new councillors and staff on board about “speak up culture.”

“We have to start with looking at an understanding what corruption risk looks like for local government, we’ve got new staff members and a lot of new councillors so it’s about iden-

A better retirement lifestyle

tifying what the risks look like and we can do that through looking at our data,” she said.

“One of the main key risks that we find in local government in the regional areas is conflicts of interest and not so much having a conflict of interest but it’s about failing to declare and manage a conflict of interest.

“One of the important practices in place would be about having a firm policy in place, a conflict of interest register, declaration forms, personal interest disclosures, it’s about being able to have really firm and robust systems in place, which then is a first line of defence to combating corruption.”

When IBAC asked local councillors for their “Perceptions of corruption 2025” survey, 57 per cent of respondents believed their organisation was moderately or highly vulnerable to corruption.

Ms Bell said it’s incredibly important to have proactive measures in place and they see a great value in the work that they do.

“We have done 23 engagement events over the past 18 months with local government stakeholders, and about nine in the last 12 months…that includes presentations to individual councils as part of their mandatory councillor induction programs, but also participating in events such as this forum and other round tables for local government staff and events hosted by peak bodies as well.

“In the last financial year, 2024/25, we delivered 161 corruption and misconduct prevention initiatives, including events like this one, but also putting out reports, resources, campaigns, and speaking at local events and internal events as well as forums.

“I think it’s also important to recognise the great work and commitment from within the local government sector to implement integrity practices and to seek advice, proactively seek advice and engage with IBAC, whether that be during sessions, webinars, or reaching out to us individually as a council so I’d really like to applaud those who have been so engaged.”

9735

Be

part of a vibrant Community and enjoy the Facilities

Close to all amenities - health professionals,

Supermarkets, public transport

Village volunteers can assists you around the house

Village bus for shopping excursions

Monthly calendar of events

24 Hour Emergency Assistance

Fully equipped gym

Heated indoor pool

Hairdresser, Massage & Podiatry services

4-rink Bowling Green

Entertainment Lounge

Library and Computer Room

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Go wild and visit the zoo

On a stunning 12 ha property with sweeping views to Mt Buller and beyond is a very special place where Dr Doolittle dreams of talking to the animals regularly come true.

A fabulous day out for the whole family, and one of the best kept secrets of Victoria’s High Country, the Mansfield Zoo is home to all kinds of Australian and exotic animals.

Once inside the gates, discover a surprising and magical place where kids can interact with and hand feed a large variety of animals like the kangaroos and deer and guinea pigs that roam freely.

The zoo is also home to a colony of Meerkats as well as Marmosets and Capuchin monkeys, llamas and alpacas, wombats, a variety of birds including red tail black cockatoos and peacocks, water buffalo and antelope.

There are also three magnificent African lions,

including two, rare white lions (of only 100 in the world!), and visitors of all ages can experience the thrill of being up close to these majestic creatures on a daily feeding tour of these as well as other animals at the zoo. Don’t forget to watch out for Zambezi, our Zebra, coming soon to Mansfield Zoo.

It’s an ideal place for large family gatherings with lovely, undercover places to picnic and barbecue. And for a truly unique family experience, there are gorgeous campsites to spend the whole night under the stars and literally wake up to the sounds of the jungle.

Mansfield Zoo’s Bronwyn and Dave and their dedicated team welcome visitors every day from 10am to 6pm, except for Christmas Day. It’s a perfect way to introduce children to the beauty and diversity of the animal kingdom in a safe, relaxed and picturesque environment.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY

Oodles of fun to be had

As autumn settles across the Yarra Valley, the breathtaking Blue Lotus Water Garden bursts into life with a spectacular seasonal display and an exciting program of school holiday activities designed for the whole family. With thousands of vibrant blooms creating a kaleidoscope of colour, this much-loved destination offers the perfect mix of natural beauty and outdoor fun just a short drive from Melbourne.

During the April school holidays, the gardens transform into a lively hub of entertainment where children can explore, play, and immerse themselves in nature. Wide open spaces invite kids to run freely in the fresh country air, while winding paths lead families through stunning floral displays and tranquil water features. It is an experience that feels both relaxing and full of discovery.

One of the standout features of the Blue Lotus Water Garden is its incredible value for families. Children under 16 receive free garden entry throughout the season, making it an affordable day out, with only selected events such as the Easter Egg Hunts and Dinosaur Shows requiring a small additional ticket. It is a thoughtful approach that ensures families can enjoy the gardens without stretching the budget.

There is no shortage of entertainment across the holiday period. From meeting the Easter Bunny and joining in the ever-popular Easter egg hunts, to stepping back in time during the thrilling Dinosaur Weekends, there is something to capture every child’s imagination. Fairy Weeks add a touch of magic to the gardens, while live magic shows and face painting bring extra excitement to selected days, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere that runs throughout the break.

Beyond the activities, the garden itself is designed with families in mind. Dozens of picnic shelters and free BBQ facilities make it easy to settle in for a relaxed lunch, while expansive grassy areas provide plenty of room for games

and downtime. For those who prefer to travel light, the onsite cafe and ice cream kiosk offer a wide range of meals, snacks, drinks, and sweet treats to suit all tastes.

Special seasonal pricing also adds to the appeal. During Fairy Weeks, families can take advantage of discounted Autumn Saver tickets, making it even easier to plan a memorable outing. With a variety of ticket options available for different events, visitors are encouraged to book online in advance, particularly for week-

ends and public holidays when sessions can sell out.

Open daily throughout the season, with extended hours on weekends and over Easter, the Blue Lotus Water Garden offers a flexible and rewarding escape for families seeking something a little different these school holidays. Whether you are there for the flowers, the festivities, or simply the chance to unwind outdoors, it is a destination that promises colour, joy, and lasting memories.

Ranges are in high demand

By Gabriella Vukman

As speckles of gold and orange begin to infiltrate the canopies, the Yarra Ranges looks back on the end of an eventful season of summer tourism.

With visitor spending bringing in approximately $194 million in December alone, the region’s latest summer tourism stint has managed to withstand fires, storm events, and the cost-of-living crisis.

Director of Communities at the Yarra Ranges Council, Leanne Hurst said this summer season has been a mixed bag according to feedback from local businesses.

“Some operators reported strong trading periods, while others experienced a more challenging summer,” Ms Hurst said.

“Extreme heat events and the Longwood bushfires, which resulted in road closures and disruption to travel across the wider region, also affected visitor movement at times.”

According to Ms Hurst, one of the defining features of this summer has been the impact of extreme weather and regional bushfire events on visitor movement.

Ms Hurst told Star Mail, “While the Yarra Ranges itself was not directly impacted by the Longwood fires, road closures and disruption across the wider region reduced access to some areas and understandably made visitors cautious about travelling.”

Weather conditions also led to the temporary closure of some attractions, like for example, Waterworld in Warburton, a popular summer destination for families, was closed on some days during parts of the peak season,” she confirmed.

“When key attractions close, there can be a noticeable flow-on effect for nearby cafes, retailers and accommodation providers who often feel that impact.”

On another note, Ms Hurst also specified that low rainfall has helped attract visitors to the region and local events, allowing visitors to enjoy the region’s food, wine, nature-based and adventure experiences.

Chief Executive Officer at Tourism East Louise Scott, noted strong increases in international visitor spending compared to previous years, including an increase in overnight stays.

“Whilst we might have slightly lower growth in visitor numbers overall, the spend and the nights have grown really strongly in the international market in particular,” Ms Scott said.

“The data tells us that people are staying a little longer and looking to spend more over a longer period,” she said.

“Weekends are still the busiest time, and we are working hard to try and drive more midweek visitation, particularly from the international market.”

Domestic numbers also suggest a slight rise in tourism activity over the summer period compared to the previous season.

Ms Scott said, “While we have had that little bit of growth, we have had varying inputs from industry regarding how successful our summer period has been.”

“There will be a mixed range of performances among our industries with some doing better than others, which is always the case in a region that is as diverse and spread out as ours,” Ms Scott said.

“Overall, it is looking positive at the moment with a strong early start over the December period, and hopefully the impact of the fires is not so strong as to pull back too far over the next few months.”

In terms of trends, December and January continue to be the peak period for the Yarra Ranges, with support from major events such as the cricket, the tennis, and the Formula One in Melbourne.

Consistent with seasonal patterns, spending data from across the Yarra Ranges indicates spending was around $447 million in November, peaked at about $468 million in December, and was about $416 million in January.

According to data from Tourism East and the Yarra Ranges Council, visitors are coming to Melbourne for big, seasonal events, and staying in the Yarra Ranges during their trip.

Among the key drawcards to the Yarra Ranges are the region’s wineries, high-quality dining, and natural beauty.

Puffing Billy and the Healesville Sanctuary remain some of the top places to visit, along with the many gardens throughout the region.

Ms Scott said, “There has certainly been growing interest from the public in the nature

and outdoor experiences.”

“The Yarra Ranges is well-placed to service these interests with assets such as the Acqueduct Trail and the Rail Trail from Lilydale to Warburton,” she said.

While the lower valley continues to lead for food and wine, the ranges and Warburton are seeing growing interest in nature-based and outdoor experiences.

Ms Scott said, “The new mountain bike park in Warburton is also attracting different visitor segments, growing interest in that area and helping to broaden the appeal of Warburton as an adventure destination.”

“The diversity offered across the Yarra Ranges region within such a short distance from Melbourne is another thing that makes the region so appealing for our visitors,” she said.

“We also have so much agricultural production here, so I think really leveraging on that food bowl element to the region is key.”

National Visitor Survey data reveals that international spending is up by 150 per cent overall this season for the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, along with a 34 per cent rise in visitors.

Overnight stays were also up by 187 per cent this season.

Upon comparing the above data on the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges with the rest of the state, it becomes apparent that the Yarra Ranges region outperformed others around it when it comes to international tourism.

This season’s data on regional Victoria as a whole shows international spending was only up 30 per cent, overnight stays were up 13 per cent, and visitors were down by 7 per cent.

While the Yarra Ranges has seen significant growth in its international tourism market this season, this cohort is a small portion of the region’s overall visitation.

The largest visitation lies within the domestic market, which, according to state-wide data, is showing modest growth.

Diversifying visitation throughout the week has been an ongoing priority for Tourism East.

Ms Scott said, “The weekends remain important and we are still focusing on driving locals out to visit on the weekends, but that mid-week visitation growth is what we are focusing on.”

“When people have friends and relatives coming to visit, hopefully they are taking some time off work, and they can come out to the region during the week,” she said.

Wellness is another growing area of interest that Tourism East is eager to tap into.

Ms Scott said, “While our region doesn’t have the spa reputation like other regions, it does have many other ways in which you can improve your health and wellness, particularly through exposure to all of the nature around you.”

Dispersing visitors evenly beyond traditional hotspots within the region, and narrowing in on the target market are further initiatives Tourism East is working on.

Ms Scott said, “We are currently working on a refresh of our positioning for the region, and that will help us to present a new look and feel for our work.”

“We’ve refreshed our target audiences as well to be laser focused about who we target with the budget that we have, to drive that extra visitation and spend,” she said.

“We are also really focused on the local market and ensuring we capture anyone keen to spend and visit close to Melbourne over the coming months.”

Moving into the second half of the year, the Yarra Ranges can expect to see significant influxes in visitation numbers in September with the arrival of the first American Football game in Melbourne, and the start of the rugby season.

Future infrastructure across the region will also improve tourism prospects for seasons to come.

Ms Scott said, “The new bike-barring walks across the Dandenong Ranges, which will launch in April, will showcase and encourage people to not only walk, but also come and stay and experience the cafes, restaurants and shops in the villages in the Dandenong Ranges in particular.”

Despite strong sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing doing their part for the region’s economy, tourism makes up a signifi-

cant portion of the Yarra Ranges economy.

Ms Scott noted business events and the Meetings and Incentives sector are also a major cash cow for the Yarra Ranges.

Ms Scott said, “Those companies based in Melbourne are generally looking for alternative activities to do out here.”

“We are well placed to service with our diversity and experiences such as hot air balloon rides, gin tasting and such,” she said.

Debunking misconceptions about the nature of tourism is another priority for Ms Scott.

“Tourism is well beyond what might be considered tourism on its own,“ Ms Scott said.

“A lot of people think tourism is just drinking wine and going to the Healesville Sanctuary, but actually, these visitors are stopping at local shops and retail, and they are buying local fuel,” she said.

“Tourism plays an important role, and the onus is on us working with the councils to continue to raise the profile of the region and drive that visitation and spend.”

As winter approaches, the focus is on driving visitation into local townships.

Ms Scott said, “Interestingly, data from Visit Victoria showed that we have quite consistent visitation across all four seasons of the year here in the Yarra Ranges.”

“The region is highly attractive during the autumn period, and we want to make sure we’re showcasing the best that the Yarra Ranges has to offer during the wintery months,” she said.

“Other parts of Victoria might see much stronger visitation over summer and then completely pulling back over winter, but that is just not evident so much for the region here.”

Longer-term impacts of the season will become clearer over the coming months as more data for the summer period is released.

Solar for safety at CFA

By Oliver Winn

Reefton CFA will become the centre for the community during severe weather events with the installation of new energy infrastructure.

New solar panels and a solar battery are in their final stages of installation at the brigade, marking a significant step towards energy resilience.

Reefton CFA captain Sue Jack said the new energy infrastructure would enable the brigade to provide access to electricity during prolonged power outages.

“If it’s cold at home, you can come down and be warm for a while. You can have your hot meal, that sort of thing, have a hot cuppa. It’s a

little creature comforts, I suppose.

“It will provide basic things, warm stuff up in the microwave, keep basic things in fridges for them,” Ms Jack said.

The installation is progress towards the Reefton CFA’s five year plan to become a disaster relief hub for the community.

Reefton CFA sourced the batteries through a grant from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s (DEECA) Neighbourhood Battery Program.

The brigade received roughly $65,000 to install the solar panels and its accompanying batteries.

Neighbourhood batteries can soak up cheap, renewable energy from rooftop solar during the

day and feed it back into the homes or organisations they are connected to at night, when power usage is high.

These neighbourhood batteries can be paired with solar to provide back-up power to these buildings to act as community hubs for people to access power during prolonged outages.

Ms Jack said the small creature comforts went further than most would think.

“Those sort of things, I think are what’s going to be beneficial to the community, especially in the short term anyway,” she said.

But, there’s still more to be done, with a grant for a generator of Ms Jack’s mind.

“There’s a lot of work to be done and try and get grants to achieve the rest. But I mean, it’s a

Riding new trails to prep for emergencies

Upper Yarra SES members got behind the handle bars as they familiarised themselves with the new Warburton Bike Park trails in preparation for its launch in April.

The unit hosted a series of sessions from midMarch, where members collaborated alongside other emergency service agencies and government departments to improve rescue efforts.

Upper Yarra SES unit controller Hannah Brunton said SES units, CFA volunteers and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) joined Yarra Ranges Council workers on the first exercise on 15 March.

“There was a bike ride that was organised between council and SES. Some of our members came, members from Healesville SES, Emerald SES, some CFA volunteers, and DEECA were there too.

“That was basically to show and tell of some of the newer trails that were opening,” Ms Brunton said.

Yarra Ranges Council director of built environment and infrastructure Vincenzo Lombardi said the council was pleased to see such strong participation in the recent SES and Ambulance Victoria familiarisation visit to the Warburton Bike Park.

“These sessions are an important part of ensuring emergency service personnel are well-acquainted with the park’s layout, trail network and access points,” Mr Lombardi said.

The Warburton Bike Park’s second stage of trails will open on Saturday 4 April, expanding the trail network to over 70 kilometres.

While the bike park’s initial 30kms of trails were mostly beginner-friendly, majority of the stage two trails will be for experienced riders.

Ms Brunton said harder trails meant a harder

Services unite

By Gabriella Vukman

On the evening of Thursday 26 March emergency service personnel participated in a joint agency training exercise.

Healesville CFA, Healesville SES, along with the local Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police teams, attended the training.

The event involved the extrication of a casualty from a car crash and took place at Healesville West CFA’s unit.

With the purpose of helping emergency services work together to achieve the quickest and safest ways to help the community, the exercise provided the opportunity for the dif-

rescue for SES members when things inevitably go wrong.

“These trails obviously are of higher grades because they’re mostly blues and blacks, which means that the steepness and the terrain is a lot steeper, which can make it unsafe for us while undertaking a retrieval.

“This means that we may need to escalate some of these into more of a rescue category, where we would have to involve rope rescue teams to come and make that that safer process for us. So they may take longer,” she said.

On Thursday 19 March, Ambulance Victoria (AV) joined SES members as they conducted another tour of the park, learning key rendezvous points and staging areas.

An AV spokesperson said it was a great opportunity for paramedics and first responders to collaborate with SES volunteers to ensure they’re

ferent services to share how they work.

Deputy controller of community engagement for the Healesville SES Michelle Zwagerman attended the training.

“It was a good night with lots of getting to know each other,” Ms Zwagerman said.

“It really helps to know what everyone’s role is and feel comfortable and confident working together,” she said.

ready to respond to emergencies.

“We want people to get out, explore, and enjoy these incredible trails — but we also want them to come home safely,” an AV spokesperson said.

Ms Brunton said emergency service agencies needed to be coordinated in their responses as clear communication and information relay is essential to a successful rescue.

“We’re doing these because when people call triple zero, the information can be pretty difficult to interpret, unless the person who’s made that call knows exactly the information that we need.

“So we have made a process in place where we rendezvous at a certain location and then we move to a staging area that keeps the responses coordinated as possible,” Ms Brunton said.

Mr Lombardi said council was aware of eight instances where emergency services have assisted riders since the park opened last July.

start and that’s, you know, I think we’ve made a very good start,” she said.

“Even in winter when there’s not a lot of sun and the batteries may go through their resource fairly quickly, we can top them up with the generator.”

Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio said Victoria was “the home” of batteries.

“Victoria is the home of batteries – which soak-up cheap renewable energy during the day to drive down bills for Victorian families.”

“These batteries will also help keep the power flowing to essential services like the Salvation Army during extreme weather events so that Victorians can continue to access the help and assistance they need.”

Uncover the dark secrets

By Oliver Winn

The dark shadows of Millgrove’s history will be illuminated on 11 April in a thrilling and mysterious take on the town’s popular light trail event.

Hosted by Millgrove Residents Action Group (MRAG) in conjunction with the Yarra Ranges Council, the Millgrove Light Trail will reveal the town in a different light - one that will leave people with a chill down their spine.

It’s MRAG’s third iteration of the free family friendly event and project coordinator Jan Burney said the mysteries of four deaths will be uncovered during the trail.

“This year’s event is again, historical and involves historical people, but it’s a little bit darker this time. Everybody loves a little mystery, don’t they?”

As attendees stroll along the trail in groups, they’ll learn of each victim’s lives and will work to uncover the truth behind their deaths.

Thanks to local lighting expert Michael Gerrish, who runs Star Mist Studios, a meticulously designed lighting setup will evoke mystery and intrigue.

Looming ancient gums will be awash in dashing colours and shadows while dazzling backlit displays will be propped up along the walk.

Ms Burney said it was good to be consulting local artists to showcase the creative flair of Millgrove.

“Of course we’re using local artists, so I’m always feeling really proud about that. You know, the people who we live among are bringing their creativity to local people rather than travelling out of the valley to perform somewhere else,” she said.

The Yarra Ranges Council has sponsored the

event for four years, with next year being its last.

“Well this is our third year and we have funding for a fourth year so we’ve got something in mind already for that.

“They are very generous with the grant. We were very lucky to get the grant actually, because a lot of people will have been interested in applying for that,” Ms Burney said.

MRAG vice president Phil Pomaroff said the event brought Millgrove locals together while offering the community the chance to attend a local nighttime event.

“In most outer region communities, there’s

nothing available. It’s just, it’s sad, but some people go on and stay in their houses, and this gives the opportunity to come out.

“In fact, we’re being family-orientated to come out at night time and take back some of that night time activity, which is really great.

“I think people like the quietness in the evening, but definitely it’s taken up with gusto when an opportunity arises.”

The event takes place at the Memorial Reserve. Fourteen groups of 25 will be taken every 20 minutes from 5.30pm, with the tour itself lasting for about an hour.

With last year’s light trail event selling out,

it’s encouraged people book ahead of time to secure a spot. Bookings are free and can be made through the link: shorturl.at/qxA73

The first two tours will include a child-friendly version of the story. Attendees are warned the story covers dark topics such as murder.

People are encouraged to stay around for a chat after the tour where they can grab some food from local restaurants, which will stay open to accommodate those who’ve come back from the event.

This is a family-friendly event, the trek is flat and suitable for most people and children, those with prams, or in wheelchairs.

Iconic owls a delight in cooler months of the Yarra Ranges

By Tanya Steele

The Yarra Ranges are a stronghold for some amazing birdlife, including many different types of owl, and the colder months can be a great time to listen to and maybe even spot local owls.

As the chill settles into the evening air, the region’s nocturnal birds begin to make themselves known, and their solemn soundtrack takes shape, echoing across the night.

From the Australian Boobook to the Powerful Owl, the largest in Australia, Life Sciences Manager from Healesville Sanctuary, Falk Wicker, said this time of year is particularly interesting for owl enthusiasts.

“The Yarra Ranges is a really important part of their distribution, although they do move around a little bit,” he said, talking about the Powerful Owl in particular.

Young owls that have recently left the nest are on the move, learning the landscape and gradually searching for territories of their own.

“They’re old enough to move around,” said Mr Wicker.

Adult birds, too, can be more flexible outside the breeding season, sometimes turning up in unexpected places.

Both iconic apex night hunters and a quiet icon of the Yarra Ranges, the Powerful Owl is endemic to Australia and found mainly in the south-

east.

The amazing birds have a wingspan pushing well over a metre and a diet that is often almost entirely possums, usually ringtail.

Powerful Owl are both elusive and surprisingly close to home for many visitors and residents across the region.

The calls in the night most often heard in the Yarra Ranges can be credited to the common owl species, the Australian Boobook, whose classic “boo-book” call carries clearly through the night air.

Not random, owl calls can be heard for many reasons andthe males can be heard calling to defend territory and attract mates.

“Boobook comes in different subspecies as well, so they’re not always looking the same in different parts of Australia,” said Mr Wicker.

Local owls depend on one thing the modern landscape often lacks: old trees with natural hollows.

Essential nesting sites, finding a suitable hollow, can be one of the biggest challenges facing owl populations.

Another less visible threat comes from rodent poisons and secondary poisoning occurs when owls eat rats or mice that have consumed anticoagulant rodenticides.

The rodents become easy prey as the poison affects their nervous systems, but the toxin then

accumulates in the owl.

Wildlife carers say one of the simplest ways residents can help owls is to carefully choose rodent control products and avoid second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR) where possible.

“Rodenticides eventually kill the owls,” said Mr Wicker.

Young owls learning to navigate the world can also sometimes end up in awkward places, including on the ground.

In bushland, this may be part of their learning process, but in suburban areas, it can put them at risk from dogs, cars and people.

If an owl appears injured or unable to move away, people are encouraged to contact the wildlife team at Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre for advice or head to con-

tact their local wildlife rescuer.

Drivers in known owl areas are also urged to slow down at night, particularly during the later months of the year when young birds are dispersing.

Local environmental groups occasionally run guided night walks for all types of nighttime fauna, offering a chance to hear and sometimes see the region’s owl species in the wild.

Getting too close may halt breeding, so people should never get too close or stand under a roosting owl, stick to the tracks and observe the animal quietly.

For those who prefer a guaranteed sighting, visitors can learn more about owls up close at Healesville Sanctuary’s “Spirits of the Sky” presentation, where Barking Owls are part of the daily program.

“We have two Barking Owls here at the Sanctuary,” said Mr Wicker.

If people are outside at night and hear the owls calling, they can record the sound using the iNaturalist phone app, and this becomes a scientific record which helps further research.

Birds like the Powerful Owl, rarely seen, and the regular hooting of the Boobook owl add another layer of wonder to living in the Yarra Ranges. So next time you hear a call in the night, pause and listen. The forest might be talking back.

Issue must be addressed

The latest crime statistics show police responded to more than 100,000 callouts for domestic violence in 2025 – almost 2,000 each week, more than 10 every hour.

Domestic violence incidents in the Yarra Valley alone have risen more than 15 per cent in five years.

Worryingly, in the December crime stats, ‘Breach of Family Violence Order’ in the council area was the number one offence.

Yet one of the most insidious and largely unrecognised forms is blind to the law.

Coercive control takes many forms – constant criticism, humiliation and gaslighting; some people are cut off from their friends, family, or support networks, while others have their every move tracked by a partner who also checks phones or controls their social media.

The state state of

affairs

Cindy McLeish MP Member for Eildon

NSW and Queensland do, the United Kingdom have had such laws for more than a decade.

That’s why, in December last year, I introduced legislation in Parliament to criminalise coercive control as an independent offence.

It was immediately rejected by the Allan Labor Government; however, by the afternoon just six hours later, the government had backflipped, promising to criminalise coercive control in early 2026.

strengthen protections for victims by recognising patterns of power and control and helping to stop them earlier.

This won’t be without challenges. Coercive control can look different for everyone, particularly across diverse communities, which can make it harder to identify and report.

But putting the right legal framework and support systems in place is a critical first step.

Victims can suffer for years at the hands of a controlling partner, yet here in Victoria, there are no stand-alone laws to protect people from this wicked behaviour.

Embarrassingly Victoria has no laws for coercive control.

It can dictate what someone wears, where they go, who they see or restrict access to and ultimately threaten harm, self-harm or take children.

Bits of burlesque

The Round

Euphoric

Looking for a night out that’s a little different? Don’t miss Euphoric, a modern day variety show like no other.

This unique show brings together burlesque, comedy, cabaret, dance and more in the fast-paced, high-energy night.

It’s bold, cheeky, and guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

And don’t forget… dress to impress. We’ll be awarding a Best Dressed prize, so bring on the sequins, feathers, boas and your favourite.

The more extra, the better. Come to laugh, cheer, and be blown away.

• Season: Sunday 3 May at 7.30pm. Burrinja Theatre

One Mississippi World Tour 2026. Three-time nominated Grammy-nominated blues legend Eric Bibb returns to Australia with his first full-band tour since early 2023, celebrating his groundbreaking new album One Mississippi (out January 2026).

Expect the complete live experience: Bibb’s unmistakable voice and storytelling, backed by a powerhouse trio featuring Staffen Astner on guitar, Ray Charles Glen Scott (musical director and bass) and former “forever drummer” for Nina Simone, Paul Robinson. Together, they bring One Mississippi to life in all it’s soulful, socially conscious and musically adventurous glory adventurous glory.

The aet blends new material, including the infectious first dingle This One Don’t, with beloved songs from bob’s rich catalogue and a few surprises cavesson.

• Season: Tuesday 21 April at 7.30pm for Australian audiences.

Kemp’s urtain call curtain

Eltham Little Theatre

A tomb with a View

Set in a sinister old library as one likely to come across, presided over by a portrait of a grim faced, mad eyed old man.

There, a dusty lawyer reads a will (involving some millions of pounds) to an equally sinister family.

One member of which has Werewolf tendencies, another wanders around in a toga of Julius Caesar and a third ember is a gentle old lady who plants more than seeds in her flower beds.

By the third act, there are more corpses than live members left in the show with no two dying alike.

And what about the sympathetic nurse and the author of romantic novels? Are they all more than they seem to be?

All is revealed as the plot twists and turns to its surprising conclusion.

• Season: 1-16 May.

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre

The Female of the Species- A Reminder

Margot Mason is a feminist writer suffer from writer’s block. Molly Rivers, her former student, arrives unexpectedly at her country home with a gun, blaming Margo for warping her mother’s mind with her best-selling book.

• Season: 10 May.

As we enter the final week of the first sitting session of the year there is still no legislation in the Parliament.

Victoria needs to catch up with other states that are already leading on this issue.

Right now, it’s falling behind New South Wales and Queensland, both of which have criminalised coercive control as a standalone offence. Bringing Victoria into line would significantly

More needs to be done to protect people from coercive control, just as much as we need to protect from physical domestic violence. This change needs to happen sooner than later.

Labor needs to make good on its promise.

As Shadow Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, I will keep pushing to criminalise coercive control as a stand-alone offence.

Does what it says on tin

They Will Kill You Starring Zazie Beetz, Myha’la and Patricia

Directed by Kirill Sokolov, They Will Kill You is a bloody good action-horror film that you could describe as a reverse-slasher movie of sorts.

After a lengthy prison sentence, Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) accepts a maid job at the prestigious Virgil hotel in New York to rescue her estranged sister Maria (Myha’la) from its Satanic owners.

Beetz proves a poignant but feisty lead and an action powerhouse as Asia. The creative, bloodsoaked action scenes are cleanly-shot (ironically) and easy to follow, with plenty of wide shots and long cuts to show off the choreography. With its high-rise setting and brutal combat, They Will Kill You often feels like a supernatural Blaxploitation version of The Raid: Redemption, but the highlight action scene involving a burning axe in a dark room could be a tribute to Bong Joon-ho’s 2014 film Snowpiercer. Much of They Will Kill You’s deliciously dark humour stems from its strong clashing personalities (which makes up for their thin writing) and the absurdity of Asia,

a small black woman, beating and slicing up serial killers only for them to constantly come back (and there is a brilliant thread of body horror-comedy involving a roving eyeball). With the villains effectively unkillable and Asia hitting back as hard as she gets, a film like this could easily lack any suspense. However, They Will Kill You still draws solid tension from Asia and Maria’s turbulent relationship, the well-defined rules of the hotel owners’ immortality and how Asia uses this pact against them. Plus, the plot makes economical use of its swift 94 minutes, building to a hilariously deranged climax.

A short, grisly-sweet, incredibly fun horroraction movie, They Will Kill You is playing at most Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

A future that can be now

The Dream Hotel, by Moroccan-American author Laila Lalami, was long-listed for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Set in a near-future America, it is a finalist to the 2026 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel.

ThestoryfollowsSaraHussein,amuseumarchivist who is returning from London to her family in California.

ArrivingattheLosAngelesInternationalAirport, SaraisinterceptedbytheRiskAssessmentAdministration because its AI algorithm has determined she is at imminent risk of committing a crime.

Here, readers are reminded of the Precrime Division in Philip K Dick’s 1956 sci-fi novelette “The Minority Report”

However, compared to Dick’s “precogs” , the AI algorithm in Lalami’s dystopian story is much scarier because it takes a “holistic” approach and observes more than 200 types of data connected to each individual. That data is then calculated into a “risk score” – if one’s score reaches above a certain threshold, then many of their privileges can be taken away, including their freedom.

In Sara’s case, using data collected from her dreams, the AI algorithm determines she will harm her husband. As a result, she is detained for observation for 21 days – or so she is told.

To say the least, Sara’s stay at the “dream hotel” is both horrendous and terrifying.

As weeks become months, every tiny infraction is deemed a reason to extend her detention period. Worse, the “retainees” are constantly monitored through cameras and other devices, including and especially their “Dreamsavers” , a widely used skull implant that is supposed to ensure better sleep.

The product’s fine print allows its manufacturer to share the user’s dreams with the government –

PASSION FOR PROSE

and people are fine with this, because data mining of the kind by big tech companies not only enables law enforcement agencies to identify and detain potential murderers and other violent criminals but also helps prevent suicides.

Indeed, in that near-future America: “Entire generations have never known life without surveillance. Watched from the womb to the grave, they take corporate ownership of their personal data to beafactoflife,asnaturalasleavesgrowingontrees.”

“That they have committed no crime is beside the point.” Who cares if the government surveillance is pervasive? It is OK for a minority to suffer some inconvenience, as long as the majority can live in safety and peace…right?

To this reviewer, what makes The Dream Hotel such a compelling read is its plausibility – that “near future” can be NOW, with our world being increasingly algorithmic, with advanced technologies constantly used to monitor our behaviours and influence our views, and, in some cases, with state-sanctioned abuse of power allowed and even encouraged in order to serve specific political agendas.

Finding a balance helps

By Maria Millers

Amanda Gorman – The Hill We Climb:

For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.

As we enter the last week before Easter, known by Christians as Holy Week, many are unsettled and concerned about the seemingly escalating Middle East conflict and its inevitable effects on us.

It’s also the traditional time for many to make most of the long Easter break before the cold weather settles in.

However, there’ll be those this year thinking twice about a long weekend escape with the rising prices of both fuel and airline tickets undoubtedly playing a big part in their decisions.

It’s natural to feel disturbed by what’s happening in the Middle East right now and those who have been closely following the unfolding events feel for those affected.

But can we really feel what it’s really like to have your home and neighbourhoods destroyed, family or friends killed or injured and find yourself homeless with only the clothes you’re wearing?

As American Palestinian poet Naomi Shihab Nye points out:

Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment like salt in a weakened broth.

What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, all this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness.

But humans are remarkably adaptive. History shows that even in prolonged, frightening situations, most people don’t stay in a constant state of

WOORILLA WORDS

panic—they find ways to function, connect, and even rebuild.

In Milk and Honey, Rupi Kaur reminds us of human resilience: what is stronger than the human heart which shatters over and over and still lives

That is of course not saying that we should feel no empathy for the suffering we see daily with an estimated eight million displaced across the Middle East, the many killed and the destruction to rubble of whole towns.

And as citizens we have a right to question any involvements our government undertakes and voice our concerns.

With so many left homeless there will again be a new wave of refugees as Warsan Shire so starkly captures displacement in her poem, Home: No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark…

And as hard as it has been for many Australians lately with high inflation, rising interest rates and cost of living pressures we cannot compare it to the suffering in places affected by the war.

Yet you can care deeply about the world without carrying the full emotional weight of it every moment.

Staying informed and staying well are both important—and they need to be balanced As Mary Oliver reminds us in her calming and reflective poem The Summer Day that gently pulls your focus away from global stress and back to your own life and choices.

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life

You will not be able to end the conflicts in the Middle East but you may be able to give a hand to an overwhelmed with work neighbour or relative.

But the war is still impacting on our daily lives and distance does not protect us.

We are a society whose economy depends so heavily on the energy and by products from oil.

From the petrol that fills our cars to the fertilisers our farmers rely on to grow our food to the numerous applications of plastic.

And not just plumbers or similar trades but vital in areas such as medicine.

Without it, IV fluids, blood storage, and countless medical devices wouldn’t be possible.

Plastics are used in critical equipment that keeps people alive: and without plastics many modern treatments simply wouldn’t exist.

Think ventilators, blood bags, dialysis machines, heart valves and stents.

Anywhere you turn there is a dependence on oil in one way or another.

Our weaning from this dependence may take a long time to achieve.

Those disturbed and affected by the news should acknowledge what’s happening but take care to avoid sensational content and choose long form factual reporting over social media out of

context snippets.

Doom scrolling only increases anxiety but delivers no answers.

Poetry can be a really powerful way to steady yourself when the world feels overwhelming—it doesn’t deny the tension, but it helps you hold it differently.

It’s often read in times of crisis because it emphasises inner control, even when external events are harsh.

That has over time been the function of Poet Laureates who have served during periods of war, crisis, or national upheaval—and their role often becomes especially meaningful in those moments.

Lord Alfred Ternnyson captured both heroism and tragedy of the Crimean War shaping public memory of a disastrous military event.

More recently Carol Ann Duffy was Laureate during the Iraq War, bringing modern conflict and marginalized voices to the public and similarly American Laureate, Billy Collins memorialized the victims of September 11 attacks in his poem The Names.

Though promised for 2026 regrettably we still have no Poet Laureate to guide us through difficult times.

However you end up spending the Easter break hopefully it leaves you grounded and calm. The news shouts from the edges of the room, but the kettle still hums, and light falls the same across the table. Somewhere, the world is breaking— but here, your breath arrives and leaves without asking permission.

Step outside.

The sky has not changed its mind about you.

Public transport key advocacy priority for Yarra Ranges

The Yarra Ranges Council announced it will ramp up advocacy to the State Government for better public transport.

The Yarra Ranges has some of the highest car dependence in metropolitan Melbourne, and its public transport options infrequent and unreliable, leaving residents challenged as they try to get from A to B.

More than 90 per cent of residents commute to work by car and only 41 per cent of our households are within walking distance of public transport.

Yarra Ranges mayor Richard Higgins said this distance makes it harder for people to access the community.

“For many people, this makes it harder to get to work, school and limits access to health services, particularly for young people, older residents and those on lower incomes,” he said.

“It also adds pressure to our roads, increases emissions and can leave people feeling isolated. For some people, particularly older adults and people with disabilities, lack of good public transport can mean they cannot access their communities.

“These challenges are set to grow as areas including Lilydale, Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park continue to develop, with more than 20,000 new residents expected by 2041. Without improvements to public transport, congestion and accessibility issues will worsen.”

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Cr Higgins said that in regions of the Yarra Ranges, such as the Dandenongs and the Upper Yarra area, bus services don’t connect well, are infrequent and miss crucial areas.

“Better bus services would also support tourists and visitors to our area to access our major attractions without travelling by car,” Cr Higgins said.

“Council is calling on the Victorian Government to prioritise funding and review key transport projects that improve connectivity, safety and service reliability across the region.” These projects include improvements to bus services, including better connections to trains and between key townships, increasing service frequency and hours, and expanding on-demand services.

“We’re also advocating for the duplication of the Lilydale rail line and for major upgrades to the Belgrave Station. Together, these projects will help create a more connected and sustainable transport network for Yarra Ranges,” Cr Higgins said.

“As we approach the Victorian State Election, Council is outlining its key advocacy priorities on behalf of the Yarra Ranges community.” Visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Our-Council/ Advocacy to learn more about the issues Councilis advocating for, why they matter, and how you can add your voice.

“While public transport planning and funding sit with the Victorian Government, Yarra Ranges Council plays an important role in advocating for better outcomes on behalf of the community.

A GRAND STORYBOOK ESTATE ON OVER ONE ACRE

A GRAND STORYBOOK ESTATE ON OVER 1 ACRE

WITH PLENTY OF SHEDDING AND VIEWS

COMMANDING attention from the moment you arrive, this beautiful storybook residence offers a rare blend of grandeur, warmth and lifestyle on one of the most desirable flat acre blocks you’ll find in the hills.

Standing proudly on over an acre of sunsoaked land with wonderful views, the home is surrounded by space, light and room to pursue all of your interests. A circular driveway leads you to this striking residence, where vaulted timber ceilings and expansive windows create a spectacular sense of space while allowing natural light to stream through every corner of the home.

Thoughtfully designed for both family living and entertaining, the expansive floorplan offers three separate living zones, providing flexibility for family gatherings, relaxing or working from home. The luxurious master retreat is a haven of its own, with generous proportions and space to lounge and unwind in total privacy.

The home offers 5 spacious bedrooms, all fitted with built-in robes, master with walk in robe & separate store cupboard plus there are 3 bathrooms. A huge laundry with its own dedicated drying room also offers the versatility to convert into an additional study or creative workspace should you desire.

At the heart of the home, the beautifully renovated kitchen is a true showstopper. Featuring premium Ilve appliances, elegant porcelain benchtops, an integrated fridge and freezer, dishwasher and abundant preparation space, it’s perfectly designed for both everyday living and impressive entertaining. Comfort and practicality are assured with extensive features including a cosy wood heater, ducted heating, refrigerated cooling, and direct internal access to a double remote garage. For tradespeople, hobbyists or car enthusiasts, the property also boasts a double garage plus separate workshop complete with hoist.

Outdoors, the property truly shines. The low maintenance, incredibly flat acre block is a rare find in the hills – a pristine blank canvas for gardens, outdoor entertaining, or the lifestyle retreat you’ve always imagined. Tradies and those needing extra space will appreciate the circular driveway, generous parking and ample room for additional storage for large vehicles, boats or caravans!

Perfectly positioned just minutes from Emerald Village, local schools and public transport, this address offers the best of both worlds – a peaceful semi-rural sanctuary with everyday convenience close at hand.

A grand family home, a lifestyle property, and a rare opportunity in one exceptional package.

Call us and inspect today. ●

STUNNING 10ACRE LIFESTYLE PROPERTY

SET within a tightly held pocket of Macclesfield, this exceptional lifestyle property spans approximately 10 picturesque acres, offering the perfect blend of space, comfort and breathtaking surrounds. Elevated to capture sweeping views across rolling countryside, it provides a peaceful and private retreat.

The home features a thoughtfully designed floorplan, with a light-filled central living area that flows seamlessly into a well-appointed kitchen complete with excellent storage, freestanding oven and dishwasher. Three generous bedrooms are positioned off a separate family room, serviced by a central bathroom.

Outdoor living is a standout, with an expansive deck perfect for entertaining while taking in the stunning outlook. A substantial 12.3m x 9.4m shed offers the ultimate entertaining space, complete with wood fire, ceiling fans, polished concrete floors and double doors that open to the view. Additional shedding and ample off-street parking provide excellent storage for vehicles, equipment and tools.

The land is well-suited to a variety of lifestyle pursuits, featuring secure electric fencing, established shade trees and two dams, making it ideal for your choice of livestock. A rare opportunity to secure a scenic acreage lifestyle just moments from Macclesfield Pony Club and a network of riding and walking trails—delivering space, serenity and versatility in equal measure. ●

PICTUREPERFECT CHARACTER HOME

IMMACULATELY presented, this charming brick residence is privately set amongst beautifully established gardens that deliver colour and interest throughout every season.

From the moment you arrive, the home’s warmth and timeless character welcome you to this wonderful low maintenance lifestyle.

Framed by inviting verandahs that create wonderful outdoor living spaces - perfect for relaxing with a morning coffee or entertaining family and friends while enjoying the peaceful garden surround. Inside, the home continues to impress with 9-foot ceilings, polished timber floorboards, double-hung windows and gas ducted heating.

At the heart of the home sits a spacious timber kitchen, thoughtfully designed with an island bench, excellent bench space and storage, a dishwasher, wall oven and gas cooktop - perfectly positioned to service the 2 separate living zones with ease.

The generous master retreat is privately positioned and includes a dressing room and ensuite, creating a peaceful sanctuary within the home.

Two additional bedrooms each feature triple built-in robes and are serviced by a central bathroom and separate toilet.

The lush surrounds attract abundant birdlife and provide a peaceful setting that feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The fully fenced rear yard offers a safe and secure space for children and pets, while the covered outdoor entertaining area is ideal for family gatherings or relaxed afternoons.

In addition there is a circular driveway, double garage with remote door, concrete floor and power, along with a high carport perfectly suited for storing a caravan, boat or additional vehicles.

A beautifully maintained home offering charm, comfort and a peaceful garden lifestyle. Call us & inspect today. ●

67BEACONSFIELDEMERALDROAD

5 A 2 B 4 D

JUSTINBARROT 0438683781

BARRYPLANTEMERALD 59684522

AtBarryPlantEmeraldwebelieveyour investmentdeservesmorethanmanagement, itdeservesexpertcareandattention.

LedbySeniorPropertyManager,KrystelleRush ourlocalteamoffersunrivalledknowledgeof theEmeraldandDandenongRangesmarket, ensuringyourpropertyisalwaysintrustedhands.

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Fromrenterselectionandmaintenancetorent reviewsandcompliance,wetakecareofevery detail,includingfreeappraisals,ensuringyour peaceofmindandgreatreturns.

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BARRYPLANTEMERALD

THE ULTIMATE UPWEY FAMILY RETREAT WITH ROOM FOR EVERYONE

SET on a rare, flat and sun-drenched block in a highly sought-after Upwey location, this spacious and versatile family home offers exceptional flexibility for growing or multigenerational families.

Boasting five bedrooms and three bathrooms, the thoughtfully designed floorplan caters to a range of living arrangements. Downstairs features a generous main bedroom complete with ensuite and walk-in robe, alongside a large study that can easily function as a sixth bedroom. An additional well-sized room on this level adds even more versatility for guests, work-from-home needs or a second living space.

At the heart of the home, the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area seamlessly connects to the outdoor entertaining zone via expansive bifold doors, creating a perfect indoor-outdoor flow for hosting family and friends. The sunny backyard offers plenty of space for kids and pets, along with a substantial garden shed equipped with threephase power-ideal for tradies, hobbyists or extra storage.

Upstairs is perfectly designed for the rest of the family, featuring three large bedrooms and a huge rumpus room-an ideal retreat for kids or teenagers. The upstairs balcony provides a fantastic chill-out space, overlooking the backyard and adding another layer of relaxed family living.

Comfort is assured year-round with a cosy wood fire, ducted heating and split system cooling throughout the home. With ample parking via a circular driveway and positioned within walking distance to everything Upwey and Tecoma have to offer, this is an opportunity not to be missed. ●

PUZZLES

No. 283

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 State of bliss (5,4)

6 Impartial (4)

10 Append (3)

11 Decked out in decorative coverings, as a horse (11)

12 Casanova (8)

13 Marketplace (6)

14 Visage (4)

15 Secure (7)

20 Eurasian country (7)

21 Sport (4)

25 Incarnation (6)

26 Altered (8)

28 Unkempt (11)

29 Business abbreviation (3)

30 Merit (4)

31 Invaluable (9)

DOWN

1 Categorise (8)

2 Heavy artillery (8)

3 Tractable (6)

4 Contrive in emergency (9)

5 Corn spikes (4)

7 Yearly (6)

8 Horsemen (6)

9 Chagrined (7)

16 The masses, according to the Greeks (3,6)

17 Bigger (7)

18 Definite (8)

19 Leads an orchestra (8)

22 It might provide light at a vigil (6)

23 Former Roman consul, Julius – (6)

24 Provoke (6)

27 Sub (4)

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”.

CLASSIFIEDS EARLY DEADLINES EASTER

Thursday, 2nd April at 4pm

NOTICE OF HEARING OF SUBMISSIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday 13 May 2026

Please note: A previous advertisement listed the special committee date as Wednesday, 6 May. This was incorrect, and we apologise for the error.

Notice is hereby given that a Special Committee of Council be established for the purpose of hearing public submissions relating to the Draft Budget FY2026-2027.

The Special Committee Meeting to hear public submissions will be held on Wednesday 13 May 2026, commencing at 4.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Anderson Street, Lilydale and via videoconference.

Members of the community that wish to attend and observe the meeting are required to register via Council’s website.

Tammi Rose

HOTEL OR MOTEL MANAGER

Healesville, Vic

Full time position, permanent Position

As the Manager, you will hold a pivotal role within our accomplished Management Team, reporting directly to the Venue Manager. Your responsibility will encompass the comprehensive oversight of all operational facets of the Terminus Hotel/Motel. Central to your role is fostering an environment of professionalism, inspiring staff leadership, and ensuring the seamless operation of the establishment.

Qualifications & Experience

• AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma of Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)

• At least 3 years of relevant experience may substitute for formal qualifications of above

• Proficiency in the fundamental aspects of day to day Hotel operations.

• Flexibility to adapt to varying rosters.

• Vibrant energy, enthusiasm, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

• Possession of current Industry certifications, e.g., RSA, RGA, Food Handling Certificate etc

• Demonstrated expertise in cash handling and reconciliation, ensuring meticulous attention to detail.

• At least 1 year experience preferred.

Remuneration

• A competitive remuneration package tailored to your experience and contributions.

Please forward your resume promptly.

Apply to: manager@terminushealesville.com.au

Join Our Team as a Casual or Part-Time Telephone Sales Representative at Network Classifieds!

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 skills and earn some extra income? Look no further! Network Classifieds, a leading online and print classified advertising platform serving multiple mastheads across Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and NT, is seeking enthusiastic Telephone Sales Representatives to join our dynamic team.

About Network Classifieds

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.

Join us in helping our diverse communities connect, buy, and sell through effective advertising solutions. Be a part of the Network Classifieds team and make a difference in the world of classifieds!

12725558-KG43-24

EDITOR

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.

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

Sanders wins in Portugal

By Oliver Winn

Three Bridges’ motocross legend Daniel “Chucky” Sanders bounced back from his Dakarending crash earlier this year to win the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal.

He crossed the line on 23 March winning the overall rally in spectacular fashion, only two months after suffering collarbone, sternum and leg injuries.

From the outset, Sanders showed his competitiveness, dominating the prologue in Grândola and beating runner up Tosha Schareina by one10th of a second on his KTM.

Chucky then powered through rain and river crossings in Stage One, extending his lead to two minutes, continuing the excellent form.

“Because I caught the boys in front and was then opening, I even had to park the bike to walk across one water crossing to make sure it wouldn’t be too deep to flood my bike. This cost me a a good chunk of time here,” Sanders said in a Facebook post.

Stage Two saw Sanders have a dip in the rankings, finishing in fourth after he was forced to take it slow in the slippery conditions.

Sanders said navigating while riding in the mud proved to be tricky.

“Today I opened and it was a balance of not letting the bike slip in the mud and still navigating. We lost some time in the morning because I was being too conservative, but hammered hard on the way home.”

But, Sanders said finishing in fourth had its advantages.

“Tomorrow I start in 4th which will leave lots of tracks to follow and also I can assess how slippery it is based on their marks,” Sanders said.

Sanders ramped up the pace in Stage Three, following the tracks laid out by the riders ahead of him. He ended the stage in first place once again, increasing his overall lead to three minutes.

Come Stage Four, and Sanders dropped to second position after another day of rain and mud.

He said two costly mistakes were the cause for falling to second place.

“I made two navigation mistakes which cost a decent chunk of time,” Sanders said.

But, Sanders showed off his skills in Stage Five where he clinched the win for the Portugal Rally, concluding a “crazy” six days of racing in the rain.

“Today I crossed the line to not only win the stage, but also to win the overall Rally. What a crazy six days of racing it has been in the rain and coming back from my collarbone and leg injury.

It’s nice to be back on the bike,” Sanders said.

Sanders finished with a time of 11:03’ 53” , prevailing over Honda’s Tosha Schareina by 1’ 56”

The victory put Sanders into third position in the overall World Rally-Raid Championship, marking his 29th career W2RC stage win and back-to-back triumphs in Portugal.

He said the victory proved crucial in recovering the lost time from the Dakar disaster earlier this year.

“Delivering this result here at Rally-Raid Portugal was important, not just for my confidence, but for the whole team.

“Although I was able to complete the Dakar, we lost a fair few points, so to get things back on track here, gives us a big boost as we fight for back-to-back championships, which is the ultimate goal this season.”

The FIM World Rally-Raid Championship continues with the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina from 24-29 May.

Yarra Glen club hosts combined training at Yarrambat

By Anita Prowse

This weekend, Yarra Glen Adult Riding Club hosted the HRCAV TTT Combined Training at Yarrambat.

Winners were:

• Level 1 - Kyle Kroeger on Linwood Park Silver Viper from Macclesfield ARC

• Level 2 - Meaghan Strickland-Wood on Totil Magik B from Merricks Saddle Club Inc

• Level 3 Division 1 - Kylie Tiller on Elsa from Western Port EA Inc

• Level 3 Division 2 - Stella Golding on Arcadian Arthur from Western Port EA Inc

• Level 4 Division 1 - Jennifer Robinson on Heathville Jasper from Lancefield EG Inc

• Level 4 Division 2 - Manuala Mclean on Kareela Carrera from Merricks Saddle Club Inc

• Level 5 Division 1 - Kirstie Law on Crofcnoc Jemma from Pheonix RC Inc

• Level 5 Division 2 - Kasey Rose on Wilky Florenco from Pakenham Upper RC Inc.

Local clubs are doing well in the Teams placings, with one Amaroo team placing fourth, Phoenix placing ninth, and the second Amaroo team placing 10th out of 35 teams entered.

Well done to all involved and congratulations to all competitors.

Happy Riding Everyone!

They are successful in local business... but what do our Tip-Stars know about Footy? Follow them every week and give them the feedback they deserve...

Go Green With Go Green With

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Specifications

Heating capacityUp to 280m2 EfficiencyAus 61% / EU 76% Emissions 1.4g/kg

Wood Usage2.7kg/hr

Weight158kg

H/W/D 870-930/770/527

Flue Length 4m From Spigot Color Black Base options

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