Egg-citement is brewing as kids across Melbourne’s north-west dream of what chocolatey goodness the Easter bunny will deliver this Sunday. Many will spend their weekend filling up on sweet treats, baking hot cross buns and attending Easter celebrations with their families. Emily, 10 (pictured) is ready to hunt down any chocolate eggs the Easter bunny leaves behind and fill her basket to the brim.
By Georgia Tacey
Hume council may spend $25,000 to hire celebrity judges as part of its latest push to incentivise cleaner streets.
The latest dumping deterrent, which will now be up for consideration during the 2026-27 budget, is the Keep Hume Clean Awards, with $30,000 projected to be spent on hiring two celebrity judges and an industry expert to judge the municipality’s best kept streets, suburbs and neighbourhoods.
Following a notice of motion from Cr Naim Kurt, officers prepared a report for
how the awards would work, which would cost ratepayers a total of $82,000 if council attempts to run it on its own.
Included in the cost is an awards ceremony with catering for guests, prizes and certificates for winners, as well as the installation of signage reading ‘Best Kept Street 2026’.
In a report to council, officers said they could identify no external funding opportunities to run these awards, with a potential partnership with Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria being explored to ease costs.
The report stated that costs could be
reduced by varying the judging panel proposed,butwhenCrJarrodBellspokeon the item at the 23 March council meeting, he suggested another way council could cut costs on the awards night.
“Maybewedon’tneedtospend$4000on catering, I think we can find a community group to run a sausage sizzle for a bit cheaper, but I’m happy to have those discussions at the appropriate time in the budget discussions,” he said.
Cr Kurt was glad to see the report come to the chamber, and said he had “big hopes and dreams” for his idea.
“I said in the chamber I’d love to see
an awards ceremony, where we’ve got big celebrity judges there. [Officers] went out and they spoke to Jamie Durie, they spoke to Costa, they spoke to a few others and apparently, there’s a bit of a fee that’s involved with it,” he said.
“I was hoping they could do it out of the goodness of their own heart. But there is some funding in there to partner with the Keep Australia Beautiful campaign, and that’ll be able to provide the apparatus for this.”
Cr Kate Hamley was the only councillor to vote against the proposal.
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Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined the occupier of a Sunbury property for the second time in six months.
Paul Attwell’s company Active Farming hasnowbeenfinedatotalof$16,280fortwo separate offences.
The latest fine came after EPA officers conducted a compliance inspection at the company’s Riddell Road property in February this year and discovered smouldering barrels containing ash from burnt cardboard and plastic.
The first fine was in October 2025, when officers discovered burning construction
and demolition waste at the site.
MrAttwellandhiscompanyActiveFarming were fined $10,175 in October by EPA, and also issued a notice that the property must immediately cease accepting industrial waste, immediately cease burning industrial waste and remove all industrial waste by 30 January.
EPA north-western metropolitan regional manager Steve Riley said waste burning continues to create an unacceptable risk to air quality.
“We will continue to monitor this site to ensure this operator is held to account, and
we remind Victorians that all waste needs to bedisposedofataproperlylicensedfacility.
“Burning industrial waste – no matter how big or small the burn – is illegal. If you do the wrong thing, we will catch you and we will not hesitate to take strong action.”
In 2025, EPA said Active Farming was trucking in industrial waste as well as soil to the Riddell Road property, causing concern in the Sunbury community.
As reported by Star Weekly, residents nearby in Canterbury Avenue reported more than 300 trucks a day on their street travelling to and from the Riddell Road
School holiday activities are coming to the Woodend Neighbourhood House, with a packed schedule planned.
Starting from 7 April, the upcoming program features a diverse line-up of activities designed to inspire creativity, movement and imagination.
A highlight of the program is the Dolphin Drumming workshop with Ness Wilde, a lively and immersive bucket drumming experience that promises plenty of rhythm, movement and fun.
Also featured in the program is a craft workshop with local artist Penelope Cato.
Young creatives will create their very own aquarium, exploring colour, texture and imagination while crafting a unique take-home artwork.
Sarah from Shanti Studio returns with two hours of creative fun in her Hop into Autumn Creative Yoga sessions. These workshops combine creativity, gentle movement and time to rest, offering children the chance to slow down, move mindfully and connect with their senses during the school holidays.
Closing out the line-up is adrama workshop presented by Paul Canlan from Storyboard Drama, where participants will build confidence, explore storytelling and let their imaginations shine.
House manager Melissa Baker said the program was carefully curated to offer something for every child.
“Our school holiday program is all about giving children the opportunity to try something new, express themselves creatively, and have fun in a welcoming environment,” she said.
Places are limited and bookings are essential.
Details: woodendnh.org.au
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Expressions of interest for the new Macedon Ranges youth council is open now.
Council in November voted to implement a youth council, with a working group now established.
The working group, comprising of youth who live, work and study across the Ranges from ages 12-17, decided on the process and formation of recruitment for the new youth council.
Council is now seeking new applications from youth aged 12-17 who live in the shire and are looking to take charge in the community.
The youth council will comprise of nine councillors, with three from each council ward.
Youth councillors will get support from councillors who will take on a mentorship role, and will be able to learn
more about how democracy works and take part in real decision making across the Macedon Ranges.
They will also meet regularly to talk about issues affecting young people and provide advice to council.
Youth councillors will serve a two year term, starting in July.
Young people who are looking to lead, advocate for issues that matter most to youth and those looking to make change in their communities are encouraged to apply for the youth council.
Applications for youth councillors will close on Friday 17 April.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 26 June.
Details: yoursay.mrsc.vic.gov.au/ youth-council
property. ResidentsreportedtheirconcernstoEPA and Hume council, with council taking the property owner to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
VCAT ordered in October 2025 that all work must stop immediately at the site.
As part of VCAT’s decision, the land requires permits before any works can be undertaken at the property, with permits needing council approval.
EPA said it will continue to work closely with council to regulate the impacts from the site.
Registered political parties and prospective candidates for the 2026 state election are being urged to familiarise themselves with the regulatory requirements and avoid costly mistakes by registering for a series of new information sessions hosted by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).
The VEC will deliver a comprehensive program of online sessions designed to prepare both party-endorsed and independent candidates for the November state election.
The sessions will cover key topics, including political finance, nomination procedures, how-to-vote card registration, campaign obligations and election operations.
The program will be delivered in three rounds across the year, with six targeted sessions in each round. Sessions are offered at a range of times, including weekdays and weekends.
Electoral commissioner Sven Bluemmel is encouraging candidates to take advantage of this opportunity.
“Prospective candidates will be provided with practical guidance, learn how election processes work on the ground, and have the chance to speak directly with our experts about the election processes that involve them,” Mr Bluemmel said.
Candidates can register for any sessions across the three rounds and may choose to attend multiple sessions on the same topic. Recordings will be made available to registered participants who attend following each session. Further details, including session dates, times and topics covered are available on the registration page at vec.vic.gov.au/se26-info-sessions
By Jack O’Shea-Ayres
Teachers and staff from schools across the west joined a statewide teacher strike on Tuesday 24 March, amid a wages dispute with the state government.
About 30,000 teachers, principals and education support staff walked out of public school classrooms across Victoria, seeking an increase in wages and better working conditions.
Up to 500 schools across the state closed or were significantly affected by the strike, with many students told to stay home amid class cancellations.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) is seeking a 35 per cent rise over four years for its members, arguing Victorian teachers are paid far less than their interstate counterparts.
Many striking staff marched to state parliament in protest of a 17 per cent offer by the state government.
Education Minister Ben Carroll said the government’s initial offer equated to $2.6 billion in extra wages and would immediately lift educators’ pay by up to $11,000.
“This is a very strong offer,” Mr Carroll said.
Hesaidthestategovernmenthaddone “everything we could” to avoid Tuesday’s strike.
Premier Jacinta Allan pleaded for the AEU to cancel the action and return to negotiating to prevent the disruption.
Abanob Saad, a third year history and economics teacher and deputy president of Melton Secondary College’s AEU
sub-branch, said Victorian teaching staff can’t be expected to deliver quality education with the current standards.
“The government expects A-level results but they’re giving D-level investment,” Mr Saad said.
“If you don’t have a safe workplace or fair pay you’re not going to get an education that works for students.”
Mr Saad said stress and unsustainable workloads have made working environments unsafe, leading to mental and physical sickness and staff resignations.
“We have a right to protect our conditions and the safe conditions for students too. This is not just about pay, it’s about conditions and sustainability.”
Melton Secondary College’s AEU subbranch president Ryan Everest said staff’s working conditions directly affected their students.
“Our working conditions are the students’ learning conditions,” Mr Everest said.
Melton Secondary College kept its doors open for general supervision on the day, however all classes were cancelled, according to Mr Saad.
“We can’t be known as the education state if we’re the lowest paying state for teachers,” Mr Saad said.
“We’ll keep fighting until teachers get the fair deal they deserve. We can’t be expected to give up our rights and work on glue-sticks and goodwill.”
Tuesday’s strike was the first teacher strike in 13 years, with the last major statewide strike taking place in February 2013.
Sunbury’s budding track and field stars shared a moment they soon won’t forget after they received a very special visit from Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist Matthew Denny on Sunday 22 March.
Fresh from an outstanding run of form, the Australian discus champion traded the international arena for local ovals, spending time with the young athletes eager to learn from one of the country’s best.
Denny arrived in red-hot form on the day as one of Australia’s headline athletics stars, with recent achievements including an Olympic bronze in Paris 2024, a victory at the 2023 Diamond League Final and a Commonwealth gold in 2022, a resume
which drew plenty of wide-eyed admiration from the next generation.
From hands-on coaching tips to oneon-one training sessions, Denny’s visit offered a rare chance for the region’s future stars to gain insight into what it takes to compete at the highest level.
For Denny, his crucial advice to Australia’s next rising stars was simple.
“I think the biggest tip is to learn how to be balanced and stay enjoying what you do,” he said.
“That’s the important point of what Little Athletics does.”
For many, the highlight was receiving medals directly from the Commonwealth Games gold medallist himself.
A new Landcare group has been formed in the Macedon Ranges.
Kerrie & Districts Landcare Group was formed in March following Upper Deep CreekLandcareNetworkhostingameeting to gauge interest.
The new group will cover parts of Bolinda, Cherokee and Hesket, with the group’s boundaries taking in an area of almost 7000 hectares, which previously had no Landcare group operating.
On Monday 16 March, the committee was formed at a meeting at the Kerrie Hall, which Upper Deep Creek Landcare facilitator Ammie Jackson said was a great result.
“The meetings have been well attended and this shows a real enthusiasm from the community to embark on some Landcare activities,”shesaid. “AtMonday’smeeting, sevenpeoplenominated tojoin thegroup’s
committee, which is very encouraging.
“ManypeoplearekeentojoinaLandcare group and take part in Landcare activities, but unless there is a small group of key members willing to run the committee, these volunteer groups can’t get off the ground.“
MsJacksonsaidalotofprogresshasbeen made already, with the new committee identifying a number of projects and prioritiestheywouldliketofocusonforthe Kerrie and District area.
These include targeting weeds and pests, bushfire preparedness, revegetation, biodiversity, regenerative agriculture and waterways.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the group and how to get involved can contact Ms Jackson.
Details: udc.landcare.facilitator@gmail. com
Macedon Ranges council provides free immunisations as set out by the National Immunisation Program. When you attend a council immunisation session you should bring your child’s health book and Medicare details. All children and adults are required to remain at the immunisation venue for at least 15 minutes after receiving any vaccination. The next round of sessions will be held across the shire on Thursday 2 April. In Gisborne, the session will take place from 9.15am to 10.15am at the Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre. In Kyneton, it will take place from noon to 1pm at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute. In Woodend, it will take place from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at the Woodend Community Centre.
On Friday 3 April, Animal Land Children’s Farm in Diggers Rest will host a special event to raise money for the Good Friday Appeal. The farm will bring some extra magic to its egg hunt, themed as Snow White’s Happily Ever After Egg Hunt. Expect a fairytale-themed Easter egg hunt, farm animals and themed characters, and lots of activities planned across the farm. Limited tickets remain, with all proceeds going towards the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT
Web: starweekly.com.au
Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
Sunbury local Cathie Briggs has been involved with the Sunbury Ladies’ Badminton Club for more than 30 years. She caught up with Georgia Tacey to chat about what she loves about the sport and living in Sunbury.
What’s your connection to Sunbury?
I moved to Sunbury in 1985, bought my first house and raised my family there. It wasmoreofacountrytownthencompared to now. We lived close to kindergarten and schools, which was great at the time. I initially commuted to work in St Albans and Footscray and then found work in Sunbury in 1996 and remained working locally since then.
What do you like about where you live?
Growing up in inner suburbia, it was great to live in a small country town - I loved the country feel. With a growing family, it was great to have schools, sporting facilities, medicalservicesandtransportoptions.My son was born in the local private hospital. We used to walk the local trails, shopped locally and it was not far to travel to larger shopping centres if needed.
Is there anything about Sunbury you’d change or like to see?
The population in Sunbury has grown substantiallysinceImovedthere.Frommy observations, additional sporting facilities are needed, maintenance work on gardens (roundabouts and median strips) leading intothetown,roadrepairs,andthelistgoes on. I was recently disappointed to see the amount of rubbish people dumped on the road up to the Resource Centre. Housing development has exploded in Sunbury to the point that it is no longer a quiet country town. That’s progress I suppose. It still has a good vibe about it and the view as you head north into Sunbury, although now swamped by housing, is still picturesque.
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I’ve been a member of the Sunbury Ladies’ Badminton Club since 1993!.The club had been linked to the Sunbury Badminton Club, then became a separate entity in 1999, focusing on providing daytime badminton for women from Sunbury and
play competition over a week. This could take place anywhere in Australia or New Zealand – Queensland, WA, New Zealand, Tasmania, etc. It’s been a great way to meet up with fellow players from other regions / countries and represent Sunbury Ladies’ Badminton Club. I’ve also played a few Veteran’s (over 35) weekend competitions which are also fun.
Tell us a bit about your role with Sunbury Ladies’ Badminton Club?
In 2017 I took on the role of secretary and have only just handed over the reigns for that role. It was interesting to get the opportunity to get an insight into what’s involvedinrunningasportingorganisation. Memberships, meetings, fundraising, promotion, financial obligations, stadium hire – it’s an interesting and challenging role. During my role as secretary, I am proud of the fact that I was able to secure a couple of grants that enabled us to continue to operate – particularly during COVID. Our members are passionate about our sport, and many have been with the club much longer than I have. They’re a supportive group of women who are eager to see it continue and always willing to get in andhelpoutwhenneeded.That includes coaching newcomers to our sport.
surrounding areas. I used to play socially on a Monday morning but now play competitions on Thursday mornings. The club only operates on Thursday mornings providing both social and competition options. In 2012 I began playing in the annual Atalanta Jamboree where women from Australia and New Zealand gather to
How did you get into badminton?
When my son was three, my sister-in-law invited me to play badminton as an outlet and somewhere my son could be cared for while I played. It was the best thing I ever did. From there I’ve played in other competitions and with other clubs.
The pitter patter of little paws and squeaks thatwillsoonberoarsarecausingplentyof excitement in Werribee.
Werribee Open Range Zoo (WORZ) has revealed that two African Lion cubs were born on 14 February.
The pride’s new pair were born to eight-year-old mum Asali and nine-year-old pride male Sheru, following a three-and-a-half-month pregnancy.
WORZ life sciences co-ordinator Ben Gulli said the cubs are bonding closely with their mother and showing signs of strong development.
“There is nothing cuter than a lion cub, and the whole team is so excited to see them become more curious every day, play fight with each other and curl up together when they nap,” Mr Gulli said.
“Asali is being such a wonderful mum and is always grooming the cubs and
keeping them tucked close by her side.” Asali underwent a caesarean section following a prolonged labour, with veterinarians stepping in to ensure the safety of both mum and cubs.
She initially gave birth to an unusually large litter of six cubs, but four did not make it.
It won’t be long until the cubs meet the rest of the crew.
“Soon the cubs will be introduced to the rest of the pride, which includes their father Sheru, grandmother Nilo and three half-siblings,” Mr Gulli said.
The sex and names of the cubs will be announced in the coming weeks.
Zoo members and visitors are encouraged to visit zoo.org.au and follow @zoosvictoria on social media for updates on when the cubs will make their public debut.
Limited time only Arriving 3 April
(Damjan Janevski) 533892_01
For decades, Aussies have cooled off in summer with the sweet taste of flavoured milk, flowing from a carton of bold colours and bold flavours, donning the letter ‘M’ right across the front. But it’s that same capital M which has fueled debate around Victoria. Jack O’Shea-Ayres dives into the true origin of Big M, and whether Melton might be its true home.
On a hot summer’s day in Victoria, few things feel as instinctively right as folding back the spout on a carton of Big M.
Cold, sweet and unapologetically Australian and nostalgic, the flavoured milk has been a fixture of school bags, servos and beach esky lids for nearly half a century –it’s as much a part of growing up in Victoria as the footy siren or a hot pie with sauce; all which pair perfectly, too.
But behind the familiar carton sits a surprisingly passionate question that refuses to go away, a “rabbithole” of “hearsay” and debate; what does the “M” in Big M actually stand for? And more importantly for locals west of Melbourneis it Melton?
Big M’s story begins back in 1978, when the drink first hit shelves across Victoria.
Born not in a corporate boardroom, the classic milk drink was part of an ambitious government-backed experiment of sorts.
The newly formed Victorian Dairy Industry Authority (VDIA) established the previous year to replace the Victorian Milk Board, was tasked with ensuring a stable milk supply while protecting the livelihood of dairy farmers. At the same time, soft drinks were booming while milk consumption was lagging and falling behind.
The solution was bold, big-bodied, and was chocolate, iced coffee, strawberry and banana flavoured.
Big M was the result of a milk flavoured drink designed to compete with Coca-Cola and its carbonated peers.
From the outset, it was marketed as fun, refreshing, and youthful. Early advertisements leaned heavily into summer imagery; beaches, sunshine, and carefree living. Advertisements featuring bikini-clad models suggestively sipping Big M in the heat were everywhere. It was a far cry from milk’s conservative, breakfast-table reputation, and it worked.
Within a year of launch, flavoured milk salesjumpedanimpressive16percent,and
Big M held 13 per cent of the non-alcoholic beverage market share, reaching $1.5 million in sales.
Over the decades that followed, Big M embedded itself in Victorian culture.
Chocolate, strawberry and banana became staples, with limited-edition flavours generating fierce loyalty. When the chocolate Big M recipe was changed in 2014, the backlash was immediate and vocal, forcing the manufacturer to take note of just how emotionally invested consumers had become.
Ownership of the brand has shifted over time û from the VDIA to National Foods, then to Lion, and more recently to Bega Cheese, which acquired the brand in 2020-21. But the affection for Big M has remained constant.
The mystery of the “M” has been long debated, particularly in online forums. Many assume it simply stands for “milk”, while others argue it references its place of origin - either Melton, or Mordiallac, both of which housed dairy factories that processed milk during the late 20th century.
For Melton’s locals, the claim carries special weight. According to Growth, Progress and Community Spirit: a history of the Melton district, published for Melton council in 2018, Big M’s former
manufacturers confirmed the “M in Big M stands for Melton”.
The assertion has been widely circulated in recent years, bolstered by references in the City of Melton’s 150th Anniversary material and its online heritage exhibition, curated by Melton City Libraries.
It’s a tantalising detail, especially for a community that grew rapidly during the same decades Big M rose to prominence. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Melton was expanding, building new schools, infrastructureandidentity,atimecaptured in photographs of local students at Coburn Primary, Melton West Primary and the then-new Melton Technical School.
ForagloballyrecognisedVictorianbrand at the forefront of milk sales to be carrying Melton’s name, it feels like a fitting legacy of the era.
Yet as with many good local legends, the story is not without its challengers.
Online forums, particularly Reddit, tell a more sceptical tale. One highly viewed post argues the “Big Melton” explanation restslargelyonasingularcustomerservice message from Lion Dairy & Drinks, which owned the brand for two decades. The poster questions whether the response was based on historical fact or a quick google search.
Others point out that while Melton and Mordialloc both had dairy factories operating at the time, Big M was produced atmultiplesitesacross Victoria.The VDIA’s head office, meanwhile, was located in Hawthorn, prompting critics to ask why, if location mattered, the drink wasn’t called “Big H”.
From this very perspective, “Big M” is simply shorthand for “Big Milk”: bold, marketable and deliberately ambiguous.
But current owners of the famous brand Begadidchoosetoweighinonthetopic,as ambiguous as their stance might be.
“We love a good mystery almost as much as Victorians love a choccy Big M,” Bega Group’s flavoured milk brand manager Adele Tarquini said.
“We can’t confirm or deny what the ‘M’ really stands for. What we can say is that Big M has a big history of flavours, fun, and Victorian energy.
“Whether you’re team Melton, team Mordialloc or just team flavoured milk, we love that Victorians are still debating it almost 50 years on!”
Unlike many corporate brands with meticulously documented origins, Big M emerged from a unique moment in Victorian history - when a government authority decided to fight cola with chocolate milk. Records are incomplete, memories conflict, and marketing myth has blurred with fact.
“Since 1977, Big M has been the trusty sidekick for beach days, bakery pit-stops and everything in between,” Ms Tarquini said.
In that way, it’s perfect for the Big M brand - continuous debate is the perfect low-effort marketing strategy - why not keep the mystery alive?
What is clear is that Big M belongs to Victoria as a whole. It is a product of state pride, dairy innovation and decades of loyal drinkers. Whether the “M” stands for Melton, milk, Mordialloc or marketing genius may ultimately matter less than what Big M represents: a shared cultural touchstone.
For Melton though, the claim is worth savouring.
Even the possibility of one of Victoria’s most notorious brands carrying the town’s name is a reminder of the region’s place in the state’s history.
As debate continues online and in lunchrooms, one thing is certain; Big M has done exactly what it was designed to do back in 1977 - spark conversation, stand out, and keep Victorians coming back for another sip.
As with the drink itself, the story is layered, sweet, and unmistakably Victorian.
Previous Big M owner Lion Corporate was contacted for comment.
Each month, Stephanie Martinez will share an exciting craft project designed to inspireandsparkcreativity.
Stephanie starred in the first season of Making It on Network 10, where she discovered and ignited her passion for crafting.
JoinStephanieassheexplorestheendless possibilities of crafting and turn everyday materialsintosomethingextraordinary.
This month, Stephanie is creating an Easterchickbonnet.
Easter chick bonnet
Materials
3x A4 yellow sheets of paper
Orange paper
White paper
Black paper
Coloured feathers
Equipment
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Glue stick
Step 1: Create the brim and strips
Place a yellow A4 sheet in portrait.
Measure 6cm in from one long edge and draw a straight line from the top to bottom to form the brim. On the larger section, draw vertical lines every 3cm to create 10 strips. Cut along the lines up to the brim, then cut off every second strip. Repeat with the second sheet.
Step 2: Form the hat base
Glue the sheets together side by side, slightly overlapping one sort edge. Curve to fit your head and glue the ends together to form a circular hat.
Step 3: Create the bonnet top
Bend the strips up and over the top, glue them together in the centre, then continue with the remaining strips.
Step 4: Decorate your chick
Scan QR code and follow the links for more creative fun.
Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors
35 years ago 2 April, 1991
The Barro Group has withdrawn its controversial application for a huge quarryatthefootofMtMacedon.
20 years ago 4 April, 2006
The Sunbury State Emergency Service will try housing its equipment at the Sunbury CFA’s headquarters in a bid to address concerns about response times.
15 years ago 29 March, 2011
Sunbury is to become Hume’s music hub with the opening of a recording studioatthesuburb’syouthcentre.
Cut out circles for the eyes (white and black), an orange beak, and glue them onto the chick. Cut two yellow wings and glue them to the sides and add some feathers to the top.
10 years ago 29 March, 2016
A medium-sized stone quarry near Tylden is set to triple in size after a dramatic Macedon Ranges council decision, which included unusually emotional councillors, two objectors wearing dressing gowns and another stormingoutduringthedebate.
By Georgia Tacey
Fuel price and interest rate rises could lead to an uptick in tourism in the Macedon Range,apeaktourismboardhassaid.
DestinationCentralVictoriainterimchief
executive Paul Matthews said the rising costs, particularly for international travel, may lead a push for Victorians to travel locally.
“Fuel increases also offer opportunity for travellers that may now defer interstate or overseastripsandchoosetotravellocal,”he said.
“As a region, Victoria’s Heartland is well
positioned to capitalise on these markets andactuallyattractmorevisitors.”
Mr Matthews said the board continues to monitor the ongoing fuel situation very closely,butsaidlocaloperatorsshouldn’tbe concerned.
He said the region’s hotspots, including Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton and Malmsbury, are all well connected via V/Line services, and said visitation has historically shown resilience during rising fuelcosts.
“When markets change, it’s important thatasanindustryweworktogethertofocus onwhatopportunitiesthenewenvironment
brings,” he said. “At Destination Central Victoria we are always looking for the silver lining in our operating environment to support our many amazing tourism and hospitalitybusinesses.
“For example, we have already been proactively positioning this area as easily accessible by train and will continue to do so. The fact we are only an hour or so from Melbournealsoworksinourfavour.”
However,CertifiedPractisingAccountant Australia (CPA Australia) has warned the recent interest rate rise and fuel price hikes willdeepenthecost-of-livingcrisis.
CPA Australia business and investment
Vegetables are getting edgy across Macedon Ranges again this April as the Edgy Veg awards enters its fifth year.
RunningfromApril1-30,themonth-long celebration of vegetable dishes will span eateries across Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander shires, with 29 cafes, pubs and restaurants serving up some veg-forward dishes.
In Gisborne, 3 Little Pigs Cafe will serve up a fragrant vegetable curry, while Bowl’d is bringing its soul harvest protein bowl.
In Woodend, you can’t miss trying 600 Above’sCharredCabbage,andwhenyou’re ready for dessert, head to Mount Macedon Trading Post for a blueberry and coconut chia pudding topped with toasted seeds. Found a favourite dish? Don’t forget to vote for it in the Edgy Veg Awards, with the winner decided by the public. RanbyVegActionoftheMacedonRanges
Sustainability Group, the competition the group said the competition is more important than ever, with the latest AUSVEG Vegetable Industry Sentiment Survey showing two in five growers are considering leaving the industry within a year, with the competition helping support local farmers and eateries.
Macedon Ranges mayor Kate Kendall encouraged the community to get out to the 29 eateries and enjoy a veg-forward meal.
“The Edgy Veg Awards celebrate what happens when local food, creativity, and health come together,” she said.
“We’re thrilled to back an initiative that encourages people to eat well while supporting local businesses, the farmers and producers in our own backyard. As a vegetarian myself, I’m excited!”
Details: edgyvegawards.com.au
lead Gavan Ord said fuel reliant businesses are already feeling the pain, with transport, trades, logistics, agriculture and regional operatorsamongthehardesthit.
“These businesses are feeling bruised by higher fuel costs that are flowing through everypartoftheiroperations,”MrOrdsaid.
“Fuel isn’t optional – it’s fundamental – and when prices spike, costs rise immediatelywithverylittleroomtohide.”
Mr Matthews said the tourism board has not yet heard from any local businesses yet with concerns, but said he will monitor the situation closely and support the tourism industryasthesituationchanges.
Nestled above the meandering edge of EMU CREEK, with views across Sunbury’s GOLDEN FIELDS, ROCKCLIFFE is thoughtfully planned to embrace NATURE at every turn.
In such a peaceful setting, now home to Rockcliffe, nature once again proved the inspiration for a unique residential community. Here was a pristine environment, nestled naturally into a picturesque creek-side setting, with conservation areas on either side and panoramas across golden fields to the familiar outline of Melbourne’s cityscape in the distance.
The opportunity to preserve and celebrate that natural beauty became the foundation for Rockcliffe’s masterplan — a design that enables residents to enjoy both the peaceful, tree-lined streets and plentiful green space of a nature-inspired neighbourhood, and the ready-made convenience of Sunbury’s thriving, long-established town centre just minutes away by car.
Find out more: WWW.ROCKCLIFFESUNBURY.COM.AU
Starts Good Friday 3rd April 8.00 am Ends Tues 7th April 5.00 pm
CLOSED Easter SUNDAY
10% Nursery wide minimum discount. CFA Sausage sizzle, Kids activities, no rewards points. CFA fundraising for Childrens Appeal Good Friday Huge discounts, dont miss out!
Azalea10% off
Bulbs10% off
Camellia10% off
Citrus10% off
Climbers10% off
Conifers20% off
Edibles50% off
Exotic10 to 50% off
Fruit trees10 to 50% off
Hedging10 to 50% off
Hydrangea10 to 20% off
Indoors30% off
Natives10 to 50% off
Ornamental trees10 to 60% off
Pyrus Capital20% off
Acer Jeffers Red Autumn blaze20% off
Cercis Redbud20% off Crepe Myrtles10 to 20% off
Weepers (Selected)60% off
Perrenials10 to 50% off
Potted colour10% off
Protea10% off
Rhododendron10% off
Seeds10% off
Water plants20% off
Garden Decor10% off
Giftware 10%10% off
Garden Care10% off
Pots10 to 50% off
Water Features30% off
Furnature and Baskets20% off
Raised Garden Beds10% off
Victorians are throwing away thousands of dollars in potential refunds every day, with many eligible drink containers still ending up in household rubbish bins instead of being returned through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic)
NewresearchshowsoneinfiveVictorians are missing out on refunds because eligible containers such as flavoured milk bottles and juice boxes are often overlooked and discarded.
Since CDS Vic launched in November 2023, almost three billion drink containers have been returned, putting nearly $300 million back into Victorians’ pockets. But with millions of eligible containers still being thrown away, there is a significant opportunity for Victorians to claim even more.
Flavoured milk cartons and bottles are among the biggest offenders. Despite being eligible for a 10-cent refund through CDS Vic, almost half (49 per cent) of Victorians put these in their household recycling bin. Another 10 per cent say they throw them in the landfill bin.
Juice boxes and poppers are also frequently misplaced. Around 40 per cent of Victorians put them in household recyclingand14percentinlandfill,despite these items also being eligible for a refund through CDS Vic.
At the same time, almost one in five Victorians(18percent)attemptedtoreturn containers through the scheme that are ineligible.
Confusion about eligibility remains one of the biggest barriers to recycling through thescheme,saidMattDavis,chiefexecutive of scheme coordinator VicReturn.
“Many everyday drink containers, including flavoured milk bottles and
juice boxes, can be returned for a 10-cent refund, but they’re still often ending up in household bins instead.”
He encouraged Victorians to check container labels for the 10-cent mark and remember that most aluminium cans, plastic bottles and small beverage cartons are eligible for refunds through CDS Vic.
“Every container returned through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme helps reduce litter and keep valuable materials in the recycling loop and remade into new drink containers,” Mr Davis added.
What’s eligible through CDS Vic:
• Aluminium, glass, plastic and carton drink containers 150mL to 3 Litres
• Fruit and vegetable juice bottles, cans and cartons 150 ml to 1 Litre
• Flavoured milk and coffee bottles and cartons 150ml to 750ml
• Water, soft drink, sports drink, energy drink, beer and cider bottles and cans 150ml to 1 Litre
Tip: Keep the lids on as these can be recycled too!
What’s not:
• Plain milk bottles and cartons
• Flavoured milk, fruit or vegetable juice containers over 1 Litre
• Wine and spirit bottles
• Cordial bottles
• Drink containers under 150ml
• Crushed containers
To learn more about what can be returned through the scheme, visit cdsvic.org.au/eligible-containers.
Good Friday
The Combined Churches of Sunbury will again be hosting the annual Good Friday ecumenical gathering, to be held this year at St Anne’s Catholic church Riddell Road at 10am on 3 April. All are welcome to come together in worship and fellowship. www.sunburychurches.com.au
Sunbury Art Society
Join the SAS group and share your love for all things arty. Pop into the new facilities at the Artrise Precinct, Jacksons Hill. The group currently meets on Fridays and Saturdays, 10am-3pm. New members and beginners most welcome.
www.sunburyartsociety.com
Woodlands Ladies Probus Club of Sunbury
Woodlands Ladies Probus Club is for retired and semi-retired ladies who are looking for new friends and social activities. The club meets on the fourth Monday every month at Club Sunbury, with guest speakers and lunch after if you wish.
Jessie, 0458 190 254 or woodlandsladies.3429@gmail.com
Chamber Poets
The Chamber Poets Woodend meet every second Saturday of the month at the Woodend RSL. Featuring open readings, special guests and music. Donation $10 at the door.
facebook.com/groups/ChamberPoets/ about
Scottish Country Dancing Group
The Macedon Ranges Scottish Country Dancing Group meet every Thursday, 1pm to 3pm, at Buffalo Stadium, Woodend. The dancing involves social country dancing, not the highland dancing many people think of. The group dance in sets, learning different steps and formations – no special clothes needed, just soft flat shoes. The group are a friendly group having fun and keeping fit at the same time. You don’t need to bring a partner, just a smile and sense of fun. Lynne, 0417 331 439 or Norm, 0408 592 609
CWA Sunbury
CWA Sunbury meets second and fourth Mondays at St Mary’s Church in O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury. All women are welcome, bring your grandchildren if you are caring for them, there is a playground available.
Bev Goodman, 0402 988 954
With One Voice Sunbury
The WOV Sunbury community choir is changing the world one voice at a time by providing an opportunity for people to meet and experience the joy of singing, often making friends through the shared experiences of singing and performing; although performing is not required. One Voice Sunbury community choir rehearses each Tuesday, from 6.30pm, at Goonawarra Neighbourhood House. A fun and welcoming choir, new members are welcome – just join in on the fun. sunbury@withonevoice.org.au
Neighbourhood garden
Become part of Sunbury’s Neighbourhood Garden and grow edible and useful plants in a social group at Sunbury Neighbourhood House, 531 Elizabeth Drive, Sunbury. All skill sets are welcome. www.sunburyhouse.com.au or 9740 6978
Hume Men’s Shed
The Hume Men’s Shed (Sunbury) is a non for profit organisation, meeting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 158 Evans Street, Sunbury. The group
This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Nick Wilson, who is the co-artistic director of Snuff Puppets. (Damjan Janevski) 542239_01
caters for men be it carpentry, welding, metal work, gardening or just to chat.
sunburymensshed.com or 0438 677 425
Macedon Ranges Photographic Society
Are you into photography, just starting out, or a fully fledged professional? The Macedon Ranges Photographic Society is your local camera club for friendship, photographic outings, workshops, guest presenters, competitions and more. Come along to a meeting on the first and second Monday of the month. Doors open at 7pm and the meeting starts at 7.30pm at Jubilee Hall, 52 Smith Street, Macedon. www.macedon-ranges-photography.org. au, or info@macedon-ranges-photography. org.au
Insync Entertainment
Insync Entertainment is an all-female community choir, providing the opportunity to meet others who enjoy singing. The group is seeking new members to join the friendly choir. No auditions required. They rehearse at the Sunbury Baptist Church Hall every Monday from 7.15–9.30pm. insyncentertainment@gmail.com
Sunbury Seniors
Sunbury Seniors meets on Mondays and Fridays from 10am to 2.30pm [except Public Holidays]. The Club has returned to its original location now that the Sunbury Seniors Hub, 8 Oshanassy Street, Sunbury has been rebuilt. From 19 January 2026, a
variety of activities will be offered including carpet bowls, cards, pool, jigsaw puzzles, board games, darts, table tennis, monthly guest speakers and outings and subsidised lunches or just a cuppa and a chat. www.sunburyseniors.com.au or 0434 400 754
Jacksons Creek Combined Probus
The club meets on the second Monday of each month at the Sunbury Bowling Club at 10am. This friendly group of men and women enjoy outings and meetings each month and twice yearly trips away staying in cabins and caravans. Visitors and new members are warmly welcomed Doug, 5428 3317 or Teresa, 0417 373 006
Craft and conversation
Head down to the Sunbury Library on Mondays at noon for the craft and conversation group. The program is free and open to people aged 15 years and older.
https://bit.ly/39BIu2O
CWA Woodend Eves
The CWA Woodend Eves Branch is part of the Central Highlands group and meets every third Tuesday at 7pm at the Woodend Golf Club. All women are welcome. cwawoodendeves@gmail.com
Sunbury Badminton Club
The Sunbury Badminton Club plays social games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
nights, from 7.30-9.30pm, and on Wednesdays, 10am-noon. Monday night is a round robin competition from 7.30-9.30pm. All are welcome to attend at Clarke Oval Stadium, 49 Riddell Road. sunburybc@gmail.com
Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
Toastmasters helps its members develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 7.20–9.30pm, at the Sunbury Community Centre, 531 Elizabeth Drive, Sunbury. vpm-4185@toastmastersclubs.org
Friends of Woodlands Historic Park
Help preserve Woodlands Historic Park and learn about its history by joining the Friends of Woodlands Historic Park. The group consists of volunteers, working one day each month in the park, on projects including plant propagation and revegetation, weed removal, litter control and other activities. Some members may also work in the park on projects at other times. Becoming a member of the group is easy and free, and is open to like-minded people who want to take positive action to maintain our environment. You must be 18 or older and enjoy outdoor activities. The Friends group meets on the first Saturday of each month at the Parks Victoria depot off Somerton Road, Greenvale. Bevan, 0468 469 514 or bevan@keepemail.com
A new generation of talent will follow in the footsteps of AC/DC and Queen when they perform at the new Sunbury Music Festival.
Hume council is helping continue the legacy of the Sunbury Pop Festival, the iconic festival in the ‘70s that paved the way for many Australian music festivals with the Sunbury Music Festival.
This new festival will set a new era for the event and also celebrate Sunbury’s rich music history while bringing together mu-
sic lovers of all styles and ages. Headlined by Australia’s Queen of Soul Marcia Hines, much-loved pop-rock outfit Rogue Traders featuring Natalie Bassingthwaighte, and triple j favourites Teen JesusandTheJeanTeasers,SunburyMusic Festival truly is set to be a must-see event. Also coming along is a feast of music genres, with Aussie R&B legends The Badloves, indie country singer songwriter Ruby Mae, and jazz/rock fusion eightpiece JAZZPARTY who are set to make it a
festival for all.
Mayor Carly Moore welcomed the exciting new instalment for Sunbury’s music scene.
“We are proud to see the Sunbury Music Festival emerge as an exciting new event for Melbourne’s north, celebrating our music festival legacy while offering something fresh for audiences of all ages,” she said.
“Sunbury’s proud music heritage is well‐known to locals, and we’re excited
Trash with a Porpoise is ready to prove that a serious issue such as waterway health can be presented in a fun way.
Coming to the Wyndham Cultural Centre on Tuesday 14 April, the sketch comedy is designed for children and families to discover new ways of keeping waterways healthy.
Packed House Productions and Trash Puppets employ animal puppets to deliver short, punchy— and at times hilarious - sketches while exploring themes of marine waste.
Before we go any further, yes, a trash puppet is exactly what it sounds like, a puppet made out of trash!
The all-star puppet cast include crabs, sea slugs, penguins, a sea horse and a puffer fish, who will join the main characters: Porpoise and Merf.
Students can expect to be mesmerised by the diversity of sea creatures and the stories, songs and jokes they share.
The show includes participatory elements, where students will be called
upon to help, including call and response, and even inviting some audience members to help in the show!
With a cross curricular focus on sustainability and the performing arts, this performance is suitable for school students in years prep to six and their families.
Please note the performance may contain smoke, haze and strobe lighting.
The show runs 11am-12pm on and tickets are $5 per person.
The Bacchus Marsh Easter Fest (BMEF) is hopping into town this Good Friday, 3 April for its eleventh annual instalment at Maddingley Park.
The volunteer-run family Easter Festival raises funds for the Bacchus Marsh Hospital Urgent Care Department and has raised more than $65,000 since its induction in 2015.
From 9.30am to 4pm the event will offer a wide range of family-favourite events including egg hunts throughout the day for multiple ages, an adults only egg hunt, an
Easter bonnet parade on the main stage, local performers, rides and amusements, an animal farm, face painting, and everything in between.
And for those who love markets, there’s set to be a line-up of 60 plus market stalls to appeal to anyone and everyone.
Local performers and entertainment is set to appear on stage throughout the day, so everyone’s invited to take a seat, lay out a picnic rug, and enjoy a cuppa or a bite to eat with the sound of local talent delivering the perfect soundtrack.
for visitors to enjoy the line‐up and experience our vibrant city for themselves. It’s a great opportunity to support the local businesses that keep our community thriving.”
Tickets are on sale now for Sunbury Music Festival, coming to The Nook on Saturday 18 April.
Gates are set to open at 1pm, for a full day of music and fun.
Details: hume.vic.gov.au/Sunbury-Music-Festival
Locals are invited to view a participatory light and sound installation in the form of video and projection at Brimbank.
The artwork ‘Hayakal al Noor’ , Bodies of Light, as part of Brimbank council’s Writers and Readers Festival, explores text, light and existence.
Sydney-based artist Narjis Mirza said her artwork was inspired by the works of two Persian Muslim philosophers Shihab ud Deen Suhrawardi, who presented the philosophy of illumination, and Mulla Sadra Shirazi’s concept of gradation of reality.
“In medieval Islamic philosophy the phenomenon of light and existence are together,” Mirza said.
“Existence is described as gradations of a singular reality, a singular light.”
The artwork features a light projection of sacred Arabic letters found in the Quran. Mirza said the letters feature in the opening of some Quran chapters, either alone, in pairs, or in trios.
She added that the letters are known as the ‘disjointed letters’ and do not form any words.
“They are read as independent letters and hence their enunciation is important,” Mirza said.
While the Brimbank projection doesn’t include audio, the visuals in Mirza’s original version of the work, an installation developed as part of her PhD, are accompanied by a woman’s voice pronouncing the letters.
Mirza said the voice hints philosophically at how enunciation (to voice or to say) is one of the primary acts of creation.
“[The woman’s voice] is significant because ‘creativity’ , in the works of the philosophers, is a feminine act,” she said.
Founder and event organiser Dotty Hazell said excitement is brewing for the big day, but volunteers are needed to keep the community event alive.
“We’re very excited to keep on delivering this formidable festival, but we need more volunteers to be able to keep bringing this and other events to Bacchus Marsh and Moorabool,” she said.
For those wanting to lend a helping hand, visit www.bacchusmarsheasterfest.org
For hunt tickets, go to www.ticketebo. com.au/bmef
As each letter is enunciated in the original installation, the letters appear as the light descends.
Mirza invited locals to also view the work on her website where they can hear the sound as part of the original piece.
‘Hayakal al Noor’ (Bodies of Light) is on display at the wall behind the Brimbank Community and Civic Centre, 301, Hampshire Road, Sunshine.
The free work can be viewed until Friday 29 May. The projection occurs between 7–11 pm.
More info: narjismirza.com
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. No.
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)
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)
Today’s Aim:
12 words: Good 18 words: Very good 24 words: Excellent
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”. A T O P L G H Y O
3 LETTERS
5
4 LETTERS AIDE CABS CAMP
1 Sadie Sink (pictured) plays which character in the Netflix series StrangerThings?
2 What country has been the birthplace of the most number of Popes?
3 The Jimny is a type of car made by which company?
4 The hyoid bone is found in what part of the human body? 5 The Australian lake Kati Thanda is also known by what name?
The Kay Scarpetta books are written by which author?
7 Florsheim is a US company that makes what product?
8 Which famous composer wrote the music and lyrics for the musical KissMe,Kate?
9 Approximately how many kilograms does a standard men’s shot put weigh?
10 In the Shinto religion, the Inari Okami is the deity of rice, sake and what animal?
ACROSS
1 Hand-written book (10)
6 Overwhelmed (4)
10 Having good cause (10)
11 Brittle (5)
12 Supreme (7)
13 Not as old (7)
14 Symbol representing an idea rather than a sound (9)
16 Long tooth (4)
19 Lazily (4)
21 Ancestral lines (9)
24 Praise (7)
27 (Of a voice) higher and thinner (7)
28 Upright (5)
29 Angular distance east or west (9)
30 Sword handle (4)
31 Cascades (10) DOWN
1 Grand (8)
2 Epistaxis among the lay population (9)
3 Brilliant (7)
4 German area along the Rhine (9)
5 Rice field (5)
7 Extort (5)
8 Exit (6)
9 Pronounce not guilty (6)
15 Impediment (9)
17 Relating to sacred matters (9)
18 Those who illegally seize power (8)
20 Annual (6)
22 Local law enforcer (7)
23 Friendliness (6)
25 Danger (5)
26 Greek letter (5)
1. Phil Dunster plays which fictional star soccer player in TedLasso?
2. How many colours are on the Seychelles flag?
3. Ag is the symbol for which element on the periodic table?
4. David Bowie played a goblin king in which 1986 movie?
5. In which country was singer Bryan Adams born?
6. Which Puerto Rican rapper made their wrestling debut in 2021?
7. What is the capital of Latvia?
8. How many planets from the sun is Saturn?
9. Florence Pugh (pictured) made her film acting debut in which 2014 drama?
10. LL Cool J held what profession before playing Sam Hanna on NCIS:LosAngeles?
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 words ending in “s”. A T I U Y Q T N I
Star Weekly seeks an enthusiastic Full or Part time Sales Executive to work across our print, digital, social and online platforms.
Star Weekly is an independently owned company which prides itself on its long history of community experience but also its investment in the future.
The successful applicant will need to possess good people skills to enable them to meet with local businesses to sell solutions through our advertising platforms to help promote their business.
Applicants will need their own reliable vehicle for which we will provide an allowance.
The position is salaried, plus we offer an open ended commission scheme.
Send your application letter and resume to: Advertising Sales Manager, Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au www.starnewsgroup.com.au
1. Serbian NBA player Nikola Jokić is famously passionate about his love for which animals?
2. Since 2008, Nintendo and Sega have co-developed a video game franchise about Mario and which other character at the Olympics?
3. Australian tennis coach and former player Marinko Matosevic was recently handed a four-year ban for what reason?
4. Footwork Arrows was a Formula One racing team based in which country?
5. What kind of animal does Frankie Muniz voice in the 2005 sports comedy movie RacingStripes?
2005 sp Racing Essend release docume t Austral win A Champ 8 Whic Arsena Caraba Aft USA, w cham 10 Te Carlo beate in Miam 11. M team which Frankie Muniz
Essendon FC recently released a minidocumentary subtitled ‘Spend a day with ...’ who?
Which two races did Australian runner Jessica Hull win medals in at the World Athletics Indoor Championships?
Which team defeated Arsenal to win this year’s Carabao Cup?
After defeating Team USA, which country has won its first ever World Baseball Classic championship?
Tennis world No.1
Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by which player in the third round of the Miami Open?
Moana Pasifika is a team which competes in which sporting league?
12. Which F1 driver scored his first career podium for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix?
13. Which golfer won the Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove by four strokes?
14. A MotoGP race descended into chaos after sinkholes were discovered on the track in which country?
15. The Australian Test cricket team will play four matches against which rival for the 2026/27 Test summer?
16. Which Parramatta Eels NRL player will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL knee injury?
17. Which current F1 driver won the 2026 24 Hours of Nürburgring, only to be disqualified after the race?
18. Former Test cricketer Brad Haddin has been named the new coach of which state?
19. During an NRL game at Canberra Stadium, glass shattered in the coaching box, injuring which coach’s hand?
20. In chess, the player with which colour pieces always begins the game?
21. Which nation will Australia play in the Qualifying Round of the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup?
22. Future AFL team Tasmania Devils recently made their debut in which football league?
23. And in what year will the Devils debut in the AFL and AFL Women’s?
24. A large number of injuries to what part of the body have occurred in the opening rounds of the 2026 AFL season?
25. Which nation will host the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup?
26. AAMI Stadium was a former AFL ground located in which state?
27. Which country defeated the
to claim its third Women’s Asian Cup title?
28. March Madness is an annual US tournament in which colleges compete in what sport?
29. Which Matildas player was awarded the Player of the Tournament Award at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup?
30. Approximately, what percentage of an Olympic gold medal is actually gold?
By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring
There’s a misconception out there that, in late-2021, Toyota was the first manufacturer to launch a petrol/electric hybrid passenger vehicle onto the Australian market.
While the Prius name quickly became synonymous with the emerging powertrain technology, in fact it arrived about six months after the Honda Insight.
The Insight didn’t live up to its name leaving Toyota to dominate the hybrid (HEV) market to such an extent that it now offers them in just about every model in its range. Indeed, many of its most popular models, such as Camry, Corolla and RAV4 are only available as hybrids.
Honda has returned to the fray recently with all five of its current vehicles coming with its advanced e:HEV technology. Unlike the more common parallel hybrid systemwherethebatteryassiststheengine to drive the vehicle the Honda e:HEV has two self-charging motors.
The smaller of the two motors is charged by the petrol engine and in turn charges both the battery and also feeds into the larger motor which drives the vehicle.
The system switches automatically between three driving modes, EV, Hybrid and Engine. In EV Drive the main electric motor powers the car using energy from the battery.
In Hybrid Drive the petrol engine provides the energy to the drive motors as well as replenishing the EV battery.
EngineDrivedirectlypowersthevehicle athighspeedwithalock-upclutchdirectly connectingthepetrolenginetothewheels for maximum efficiency.
Honda has three small to medium sized SUVs in its range. The ZR-V, launched here in2023wasthefirstbrand-newHondacore model to be introduced here in 20 years. It’s built on the same platform, and is around the same length as the current Civic hatchback. It sits between the two well-established Honda SUVs, the smaller HR-V and the larger CR-V.
ZR-V comes in three petrol-only grades (VTi X+, VTi L+ and VTi LX) ranging in price from $37,900 to $49,000 with our test vehicle, the hybrid e:HEV LX, selling for $54,900. All prices are drive away.
While brand ‘family’ grills are very much in vogue at the moment, Honda has done the opposite with its SUVs. The three designs are quite different, CR-V has the boldest of the three, HR-V gets a slimline full-width style with ZR-V adopting the more conservative look.
The small black grille sits below wide wraparound headlights with L-shaped daytime running lights. The Honda badge in the centre has blue infill to identify its electric component.
The entry-level VTi X+ comes with 17-inch alloy wheels. All other models step up to 18 inches.
The ZR-V petrol models are powered by a 1.5-litre VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 131kW of power at 6000 rpm and 240Nm of torque between 1700 and 4500 revs.
It is paired with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and is front-wheel drive (FWD) only.
The e:HEV version combines a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol with two electric motors and total system outputs of 135kW and 315Nm.
It is also FWD only with transmission sent through an e-CVT electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.
Interior
ThecabinoftheZR-Vhasaqualityfeelwith soft-touch surfaces and a full-width mesh grille that hides the normally exposed front airvents.
Controls are simple and generally easy to use as we have come to expect from Honda overtheyears.
Physical buttons are offered to the right side of the touchscreen for oft-used functions, with other controls are located lowerdownfortheairconditioning.
The instrument panel can be configured as dials or bars and you can select detailed information to display, but it lacks the bells andwhistlesofcompetitorsystems.
Standard equipment on the base model includespremiumclothupholstery,a9-inch infotainment touch-screen, eight-speaker soundsystem,wirelessAppleCarPlay,wired Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, eight-speaker sound system, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and rain-sensing wipers andparkingsensorsfrontandback.
The VTi L+ adds leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, heated front seats, hands-free power tailgate, rear privacy glass,andmetalpaddleshifts.
VTi LX in both petrol and hybrid variants get leather-appointed seats, 360-degree MultiView camera system and heated outer rearseats.
Boot size is a moderate 370 litres in the e:HEV with the rear seatbacks in place, expanding to 1302 when they are folded. Nosparewheel,justthedreadedtyre-repair kit.
Infotainment
The 9.0-inch touchscreen is small by present-day standards. It’s located at the top of the dashboard within easy reach for the driver. There is a physical volume knob aswellashomeandbackbuttons.
Apple CarPlay is wireless but Android Autoiswired.
The 10.2-inch digital information cluster screen displays a good amount of driver information.ThereareUSB-AandUSB-Cat thefrontandtwoUSB-Cpointsattherear.
The e:HEV LX comes with a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system and a Qi –compatible wireless smartphone charging padinthecentreconsolearea.
Safety
HondaZR-Vleadstheclassinpassivesafety with 11 airbags, including a front-centre anddriver’skneeairbag.
Otherstandardfeaturesincludeadaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, driver attentionmonitoring,lane-keepassist,rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring, intelligent speed limiter, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring.
Note that the ZR-V only achieved a four-star rating due to a lower-functioning driver attention monitor and an absence of a Backover feature in its Autonomous EmergencyBrakingsystem.
Driving
The tall roofline makes getting in and out relatively easy. The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive with excellent visibility to the front and sides although let
RATINGS
Looks: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 7.5/10
Thirst: 8.5/10
Practicality: 8/10
Comfort: 7/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 7/10
downsomewhatbythelimitedrear-window glass.
While it does have the usual suite of warning signals and interventions they are nowhere nearly as intrusive as in many other new cars. Indeed, throughout our two-week test we only rarely found it necessarytoturnanyofthemoff
Starting in electric or hybrid mode provides the strong and smooth acceleration that we expect. Likewise with the sharp acceleration into a motorway streamoftraffic.
Wind and road noise are all-but absent, except in the last case on course surfaces.
Ride and handling are surprisingly good forasquarishmid-sizedSUVcourtesyofits sharedCivicunderpinnings.
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Summary
The Honda ZR-V is an excellent addition to the highly competitive small/medium SUV segment. In hybrid mode it competes against vehicles ranging in size from the Toyota C-HR and Kia Kona up to Nissan QashqaiandToyotaRAV4.
At just under $55,000 it’s $6500 dearer than its similarly-equipped LX sibling and it will take quite a few years for its fuel savingstooffsetthatextracost.
The other issue is the lack of the fifth ANCAPstarwhichisquiterarenowadays. We’dexpecttheAEBissuetobecorrected inafutureupgrade.
Standard warranty on the e:HEV is five years with eight years on the battery, both withunlimiteddistance.
By Tara Murray
Gisborne is focused on making its mark on the field in the Bendigo Football League this season, after its failed attempt to change competitions in the off season.
The Bulldogs remain in the Bendigo league this season, after the league and AFL Victoria blocked their wish to change the Ballarat Football League.
New Bulldogs’ assistant coach Jack Reaper said the group was focused on what they could achieve this season.
“It’s been going good,” he said. “Obviously, it’s not the change that we wanted in terms of going to the Ballarat league.
“That’s flowed pn and affected our numbers in the reserves and 18s which is disappointing.
“Once the final decision was made it hasn’t really been talked about at a playing and coaching level.
“Weunderstandthosethingswillhappen in the background, we’ll focus on our season in the Bendigo league with eight worthy opponents and do our best to be competitive and shake the league up.
“We’ll control what we can control”
TheBulldogshavemanagedtokeeptheir core group together for another season.
Reaper said one of the main things in local football clubs was getting people to the club and getting them to stay there.
‘We’ve been running with a core group since the 2022 premiership,” he said.
“Most of those people from the premiership team are still there along with anyone that we’ve added and they’re driving the
standards and building the expectation of the group.”
TheBulldogshavehadfourplayersspend pre-seasons with Victorian Football League clubs, with Shane Clough, James Gray and Dylan Johnstone earning contracts.
Reaper said it was amazing exposure for thethreeandMatthewMerrettandtheyhad been their best in their practice matches.
He said they had been really happy with their practice match form.
“Everything we’ve been trying to train, has come to fruition and we’ve taken some risks the last couple of weeks and got the results.”
The star defender will spend this season on the sidelines after putting off knee surgery to December to prevent him from having a tilt at returning for finals this year.
By Tara Murray
It is set to be a different looking Sunbury Kangaroos that takes to the field in round one in the Essendon District Football League division 2 competition.
After missing out on finals last season, the Kangaroos have added a number of recruits while the club is set to get some growth from their younger players.
Co-coach Dean Young said it had been a really good off season
“We had our second practice match on the weekend and it was good to get the bus and gel a bit,” he said.
“We were talking about it the other night and we had five new players play on Saturday and we’ve got another four coming in this week.
“Hopefully it’s looking good and all should be in the side round one. We are stoked with the depth that we have got in and we’re confident in the young lads.”
Young, who is sharing the coaching duties with Shanon Carroll, said they had got to work early to fill some of their needs.
He said a ruck and a couple of mids were the key targets which they locked in early.
Things then started to fall the Kangaroos’ way.
“We had one player walk in off the street,” he said of Callum May. “He moved from the opposite side of town and is a walk up senior mid.
“Josh Nanninga has been playing at HinterlandandknewTieCuffesotheconnection was already there and he’s freakishly good.
“There’s a couple for the Sunbury Lions, a ruck (Jakeb Coles) and a wing man (Declan Corcoran) and they have fitted in really well.”
The icing on the cake for the Kangaroos has been the return of Rhys Magin.
In 2023, Magin finished fifth in the division 2 league best and fairest and finished second in the goal kicking with 61 goals.
“Hehasbeengoodattrainingandgives a lot of direction,” Young said.
“His voice and connection with the younger guys has been awesome.”
Magin will be part of a new look forward line along with Jayden Eales and Mitch Streiff.
Young said Streiff, who was in the team of the year last year and led the Kangaroos goalkicking, will be freed up a bit with others around him.
Stephen Treweek will be the standalone captain for the Kangaroos this season with Streiff standing down.
Young said that there were at least six under-18ssteppingupintoseniorfootball, with five having got a taste of it last year.
He said there was another 17-year-old
who had played both practice matches and had been really lively.
The Kangaroos will kick off their season on 11 April against Roxburgh Park. Youngsaiditwouldbeanunknownand
Zac Vescovi will take on the captaincy role this season.
“He’s had that natural progression as a leader the last three or four years,” Reaper said.
“As a fellow defender and watching him grow up through the program, I’m a little proud to see him take my role.
“We actually announced him back in November-December … He was the standout and we wanted to make that clear distinction to the group that he’s our leader and he’s our captain and he’s looking forward to it.”
The Bulldogs start their season on Good Friday against Kangaroo Flat.
“There’s no ceiling on expectations and we competitive like we’ve been the last few years,” Reaper said.
The Sunbury Jets came home strong to claim the points in the opening round of the Big V women’s championship division.
The Jets started their season at home against the Warrandyte Venom and were slow out of the blocks.
They trailed by seven points at the first break before bringing that margin back to just three points heading into the final quarter.
The Venom managed to keep the Jets at bay for the first seven minutes of the final quarter, before the Jets finally hit the lead through Olivia Ogston.
OnceinfronttheJetsstayedthere and restricted the Venom to just two points in the dying minutes.
As the Venom looked to send the Jets to the line, the Jets made the most of it as they won 78-71.
Chloe Hildebrand and Charlie McKinnon scored 15 points each for the Jets with Alexandra Keating and Grace Cooper also scoring double figures.
The two men’s sides then faced off in the second game of the double header.
The Venom got off to the better start and led by seven points at quarter time.
The margin was back to just two points at half time.
The Venom was able to keep the Jets at bay in the second half.
A 28-25 third quarter increased the margin back to five points, before the Venom won the final quarter, 21-15, to seal a 97-86 win.
Milan Savic was outstanding for the Jets as he scored 33 points and had seven rebounds.
Both the Jets’ youth league division 1 sides had wins on the weekend, with the men’s side undefeated after four matches and the women’s side with a 4-1 record. There is now a bye over the Easter weekend for all divisions.
The Jets championship men face Melbourne University on 11 April in the next round, while the champ women face Western Port on 12 April.
theyweren’tlookingtoofaraheadbutthey had set out what they wanted to achieve.
“There are no excuses and we know where we want to be come the end of the season.”
By Tara Murray
Gisborne Giants are keen to build off a strong first season in the Riddell District Netball League.
The Giants had four of their five teams make finals in the first season of having a full complement of teams, with three teams making grand finals and two winning premierships.
The A-grade side made finals and the whole program exceeded the expectations of coach AJ Craske.
He said now with a season under their belts they were keen to have another crack.
“It’s shaping up nicely,” he said.
“There was a bit of planned movement and we’re happy with how it has come to-
gether.
“We will have some seasoned A-grade players and we will look to blood some under-19s.”
Craske said this season they would have some more freedom with their line up and the team they put on the court each week.
With player points they relied on the same players every week, which meant players were playing big minutes.
Craske said it wouldn’t be the case this season.
“We will go week-by-week and see who plays,” he said.
“Last season we had a starting seven and it was a set and forget.
“We’ve got a couple of players up our sleeves but we don’t want to give it all away.
“There’s some real opportunity and flexibility, I’m looking forward to it.”
Malia Seumanutafa joins the team full time this season, after filling in last year.
She will replace Emma Winfield, who has moved on.
Seumanutafa will play a key role in the attacking end for the Giants.
Maddy Quigley will step up into A-grade this season, after playing in C-grade last season. Quigley was one of their best in the C-grade premiership.
Quigley joined the Giants late last pre-season and slotted into C-grade as the teams were already selected.
JacquiMitrevskiwillstepupfromB-grade and join Quigley in the defensive end.
Both will provide plenty of experience.
With the core group returning, Craske is keen to see what they can do this year.
“We outperformed our expectations and made the top three last year,” he said.
“That is our benchmark this year and we want to go one step further and win a finals game.
“We’re expecting good things.”
The Giants will kick off their season on Good Friday against Macedon.
Craske said it would be a good test.
“The two times we played them last year it was a hard fight,” he said.
“I’m not expecting anything different.”
Woodend-Hesket will play Kyneton in the other Good Friday match with the rest of round one to be played the following week.
Angus Nolte. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 489394_22
By Tara Murray
Kyneton got a taste of winning finals and is keen to go at least one step further in the Riddell District Football League this season.
The Tigers finished sixth last season before making a preliminary final, winning their first final in 27 years in the process.
With most of the group back for another season, there’s plenty of motivation among the group.
Playing-coach Ethan Foreman said they were itching to get back out there.
“We started pretty early in the pre-season,” he said.
“We made a preliminary final last year and surprised some teams. The focus was to keep the majority of the list and have some natural progression with the list being really young.
“They’ve got bigger and more confidence from last season.
“We’ve added some recruits to shore us up as well.”
Foreman said they had kept about 85 to
90 per cent of their list from last season.
Skipper Harrison Huntley is the biggest out for the Tigers having crossed to Macedon in the off season.
Foreman said with the buy in off the group, it made it easier to keep most of the group as they wanted to further progress.
The additions to the team include Reece Tompkins from Deer Park and Harley Blake from Werribee Districts.
Footscray Victorian Football League listed player Chan Hargraves has aligned with the club as well, while Jack Livingston has also signed with the Tigers.
Foreman said for the group it’s about building consistency across the whole season to launch into a strong finals campaign.
He said last year they started well before a lull in the middle of the year.
“The standards at training dropped off a little bit,” he said.
“We tried to rectify that last in the year.
“We don’t want to finish in sixth spot again. We want to have a consistent year and be ain a good spot at the pointy end of the season.”
Foreman said having got a taste of finals, it was something they were keen to experience more this year.
“It had been a long time between finals for Kyneton,” he said. “Having a couple of finals wins was the first tick.
“Finals are hard to make. We want to play finals, and win finals.
“We know what it takes. We have to be a better team to push and go one game further.”
The Tigers start their season against Woodend-Hesket on Good Friday with the game starting at 4.15pm.
The Tigers will host one of the biggest days of the RDFL calendar and are hoping there will be a big crowd in attendance.
Foreman said the two teams are big rivals and it was one they were looking forward to.
There will be two match ups on Good Friday with Macedon and Gisborne Giants playing at the usual start time of 2.15pm.
The rest of round one will be played the following weekend.
Gisborne has added more height and flexibility to its line up for the Bendigo Netball League season.
While the Bulldogs have lost some depth across their netball program, they look set for another strong season across the board.
Coach Tarryn Rymer said they had managed to keep most of their core players and were keen to build on a preliminary final last season.
“We’ve made some changes in terms of Charlee Duff-Tytler and Tilly Shepherd coming in,” she said.
“We’ll have some new combos and we’ve excited to trial them.
“We’ve added a lot of height and a couple of book ends, it’s exciting.”
Shepherd will step into the defensive end and replace Zoe Davies, who hasn’t returned this season.
Shepherd has won the past two Ryan medals as the best player in the Riddell District Netball League.
“Tilly was an up and coming star of the RDNL and has been impressive,” Rymer said. “She plays a different style and has played with the other defenders downtown and I’m not expecting them to take long to figure it out.”
Duff-Tytler can play either end but is set to be a key in attack with Claudia Mawson hurting her shoulder and having had to have surgery.
Rymer said Mawson would be a big loss, but she was keen to see the new combinations in attack.
“It’s an opportunity for Tori Skrijel to step up and take ownership of the attacking end having been here for three seasons.
“She’ll work with Charlee and teach her the Gisborne way.”
Rymer said with not having as many numbers as previous years they are working with lighter numbers in each grade.
She’s looking at the positives out of that as they can have solid combinations to lock in.
The Bulldogs start their season on Friday against Kangaroo Flat.
“We are expecting Kangaroo Flat to be strong in every grade,” Rymer said.
“It’ll be a good hit out against the benchmark and we’ll see what the competition is like.
“I know the idea was to be in the Ballarat league, but we’ll have a red hot crack at the Bendigo league this season.”
By Tara Murray
Gisborne fell just short of a slice of history in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association McIntyre Cup.
The Dragons were hoping to claim three in a row for the first time in the club’s history on the weekend.
Only Woodend and the weather stood in the Dragons’ way.
In the end both did, as the grand final finished in a draw with Woodend being crowned premiers after finishing on top.
“For us, we threw everything at it,” Dragons’ captain-coach Jarryd Vernon said. “Super proud of the boys’ efforts, not just today [Sunday] but throughout the year.
“Woodend is a seriously good side, at the
end of the day we’re not here to blame the weather.
“At the end of the day we were the second ranked team, unfortunately for us we don’t get the chocolates.”
Vernon lost the toss on Saturday and the Dragons were sent in.
Their innings got underway after play was delayed for two hours due to rain.
He said it was very tough batting conditions.
“There was a lot of water on the ground,” he said. “I thought 6-136, it would have been nice to have a few less wickets.
“I thought the run rate was OK. The plan was to get 180 and bat for an hour, just under an hour [on day two].
“We did that.”
The Dragons declared at 9-185 early on day two to give themselves a chance of winning.
Vernon top scored with 31 as there were a lot of starts, with no one going on with it.
The Dragons got off to a strong start and had Woodend at 3-36 and had the momentum.
That would be it as Woodend finished 3-117 and batted the day out until 5.30pm when the game ended.
Vernon said credit to the Woodend batters who batted really well.
He said it would have been nice if there was a winner in the grand final.
“That’s cricket and we move on,” he said. “It’s a funny one.
“Credit to them they stuck at it and it was
By Tara Murray
A draw was enough for Woodend to claim its first Gisborne and District Cricket Association McIntyre Cup premiership in more than 20 years on Sunday.
It was a wet start to the final game of the season on Saturday, with Woodend and Gisborne having to wait to get a start.
After a two hour delay, the game got underway.
Gisborne made 9-185 after batting into day two.
The Dragons needed to get all 10 wickets to get the premiership, with a draw good enough for Woodend as it finished on top of the ladder with not enough time for 80 overs each side.
Woodend finished 3-117 to break through for the much wanted premiership.
“It’s unbelievable to be honest,” Woodend playing-coach Josh Eastley said.
“Long time coming for the club and it means a lot to us, but means a lot to everyone here.
“It still hasn’t quite hit home but feels
good and I’m sure that it will feel good for a long time to come.”
Eastley said they had played in their fair share of premierships since the last one in 2003-04.
The side won the one-day title last season, but this was the one that the side really wanted.
Eastley said you don’t like seeing weather affecting cricket but felt they had done the hard work all year to finish on top and that was the benefit of that.
Woodend’s bowlers shared the wickets around one day one and early day two, with Thomas Robson taking three and James Morley and Warren Else taking two each.
It then set a run chase which Woodend could have taken several different approaches to, with both the draw and win in the calculations.
The side started slowly and was going at about a run an over.
“We went in and you have to take each ball on its merits,” Eastley said. “See what is available for you.
their plan. They didn’t give us an inch.”
Joshua Wills took two wickets for the Dragons.
Vernon said the loss would hurt a bit, but the group would return even stronger next season.
The Dragons claimed the one-day premiership earlier in the season.
“I know the boys will be hurting at the moment,” he said. “Being at the top for so long, is a credit to the club itself and the group of boys that play each week in the first XI.
“Going for three in a row, we set out in early August. That is what we wanted to do. We had the opportunity, but unfortunately didn’t go our way.
“We move on. We recharge and go again.”
Sunbury United overcame a disappointing week to claim the points in FV state league 3 north-west. During the week, Sunbury had its points from its round one win taken off it after playing a player who should have still been suspended. On Saturday, Sunbury was able to bounce back against the Plenty Valley Lions and get a 1-0 win. A Damian Rastocic penalty was the difference in the match. Meanwhile, in state league 7 north-west, Gisborne got its first win of the season, beating Footscray Rangers, 5-3. The Sky Blues scored two early goals, before the Rangers levelled the scores just before half time. The Rangers took the lead just after the break before the Sky Blues responded with three second half goals.
Club Sunbury’s Carla Krizanic finished runners up in the Bowls Victoria Open women’s pairs. Teaming up with New Zealand’s Tayla Bryce, the pair lost to Olivia Cartwright and Lisa Phillips 19-5 in the final last week. In the under-18 pairs, Sunbury’s Carla Leszczynski made it to the semi finals. Mark Armstrong was playing in the semi finals of the men’s pairs on Sunday, after deadline.
“When it got to a certain point, this was one of the options and we went down that path.
“We didn’t shut up shop. This was all we had to do.
“In a regular game we would have still had 19 overs, I would have backed us in from three down.
“To be honest we were going at a good rate and going to chase it down anyway.”
Ollie Price was named player of the match by the umpires with his 45 not out off 127 balls.
Jacques Du Toit spent a lot of time in the middle with him, finishing 36 not out off 91 balls.
Eastley said Price was a Woodend junior who has returned to the club.
“Unbelievable,” he said. “He spoke to us last year and said he wanted to come back and win a flag, and didn’t he just.”
Eastley said they will enjoy the premiership and then look to next year.
“Keep building, keep getting stronger and stay together and who knows what will happen.”
The Sunbury Softball Association season came to an end on Saturday. In the men’s grand final, Ratpack was able to claim the premiership against the Goonawarriors, 14-10. It was a close match all game with the Ratpacks able to defend its lead. In the women’s grand final, the match went down the final winnings with Calder Dragons beating the Goonawarriors, 12-11. The Dragons had lost the past two grand finals, making it third time lucky.
The Western Warriors were left to rue a poor third quarter in the Victorian Netball League. The Warriors hosted the Bendigo Strikers and it was an even game for the first half. A 16-6 third quarter gave the Strikers momentum and they were able to hold on to win, 49-44. The Strikers also won the 23 and under match.
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