Star Weekly - Wyndham - 20th May 2026

One podcast, many journeys

Imran Abul Kashem’s new podcast, My Migrant Soul, is about shining a light on the journeys of those who make Wyndham what it is.

Growing up in Bangladesh where his first career was as a journalist, he moved to Australia in 2008, calling Werribee home since 2015.

My Migrant Soul is a long-form interview series where he speaks to migrants from all backgrounds and invites them to share their journeys, their struggles, their turning points, and their wins.

“I wanted to create a space where those voices could be heard properly, not just in Wyndham, but everywhere,” he said.

“The show features real, honest conversations with migrants from all different backgrounds who have started over in a new country and found a way forward.

“If even one person listens and feels seen, feels less alone in their journey, then it is all worth it.”

Each of the 50 episodes are accompanied by a written blog post, and he intends to write a book out of the content.

It is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube, and across social media.

Singh saga rolls on

By Jaidyn Kennedy

Wyndham mayor Preet Singh’s future as a Justice of the Peace (JP) is on the line with an investigation underway following a complaint against him.

StarWeekly has seen emails confirming that the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) is investigating whether Cr Singh should be dismissed as a JP.

It is understood in the event a JP is under investigation, they may be suspended from their role.

The saga began on 30 March, when it was revealed that Cr Singh wrote a character reference for a paedophile in 2024, prior to being elected to council.

SigningtheletterasaJP,CrSinghprovided the character reference for Kashyap Patel, who faced the County Court in August 2024 on child sex offence charges.

Patel pleaded guilty to multiple offences and was sentenced to nine months’ jail September 2024.

The embattled councillor has refused to relinquish the mayoral role despite seven weeks of pressure from residents and his council colleagues.

Thecontroversyhasledtotheresignationof Jennie Barrera from council, with Dr Barrera telling council chief executive Stephen Wall on 1 May that “the current situation at Wyndham City makes it untenable to continueinmyroleascouncillor”.

The state government appointed

municipal monitors to the council to help “restore the Wyndham community’s confidence in their councillors”.

More than 100 people gathered outside the Wyndham Civic Centre in Werribee on Monday 18 May for a fourth community protest during which attendees called for him to stand down.

JohnWeiss,whohasorganisedaprevious rally, spoke at the protest on Monday night.

“He cannot continue to speak for a community and a council that has called upon him to stand down which was supported by calls made in both the state and federal parliaments,” Mr Weiss said.

Werribee MP John Lister and Western Metropolitan Region MP Moira Deeming were among the politicians to calls for Cr

Singh’s resignation last week.

“Cr Singh, you should really read the room, reflect on those calls by your fellow councillors and by community members and resign,” Mr Lister said.

Ms Deeming said, “The reference itself was disgusting … none of the other councillors want him there, one councillor has resigned in protest and the community have been protesting over and over”.

Lalor MP Joanne Ryan joined in the chorus from Canberra.

“Despite community concern being expressed through petitions and protests, he insists is a victim of politically motivated attacks. This is ridiculous … he should resign.”

Cr Singh was contacted for comment.

No to golf club housing plan

By Jaidyn Kennedy

Wyndham council has voted to tell the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) it would block a local golf club’s application to build nine residential units.

At the 12 May planning committee, a majority of present councillors disagreed with Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club’s plan to subdivide land near holes four and five for housing.

Councilreceivedatotalof138objections fromresidentsandhadpreviouslyknocked back a similar proposal from the club in March.

Council officers recommended rejecting the idea if council were given the power to doso.

Speaking in the chamber, the club’s general manager Joshua McLean said money from the proposed sale would go intoafundtokeeptheclub’sdoorsopen.

“The club has operated at a loss for most of the past nine years, with pressures from aging infrastructure, equipment failures, and particularly high watering maintenancecosts.

“The proceeds will establish a perpetual fund enshrined in the club’s constitution so the capital is preserved and only the investment income is used to support the

club.

“Without these targeted, small-scale subdivisions, the course faces a real risk of progressive decline, closure and potential saleforabroaderredevelopment.”

Following several objectors speaking, Cr Peter Maynard commented on the issue of highmaintenancecosts.

“Maybe hindsight is a great thing but quite possibly the initial development of a golf course there might not have been the right thing to do, given what the land is sittingon.

“It is one of the reasons why we have an agreement in place for the amount of maintenance we provide as a council– it is

Councillors slam Weribbe MP’s remarks

By Jaidyn Kennedy

The relationship between a local MP and two Wyndham councillors has hit a rough patch, following criticisms of a parliamentaryaddresslastweek.

Councillors Mia Shaw and Josh Gilligan released a joint statement on 15 May, accusing Werribee MP John Lister of peddling “inaccuracies” and “misleading inferences”aboutWyndham’sgovernance.

On12May,MrListerspokeinparliament aboutaninquiryintofraudandcorruption in local government by the state’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, during which Wyndham was one of four counciltofrontthecommittee.

Mr Lister also said he would not be meeting with mayor Preet Singh, who is facing calls to resign over a character reference he wrote for a paedophile before his election to council in 2024, and that he wanted to challenge the assertion that the state’s decision to appoint two municipal monitors was due to ongoing governance concerns and “not just a case of one bad apple”.

AsreportedbyStarWeekly,monitorsJim GiffordandJo-AnneMazzeowillworkwith Wyndhamuntil31January,2027.

“There are many cases that have been documented, not only in this inquiry but also out in the community, of governance concerns at Wyndham City Council,” Mr Listersaid.

“The terms of reference, which are available online for members of the public to read, not only go to some of those concerns around councillor conduct and councillor engagement with members of thepublic.

“We saw our previous mayor stood aside for that very issue – but also the appointment of the CEO and some of those internal governance processes when it comes to councillor behaviour and conduct.”

As reported by Star Weekly, Cr Gilligan was suspended from council on 25 February for misconduct over a Facebook post directed at former mayor Kim McAliney.

MrListeralsoraisedconcernsabouthow council’s 2026-27 draft budget in respect to “the way that it presents a lot of the state fundingandfederalfunding”.

Crs Shaw and Gilligan hit out at Mr Lister’scomments.

“Firstly, anyone with a Google function on their computer will see that the terms

sittingonsaltmines.”

CrMiaShawputforthadifferentview.

“I would have grave concerns… that if the golf club were to fundamentally fail because of financial concerns, it is [zoned] general residential and could be a much bigger issue than what is being proposed,” CrShawsaid.

Crs Larry Zhao, Jasmine Hill, Robert Szatkowski, Peter Maynard, Shannon McGuire and Josh Gilligan voted for the officer’s recommendation, while Cr Shaw votedagainst.

A five-day VCAT hearing will be held in Augusttodeterminetheoutcome.

Drugs, explosives found in rental

Two western suburbs men have been charged following a police investigation into the discovery of a largequantityofdrugs,cash,firearms and explosives in a short-term rental inKeilorEastinJanuary.

Police will allege the property was an organised crime drug and weaponscache‘safehouse’.

Police executed two search warrants at residential addresses in StAlbansandPointCookon14May. According to police, items seized includedapproximatelyonekilogram cannabis, approximately two ounces of cocaine, approximately $3000 cash, mobile phones and electronic devicesandaMercedesBenzvehicle

A 29-year-old St Albans man was charged with trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and firearms, possessingandtraffickingexplosives, possessing body armour, possessing stolengoodsandpossessingproceeds ofcrime.

A 27-year-old Point Cook man was charged with trafficking and possessingcannabisandcocaineand possessingproceedsofcrime.

The search warrants follow an incidenton24Januaryabout11.30am after a cleaner attended a Belle Vista, Keilor East, address and located a significant amount of illicit drugs, firearms, explosives and cash in excessof$2millionatthepremises.

ofreferencefortheWyndhammonitorsare almost identical to the terms of reference forallothermonitorsacrossthestate,”they said.

“Tosuggestthatanyclausesareincluded due to Wyndham specific concerns is simplyfalse–theyaresimplyholistic,good housekeeping measures that you would expect anyone appointed to examine good governancetoexplore.

“While robust public debate is part of democracy,itisimportantthatcommentary relating to council governance and administration is grounded in truth, particularlyatatimewhenthecommunity expects stability, integrity and confidence initsinstitutions.

“Perhaps of greatest concern is the member for Werribee’s decision to infer wrongdoing in the reappointment of the CEO …using neutral, professional officers as fodder for political expediency is simply immoral.

“In February councillors voted unanimously to reappoint him for five years, as was the recommendation of the independent member who sits on this committee. This is all in line with requirementsunderthestategovernment’s LocalGovernmentAct.”

At least 100kg of cocaine and methylamphetamine with a street valueof$25millionwereseizedatthe address,policesaid.

During a police search of the property, a number of incendiary devices were located, and the Bomb Response Unit and Australian DefenceForcewerecalled.

Controlled detonations occurred andthedeviceswererenderedsafe.

The property had been booked for a number of weeks in January. Investigators interviewed a 19-year-old man from Hallam in relation to the booking and released himpendingfurtherenquiries.

As part of their investigation, detectives identified a white Toyota Camry hire vehicle which travelled to the address a number of times throughoutthetimeitwasrented

The Camry was seized by police on 24 January and has since been returnedtothehirecompany

Detective Inspector Jamie Walker, Major Drug Squad said, “As I have said before, this was not a run of the mill seizure of drugs and cash –there were incendiary devices and large quantities of firearms and illicit substances”.

Footpath ‘hazard’ a concern

By Jaidyn Kennedy

A section of footpath in Point Cook is “public hazard” that needs urgent attention, according to one local.

Sukhi Arora said he has written to Wyndham council about an uneven pavement on Kingsley Avenue.

Msr Arora claims there is a 51mm height variation between two sections of the footpath, and it presents a major tripping hazard for elderly residents, people with mobility issues, parents with prams and cyclists.

“Despite recognising the hazard, council

has advised that repairs are only anticipated in the 2026-27 financial year, subject to funding and changing priorities,” he said.

“I find this response deeply concerning given the immediate public safety risk posed by the footpath.”

Mr Arora said that the situation “is not merely a theoretical concern”

“My friend recently suffered a serious fall at this exact location and sustained significant injuries, including suspected cracked ribs, resulting in considerable pain, immobility, and a long recovery period,” he said.

“The cost of preventative repair or tem-

You’re never too old to learn

Wyndham’s older residents are encouraged to keep their curiosity at the ready and have a go at learning new things.

U3A Werribee – or University of the Third Age – is a group that helps members to learn new skills and share knowledge with others.

The courses offered cover a wide range of interest areas from academic to physical and artistic activities.

The third age refers to the stage of life that follows youth and the working or domestic periods of an individual’s life.

Through bringing older people from across several age groups and backgrounds, the group aims to combat loneliness, prevent social isolation and create a welcoming space.

Secretary Christina Dennis explained

why the organisation is important.

“It provides the opportunity to meet and make new friends who share similar interests or lifestyles,” she said.

“Research has shown that life-long learning supports physical and mental well-being and gives a sense of purpose.

“It contributes to self-growth by activating curiosity, creativity and builds confidence.”

When asked if U3A has a guiding principle or philosophy, Ms Dennis said it is about providing a non-judgmental and supportive approach to learning.

“Everyone is welcome and their participation and contribution is appreciated.”

Annual membership for the group, which includes all courses, activities and

Shaleena helps herself by helping others

While volunteering is all about helping others, a new survey has found that volunteers help themselves too.

To mark National Volunteer Week 2026 from 18-24 May, migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia commissioned a survey of its own volunteers to find out how beneficial they found giving up their time to help others.

AMES asked 85 volunteers, most of whom worked one-on-one with newly arrived refugees and migrants, whether they benefitted from their volunteering work.

The overwhelming majority said yes, with 32 per cent saying they benefitted ‘significantly’, while 78 per cent said they benefitted ‘somewhat.’

Among the top benefits listed were ‘a feeling of satisfaction through contributing’ (96 per cent), ‘learning about new cultures (77 per cent), ‘building social and professional networks’ (59 per cent), ‘improving personal and communication (soft) skills’ and ‘enhancing employment opportunities’ (39 per cent).

Someone who can vouch personally for the benefits of volunteering is Indian migrant Shaleena Shaik who volunteers with AMES both in Footscray and Werribee.

“I started volunteering a year ago and it has helped me meet people and better understand how things work in Australia,” Ms Shaik said.

A former lawyer who came to Australia when her husband was transferred here with his banking job, Ms Shaik said volunteering helped her adjust to living in a new country where she didn’t know anyone.

“Volunteering gives me the opportunity to get out and meet people and do something worthwhile,” she said of her work teaching English to new migrants and helping out at Mother’s Day and Christmas events.

“I really enjoy volunteering. It is rewarding to be able to help people start new lives in Australia.”

Ms Shaik said it was especially rewarding to help people with similar problems to the ones she faced when she first arrived.

“When I first arrived in this country, I went through the same experience of isolation and with no family here,” she said.

“It makes me happy to support people who maybe don’t have any relations or many friends here.”

Find out more about more about National Volunteer Week at: https://www. volunteeringvictoria.org.au/events/national-volunteer-week/

To volunteer at AMES Australia, go to: https://www.ames.net.au/

porary rectification would surely be far lower than the financial and human consequences of further injuries.

In the interim, Mr Arora is calling on council to install safety warnings at the site to prevent injuries to pedestrians.

“At the very least, if the footpath is considered unsafe due to the level differential, temporary warning signage should be installed to alert vulnerable pedestrians.

A Wyndham council spokesperson said officers have inspected the path.

“Council officers checked the footpath on Kingsley Avenue on 15 April, 2026, and

found some damage that was 42mm deep and so falls into our planned maintenance schedule, budgeted for under Wyndham City Council’s Road Management Plan.

“Signage and line marking are not part of the footpath maintenance, repair and renewal methods used to fix footpaths.

“The inspection, maintenance, and renewal of footpaths across Wyndham City’s extensive road network is ongoing, with projects prioritised based on a range of criteria, including the hazards associated with the footpath, how many people use it and where it is.“

events, is $45.

However, the group believes in a try before you by model, and provides two free sessions. Details: courses.u3awbee@gmail.com or membership.u3awbee@gmail.com

Ten years supporting awards

ForCedarWoods,backingtheWyndham BusinessAwardsgoesbeyondshowcasing talent–itsaboutaboutcelebratingthe substanceoflocalsuccess.

The company has been a cornerstone of the Wyndham business community since 1998, when it acquired the land it would later transform into Williams Landing.

This year marks a dual milestone: The 30th anniversary of Wyndham Business Awards and the 10th year with Cedar Woodsasthemajorsponsor.

For senior development manager LaurenceHutt,thepartnershipisallabout driving a sense of community among Wyndham’sbusinesses.

“First and foremost, it is a really good event council puts on and we think it is important because it drives a sense of networkingandasenseofpride,”hesaid.

“You can just tell from the event how many different types of businesses get around it and just how excited people get foriteachyear.”

Across the years, Cedar Woods has strived not only to build places for people to live, but genuine infrastructure for a thrivingcommercialcentretodevelop.

“In Williams Landing, we have quite a tight-knit business community. We’ve developed six office buildings out there andwehaveabout300smallbusinesses.

“We have seen first hand by holding events and networking functions how important it is for businesses in the west to know about each other and work together.

“I can say that we have seen a lot of businesses doing work together through meeting each other either in the same buildingoratevents.”

Mr Hutt said one of the best aspects of the awards is the number of categories thereare.

“If you have a small advertising agency and you think, well, there is no point in entering because a larger business is just going to take the award, I would definitely encourageyoutoenter,”hesaid.

“It is also just good to meet other people

at the event and also be able to showcase yourbusinessregardlessifyouwinornot.

“When you sit there and you see all the different types of businesses and the different mix, you just think wow, this is prettyamazing.”

Entries for this year’s awards are open and close on Sunday 5 July. Information sessions will be held on Monday 25 May and Thursday 18 June or online on

Thursday11June.

Whether you’re a small start-up, an established enterprise, or a local leader in your industry, the Wyndham Business Awards offer an incredible opportunity to gain recognition and celebrate the impact yourbusinesshasmade.

For more information or to enter, visit: towww.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ business-awards

New leader for vet school

Werribee-based Melbourne Veterinary School has appointed its next leader, with world-renowned academic Jeffrey Wichtel beginningastheschool’sheadnextyear.

Dr Wichtel will commence as head of the Melbourne Veterinary School at the University of Melbourne on 18 January, 2027.

He is currently Dean of the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph,Canada,oneoftheworld’sleading veterinaryschools.

In his position, he has led a large and complex organisation spanning academic departments, research centres and veterinary hospitals, and built strong partnershipsacrossacademia,government andindustry.

His research focuses on improving animal health and production systems, with a strong emphasis on population medicine and impacts across biosecurity, foodsystemsandpublichealth.

Dr Wichtel said he is looking forward to moving down under and overseeing the operationinWerribee.

“The Melbourne Veterinary School has a strong reputation for excellence in education, research and clinical training,” hesaid.

“I look forward to working with colleagues, students and partners to build onthesestrengthsandsupporttheschool’s nextphaseofgrowthanddevelopment.”

University of Melbourne Dean of Science Moira O’Bryan said Dr Wichtel’s appointment reflects the outstanding calibre of Melbourne Veterinary School anditspeople.

“ProfessorWichtelbringsanoutstanding international perspective and a strong trackrecordofleadershipacrossveterinary scienceandhighereducation.”

He will succeed Joanne Devlin, who has ledtheMelbourneVeterinarySchoolsince November2023.

Briefs

Emergency preparedness

An emergency preparedness pop-up event will be held at Pacific Werribee on Thursday 28 May. Between 10am-12pm at the Coffee Club, there will be friendly chats about how to be ready for the worst over a series of videos. The free event will cover preparing your household, knowing where to get trusted information and provide the opportunity to meet local first responders.

On the Ball

Young Wyndham residents who love to play sport and are being called to take part in a fun, weekly basketball session. Every Thursday during school terms at Eagle Stadium from 3.30-5.30pm, you will have basketball available to play, as well as the opportunity to try out any other sports that you might be interested in. This program is for young people aged 12-25 years of age who live, work, study or recreate in Wyndham. Water and snacks are available. For more information or to register, please email

YouthInWyndham@wyndham.vic.gov.au

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Children sail into creativity

A new picture book called ‘Sailing, Sailing’ transformed a local playgroup’s favourite toys into characters, their artwork into vibrant designs and their songs into a narrative. The book launched in Dallas on 1 May and Courtney Black joined in to hear the story behind Sailing, Sailing.

In Dallas, a partnership between a local playgroup and a non-profit arts organisation has helped a group of neurodivergent and diabled children createtheirownvibrantstory.

Artists and writers from Kids Own Publishing (KOP) engaged with children from the Dallas Playconnect+ playgroup to createabook,‘Sailing,Sailing’.

Playgroup facilitator Cheryl Paine said creating the book was a personal, meaningful journey for children and families.

“The concept of Sailing, Sailing is actually based on a song that I sing each weekwithourchildren,” Painesaid.

“When the children are a bit unfocused I’llsay,‘haseveryonegottheirsailinghand ready?’thenI’llstartsinging.”

While moving her hand like a boat over waves she would sing, ‘Sailing, sailing, over the ocean – Sailing, sailing, over the sea – Sailing, sailing, over the ocean – Sail backhometome.’

“I think it just captured the hearts of the KOPteam.”

Theplaygroupwasabletocreatethebook afterbeingoffereda$20,000Humecouncil grant from the Dallas Brooks Community Hub.

“The book has given usa purpose and an outcome,”Painesaid.

“Over five weeks the KOP team came in andengagedwiththechildrenintheirplay.

“They made special allowances for our children in how they directed and participated in the activity of art, because alotofourchildrenwon’tsitforverylong.

“We had our big plastic stand-up tray with all different lots of paint in it and our children were doing a sensory play experiencewiththepaint.

“Then at the end of it they took these great big sheets of paper, laid it on top and lifteditupandthencreatedthesefabulous bigpiecesofart.”

On each page of Sailing, Sailing there are vibrant layers of paint which KOP lead artistViet-MyBuiveitsaidspeaksforitself.

“All the artwork in the book is made by

All the artwork in the book is made by the children’s hands, they are expressing themselves so beautifully and so vibrantly through artwork

- Viet-My Buiveit

the children’s hands, they are expressing themselves so beautifully and so vibrantly throughartwork,”shesaid.

“The way KOP works is that all the books are children-led, so the narrative and the artwork is all by the kids, and we don’t directanything.

“It is a bit more challenging when they’re non-verbal but we wanted to really champion the fact that Neil and Lincoln communicatebeautifullyintheirownway.

“We wanted to try to put a book together thatseemedtruetothem.”

Buiveitandherteamledfinger-painting, water play, and collage activities, encouraging the children to make their ownartwork.

“Lincoln loves water play so I thought to combine art-making with the thing that he already naturally gravitates towards,”

she said. “He was just obsessed, he almost wanted to climb in and swim in the paint. He was just making so much art, and I didn’t really have to demand anything differentofhim.”

Buiveit said she observed the children playing and communicating by pointing, jumpingandmakingnoises.

“We noticed that the kids gravitated towards certain toys, so we thought, we can make those toys the characters of the story.

“We wove together a narrative based on snippets of conversations we heard and that’showthebookcametobe.”

Paine said while the words appear random in the book, there is a larger story aroundthem.

“A lot of our children are non-verbal, so they might just say random words like, ‘what, what, what’, or ‘splash, splash, splash’, which really came in through the book,”shesaid.

Oneofthepageswasentirelyinspiredby howNeil, 2,playedwithVelcrofruittoys.

“Neil started cutting the fruit toys and saying ‘that, that, that’s an orange’, and then he chopped a green Kiwi - so that’s what’sonhispage.”

Neil’s mum Meg Talekar said creating thebookwasanewanduniqueexperience.

“At home, he normally doesn’t do the type of things that we did so it was quite eye-opening for me to see that. It gave me something to sort of take home and learn from,”Talekarsaid.

“Neil was so interested in the fruit platter,sowestartedputtingtogethersome art around the fruits, we used paper to put the different colours together and make a gameoutofit.

“I’m hoping that it is a memory [for Neil] thatnophotoorvideocancapture.

“I hope the book that he has helped put together will become one of our favourites athomeforbedtimestories.”

Talekar said participating in the Dallas PlayConnect+ playgroup has been really valuable as a first-time mum with a non-verbalchild.

“Since coming here it seems like his speech is starting to improve and get better,”shesaid.“It’sanicesettingtocome in and have a bit of a break, spending time with people and sharing experiences and the roadblocks that they have experienced andhowtheyovercamethose.”

This Dallas playgroup is facilitated by Playgroup Victoria and one of the many federallyfundedPlayConnect+playgroups for children aged up to six with a disability and/ordevelopmentalconcerns.

Playgroup Victoria programs and social impact manager Louise Buckle-Smith said PlayConnect+ playgroups are a safe, accessiblespaceforfamilies.

“It’schallengingforsomebodythat’shad a baby and things can be flowing normally and then all of a sudden there’s a bit of a halt, where something’s not quite right,” Buckle-Smithsaid.

“The highest emotional journey from there on is where they’ve got to connect to services and get a diagnosis, a lot of them aregoingthroughthatperiod.

“PlayConnect+ really is for families to haveanunderstandingofwhatservicesare in their community that can also support them.”

Buiveitsaiditwasapleasuretocreatethe book with PlayConnect+, and she hopes to workwithchildrenfromallbackgrounds.

“Peoplemightthinkthatneurodivergent kids have limitations when making something like this, and I just want to totallydispelthat.

“Your child might not speak in a conventional way, but they are so rich internally.

“All children are innately creative, and they just choose to express themselves in totallydifferentways.”

TheKOPcommunitypublishingprogram is open to communities and organisations workingwithupto20childrenaged12and under.

Kids Own Publishing: https:// kidsownpublishing.org.au/

PlayConnect+: https://www.playgroup. org.au/playconnect/

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors

40 years ago 21 May, 1986

Werribee is not in line for a radioactive store says Werribee MLA Dr Ken Coghill. He made the statement as part of a new offensive over toxic and radio-active wastes.

30 years ago 22 May, 1996

Wyndham chief commissioner Bernie Knight has admitted he knows about the proposed Werribee prescribed waste dump and that the council was approached by CSR representatives in July last year.

20 years ago 17 May, 2006

Werribee Mercy Hospital has hit back at claims made by the Australian Medical Association that emergency department doctors have walked off the job due to a lack of resources and support for staff

Faces of the west

Each week, Star Weekly photographers are out and about capturing the people and events across Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs.

10 years ago 18 May, 2016

New landfill ‘cells’ will be used at the WerribeetipunderaWyndhamcouncil plan, but chief executive Kelly Grigsby insists the move will not radically increase the amount of waste dumped at the site.

Petrol station operator fined

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has secured penalties against a United Petroleum operator for a fifth time and a court has imposed a total of $40,000 in penalties against the former operator of a Truganina site.

Bharathi Karnati, a sole trader and former commission agent of a United Petroleum outlet on Leakes Road, received a $28,000 penalty from The Federal Circuit and Family Court.

In addition, the court has imposed a $12,000 penalty against Ms Karnati’s husband Ravikanth Baddam, who managed the outlet.

The penalties were imposed in response to Ms Karnati underpaying an In-

dian international student she employed as a casual console operator, breaching record-keeping and pay slip laws and knowingly providing false or misleading pay slips to an inspector.

Fair Work Inspectors audited the United Petroleum outlet as part of an investigation.

Inspectors discovered that Ms Karnati had paid the worker unlawfully low flat rates of no more than $14 per hour, despite the worker being owed at least $28.38 per hour under her position type.

The worker was underpaid a total of $2337 during his employment from December 2020 to January 2021.

During the investigation, Ms Karnati

breached the Fair Work Act by knowingly providing an Inspector with false or misleading pay slips overstating the rates she had paid the worker.

It was also found that Ms Karnati failed to make and keep proper time-andwages records and issue pay slips to the affected worker, with Mr Baddam admitting he was intentionally involved in these breaches.

The underpayment was rectified after the FWO investigated and the respondents subsequently admitted to the contraventions in court.

Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Rachel Volzke said the breach warrants strong enforcement action.

Sammy cycles for matter close to heart

Ultra endurance cyclist, Sammy Muscat, will be getting on his bike on 23 May for a cause that is – quite literally –close to his heart.

“After surviving severe heart failure myself in 2015, it’s something that’s become very personal to me,” Mr Muscat said of his motivation for doing a 24 to 48 hours fundraising ride for the Heart Foundation.

For at least 24 hours, Mr Muscat, who hails from Wyndham, will cycle around Albert Park Lake, with every $50 donation resulting in an extra lap.

He’s hoping to attract enough dona-

tions to keep him going for the full 48 hours and to reach his $25,000 target, with all funds going towards heart research, prevention and support programs.

While a noble cause, cycling for two days straight might seem a little extreme, especially for some with a history of heart problems.

However, Mr Muscat said long-distance cycling has actually been a big part of his recover over the past 11 years.

“Over the last few years I’ve gone from recovering from heart failure to compet-

ing in some of the hardest ultra endurance cycling events in the world, including unsupported races across Australia and Europe.

“This won’t be my first big endurance challenge, but it’ll definitely be one of the hardest and most public,” he said.

Members of the public are invited down to Albert Park Lake from 5am on Saturday 23 May to cheer Mr Muscat on as well as to donate funds to keep him peddling.

Donate at: https://tinyurl.

com/4y8sp7h6

“The conduct in this case was a blatant breaching of workplace laws and the penalties imposed should send a clear message about the consequences for such conduct,” Ms Volzke said.

“We treat alleged breaches of workplace laws involving visa holder workers particularly seriously because we are aware they can be vulnerable, are often unaware of their rights, heavily reliant on their employers or reluctant to complain.”

The penalties against Ms Karnati and Mr Baddam are the fifth time the Fair Work Ombudsman has secured penalties in court against former operators of United Petroleum-branded outlets – with total penalties now exceeding $270,000.

Woodville Park made accessible

Wyndham council has completed an $845,000 upgrade to Woodville Park in Hoppers Crossing, which includes inclusive features for children.

One of the key features of the revamped park is what is known as a We-Go Swing, an unfenced wheelchair accessible swing that is user-controlled and takes away the need for assistance.

Also part of the accessibility-oriented design are a wheelchair-accessible merry-go- round and trampoline, a new swing set, and various additional play elements.

These are complemented by rubber soft-fall surfacing to ensure safety and usability.

Other improvements include a new picnic shelter, a barbeque, additional picnic settings, upgraded timber boardwalk and a new drinking fountain, with a public toilet to be installed in the second half of 2026. Additionally, solar lighting has been installed from Woodville Drive to the Woodville Park Shopping Centre for safety purposes.

According to the council, the park was designed with the principle of creating a welcoming space with fun amenities that draws people from Hoppers Crossing and surrounds.

The upgrade is a key action from the Woodville Place Plan and the Help Woodville Thrive project, with the final design shaped by community feedback gathered through a community engagement process.

Boosting women’s health

By Christopher Carter, CEO, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network

Even though Australia has one of the best and most accessible medical systems in the world,it’simportanttonotethatsometimes overtheyearsithasn’tbeenwithoutfault.

One substantial area in which it was for decades less than ideal was women’s health. A combination of lack of focused funding, inadequate training and policy priority meant that conditions such as endometriosis, menopause and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) didn’t always receivetheattentiontheydeserved.

Across Melbourne’s north and west there are these days, thankfully, plenty of GPs very well aware of the pain and discomfort causedbywomen’shealthconditions.There are also specialist women’s health services availableatMeltonHealthandCommunity Services and the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’scentreatSunshineHospital.

Now, too, though, we have a whole new facility dedicated to the field. Funded by the Australian Government, there is a endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic in the west, one of 33 operating around the country.

Based at Werribee Medical and Dental Care, it provides expert, multidisciplinary services for endometriosis, PCOS, and other conditions. It also supports women experiencing symptoms of perimenopause andmenopause.

And that’s important, because it means women can discuss these matters without theanxietythatsometimesmayarisewhen talking about them with their regular GPs. It also means that for thousands of women and girls in the outer western suburbs they

can find help and support much closer to home.

Endometriosis affects at least one in seven, often causing chronic pain and fertility issues. Many women can endure years waiting for a diagnosis, which may have a devastating impact on their daily lives. Stories for other conditions are distressinglysimilar.

Locals can rely on passionate support at Mantello Lawyers

For residents facing legal challenges big or small, Mantello Lawyers stands out as a trusted, passionate and client-focused lawpracticeintheheartoftheWyndham region.

Fromfamilydisputestoestateplanning and business law, the locally owned firm is committed to helping everyday people navigate complex legal matters with confidence and care.

Founded on the principles of listening, communicating and providing clear, practical advice, Mantello Lawyers prides itself on offering personalised service that puts clients’ needs first.

Theteamworkscloselywithpeoplefrom Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Wyndham Vale, Tarneit and Point Cook, offering legal guidance and representation that aims for fair, effective outcomes. “We are passionate about getting fair

results,” the firm says, building rapport by genuinely hearing clients’ concerns and explaining options every step of the way. Whether assisting with family law matters like custody and divorce, wills and estates, conveyancing when buying or selling property, enduring powers of attorney or commercial and criminal law issues, their lawyers treat each case with the respect and diligence it deserves.

In a legal landscape that can often feel overwhelming, Mantello Lawyers strives to make justice accessible and understandable. Their welcoming approach ensures clients feel supported, informed and empowered from the first conversation.

For assistance or to discuss your legal needs, contact Mantello Lawyers on 03 9742 4542.

Now,though,thingsarelookingup.

Patients don’t need a formal diagnosis of endometriosis or a referral from another doctor to visit the Werribee Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic (as it’s formally known).

The focus is firmly on early access to intervention and support, to make sure treatment and management is as easy as possible.

And if Werribee is too far away to reach easily, telehealth appointments are available.

Werribee Medical and Dental Centre is a fully bulk-billing clinic. It is located at 1-5StationPlace,Werribee,3030. Call (03) 8734 0333 or visit werribeemedicalcentre.com.au for operating hours and to book an appointment.

Mantello Lawyers

• Deceased Estate Disputes

• Probate Applications

• Wills, Enduring Power of Attorney

• Criminal Matters

• Family Law

• Conveyancing & Legal Advice in Property Transactions

• Commercial Leases

• Sale & Purchase of Business

• Mortgage Document Certification

• Deed of Agreements

tate ications ng orney ters g perty Leases ase cument ements

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

Social Pickleball

A fun blend of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball is a fun, active and inclusive sport that has a low impact on the body and is easy for beginners of all ages to learn. Sessions run 10am-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at Eagle Stadium. Coached sessions are also available. stadiumbookings@ westernleisureservices.com

Thee Coffee Table in Manor Lakes

Thee Coffee table aspires to be a safe space for the local community to share, to connect with others to create positive change in their home and communities. Runs Wednesday 9am-2pm at the Manor Lakes Community Learning Centre. theecoffeetable2022@gmail.com

Community Breakfast Program

Life Community Kitchen and Dianella Community Centre are coming to together provide breakfast on Wednesdays and Fridays. The program is free and runs 8-9.30am. dianellacc@wyndham.vic.gov.au

One on One IT help

Free IT help sessions run Each Tuesday 10-11.30am at the Manor Lakes Library, covering everything from using email, creating accounts and accessing the online library. People can get help with their Macs, PCs and phones.

8734 8930

Rotary Bingo

Werribee Rotary hosts its weekly community bingo event on Monday evenings at the Italian Sports Club of Werribee. There are cash prizes and proceeds go to worthy causes that Rotary supports. 6.30pm arrival time. secretary@werribeerotary.org.au

Crafties at Iramoo

The Crafties meet at Iramoo Community Centre every Wednesday between noon-2pm and put their knitting and crocheting skills to use. The crew make items for themselves and participate in charitable causes.

8742 3688

Community Kitchen

Wyndham-based not for profit group

Pulse with Purpose sells delicious meals each Tuesday 10am-5pm at the Dianella Community Centre in Tarneit. Each purchase helps provide free meals to families in need. Meals are by pre-order, the menu is typically updated every Sunday. bpulsewithpurpose@gmail.com

Victoria State Rose Garden

The Victoria State and Rose Garden Supporters group are always welcoming new members to help keep Werribee Park beautiful. The volunteers work 7am-noon on Wednesdays and 7-11am on Saturdays. If you enjoy gardening, roses or just enjoy the company of like-minded people, visit: www.victoriastaterosegarden.com.au

Wyndham Makers and Farmers Market

This market serves as a hub for talented artisans and small businesses to display their unique creations, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and take their ventures to new heights. Food trucks, live music and children’s activities are regular staples. Runs on the third Sunday of every month at Werribee Racecourse. Gold coin entry.

Beginners’ Code Club

Code Club is for 8-14 year-olds and will cover the very basics of coding. Attendees can book into the whole term’s sessions. Each lesson builds on previously learnt

National seniors meeting

On the first Wednesday of every month at 1.30pm, the metro west branch of national seniors meets at the Deer Park Club, with meals available to purchase. The group also holds lunches on different Fridays each month, as well as activities such as theatre visits, bus trips and more. 0425 713 004, or lesley1.collins@outlook.com

Lizzy Bizzy Food Swaps

Come along to the Manor Lakes Community Centre to exchange excess homegrown food. From vegetables, fruits, eggs to seeds and oils, members of the community are encouraged to participate and help reduce food waste. Runs between 10am-noon last Saturday of every month. Liz, 0448 781 111

English conversation skills

A weekly meet to help members of the community improve their practical English conversation skills to help with daily tasks such as shopping and booking appointments. Meets 10am each Saturday at Werribee Church of Christ, 200 Tarneit Road, Werribee Bronwyn, 9741 6051

Wyndham Probus Club

A social club for retired or semi-retired people. There is a broad range of social activities to suit all interests such as lunches and brunches each month, day trips, theatre outings and longer trips away. Hear interesting speakers and make new friendships. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at Iramoo Community Centre, Honour Avenue, Wyndham Vale. Meetings commence at 1pm.

Kaye Angel, 0407 551 694, or wcpc1306@gmail.com

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of award-winning cabaret artist Miss Friby, who is taking over the historic Bluestone Church Artspace in Footscray. (Damjan Janevski) 552322_01

skills and is designed to support beginner coding learners. Runs on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 3.30-4.30pm. CodeClub@wyndham.vic.gov.au, or 8734 8999

Altona VIEW Club

Altona VIEW is a not-for-profit club that welcomes ladies from the Wyndham, Hobsons Bay and other areas to join in for lunch the third Wednesday of each month, at 11am at the Altona RSL. Come along and enjoy the speakers each month. Other outings are arranged and it is a great opportunity to make new friends. Contact altonaview@gmail.com, or Julie, 0421 315 846

Soulful Spreads Community Cafe Soulful Spreads is a purpose-driven social

enterprise based in Tarneit that looks to create meaningful work and training opportunities for women and young people with disabilities. Come meet for a meal and support inclusion, empowerment and connection. Meets 8.30am-noon every Monday and Thursday at the Tarneit Community Learning Centre. info@soulfulspreads.com

Wyndham Ladies Probus Retired or semi-retired ladies are invited to join this very active social group. Enjoy impressive monthly guest speakers, interesting monthly outings and many lunches where the development of friendships is encouraged. The Ladies Probus Club of Wyndham meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Hotel 520, Sayers Road, Tarneit, at 10am. Pat, 0411 316 795

Point Cook Combined Probus Club Retired or semi-retired people are invited to join this active social group. Enjoy an impressive and interesting monthly guest speaker. Interesting monthly outings, and fortnightly lunches where the development of friendships are encouraged. The Point Cook Combined Probus Club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am at The Brook Point Cook, 215 Sneydes Road, Point Cook. John Sloan, 0436 480 728, or sloanrisk@gmail.com

Lions Club

The Lions Club of Point Cook meets at the Featherbrook Community Centre on the third Monday of the month at 7.30 pm. The club is seeking to grow the Lions free vision screening in schools team. Volunteers needed to work with the region’s schools in combating undiagnosed children’s vision issues. You do not have to be a Lions member but must obtain a working with children check.

Robert Eyton, 0417 549 684, or robeyton@bigpond.com

Beekeeping group

Werribeeks is a group for beekeepers in and around Werribee and surrounding suburbs that meet every third Monday of the month at the Wyndham Park Community Centre to share information, tips and ideas on beekeeping.. https://www.facebook.com/ WerriBeeksClub

Werribee River Association

New volunteers to support Landcare work along the Werribee River. A great way to give back, get outdoors and work at your own pace.

admin@werribeeriver.org.au, or www.werribeeriver.org.au

Soccer at The Substation

The Substation in Newport is about to play host to a new billboard art project that puts women’s soccer front and centre.

‘Grassroots Never Dies, Worldwide’ is an exhibition of photography and embroidery from London-based textile artist Nicole Chui made in collaboration with local Melbourne soccer club, Brunswick Zebras.

The exhibition is an extension of Chui’s original project ‘Grassroots Never Dies,’

which was based on the London-based grassroots team she co-founded; Baes FC; a grassroots football community for women, trans, and non-binary people of Asian heritage to play soccer.

Thetitleofbothexhibitionsisinspiredby the community organising involved in local grassroots soccer, especially during periods of transition, and the difficult yet necessary changes needed to build a strong founda-

tion for the future.

Known for artwork that is messy, brash, and disruptive, Chui’s work explores her identitythroughsoccer,butalsoothersports forms of movement, especially dance.

Before focusing on art, Chui spent 10 years training to be a ballet dancer.

Grassroots Never Dies, Worldwide will be launched The Substation on Thursday 21 May alongside fellow artist Megan Stread-

Jackson returns home in new exhibition

Hume artist Kim Jackson’s exhibition has arrived at Sunbury’s Hume Global Learning Centre.

Jackson’s collection of works, titled Return, spans over a series of mediums, as she returns to her own past ideas and imagesasameansofquarryingdeeperinsights into changing feelings and exploring the potential of her imagery to communicate with the shifting emotions of her viewers. Featuring florals and plants, the series of pieces are designed to work togetherasacohesivegroup,Jacksonsaid.

“My hope was that each piece would strengthen the other and that I could create a sense of resonance through colour relationships and repetition of motifs,”

shesaid. “Thiswasimportantbecausethe art works are quite different in their composition - I’ve incorporated installation, soft sculpture, embroidery, drawing and painting.”

The Westmeadows-based artist said she was inspired by her recent return to theareawhereshegrewup. “Movingback toWestmeadowsandreturningtothearea I grew up in brought back a lot of memories, particularly of being at my grandparents, where being in and tending to the garden and being surrounded by flowers were central,” Jackson said.

“My uncle would grow orchids, and most of the vegetables we would eat, and the memories of being in that garden still

hold so much emotional weight for me.

“When I was making the work last year, I was grappling with grief related to my own health situation and some family circumstances, and making work related to plants and flowers provided an anchor and a lot of comfort.”

Jackson said being in the studio and creatingwasawayforhertostopandslow down. “I found myself making things that required me to work really slowly and deliberately, so that being in the studio felt like a way into a sense of contemplation, where I could really explore and enjoy the physicality of the material I was working withandalsohaveaspacetoprocesswhat was going on,” she said.

er’s latest work ‘A Residual Pulse.’

Both exhibitions will be launched from 6pm and will be followed at 8pm with a screening of the art installation ‘Margaret and the Grey Mare’ in The Substation Main Space.

Thelauncheventisfree,butbookingsare essential.

Details: https://thesubstation.org.au/ program/grassroots-never-dies-worldwide

Western suburbs idol superstar to perform at the Royal

FreshfromastandoutrunonAustralianIdol, westernsuburbsfavouriteJacintaGuirguisis headingbacktoBacchusMarshforaspecial live performance that has already sent local fans into a frenzy.

Better known by her many fans as Cynta, she will perform a second show by popular demand at Royal Hotel on Sunday 24 May following a string of impressive performances which landed her a spot in the top six on this year’s season of Australian Idol.

Demand for a first show on Saturday17Maysawticketsflyoutthedoor, with organisers revealing tickets sold out before the show could even be officially posted online.

The show is expected to draw huge crowds, with the venue preparing for capacity attendance and advising ticket holders to arrive early.

Local performers Paul and Nath will kick off the afternoon’s entertainment from 1pm ahead of Cynta’s highly anticipated appearance later in the day.

Fans lucky enough to secure tickets have also been told there may be queues while staff check ticketing and issue wristbands for those staying beyond 4.30pm for the main performance.

If you want to see some of Melbourne’s best creatives in action, then Werribee is the place to be on Friday 19 June.

The Green Room Project Showcase will be on full display at the Wyndham Cultural Centre from 7-9pm.

This initiative unleashes a new wave of emerging writers, each delivering original 10-minute plays that ignite the stage with raw emotion, striking originality, and unforgettable voices.

A collaboration between Wyndham Cultural Centre Theatre and Melbourne Writers’Theatreofferedtheopportunityforlocal playwrights to develop a full-length play.

Participants were supported at every stage by an experienced dramaturg, which

is a literary adviser, researcher, and editor in theatre, opera, or film who guides a playwright, for those who might not be familiar with the term.

Throughout the process, the emerging talent tried their hands at hands-on writing

workshops, a script development session, a rehearsal and a live showcase.

In this showcase evening, you will have the rare opportunity to see these pieces as work-in-progresses, and experience stories that are on the path to becoming complete, finished plays– theatre in its most daring stage.

The show is suitable for audiences aged 18 years and older due to adult themes and strong coarse language.

It is also worth noting that this performance may contain smoke, haze and strobe lighting.

Tickets: https://www.wyndham.vic.gov. au/whats-on/green-room-project-showcase-emerging

For Bacchus Marsh locals, the performance marks a homecoming celebration for one of the region’s rising music stars after her breakout success on national television.

The show kicks off at 6pm on Sunday 24 May, and tickets are priced at $15.

Details and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/cynta-second-hometownthank-you-show.

To

Sudoku

1 Office of the Pope (6)

4 Understood by a select few (8)

9 Fault (7) 11 Reindeer (7)

12 Quality of being experienced (11) 13 Determined (3) 14 BLT, e.g. (8) 16 Become liable to (5)

19 US city (5)

20 Tissue death (8)

22 ‘Born’ (3)

24 One who studies the development of words (11) 26 Tsar’s wife (7) 27 Flyer (7)

29 Faith (8)

30 Biological molecular catalyst (6)

1 Boll (3) 2 Baltic region (9) 3 Made well (5) 5 Football (6) 6 Defeating soundly (9) 7 Picture puzzle (5) 8 Fake (money) (11)

Jerk (6) 12 British parliament (11) 15 Bleaching (9)

17 A physical science (9)

18 Buddhist temple (6)

21 Electrical generator (6)

23 Cyber message (5)

25 Commonly used edible bulb (5)

28 Cereal (3)

16

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”. C A D N T E D A I

3

Which Russian playwright wrote TheCherryOrchard, Three Sisters and UncleVanya?

2 Greenware is the term for pottery that has not yet undergone what process?

3 What was the name of the moon in BearintheBigBlueHouse?

4 Fleetwood Mac’s three principal songwriters were Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and which other member?

5 The headquarters of the UN are located in which city?

7 Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs were originally bred to hunt what animal?

8 Which conflict is widely recognised to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998?

9 Name the three countries whose national flags feature a dragon.

10 Caleb McLaughlin (pictured) plays Lucas Sinclair in which scifi TV show?

Planning and Environment Act 1987 WYNDHAM PLANNING SCHEME Notice of Approval of Amendment Amendment C266wynd

The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment C266wynd to the Wyndham Planning Scheme. The Amendment comes into operation on the date this notice is published in the Victoria Government Gazette.

The Amendment implements The Wyndham Plan (Wyndham City Council, 2025) by updating the Municipal Planning Strategy to provide a strategic framework to guide future development within the City of Wyndham and the Schedule to Clause 74.02 (Further strategic work) to include future actions to be undertaken by the Council.

A copy of the Amendment can be inspected, free of charge, at the Department of Transport and Planning website at www.planning.vic.gov.au/public-inspection or by contacting 1800 789 386 to arrange a time to view the Amendment. A copy of the Amendment can also be inspected, free of charge, during office hours, at the offices of the Wyndham City Council, 45 Princes Highway, Werribee and on the Council website at www.wyndham.vic.gov.au

AARON CHILES

Manager Strategic Planning and Property, Wyndham City Council

Planning and Environment Act 1987

WYNDHAM PLANNING SCHEME

General Notices

VIC 3030

The application is for a permit to: Creation of an easement over a Council Reserve for access to Sanctuary Lakes Golf Course Planning Scheme Clause: Matter for which a permit is required

52.02 To create a carriageway easement before a person proceeds under Section 23 of the Subdivision Act 1988

The application number is: WYP15628/26

The applicant for the application is: Wyndham City Council Responsible Authority: Wyndham City Council Telephone: 8376 5503

You may look at the application and any documents that support the application at;

- The Council website https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/advertising

- By Contacting the Town Planning Unit on the contact number above

Any person who may be affected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority by post or in person or;

- Online: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/planningobjection

- Email: statplanning@wyndham.vic.gov.au

An objection must be made to the Responsible Authority in writing, include the reasons for the objection and state how the objector would be affected.

If you object, the Responsible Authority will tell you of its decision.

Responsible Authority

not decide on the application before: 28 May 2026

12868599-JR19-26

Notice of the preparation of an amendment to a planning scheme Amendment C284wynd

Amendment C284wynd updates the Wyndham Planning Scheme to replace references to the Werribee South Green Wedge Policy and Management Plan (Wyndham City Council, 2017) with the (Draft) Werribee South Green Wedge Management Plan (Wyndham City Council, October 2025) as a background document to inform planning decision-making.

The amendment supports implementation of State and local planning policy relating to Green Wedges, environmental and landscape values, agriculture and tourism.

For further details, refer to the explanatory report about the amendment.

Details of the amendment

The Wyndham City Council planning authority has prepared amendment C284wynd to the Wyndham Planning Scheme.

The land affected by the amendment is all land in the Werribee South Green Wedge which is the area of land bound by the Port Phillip Bay coastline to the south, the Urban Growth Boundary to the north-east and the Princes Freeway to the north-west and Little River to the west. A map showing the boundary of the Werribee South Green Wedge is included in the Explanatory Report.

The amendment proposes to update the Wyndham Planning Scheme to ensure that planning decision-making for the Werribee South Green Wedge is informed by the most current and adopted strategic guidance.

Specifically, the amendment updates Clause 02.03-2 (Environmental and landscape values) and Clause 2.04 Strategic Framework Plan - Map 4 within the Municipal Planning Strategy, Clause 17.041L (Facilitating tourism) within the Planning Policy Framework and the Schedule to Clause 72.08 (Background documents) within Operational Provisions to ensure the Planning Scheme is supported by Council’s most current and adopted Green Wedge strategic framework.

You may inspect the amendment, any documents that support the amendment and the explanatory report about the amendment, free of charge, at:

•the Department of Transport and Planning website www.planning.vic.gov.au/public-inspection or by contacting 1800 789 386 to arrange a time to view the amendment documentation; •the Wyndham City Council website at www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/services/building-planning/ planning-scheme-amendments/current-planning-scheme-amendments; and •on request, during office hours, at the office of the planning authority, Wyndham City Council, 45 Princes Highway, Werribee VIC 3030 by contacting 1300 023 411 to arrange a time to view the amendment documentation.

Any person may make a submission to the planning authority about the amendment. Submissions must be made in writing giving the submitter’s name and contact address, clearly stating the grounds on which the amendment is supported or opposed and indicating what changes (if any) the submitter wishes to make.

Name and contact details of submitters are required for the planning authority to consider submissions and to notify such persons of the opportunity to attend planning authority meetings and any public hearing held to consider submissions.

The closing date for submissions is Monday 22 June 2026. A submission must be sent to Wyndham City Council, PO Box 197, Werribee, Victoria, Australia, 3030, or via email mail@wyndham.vic.gov.au with reference C284wynd.

The planning authority must make a copy of every submission available at its office and/or on its website for any person to inspect free of charge until the end of the two months after the amendment comes into operation or lapses.

A weekend of big match ups

Grammarians stay upbeat

By Tara Murray

Westbourne Grammarians haven’t got the wins on the board yet, but there’s plenty of positive signs in the Victorian Amateur Football Association premier women’s competition.

The Grammarians were promoted to the top flight just weeks out from the season, with the playing group up for the challenge.

Co-coach Ian Allan said they would only get better as the season went along.

“It’s been a really good journey for us,” he said. “The girls wanted to bring it on and it’s a new challenge for us.

“We’re only going to get better. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about how we approach it week in, week out.”

Allan said they were still learning about their playing group, while learning about the competition.

He said they were seeing some huge positives in what they had been doing and had identified where they needed to get better.

“We are on the right track,” he said. “It’s the little things really.

“The big thing for us is the way the girls are playing footy. We’re getting the footy but the little turnovers and the way the others react to the footy is the difference

“We could have won a game or two.”

On Saturday, the Grammarians lost to Kew, 4.9 (33)-0.5 (5) in an early morning clash.

Allan said they were missing seven or eight players and it left them with just 17 players and no bench for the game and lost another player early on.

He said they were able to have as much ball as Kew, but couldn’t make the most of it in front of goal. Temeika Cathery and Kayla Koropeckyj were two players who were out that could have made a difference

up forward.

Sarah Dickie, Jazmine Holdsworth and Caitlyn Gashi were the Grammarians best.

Liam

Simic. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 478414_14

Titans feeling positive despite lack of wins

By Tara Murray

The wins might not have come just yet, but there’s been positive signs of improvement for Tarneit in the Western Football League division 2 competition.

The Titans, who have not won a game since 2024, have been in every game but two under first year coach James Foord.

Foord knew pre-season the group had brought into what they were doing and it was reflecting on the side.

“There’s been a hell of a lot of improvement,” he said before the weekend’s game with the Suns.

“We’ve been looking at vision of the last few games in particular and the game plan is coming together.

“Outside of North Footscray, they are unbelievable, it has been pretty tight for large periods of the game.

“Each match we have been able to peg back the score on last time and the time before that.”

Foord said he wasn’t surprised to see the

development so quick into the season

He said the main players had been at training most nights and if they weren’t were seeking the information needed to help them get better.

“The buy in has been pretty consistent,” he said. “I would love that little bit extra, but everyone does.”

“The back seven have been unbelievable in what they are actioning and covering for each other. They have been strong down there.

“The midfield has been a little bit inconsistent with the team that we’ve had on the park, but they are starting to gel.”

Foord said they had chatted with the group about what is means to play for the club and what it means to win as they celebrated Luke Hobson becoming the first player to play 150 games for the club.

Foord said the next step for the group was to learn how to win and what to do in those moments.

“We’re not that far away,” he said. “They can feel the change and what can we do in

Allan said former AFLW player Danielle Marshall continues to impress in defence as she returns to the field after having twins. They’ve also had a couple of players including Caitlin Brennan return after ACL injuries.

Allan said he was excited for what the group can do for the rest of the season. He said they had 49 players at training on Thursday night.

The coaches have been blooding some younger players as well, with four or five under-19s making their senior debut.

“We know how we want to play football,” he said. “The girls are still motivated and that goes a long way and hopefully we can get a scalp or two.

“We need to put it in place for longer.

“We’ll get some results in the second half of the season. We’ve learned a few things and there’s some huge positives.

“We want to stay up in premier division.”

Sports shorts

Basketball

Wyndham’s Riak Akhuar has been named in the under-17 Australian men’s team. Riak, who is part of Wyndham’s under-18.1 side, was selected in the Crocs team for the FIBA under-17 World Cup later this year. He was selected after a four-day national selection camp with Wyndham saying it was a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the hard work, discipline and dedication he continues to show.

Western FL

Werribee Districts continued on its winning way in the Western Football League division 1 competition. The Tigers were on the road against Newport on Saturday, winning 17.11 (113)-14.8 (92). Daniel Nielson kicked four goals for the Tigers in the win. Elsewhere, Point Cook lost to Caroline Springs, 23.11 (149)-8.9 (57), Point Cook Centrals went down to Sunshine, 17.13 (115)-4.4 (28) and Hoppers Crossing lost to Yarraville Seddon, 22.13 (145)-14.6 (90). Parkside Spurs flexed their muscles in the top of the table clash in the Western Football League women’s competition on Saturday. The Magpies were at home against Werribee Centrals and were able to come away with a 17.12 (114)-0.1 (1) win. Lonet Bugeja, Julia Nash and Keely Spiteri were named the Centurions best. Elsewhere, Wyndhamvale beat West Footscray and the Suns were too strong for Point Cook Centrals.

that moment to get us over the line.

“We’re right there.”

He said their reserves, or development team, had got a win on the board already and it was massive for them.

The Titans were in action on Saturday against the Suns.

Foord said there was a bit of rivalry between the two clubs which are based on the same street.

The Suns were able to show their class on the way to a 25.19 (169)-6.5 (41) win.

Samuel Roberts kicked two goals for the Titans, while Zach Thornton and Michael Naawi were named their best.

For the Suns, Nick Gregson kicked eight goals and Adam Scarpino kicked six goals.

The Titans face Sunshine Heights this Saturday in round seven, while the Suns will be in action against North Footscray.

In other matches on Saturday, Wyndhamvale remains undefeated after beating West Footscray, 15.12 (102)-10.5 (65).

Lewis Stanton kicked four goals, while Luke Di Mauro was named the Falcons best.

GDFL

Werribee Centrals winning run continued in the Geelong and District Football League on Saturday. The unbeaten Centurions held on against North Geelong to win, 12.14 (86)-11.9 (75). Aaron Stone and Josh Sutton were named the Centurions best. After six rounds, the Centurions sit two games clear on top of the ladder. In the A-grade netball, the Centurions got their first win of the season on Saturday against North Geelong. The Centurions won every quarter on the way to a 67-22 win. Ashlee Brunato shot 27 goals for the Centurions and was named their best.

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Bees make stunning start

By Tara Murray

Werribee City’s first foray into women’s soccer is off to a flying start in the FV state league 7 north-west competition.

Fielding a women’s side for the first time, the Bees opened with big wins in their first four matches, including a 12-0 win in round three.

Bees’ female technical director and women’s coach Muhammad Faisal said having a women’s side was a very big moment for the club.

“It’s very big for the club,” he said. “We are excited as I understand there has never been a women’s side for the club.

“We’ve got some younger girls at the club and we now have a pathway for them.

Muhammad Faisal said from what he had been told it had been hit and miss with the club’s junior girls program, but there getting some more momentum.

The Bees this year have under-11, un-

der-13 and under-17 girls teams along with their senior women’s side.

Muhammad Faisal said all the teams were so close and they were focused on getting more female coaches involved as well.

One of his daughters, who plays in the senior women’s team, coaches the under-11s girls team.

Muhammad Faisal coached the club’’s under-16 girls team last year to a championship.

He said the club had seen other nearby clubs have successful women’s programs and they were hoping to do the same at the Bees.

He said they have high aspirations.

“We’re an NPL [National Premier League] club and we want to compete at the highest level,” he said.

“The female space there’s the NPLW, the VPL [Victorian Premier League] and community.

“We’re aiming for the VPL and want to get up as high as possible.

“We’ve played three games this year and

Cameron-Smith selected for worlds team

By Tara Murray

Athletics Alexander CameronSmith only took up athletics about three and half years ago, but it hasn’t stopped him making the Australian team for the under-20 World Championships.

The Ardeer resident was last week named as part of the 75 athlete team which will head to America to compete in August.

Cameron-Smith will compete in the 1500 metres.

“It’s so exciting and pretty amazing,”

Cameron-Smith said. “I was at training last Thursday and dad came up and said you have made the world juniors.

“I was thinking what the heck?”

Cameron-Smith and his coach knew that he had the times for a number of events, so they were hoping that he would get selected.

He won the under-20 men’s Castella 3000 metres at the Zatopek: 10 in December in be named national champion and in March won silver in the open 800 metres at the Victorian state titles.

It was the 1500 metres that Cameron-Smith and his team told coaches was his preference.

He finished second in the under-20 1500 metres final last month, after leading into the final straight.

For Cameron-Smith, the focus had only recently turned to aiming for the World Championships.

“It was only a year ago that I thought I might be capable of performing at that level,” he said.

“Competing at the world championships became my goal and I was able to get the qualification times.

“I then head to college straight afterwards.” The success he’s had and the world championships shows how far he has come in a short period of time.

Before athletics he played cricket, football and soccer.

“I joined Western Athletics and got involved in athletics and cross country when I was 15 or 16 years old,” he said.

“It’s funny my coach Burkey [Peter Burke] said the best time to start is when you are 15 and doing other sports helps a little bit with focus and attitude.”

Cameron-Smith said he wasn’t putting pressure on himself at the world championships.

He just wanted to go there and put out his best performance and see what happens.

“My mindset is to race as well as I can and see how I do.”

For him, he would like to see progression as he goes into the senior ranks and believes that college will help him with that.

Cameron-Smith said it was a long term thing and wasn’t expecting sudden improvement in the next year or two.

For now the focus is the world championships and then college.

Cameron-Smith said he was excited by the opportunity to head to college later in

are already doing quite well.

Muhammad Faisal said being a first year side they were placed in the lower division but had already shown that they could be playing in a higher division.

They have a young team with just one player over the age of 20, while there’s also a couple of 15-year-olds in the team.

Muhammad Faisal said the aim for the side was to win the league and earn promotion.

“We have some new players and some ex-NPL players,” he said. Önly one or two are quite new to playing

“Our average age is 18-19, It’s a good year for them to experience the physically of playing against women’s sides.

“The girls are trying to do something,”

The Bees had a top of the table clash with Gisborne and came away with a 3-1 win.

Meanwhile, the Bees’ men’s Victorian Premier League 2 side suffered a 1-0 to Malvern City on Friday night.

Wyndham back on the winners list

Wyndham got its second win of the Big V women’s division 1 season on Saturday night.

Having won in round one, Wyndham had to wait until round eight to get a second win on the board.

Wyndham was on the road against the Craigieburn Eagles, who have also struggled this season.

Wyndham won every quarter on the way to a 66-41 win.

The side saved its best for last, finishing with a 25-11 final quarter to seal the win.

Haruna Inamaura top scored for Wyndham with 27 points.

“Great game from Haruna who really put on a solid performance and putting some points on the board,” Wyndham coach Matt Stephens said.

“[Aaliyah] Berryman and [Georgia] Denehey closely followed with a strong performance but overall a great team effort to get a win.”

The win comes after Wyndham announced it had parted ways with import Shernecia Martin during the week.

“We thank Shernecia for her time at Wyndham, both on and off the court, and wish her all the best for what’s ahead.”

Martin averaged four points and six rebounds a game.

Meanwhile, Wyndham’s championship men’s side faced off against the Camberwell Dragons on Saturday night.

The Dragons set the game up in the first half as they led by 29 points at half time.

The second half was much closer, with the Dragons winning it by three points, as they won 97-65.

Wyndham assistant coach Peter Muscat said as a team, they didn’t shoot the ball efficiently, and turnovers kept them out of the game.

the year.

He has signed a scholarship with the Michigan Wolves.

He said it was the best option for his career.

“They don’t offer anything like this over in Australia where you get your education paid for off your sporting ability,” he said.

“The facilities are far superior and it’s the best option for me.”

“There were still some positive signs, particularly in limiting Camberwell’s offensive rebounds after allowing too many in recent games,” he said.

“There were some positive signs but at the end of the day we are still struggling to execute our offense.

“We did not shoot the ball well which cost us the game “

Nicholas Black top scored with 24 points.

A fruitful footy partnership

By Tara Murray

North Melbourne Werribee kicked off its premiership defence with a come from behind win in the Victorian Football Leaguewomen’scompetition.

With Werribee’s men’s side having a bye on the weekend, all attention turned to the Kangaroos as they started their season againstPortMelbourne.

It was a slow start for the Kangaroos, who trailed by nine points at quarter time having only kicked four behinds for the quarter.

Scores were level at half time with the Kangaroos still not making the most of theiropportunities,havingkicked1.9.

The Kangaroos straightened up after the main break and were able to put on some scoreboard pressure while limiting Port Melbourne.

Three goals to none in the third quarter gavetheKangaroosa21pointleadheading intothefinalquarter.

They saved their best for last with four final quarter goals giving the Kangaroos an8.14(62)-2.6(18)win.

Port Melbourne didn’t kick a goal after quartertime.

ShelbyKnollandAlanaBarbakickedtwo goalseachfortheKangaroos.

Madeleine Di Cosmo had 32 disposals for the Kangaroos, while also having nine tacklesandsevenclearances.

Abby Favell also had plenty of the ball with 29 disposals, while Barba had 26 possessionstogowithhertwogoals.

The win was win number one for interim coachEmmaKearney.

Premiership coach Brett Gourley departed the club during the off-season for an AFLW opportunity, with Kearney stepping into the head coach role while the Kangaroos search for a permanent replacement.

An eight-time All-Australian and former North Melbourne captain, Kearney had already been heavily involved within the program as a senior assistant coach, while also previously working within North Melbourne’s AFL program as a developmentcoach.

It’s the second season that Werribee and North Melbourne have had a partnership fortheVFLWteam.

Werribee chief executive Mark Penaluna said the ongoing partnership between the two clubs was important for football in Melbourne’swest.

“We’ve had a relationship with North Melbourne back to 2008 and they’ve been connected in various forms with the men’s programwhichendedin2017,”hesaid.

“We’ve had our community programs and gone into schools. We’re the only club in Victoria that works with the AFL next generationprograms.”

Penaluna said the female participation rate in sport in Wyndham was low compared to neighbouring areas such as Geelong, which adds to the importance of thisprogram.

HesaidhavingaVFLWteaminWyndham

meantthatyounggirlshadapathwayfrom localfootballthroughtheranks.

Penaluna said they were seeing players identified through the club’s and Kangaroos programs, who were getting opportunitiesathigherlevels.

He highlighted Aluk Kuol, who is the sister of Tigers ruck Ajang Kuol Mun, who hadneverplayedfootballbeforeandisnow partoftheWesternJets.

“There’s a strong call for girls to get

involved,”:hesaid.

Penaluna said down the track there might be an opportunity for the club to have its own VFLW team but they are currently happy with the arrangement withNorthMelbourne.

After playing one game in Werribee last year, the Kangaroos’ VFLW team is set to play two games at Avalon Airport Oval this year in double headers with Werribee’s VFLside.

The two sides would also look to have somejointtrainingsessionsagain.

Penaluna said for the club that managed the ground and covers, it was a massive effort to get the ground up for double headers.

This week the Kangaroos face Carlton on SaturdaymorningatIKONPark.

Werribee’s men’s side will be back at homeatMelbourneAvalonAirportOvalon SaturdayagainstCollingwoodat11.05am.

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