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proudly serving Wyndham
1 JULY, 2026
Calling all young writers Young writers aged five to 18 are being encouraged to unleash their creativity and share their stories in Wyndham City Libraries’ annual Imagination Creation writing competition. youn ung writers Entries are open to young who live or study in Victoria. Victo toriia. Particcip pants can sub bmi m t one entry Participants submit per cate egory; one poem m and and one short category; story . competittio ion features feature es a range ran a ge of The competition age catego ori ries, with prizes prizess awarded categories, for the e bestt sstories tories and poems in each eacch group, recognising both emerging voices and standout talent.
Th competition is designed to The foste a lifelong love of writing and foster stor storytelling, according to Wyndham coun council. “T Imagination Creation writing “The com competition plays an important role in en encouraging literacy, creativity, and confidence among young people and prov provides them with an opportunity to shar their ideas in a supportive and share insp inspiring environment,” council said. Pa Participants are invited to explore any theme or topic, allowing their crea creativity to take the over, whether thro through imaginative worlds, personal e reflections, or poetic expression. Th There are three age categories, ve- years, 11-14 years and 15-18 five-10 ye ear and prizes are awarded in each years cate category for the best poem and short stor story. Th competition is open until 15 The July. De Details: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ serv services/libraries/kids/imaginationcrea creation-writing-competition
Leo, 7, looks for inspiration. (Damjan Janevski) 561963_06
Stadium in doubt By Laura Michell and Tara Murray The Western Melbourne Group has informed Wyndham council that it cannot deliver the Wyndham Stadium Precinct as planned and has proposed alternative plans for the precinct. Wyndham council corporate services director Mark Rossiter said a proposal to negotiate a change to the terms of the development agreement between council and the Western Melbourne Group was considered during the 23 June council meeting. Councillors rejected the proposal, which Mr Rossiter said included alternative plans for the delivery of the stadium precinct. The Wyndham Stadium Precinct is
a public-private partnership between council, the Western Melbourne Group and investors. The precinct was meant to host a 15,000-seat soccer stadium and other amenities that included sports training facilities, residential and commercial spaces. Western Melbourne Group was placed into liquidation and the A-Leagues club it owns, Western United, was stripped of its licence by Football Australia in August 2025. “Western Melbourne Group has advised that they cannot deliver the Wyndham Stadium Precinct under the terms of our existing development agreement, and this, combined with recent insolvency events, places them in default of the agreement,”
Mr Rossiter said. “The foundation of our agreement with Western Melbourne Group has always been the protection of our ratepayers. While the details of the proposal remain commercial in confidence, what was proposed is a significant departure from the existing agreement and would increase risks to council and our ratepayers. “Western Melbourne Group will now be required to immediately rectify these issues, otherwise the process to terminate the development agreement will commence.” Mr Rossiter said council would establish a new path forward for the remainder of the Wyndham Stadium Precinct if the agreement with Western Melbourne Group was terminated. “While council is extremely disappointed
to be put in this position, our priority is, and remains, acting in the best interests of our ratepayers, and in rejecting this proposal we are rightly putting our ratepayers first,“ he said. “Council provided significant flexibility to Western Melbourne Group within the confines of our agreement to allow them to fulfil their obligations, and we are deeply disappointed by this outcome.” Mr Rossiter assured the community that council and ratepayers remained protected by the “robust arrangements“ in place for the agreement, as confirmed by a recent independent review by former MP Justin Madden. Continued: Page 2.
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