Tuesday, 21 July, 2026
Wesburn JFC strong after attempted theft
NAIDOC Week reflections
Excitement grows for HV high play
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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On your marks By Gabriella Vukman At the Yarra Glen Racecourse, young athletes ran with pride and determination for School Sports Victoria’s annual State Championships Cross Country competition. The Yarra Ranges venue became a hub of excitement and competitive spirit on 16 July as students from across Victoria raced against the best young cross-country runners in the state. The event produced strong performances from local schools, with students from across the Yarra Valley and Outer East making their mark among Victoria’s best young runners. In the SSV State Combined Primary and Secondary Girls 9-10 Years event, Alma H from Tecoma Primary School finished ninth overall in race 243 while Sadie E from Croydon Hills Primary School placed sixth in race 250. Meanwhile, Lilydale High School student Zoe C finished third in the Girls 17-20 Years category and Upwey High School student Spencer J recorded a time of 12:59.963 in the Multi-Class Boys 13-15 Years event. READ MORE ON PAGE 15
The boys race on. (Stewart Chambers: 565898)
Trail cost increase A $2.1 million increase in building costs for the Warburton Bike Park was revealed at the 14 July Yarra Ranges Council meeting. The development drew criticism from community members speaking at the meeting, while councillors labelled it “appropriate”. It came after a motion was tabled to extend and vary mountain bike trail design company World Trail’s contract to construct the new Stage
2A and 2B trails. Stage 2A and 2B will cost $1.6 million and is funded by a Federal Government grant. Meanwhile, the meeting also revealed that Stage 1’s total cost had increased by $533,000. O’Shannassy Ward councillor Jim Child said the cost amendments were “appropriate” as it kept the project “within budget”. But a Yarra Ranges local, Karen Hanmer, spoke to the motion and said the council must address a range of issues before it can commence works
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the community, and that the Stage 2 trails needed to be completed before economic benefits of the park could be realised. “Phase two is critical from an economic modelling perspective… it will help us move to cost neutral, but more importantly, to be generating financial returns for the community.” “We can’t achieve that if we don’t continue through all phases of this particular project. That’s when the employment targets will be met.” READ MORE ON PAGE 4
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on Stage 2. She cited breaches of trail width on one of the park’s trails, a lack of clear financial reporting regarding the park’s economic impacts, and issues surrounding washbays at the Wesburn and Mt Tugwell trailheads. But, the council’s director of built environment and infrastructure, Anita Curnow said “no nonconformances” were identified on the trails. Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister said she was grateful for the increased scrutiny from
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