WEDNESDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER, 2026
Duo’s dance idea What started as an idea between two Melbourne women who love dancing has become Just Dancing - a new women only dance night in Yarraville. After attending an event together that felt more like a singalong than a night built around dancing, Emilia Rossi and Marina Domoney started talking about creating a proper dance floor night with great music, a grown-up crowd, and an earlier finish. Rather than assume other women felt the same way, the pair shared the idea in dozens of Facebook groups across
Melbourne’s west last month. The response was huge. “That was the point where we realised this wasn’t just something Marina and I wanted,” Ms Rossi said. “There was so much excitement from women who still absolutely love dancing. It gave us the confidence to take the risk and build the event from scratch.” Just Dancing is a female-only 80s, 90s, and 2000s club night aimed at women from their late 30s through to their 40s, 50s, and 60s at Kindred Studios on Saturday 7 November. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite. c om/e/ju st-da nc i ng-women-on l y80s-90s-2000s-club-night-yarravilletickets-1992557758895
Just Dancing co-founders Marina Domoney and Emilia Rossi at Kindred Studios in Yarraville where the women-only dance night will be held on 7 November. (Damjan Janevski) 573369_01
Mall work warning By Cade Lucas Maribyrnong council staff must seek approval before working in the Footscray Mall and must never work there alone. These and other safety controls have been imposed by council following a series of violent incidents involving council staff in the mall and surrounding areas in recent weeks. In a staff update sent by Maribyrnong chief executive Celia Haddock on Friday 21 August and seen by Star Weekly, council employees were advised to “exercise caution when working in the Footscray CBD, including the mall”. Ms Haddock said the safety controls
imposed “a couple of weeks ago,” remained in place before reminding staff of what they involved. “Only essential works should be undertaken in the area. Before work is undertaken in the area, please discuss this and seek approval from your manager before attending. Staff should only work in pairs and always maintain awareness of their surroundings. “If at any stage you feel unsafe or have concerns for your personal safety, cease work immediately and remove yourself from the area. Your safety should always be the first priority,” Ms Haddock wrote, urging staff to report any incidents as soon as possible.
Ms Haddock and Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra were among a group of council leaders who were threatened with a knife in the mall on 5 August. The group were discussing safety issues with local traders when a man began assaulting nearby council workers clearing rubbish at about 12.30pm. After attempting to intervene, the man pulled a knife on them. He was arrested shortly after. Ms Haddock didn’t mention the incident in her staff update but noted that police had recently increased patrols in the Footscray CBD and that recruitment for council’s new civic response team, the Footscray Welcome Crew, was underway.
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The state government has also since announced that extra Public Services Officers (PSOs) will be deployed in suburban shopping strips such as the Footscray CBD. A spokesperson for Maribyrnong council said there was no directive for staff to avoid the mall, but that council had obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to provide a safe workplace. “These workplace controls have been implemented to support staff undertaking essential work-related duties in parts of the Footscray CBD,“ the spokesperson said. “The arrangements are reviewed fortnightly and will remain in place while they are considered necessary.”
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Citynews M A R I B Y R N O N G
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
OUT AND ABOUT
One of the things I value most about Maribyrnong is the strength that comes from our diverse, connected and creative community. Every day, people from different backgrounds come together to share ideas, celebrate culture and contribute to the vibrant character of our municipality. 6JCVoU YJ[ +oO RTQWF VJCV %QWPEKN KU UWRRQTVKPI HGUVKXCNU and creative activations through the Place-based Initiatives (Annual) Grants Program, bringing new experiences and activities to communities across the municipality every month. Local events do more than entertain. They help shape the identity of our communities, support local businesses and strengthen our local economy.
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I also encourage families and young people to get involved in the Youth Fest at Phoenix Youth Hub on 19 5GRVGODGT #NQPI YKVJ EGNGDTCVKPI VJG QRGPKPI QH VJG JWDoU DTCPF PGY EQWTV URCEG KV RTQOKUGU VQ DG C HWP ƂNNGF FC[ featuring live music, creative activities, food, entertainment and a showcase of the creativity of young people here in Maribyrnong. More details can be found online at PDULE\UQRQJ YLF JRY DX HYHQWV
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Council is also committed to further strengthening local action on tackling racism through the endorsed Anti-Racism Roadmap. Research undertaken as part of the Intercultural Maribyrnong: Inclusion, Belonging and Social Cohesion Report found that 81 per cent of respondents from culturally marginalised backgrounds had experienced racism. The new Anti-Racism Roadmap provides valuable insights that will help guide our ongoing work to build a more inclusive, respectful and socially cohesive community. We have a responsibility to lead as a Council, but we cannot do this work alone. 6QIGVJGT VJGUG KPKVKCVKXGU TGƃGEV VJG kind of community we are working towards - one that values diversity, creates opportunities for connection and ensures everyone feels they belong.
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Mayor, Cr Mohamed Semra and Deputy Mayor, Cr Samantha Meredith spoke with community members at the latest Meet the Mayor session held in Yarraville.
Mayor, Cr Mohamed Semra and Cr Pradeep Tiwari with members of our local Indian community at the Civic Precinct and Community Hub in Footscray.
Mayor, Cr Semra, Deputy Mayor, Cr Samantha Meredith and Cr Susan Yengi, alongside Council CEO Celia Haddock, staff and community, at the launch of Maribyrnong Zero, which makes /CTKD[TPQPI VJG HKTUV EQWPEKN KP /GNDQWTPGoU YGUV VQ LQKP VJG internationally recognised Advance to Zero initiative.
Mayor, Cr Mohamed Semra alongside Mayors and CEOs from CETQUU /GNDQWTPGoU YGUV HQT C TQWPFVCDNG YKVJ 8KEVQTKC 2QNKEG CPF the Assistant Commissioner.
WHAT’S ON ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR FESTIVAL
CREATIVE WEST: WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? 9GoTG PQY CUMKPI HQT [QWT support for Creative West!
Follow me on Facebook ‘Mohamed Semra for $WTPFCR 9CTFo
UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING Tue 15 September: 6.30pm Council Meeting The Meeting is held in the Council Chambers at the Civic Precinct and Community Hub and live-streamed on Council's website. Community members can submit questions for public question time online on or before the day of the meeting. 8KUKV maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/meetings QT RJQPG HQT more information.
Share your dream for Creative West and help bring it to life. Every dream shared will become part of a growing public installation at Footscray Library, helping shape and demonstrate support for a cultural precinct designed by and for the community. You can share your dream at your local library or online: yourcityyourvoice/cw
Maribyrnong City Council Civic Precinct and Community Hub 61 Napier Street, Footscray
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Postal Address: 21 $QZ 9GUV (QQVUETC[ 8+%
email@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au
2 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
SLOW FOODSCRAY Maddern Square and Nicholson Street, Footscray 5GR 1EV 0QX CPF &GE CO RO 6JG ƂTUV 5WPFC[ QH GXGT[ OQPVJ More than a market, Slow Foodscray celebrates the inner YGUVoU TGPQYPGF HQQF EWNVWTG UJQYECUKPI C TCPIG QH NQECN food vendors, street eats, artisan produce complemented by free family activities. CREATIVE WEST NIGHTS Footscray Library 18 Sep, 6-9pm Celebrate creativity, culture and connection across four Friday nights of live entertainment as we reimagine Footscray's future with Creative West.
045 QT www.relayservice.com.au
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Mayor Cr Mohamed Semra
Eastern Lawn, Footscray Park 5 Sep, 11am – 5pm 2TQWFN[ UWRRQTVGF D[ %QWPEKNoU 2NCEG DCUGF +PKVKCVKXGU Grants program, this free event will include live music, DJs, African Drumming workshop, circus performances, kids rides, facepainting and more.
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Honour was worth the wait By Cade Lucas Having arrived in Australia from Mongolia in 2018, Braybrook’s Chinges Tumurkhuyag was recently granted permanent residency. The decision meant the 37-year-old could look forward to a future in Australia with his Japanese born wife Shiori and their three-and-a-half year-old son, Jhonon. But becoming a permanent resident also meant Mr Tumurkhuyag could finally be recognised for an act of bravery not long after he arrived On 23 November, 2019, Mr Tumurkhuyag was in Cairns on holiday after finishing his university studies for the year.
It was late in the afternoon and he’d just returned to his hotel room when he heard shouting outside. “I was curious and I went out on the balcony on the fifth floor where I was staying,” Mr Tumurkhuyag recalled. “I saw the girl just waiting to jump from the seventh floor balcony, two levels above me.” Suddenly Mr Tumurkhuyag was clamouring up to the sixth floor balcony above and then onto the seventh where the woman stood. “It was pure instinct. I just tried to stop her as quickly as I could,” he said. For the next 10 minutes Mr Tumurkhu-
yag clung onto the woman’s arms through the railing, while trying to talk her around. When a police officer finally arrived and tried handcuff the women onto the balcony fence, it only made matters worse. “She became more aggressive,” Mr Tumurkhuyag said of the women who finally loosened his grip. “She fell down onto the sixth level balcony and then I told the police officer to go down quickly and I straight away jumped back (down) to the sixth level.” Mr Tumurkhuyag then again grabbed onto the woman, before an off-duty firefighter staying at the same hotel climbed onto the balcony and helped him drag her
inside. He hasn’t seen or heard of the woman since. In fact, Mr Tumurkhuyag didn’t think about the incident again until receiving an email in 2024 informing him that he was to receive a Bravery Medal (BM) in the National Wattle Day honours on 1 September. There was just one problem. “At that time I wasn’t a permanent resident so I wasn’t allowed to get the award,” he said. Along with permanent residency, Mr Tumurkhuyag now has permanent recognition.
Council makes old hospital demands
Curator of the Hobsons Bay Arts Society’s member’s exhibition Veronica Noonan (front), with artists Jessica Wedding, Casey Tydens, and curator Kathy Coller at the Louis Joel Gallery in Altona. (Damjan Janevski) 572032_04
Vibrant works light up Louis Joel Gallery Hobsons Bay Arts Society’s annual member’s exhibition got underway on Friday 28 August at Louis Joel Gallery in Altona. Running through until 17 September, this year’s exhibition is titled ‘A Riot of Colour’ and well and truly lives up to its name, with a range of vibrant works exemplifying style, skill and composition from artists using oils-acrylics, watercolor, pastel, mixed media and even ceramics.
A judging panel headed by well known local artist David Payne selected the best artwork from each category, with the winners announced on Saturday 29 August. The oil-acrylic category was won by Christine McPherson for her work Weedy Seadragon, Glenda Smith’s Whisper of Spring won mixed media, pastel went to Jane Devlin for Grevilleas and Felicity Nicholls’ painting Parrots on Parade was named best watercolour.
Alongside these works, the exhibition also has a dedicated space reserved for 10 paintings by 97 year-old artist Victoria Smith. A life member of the society, Smith suffers with macular degeneration and is severely vision impaired, yet she still manages to produce artworks by painting intuitively. A Riot of Colour will be open from 10am-4pm, Tuesday-Friday and from 11am-2pm on weekends.
Inner-west households reminded to fill out the 2026 Census Inner-west households who failed to complete the 2026 Census will begin receiving reminder letters and knocks on the door from Census field staff. The Census was held across the country on Tuesday 11 August, with everyone in Australia on that night required to be included in a Census form. The Census is compulsory under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Census data helps ensure communities are accurately represented and supports de-
cisions about local services and infrastructure, including schools, healthcare, transport and emergency services. The Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducts the Census every five yearsAccording to the ABS, more than 10 million households across the country have returned their 2026 Census forms. This year, the Census form was completed online. In Victoria, 2.6 million forms have been returned. Census general manager Jenny Telford said households who have not completed
the Census should do it now. Failing to comply with a direction is an offence under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. If you do not complete the Census when directed, you can be prosecuted and fined up to $364 a day. Knowingly providing false or misleading statements or information is also an offence and can result in a fine of up to $3640. People can complete their Census online at census.abs.gov.au or by calling 1800 181 227 for assistance.
Maribyrnong council is continuing to demand more public space, affordable housing and social infrastructure be included in any future development on the old Footscray Hospital site. In a submission to the consultation process on the state government’s draft masterplan for the old hospital released in June, Maribyrnong council has reiterated that its own plans for the Gordon Street site released in 2024 remained its preferred option. The submission, endorsed by council at its meeting last month, noted that while the state government’s masterplan included 2.7 hectares of public space, this was 0.8 hectares less than the 3.5 hectare municipal park proposed in council’s plan for the site, and that with Footscray’s population growing and public open space already limited, its plans better align with community expectations. Council also wants greater clarity from the state government on the amount of affordable housing it proposes on the site, noting that its own plan includes a minimum target of 30 per cent. The submission also demands more detail on public transport connections to the site and the delivery of social infrastructure, particularly the future of the brutalist former Footscray Psychiatric Hospital building. While the majority of the eight hectare old hospital precinct on Gordon Street is owned by the state government, a 1.5 hectare parcel of land covering what used to be the southern car park belongs to Maribyrnong council. Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra said while the state government’s masterplan showed encouraging alignment with council’s aspirations, more work was needed to deliver the outcomes sought by the community. “This is a significant site for Footscray, and we welcome the opportunity to contribute to its future,” Cr Semra said. “While there is broad alignment with council’s vision, we will continue to advocate for stronger outcomes for public open space, housing, social infrastructure and connectivity.” A spokesperson for Development Victoria, which is managing the site on behalf of the state government, said it was continuing to engage with council to achieve the best outcome for the site. “Council is a key stakeholder in the delivery of the former Footscray Hospital site, and we will be working with them on the development of the masterplan,” the spokesperson said.
Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 3
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Briffa’s state election bid By Cade Lucas Former Hobsons Bay mayor and longtime councillor, Tony Briffa, has announced she will contest the seat of Williamstown at November’s state election. Ms Briffa, who spent 14 years on Hobsons Bay council, including two terms as mayor, joins West Party candidate Gill Gannon, the Liberals’ Paul Lindemann and the Greens Ben Hocking in contesting the long-time Labor seat currently held by cabinet minister Melissa Horne. Ms Briffa said community frustration with the current government and its perceived neglect of the western suburbs, had made Williamstown winnable. “I do think there’s a move for change. To be honest I think all parties are on the nose and I think it is time to try some-
thing new and to try and be independent,” she said. Ms Briffa has been endorsed by the Voices of Williamstown community group and is branding herself as a ‘community independent’ similar to other candidates associated with the ‘voices of’ movement such as Maribyrnong candidate Jess Marsh. Ms Marsh was endorsed by the Voices of the Inner West group, which took to social media on 25 August to distance themselves from Ms Briffa’s campaign. “We have received many messages asking if we are the ‘voices of’ group endorsing a community independent candidate (and former Hobsons Bay councillor) who announced their campaign today,” the post read. “Confirming the ‘Voices of the Inner
west of Melbourne’ group is not standing a candidate in the seat of Williamstown and have no affiliation or connection to this candidate or their group.” While endorsed by Voices of Williamstown, Ms Briffa said she had no affiliation with any other voices of group or the teal movement and that her campaign was entirely self-funded. She denied branding herself as ‘community independent’ in an attempt to piggyback on the voices movement. “Absolutely not. I’ve previously said I’m a community independent because I’m one of us. I was born in Altona and always lived in the local area.” Ms Briffa nominated community safety, cost of living and integrity in government as the main issues she would campaign on.
Police resources: Street over station As part of an ongoing series on the causes and solutions to crime in the west, Jack O’Shea-Ayres spoke with Victoria Police about how police resources are allocated across the region and whether reduced station hours have contributed to a rise in crime. Almost 60 police officers have disappeared from the ranks across Melbourne’s west in just 12 months. Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham have lost about 49 police positions, with police numbers falling from 557.03 in June 2025 to 508.58 in June this year. Brimbank and Melton have also recorded a drop, with numbers falling by about eight officers over the same period, from 495.74 to 487.50. The figures come as Victoria Police reduces public access at five western suburbs stations and councils increasingly call for greater police visibility in their communities. Public access to Footscray, Caroline Springs and Keilor Downs police stations were reduced to three days a week, while Altona Police Station was closed overnight and on weekends. At Williamstown Police Station, front counter access was temporarily restricted, with periodic temporary shutdowns affecting the ability of people to walk-in and speak with an officer. Victoria Police says the changes are designed to get police out from behind desks and onto the streets, amid a statewide shortage of about 1500 police officers. “This is why we are prioritising street over station,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said. “We want to ensure our highly skilled officers are out in the community preventing crime and quickly arresting dangerous offenders, rather than sitting behind a desk at a police station.” The spokesperson said despite the reduction in desk hours, police officers in the western suburbs continue to respond to calls for assistance around the
Victoria Police employee numbers for the west comparing June 2026 to June 2025.
clock. “In the western suburbs, general duties police patrol the community and respond to calls for assistance at any time of the day and night.” In a statement to Star Weekly, Victoria Police confirmed it had introduced a number of dedicated resources at a local level to combat crime. These include the Crime Investigation Units, Divisional Response Units, Highway Patrols, Proactive Policing Units, Family Violence Investigation Units, and Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams. Specialist units also regularly join local police in operations targeting crime. “Operation Shows runs regularly in Wyndham, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay while Operation Momentum runs across Melton and Brimbank which sees police team up with the Air Wing and Dog Squad overnight to prevent and detect crime,” the spokesperson said. Police maintain resources are allocated according to demand and operational needs, but the falling numbers
4 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
have added fuel to concerns about the level of police presence across the west. The spokesperson said Brimbank had experienced a relatively stable crime rate, increasing by less than one per cent compared to the previous year. However, the force acknowledged that statistics did not necessarily reflect how safe residents feel. “While the statistics show the actual rate of crime in Brimbank is stable, they don’t matter when people don’t feel safe and that is a reality for many in the community right now. “Our focus is on ensuring a highly visible and dedicated police presence across the western suburbs.” Victoria Police said it had increased patrols in Footscray and Sunshine following recent events, including the death of Sunshine grocer Van Viet Truong. “Enhanced patrols are occurring in Sunshine and Footscray, particularly around Hampshire Road and Nicholson Street,” they said. “Police are in these areas to support the community and provide reassurance.”
Former Hobsons Bay mayor Tony Briffa will contest the seat of Williamstown as an independent at November’s state election. (supplied)
Three arrested in Hobsons Bay drug raids Police arrested three people in Hobsons Bay on Friday as part of an investigation into drug trafficking. Detectives executed warrants at two business premises in Altona North and a residential property in Altona on 28 August. A 42-year-old Altona North man, a 51-year-old Altona North man, and a 40-year-old Altona woman were arrested and interviewed by police. The 42-year-old man was charged with handling stolen goods, committing an indictable offence whilst on bail, and failing to update his address within 24 hours while holding a firearm prohibition order. He was bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 22 January, 2027. The 51-year-old man was also charged with committing an indictable offence whilst on bail and failing to update his address within 24 hours while holding a firearm prohibition order, as well as possessing a firearm contrary to the order. He was also charged with possessing a drug of dependence and handling stolen goods, and remanded in custody to appear on 23 November. The 40 year-old woman was charged with possessing a drug of dependence, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing an imitation firearm, and possessing the proceeds of crime. She has been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 22 January 2027. Police also seized a range of items from during the raids, including drugs believed to be methylamphetamine, a firearm, an imitation firearm, knives, fraudulent identification, stolen number plates, a stolen drone, and a large quantity of cash. The latest seizures and arrests are part of the same investigation that resulted in a 44-year-old Spotswood man being arrested at his property on Hudsons Road on 5 June. He was subsequently charged with a range of offences including trafficking a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine, using a firearm in contravention of a firearms prohibition order, dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime and several drug possession offences. Anyone with information on drug trafficking is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online via: www. crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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Footscray CWA president Michelle Mercier and assistant treasurer Belinda Plunkett with some of the period products the branch has donated to the Share the Dignity charity. (Damjan Janevski) 572240_01
Donating for dignity’s sake The Footscray branch of the Country Women’s Association has been doing a lot more than just holding cake stalls and making scones, lamingtons and biscuits. Recently, the branch donated $1000 to Share the Dignity, a charity that provides period products to women who are homeless, fleeing domestic violence or experiencing other forms of hardship. Rather than just a one-off donation, Footscray CWA president Michelle Mercier said helping Share the Dignity combat so-called ‘period poverty’ was an ongoing priority for the organisation. “The branch will also partake in the November campaign for Share the Dignity where bags are filled with period products and personal hygiene products to be given to vulnerable women, teenagers and mothers,” Ms Mercier said, noting that the
branch donated over 30 bags to the same cause last year. Rather than a departure from the CWA’s traditional baking activities, Ms Mercier said the donations were funded by them. “Footscray CWA branch raises money via their preserve and baked goods stalls which are generally held for Mother’s Day and Christmas,” she said. “The Seddon Bendigo Community Bank also hosts our preserves throughout September where customers can come in and purchase the preserves and all monies are returned to our branch for funding projects.” The Footscray CWS branch meet Footscray CWA Branch meet on the fourth Monday of the month at the Hoadley Scout Hall in Hyde Street. Contact: cwaofvicfootscray@gmail.com
Police are investigating the firebombing of a West Footscray tobacco shop at 4am on Wednesday 26 August. Firefighters began attacking the blaze to prevent it spreading to adjoining properties, while the occupants of a neighbouring shop were safely evacuated. The fire was brought under control by 5.20am. Investigators have been told an unknown offender was seen throwing an object into the premises on Sunshine Road, before fleeing the scene with accomplices in a stolen Toyota RAV4 with false number plates and a white Honda CRV. The Toyota was later found dumped on nearby Sredna Street, while the Honda remains outstanding. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at: www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
New commander Victoria Police has announced Superintendent Boris Buick as the new Divisional Commander for Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. Superintendent Buick has more than 30 years experience in policing, across intelligence, investigations and operations. His appointment coincided with an update to the opening hours at Altona Police Station. The reception desk at Altona will now be open from 6.45am-10pm, Monday-Friday. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
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Why scammers pretend to be your bank and how the con can work Scammers impersonate brands people already know and trust, and banks are among the mosteffective disguises available to them when trying to catch out people and businesses. “Scammers love to impersonate known brands, known entities,” said Shannon Brown, CommBank’s Fraud and Scams Industry, Intelligence and Disruption Senior Manager. “But they also really like to impersonate banks.” The clearest example is the callback scam, and it starts with a message that doesn’t ask you to click anything. “Customers may receive an SMS or an email asking them to call a number to fix a problem,” Brown said. Ringing a number feels like the cautious thing to do, which is part of why it works. “When the customer calls that number, they actually hear hold music and an automated voiceasking them to select an option to talk with a phone specialist,” Brown said. “It sounds reallylegitimate and really mimics that call centre experience that most of us are familiar with.” “In a lot of these scam calls, we hear scammers say, hey, I know the first six digits of your card,” Brown said. “People take that as a sign of familiarity. They think, obviously you must work for the bank because you know my card number.” Those six digits are not personal information. They can often be a bank identification number,which is standard across a card range, so the same six digits sit on many cards. Brown saysscammers may already know them from publicly sourced information. Brown says they will ask for details such as a client number, a password, multi-factor authen-
tication codes, or a full card number, anything that helps them take over an account orgain unauthorised access. They may even ask you to download remote access software to access your computer. The other version is a direct request for money, and it tends to arrive in the same words. “Often they’ll use language like, make a payment to a safe account, and that’s a really big redflag,” Brown said. Stop. If a call or text claiming to be CommBank seems suspicious, take a breath so you can think clearly before you act. Check. Look for a different way to verify it. If the contact claims to be from CommBank, hang up and reach us through official channels like the CommBank website, CommBank app or thenumber on the back of your card. Reject. Cut off the contact, don’t make a payment and don’t hand over your information. Find out more at CommBank Newsroom
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Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 5
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A gem that keeps shining Alice Pung thought her memoir of life growing up as the daughter of Asian migrants in the inner-west would barely make it to the shelves of Footscray Library. Two decades, thousands of copies and a swag of awards later, the 20th anniversary edition of Unpolished Gem was recently launched there. She spoke to Cade Lucas about her book that just keeps on going.
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hen contacted to see if she’d be available for a photo to go with this story on the 20th anniversary edition of her debut memoir ‘Unpolished Gem,’ Alice Pung kindly replied that the week from 22-28 August wasn’t a great time. In fact, it may well have been the 52nd most ideal week of the year to try and find space in the Footscray born author’s diary. “I’m so sorry - you’ve caught an author at the busiest week of the year next week (Book Week),” Pung replied via email, in what must be one of the nicer ways in which one person has told another that he or she is an idiot. As the author of 14 books, many of them children’s titles, of course Pung was going to be in great demand at libraries, bookshops, and schools during Book Week. And given her award-winning memoir about growing up in Melbourne’s inner-west in the 80’s and 90’s as the daughter of Chinese-Cambodian migrants has been re-released to mark two decades since it was first published, of course this year’s book week was going to be busier than usual. After all, Pung credits Unpolished Gem’s continued presence on school curricula as a big reason for it being remembered at all. “Every single year there is at least one school, either in Australia or overseas, studying it. It just keeps going and going,” Pung said of the enduring appeal her 2006 release has with English teachers and students. Given many debut authors barely sell 20 copies of their books, let alone have them remain in circulation for 20 years, it’s no surprise Pung wanted to spend book week with some of the readers who’ve helped make this possible. Which is a long-winded way of saying no photos could be taken with Pung for this story and that book week is probably not a great time to try and organise them with authors. Fortunately some excellent pics were taken with Pung and her family at the 2Oth anniversary edition launch in July. That took place at Footscray Library, the same place where Pung spent countless hours writing her memoir two decades earlier after attracting the interest of a publisher through a magazine article she’d written. Back then the library seemed about as far as the book might go. “I’m always surprised,” Pung said of Unpolished Gem’s success in an interview with Star Weekly done (thankfully) before book week. “I thought it’d be in print for six months and there’d be a few copies in the Footscray Library and my dad would buy up the rest.” Pung’s dad, Kuan, and mother, Kien, loom large in Unpolished Gem, as do their extended family who all fled to Australia from Cambodia in the early 1980s to escape the murderous regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Settling in Footscray and then Braybrook, Pung’s parents started running an electrical goods store on the corner of Barkley and Donald streets more than 40 years ago and can still be found behind the counter of the now Betta Electrical outlet today. Pung worked there as a teenager in the 90’s, not long after Victoria’s large psychiatric institutions were closed and many of the patients ended up on the streets of suburbs like Footscray. “We had a lot of these eccentric and really wonderful and interesting people suddenly in the community and a lot of them came
Alice Pung (centre) and family at the 20th anniversary edition launch of her memoir Unpolished Gem at Footscray Library. (Pictures: Supplied)
The books that were being published ... told a very specific narrative of immigrant success. - Alice Pung Hardship and success. My book is full of losers into my dad’s shop where I’d worked since I was 16, so I got really used to these eccentric people,” she recalled, noting that it was these types of stories that helped the book stand out, especially compared to other memoirs about growing up in Asian families. “I guess, at the time it was published, it was a little bit unusual. The books that were being published came from America or they came from Asia and had titles, such as Wild Swans, Falling Leaves, Ten Thousand Sorrows, and Chinese Cinderella, that told a very specific narrative of immigrant success. Hardship and success,” Pung said. “My book is full of losers.” Not that there wasn’t pressure to succeed at home for Pung too. Combined with cultural differences, prejudice and the emotional toll that being a teenager can have on anyone, it led to a moment that definitely marked Unpolished Gem as not your garden variety migrant memoir. “I had a nervous breakdown at 17 which no Asian Australian puts in a book, but I document it in all its details which was something kind of unexpected at the time,” Pung said in an upbeat tone completely at odds with the content, before adding: “it’s not a misery memoir, it’s pretty funny,” just to make sure. Having people misunderstand Unpolished Gem is something Pung has dealt with since the moment it came out. By way of example, she recalled the book’s original launch which took place after she’d graduated from university with a law degree and had begun working as a solicitor. “My dad invited all his friends,” Pung said of the crowd of fellow Footscray shop owners and factory workers from the local Chinese community who came along and bought copies for $25 each. “It was an hour’s salary back then.” However it was the reaction of their children who also came along that caught her eye.
6 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
“Their children looked a bit disgruntled and I kept wondering why and then I realised on the back of the book cover it said ‘Alice Pung is a Melbourne born writer and lawyer.’ “These parents had focused on the word lawyer and thought oh this must be a manual on how to make it for their kids so they were buying it for their kids as a book of inspiration,” Pung said of the moment she realised that many of the young people in the audience probably hated her as a result. “I would have too,” she added, before noting that it didn’t take long for some of them to change their minds. “But then I got all these emails from young Asian Australians who’d read my book including of some of the disgruntled kids at my book launch and they said “oh gosh” I had no idea you had a nervous breakdown’ and “I said to my parents, see this is what happens if you push me too hard.” Pung now lives with her husband Nick and three children near Melbourne University where she is the writer in residence at Janet Clarke Hall, though she still returns to the inner west to visit family at least once a week. “I see wonderful things,” she said of her regular visits to Footscray, expressing excitement at the proposed Creative West development at the library.
“But I also see all the poverty there. I live and work near the university which is a very privileged area and then when I go back to Footscray you do see a direct contrast.” Pung said a book like Unpolished Gem could still be written in the Footscray of today, though it would come from a different migrant perspective. “It would be someone like Mayor Mohamed (Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra) or a young Burmese resident of Footscray, because that’s the new generation experiencing the same social and financial issues and also the prejudice,” she said, noting that many of the labels attached to young African Australians today are the same as those given to young Asian Australians of her generation. “We were the druggies, we were the gangs back then.” But as much as the skin colour and origin of those on the receiving end of racial prejudice may have changed, Pung said the person inspiring it was depressingly familiar. “The one constant in my life is Pauline Hanson. “When I was 16 she was around and now 30 years later, she’s still around. This story is still exactly the same because the counter force in our lives is still the same woman.” Unpolished Gem 20th Anniversary Edition is out now, published by Black Inc.
Betta Electrical, Footscray, where author Alice Pung worked as a teenager and which her parents still run. (Damjan Janevski)
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Little girl facing big fight By Glenn Fisher A parent knows when their child is unwell. Especially when that child is usually an energetic two-year-old who suddenly becomes exhausted and clingy, with recurring infections, fevers, night sweats and weight loss. It was March last year when western suburbs mum Katy Rayner noticed the change in daughter Dotty. After several rounds of antibiotics failed to help, Dotty began vomiting blood one night. Katy and husband Jacob rushed her to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where tests revealed the devastating news. Dotty had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. “Everything happened so quickly after that. They started treatment within five minutes. There was no chance to process it,” recalls Katy. Dotty spent 10 days in the paediatric oncology ward as her family faced the overwhelming reality of cancer treatment. Katy and Jacob took turns staying by her side while the other went home to rest and care for Dotty’s older brother, Lincoln, leaving little time for the family to be together. This was when Camp Quality became a source of light. Child life therapists helped Dotty understand her treatment through play, while Lincoln, who often felt left out as his family’s energy went into his sister’s care, found comfort of his own. After discovering Camp Quality via a poster at the chemotherapy day clinic, the family attended their first family camp last December. “It was amazing to be with other families in our situation, who looked like ours,” Katy said. The camp also gave her and Jacob a rare chance to reconnect, while Lincoln made close friends with other siblings who understood exactly what he was going through.
Dotty with mum Katy Rayner and brother Lincoln. (Damjan Janeski).
Dotty has since returned to kindergarten, made plenty of friends and has got back to having a social side of life. She is now in maintenance chemotherapy, continuing three-month treatment cycles and nightly medication at home. Dotty is due to finish treatment on 10 June, 2027, her fifth birthday. “I can see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I know we’re going to get there, and every day is a step closer,” Katy said. “The change in Dotty from diagnosis to now has been incredible to see. At the beginning, she was so unwell and treatment took a huge toll on her physically. “There was a point where she was incredibly weak and even had to relearn how to walk, which was heartbreaking to watch. Now, seeing her running around, playing, laughing and just being a normal little girl
again is something we don’t take for granted.” Katy said the family couldn’t speak highly enough of the nurses and doctors in the Royal Children’s Hospital oncology ward. “They have been such an important part of our journey with Dotty, and we’ve felt incredibly supported by them from the very beginning,” she said. “They’ve not only looked after Dotty medically, but they’ve also looked after us as parents. There have been so many scary and overwhelming moments where we’ve had questions, worries or just needed reassurance, and they’ve always taken the time to listen and explain things to us.” This September, Dotty and her family will participate in the seventh annual Camp Quality’s Big Walk for Little Kids to raise funds for children facing cancer.
Every month, 64 Australian children are diagnosed with cancer. The Big Walk invites people of all ages, fitness levels and abilities to choose their own challenge, walking 64km, 128km or 192km throughout September. Funds raised help Camp Quality provide their supportive programs and services, including family camps, kids’ camps, family retreats and emergency respite, which give kids and families facing cancer a vital break from hospital stays, treatment and stress. Participants can sign up online as an individual or a team, and ask friends, family members, school or work mates to sponsor their efforts to help raise funds. Since Camp Quality’s Big Walk started, it has raised more than $9 million to give families a break from cancer. https://www. campquality.org.au/
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you? I would say my sewing skills and how it has shaped my personal and academic development. Although they may seem unrelated, I see a strong connection between the two. As a child, I was introduced to sewing by my mother. Inspired by her, I began sewing at a young age, and later these skills led to employment. For many years, I worked for designer while studying and raising my children as a single mother.
of, and a part of, the North Cyprus Turkish Community of Victoria? The centre holds deep importance for both the Cypriot Turkish community and for me personally. I see it as the heart of our community, it’s a place where community members come together to celebrate cultural and social events. It is also home to many other community groups who regularly use the space. Being the president allows me to make a direct contribution to the community while applying my background in community psychology in meaningful ways.
MY PLACE Dr Lutfiye Ali is president of the North Cyprus Turkish Community of Victoria. She talks with Sam Porter about her connection to west and its Cypriot Turkish community. What’s your connection to Melbourne’s north-west? For me, Brimbank symbolises connection to family, community, and cultural identity. Although I was born in Footscray, my childhood memories begin in Brimbank after my parents moved from Deer Park in the late 1970s, when I was a pre-schooler. One of my earliest memories is our backyard which was filled with grape vines, olive and fruit trees, and seasonal vegetables that my parents grew in effort to create sense of home connected to their roots in Cyprus. My connection to Brimbank is also shaped by family gatherings at my grandparents’ home in St Albans, where we had barbecues, sang, danced, and listened to my grandfather’s stories. I feel deeply connected to Brimbank because it is home to a large Cypriot Turkish community, including many of my own relatives. At the same time, I value Brimbank’s Indigenous history and acknowledge that our lives here are built on the unceded lands of the Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples, the Traditional Owners of the land. This awareness developed in my adult years and has become an important part of my connection to Brimbank. What do you like about Brimbank? The cultural diversity of Brimbank. It is one of Victoria’s most culturally diverse local government areas, home to Aboriginal
Dr Lutfiye Ali. (Damjan Janevski) 546038_01
and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as communities from many cultural backgrounds. More than 160 languages are spoken in Brimbank, and the majority of residents speak a language other than English at home. I value the way this diversity has shaped Brimbank’s economic and social landscape. I believe there is a strong sense of social cohesion, with people from different backgrounds living, working, and learning alongside one another. Schools, neighbourhoods, and community spaces create opportunities for meaningful relationships and greater understanding across cultures.
What do you like about being the president
Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 7
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Something delicious is cooking for Rivervue residents Something interesting has been happening around the dinner table at Rivervue. Since new chef Kirsty Chiaplias joined the team, dinner at the community centre has quickly become one of the places to be. Tables are filling up, neighbours are catching up and there’s a lot more conversation happening over dinner. And the feedback has been remarkable. Kirsty is renowned for turning humble produce into bold flavours, helping her Melbourne cafe achieve international recognition. With more than 20 years’ experience in professional kitchens and a background that includes Babajan in Melbourne, she knows good food. But what she’s bringing to Rivervue is about more than what’s on the plate. It’s about creating a reason to come together. For residents, it’s the simplicity that makes it work. There’s no need to drive somewhere for dinner, find a car park or decide what to cook. With restaurant-quality meals right on your doorstep, you can simply sit down with friends, meet some neighbours, enjoy a great meal and then head home when you’re ready. It’s a small thing, perhaps. But it says a lot about what can make retirement living so enjoyable. This is just one of the many things that are part of the Rivervue difference. Because retirement living isn’t only about having somewhere beautiful to live. It’s about how you feel when you’re there. For many residents, there’s comfort in knowing Rivervue is a secure community, with gated entry, CCTV and emergency support systems. It’s not about giving up your independence – it’s about having the
reassurance of knowing there’s support around you when you need it. Then there’s the location. Set alongside the Maribyrnong River and just 9 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, Rivervue offers the best of both worlds – peaceful river gardens and walking paths at home, with shops, cafes, transport and the city close by. And, of course, there’s the home itself. Rivervue’s villas are spacious, comfortable and easy to maintain, without compromising on quality or style. Put it all together and Rivervue is about much more than a beautiful home or a list of facilities. It’s having your own space, while knowing good friends, good food and a welcoming community are close by. Perhaps that’s what good retirement living should really be about: making everyday life a little easier, a little more connected – and giving you more reasons to enjoy it. Find out more at our Retirement Living Q&A on Thursday 17 September at 10.30am. Call 1300 298 439 to book a tour.
Chef Kirsty Chiaplias.
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Q&A SESSION THURS 17TH SEPT AT 10.30AM How does it work? What do recent changes mean for you? The Retirement Villages Act has changed and there’s good news for you. Discover what’s new, including more inclusions and clearer contracts that give you more confidence about your next step. Get the facts. Ask your questions. Know what’s changed. Enjoy morning tea and take the opportunity to tour our village. 25 Bellavista Drive Avondale Heights
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Making the move: Transitioning from home to a retirement village Transitioning from your cherished family home to a retirement village is a significant life change that comes with a mixture of emotions and practical considerations. While the process can feel overwhelming, proper preparation, both emotionally and logistically for your move into a retirement home can make the transition smoother and more comfortable. Preparing Emotionally Moving from a long-time family home can trigger a range of emotions, from excitement to nostalgia and even anxiety. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way. Acknowledge your feelings and allow yourself to experience them. Maintain connections with friends and family. Keep in touch with your loved ones and assure them that the move doesn’t mean the end of your relationship. In fact, it often leads to more quality time together without the burden of household responsibilities. Many retirement villages offer a variety of social and recreational activities. If possible, get involved even before the move to start building connections and feel more at home. Practical Planning In addition to the emotional elements of this move, careful planning is crucial when preparing for retirement village life. Here are practical senior relocation tips and steps to make the transition smoother: 1. Declutter and downsize your belongings. 2. Decide what to keep, donate, or sell. 3. Consider what items hold sentimental value and ensure they have a place in your new home. 4. Visit the retirement village and get to know the layout, amenities and your fu-
ture neighbours. 5. Review the contract, and terms of your new residence in the retirement village. Understand the financial aspects, services included, and seek legal advice if needed to make an informed decision. Embracing a New Chapter with the Support of Your Loved Ones Moving into a retirement village is a significant life transition, but with emotional preparation, careful planning, and
the invaluable support of your family, it can be a positive and fulfilling step towards a more relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle. By addressing the move’s emotional and practical aspects, you can make the transition smoother and look forward to the exciting opportunities that retirement village life offers. At Centennial Living, we understand the significance and importance of moving to a senior living community. Our re-
tirement villages offer a comfortable and welcoming environment and a sense of community that will make you feel right at home. Our dedicated staff is here to support you every step of the way, ensuring that your move into our retirement village is as seamless and stress-free as possible. If you would like to learn more, please call 1300 098 000 to speak to one of our lovely team members or visit www.centennialliving.com.au to book a tour today!
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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.
Golf day The Rotary Club of Williamstown presents the Tony Boyd Memorial Golf Day on Wednesday 30 September at Kooringal Golf Club, Altona. The annual event is in support of RoCan Ltd’s Cancer Wellness and Accommodation Centre project. Player registrations are open now. rotarywilliamstown.org.au
Rotary Club of Point Gellibrand The club meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6pm for a 6.30pm start at Pelicans Landing, Syme Street, Williamstown. Everyone is welcome to attend just contact the club beforehand. Pam Barnes, 0418 347 691, rotarypointgellibrand.com
Founding members call out Williamstown Toastmasters is turning 30 this year and planning a celebration on 31 October. The club is currently trying to contact founding members to invite them to attend the event. The people the club is trying to reach are: Kevin Holland, Joy Leslie, Edward Magan, Marilyn Martyn, Joye Carver, Bernadette Cooper-Ellis, Ludwina Dautovic, Barry Fordham, Stephen Goss, Patrick Moran, Dennis O’Bryan, David Payne, Clive Seiffert, Dianne Seiffert, Sandra Wilson, Heather Whittingham, Ross Whittingham and Marion Young. Tara: 0411 899 086 or vppr-9088@toastmastersclubs.org
Free lectures The Footscray Mechanics Institute will be running a free lecture on the last Friday of each month until the end of October. The program includes: book launches, discussion of books and authors, and community guest speakers. The lectures will take place at the Footscray Mechanics Institute, 209 Nicholson Street, Footscray. 9687 1935, info@fmi.org.au
This week’s photographer’s choice pic is of Donna Jackson who is doing her comedy show Art Accidents & Underpants at The Yarraville Club in September. (Damjan Janevski) 573578_01
Art classes Bek & Jayne (Flipperfrog) are community artists who are offering art and collage classes at Joan Kirner House in Williamstown. The classes will run from 7.15-9pm every third Wednesday of the month. The workshops explore different types of collage, mixed media paint and lots of play with colour and mark making. All materials are supplied, with attendees asked to bring an apron and a picture or photo which can be incorporated into their work. The classes cost $25 per session in order to cover materials and venue hire. Walk-ins are welcome but places are not guaranteed. 0400 693 025
The IT Club. A free, informal weekly drop-in workshop designed to build digital skills. Participants can bring their phone or digital device to learn
from each other and work through tech challenges together. Held at Joan Kirner House, 14 Thompson Street Williamstown on Mondays, 10-11.30am. No bookings necessary. Kaye, 9397 6168
Mystery music sessions Held at Altona Senior Citizens, 2 Sargood Street, every Tuesday afternoon from 1.30pm. The sessions feature performances by local musicians, including solo artists, duos and groups. Entry is free to both members and non-members. 9932 1311
St Augustine’s PSl Playgroup Free playgroup for ages 0-5 held from 1-2.30pm every second Friday during term at the St Augustine’s Primary School library. library@sayarraville.catholic.edu.au
Community story time Every Friday during term from 8-8.30am at the blocks behind Alfa Cafe Yarraville. Free to attend and a free babychino with every coffee purchase, when storytime is mentioned, 9314 5996, office@sayarraville.catholic. edu.au
Hobsons Bay Community Fund The Hobsons Bay Community Fund is seeking new volunteer committee members to help support local community initiatives. Opportunities are currently available for treasurer and social media roles. Craig Eyes, 0408 055 125, @hbcommunityfund.org.au
Herimela, Isabella, Bella and Sabrina 574646_04 Esra. 574646_08
Book Week Dinjerra Primary School students doned costumes inspired by their favourite book characters on Friday to mark Children’s Book Week. Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski stopped by to capture the fun.
Teddy. 574646_02
Maisie 574646_03
Scarlette. 574646_06
10 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
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ENTERTAINMENT
Spend your Fridays in Footscray enjoying creativity A new series of free Friday night events is set to transform the Footscray Library courtyard. Running from 28 August to 18 September, Creative West Nights will feature live music, spoken word, Afro beats and comedy from some of Melbourne’s most exciting performers. The four week series begins on Friday 28 August with Footscray Unplugged in an intimate evening of live music featuring Ella Thompson, Grace Robinson and Ruby Gill. On Friday 4 September, spoken word,
poetry storytelling take centre stage with Words by Candlelight, where Wani Toaishara, John Englezos, Fleassy Malay, Konker Malual and Zaynab Farah will share their powerful voices and local stories. The following Friday 11 September is Afro Beats, a high-energy night of live music led by Sam Manzanza with support from Jarabi Band. Comedy Roast will close out the series on Friday 18 September with comedians Geraldine Quinn, William Wang and Oliver Clark bringing the laughs and Lauren Bok acting as MC.
Presented by Maribyrnong council,Creative West Nights is designed to cement Footscray’s status as the cultural heart of Melbourne’s west following a period where the suburb has been in the news for the wrong reasons. The series is also aimed at supporting Footscray’s night time economy, with patrons encouraged to visit nearby bars and restaurants both before and after each performance. Each Friday night event runs from 6-9pm at Footscray Library. For more information and the full program,: bit.ly/4fuoVsv
Jungle City is led by professional dancer and educator Cat Sweeney. Award-winning Australian songstress Amber Joy Poulton will bring Honky Tonk Queens to the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall on Saturday 9 October. (Supplied)
(Supplied)
Country vibes with Honky Tonk Queens
Street dance skills As a hub for street and cultural dance, Jungle City is set to liven the Bowery Theatre, as part of the wonderful 2026-27 residency artist program. Jungle City has sustained a thriving street dance community through regular street style classes, major events, youth mentoring, camps and tours and festivals. The street dance hub has built partnerships with dance crews, major art institutions and festivals such as Moomba and Fringe to help street dance grow. Their residency will help build skills through the creative development and
presentation of Let’s Get Married, an invitation to street dancers and the broader community to understand the importance of ritual and ceremony. The Bowery black box will be transformed into a glamorous wedding reception to wed a cast of street dancers inspired by the rich cultural tapestry that makes up the Brimbank community. The Bowery Theatre Residency program enables artists and arts organisations to make and present work with and for the Brimbank community. The 2025-2026 community-engaged projects span theatre,
music, expanded cinema, and site-specific public performance. As part of the residency program, the selected artists will take risks and shape new works to be presented at The Bowery Theatre. The program offers financial and in-kind support, to enable creativity, connections, and artist development. This residency is supported by Creative Victoria and is part of the Assemble project. Local theater-goers can look forward to a spectacular night of dance, culture, and celebration.
All aboard the Gisborne miniature train After the winter break, the Gisborne Vintage Machinery Society is getting ready to welcome you back to the Gisborne Steam Park for its monthly fun run day. Society member Ian Northcote said the group had been running for over 40 years, and invited the community to come on down with the whole family and enjoy the miniature train rides. This month, the society will also host a Town and District Garage Sale, alongside the train rides. “You never know what you will find at a car boot sale,” Mr Northcote said. “Sometimes people spend five bucks on something and its worth $500. “You can just open your boot, empty out your stuff and put a price on everything. “This is the first time we’re doing something like this.” Mr Northcote said alongside the miniature train rides, there will also be an indoor model railway display and a sausage sizzle to enjoy. The open day and garage sale will be held on Sunday 6 September from 10am to 2pm at the Gisborne Steam Park, Webb Crescent, New Gisborne. The event is free to attend, with $10 for sellers on the day. Details: gisbornevmrs.com
Country music fans are being invited to take a trip down memory lane when Honky Tonk Queens plays at the Bacchus Marsh public Hall on Saturday 9 October at 11am. Fronted by multi-award-winning Australian songstress Amber Joy Poulton, the live show celebrates some of country music’s biggest female voices, including Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Presented as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival, the daytime performance promises a lively outing for audiences who enjoy classic country songs, storytelling, and world-class live entertainment. Poulton is renowned for her powerful voice, heartfelt songwriting, and uncanny ability to channel the spirit of country music legends. Her career spans original music and acclaimed theatrical productions, including Coal Miner’s Daughter, a tribute to Loretta Lynn, and Man, I Feel Like a Woman, celebrating powerhouse women across country and pop. Since 2017, Coal Miner’s Daughter has toured Australia, telling the inspiring story of Loretta Lynn from humble beginnings to becoming the first ever female Entertainer of the Year, while featuring songs from the likes of Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette and Parton. Poulton has also continued to release her own music, including her latest album, Pretty Pennies, which explores life, love and the strength of women. With a love for country music’s old-school sound, Poulton continues to draw inspiration from her idols while bringing their timeless songs to new audiences. Honky Tonk Queens promises an afternoon of classic country favourites and a celebration of the women who helped shape the genre. Details: https:// welcometomoorabool.com/ e vent s-bac c hu s m a r s h-ba l l a ngordon-black wood-g reenda le/ honk y-tonk-queens-at-bacchusmarsh-public-hall.
Gisborne Vintage Machinery Society members Chris Dixon, Len Redway, Ian Northcott and John Beaty, and dog Theo. (Damjan Janevski) 573848_04
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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which team finished in last place on the 2026 AFL ladder? 2. Who did Carlos Alcaraz team up with to play mixed doubles at the 2026 US Open?
11. Carlton coach Josh Fraser played for which two AFL teams in his career?
3. Which basketball team did Knox Raiders defeat to win the 2026 NBL1 Women’s National Championship?
12. Game two of the 2027 men’s State of Origin series will notably be played in which city?
4. Which basketball team did the Gold Coast Rollers defeat to win the 2026 NBL1 Men’s National Championship?
13. In soccer, a blue card is used in some leagues to signify what?
5. Australia’s two-Test cricket series versus Bangladesh was played in which two cities?
Carlos Alcaraz
Nick Kyrgios
14. The Shrachi Bengal Tigers and the Ranchi Royals play for which Indian sports league?
6. Which American band is set to perform during halftime at the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers MCG game?
15. Was the Heroes character played by late actress Hayden Panetierre a sprinter, cheerleader or swimmer?
7. AFL coach Mark McVeigh played 232 games for which club?
16. In what year is Australia set to host the 11th edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup?
8. Australia’s women’s national rugby union team’s 100th Test match resulted in a 66-19 loss to which country?
17. Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli achieved what life milestone in August 2026?
9. Which 2014 film starred Kevin Costner as Sonny Weaver Jr., the fictional general manager of the Cleveland Browns?
18. With season four currently being released, what sport features in the TV series Ted Lasso? 19. The East Compton High Clovers and Rancho Carne High Toros are cheerleading teams from which movie?
10. Dez the Snapping Turtle and Dot the Arctic Hare are costumed mascots for which WNBA team?
26. And what do the initials stand for?
20. Nick Kyrgios is facing a four-year ban after testing positive for what?
27. What is the name of the WAFL’s best-on-ground medal?
21. At the 2026 Cincinnati open, which two Americans made the women’s final?
28. In which year did Italy last win a men’s FIFA World Cup?
22. The Aussie Steelers are the national team in which sport?
29. How many volleyball players from the same team are on the court at one time?
23. What does the acronym DNF stand for in relation to Formula One?
30. NRL team CronullaSutherland shares its nickname with which NHL team?
24. Which US rock group with a hockey-related band name has released the albums Copacetic and Shapeshifter, among others? 25. UIPM is the governing body of which Olympic sport?
0409
1. Essendon 2. Serena Williams 3. Bankstown Bruins 4. Forestville Eagles 5. Darwin and Mackay 6. The Jonas Brothers 7. Essendon 8. New Zealand 9. Draft Day 10. Toronto Tempo 11. Collingwood and Gold Coast Suns 12. Auckland 13. Player has committed a minor offence and must leave the field for a short period 14. Hockey India League 15. Cheerleader 16. 2029 17. Became a father 18. Soccer 19. Bring It On 20. Cocaine 21. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 22. Men’s softball 23. Did Not Finish 24. Knuckle Puck 25. Modern pentathlon 26. Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne 27. Sandover Medal 28. 2006 29. Six 30. San Jose (Sharks)
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Barro Group do not get to
landfill Landfill operations at Sunshine walk away from the site and leave after the are set to permanently cease (EPA) taxpayers to foot the bill Environment Protection Authority licence. Victoria revoked Barro’s operation - Joss Crawford on The EPA announced its decision Monday 27 July . However, Barro Group said the decision and was to cease operations was voluntary that it driven by the community’s message at the doesn’t want operations to continue landfill. it said Group Barro In a statement, it had notified the EPA on 3 April that decided to voluntarily cease accepting landfill waste on a permanent basis at the its and wished to voluntarily surrender operating licence for the landfill. been Underground landfill fires have , burning since 2019, with residents calling Brimbank council and local MPs of years. for the site’s closure for a number strong In December, the EPA took the duty regulatory action and notified the holder of its intention to suspend Group licence because it believed Barro risks was unable to effectively manage landfill to the community arising from operations at the site. The EPA said through this process, the Barro Group failed to demonstrate risks to it could effectively manage the landfill the community from ongoing to the operations and did not respond would be permanently closed. were delighted to hear that the landfill notice of intention to suspend. Siovhon Brister and Nicole Power its right Diane Capelli, Noelene Wattie, “Instead, Barro Group conceded and (Damjan Janevski) 568522_03 to work to continue the landfill operations Barro has stated it will continue where we have been the EPA has revoked its operating licence,” with EPA and Brimbank council to foot the bill. We Sunshine community than 50 years,” he said. closely a direct site and leave taxpayers and ultimate remediate the operating for more EPA said. “[Monday’s] outcome is our in regards to remediation EPA have directed them to fully “Having a strong relationship with operation. result of the strong regulatory action community, the closure of the landfill intends to continue and as a landfill site,” she said. been neighbours, the broader commenced in December 2025 Barro Group said it “We know local communities have and the EPA is and toll the Brimbank City Council result, the landfill will never reopen.” operating its concrete batching plant frustrated and understand the to us. and Rock The EPA said Barro Group must continue landfill has taken on community members. extremely important large resume operation of its Concrete “Last year we conducted a in (CRF) at its Sunshine site left us in no Recycling Facility The community can now take comfort permissions being again community survey which and the subject to necessary knowing that Barro Group will never doubt our surrounding neighbours not want obtained from the EPA. operate a landfill at the Kealba site. the EPA’s local community in general did welcomed hotspot have the day the to Residents “We look forward council the landfill to continue operations. Brimbank while us and decision, is out, and the landfill is remediated.” “This is an important decision for “significant win” for the Barro Group managing director we hope the community see it for what described it as a took its in rebuilding community. Raymond Barro said the company in it is – a show of good faith the responsibilities to all the communities our relationship with our neighbours, More coverage: Page 4. which it operates extremely seriously. of the community and stakeholders.” “Barro Group is a proud member
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5 AUGUST, 2026
Band to make annual stand
Hobson Bay City Band has been going strong for 30 years and will mark the milestone its annual concert on Sunday 23 August with at the Altona City Theatre. Billed as ‘Light and Colour’, the concert promises a big afternoon of exciting live band music ranging from popular artists such as Adele, Beach Boys and The Doors to classic and evocative band music. Conductor Wayne Bowden has put Australian Dental Prosthetists (Victoria) Associationtogether a diverse and challenging 12832170-LD30-26 program and said the band had so far risen to the challenge. “I am very impressed with the way in which the musicians have accepted the challenges put to them for this fabulous variety of repertoire,” Bowden said of the band he has led since 2018. Bass clarinet player Murray Smith said he loved the the challenge of playing a wide range of music and the camaraderie amongst the band members. “Wayne has been working with us to reach a higher and higher standard and we’re proud of the music we’re making,” Smith said. Details: www.hbcb.org.au Hobsons Bay City Band members (L-R) Queenie Lim, Wayne Bowden, Murray Smith and Robin Zakharov are preparing for their annual concert on 23 August. (Damjan Janevski) 568810_06 4 AUGUST, 2026
proudly serving Melton and Moorabool
Shirt stirs storm Established in 1981 as the
“There’s problems all over Melbourne, but that doesn’t mean that you need to resort to blaming people who live in an
The owners of a Footscray record store have defended the suburb after the previous occupant of their shop released a T-shirt emblazoned with ‘Footscray is a Shithole’ and claimed he had to close due to the area becoming an “absolute dumpster fire”. Kynan O’Meara and Jason Richmond opened their record store and cafe Coco Bananas in Chambers Street, between the Nicholson Street Mall and Maddern Square, in October 2023 after the closure of Counterweight Vinyl and Espresso. On Saturday 25 July, a picture of a white T-shirt splashed with dark blue, baseball-style font denigrating Footscray
“There’s every reason to be proud to do business in Footscray,” he said, adding that he and Mr Richmond held no hard feelings
Wonderland goes west
“I do believe that he gave it a really good shot and he was believed by the people of
Nearby venue Pride of Our Footscray Bar has since launched T-shirts with a Porter, Elizabeth locals positive Bacchus Marshmore spin on the suburb such as Barby, and Elizabeth Renee Pedretti,“Footscray is Character will Building,” and better known as Team Wonderland, on take off on this year’s Variety Bash Tuesday 18 August, raising vital funds for children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage, or are living with disability. The 10-day, 5200-kilometre journey will take them from Halls Gap in Victoria to Exmouth in Western Australia, featuring a colourful convoy of classic visit vehicles and inviting participants to organisations schools and community along the way. “Every dollar raised helps create it brighter futures for children who need most,” Ms Porter said. “Participants experience the incredible landscapes of Australia while seeing has firsthand the impact our fundraising on families and communities.” Since its inception in 1985, the Variety for Bash has raised millions of dollars children’s programs across Australia. This year marks Team Wonderland’s eighth event in its ‘85 Mercedes Benz 280SE sedan, with hopes of raising
Find it in the
General
Team Wonderland captain Elizabeth
Porter and Renee Pedretti with their
car and sponsors for this year’s Variety
Bash. (Damjan Janevski) 567662_05
$20,000.
for an urgent council’s has Hawke MP Sam Rae has called secretary Tash Wark condemned A council spokesperson said, “Council and the ASU. with affected meeting with council decision. any away maintained communication “While I have not received “Melton council has decided to walk work groups and union representatives communication from Melton Council on Established care in our in community, 1981 as theand it’s and does not from aged processSunbury the serving these proudly first,” she throughout and Macedon matter, I was concerned to hear thisRanges breached workers who are paying the price accept the allegation that it has said. 4 AUGUST, 2026 said. the Enterprise reports,” Mr Rae with days its obligations under “I have sought an urgent meeting “Around 95 people who spend their ASU to discuss on their Agreement”. was both Melton Council and the caring for older residents, checking Mayor Lara Carli said the decision at home receiving these matters in more detail.” wellbeing and keeping them safe made in the best interest of those Council reassured residents currently are now facing an uncertain future.” personal leaving care. receiving CHSP services, including Ms Wark slammed the council for “This change will ensure our community care, respite care, meals, social support flexible out of the decision-making process. before can continue to access appropriate, under and domestic assistance, will continue to “Council didn’t consult the union comprehensive care available 30 June, 2027. and until clear usual a as that’s services and receive she said. making this decision, the to under the new aged care system,” Ms Wark said the ASU would fight lightly breach of what they’ve committed “This decision has not been taken the enterprise agreement,” she said. a detailed review decision. We’ve on the by our council, and follows “This decision needs to be reversed. increasingly “Workers found out their jobs were an in operate to this.” did, after of our ability raised a dispute with the council over line the same way everyone else complex and changing aged care system.” the fact.”
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Dipping for dad QUALITY DENTURE CARE PROMPT APPOINTMENTS
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Voluntarily plunging into an Nick Danoucaras and Sam Robertson ice bath, reservoir and the ocean in the middle Kathy Danoucaras, 192 Main Road East, St Albans 9364 3677 of KND Denture Clinic, 8361 9722 winter just once sends a shiver down the Also at: Suite 8, 242 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs. spine of most of us – but how about 70 such dips in 70 days? That’s the challenge Sunbury woman Brigid Evans set herself as part of this year’s 40th anniversary of Daffodil Day on 20 August, a fundraising event to support life-saving cancer research and stand alongside those affected by cancer. And Brigid, 36, has a very personal reason for immersing herself in cold water 70 times as she edges closer to her goal of raising $7000 for the cause.
Employment
Australian Dental Prosthetists Association (Victoria) 12832170-LD30-26
On 18 August last year, her “incredibly fit and healthy” father, Les, suddenly died after battling through a bowel cancer diagnosis he received just before his 70th birthday.
There just has to be a better way. My goals in all this are to help research for better treatments and support - Brigid Evans Brigid was in hospital herself at the time, having just given birth to her and her husband’s first child, Melody, three days earlier. “Dad was usually the person looking after everyone else,” Brigid told Star Weekly . Brigid Evans is dipping in cold pools “He had been declared cancer-free, and ice baths 70 times to raise money for Daffodil Day, in memory of her but dad, Les. (Damjan Janevski) 566309_01 the chemotherapy treatment proved too Brigid, who has a doctorate harsh on his body, and he had in philosophy. “Melody is such a livewire now, and a sudden “My goals in all this are to help research she sailing spot, Lake Eppalock. downturn, then a heart attack after adds another layer into all this … more for better treatments and dad only While there will no doubt be tears support.” gastro-intestinal issues,” she said. got to meet his first grandchild over mixed After launching her Daffodil Day a video in with the cold winter An avid sailor on Lake Eppalock quest phone call just before he water of Eppalock near with her first dip on 31 May, passed, but I’m when the final Bendigo who also kept fit on Brigid is due sure he would be dip is done, Brigid says she a rowing to notch up dip number proud of me.” will not be done – she not only 50 as Star Weekly machine every day, Les had also As the 2026 Daffodil Day date gets plans to donated went to press – dips closer, continue cold water dipping that have included Brigid said his plasma hundreds of times and, after Daffodil she had some special dips Day at the many 6C ice baths at Thrve because of the health benefits, time of his diagnosis, wasn’t even in Sunbury, planned for the last but due for in the ocean down the week, when she will has promised coast, in Macedon take annual his routine colonoscopy to check to also shave her hair if she leave from her Disabilities reaches for bowel Reservoir and during swimming lessons Victoria policy her $7000 fundraising goal. problems. and research role. for herself and Melody at Sunbury Donations to Brigid Evans’ 70 In the end, Brigid said, it wasn’t Aquatic A group of her close friends will join dips in the and Leisure Centre. her 70 days winter challenge cancer that took her dad’s life on the weekend of 15 and 16 August can be made and she “I’ve found for a the at ice baths good for my dip in https://www.daffodilday.com.au/ believes the harsh concoction of chemicals Macedon Reservoir, while mum mental health and learning to swim fundraisers/brigidevans/daf fodil-dayas part of his treatment was a major has Leonie – who recently moved factor. been a positive out of a to Sunbury dip-2026 dark period,” she from Bendigo “There just has to be a better way,” – will be by Brigid’s side on 22 70-dip and you can also follow Brigid’s said journey at www.instagram.com/
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WAREHOUSE WORKER Tapflo is looking for a reliable Warehouse Worker to join our small, friendly team in Laverton North. This is a part-time role, 3–4 days per week, 9am - 3pm. Ideal for someone after flexible, manageable hours. You’ll need a current Forklift Licence (essential), and previous warehouse experience is preferred but not required for the right person. Duties include picking, packing, receiving stock, and general warehouse support in a hands-on, close-knit environment. If you’re organised, reliable, and enjoy practical work, we’d love to hear from you.
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4 AUGUST, 2026
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POSITIONS VACANT
Star News Group is an independent, Australian, family-owned media company and a leading provider of trusted local journalism. We publish newspapers and digital news services across Melbourne’s south east, the Shire of Yarra Ranges, Melbourne’s west and north, as well as selected regions in Queensland. Our network also includes a growing portfolio of niche and specialist titles. With a strong commitment to digital innovation, Star delivers news across multiple platforms – print, ePapers, websites aligned to each masthead, newsletters and thriving social media channels. As a progressive publisher, we continue to invest in quality local journalism and products that strengthen community connection. About the Role A rare opportunity exists to join our newsroom as either an experienced journalist or a graduate/cadet entering the industry. These positions are based at our Keilor Park office and form part of a broader network of newsrooms producing weekly newspapers and daily digital content. Our journalism is hyperlocal – focused on the stories, people, issues and decisions that shape the day-to-day life of our communities. You will work within an experienced independent publishing team with strong editorial leadership and a commitment to publicinterest reporting. What We’re Looking For We are seeking motivated and community-minded reporters – from experienced journalists to high-potential cadets – who can demonstrate initiative in news gathering and a passion for storytelling. Key duties include: • Reporting on general news, community issues, local government, sport and events • Producing engaging digital and print editorial content • Supporting special features and sponsored editorial as required • Covering events across the region (including occasional after-hours commitments) • Meeting deadlines and working within weekly production cycles • Assisting with proofing and preparing content for print Qualifications & Experience • We’d love to hear from applicants who have: • A tertiary qualification in journalism, communications, media, marketing or similar (or currently completing) • Strong writing skills and excellent command of the English language • A news sense and curiosity about local people and issues • The ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a busy newsroom
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Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 13
PUZZLES
easy
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W
W Q
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'.
N
Today’s Aim: 18 words: Good 27 words: Very good 36 words: Excellent
I
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WORDFIT 3 LETTERS ADO APE ARK ASH ATE AWE BOA COT CUP ERA FEN GIG GOD MOW MRS NUN ORE OVA OWE WAG WIN YAK
No. 305
T E N E T S
BREWS CARAT CARGO COLDS CREPE DIGIT DOONA ENTRY ERASE ERRED ERROR FLIRT GATES GENRE GONER LARGE METRO RARER REMIT RESET RINSE RISER
4 LETTERS ACTS BINS DAIS FRAY MOSS SMOG SNOB STEM STEW WAGS 5 LETTERS ABORT ACORN ARENA ATONE AVAIL AWARE BRAID
SASSY SCOFF SCRAM SEATS SECTS SEEDY
6 LETTERS CACKLE CRINGE MEMORY SLEETS TAGGED TENETS
SENSE SLOGS SPADE STRAP SWARM TANGO TENOR
7 LETTERS AMASSES EMOTION NEURONS NUMERIC OVERRAN RANCHER
8 LETTERS CAREERED IGNORANT INSPIRES RETRACED 10 LETTERS PERFORMERS SUPERSEDES
TONNE TOTES TRITE TUNES TWINE WAVER
04-09-26
No. 412 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down. NOTE: more than one solution may be possible
L A K E S A T O N E S T A T E T I L E D S C A R S
A
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Intimate (4) Heavenly figure (9) Grave mental condition (9) Get to know (5) North American bison (7) Combination (5) On show (9) Former Indigenous people of Peru (4) Saint Petersburg, formerly (9) State of bliss (5,4) Idée fixe (9) South-East Asian country (7) Sight-related (5) Thinking organ (5) Lay bricks (4) Reticulation (4)
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Greeting (Ital) (4) Entranced (10) Unnaturally strange (7) Business (7) Long footrace (8) Cancel (5) Book’s leaf (4) Science of the mind (10) 'Idiot box' (9) Second-hand (4) Gas layer in the stratosphere (5) Hungarian city (8) Domed building (7) Bill (7) Recorded (10) A unit of length in imperial measure (4)
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No. 305
14 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
QUICK QUIZ
1
Who is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Hera?
8
In which year was the first iPhone released?
2
How many main rings does Saturn have?
9
3
Who discovered the double helix structure of DNA?
Julia Stiles (pictured) stars in which film franchise as Nicky Parsons?
4
And in which year?
5
Clownfish are most commonly what colours?
6
What sport do the Los Angeles Kings play?
7
What colour are the 11 and 3 balls in a standard pool set?
10 Which popular song by KISS is also a girl’s name?
ANSWERS: 1. Juno 2. Seven 3. James Watson and Francis Crick 4. 1953 5. Orange with white and black markings 6. Ice hockey 7. Red 8. 2007 9. Bourne 10. Beth
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.
QUICK CROSSWORD
S T R A P B R E W S T O T E S R E M I T A W A R E C R E P E R I S E R A T O N E G E N R E A T E F L I R T W A G G O D D A I S M E M O R Y M E T R O A R K C O T A D O S W A R M T E N E T S W A G S C A R E E R E D M O S S B O A O V E R R A N N E U R O N S S N O B I N S P I R E S F E N F R A Y C R I N G E E N T R Y A S H N U N M R S C A C K L E S M O G S E A T S E R A E R A S E C U P O V A L A R G E C A R A T D O O N A T W I N E E R R E D D I G I T S E C T S S E N S E S L O G S
No. 305
C I A O S P E L L B O U N D H R I S E U N I A F F A I R S U N C A N N Y H C C R F O P M M A R A T H O N A N N U L N O L A P S Y C H O L O G Y P A G E E E I L B E U S E D T E L E V I S I O N R I U E O Z O N E B U D A P E S T G P T R N A S M I N V O I C E R O T U N D A A I A I N E O S I N C H D O C U M E N T E D
SUDOKU
Wrangler loves to rough it By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring Jeep Wrangler needs no introduction. If you’re into off-roading, it’s up there with the best of them. In fact, out of the box, Wrangler probably delivers more 4x4 capability than just about anything, with plenty of room for further customisation. But this ability comes at a cost, because it’s not the most comfortable car to drive and these days it is available only with a petrol engine which is a major drawback.
Styling In the UK the 4x4 scene is about mud and bog holes. In the United States, it’s more about water crossings and rocky hill climbs. In this great land of ours, it’s likely to be a mix of both, with the Outback regarded as the pinnacle of off-road adventure. It’s a market dominated by Toyota in its many shapes and forms as we discovered on a trip to the Top End not so long ago, behind the wheel of a Prado wagon. Jeeps and Land Rovers are a comparatively rare sight on the corrugations of the Gibb River Road which stretches more than 600km between Broome and Kununurra in Western Australia. Conspicuously absent is the darling of the western suburbs, the Ford Ranger. Where does the Jeep Wrangler fit into this scenario? It’s very much a lifestyle choice, with the focus on play rather than work. It’s about going bush for the weekend, with the fam or your mates and maybe dirt bikes. When we started driving Jeeps, they had two doors and a cramped, emergency rear seat. Then the four-door Unlimited came along, opening up a whole new world. Since then, the market for 4x4 dual cab utes has exploded and they account for three of the top 10 selling vehicles in Australia. Jeep saw this coming and in June 2020 added the Gladiator (great name) to the mix, based on the four-door model, with a proper ladder chassis. Fast forward and we suspect Jeep is doing it tough, not off road but in the showrooms with sales well and truly down. You want a Wrangler, the lineup has been rationalised to just the one top-spec Rubicon grade, available in two- or four-door form with the occasional special edition thrown in to spice things up. There’s Wrangler Rubicon two-door ($81,990) and Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon four-door ($84,990), along with a four-door 85th Anniversary edition ($88,490). At the moment, there’s also a strictly limited edition four-door Rewind ($73,990) which at this price represents a good deal. On-road costs must be added to all of these prices. Premium paint adds $1490 to the cost and the Sky-One-Touch Power Top is a hefty $6450. With removable roof panels, the Wrangler is billed as a driving experience unlike anything else. It’s just getting these panels off and figuring out how to put them back on (and the time it takes) that is likely to deter the majority of people. Jeep’s website Visualiser encourages you to build your Jeep, with an accessory list that disappears over the horizon – but it could also be a big deterrent. It’s confusing, cumbersome and time consuming. Rubicon features 17-inch alloys with BF Goodrich off-road rubber, dual zone climate air with rear vents and heated leather seats along with a heated steering wheel. There’s also LED lighting front and back,
Jeep Wrangler is a car designed for roughing it, not an urban environment. (Pictures: Supplied)
LED daytime running lights, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror, plus front and rear parking sensors. Wrangler comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty, lifetime roadside assistance if you service the vehicle through Jeep and needs to be serviced every 12 months/12,000km.
Infotainment Infotainment consists of a 12.3-inch touchscreen, 7.0-inch driver info panel and nine-Speaker Alpine audio, with built-in navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio, AM/ FM/DAB+ radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lower dash offers USB-C, USB-A and AUX ports, along with a 12-volt outlet. There’s another USB-A in the console box, plus two USB-A and USB-C ports in the back, together with a 240-volt outlet.
Safety Standard safety extends to four airbags (two front and two side), with Autonomous emergency braking (City and Interurban) and a blind spot monitor. There’s also Forward Collision Warning Plus, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Path Detection. Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK) systems are not available. Be aware, however, Wrangler is currently unrated for safety. The previous three-star rating expired in December last year.
Engines/transmissions The 2.0-litre turbo in question generates 200kW of power at 5250 rpm and 400Nm of torque from 3000-4500 rpm. Transmission is via a ZF eight-speed conventional auto with part-time high and low range four-wheel drive, plus auto engine-stop-start (to save fuel).
Driving What’s hurting Jeep more than anything is the demise of the diesel and in the case of Wrangler, its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol replacement. It gets along all right but, like the old Pentastar V6, is something of a sinkhole for gas – and it likes the good stuff – 95 premium unleaded. With an 81-litre tank Jeep quotes combined average fuel consumption at 10.2L/100km. Over the course of a week, we clocked up 940km in our test vehicle at a rate of 10.9L/100km.
Of note it was the first time in a long time that we had to dip into the kitty to top up a vehicle which says something. To give this some perspective, in previous tests, a two-door Wrangler with the V6 returned 10.4L/100km and a Gladiator with the same engine 14.0L/100km. It’s simply not good enough. At 4882mm in length, Wrangler Unlimited is fairly compact, about 71cm shorter than Gladiator, with an 11.8-metre turning circle. Weighing in at 2154kg, aluminium is used to reduce weight and boost fuel consumption, including the doors, door hinges, hood, fender flares, windshield frame and tailgate. Hollow track and stabiliser bars, aluminium engine mounts and steering gear also help to reduce weight. It has a braked tow rating of 2495kg. Inside it’s a mix of new and old, with a traditional flat dash that contains a long 12.3-inch touchscreen in this iteration that’s better suited to the demands of CarPlay and Android Auto. The dash consists of old-style analogue instrument gauges that flank a 7.0-inch information panel, where speed can be displayed digitally. Getting in and out of the Wrangler takes some athleticism, due to its ride height and the small doors. The driver sits close to the wheel and the swap from left to right hand drive hasn’t been seamless, with a smaller driver’s side footwell that leaves little room for a proper footrest, making it uncomfortable to drive over long distances. With some negotiation you can slot your left foot to the side of the brake pedal and fold your right leg sideways under it, but after a while even that becomes cramped. There’s not much easily accessible cabin storage either. Sure, there’s the netted door pockets, but with so little room for expansion between the doors and seat sides, their capacity is severely limited. Placing our phone and wallet in the pocket, sitting one on top of each other, resulted in the power seat adjustment controls being suddenly activated as they were squeezed against them. LOL. Rear legroom is good and the boot is deep and reasonably sized, with a hidey-hole under the floor, a big Alpine subwoofer built into the side and a 12-volt socket for things like car fridges. Although the tailgate and window glass
open separately, the tailgate must be opened and closed first which kind of negates any practicality. Fitting a child seat is difficult because the headrests are not removable. Rubicon features a long list of 4x4 accessories, with a high/low range Rock-Trac Active On-Demand 4x4 system with a traditional, short stubby transfer lever. Highlights include heavy duty Dana axles, Tru-Lok front and rear electronic diff locks, electronic front sway-bar disconnect, 77.2:1 crawl ratio and Fox aluminium-bodied two-inch diameter shocks front and back. With an approach angle of 43.9 degrees, break over angle of 22.6 degrees, departure angle of 37.0 degrees and a ground clearance of 255mm, it has a wading depth of 760mm. An Off-Road+ Button automatically adjusts throttle, Selec-Speed Control, Traction Control, Transmission Shift Mode. It has two modes: 4HI for higher speed sand performance and 4LO for very low speed rock hopping manoeuvres Wrangler gets the ‘Trail Rated’ stamp of approval testifying to its 4x4 capabilities, but as we have shown previously – its meaning is somewhat dubious. It’s a feisty thing, fun to drive with a decent turn of speed, but we would have preferred a diesel. The steering is rubbery and it has a tendency to wander if left unchecked, but the ride is surprisingly compliant and unlikely to generate complaints. The chunky off-road rubber is just what you want for the rough stuff but sets up a helluva din at 110km/h on the motorway. Convex exterior mirrors make judging distance to objects difficult. You see one thing in the mirrors and another in the rear-view camera which is a trifle confusing.
Summing up The iconic styling is a big drawcard as is the Wrangler’s prodigious off-road ability. This is a car designed for roughing it. For getting scratched and dirty and going back for more the next week. What it’s not, is a car designed for the urban environment. It might look cool but the novelty will soon wear off and you’ll find yourself wanting something with a bit more comfort. Land Rover has shown you can do this with the new Defender and perhaps it’s time Jeep bit the bullet and introduced something safer and more comfortable?
Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 15
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Werribee Centrals’ Anna Be is tackled. 574813_22
Laverton’s Sina Mason and Yarraville Seddon’s Akec Makur Chuot file for the mark. 574814_02
Yarraville Seddon’s Zachary O’Halloran. _574819_03
Finals action in full flight The sun was out as finals football ramped up another level on Saturday. Star Weekly
photographer Ljubica Vrankovic was out shooting some of the action.
Yarraville Seddon’s Susan Prashanth. 574814_06
North Footscray’s Samuel Gunesekera. 574818_20
Westmeadows’ Francis Keenan. 574816_11
Westmeadows celebrate a goal. 574816_24
Wyndhamvale’s Jessica Spall. 574813_02
Just out of reach for West Footscray’s Archie Lorimer. 574818_17
Caroline Springs’ Tyler Gysberts. 574819_08
16 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
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MSA athletes recognised By Tara Murray The Maribyrnong Sports Academy recognised some of its students’ greatest sporting achievements on Wednesday night. The academy held its 20-year anniversary gala dinner, celebrating MSA’s highest-achieving alumni with the naming of Athletes of the Second Decade. The night brought together former staff, department staff and others who have played an important role in the development and success of MSA. Stories of how the academy began, what the school means for former and current students, along with parents of former students were all shared. There were 21 athletes who were recognised from across a number of sports. Badminton’s Gronya Somerville, was recognised again having been named an athlete of the decade 10 years ago. She remembers the days where the
school had portables and training in 30 degrees. Nathan Pellissier, who represented Australia at two Paralympic Games in table tennis, was the first athlete with a disability to attend the academy. He led the way for athletes like quad-wheelchair tennis star Jin Woodman, who was the only current athlete recognised. He was set to head to America for the US Open last week. AFLW stars Mon Conti and Libby Birch were both in the room. Both went to the academy on sports scholarships for other sports. Birch said it was what she learned at the academy that prepared her for the transition into football. “Working really hard, being detailed with your preparation and learning about all the resources that you could possibly use,” she said.
“One thing I have carried through my career is the emblem of Maribyrnong Sports Academy which is, be a good person, be a good student and be a good athlete.” AFL players Touk Miller and Zak Butters were also named athletes of the decade. Socceroos star Connor Metcalfe, golfer Steph Bunque, volleyballers Lorenzo Pope, cyclist Lucas Plapp and taekwondo athlete Reba Stewart were among the recognised athletes who left video messages as they’re overseas with their sports. Plapp said he loved his time at the school and loved all the times working in the gym. Track star Celeste Mucci, and hockey pair Cooper Burns and Connar Otterbach were also among the recognised athletes. Leon Sejranovic, who became the first Australian to medal at a world championships in taekwondo in 16 years in 2023, was another named as an athlete of the decade Danny Vojnikovich, who recently re-
Rising badminton star loves the fast pace By Peter Howe As Australia was coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Luo family in Point Cook took to a nearby hall for exercise. This month’s Don Deeble nominee, Wanjiao Luo, who was barely eight years old, became very curious about badminton as it was played in the hall. “It was super fun and I met so many new people who I still play with today,” reflects Luo. “I tried a few other sports, including swimming, ballet and I even tried soccer for a year, but none were as enticing as badminton. “On court you must work out your opponent, it’s fast paced and I am extremely competitive. I love to compete.” Having fallen in love with the sport, Luo won her first tournament in a team event when she was 10. It was a national tournament making it more special. “I was so proud,” she recalls. “My friends joke with me that I should have a bed in the badminton centre. I love it so much. “It really is my second home.” Luo’s weekly training routine includes three, three-hour training sessions, a yoga session and running sessions. She trains six days a week before spending Sundays with her family. Luo runs about five kilometres, often with her father, at least once a week to improve her stamina for those long-fought games on court. When asked about her strengths, Luo said, “I like to change things up a lot to catch my opponents off-guard. “My consistency is improving as I mature and become more stable as a player. “I try to take the emotion out of my oncourt play, I don’t even hear the spectators around the court when I play, I am so zoned in.” Luo competes in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. She has a few Victorian titles in each format. However, it was her first national title in 2024 in the under-13 titles as an 11-year-old that brought her to prominence. Then as a 13-year-old Luo won both the singles and doubles under-15 national titles and won bronze in the mixed doubles. Earlier this year, Luo was awarded the Julie McDonald Trophy by Badminton Victoria as the most improved junior female player of the year. As under-15 national champion, Luo has
Wanjiao Luo. (Supplied)
met the criteria for the Badminton Australia’s Junior Falcon program, but at 13 is too young. She must wait until she turns 14 next year to join the Junior Falcons. Luo’s sporting hero is Taiwan’s Tai Tzuying and she wants to emulate many of her strengths. Luo has just returned from a training camp in China with her coach Nelson Oon. “The opportunity to train and play like a professional player was exciting,” she said. “We trained and played alongside champion badminton players from all over China. “These experiences will hopefully improve my badminton quickly.” While Luo has recently returned from overseas, she believes Australian badminton players lack overseas experience. “Badminton is not a major sport in this country, we need exposure to overseas play-
ers and competition,” she said. “The two things I have loved about travelling is testing myself against the best and equally making new friends.” Currently in year 7 at Alamanda P-9 College, Luo has her sights firmly set on the Olympic stage, perhaps even Brisbane in 2032. “Right now however, it’s about improving day-by-day, trying to find the balance between family, sport and education and of course to keep winning tournament titles, after all I am very competitive.” The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club, Ascot Vale Sports and Trophies and Star Weekly Newspapers. If you would like to nominate a monthly winner, contact swrsportsclub@gmail. com or 0408 556 631.
turned from the Commonwealth Games where he competed in judo, shared his stories from the Games. Swimmer Johann Stickland, who competes for Samoa, is another who just returned from the Commonwealth Games. Cricketer Fergus O’Neill spoke about his journey and trying to break through to the next level. Lacrosse star Sarah Mollison, who just finished up her international career, spoke about being a student and then coming back to the academy as a teacher. NBA player Johnny Furphy’s father Richard Furphy shared what it was like to be a parent of students at the college. Johnny, was one of the athletes recognised, while his sister Holly Furphy, is a soccer player. MSA director Mark McAllion announced on the night that as part of the 20year celebrations, a documentary on the academy will premier later this year.
State teams top 25 players named Several local athletes feature in the top 25 for the Netball Victoria under-17 and under-19 state teams. Having recently announced squads of 50, the two squads have been reduced as selectors get closer to their final teams for the 2027 national championships. Four Altona Netball Association athletes have been named in the top 25 for the under-17s. Amelie Connelly, Mieke Pretorius, Olivia Kostadinovic and Sheba Tupai are looking to make the final team for the first time. Western Warriors and Riddell’s Tilly Allen is hoping to make the team after being in the top 25 as a bottom age player this year. Her Western Warriors club mate Lily Sherman is also in the squad. The City West Falcons are well represented in the under-19 squad. Lani Fauonuku, who also plays for the Sunbury Lions, is aiming to make the state team, having played for the Northern Territory this year. She has previously represented Victoria at under-17 level. Imogen Sexton, who also plays with Melton Centrals, has made the squad after being part of the under-17 team this year. Manon Muir is also looking to make the under-19 team having been part of the under-17 team this year. Molly Moylan and Ella Leith, who weren’t part of the original 50 player squad have been named in the final 25. Moylan was a standout in the Victorian under-19 earlier this year. Emily Fitzgerald, another Falcon who plays at Woodend-Hesket) has made the final 25. Western Warriors’ and Sunbury Lions’ Charlize Bellette is aiming to make the under-19 team having been part of the Northern Territory team this year. Riddell’s Amelia Haxby has also made the final 25 for the under-19s.
Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 17
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Magpies look to the future By Luke D’Anello Parkside has promised a thorough review after its Western Football League division 1 premiership dream was shattered by a slick Albion outfit on Sunday. Coach Chris Muratore believed his team was a genuine flag contender after finishing the home-and-away season in fourth spot with a 13-5 record. However, the Magpies stumbled at the first finals hurdle, suffering a 20-point defeat, 13.9 (87)-10.7 (67). Muratore said Parkside’s last month of the campaign would come under scrutiny, with the club also dropping its final regular-season clash against Hoppers Crossing. “We genuinely thought we were a massive chance to win the flag and we really wanted to,” Muratore said. “We felt we were good enough. We
showed we could beat anybody and our best footy was as good as anyone. “We’ve probably got to pick it apart a little bit on what the last month ended like for us. Probably that last bye (on July 25), we felt we probably weren’t going as well as we wanted to be, whether it was we got tired or burnt out or we had a few niggles ... we’ve got to go to work on that and make sure it doesn’t happen again. “(On Sunday) we fell down, but I think the last four weeks all built up into one and we just looked tired.” The Magpies led by three points at quarter-time before the Cats kicked seven goals to three in the next two terms to gain a stranglehold of the match. Parkside secured eight wins in 2025, underlining its improvement as it prepares to cross to the Essendon District league next year.
“It was a year we were proud of. It felt like we took a lot of big steps as a footy club and having a very young group, but unfortunately Albion were better,” Muratore said. “They came with great intent, executed it really well, were good in the contest, clean over the footy and gave us a bit of a taste of finals footy that we weren’t really prepared for other than the first quarter. “I thought we started really well and had the game looking the way we wanted to in the first quarter. “In the second and third, we drifted off a little bit from that. They obviously lifted their intent around the footy.” The losing side was well served by Justin Cappelletti (four goals), Ethan Henley, Bruno Laguda and Liam Canny. Muratore said The Magpies’ disposal errors at Braybrook’s Skinner Reserve proved costly.
Devils into grand final with convincing win
Muratore, who will continue as coach in 2027, said the club had re-signed 45 players. “We’re in a really good position club wise. We’ve got a young group and they’re a pleasure to coach. It’s a shame it had to end like it did,” he said. “We’ve got to live and learn the hard way.” Parkside will likely start in the EDFL’s second tier next year but that is yet to be confirmed. “We’re pumped for the new challenge,” Muratore said. “Obviously we don’t know a lot about the teams we’re going up against, but every week is going to be exciting. The future of the footy club looks pretty strong. “The club’s going to be 130 years old next year and it’s going to be around forever. “That’s the whole idea (of the move), to keep the future strong.”
Sports shorts VTCA
By Luke D’Anello North Footscray on Saturday marched into a second consecutive Western Football League division 2 decider and extended its winning run to 14 games with a commanding performance in the major semi-final. The Devils enhanced their status as premiership favourites by sweeping aside rivals West Footscray by 79 points in a devastating display. The minor premier increased its advantage at each break on the way to a 17.13 (115)-5.6 (36) triumph. “It was a really mature performance and after having the week off, we knew what we had to do and stuck to our structures,” first-year North Footscray coach Robbie Hudson said. “I think everything just fell into place really well from there. “We just understood what needed to be done. Credit to West, they came out firing at the start and I think we just weathered the storm a little bit better at that point and settled well early.” Captain Adam Petridis, Brody Vorano (two goals), Joshua Crofton and Nick Papakalodoukas led the way for the winning side. Former AFL player Lynden Dunn and Mathew Serafin contributed four goals apiece, while Shaun Ujcich booted three. Jaycob Doyle, Damian Furlong and Jai Haines were the Roosters’ best. North Footscray have not lost since May 9 when it went down to reigning premier Wyndhamvale. However, Hudson said there was no hint of complacency within the group after last year’s grand final defeat. “It’s obviously really easy to get complacent, but we’ve got a mature group where we just respect who we’re playing against,” he said. “We’re very structure-driven, got a really good process and we’ve got some really good senior leaders in the team. “So we definitely hold a high standard and I think that definitely showed (on Saturday) and it’s shown over the last 12, 13 weeks as well.” Hudson lauded the contribution of Dunn, who has 70 goals from 15 appearances this season and has formed a lethal one-two punch with Serafin (78 goals). “Getting Lynden down this year was hugely important, not only for the club, but for myself too,” he said. “Him and I have got a really good relationship off the field and he’s definitely helped me in my progression as a coach. “He’s definitely been a blessing, not only for the playing group, but for myself
West Newport has announced two signings for the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Roy Picone Shield season. Akeem Springer and Ash Hulme will both join the club as it aims to get back to its winning ways. “Akeem brings an impressive cricket resume to West Newport, with extensive experience in Barbados, including top-level club cricket with Spartan, as well as experience playing Victorian turf cricket,” the club said on social media. “A talented and experienced batsman and bowling option, Akeem brings plenty of class and versatility to our senior playing group. Ash brings an outstanding cricket resume, having represented Footscray-Edgewater first XI, Essendon first XI, Yorkshire County first XI and Victoria second XI, just to name a few. Experience, runs, wickets and plenty of cricket pedigree — we’re incredibly excited to have Ash joining the maroon and gold.”
NRL Victoria Altona Roosters kept their season alive as they ended the back-to-back hopes of the Northern Thunder in the NRL Victoria Storm premiership first grade men’s competition. Playing in a knockout semi final, the Roosters beat the Storm, 28-24. The Roosters will face the Truganina Rabbitohs in a preliminary final. In the women’s first grade, the Roosters lost their semi final 28-0.
NPL Altona Magic finished its National Premier League season with a draw. The Magic faced the Preston Lions, who was still in the fight for finals. The Lions scored just after half time before the Magic scored a 90 minute equaliser through Changhee Lee to come away with one point. The Magic finished the season in 11th spot.
FV
Samuel Gunesekera takes a strong mark on Saturday. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 574818_19
as well. “He’s a huge piece of the puzzle down at North.” Hudson said another week off would benefit the Devils before the September 13 grand final at Yarraville Oval. West Footscray and Wyndhamvale will lock horns in the preliminary final on Sat-
18 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 2 September, 2026
urday in a rematch of the qualifying final, which the Roosters won by seven points. “We’ve got a few mature guys in the team and a couple of banged-up bodies,” Hudson said. “I think it’s definitely going to help us prepare. We’re quite happy with the week off and not having any injuries as well.”
Williamstown’s women’s side will play in state league 1 north-west next season. A 6-0 win on Friday night locked in a top two spot heading into the final round. Williamstown will finish its season on Sunday against Brunswick Zebras. FOR MORE SPORT VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly @starweeklysport @star_weekly
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Seagulls’ final hopes over Williamstown exited the Victorian Football League flag race with a 45-point loss to Essendon in Saturday’s elimination final. The Seagulls entered the contest full of confidence after a dominant display against Carlton in the previous week’s wildcard final. However, they were unable to replicate that performance at Windy Hill after a bright start. Williamstown led by eight points at quarter-time before conceding 12 goals to four in the final three quarters in a 14.12 (96)-7.9 (51) defeat. The loss marked the final game in charge for coach Justin Plapp, who has parted ways with the club after six seasons at the helm. Jack Toner (29 possessions), Jake Greiser (28), Harry Minton-Connell (24) and David Cuningham (21) were busy for the losing side.
Luke Parks, Kye Turner and Toby Triffett also impressed, while Kallan Dawson was the only multiple goalkicker with two. Dawson’s shift from defence to attack was one of the positives of the season for the Seagulls, the ex-North Melbourne player finishing with 35 goals for the campaign. Joel Fitzgerald and Hugo Hall-Kahan were also snapped up by AFL clubs in the mid-season draft. Essendon will meet Tasmania at North Hobart Oval in Saturday’s semi-final, while Werribee will meet Port Melbourne at Avalon Airport Oval. Meanwhile, the Seagulls locked up top spot in the Victorian Football League women’s competition. The Seagulls face Collingwood in the final round, with both teams aiming to lock in a top two spot. The Seagulls dominated the contest in
Josh D’Intinosante. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 573282_08
the first half as they led 39-1 at the main break. The lead increased further in the third quarter. While the Magpies kicked two goals to one in the final quarter, the damage had been done with the Seagulls winning, 9.5
(59)-3.4 (22). Mia Zielinski kicked four goals for the Seagulls, while Neve Crowley kicked two. Zielinski locked in the competition leading goalkicker award, the Rowena Young Medal, as she finished with 32 goals in 15 goals. It’s her first season at the Seagulls. Ellen Williams and Taelah Smith had 23 disposals each for the Seagulls. It’s the second time the Seagulls have claimed the minor premiership, having finished first in 2024. The Seagulls now get the bye in first week of the finals, along with reigning premiers North Melbourne Werribee, which finished second. In the first week of finals, Collingwood hosts sixth-placed Western Bulldogs, while Carlton will play Port Melbourne in the other elimination final.
Drake steps down
Zach O’Halloran. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 574819_03
Eagles get revenge, set up semi-final clash By Luke D’Anello Yarraville-Seddon gained a slice of revenge over Caroline Springs on Saturday as it chases a maiden Western Football League division 1 premiership. The Eagles had lost their past four matches against the Lakers dating back to last year’s finals series, but it mattered little in the qualifying final as they prevailed by 18 points, 11.11 (77)-8.11 (59). Brad Julier’s men booted three unanswered goals in the last quarter to secure victory, setting up a major semi-final clash with reigning premiers Werribee Districts. Yarraville-Seddon were without former AFL player Will Hoskin-Elliott, No.1 ruckman Akol Deng and Footscray-listed VFL player Kane Sexton. Yarraville claimed the top-flight flag in 1997, but the club has yet to achieve the feat since merging with Seddon in 2006. “We’ve had a few close ones (against Caroline Springs) and they got us in a couple of finals last year, so it was good to get a win,” Julier said. “I thought we looked a bit more dangerous forward (in the last quarter) and we were able to keep the scoreboard tick-
ing over. “Both sides seemed out on their feet, and we just took our chances.” The experienced Zach O’Halloran, who is in his first season at the Eagles, shouldered the ruck load with aplomb in Deng’s absence. O’Halloran, who was a star at St Bernard’s and also had a stop at Lancefield, iced a best-afield performance with two goals. “He got the chance to have some extra time in the ruck and was really good and went forward and did some damage as well,” Julier said. “He’s been a great back-up for us with Akol. He’s a great ruckman in his own right, but having Akol there he probably hasn’t had his chance, but he took his chance on the weekend.” Julier said Sexton would return this weekend, while Deng was “touch and go”. Hoskin-Elliott is set to be back for the preliminary final if Yarraville-Seddon is forced to take the long way to the decider. The Eagles and Tigers have had two very different contests this year. Yarraville-Seddon prevailed by 16 points in an entertaining clash that fea-
tured 36 goals in round eight, while Werribee Districts won a low-scoring battle by 17 points in round 18. “It was a bit more defensive last time and the first time was a shootout,” Julier said. “We copped a couple of injuries early (in round 18). We lost Will early, so we held on well until half-time and then they opened it up a bit. “Their run off half-back is where they generate a lot of play. They’re low possession and they get a lot of run off half-back, so if we can limit that damage we’ll give ourselves a chance” Julier declared the flag was the club’s ambition this year after a steady climb up the ladder since he was appointed in 2021. “We’re in a spot now where we get two cracks at making (the grand final) and with the improvement we’ve had, we think we’re ready,” he said. “We’ve got a strong list, we think we’re ready to do it, but time will tell. “It’s probably the maturity of our juniors, our young guys, that have got the senior experience under their belt, a couple of finals series now, so the maturity out of them is probably what’s set us up.”
Altona will have a new coach for next year’s Hockey Victoria men’s premier league season. The Seagulls announced that Greg Drake had stood down from the role after three years in charge. “Drakey took on the job in the 2024 season and led the group to a minor premiership in his first year, also receiving HV’s coach of the year award. “He has made significant contributions to our club over the years, in his capacity as not only men’s premier league coach this time around, but also previous stints coaching both MPL (men’s premier league) and WPL (women’s premier league), current club coach developer, and a player with 250 state league 1 games including two SL1 premierships. “Beyond this, Drakey has had international responsibilities including head coach of USA women’s national team, and closer to home he has contributed to Victorian hockey immensely including coaching under-21s, coaching (and winning) AHL (Australian Hockey League) with the Victorian Vipers, and his current role of the HC Melbourne women’s head coach with preparations well underway for their 2026 season after their 2025 grand final appearance. “AHC extends a sincere thank you to Greg for all his ongoing efforts with the club and wider hockey community.” The men’s side missed finals this season, finishing in eighth spot, with its three biggest stars missing most or in some case the whole season with other hockey commitments. The club also thanked Danielle Tyrrell, who stepped back from the women’s premier league head coach role earlier this year after being at the helm for three-and-a-half years. The Seagulls said Tyrrell continues to be an influential presence in the group as a player, alongside her responsibilities as current HC Melbourne chair of selectors. The women’s side finished the season in 10th with five wins. The Seagulls are now recruiting for a new men’s coach. Details: https://tinyurl.com/ y2d9y7sa
Wednesday, 2 September, 2026 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY 19
2, SEPTEMBER, 2026
Devils into granny
Eagles get revenge
Season over for the Jets
Katelyn Kissack celebrates a goal. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 574814_15
Eagles do it By Tara Murray Yarraville Seddon lifted to another level late to win through to a second straight Western Football League women’s grand final. Having last year come from fourth to make the grand final, the Eagles have done the same this year to make the division 2 grand final. The Eagles and Laverton went goal for goal for much of the first three quarters with the margin seven points in favour of the Magpies at the last break. The experience of 12 months earlier proved vital for the Eagles as they got their game going on the outside. They were able to hit the scoreboard and come away with a 8.7 (55)-4.7 (31) win. Eagles’ coach Andre Pocilujko said they were ecstatic to be through to the grand final again. “There was definitely a change of pace in the last quarter,” he said.
“The frustration for three quarters and then for us to open the game like that was huge. “It was definitely a relief.” As key players stood up for both sides in the big moments, the Eagles spread late in the game was crucial. Pocilujko said while it’s a different side from last year, the experience those players had was really big. He said he asked the playing group pre-finals how many had played finals, and for about half of them it was the first time they had. “I think we’ve got so many levels that we can get to,” he said. “It was getting each other on the same page to try and get us there.” “It was good to explain at the start of finals that it goes up a level, and has more desire and everyone wants to play next week. “That experience combined with the raw energy from the youngies was really good.”
Like last season, the Eagles have fired when it has mattered most. Pocilujko said they wanted to ramp it up at the right time of the year. “We don’t want to get to a point where everyone is injured and worn out, we want to be hitting the finals on a high. The Eagles will now face the Suns in the grand final. Both sides will be going for their first premierships. The Suns had the week off after beating Laverton in the first week of finals. Pocilujko said the group just wants to crack in and see what they can improve on in the lead up to the game. “We’re excited for it, we’re ready for it,” he said. “We love any contest, we love being underdogs, people sort of doubting us,” “It’s a drive and a bit of a reason to run out there; we’re ready.” Meanwhile, Wyndhamvale won through to face the Parkside Spurs in the division 1 grand final.
It’s season over for both the Western Jets sides in the Talent League competition. Both sides entered the finals with high hopes, having put together some strong form in the back part of the season. The girls season came to an end at the hands of the Oakleigh Chargers on Saturday. The Jets were playing finals for the first time since 2022 when they won the club’s only premiership. While they entered finals on the back of a strong win, the Jets had their work cut out against the Chargers, who were the number one ranked metro team heading into finals. Despite that, the Jets led the Chargers by five points at quarter time after kicking two goals to one in the first quarter. The Chargers then switched into gear in the second quarter. They kicked five goals to none to lead by 27 points at the main break and have the game in control. It was one goal apiece in the third quarter, with the margin reducing by one point heading into the final quarter. The Chargers had the scoring end in the final quarter and made the most of it, kicking six goals to cap off a strong game. The Chargers won, 13.3 (81)-3.3 (21). Alana D’Ambrosio, Paige McHutchison and Taya Delaney were the goalkickers for the Jets. Aluk Kuol, Mylee Lake, Parsons Jones and Tayla Olivieri were named the Jets best. For the Jets boys, their 11 game winning streak came to an end at at the hands of the Chargers as well. The Chargers controlled the game throughout and kept the Jets to just one goal after half time in the 16.13 (109)-5.10 (40). It was a two goal lead at quarter time for the Chargers before they doubled that heading into the main break The game was all but over at three quarter time with the margin 47 points. The Chargers then didn’t let off in the last quarter to cap off a strong performance. It was all single goalkickers for the Jets. with none of their forwards able to dominate. Angus Tippett had 30 disposals for the Jets, while Lachlan Hicks had 26 possessions. Hicks, Toby Round and Mac Dullard were named the Jets best. With minor premiers, the Northern Knights also losing, the Jets season came to an end with the Knights progressing as the highest metro loser. The Knights lost in golden-point time to the Eastern Ranges.