6 MAY, 2026
Lauren’s fundraiser for mum
Lauren Philpot, whose mother died from cancer three years ago, is again organising the Mother’s Day Classic fun run in Maribyrnong. (Damjan Janevski) 549123_04
Three years after her late mother Leigh died from breast cancer, Maribyrnong’s Lauren Philpot is continuing her quest to fulfil her mum’s dying wish. Ms Philpot is once again organising the Mother’s Day Classic Maribyrnong, a fundraising fun run for cancer research on Sunday 10 May. Following a successful debut last year, Ms Philpot said the fun run would now be an annual event in Maribyrnong, with the overall aim of honouring her late mum. “My purpose is for the local community and wider public to unite in support of the cause to help me achieve my promise with mum of zero deaths caused by breast cancer by 2030,” she said of the Mother’s Day Classic which will raise funds for breast and ovarian cancer research. Taking place this Sunday morning at Coulson Gardens in Maribyrnong, the fun run will feature both a 10km run and 4km walk as well as market stalls, food vendors and entertainment on course. Participants are encouraged to wear either pink or teal to the event. Details: www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/ event/mothers-day-classic-maribyrnong/home
Where in the west? By Cade Lucas
12533599-HC07-22
Mystery surrounds the exact location of giant indoor skiing facility that has suddenly been announced for Melbourne’s west. Australian urban skiing start-up Snowtunnel announced on Friday that it had secured a location approximately 11km from the CBD where its fi rst indoor snow park will open by the end of 2026. “Securing our fi rst site in Melbourne is a defi nitive milestone,” Snowtunnel chief executive and co-founder Scott Kessler said in announcing the new facility which will be based around the massive rotating snow-fi lled cylinder after which his
company is named. Roughly four-storeys high and 16-metres long, the Snowtunnel will serve as the snow park’s main attraction and also a showcase for the company’s patented ‘endless mountain’ technology. “We’ve spent years engineering the magic of the mountains into a city-based experience,” Kessler said. “By choosing Melbourne’s west, we are making the thrill of alpine adventure accessible to a massive, sport-loving population just minutes from the city centre. Th is isn’t just a concept anymore, it’s becoming a reality.” Exactly where that reality will be based is less clear, with the company refusing
to divulge its address, suburb or even council area. Renderings released by Snowtunnel show it located beside a river, possibly the Maribyrnong, though a spokesperson for the company said these weren’t indicative of the actual site. The Maribyrnong River is also much less than 11km from the CBD. The suburbs that are roughly that distance west of the city are Braybrook and Tottenham, but Maribyrnong council said it hadn’t received a planning application for Snowtunnel’s facility in those suburbs or anywhere else in the municipality. Neighbouring Brimbank council said it hadn’t received a planning application
either. However, there is a planning application with Hume council for a large indoor recreation facility in Tullamarine. Despite not being in Melbourne’s west and being much further than 11km from the CBD, Tullamarine is where the UrbanSurf wave pool is located, a facility the Snowtunnel modelled on and whose former chief executive, Damon Tudor, is an investor. Hume council declined to answer questions about Snowtunnel when contacted by Star Weekly but didn’t rule out being the eventual host of the facility. A spokesperson for Snowtunnel said more details would be released later in the year.
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