The crowning champions of the 2025 Edgy Veg awards are hoping to reclaim their title as the 2026 awards heads to a close. Owner and manager of Macedon Ranges Wholefoods Kat Elise (pictured) caught up with the Star Weekly to chat about how the awards boosted business for the Gisborne store, and how their soup this year is tracking in the awards.
Read more on page 4.
By Georgia Tacey
A plan to remove a number of trees from Mount Macedon has “blindsided” Macedon Ranges council and the wider community.
On 13 April, Parks Victoria began its Mount Macedon Memorial Cross view linesproject,whichaimstoreinstateviews to the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross and offer a wider view of the Melbourne skyline for visitors to the Cross Reserve through the removal of trees.
Councilandenvironmentalistswereonly notified the project had received approval from the planning minister, having been deemed a project of state significance, on the same day,
A planning application was brought to council with the same title by Parks Victoria back in 2023, which was refused following community backlash.
MacedonandMountMacedonLandcare president Kate Lawrence said she heard no more about the project until 13 April.
“That was a total shock to everyone
because of the process, there hadn’t been any warning, there hadn’t been any ability to speak, to make representations to the minister, to advocate on behalf of the trees,” she said.
In a community update published to Parks Victoria’s website in April, the organisation said it was proceeding with theplanfollowingcommunityconsultation in July 2023.
Parks Victoria said a minimal amount of regrowth snow gums that grew after the fires in 1983 were to be removed as part of
the project, with a revegetation program planned to plant more in and around the park.
Ms Lawrence said she and other environmentalists headed to the cross in an attempt to stop the destruction.
“Westartedtogatherupatthemountain in the car park there from Wednesday and we went and sat where the machines were, and that stopped work for two days,” she said.
Continued: Page 3.
By Georgia Tacey
Neighbourhood houses across Hume will receive a much-needed funding boost.
Hume council has increased its costof-living support for operating neighbourhood houses from $13,055 to $20,000 per house, costing a total of $62,505 in funding.
Cr Jarrod Bell requested the increase in his second notice of motion in the past month regarding neighbourhood house support, which increased council’s support of the statewide Neighbourhood House Victoria campaign.
North West Neighbourhood House Network, which Hume neighbourhood houses are part of, urged councillors to support the motion, with chair Cheryl Hildebrandt addressingcouncillorsbeforetheitemwas heard during the 13 April council meeting.
“This funding has been instrumental in providing relief to individuals and families suffering hardship through the cost of living crisis,” she said.
Cr Bell called Hume’s funding of only $13,055 an unintentional error through the budgetary process.
“I think this cost of living support is needed more now than ever and I think
this is the least we could do to support these amazing front doors to our community,” he said.
State and local government funding currently accounts for approximately 50 to 60 per cent of neighbourhood house revenue across Hume, with the remaining income generated through grants, donations, programs and room hire.
Council provides $35,000 per neighbourhood house annually for operational and program support, with an additional cost of living package delivered in 202425 which provided an extra $20,000 per house.
Goonawarra Neighbourhood House has launched a new community pantry for the Sunbury community.
House manager Isabella Rosinsky launched the initiative in a ceremony on 23 April, and was excited to bring this pantry to the Sunbury community.
The pantry accepts unopened non-perishable food items and toiletries for people to access when they need it, with the pantry operating on a take what you need and give as you can basis.
“Thepantryisopen24-7,sothatpeople have access outside of work hours and on weekends,” Ms Rosinsky said.
“It’s also an opportunity for people to donate or take as they need, without the stigma. They don’t have to come into the house and ask, and it’s all about accessibility and dignity.”
Ms Rosinsky said the house will maintain and monitor it, and said there is also fridge and freezer food available for those who need it inside the house, which people in need can inquire about
during staffed hours.
The project was supported by Hume council, with mayor Carly Moore and Sunbury councillor Kate Hamley joining in on the ceremony.
Cr Hamley said this project these projects were more important now than ever.
“There’s a lot of people who are really struggling with the housing crisis and cost of living crisis. It’s putting people under so much pressure.”
Details: goonawarranh.com.au/
Train stations across Melbourne’s northwestincludingBroadmeadows,Footscray,St Albans, Sunshine, Watergardens, Sunbury, Tarneit and Werribee are among 32 metropolitan stations receiving a boost in protective services officer (PSO) presence from 9am until the last service.
Thechanges,whichcameintoeffecton Sunday 19 April, are part of Victoria Police’s efforts to increase presence, based on police intelligence, aimed at detecting and preventing crime in high-risk areas.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans said the changes are about deploy-
ing PSOs where and when they’re needed most.
“It makes no sense to have PSOs stuck at smaller, less busy stations when they could have more impact aboard the train at these locations,” Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans said.
“This approach also frees PSOs to conduct more intelligence-led patrols across the network where and when we know crime is occurring.That includes during the day when we see spikes in crime in the mid-morning and afternoon, including after school.”
Police said the train stations were prioritised based on patronage, crime rates, police callouts and proximity to shopping or licensed venues.
Police Minister Anthony Carbines said no station is losing PSOs.
“What’s changing is how they work, with constant mobile patrols to cover more places, more often,” Mr Carbines said.
He also announced an additional 50 extra PSOs to boost resources.
The full rollout is expected to take six months.
This was then reduced to $13,055 to the nine operating houses in the 2025-26 budget.
Cr Kate Hamley said the community is struggling, with cost of living support needed now more than ever.
“We need to top up this funding so that our neighbourhood houses continue to deliver the cost of living relief for our community,” she said.
“Failure to do so will mean that people will go hungry. It’s taking food from the plates of people who literally need it most.”
The funding boost will be delivered within the current budget.
A new cost-saving initiative could turn Hume’s trees into money makers, according to a Sunbury councillor.
During its 13 April meeting, council agreed to investigate costs and opportunitiestoentercarbonandbiodiversitycredit markets, which would turn stored carbon in the city’s trees into income, following a notice of motion from Cr Kate Hamley.
Cr Hamley said landholders can calculate the amount of carbon stored, and by planting more trees, more carbon can be pulled from the atmosphere.
“Council currently manages over 1897 hectares of open space and reserves and hundreds of street canopy trees,” she said.
“All of this vegetation is actively pulling carbon out of our atmosphere and storing it, which creates an opportunity. We could potentially generate carbon credits.”
Cr Hamley said these credits can be sold in carbon markets to generate an income for council, which she said could then be reinvested back into the city’s green spaces.
“With many things putting pressure on council’s budget, it’s important that we continue to look into new ways to generate alternative sources of income to support the really important work that we’re doing to protect our environment,” she said.
The federal government’s Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme encourages people and businesses to run projects that reduce emissions or store carbon, which includes changing the way vegetation is managed.
Australia also has a national Nature Repair Market, which is a legislated biodiversity market designed to deliver high-integrity biodiversity outcomes and increase investment in nature. This also aligns with the carbon credit.
Cr Steve Gagen said other councils across Australia are already participating in the Carbon Credit Unit Scheme and the biodiversity market.
He said as part of the market, councils can register projects and earn biodiversity certificates which represent verified ecological improvements that can be sold to investors and businesses.
“We’ve got significant land assets. We have a lot of open space around here. We’ve got parks, reserves, landfills, wastewater facilities and rural holdings and so on,” he said.
“We’ve already noted that the tree cover is rather low … so we can whack a few more trees up and get paid for it.”
Officers will prepare a report, including what schemes council is eligible for, projects or works that could be included and costings for the project by June.
Cr Hamley also requested a report on council’s Climate Action Plan and other options that would help council achieve Net Zero by 2030 as part of her motion.
B y Georgia Tacey
Macedon Ranges council plans to spend $16 million on capital works in the next financial year – down from $28 million this financial year.
Council has only provided a snapshot of what will be in the 2026-27 budget as part of its final round of community consultation.
Ranges residents who wish to have their say on the draft budget have been given limited details of revenue, costs, capital works, borrowings and select projects, with the full draft not released.
The striped-back format has revealed a total revenue of $110.33 million in the budget, with $71.64 million coming from rates and charges alone, with the rates increased proposed to the cap set by the local government minister at 2.75 per cent.
Council will also operate in a small surplus of over $15 million.
Council plans to spend $94.83 million of that revenue, with over half of it going to employee costs alone ($51.73 million).
Of the $16.23 million planned for capital works expenditure, more than $8 million is set aside for roads, $2.28 million for
buildings, $1.5 million for fleet, and more than $1 million for ICT.
Also included in the works program is footpath renewals, recreation, drainage, bridges and waste.
Council also plans to borrow $1 million, with half of that for digital enhancements.
Borrowings of $250,000 each will be for softwaresystemupgradesandtheKyneton Showgrounds Grandstand project.
Other projects set to receive funding this financial year include more free green waste weeks and increased vouchers for residents, as well as reduced fees for Hanging Rock family passes.
As part of community consultation earlier this year, council has also included in the draft budget additional funding for neighbourhood houses, and a project that will deliver Town Centre Action Plans for the nine towns.
Cr Cassy Borthwick encouraged the community to have their say on the draft budget, which was endorsed at council’s 22 April meeting.
“If you haven’t yet had your say on the budget, now’s the time to have your voice heard,” she said.
Consultation is open for four weeks.
Details: yoursay.mrsc.vic.gov.au
From page 1.
By Saturday, environmentalists were alerted by social media that works had finished.
“I went up and had a look … and it was pretty devastating. I didn’t get to see a lot of thearea,butIgottoseeenoughthat[alot]of the trees, including some really large girth trees had been destroyed,” she said.
Parks Victoria confirmed the completed works feature a viewing area from the cross that was much smaller than in the past, but was in line with environmental and community expectations.
There is an extraordinary amount of damage that has been done here and we’re not just talking about environmental damage …
- Cassy Borthwick
Ms Lawrence’s concern was for the snow gumscutdown,whichshesaidonlygrowin two areas across western Victoria.
She said the environmental devastation coupled with the lack of democratic process has left everyone, including council blindsided.
Atthe22Aprilcouncilmeetingcouncillors noted that council was not consulted about the works.
Councillors also noted the lack of offsets from the removal of the trees, which they said would cause a permanent loss of biodiversity which is not planned to be replaced.
Councillors have requested the chief executive and mayor to write to Parks Victoria and the planning minister seeking a public explanation of how the application was assessed to comply with the Macedon Ranges Statement of Planning Policy.
They also resolved to ask Parks Victoria to provide an assessment by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) of what biodiversity or vegetation offset would have been required for the project, if it was not determined under the
The 10th annual Sunbury kangaroo count is set to begin next month, with volunteers needed to capture the results.
Sunbury resident and organiser Robert Irvinehasbeentrackingtheincreasesinthe local kangaroo population for many years.
Last year results found 537 kangaroos in Sunbury, with the most sighted at Mount Holden, with 134 spotted.
Mr Irvine is calling on Sunbury residents to take part, which could mean observing the animals with binoculars from your car or taking a short walk near specified kangaroo grazing locations.
He said the high numbers recorded last year were due to the expansion of Sunbury.
“More people equals more kangaroos in Sunbury,” Mr Irvine said.
“We have provided unlimited water in our dams and creeks, and also fresh green grass all year round from sports grounds and front lawns.
It’s time to count Sunbury’s kangaroos.
(Damjan Janevski) 469971_05
“This all combines to create a perfect breeding environment for kangaroos to grow.”
Those interested in volunteering to join the count on the morning of Sunday 3 May can contact Mr Irvine by email to express interest and receive information around locations and a spreadsheet for recording prior to the day.
Contact: robert.irvine614@gmail.com
state project pathway.
A state government spokesperson confirmed to StarWeekly that the project was found to be in line with the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme.
During the 22 April meeting, councillors were conflicted on whether to highlight the environmentalimpactsoftheworksaswell.
The passed motion did not include reference to the snow gum’s significance in the area.
Cr Cassy Borthwick said while she wants
more state government accountability, she worries the loss of the snow gums isn’t something that can be replaced easily.
“I think minimising the environmental aspect of this is a bit of disregard for community sentiment and the efforts that have been made previously,” she said.
“There is an extraordinary amount of damage that has been done here and we’re not just talking about environmental damage … but its damage also to trust and relationships.”
By Georgia Tacey
More than 1000 council workers will walk off the job on 5 May in what the Australian Services Union (ASU) is calling the largest strike of local government workers in Australia’s history.
Eightcouncils,includingHume,Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, have been facing a disruption of services in April as part of a wider ASU fight to win wage increases for council staff.
In Hume, no bins were collected on 7 April during a 24-hour stoppage, and partial bin collection disruptions have followed since.
Council workers resumed normal work from 23 April, however on 5 May they plan
With voting almost over for the 2026 Edgy Veg Awards, restaurants, cafes and pubs across Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander are gearing up for their final orders of the month.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the 29 participating venues, with one past winner has their eyes once again on the prize.
Macedon Ranges Wholefoods last year won the top cafe award, with its mushroom jaffle impressing the crowds for its amazing flavour.
Following her win last year, Kat Elise said business has boomed for the Gisborne store.
“We found that being in the awards opened us up to a new clientele that wasn’t even aware that we existed, let alone did food,” she said.
“We’ve had a lot of repeat customers, and a lot of people came in to try the jaffle.”
Now in the store’s third year of joining the competition, Ms Elise decided to move away from the popular jaffles to try something new, with this year’s entry a twist on the classic Turkish Bride Soup, inspired by a recent trip.
“We travelled Europe last year and got inspired by some of the meals we had,” she said.
“We offered this on as a vegan and gluten free option. It’s slightly spicy, but itfeelslikeahugandsomethingthatyou would get from your Nonna’s house.”
The 2026 Edgy Veg Awards will finish up on 30 April, with the winner announced in May.
To vote, or to find out more about other entrants, visit edgyvegawards. com.au
to once again stop work for 24 hours, with all union members expected to walk off the job.
The union said workers will converge on Parliament on the state budget day, with the stoppage expected to cause significant disruption to garbage collection, street cleansing, mowing, library services and aged care as workers across the eight councils.
ASU Victoria and Tasmania secretary Tash Wark said while services have now returned to normal, this was not the end of their campaign.
“Undertaking a city-wide strike is a last resort. Our members take immense pride in serving their communities, but after 18 months of being ignored, they have been
left with no other choice,” she said.
“It is a total failure of leadership that councils continue to turn up to negotiations unprepared to offer wage increases during this cost-of-living crisis.”
The ASU is calling for an initial 10 per cent pay increase followed by annual increases for its workers.
The eight councils are currently under the multi-employer bargaining process, with around four meetings held so far.
All eight councils have issued a response, and said negotiations continue with the union in good faith to achieve an agreement that benefits employees, councils and communities.
The councils also said they aware of the next planned strike.
A number of grants are available for Macedon Ranges community members as part of council’s annual grants program.
Mayor Kate Kendall said the funding opportunities help local groups act on their ideas and turn great concepts into action.
“I’m sure there are many groups out there with wonderful ideas that would benefit local communities, and these grants can help bring those ideas to life,” she said.
“I’d encourage any eligible group to take a look at what’s available and put forward an application.”
Four streams are currently taking applications from the community.
Community Climate Action Grants are available for up to $5000, with the program aiming to recognise the important work of local sustainability and environment groups. It supports projects that work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building community resilience to adapt to climate change.
The Community Funding Scheme has three categories available to apply for, including grants of up to $10,000 for community, cultural and environmental
projects, grants of up to $5000 for organisational support, and small community infrastructure grants of up to $12,000.
Local environmental groups can also receive a grant of up to $1000 to help continue work caring for the natural environment, while the Events and Festivals Grant Program is also open to help deliver events across the region, with funding available through three tiers.
Applications for these grants will close Sunday 3 May.
Details: mrsc.vic.gov.au/About-Council/Find-A-Grant
“This withdrawal of industrial actions will be a welcome reprieve particularly for our communities most affected by the ASU’s industrial action, particularly in Darebin, Merri-bek and Hume,” the statement said.
“There have been many missed bin collections across these three council areas and now there will be opportunity to catch up on these collections.
“Councils respect the ASU’s right to take protected industrial action, and we’re working to minimise disruption to our community where possible.”
The councils said they will continue to keep communities informed on any updates and developments, including any potential disruptions to services on 5 May.
A youth gang with members from Melbourne’s north-west is at the target of police, after multiple Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs) were served.
Detectives from the Gang Crime Squad were supported by the VIPER and Echo taskforces and detectives from the North West Metro and Western regions, serving 19 FPOs on gang members in recent weeks.
Twelve FPOs were served on Wednesday 8 April on members aged between 20 and 25 living in Craigieburn, Hillside, Sunshine West, Melton, Sunbury, Tarneit, Footscray (two), Deer Park, Aintree, Armstrong Creek, Weir Views and Sebastopol.
Four gang members were also arrested for offending including theft of motor vehicle, drug possession, handling stolen goods and outstanding warrants.
A further seven FPOs have since been served on gang members aged between 19 and 26 currently in custody.
The gang, which police have not named, now has 40 members between the age of 17 and 26 subject to a FPO.
Police said the group is behind more than 4500 criminal offences.
Over the past two years, police said the group has been connected to numerous homicides involving knives and firearms, as well as home invasions, burglaries, carjackings, robberies, and assaults.
The FPO allows police to conduct unannounced searches to ensure they are not in possession of firearms.
Anti-gangs division Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said police will continue to target and hold offenders to account who seek to commit serious and violent crime.
“Operations like this one give us a greater insight than ever before on those who associate themselves as part of a youth gang. Every single day, we are arresting and charging youth gang members for serious offending,” he said.
“If you choose to be involved in one of these gangs and endanger our community, you will be tracked down and held to account for your actions.
“If you join a gang, you will regret it. It ends badly and very likely results in you or others being seriously assaulted, your family being impacted and you being arrested and charged for serious criminal offences.”
Anyone with any information on youth gang activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an anonymous report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
The Sunbury community gathered together across two ceremonies on Anzac Day to remember the sacrifices made.
About 5000 people gathered at the Sunbury Cenotaph for the morning service on Saturday 25 April to pay their respects.
The service commenced with a march
through town, up to the Cenotaph.
Sunbury RSL president David Jordan led the service, which was his first since taking over the role as president earlier this year.
During the service, the Goonawarra Primary School choir sang both New Zealand and Australia’s national an-
thems, with the Anzac Requiem read by Karen Evans and the Commemoration of the Fallen by Josh Streeter.
Mr Jordan said it was a great turn out from the Sunbury community across the dawn service, the morning service and the Sunbury Youth Vigil held overnight.
“The support from the community has
Free community event
Learn about support available for issues that can impact safety and wellbeing, including family violence, financial stress, alcohol & other drugs, and relationship challenges.
When: Wednesday 27th May 2026
Time: 10am–1pm
Where: Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct, 153B Hamilton Rd, New Gisborne
What to expect:
•Information stalls from local services
•Ask questions in a relaxed, welcoming space
•Private room available for sensitive conversations
•Free coffee van
been incredible,” he said.
“The number of people here was way beyond expectation.
“With the Anzac Appeal, the generosity of this community is off the scale.”
Mr Jordan said while he didn’t know the total donations raised just yet, he said it will exceed last year’s donations.
The Western Ballet Project is bridging the gap between star-class ballet and theatre productions and its accessibility in the west. Founded by artists director Sophie O’Donnell, the Western Ballet Project is a youth ballet production company which instructs out of studios and theatres in Melbourne’s western suburbs and across regional Victoria, and it’s ensuring more people are getting into it with every Plié, Tendu, and Relevé, as Jack O’Shea-Ayres discovers.
On any given Sunday, it’s probably not unusual to spot families living west of Melbourne inching across the city in slow-moving traffic, dance bags in the boot and with hairpins scattered acrossthedashboard,enroutetoeliteballet training located far enough away to make thesometimesweeklytripuncomfortable.
For years, that commute has been the quiet cost of access. Be it time, fuel, missed weekends, opportunities for quality time with family, and a sense that the pathway to high-level performance sits somewhere “overthere“.
The Western Ballet Project is working to changethat.
Founded by artistic director Sophie O’Donnell, the youth ballet production company has emerged as a rare cultural bridge for dancers in Melbourne’s west and neighbouringregionalareas.
The youth ballet and theatre company works to bring intensive, high-quality ballet training and performance opportunities directly to the doorstep of local communities, and the impact has run deeperthanthegeography.
“I thought there must be a better way,” O’Donnell said, reflecting on years of watching her students travel east for opportunities, which often demanded entire Sundays over the course of a school term.
It’s a feeling many avid dancers and theatreenthusiastsknowwell.
“With two children, committing a whole Sunday for 10 weeks is a massive commitment, not just for the dancer but for thewholefamily,”shesaid.
O’Donnell’s solution goes against the traditional models, flipping drawn-out weekly rehearsals into a condensed single, immersive week taking place during school holidays.
Students audition months in advance, then rehearse intensively for five consecutive days before performing on the sixth, offering a fast-paced, demanding – and often for many – transformative approachtoballetandtheatreproduction.
Thatwasthecasefor CharlotteStevenson from Ballan, who was recently involved in the Western Ballet Project’s stage-show presentationofCleopatra.
“It helped improve my confidence and reaffirm for me that we can chase passions and still continue to grow and improve in our dance training even as adults,” Stevensonsaid.
“From auditions to the performance it was a well thought out schedule especially for the production being all adults who all havebusylives.”
The program is open to performers and dancersagedroughlyeightto19,offeringnot onlystagetimebutindividualisedfeedback, technical coaching, and workshops designed to deepen their understanding of classical ballet and physical awareness, while also offering a rare sense of artistic community in an area often overlooked by majorperformingartsinstitutions.
For families in the west, the proximity mattersthemost.
Accesstoeliteartstraininghaslongbeen unevenly distributed across the city, with inner and eastern suburbs traditionally hosting the lion’s share of established schools, companies, and performance pathways. For aspiring dancers in growth corridorsinthewest,thebarriersaren’tjust financial,butlogistical.
Long travel times can limit participation, particularlyforyoungerstudentsorfamilies
balancing work and multiple children. O’Donnell saw first-hand how that strain coulddilutetheexperience.
“When I saw the ballets, as good as they were, I didn’t see enough stage time for the students considering the amount of time sacrificed,“shesaid.
Stage time is central at the Western Ballet Project, with dancers cast in original productions, spanning epics like Excalibur and The Suffragettes, to culturally inspired works such as Chang’e, Goddess of the Moon.
Upcoming productions continue that trend, with a winter-themed ballet set to closeafestivalseasoninBallarat.
The creative approach is deliberate, building on the roots of The Western Ballet Project’s dedication to world-class ballet and theatre training delivered right on the doorstep of Melbourne’s dramaticallygrowingwesterncorridor.
Rather than relying on traditional and at timesoutdatedballetnarratives,O’Donnell draws inspiration from history and strong, overlookedfigures,particularlywomen.
“Whilst the traditional ballets are beautiful and timeless classics, I find no inspiration from someone waiting for a princetosaveher,”shesaid.
“My inspiration comes from learning about different cultures and history-changingpeople.”
The storytelling process inspirationally shapes not only the performances but the trainingitself.
Dancers are encouraged to experiment, connectemotionally,andtakecreativerisks inasafe,supportive,andopenenvironment.
“Iliketocreateapositiveandhard-working environment with a feeling of camaraderie and storytelling,” O’Donnell explained. “To
create a story that the audience can easily interpret, dancers have to work together andfeelsafetomakemistakes.”
The compressed rehearsal period intensifies that very dynamic. With just five days to build a production, dancers must quickly form bonds, trust one another, and take responsibility for every aspect of their performance, from props and costume changes to entrances and exits, a model which mirrors the realities of professional dance more closely than traditional youth programs.
“Dancers have to take responsibility for their own roles, just like a professional show,”O’Donnellsaid.
And the emphasis on independence extends beyond the stage, with students encouraged to manage their own preparation, from sewing pointe shoes to organisinguniforms,allskillswhichworkto foster discipline and self-reliance alongside artisticgrowth.
For O’Donnell, those lessons are rooted in her own training in the UK, where she begandancingatsevenandlaterperformed professionally on cruise ships around the world at just 18. Her early teachers, she said, instilled a sense of structure and accountability which continues to shape herapproach.
“I often find myself saying some of their little phrases without even realising,” she laughs.
Since launching, the Western Ballet Project has began carving out tangible pathwaysforitsdancers.
Somehavegoneontoprestigioustraining institutions, including the Australian Ballet School and other elite programs, while others return year after year, building confidenceandrefiningtheircraft.
Equally significant is the program’s sense of continuity, with former youth participantsbeginningtoreturnasadults, taking part in expanded offering that include productions for dancers aged 19 to 99, a development O’Donnell describes as one of her proudest achievements.
“Creatingsomethinginoneplacecreates a community that is priceless,” she says.
The community extends beyond the dancers themselves. Performers are designed to engage a broader audience, not just ballet enthusiasts.
In itself, it extends ballet to an even wider audience, going above and beyond its ability to reach the goal the Western Ballet Project set out to achieve in the first place. It bridges that gap in more ways than one.
“Icreatetheballetsforanon-ballet-loving audience,” O’Donnell says.
“If the dads can be entertained for 45 minutes and leave wanting to watch more, then it’s a good show.”
In Melbourne’s rapidly expanding west, where cultural infrastructure is still catching up with population growth, initiatives like the Western Ballet Project are doing quiet but significant work, training dancers close to home while also building a local ecosystem for creativity, expression, and opportunity.
And while O’Donnell insists she has no grand long-term plan - “As to what the future holds, you’ll just have to wait and see,” she said, the project’s trajectory suggests a model that could reshape how regionalandouter-suburbancommunities engage with the arts.
For many young dancers, the dream hasn’t changed, but it’s been made a lot easier to reach.
Macedon Ranges youth have been treated to a special royal visit.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle met with young mental health ambassadors who have been part of the Live4LifeMacedonRangesprogramaspart of the Duke and Duchess’ Australian tour.
The youth, attending the Regional and Rural Youth Voices: Shaping the Future of Mental Health forum at Swinburne University,gotthechancetomeettheroyals and share their experiences of challenges facedbyyoungpeopleinregionalandrural communities.
Across two days, Live4Life leaders alongside staff from youth mental health prevention organisation batyr invited 16 young participants of the program to share their experiences and perspectives on youthmentalhealthinaregional,ruraland remote context.
Mental health advocacy is a key priority for both Prince Harry and Meghan, with them joining the discussion led by youth to
find practical recommendations and next steps for improving youth mental health.
“It was a powerful space to be in with young people leading vital discussions,” Live4Life youth and community engagement advisor and past participant BridieJohnstonesaid.
“A shared priority was access to preventative mental health education, resources, and services designed and delivered with — not for — the community.
Prince Harry agreed that a Band-Aid approach is not the solution.”
Crew champion and past participant of Live4Life Laura Crozier called the experience powerful.
“Meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan was such an exciting experience to truly show the power of young people and their experiences when it comes to youth mental health,” she said.
“It was an incredible opportunity to be abletopresentyouth-ledsolutionstoaroom full ofpeoplewhoholdso much power.”
New role for Sunbury MP Sunbury MP Josh Bull has been appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer by the premier. Mr Bull will now hold this position alongside his role as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure Delivery and his work for the Sunbury electorate. In a statement shared to Facebook, Mr Bull said he was honoured by the announcement from the premier.
Macedon Ranges council provides free immunisations as set out by the National Immunisation Program. When you attend a council immunisation session you should bring your child’s health book and Medicare details. All children and adults are required to remain at the immunisation venue for at least 15 minutes after receiving any vaccination. The next round of sessions will be held across the shire on Thursday 7 May. In Gisborne, the session will take place from 9.15am to 10.15am at the Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre. In Kyneton, it will take place from noon to 1pm at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute. In Woodend, it will take place from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at the Woodend Community Centre.
FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT
Web: starweekly.com.au
Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
By Christopher Carter, Chief executive of North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network
It’s that time of year again. Summer is in the rearview mirror, and autumn is slowly starting to fade into winter.
It’s a time of bright and chilly days, trees turning orange … and respiratory viruses spreading through our communities.
Yes, it’s the start of influenza season, which means it’s a very, very good idea to get your annual flu vaccination as soon as you can.
Sometimes you hear people describing influenza as “a bad cold”. When you hear that, it’s a sure sign that you’re talking to someonewhohasneverhadabadcaseofit.
As people who have really experienced it will agree, flu is a very unpleasant combination of phlegm, coughs, muscle pains, tiredness and headaches which can confine even very healthy people to bed for a couple of weeks.
And for people who are less than healthy – or very young, or quite old – influenza can result in hospital stays and even, sometimes, death.
It is not something to take lightly – so it’s very good that getting an annual vaccination is easy, painless, and for many people free.
Experts recommend a flu vaccination for all people aged over six months. Under the Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program, some groups can have one at no cost. These include children under five, First Nations people, all people over 65, people with certain chronic illnesses, and pregnant women.
And for all people who don’t fit into these categories, you can still get your vaccination at no or low cost if your regular general practice is one of the increasing number which bulk-bills appointments.
Thisyearthereareafewdifferenttypesof vaccine available. There’s one, for instance, especially formulated for older people, and another which is a nasal spray – just right for children who are nervous about needles.
There are also formulations safe for
people with allergies.
Your doctor or other immunisation provider will ask you some questions to make sure you receive a vaccine which is effective and safe for you.
Of course, doctors aren’t the only people whocanadministeravaccineandkeepyou safe from the flu. A lot of nurses in general practice can do so – and so can lots of pharmacists.
If you’re not sure where to go, a website called Healthdirect has a service finder
which can identify all the vaccination providers near your home.
And finally, if you’re going to get your flu vaccination done, think about some others you can have at the same time. Talk to your GP or other provider about perhaps also getting protected against COVID-19, or RSV, or measles or shingles. All of these are perfectly safe to get at the same appointment.
This is a lovely time of year. Let’s all do our best to make it a safe one, too.
This week she explores the
Shortly after 2am, Sunday 31 January, 1875,afirebeganinoneoftheworkers’ cottages inhabited by employees of theYarravilleSugarWorks.
The glow of the inferno was seen from thetowerofthemetropolitanfirestationin LittleCollinsStreet,andadetachmentwas despatchedbytheMFB.
The Hotham and Carlton breweries also hurried to help with their own fire trucks, buttonoavail.Fourhumble,three-roomed cottagesweretotallydestroyed.
When the ruined homes had cooled enough to be examined, they were cautiously explored. A woman’s charred body was found and removed from the house rented by John and Fannie Irvine. Soon afterwards, assessors from the London and Lancashire Company arrived. Eachcottagewascoveredfor400pounds.
It was initially thought that 22-year-old Fannie had died by accident whilst drunk, but Senior Constable Daniel Kelly of FootscrayPolicewasoneofthoseirritating policemen who always suspected spouses wheneverayoungmarrieddied.
Acting “on information received”, he sprinted around the sugar works until he found his quarry, who happened to be wandering around dressed only in his trousers.
John piteously stated that he had been robbed of his clothing, but the policeman neverbelievedanyone’sstoryonprinciple.
John was arrested and marched off for interrogation. All he knew was that he had been too plastered from his Saturday night binge to remember anything, apart from colliding head first with someone’s fence. Whose fence and where it was, he had no idea.
Othersweretotellconflictingstories.
At the Footscray Court before the Bench of Messrs Mollison and Reid, JPs, John was charged with murder and remanded to the inquestheldon9February.
Evidence was given that the Irvines were peaceful when sober, but quarrelsome when drunk, which, alas, happened frequently, possibly stemming from their grievingthelossofthreechildren.
Sarah Campbell, a neighbour, testified that on Saturday night she and Fannie had enjoyed a booze-up at the Crown Hotel until midnight. Fannie was affected by drinkandslightlywobbly,soSarahsteered her homeward and then inside to her bedroom.
Three sheets to the wind, in staggered John, whose happy demeanour immediatelybecameascowl whenFannie daredtoaskherhusbandwherehe’dbeen.
HeorderedSarahtoleaveandasshedid, she heard the sound of a blow, Fannie’s scream, and John bellowing, “I’ll give you somethingthat’lldoyousomegood!”
In the kitchen, Sarah noticed a candle jammed in its own wax, and remembered Fannie once telling her that it was normal practice in the Irvine household to light it before going to bed. Sarah then went searching in the gloom for her own husband and heard nothing further from theIrvinehouse.
At 2 am, Sarah’s 17-year-old son Edward was awoken by their dog’s ferocious barking. Going outside, he noticed that the Irvines’ bedroom was on fire. He kicked at thedoor,screaming“fire”.
Aman’svoice,strangelyseemingtocome
from inside the blazing bedroom, called out an equally odd question: “What’s wrong?”
Edward frantically shouted to the invisible man that he was in imminent peril of being incinerated, then rushed around grabbing furniture which he carried outside before hurrying around the neighbourhood alerting people to their danger. It was then that he realised something. He hadn’t seen Mrs Irvine. Where was she? Edward hoped that she hadescaped.
On 3 February, John was charged with murder and Edward gave evidence at the inquest. He had not seen the defendant at the fire; only after the house had burned down did he see him wandering around, apparently under the influence. So who hadnonchalantlyquestionedhimfromthe burningroom?Edwarddidn’tknow,buthe waspositivethatitwasaman’svoice.
The police alleged that John had tied up Fannie to prevent her escaping, then set fire to the cottage. John admitted to being tipsy on the night, but had no memory of theevening.
According to him, when he regained sobriety, he found himself half-naked, presumably after being robbed when drunk. All he recalled was stumbling into a fence, then coming upon the fire and all thedramaitentailed.
Or - maybe he had gone to bed naked, and only had time to haul on his trousers before escaping the blaze. He really didn’t know.
The inquest, conducted by coroner Curtis Candler, resumed on 9 February at Yarraville’sCrownHotelwhereFanniehad sorecentlyenjoyedafewales.
The post-mortem, conducted by doctors
James Morton and James Neild, revealed no sign of violence or injuries. Death was due to suffocation; the body had been burnedafterdeath.
Yes, a blow to the head could induce unconsciousness without fracturing the skull, but it was known that the deceased had been subject to fits, which could also causelossofconsciousness.
Edward stated that several times he had seen Fannie fall unconscious from epilepsy.
John trousers, bearing several marks of scorching,wereshownasproofthathehad been present at the fire, having, according toanotherversionofhisstory,beenburned when attempting to drag Fannie through the flames to safety. This seemed odd, comingfromamanwhoclaimedtohaveno memory of anything that night apart from bangingintofencesatunknownlocations.
According to the police, the trousers were burned whilst he was tying up his wife with every intention of leaving her to perishhelplesslyintheinferno.
This was contradicted by a labourer, who swore that John’s trousers had been burned at the Sugar Works a week before thetragedy.
William Thatcher, another Sugar Works employee, left work shortly after 2am, saw the fire and raced to the Irvine house. He managed to break down the back door and search the rear room, then the kitchen. Unable to see the bedroom door through the smoke, he hammered on the wall. Therewasnoreply.
Another employee, Frank Lewis, heard a woman screaming and strove to shove the front door open, but something seemed to be obstructing it. Beaten back by the fierce heat, he was forced to abandon his rescue.
He later learned that the body of Fannie hadbeenfoundjusttwofeetfromthedoor. John had a sudden flash of memory. He had dragged Fannie to the front door and for some reason, left her there. Why? He couldn’tremember.
Manytimesthecouplehadarguedabout leaving a lighted candle in the bedroom. According to him, Fannie would place it on a chair between the dressing table and their bed. Neighbours said that this was nonsense. The lighted candle was always keptonthemantelpiece.
The inquest jury heard a mass of contradictory evidence but had no trouble arrivingataverdictofwilfulmurder.
The trial promised to be a nightmare, for who could be relied upon to tell the whole truthandnothingbutthetruth?
Were the trousers burned at work or at a murder scene? Was John claiming forgetfulnessastheexcusefrequentlyused bycriminals,orwashegenuinelyunableto recall thenight’sevents?
Was the lighted candle in the kitchen or the bedroom? Was John in a jealous rage, as some had hinted? He denied ever being jealous.
Withtheonusofprovingguiltbeyondall reasonable doubt, the prosecution wisely realised its insurmountable difficulties and requested a nolle prosequi. This Latin phrase means a stay of legal proceedings, an acknowledgement that the case hasn’t enoughevidencetosecureaconviction. It was granted, and John walked from court a free man, but with no family or hometoreturnto.
The mystery remains: If the man’s nonchalant voice from the burning bedroom was not that of John , whose was it?
Fresh from being crowned gold in Australia’s Top Tiny Tourism Town Awards, Trentham is preparing to welcome visitors back for The Great Trentham Spudfest, returning for two full days of potato-powered celebrations on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May.
The community-led festival celebrates Trentham’s proud potato-growing heritage, bringing together local growers, artisans, musicians and food producers for a weekend which attracts more than 10,000 visitors each year.
Now entering its 19th year, the festival honours a farming tradition dating back to the 1860s, when the region’s deep red volcanic soils first provided ideal conditions for growing exceptional potatoes.
Festival coordinator Brooke Limmer said Spudfest has always been about celebrating what makes Trentham special.
“Spudfest is about our growers, our landscape, and the people who call this place home,” she said.
“In 2026, we’re building on everything locals and visitors love about the festival, while introducing some new experiences that invite people to dig a little deeper into the region.”
Saturday 2 May will transform the heart of Trentham into a vibrant street fair featuring spud-inspired food, fresh regional produce, a local makers market, live music and the Spud Olympics.
High Street will close to traffic for the entire day, transforming Trentham’s iconic main street into a pedestrian-friendly zone and giving visitors the freedom to wander and explore.
Saturday is also the perfect day to meet local growers and purchase freshly har-
vested Trentham potatoes direct from the source.
Visitors are also invited to join the Trentham Historical Society’s guided bus tour of the heritage-protected spud huts, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s agricultural past.
New for 2026, the family-friendly offering expands with a bigger kids’ zone featuring free potato puppet shows and hands-on spud art activities.
A new Spud Olympics event also invites competitors to test their skills while an additional live music stage showcases local
musicians and emerging talent.
As the sun sets, Trentham will turn up the tempo, with Spudfest Up Late on Saturday night introducing an all-new burlesque cabaret, adding a cheeky after-dark twist to the program.
Local chef Harry Gibbs will champion Trentham’s favourite potatoes with a fourcourse tasting menu at Ensemble, and returning for its third iteration, the Spudfest Cèilidh, a family-friendly celebration of Celtic music, lively dancing and fun, will mean the whole family is entertained all through the night.
Sunday 2 May is Discovery Day and shifts the focus from celebration to exploration, inviting visitors to slow down and discover Trentham and neighbouring towns.
Trentham’s town square will once again become the spud hub, the central point for freshly harvested potatoes, festival merchandise, scavenger hunts and tour information.
With horse and cart rides, live entertainment and friendly volunteers on hand, it’s the perfect place for visitors to begin their Discovery Day journey.
Newin2026,DiscoveryDayexpandswith the introduction of regional activity hubs in nearby towns including Newberry, Blackwood, Little Hampton, Lyonville, Daylesford, Spring Hill, Tylden and Woodend, with heaps happening across the region.
Details: https://www.trenthamspudfest. org.au/.
Sunbury local Olaf Drummer has many connections to the town, and has also been awarded for his work in the medicine field with an Order of Australia honour. He recently caught up with Georgia Tacey to chat about his recognition and what he loves about living in Sunbury.
What’s your connection to Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges?
I moved into Sunbury in 1980 with my wife and baby son in a house my father built –he had been a builder in the area. This was ourfirsthomeandweenjoyedthepeaceful semi-rural setting that was close to the city for work and family. I was a doctoral studentatthetimeandbeganmycareeras amedicalresearcherworkingattheAustin hospital in the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Unit of the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne working on mechanisms and treatment of high blood pressure.
What do you like about where you live?
Sunbury is still a great place to live, and while it has grown a lot since we moved here,wedoenjoyalltheshopsandfacilities here and has become quite a vibrant town with plenty of eating opportunities. Our two children have not only grown up and educated here but also live in Sunbury in their own homes. This means we can help and see each other regularly and assisting our grandchildren getting to from school when needed. We enjoy our short drives intotheMacedonRangesandsurrounding areas visiting Gisborne, Woodend, and Trentham, and even making regular trips to Kyneton for some specialty goods.
Is there anything about Sunbury or the Macedon Ranges you’d change or like to see?
In some ways I would prefer not to see Sunbury grow too much further, however the growth over these almost 50 years I’ve lived here has given us a great array of shops and restaurants, impressive medical and family support facilities, and now with access to the Metro tunnel and a regular metropolitan train service, access to the V/Line trains and the multi-level carpark it continues to develop as family friendly town. However, with the growth
ofthetrainservicesandincreasingneedto access public rail transport I would like to seeourtrainstationenhancedandmakeit easier to change platforms.
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I was a deputy director at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, an independent forensic medical and scientific services organisation for the justice system, and professor and head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash University before retiring in 2017 with my professional specialty being
35 years ago
30 April, 1991
TherockfestivalthatputSunburyonthe mapintheseventiesmayberevivedthis year.
forensic pharmacology and toxicology. I still act as a part time consultant to the Institute and regularly provide specialist opinions in criminal and coroners cases around the country in relation to drug issues. On Australia Day in 2019 I was awarded an Officer in the general division of the Order of Australia honour, for distinguished service to medicine in the field of forensic toxicology, to medical education and to professional groups.
What do you like to get up to in your spare time?
I’m a keen gardener and have built two of
my own greenhouses. This enables me to grow plants that need some protection from our winter, to propagate plants including my orchid collection, and to raise seedlings for my vegetable patch.
Tell us a bit about what you’re involved in around Sunbury.
I regularly attend the gym at Sunbury Leisure Centre and take part in both running the Sunbury Men’s Probus club and attending a number of the activities organised by the club. I was president in 2024. A great club for friendship and brotherhood for retirees.
Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors
20 years ago
2 May, 2006
15 years ago
26 April, 2011
Adults with a minor cough could be putting their children at risk from potentially fatal whooping cough as the numberofreportedcasesinthenorthern andwesternsuburbsskyrockets.
10 years ago
26 April, 2016
Parking officers are planning to come down hard on commuters leaving their cars in short-term bays next to Sunbury train station, with an enforcement blitz gettingunderwaythisweek.
By Georgia Tacey
Roads are at the top of the funding wishlist as Hume and Macedon Ranges councils waitforthestatebudgettoberevealed.
Ahead of the state budget’s release on 5 May, both councils have released a list of projectstheywansstategovernmenthelpto fund for the Sunbury and Macedon Ranges communities.
Across Hume, the council is continuing its fight for the full duplication of Sunbury Road, from Melbourne Airport to Bulla-Diggers Rest Road, alongside duplications for Somerton, Mickleham and Donnybrookroads,
It also wants the state government to create stricter policies to limit illegal dumping, and the redevelopment of the Broadmeadowstrainstation.
Across Melbourne’s north, Hume is joining neighbouring councils to advocate for a hospital, Hume Freeway upgrades and the Upfield line extension and electrification.
Mayor Carly Moore said funding has not kept pace with the Hume community’s demands. “Wehavesetclearpriorities,and we are calling on our community to stand withusandhelpdrivethiscampaignforthe investmentHumeneeds,”shesaid.
Macedon Ranges council has released its Advocacy Projects Prospectus, which outlines a number of priorities it is seeking additionalsupporton.
Mayor Kate Kendall said the number one priority is roads, both state-managed and council-managed.
Tohelpaddressanumberofkeylocalroad projects,thecouncilisseekingmorethan$7 millioninfunding.
BarklySquarePavilionisalsohighonthe list,with$3.544millioninfundingsoughtto completetheproject.
A youth hub for mental health support, more protection for wildlife, enhancing
Woodend Neighbourhood House has received a funding boost to help its organisation continue to support the community.
GemLife awarded the not-for-profit organisationwith a$2500donationto help supportthedemandforitsserviceslocally.
Woodend Neighbourhood House is supportingupto300peopleaweekthrough its food bank, community lunches, and range of connection programs. Services also include a community garden, repair cafe, bike shed and social activities, designedtoreduceisolation.
House manager Melissa Baker said the service relied on community donations
and volunteers to help Macedon Ranges localsdoingittough.
“Without our volunteers, and donations from organisations like GemLife and members of the community, we’d be absolutelylost,”shesaid.
“We are looking at several options for the funding, including redeveloping our garden space, with raised beds to grow food for use in our food bank, or for locals togrowtheirownfreshproduce.Somemay also go directly to the food bank, which doesn’treceiveongoingfunding.”
Gemlife and Woodend Neighbourhood House also have a long-standing partnership, with 20 residents from the
Woodend-based care service volunteering theirtimetosupporttheorganisation.
GemLife Woodend resident Sally Jones began volunteering for Woodend Neighbourhood House when she moved to the area almost four years ago and is now a member of its board. She said the service wasmoreimportantthanever.
“We’re seeing more families and individuals needing food bank relief than everbefore,”MsJonessaid.
“Life is expensive, whether you’re renting, have a mortgage or are educating your kids. The food bank is so important in helping those who are struggling to get by week-to-week.”
biodiversityacrosstheshireandprogressing anumberofkeymasterplansalsoformpart oftheadvocacy.
Cr Kendall said council’s advocacy will continue to ramp up with the November election in mind. “We intend to continue ramping up advocacy on these matters we’ve already identified, and also identify new advocacy opportunities that align with our council plan and other strategic priorities, to both the sitting government, the opposition and other key decision makerswiththestateelectionlaterthisyear inmind,”shesaid.
Innovation group to
Macedon Ranges council will establish an advisory Innovation WorkingGroup.
Thenewgroup,whichwillformpart of the councillor briefing program, will be a space where councillors can test ideas and help improve customer experience, transparency, organisation-wide efficiencies and more. The working group will be a low-cost model that will also help drive new ideas, including how council can improve as well as undertake strategic problem-solving acrosscouncilservices.
The working group was endorsed at the 25 March council meeting, and mayor Kate Kendall said she hopes the working group will find new efficienciesforcouncil.
“It provides a space to test ideas before they’re developed into formal proposals, and also with the goodwill and collaboration of external experts, many of whom are often willing to shareknowledgeatnocost,”shesaid.
“This is a low-cost, high value innovation model for ratepayers, and the working group ensures initiatives are structured, targeted and outcome driven.”
Cr Daniel Young hopes the working group will find ways for council to savemoney.
The working group will not be a decision-making body, and only operate as a discussion and exploration group between councillors, the chief executive and officers.
Star News reporter Nick Sinis delves into his family history of Greek migration during the 1960s and how the Greeks have vastly shaped the identity and culture of Melbourne. e.
Villagers with little hope of providing a real future for their children ... this was the stark reality that my dad’s parents faced.
Like many Greeks during the post-World WarTwoperiod,theyfacedseverehardships forcing many to seek a new life abroad.
With four young children living in rural Nafpaktos, my pappoús Vasilios and yiayiá MariaSinismadethelife-changingdecision totakethatgiantleapinthehopesoffinding a better life.
But let’s take a quick look at 20th-century Greece and some of the events that shaped it to give some context on just how hard life was for much of its population.
My dad’s parents were born during the 1920s and experienced both the Second World War, in which Italy and Germany would invade and occupy Greece, as well as a civil war before WWII had barely concluded.
Greece was already a struggling country with limited industry or infrastructure compared to its European neighbours. The Germans wiped out what industry they had and committed many atrocities against the population.
After speaking with my dad and relatives, the decision to come to Australia was one of absolute necessity.
Like many Greeks who came to Australia during that period, my family first settled in Richmond with my grandparents quickly taking up any job opportunities at the time, especially in manufacturing which was still a major industry back then.
While they initially faced racism and discrimination from the ‘Aussies’, much of Greekculturehasbecomedeeplyembedded in Melbourne’s identity.
Theyworkedhard,didthejobsnooneelse wanted to do and deeply valued education.
The words that stick with me are that education was key to escape poverty for my grandfather, something that many of us now take for granted.
But not only did he want his children to haveabetterlife,hewasdirectlyresponsible for sponsoring more than a dozen of his relatives and extended family as well.
I’ve been told that in their tiny house off
Wellington Street in Richmond, there were at times almost 10 to 15 people staying with them, a family of six already.
And what makes it even more admirable, my grandfather specifically sponsored women from his village and surrounds in Famila; women who would have had almost no chance of any sort of education, job opportunities or even marriage, as the dowry system was still common in Greece at that time.
Many of them quickly married after arriving, had their own children and lived good lives, some of whom we’ve fortunately reconnected with in recent years.
Therippleeffectalsomeanttheserelatives were able to sponsor more Greeks to come. Who knows how many families and their descendants could trace their migration journey thanks to my grandfather.
With the influx of Greeks over those decades, Melbourne’s Greek community has been considered to be the largest outside of Greece.
Theirinfluenceismarkedacrossthestate, from Orthodox churches, souvlaki bars and taverns, festivals, sport, our amazing cuisineandproductswithmanyGreeksalso becoming prominent figures in Australian society.
Unfortunately, I never got to meet my dad’s parents. They passed away before I had the chance.
My grandfather always dreamed of returning to Greece, to the land that they stillownedwherehewasgraduallybuilding histypicalwogconcretemansion.Butsadly, he never got to live out those days.
The lives of many Greeks from that generation were marred by extreme hardships, poverty and overwhelming circumstances. But they persevered, refused to be victims and most importantly gave their children and offspring a life they never could have dreamed of.
In one generation, my family went from villagers with no formal education (couple of years in primary school at best), to highly educated and exceedingly successful individuals, which is nothing short of remarkable and a testament to the opportunities that Australia offered.
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.
1 Musically short, clipped and separate (8)
5 New York City neighbourhood (6)
10 Clear (5)
11 Cattle (9)
12 Minister (6)
13 Town in France with a shrine to St Bernadette (7)
14 Military unit (8)
15 Ill-gotten (6)
18 Constabulary (6)
20 Fauna (8)
21 Central Italian region (7)
24 Steering device (6)
27 First meal (9)
28 Established truth (5)
29 Widespread dominion (6)
30 Quaint houses (8) DOWN
1 Senior barrister (coll) (4)
2 Divine being of high rank (9)
3 Military student (5)
4 Open-minded (8)
6 Attack (7)
7 Father of Beau and Jeff Bridges (5)
8 Be logical or comprehensible (4,5)
9 Wickedness (4)
14 Respectable (9)
16 Hanging around (9)
17 The text of an opera (8)
19 Savoury biscuit (7)
22 Woolly mammal (5)
23 Chinese currency (4)
25 Preliminary drawing (5)
26 Flightless birds (4)
3
AURAL
4
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”.
Today’s Aim:
16 words: Good 24 words: Very good 33 words: Excellent
G P Y C I E R N
nary, PANEGYRIC, payer, paying, piny, piracy, pray, praying, prey, preying, pricey, prying, pyre, racy, rainy, raying, repay, repaying, yarn,
5 LETTERS
1 Which singer released a 1963 album
every
2 Which colour has the longest light wavelength?
3 Colloquially, a ‘bachelor’s handbag’ is what?
4 What was Monday named after?
5 Evan Peters (pictured) plays which Marvel hero in the liveaction X-Men universe?
6 In which 2025 film are four misfits sucked through a portal to the Overworld, where they meet a man named Steve?
7 In which decade was the first 3D printer invented?
8 Eventually replaced by Mickey Mouse, who was Walt Disney’s first major animated character?
9 In 1858, which two Melbourne schools competed in what is often recognised as the first organised Australian rules football match?
10 Chestnut, jack o’lantern and chicken of the woods are all kinds of what?
WANT
North West District Pipe Band
North Western District Pipe Band meets every week at the Diggers Rest Bowling Club. They’re looking for any pipers or drummers out there, retired or beginners, for social play outs.
Hank, 0412 169 576
Sunbury Ladies’ Badminton Club
Is serving up! Come along and enjoy a shot of badminton. It’s fun and good for your fitness - Win, Win! Social and competition games are played every Thursday morning (excl. public-school Holidays) from 9.30am-noon at the Eric Boardman Stadium, Wilsons Lane, Sunbury. All skill levels are welcomed.
sunburylbc@gmail.com
Sunbury Art Society
Join the SAS group and share your love for all things arty. Pop into the new facilities at the Artrise Precinct, Jacksons Hill. The group currently meets on Fridays and Saturdays 10am-3pm. New members and beginners most welcome.
www.sunburyartsociety.com
Woodlands Ladies Probus Club of Sunbury
Woodlands Ladies Probus Club is for retired and semi-retired ladies who are looking for new friends and social activities. The club meets on the fourth Monday every month at Club Sunbury, with guest speakers and lunch after if you wish.
Jessie, 0458 190 254 or woodlandsladies.3429@gmail.com
Chamber Poets
The Chamber Poets Woodend meet every second Saturday of the month at the Woodend RSL. Featuring open readings, special guests and music. Donation $10 at the door.
facebook.com/groups/ChamberPoets/ about
Scottish Country Dancing Group
The Macedon Ranges Scottish Country Dancing Group meet every Thursday, 1pm to 3pm, at Buffalo Stadium, Woodend. The dancing involves social country dancing, not the highland dancing many people think of. The group dance in sets, learning different steps and formations – no special clothes needed, just soft flat shoes. The group are a friendly group having fun and keeping fit at the same time. You don’t need to bring a partner, just a smile and sense of fun. Lynne, 0417 331 439 or Norm, 0408 592 609
CWA Sunbury
CWA Sunbury meets second and fourth Mondays at St Mary’s Church in O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury. All women are welcome, bring your grandchildren if you are caring for them, there is a playground available.
Bev Goodman, 0402 988 954
The WOV Sunbury community choir is changing the world one voice at a time by providing an opportunity for people to meet and experience the joy of singing, often making friends through the shared experiences of singing and performing; although performing is not required. One Voice Sunbury community choir rehearses each Tuesday, from 6.30pm, at Goonawarra Neighbourhood House. A fun and welcoming choir, new members are welcome – just join in on the fun. sunbury@withonevoice.org.au
Neighbourhood garden
Become part of Sunbury’s Neighbourhood Garden and grow edible and useful plants in a social group at Sunbury Neighbourhood
House, 531 Elizabeth Drive, Sunbury. All skill sets are welcome. www.sunburyhouse.com.au or 9740 6978
Malmsbury Farmers and Makers Market
Locals and people from afar get along to this wonderful Farmers Market. Always the third Sunday of the month….fresh produce, wine, hot food, coffee, plants, artisan foods and crafts that are special. Musical entertainment whilst you shop and catch up with friends. Located at the picturesque Malmsbury Cricket Ground from 9am-1pm. Amy, 0423 726 695
Young Voices of Macedon A community choir for children of the Macedon Ranges and beyond, Young Voices of Macedon rehearses at the House of the Rock, 247 Station Road, New Gisborne. The choir has separate programs for young children aged five to eight and older children. Rehearsals assist children in developing vocal technique, part singing skills, and general musicianship, across popular, classical, folk and music theatre styles. Rehearsals run on Thursdays, from 4.15pm, with afternoon tea and play time. yvmacedon.org.au
Yoga in Sunbury
Yoga classes at Sunbury Neighbourhood House focus on supporting participants to slow down and move well. Special attention is given to mindful awareness of movement that builds strength in a healthy and safe way, Monday and Friday mornings. www.sunburyhouse.com.au or 9740 6978
Hume Men’s Shed
The Hume Men’s Shed (Sunbury) is a non for profit organisation, meeting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 158 Evans Street, Sunbury. The group caters for men be it carpentry, welding, metal work, gardening or just to chat. sunburymensshed.com or 0438 677 425
Macedon Ranges Photographic Society
Are you into photography, just starting out, or a fully fledged professional? The Macedon Ranges Photographic Society is your local camera club for friendship, photographic outings, workshops, guest presenters, competitions and more. Come along to a meeting on the first and second Monday of the month. Doors open at 7pm and the meeting starts at 7.30pm at Jubilee Hall, 52 Smith Street, Macedon. www.macedon-ranges-photography.org. au or info@macedon-ranges-photography. org.au
Insync Entertainment
Insync Entertainment is an all-female community choir, providing the opportunity to meet others who enjoy singing. The group is seeking new members to join the friendly choir. No auditions required. They rehearse at the Sunbury Baptist Church Hall every Monday from 7.15–9.30pm. insyncentertainment@gmail.com
Sunbury Seniors
Sunbury Seniors meets on Mondays and Fridays 10am-2.30pm [except Public Holidays]. The Club has returned to its original location now that the Sunbury
Seniors Hub, 8 O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury has been rebuilt. From 19 January 2026, a variety of activities will be offered including carpet bowls, cards, pool, jigsaw puzzles, board games, darts, table tennis, monthly guest speakers and outings and subsidised lunches or just a cuppa and a chat. www.sunburyseniors.com.au or 0434 400 754
Craft and conversation
Head down to the Sunbury Library on Mondays from 1-3pm for the craft and conversation group. The program is free and open to people aged 15 years and older.
https://bit.ly/39BIu2O
Chill Out Sunbury
Chill Out Sunbury is a free event for 12 and 18 years old to participate in activities such as trivia, games, and more. Happening every Wednesday, 3.30-5.30pm, at the Sunbury Youth Centre, 51-53 Evans Street. https://bit.ly/3lmVgVhv
CWA Woodend Eves
The CWA Woodend Eves Branch is part of the Central Highlands group and meets every third Tuesday at 7pm at the Woodend Golf Club. All women are welcome. cwawoodendeves@gmail.com
Sunbury Badminton Club
The Sunbury Badminton Club plays social games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays nights, from 7.30-9.30pm, and on Wednesdays, 10am-noon. Monday night is a round robin competition from 7.30-9.30pm. All are welcome to attend at Clarke Oval Stadium, 49 Riddell Road. sunburybc@gmail.com
A personal photography exhibition exploring familial relationships, maternal love, separation, migration and memory is currently on display in Brimbank.
Through a series of photographs, Brimbank resident Minh An Pham captured moments with his mother and family, recreating memories from the past.
Pham said he has always been close with his mother whom he visits regularly in Vietnam.
MovingtoAustraliaat15yearsold,Pham didn’t realise how much time he would eventually spend away from his family.
He said his photography project was a way of documenting his mum’s life whenever he went back to visit her.
“Icametounderstandmymummorenot only through the photographs but through the time we spent together,” Pham said.
“I also reflect on my family’s past and history and the sacrifice of my mum as a single mother who worked really hard to raise me and my brother.
“Photography is the greatest way for me to seize those moments again.”
Pham recently won the student category at the 2026 Australian and New Zealand
He hopes the exhibition encourages viewers to slow down and reflect on their own lives and families.
“Ihopethatpeoplecaremoreabouttheir family because I think time flies so fast, especially when you turn 20,” he said.
“We also forget that our families are always there.”
Someday I Will Lose You will exhibit until Saturday 6 June at Bowery Gallery, 33 Princess Street, St Albans.
The exhibition is free to attend.
Details: creativebrimbank.com.au
Theworksoflocalartistswillbeondisplay for Sunbury Art Society’s annual art show.
Vice president Ken Winnell said there will be a huge display of art from local artists,withtheshowonenottobemissed.
“We’ve got 187 pieces from about 32 exhibitors,” he said.
“We’d love people to come down and have a look and see what we’ve been up to.
“We have lots of artists, lots of different styles and mediums … so there’s lots of exciting stuff to see.”
Winnell said it was also exciting for the group to be able to exhibit in its new
home at the recently developed Artrise building, with a new dedicated gallery space for artists.
Before the show officially opens to the public, an opening night will be held the night before with awards presented.
All artworks displayed will be available for purchase, with Winnell suggesting to get in early to secure your favourite pieces.
“That first night is usually the best time to buy a piece, you don’t want to go down there on the last day and miss out on a piece you really like,” he said.
The Sunbury Art Society’s annual art show will be shown from Saturday 2 May through to Saturday 9 May, from 10am to 4pm, at the Artrise Gallery, building five, with free entry.
The pieces will remain on display in the gallery after the official show has finished.
The opening night will be held in the gallery from 7.30pm on Friday 1 May.
Tickets for the opening night will be availableatthedoorfor$15,withcashand card accepted.
Details: sunburyartsociety.com
The ‘Sincerely Yours’ seniors event series is finishing off with a bang in Craigieburn, with an homage to womeninmusicaltheatre.
Join Victoria Mantynen on 28 May at the Hume Global Learning Centre as she performs musical theatre favouritesin‘PlayingSecondFiddle’. The performance will showcase musical hits from the greatest female supporting characters. The audience can look forward to show-stopping songs from Les Miserable, Chess, Showboat,GuysandDollsandOliver. Mantynen is excited to perform these unforgettable musical theatre classics and connect local seniors in thisdazzlingevent.
“Our Sincerely Yours program aims togivetheseniorsofHumethechance to have access to a world class show and the opportunity to socialise and connect with their local community,” Mantynensaid.
Doors open at 12.30pm for a 1pm start,aftertheshowlightrefreshments will be provided and there will be an opportunitytosocialise.
Book your place at the final ‘SincerelyYours’eventonline:https:// www.trybooking.com/DILPF
There’s something electric brewing on the dancefloor at the Royal Hotel in Bacchus Marsh and it’s coming straight from one of thetown’sown.
OnFriday1May,localgavouriteDJRenee Tui is bringing the beats back to the Royal Hotel for another night of music, nostalgia andcommunityspirit.
By day, she’s a busy mum of four running her own hair salon, but when the sun goes down, she swaps the scissors for the decks. While she’s quick to downplay her skills,hergrowingfollowingsaysotherwise. “I’mnosuperstarDJ,”shesaid.
“I just love playing all types of music and watching everybody having a great time on mydancefloor.”
And it’s that exact passion which has struck a chord with the local community, with Renee hosting her themed DJ nights monthlyattheRoyal.
From 80s and 90s throwbacks, to disco and club classic, each event brings a different vibe, with next month’s R’n’B theme already generating plenty of buzz andexcitement.
With more than 30 years experience in hairdressing and a side hustle as a DJ and
karaoke host, Renee’s all about creating spaceswherepeoplecanletlooseandenjoy themselves.
Soifyou’relookingforyournextnightout with a local twist, follow the music down to the Royal Hotel, and meet DJ Renee Tui on thedancefloor.
The event is free and open to all 18 years and over. For details, visit: https:// welcometomoorabool.com/eventsbacchusmarsh-ballan-gordon-blackwoodgreendale/dj-renee-tui-at-the-royal-hotelbacchus-marsh.
Star Weekly seeks an enthusiastic Full or Part time Sales Executive to work across our print, digital, social and online platforms.
Star Weekly is an independently owned company which prides itself on its long history of community experience but also its investment in the future.
The successful applicant will need to possess good people skills to enable them to meet with local businesses to sell solutions through our advertising platforms to help promote their business.
Applicants will need their own reliable vehicle for which we will provide an allowance.
The position is salaried, plus we offer an open ended commission scheme.
Send your application letter and resume to: Advertising Sales Manager, Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au www.starnewsgroup.com.au
1. Which Manchester United player was red-carded for hair-pulling during an Old Trafford match against Leeds?
3. Who was the first pick of the 2026 WNBA draft?
4. After his latest Masters victory, how many major titles has Rory McIlroy
13. Which NHL team failed to make the playoffs for the 2025-26 season after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups?
14. Mintonette was the original name for which sport?
15. The Dripping Pan is a football stadium in which country?
16. Which increasingly popular sport has a seven-foot non-volley zone in front of the net called ‘the kitchen’?
17. Which tennis tournament is banning cameras in off-court player areas following criticism from players about preserving their privacy?
18. St Kilda AFL player Lance Collard has been banned for how many weeks by the AFL tribunal for a homophobic slur?
19. Which golf league faces an uncertain future following a lawsuit filed by its predecessor?
20. Which TV show host was involved in a crash at the Bathurst 6-Hour race, which left a competitor with a broken spine?
21. What colour do the Melbourne Demons add to their uniform for their annual Jim Stynes Game?
22. What sport does Australian Hannah Green play?
23. The Nine Network recently made a broadcast deal with which local sporting league, starting in 2027?
24. Which Australian cricketer holds the record as the highest-paid overseas player in Indian Premier League history?
25. What is the only nation to have won multiple gold medals in Rugby Sevens at the Summer Olympics?
26. Which retired AFL legend played a recent game for WA regional team Dowerin?
27. How many NBA teams qualify for the playoffs every year?
28. Shane Flanagan was recently fired as coach of which NRL team?
29. Which team won the A-League Men's 2025-26 Premiership?
30. Which Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place this weekend?
By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring
The Solterra is the first fully-electric vehicle fromSubaru.
It’samid-sizedSUVthatwentonsalehere inearly-2024.
If it looks familiar that’s because it’s a model-share arrangement with the Toyota bZ4X.
It’s the second such Subaru/Toyota partnershipfollowingonfromthetwo-door sports Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86. We understand that more will follow with Toyota hybrid powertrains fitted to existing Subarumodels.
While Solterra and bZ4X share the same dedicated EV platform (e-TNGA), they are tuned and marketed independently to reflect their respectivebrands’ identities.
Solterra comes in two variants – entry leveljustnamedSolterraispricedat$63,990 andSolterraTouringat$69,990pluson-road costs.
Bad news for early adopters is that these are down by $6000 and $7000 respectively on their original launch prices. Clearly to bring them closer tothose of the Bx4X. These MY26 price cuts also came with extra power and torque, greater driving range and techupdates.
Unlike many of its competitors, including the entry-level bZ4X, which come with a single motor, Solterra maintains Subaru’s AWD commitment by having a motor on eachaxleinbothmodels.
Both models come standard with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with a five-year service plan and roadside assist. The battery is covered for eight years and160,000km.
Key service intervals are 12 months or 15,000km.
Our testvehicle was the SolterraTouring.
Styling
The 2026 Solterra update comes with a noticeable change at the front with a less aggressive look than its predecessor. Although it’s still not immediately recognisable as an EV like most others of its ilk there is a narrow ‘grille’ with a large Subaru badge in the centre. It’s flanked by triple headlights with built-in daytime runninglights.
The profile adopts the SUV/fastback crossover lines that are in fashion at the moment.
The bumpers are painted piano black to almostsuggest that there iscladding.
Style overrides substance at the rear with theabsenceofwipers.
The Touring model gets a full-length poweredpanoramicsunroof.
There’s a choice of six exterior colours in all variants with the Touring adding the option of a black micra two-tone roof in two ofthecolours.
The base Solterra runs on 18-inch alloy wheelswithTouringsteppingupto20-inch. Bothget aerodynamic caps.
Interior
With its ground clearance OF 212 mm entry and exit to the Solterra is easy. There’s also a Safe Exit Assist feature that alerts occupantsfromopeningdoorsintothepath ofoncomingtrafficorcyclists.
Synthetic leather upholstery is standard in both Solterra variants, with black in the base model and blue in the Touring. All seatsarecomfortableandsupportive.
There’s eight-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat, a heated leather steering wheel,heatedfrontandoutboardrearseats, ambientLEDlighting,carpetmatsandboth 12V/120W and USB-A and USB-C ports. Unusually, there is no glovebox although
RATINGS
Looks: 8/10
Performance: 7/10
Safety: 8.5/10
Thirst: 7/10
Practicality: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 7/10
we found the owner’s handbook in the storage area beneath the floating centre console.
Front and outboard rear seats are all heated.
Below the large central touchscreen there are rotary dials and knobs for audio volume and separate buttons for the dual-zone climate-control system’s temperature, fan and air-flow settings. There are also short-cut buttons on the driver’s side of the screen.
There is smart key entry, push-button start, all-auto power windows, 12V/120W outlet and both USB-A and USB-C ports (twoeachfrontandrear).
The rear window is wide but thin. To improve visibility there is a choice between a conventional mirror and a digital alternative. The image in the latter’s wide, sharp and easy to focus on, unlike some on themarketthatdistortamagnifiedimage.
Boot space is 421 litres in the base model and 410 litres in the Touring, expanding to around 1050 litres with the rear seatbacks folded.
Both variants get a powered tailgate. Under the flat boot floor there’s a storage area for the charging equipment – but no spare wheel, which is a surprise for a brand that prides itself on moderate off-road qualities.
Solterra is powered by twin permanent magnet synchronous motors. Using a 74.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack the front motor generates 167 kW and 268 Nm with the rear one adding 88 kW and 169 Nm for combined outputof252kW and438Nm.
Battery charging comes via AC or DC. With a 150kW DC charger 10 to 80 percent willtakeapproximately30minutes.Asingle phase 11kW AC charger will get from zero to 100 percent in about seven-and-a-half hours.
Both Solterra models come with a 14.0-inch central infotainment touchscreen (up from the previous 12.3-inch) with split-screen capacity,satellitenavigationwithintelligent EV route planning, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and Bluetoothvoicecontrol.
There are two 15W wireless chargers on thecentreconsole.
The entry-level Solterra comes with a
six-speaker audio unit while the Touring steps up to a premium 10-speaker Harman Kardon system with a subwoofer and amplifier.
A very sensible feature is the 7-inch digital cluster that’s located on top of the dash directly in front of the driver and at a level that almost makes it as visible as a windscreenhead-updisplay.
We loved the large, square-shaped and padded steering wheel although it does seem to divide opinion. It contains a number of push-button controls and brake-regenerationpaddlesontheside.
Safety
Solterra was tested by ANCAP in late-2025 andscoredthemaximumfive-starrating.
There are eight airbags including for the driver’s knee and in the front centre. Other features are packaged within the Subaru Safety Sense system including pre-collision system, emergency steering and braking assist, lane departure warning and lane tracing assist, radar cruise control, road signassistandspeedlimiter.
The Vision Assist with adaptive high beam, blind spot monitor, front and rear parking sensors and parking brake support, rear cross traffic alert, safe exit assist, 360-degree view monitor. Touring adds
advanced parking assistance via displays andalerts.
There are ISOFIX child seat anchor points ontheoutsiderearseats.
Driving Visibility is excellent to the front and sides although limited to the rear because of the sloping roofline. However, that is addressed withtheinclusionofarear-mountedcamera that provides an uncluttered view that can be toggled and adjusted through a button onthebottomofthemirror.
Gear selection is a bit fiddly, needing the dial on the centre console to be pushed downthenturned.
Inevitablyintoday’snewvehicles,thereis a range of driver assistance features most of which are set and can be adjusted through the touchscreen. They are nowhere near as distracting in Solterra as in other cars, especiallythosefromChina.
A tight turning circle and responsive steering make for comfortable city driving. It’sanEVsosharpaccelerationisagivenbut thetwin-motorsraisethattoanewlevel.
Indeed, it has been timed at around 4.7 seconds for the zero to 100km/h sprint, makingitthefastestproductionSubaruever tested.That’sfasterthanitsiconicWRX. The ride is generally quiet and smooth although the 20-inch wheels and lower profile tyres in the Touring does add some rigidity.
The brake-regeneration system has four levels including the option of one-pedal driving.
There are three drive modes: Normal, Power and Eco with a range of power bands and energy efficiency. As is likely to be the case with most owners we spent the majorityofourtestinEcomode.
It’s almost unheard of for a new vehicle to get such a range of enhancement so soon after its original release. But that’s what happened with the Solterra between March 2024andOctober2025.
Startingwiththesignificantpricecutsthe MY26 Solterra gets new styling, increased power, extra driving range, faster charging and a techupgrade.
Whilethesameupgradeshavebeenmade to the NY26 Toyota bZ4X the comparative pricing between the two rivals is now closer than before. So, well worth potential buyers doingacomparisontest.
While Anzac Day is normally about the big MCG clash between Essendon and Collingwood, Saturday was a chance for clubs from across Melbourne’s north-west to get involved. Star Weekly photographer Ljubica Vrankovic was out shooting the action.
By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Kangaroos are building a strong connection and belief which has been reflected in results early in the Essendon District Football League women’s division 1 season.
The Kangaroos won their opening two matches before losing a thriller to East Sunbury on Saturday night.
Kangaroos’ coach Carly Blythe said they know it is only the start for them and they are focused on improving each week.
“The biggest improvement has probably been our consistency and composure,” she said.
“With that core group staying together, the understanding of how we want to play has really grown.
“We’re making better decisions under pressure, staying connected for longer periods of the game and continuing to improve
the culture.”
The Kangaroos started with a win against Roxburgh Park and backed it up with one against Gisborne.
It’s the first time the side has ever beaten Gisborne
“It definitely gives the group confidence, but we’re also realistic about it,” Blythe said.
“Gisborne had a very different side to what we’ve come up against in previous years, so we don’t read too much into the history side of it.
“For us, it was more about how we played—sticking to our structure, bringing consistent effort, and playing for each other.
“That’s where the real confidence comes from, knowing that when we get those things right, we’re heading in the right direction.”
The Kangaroos added a few key pieces to their squad in the off season.
Nicole Knudsen, Kristy Turner and Jordan Di Mizio have all started the season
Nat Dunne. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 546157_07
strongly since joining the club.
Blythe said together they’ve lifted the level of the whole team, along with another new recruit Lina Farrugia and the return of Nat Dunne.
“They’ve all brought great work rate and competitiveness to the group,” she said.
“Nicole adds experience and skill, which has been really valuable around the contest.
“Kristy’s a natural leader who helps drive
By Tara Murray
It had been seven years since Macedon had beaten Riddell but that changed on Saturday in the Riddell District Football League.
Saturday’s match was more than just a regular round three match.
It was a grand final rematch, the Puka Up Cup and Anzac Day among two of the top sides in the competition.
It was a good tussle for the first half before the Cats kicked away in the second half with nine goals in a row.
The Bombers were able to get one back late, but it was only a consultation as the Cats won, 18.8 (116)-12.12 (84).
Cats’ coach Al Meldrum said it was a really good day for the club with all but one netball team getting a win.
“It’s the first time since we have beaten Riddell since round one in 2019,” he said.
“I couldn’t have asked for much more. It’s not always going to go our way and we stuck at it and fought, which was good.”
Meldrum said he wasn’t really happy at half time having conceded 10 goals in the first half.
He said it was unlike them and they didn’t seem fully switched on.
It changed after the break.
“We made some adjustments,” he said. “Riddell kicked the first goal of the third quarter and that helped get us going.
“We kicked nine in a row, which was good. We had a 45-50 minute period where we kept them goalless.
“It looked like the Macedon game and boys are good to watch when we play that game.”
James Wright and Tate Wilson, who are at the opposite end of their careers, kicked three goals each.
They had four other players kick two goal apiece, including Jack Landt on debut for the club.
Meldrum said a spread of goal kickers was how the competition was heading and they needed to have different options.
Jason Cooke and Michael Rutledge, the club’s leading two goalkickers from last season, were also on the sidelines.
Meldrum said they were managing Cooke to ensure he was good to go at the
standards and keeps the group composed, and Jordan brings real intensity with her tackling and defensive pressure.”
The Kangaroos faced East Sunbury in a twilight clash on Saturday, It was the Kangaroos that led at quarter time, before the Thunder narrowly led by two goals at half time.
The Thunder scored the only goal of the second half to win, 4.2 (26)-2.5 (17).
Knudsen, Lisa Kirby and Jordan Di Mizio were the Kangaroos’ best.
Blythe said with a combined division 1 and 2 competition this season it’s a great opportunity to test themselves against a strong and varied competition.
“Our focus is on continuing to improve, being consistent with our effort and style of play, and putting ourselves in a good position.
“From there, anything can happen, but it starts with the standards we set each week.”
Big V
The Sunbury Jets have signed an import to further strengthen their Big V women’s championship squad. Lovisa Hevinder made her Jets debut on the weekend. Coach Deb Coulson said the addition of Hevinder would help strengthen the squad. “We’re excited to announce the Arrival of Lovisa - well worth the wait,” she said. “An important addition to our strong start to the season, Lovisa brings size, versatility along with a high basketball IQ. She adds impact across multiple positions to an already multi-dimensional group.”
The Macedon Ranges Badminton Club is holding a come and try community event this Saturday. Participants can try their hand at badminton in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere using the club’s equipment. . The event is being held between 2 and 4pm at the Macedon Ranges Community Centre in Waterfalls Road, Macedon. Details: 0419 589 425 or 0402 401 397.
right time of the season.
Hamish Govan, Sam Indian and Brodie Hoyne were named the Cats’ best.
For the Bombers, Zak Saad kicked three goals.
Jackson Wadden and Nathan Hrovat were named their best.
The Cats are one of three undefeated teams after three rounds, along with Wallan and Diggers Rest.
The Cats this week face Diggers Rest, which had a bye on the weekend.
Meldrum said the Burras were one of the pacesetters in both the seniors and reserves, and it was a challenge he was looking forward to.
“They are up and about and it is great timing for our club with a lot of players having a lot of belief.”
In other matches, Wallan beat Melton South, 20.17 (137)-10.10 (70).
Woodend-Hesket got its first win of the season, beating the Gisborne Giants, 21.11 (137)-17.11 (113).
Kyneton beat Lancefield, 19.20 (134)6.7 (43) in the other game.
Macedon showed its the team to beat again in the Riddell District Football League women’s competition with a big win against Riddell in the grand final rematch on Saturday. Both sides had wins in round one, but it was the Cats that came out on top on Saturday, winning 15.19 (109)-0.0 (0). Taya Konias kicked five goals in a best on ground performance for the Cats. Alex Cairney and Ruby Watts also had strong games. Emma Croft was the Bombers best. Meanwhile, Lancefield beat Mount Alexander Falcons in the other game.
The Sunbury Lions had one of their more disappointing performances for the past couple of years on Saturday night in the Ballarat Football League. The Lions were at home to Melton on Saturday and proved no match for the Bloods that won, 19.11 (125)-6.6 (42). Myles Gollant and Jack Newitt were named the Lions best. The Lions will be on the road in round four against North Ballarat.
FOR MORE SPORT VISIT
Web: starweekly.com.au
Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
By Tara Murray
Gisborne has found its feet in the FV state league 7 north-west season.
The Sky Blues lost their first game of the season, before getting points in three of the four games since then.
Coach Rizward Reddy they were happy with how things were progressing.
“Round one was always going to be a tough game,” he said.
“We’ve now started to build and get a couple of wins and a draw.
“We’ve turned the corner and are heading in the right direction.”
Reddy said with a brand new team it was always going to take some time to gel together.
“We’re happy,” he said.
“We’ve almost completely changed the whole team and it’ll take a few weeks to get into the game.
“We;ve got a good culture and good group and we’re finding our feet.
“We’re happy with the players that we’ve bought in.
“We want to keep getting points and fighting for promotion.”
Reddy said the new combined competition was proving quite competitive with a lot of new teams and some familiar faces.
He said every team can take points off each other which makes the race for promotion more interesting.
“Murray United Are the favourites but there has been no blow outs so far,” he said.
“It has been interesting and we want to keep racking up the wins.
“We believe we are building a team and if we play the way that we want to play, promotion is the goal.”
Reddy said they want to win as many games as they can the few weeks.
Gisborne was in action on Saturday against Wyndham.
The two sides had mixed results last season in their matchups.
“We’re back at home and confident that we can get the points
Reddy said before the match they were confident of getting the points heading into the match on their home ground at Dixon Field.
The Sky Blues started the match well with Dane Thompson scoring in the
By Tara Murray
East Sunbury got local bragging rights on Anzac Day in the Essendon District Football League division 2 competition.
For a second straight season, the Thunder has claimed an early season win against crosstown rivals, the Sunbury Kangaroos.
The Kangaroos entered the match undefeated and the Thunder without a win, but that mattered little on Saturday.
The Thunder was able to lead at every break on the way to a 17.14 (116)-12.13 (85) win.
Thunder captain-coach James Strauss said they hoped the match would kick start their season.
“It was a good day for the club,” he said.
“Getting that first win is always good and hopefully we can use it as a platform.
“We were competitive the first couple of games and were not able to get the win. To get that is good reward for effort.
“Everyone involved in the club was happy to get the win and hopefully there’s lots more to come.”
Strauss said they started slowly on Satur-
day, with the Kangaroos on top.
He said the Kangaroos are a really good footy side that are strong around the contest.
“Parts were good and there’s parts that we have to keep improving,” Strauss said.
“They were on top early and it was good to bounce back after the first 10 to 15 minutes and get the game back on our terms.”
It was the third quarter that really set up the win, with the Thunder kicking seven goals to three.
Former Port Adelaide captain Robbie Gray kicked five goals in a best on ground performance for the Thunder.
“There’s not much you can say about him,” Strauss said about his star player.
“It’s pretty handy to put him all over the park and he will give it his all.”
Amani Karauria-Lunt and Darcy Hargrave were other strong contributors for the Thunder.
For the Kangaroos, Jackson Treweek and Josh Nanninga were their best.
Four players kicked two goals each in the loss.
The Thunder now sits 1-2.
Strauss said they were in a very different situation to last season.
“Last year we lost by 150-160 points to Glenroy and it was three goals this year,” he said. “It is good being more competitive and not getting blown out.
“That first win will build confidence among the group.
“If we show what we can do each week, we will win more games of footy.”
Now with the first win on the board, the task for the Thunder is to back it up this week against Burnside Heights.
The Thunder will enter the game as favourites against a Bears side yet to get a win.
“We can’t expect things to happen,” Strauss said.
“We’ve got to keep bringing the effort and intensity. Hopefully on the back of that we can play our structures and that will bring us half way to winning more games of footy.”
Meanwhile in division 1, Rupertswood lost to West Coburg. West Coburg was too strong, winning 15.13 (103)-10.7 (67).
Logan Johnson and Bailey Verrall were the Sharks best.
opening minute of the game.
After 80 minutes the Sky Blues were still in front.
Wyndham was able to find an equaliser thought Tobia Moe before he scored a second to give his side a 2-1.
The Sky Blues weren’t able to get one back, with Wyndham winning 2-1.
Gisborne now sits eighth on the ladder with two wins, a draw and two losses.
Reddy said as a club everything was going along really well.
Meanwhile, Gisborne’s women’s side kicked off the state league 7 north-west season with a 3-0 win.
The Sky Blues scored in the sixth minute before scoring two second half goals to seal the win.
Rupertswood is searching for a new coach in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association, but outgoing coach Matt Twentyman is going nowhere.
Twentyman has made the decision to step down as coach to spend more time with his family.
While he is stepping back from coaching, Twentyman has committed to the McIntyre Cup club in a playing capacity for next season.
Rupo president Peter Kavanagh said they were thrilled that Twentyman would remain at the club.
Kavanagh said that Twentyman had been a natural coach and maybe one day in the future they would see him coach.
“We are exceptionally happy with that,” he said of Twentyman remaining at the club.. “It gives him an opportunity to spend time with his family.
“Hopefully he can get some more cohesion with this batting without having the burden of being coach.
“Hopefully it makes it more enjoyable and he can just get out there and bat.”
Twentyman starred with the bat for Rupertswood last season and made the team of the year.
He made 709 runs for the season, including three 100s and one 90.
Kavanagh said that Twentyman was willing to help the new coach in whatever way he can.
Kevin Barker and Rhys Berry, who have also coached at other clubs, have also re-committed giving the club an experienced core.
Kavanagh said they were open to a playing coach, non-playing coach or captain-coach going forward.
It was about finding the right person for the club.
He said the club was keen to add another batter to the mix, whether that came in the form of a playing coach, or a player joining the club.
Kavanagh said they were also open to building both their batting and bowling depth.
The club had four of its five sides make finals last season, with its second and third XI making grand finals.
The club’s McIntyre Cup made finals, the first time it had happened in many seasons when it’s been a top four.
Information about the coaching position, contact Peter on 0459 098 664 or Bert on 0418 363 658
By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions are looking to build as the Ballarat Netball League season goes along.
It’s been a disjointed start to the season for last season’s grand finalists, with player availability all over the place.
The Lions have had a large number of players missing in each of their three games so far.
It’s something they will continue to juggle with Caitlin Hill and Ruby Shannon involved in SN reserves which started on the weekend.
Speaking before the weekend’s match with Melton, Lions’ coach Kim Bailey said it’s about making sure things are clicking at the right time of the season.
“The first game against Darley was disastrous and nothing went right,” she said. “They were amazing and difficult to beat this year.
“Wehadsevengirlsmissingbutthatisno excuse.
“We had three away last Saturday and three this Saturday and restrictions. We’ve
got five VNL [Victorian Netball League] matches on Sundays, which means we have to limit and that doesn’t help.”
Bailey said they were starting to add players back into the mix which was exciting.
Georgia Hellyer, who missed round one, was awesome in round two in the Lions win.
Abbey Inglis returned on Saturday for her first game of the season, as did skipper Tayla Honey to add some depth in the midcourter.
Dasha Taylor, who plays for Gisborne, filled in with Sarah Croft missing with a knee injury, while Shannon also missed.
Youngsters Lani Fauonuku and Charlize Bellette had their first opportunity in the shooting circle together on Saturday.
Bailey said the pair would bring a bit of chaos.
“We had four playing nationals and you bring those girls back in the team it’s quite significant.”
The Lions got their second win against a Bloods side that is still finding its feet.
Sunbury jumped out of the blocks and
led by 17 goals at quarter time.
The Lions continued the momentum throughout the rest of the match and shot at least 20 goals in every game.
They finished with a 21-3 final quarter to seal a 100-27 win.
Fauonuku shot 63 goals for the Lions, while Bellette shot 37 goals.
Bailey said for the group this season it was about doing the right things to put them in a good position later in the year.
“We will keep building,” she said.”We’ll keep going under the radar.
“You don’t win finals in April, you start to try and win finals in late July, August and September
“All we need to do is try and make the top six, hopefully we will do.
“We have a couple of tough games coming up.
“We’ll work on structures and keep having fun.”
The Lions will face North Ballarat this Saturday.
The two sides have had a number of good battles in recent seasons.
By Tara Murray
Macedon got its first win of the Riddell District Netball League season, but the win was marred by a serious injury.
After showing patches in the first two rounds, the Cats were keen to get their season back on track against Riddell on Saturday.
The Cats were able to build a lead in the first half, with the margin eight goals heading into the second half.
The Cats were able to maintain that and extend the lead to come away with a 51-37 win.
Cats’ coach Katie Clarke said they were pleased to get their first win of the season, but it was bittersweet. Brooklyn Anderson, in her first gameoftheseason,wentdownwitha serious knee injury midway through the final quarter.
“It’s a suspected ACL,” Clarke said. “We are devastated for her to go through that.”
Clarke said she was pretty happy with the performance against the Bombers, who she said would be a really good side in a few seasons if they stuck together.
While she was happy, Clarke gave the group a rare spray early in the matchtotryandgetmoreoutofthem.
Hetty Donoghue shot 26 goals for the Cats, while Claire Oakley put up 17 goals. Molly McGrath won the Anzac Day medal.
Clarke said in the opening three rounds they had been their worst enemy. She said unforced errors had proven costly.
“It’s not that other sides are playing better than us,” she said.
“We’ve been handing the ball back with basic errors.
“We need to start being better.”
The win moves the Cats to 1-3 for the season.
Clarke said they still had to build the connections within the group, which has some combinations that haven’t played together before.
She said not having Caitlyn Muir at the moment was a big out, while ChelseaKempisstillworkingherway back through B-grade.
The shooting combination of Chloe Wilson out the front of both Oakley and Donoghue was still building.
“We have got a good group,” Clarke said. “We have to be more consistent and get rid of the mistakes. We need to iron out the unforced errors.”
Meanwhile, Shelby Holter shot 23 goals for the Bombers in the loss.
The Bombers sit 1-1 after having a bye in round one.