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(Damjan Janevski). 265496_01

Live music, performances and family-friendly activities will take place across Wyndham on Wednesday, January 26 to celebrate Australia’s many different people and cultures. The series of free Australia Day events, hosted by Wyndham council, has been organised so that residents can enjoy themselves while remaining COVID-safe. The events will be held at Lollipop Hill Park in Manor Lakes, Longreach Parade Park in Point Cook and Golden Square Reserve Playground in Hoppers Crossing from 11am to 3pm. Wyndham mayor Peter Maynard said: “From African drumming and Bollywood dancing to rap artists, jazz musicians and talented singers – there’s something for everyone. “For creatives, the Wynnies art competition will run, and for the adventurous, some amazing native reptile friends will visit. “Coffee and snacks will be available through food trucks on-site to give you energy for the afternoon of fun.”

Sisters Lilly, 6, and Aurelia, 3, with their Australian flags.

Community safety focus Wyndham police have launched a Community Safety and Engagement Team (CSET) whose duties include patrolling shopping centres, recreational sites and other areas where general anti-social behaviour may “escalate”. The municipality’s Local Area Commander, acting inspector Steve Hayes, said the CSET comprised of a sergeant, along with five constables and senior constables. “The team is focused towards providing a highly visible present around prominent community locations such as major shopping centres, public recreation centres such as Wyndham Park, Eagle Park Stadium and other key public thoroughfares and gathering points

such as Werribee CBD and surrounds,” acting inspector Hayes said. He said the team’s main duties included increasing community safety and confidence; crime reduction through prevention and deterrence; reducing road trauma through enforcement and increased presence; and engaging with the community to identify community safety issues and concerns. “Rather than focusing on any particular shopping centre the team will look to ensure an active presence at locations where general anti-social behaviour can at times escalate to more serious behaviours which can create public safety concerns, or where we see developing trends or issues with general offending,” acting inspector Hayes said.

“Part of our focus is on engaging and intervening and ensuring the youth of Wyndham are actively involved in positive activities and don’t become influenced by the small numbers doing the wrong thing.” Acting inspector Hayes said the CSET has been launched as part of a broader initiative, moving towards the Victoria Police Neighbourhood Policing model. He said that in the week since CSET has been up and running, they have “already been involved in a number of arrests and other interventions”. About 5.30pm on January 18, CSET officers arrested three men, aged 18, 20 and 22 years old, at a Manor Lakes shopping complex. Police said the 20-year-old is expected to

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be charged on summons for hindering and resisting police and possession of a controlled weapon. All three men have been banned from the shopping centre. A Manor Lakes Central centre management spokesperson confirmed they were “assisting the local Wyndham Police and the newly formed Wyndham Community Safety and Engagement Team in this matter”. The spokesperson said: “The safety of centre retailers, their staff and customers remains of paramount importance. “As the hub of the local community we are proud to collaborate with the relevant local authorities and community groups to provide a welcoming and safe environment for all.”

12530893-AV02-22

By Alesha Capone

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Pick up your favourite local newspaper, the Wyndham Star Weekly from local outlets listed below or subscribe to our digital edition and have it sent to your device every week!

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Hoppers Crossing Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre Heaths Road, Cnr Derrimut Road Hoppers Crossing Wyndham Library Heaths Road, Cnr Derrimut Road (Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre) Hoppers Crossing Werribee Plaza Tavern Heaths Road,(Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre) Hoppers Crossing Coles Supermarket 250 Heaths Road, (Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre) Hoppers Crossing APCO Service Station 178 Morris Road Hoppers Crossing Hoppers Crossing Shopping Centre 24-48 Old Geelong Road Hoppers Crossing Woodville Park Shopping Centre Shop 20/70 Warringa Drive Hoppers Crossing IGA Plus Liquor Shop 4, 2-6 Deloraine Drive Hoppers Crossing Aqua Pulse Café 82 Derrimut Road Hoppers Crossing Coles Express 260 Derrimut Road (Cnr Hogans Road) Hoppers Crossing Hoppers Crossing Cricket Club Hogans Road - Hogans Road Reserve Hoppers Crossing Super Lotto Newsagency Shop 8/166 Hogans Road (Hogans Corner Shopping Centre) Hoppers Crossing Woolworths Supermarket Corner Hogans Road & Derrimut Road

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Hoppers Crossing Tigers Club House 70 Old Geelong Road Hoppers Crossing Costas Mitre 10 255-267 Old Geelong Road Manor Lakes Manor Lakes Shopping Centre (Near playground) Ballan Road Manor Lakes Manor Lakes News & Lotto Shop 14, 455 Ballan Road Point Cook Featherbrook Shopping Centre 238 Boardwalk Boulevard Point Cook Wyndham Library Service Unit 1-21 Cheetham Street Point Cook Point Cook Pharmacy Shop 1-11 Dunnings Road Point Cook Jamieson Way Community Centre 59 Jamieson Way Point Cook Direct Chemist Outlet Shop 13, 15 Kenswick Street Point Cook Stockland Point Cook Shopping Centre Murnong Street Point Cook Saltwater Community Centre 153 Saltwater Promenade Point Cook Saltwater Coast Sales Office 261 Saltwater Promenade Point Cook The Brooks 215 Sneydes Road Point Cook Wyn City 36 Wallace Avenue Sanctuary Lakes Sanctuary Lakes Resort 72 Greg Norman Drive Sanctuary Lakes Sanctuary Lakes Shopping Centre 300 Point Cook Road Tarneit BP Service Station 410 Derrimut Road Tarneit Tarneit Central Shopping Centre 540 Derrimut Road Tarneit Brian Mark Real Estate Shop 18, 380 Sayers Road Tarneit Wyndham Village Shopping Centre 380 Sayers Road Tarneit Shell Service Station 380

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Sayers Road Tarneit Barry Plant Real Estate Shop 9, 380 Sayers Road Tarneit Community Centre 150 Sunset Views Boulevard Tarneit Serranos Cafe 747 Tarneit Road ( Tarneit Gardens SC ) Truganina Palm Lakes Resort 7 Taronga Road Truganina Arndell Park Community Centre 29-49 Federation Boulevard Werribee Eagles Stadium Café 35 Ballan Road Werribee Casaccio Egg Farm 170198 Bulban Road Werribee IGA Supermarket Werribee 92-94 Cottrell Street Werribee - Hodges Real Estate 1/1 Watton Street Werribee Italian Sports Club 601 Heaths Road Werribee The Womans Hub 236 Hoppers Lane Werribee St Vincent’s Private Hospital 240 Hoppers Lane Werribee Wyndham City Council 45 Princes Highway Werribee Werribee Mercy Hospital (Coffee Shop) 300 Princes Highway Werribee SIMS IGA Werribee Village Cnr Shaws & Tarneit Rd Werribee Westwoods First National 1 Synnot Street Werribee Werribee RSL 2A Synnot Street (Kelly Park) Werribee Cellarbrations 52-54 Vincent Crescent Werribee Bendigo Bank 42 Watton Street Werribee P. Di Natale Real Estate 44 Watton Street Werribee Coles Werribee 143 Watton Street

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Werribee Wyndham Cultural Centre 177 Watton Street Werribee Professional Triwest 6A Watton Street Werribee Barry Plant Real Estate 21 Watton Street Werribee YPA Real Estate 1 Werribee Street Werribee Wyndham Private Medical Centre 242 Hoppers Lane Werribee South 104 Apartments and Housing Estate 50 Catamaran Boulevard Werribee South Werribee South General Store 785 Duncans Road Werribee South LT’s Egg Farm 1 K Ave Werribee South Anglers Anchorage Take Away 67 O’Connors Road Williams Landing Williams Landing News, Lotto & Tobacco 100 Overton Road Williams Landing Woolworths 100 Overton Road (Williams Landing Shopping Centre) Wyndham Vale BP Service Station 210 Ballan Road Wyndham Vale Lotto and Newsagency 205 Greens Road (Wyndham Vale Square Shopping Centre) Wyndham Vale IGA Wyndham Vale 50 Honour Avenue Wyndham Vale Iramoo Community Centre 84 Honour Avenue Wyndham Vale Manor Lakes Community Learning Centre 86 Manor Lakes Boulevard Wyndham Vale 7 Eleven Wyndham Vale Corner McGrath Road & Ballan Road

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2 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

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Staff shortages impact business By Alesha Capone Many hospitality businesses in Wyndham are being forced to cut back their operations as COVID-19 causes a shortage of staff across Melbourne’s food and beverage industry. Hoppers Club chief executive Michael Lewis said the “ongoing COVID-19 scenario” has “severely impacted on staff availability, including senior staff”. Mr Lewis said this was usually as a result of an employee being a positive case or close contact, or being the primary carer in a household with multiple COVID cases. “As a result, both of our venues –

Hoppers and Bacchus Marsh – continue to severely disrupted, including operating at approximately 40 per cent below what could be expected at this time of the year,” he said. “For example, our bistros are closed, and we are only offering limited menus in other areas of the clubs.” Mr Lewis said his biggest concern was the health and wellbeing of his team and their families, and ultimately how many staff would be able to return to work short-term or at all. Anglers Anchorage in Werribee South has started offering takeaway only, due to being

short staffed, with customers welcome to sit outside. The venue’s Josselyn Fry said at the moment, the business was staffed with about four people at once, consisting of three full-time staff and rotating juniors. “We just can’t get staff, the boss has been advertising,” she said. Ms Fry said the cafe’s staff recently encouraged their manager to go on a holiday, because she was reluctant to do so due to the lack of staff and increased levels of patronage since lockdowns started. The Park Hotel’s Nick Christou said business was “really quiet” at the moment.

“I think it is important people do support hospitality businesses because they are doing it tough,” he said. “We have got some fantastic venues opening up in Werribee that need support.” Werribee Business and Tourism Association (WBTA) chairperson Deborah Dickinson said hospitality traders had reported a shortage of staff even prior to Omicron emerging, partially due to less international students working in the field. “Now people have moved out of the industry and it’s not so easy to find staff, is what I’m hearing,” she said.

COVID changes

Friends Adaline and Arhan will start prep this year.

(Damjan Janevski)

Prepping for the school bell to ring Just like many children across the nation, Arhan and Adaline are looking forward to starting prep. The young pals, who are five years old, will begin their educational journey at Dohertys Creek P-9 College in Truganina. Adaline and Arhan, who know each other because their families are friends, said they were looking forward to starting school. Arhan said he was not worried about

missing his family, including his baby brother, on his first day of school. “I could learn more things, interesting things and things that are so cool,” he said. Arhan, who hopes to become a policeman in the future, said he was interested in learning about “building things” at school. Adaline said that she has already met some of her teachers at Dohertys Creek P-9 College, while visiting the school.

“I’m interested in learning lots of things, I really like maths, painting and everything,” she said. Adaline said she also loved animals, especially her pet dog Romeo, her fish and quail. “I want to be a doctor when I grow up,” she said.

Mercy Health has indicated that it may introduce changes at Werribee Mercy Hospital as the state’s COVID-19 case numbers continue to increase. Mercy Health chief executive – health services, Adjunct Professor Jason Payne, said Werribee Mercy was “focusing our resources on the most acutely unwell patients in our hospital”. “Like all Victorian hospitals, Werribee Mercy Hospital is facing increasing demand while the rate of COVID-19 is so high across the state,” he said. Adjunct Professor Payne said the hospital might ask some staff, who are on extended leave, to consider returning to work sooner. “We are also considering redeploying some of our support services staff to non-clinical, administrative roles in our hospital to free up staff in non-clinical roles who may be clinically trained,” he said. “Some outpatient appointments may be rescheduled or changed to telehealth appointments over the next few weeks and some patients may be cared for at home or in community settings rather than in hospital.” Adjunct Professor Payne said all hospital staff were “working very hard during these times of increased demand to continue to take care of our patients and clients”. “We expect the next few weeks will be difficult but everyone in the health system is working together to ensure we can provide care to those who need it most urgently,” he said. The state government announced on Tuesday, January 18 that it would introduce a Pandemic Code Brown across Victoria, to allow hospitals to free up more staff, including the delivery of outpatient services outside the hospital.

Alesha Capone

Discover The Geelong College difference at our Open Days on Wednesday 6 April and 4 May. Register or explore more dates at www.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au or phone 5226 3156. The Geelong College, a leading Victorian day and boarding school from Early Learning to VCE.

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Safety fears hold back cyclists By Tara Murray Residents across the west are hesitant to ride their bikes due to safety concerns, a new report has found. The report, ‘The potential for bike riding across entire cities: Quantifying spatial variation in interest in bike riding’ found that significant number of residents in the west are interested in cycling but were concerned too. The report found that bike ownership in Melbourne’s inner-west was 67 per cent, the highest across Melbourne.

But at the same time the report found that between 85 and 90 per cent of Maribyrnong residents who completed the survey were interested in cycling but were concerned about it. In Brimbank and Wyndham it was between 80 and 84 per cent, while it was 65 to 69 per cent in Hobsons Bay. Bike West president John Symons said he expected the percentage to be high in the west, but it was higher than he expected. “Local authorities normally talk to people who are already cycling and ask what do

they like,” he said. “They are already riding and tolerating the risks. They never speak to the people who don’t ride and a lower tolerance to cycling. “I know there’s lot of people who want to ride, but it’s not safe.” Mr Symons said while there has been some infrastructure and riding paths created, many don’t fully cater for people. He said gaps in a trail or path even if only a couple of 100 metres deterred some people from riding. “A gap of 200 metres is not safe for many

people. Most people won’t ride if there’s even a small gap. “In French Street in Footscray, they’ve separated out the paths, but they still have integrated intersections that are just as dangerous as they were. “And many paths mean people have to go 10 times out of their way. It has to be direct.” Mr Symons, who is an academic in this area, said the key was to make cycling safe for everyone starting from children. He said then it’s safe for children, then most people would feel comfortable riding.

Storm stars in Werribee Melbourne Storm players arrived in Werribee on Friday, January 21 for a special open training session. Supporters from across the west attended Victoria University’s Wyndham Sporting Complex in Hoppers Lane, to watch the team hone their skills before the start of the NRL season in March. Following training, the players took part in interviews, followed by an NRL Victoria junior clinic for children. The Werribee open session followed on from a similar event held in Hume just before Christmas. The same day of Melbourne Storm’s Werribee training session, the team’s 2021 co-captain Jesse Bromwich announced he would finish his career with the club at the end of the 2022 season. Bromwich, 32, has played more than 270 matches for Melbourne Storm since making his debut in 2010.

He was part of the premiership-winning teams in 2012, 2017 and 2020, as well as two World Club Challenge victories. Melbourne Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said Bromwich has “displayed a remarkable consistency of performance and certainly would be on a shortlist of best front-rowers in the game over the past decade”. “We will savour the last year of having Jesse at our club and I’m sure he will be determined to make 2022 one to remember,” Mr Rodski said. Melbourne Storm will play their first match of the 2022 NRL season against the West Tigers at 7.35pm on Saturday, March 12 at CommBank Stadium in Sydney. Details: www.melbournestorm.com.au/ Alesha Capone Melbourne Storm’s open training session in Werribee.

(Damjan Janevski) 265483_01

Don’t travel to high risk areas on Extreme Fire Danger Rating days. If you plan to travel through Victoria, during fire season, it’s important to check the Fire Danger Rating every day. If the rating is Extreme or above, avoid travelling to high risk areas, including to cities and towns.

Plan. Act. Survive. Go to emergency.vic.gov.au

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

4 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

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Help support a student in need By Alesha Capone

disruptive for the education of all young people due to COVID, the impact on children who don’t have the resources at home for remote learning has been enormous,” Mr Hall said. “Speaking with families, there is a sense of anxiousness surrounding the return to school, this appears to be one of the flow on effects of COVID, with parents citing a multitude of challenges associated with remote learning and children adjusting to being in and out of lockdowns. “Devices, uniforms and booklists are consistently mentioned as the most expensive

The Smith Family is asking residents of Melbourne’s west to provide support for vulnerable children returning to the classroom in 2021. The charity’s Back to School Appeal aims to help thousands of young Australians with education-related costs, following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith Family western metro region family partnership co-ordinator, Jake Hall, said the impact of COVID was “still far from over”. “While 2020 and 2021 were highly

items and requirements families face as their child returns to school. “There are still thousands of children across Australia who do not have these essentials and we’re worried it will be those who can least afford it, who will continue to struggle the most at school in 2022.” Mr Hall said that for the families supported by The Smith Family, “the upcoming school year could be the toughest yet”. “That’s why for our Back to School Appeal, we need to find almost 1400 new sponsors in Victoria, to help support children in communities like Wyndham,” he said.

People who sign up to sponsor a child through the Learning for Life program will help to provide financial assistance for education essentials such as uniforms, school supplies and school excursions; access to extra out-of-school learning and mentoring programs; and tailored personal support from a Smith Family team member, matched to the child and family. Sponsorship starts at $52 per month for a child in primary school, or $1.70 per day. Details: www.thesmithfamily.com.au/ sponsor or donate to the Back to School Appeal at Officeworks.

Lunar New Year fun Lantern making, cultural songs, dances and games will be among the activities held in Point Cook to celebrate the Lunar New Year from Friday, January 28 to Sunday, January 30. Point Cook resident Phebe Yeo, who runs the cultural community learning service 8SENSES, will conduct two free Family Lunar Fun sessions on each of the days. Ms Yeo said she was expecting about 80 people to attend each of the sessions, which will run between 9.30-11am and 11am-12.30pm daily. Door gifts and lucky draws will be another feature of the events, and cultural souvenirs – such as lanterns and soft toys – will be available for sale from 10am to 4pm each day. “The Lunar Celebration is very close to my heart and kids have been so deprived the past two years, and I am most willing to do this for the community,” Ms Yeo said.

The cultural events will take place in the Point Cook Pop Up Park, on Murnong Street. The Lunar New Year marks the start of a calendar year with months that are moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian nations, influenced by the Chinese New Year. Some Hindu-Buddhist, Islamic and Jewish calendars also celebrate the Lunar New Year. Modern Lunar New Year celebrations usually occur in late January or early February. Bookings are required to attend the Family Lunar Fun sessions. Details: https://bit. ly/3IwZO5a or https://www.8senses.com.au/ Alesha Capone Brothers Eli, aged seven, and Ezekiel, aged four, prepare for the Family Lunar Fun sessions in Point Cook. (Damjan Janevski) 265500_02

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Mental health board The state government has opened expressions of interest for community members who would like to join the governance board of the new Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. The facility will be built in Melbourne and will bring together people with experience of mental health issues, researchers and health professionals. Applications will close on February 8. Details: boards.vic.gov.au.

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Revitalisation efforts

Sounds of live music

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Famous band Sneaky Sound System will perform at Wyndham Park on Saturday, January 29 as part of a free live music event. Wyndham Cultural Centre will present Sounds at Wyndham Park during the last weekend of the school holidays, from January 28 to 29. The Saturday session will start at 5pm with pre-show entertainment with Tanya George and Gaudion. Sneaky Sound System will take to the stage at 6pm. Sneaky Sound System first entered the Australian music scene in 2004 and have since won several awards. They have worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry including DJ Tiesto, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Snoop Dog. Wyndham council’s creative cities portfolio holder, councillor Marcel Mahfoud said: “It is fantastic to have the renowned Sneaky Sound System perform as part of Sounds at Wyndham Park event, here in Wyndham Park. “Come down to the Werribee city centre,

make the most of summer and enjoy a free high energy performance that will be certain to get people dancing and grooving along.” Sounds at Wyndham Park is a free Wyndham council program, with bookings essential to attend. All attendees must comply with all state government COVID-19 restrictions. Attendees will be required to check-in using the Service Victoria app and show proof of vaccination, prior to entering the event site. Alcohol and smoking will not be permitted at Sounds at Wyndham Park. Live streaming or broadcasting of any of the performances as part of Sounds at Wyndham Park will also not be permitted. To book tickets, see: https://www.wyndham. vic.gov.au/sounds-at-wyndham-park Should conditions change due to weather or COVID-19 impacts, any changes to the event, will be emailed to ticketholders via Wyndham Cultural Centre Box Office. Updates will also be posted on Facebook via @WyndhamCity and @ WyndhamCulturalCentre.

Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly has announced $300,000 to fund a series of new projects in the area. Ms Connolly, who is also chair of the Tarneit Revitalisation Board, said $160,000 will be spent to trial markets to showcasing local food, products and performance. In addition, $70,000 will go towards establishing a series of weekly fitness, recreation and sport programs, more than $38,000 to a hold a youth soccer cup and a further $24,000 will be invested to upgrade the Julia Gillard Library garden.

Development proposal Wyndham council has received a planning application seeking permission to build four double-storey dwellings at 204 Duncans Road, Werribee. The $1.5 million project will also include a four-lot subdivision. Details: https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/or call the council on 9742 0777.

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Helping keep the vulnerable fed A volunteer-run initiative at the Wyndham Park Community Centre in Werribee is supplying about 160 hampers to people in need every week. The Birdcage Community Store, which is held every Thursday, usually allows attendees to select what food and items they need – much like a regular shop. However, community store co-ordinator Christine Mackaness said that due to rising cases of COVID-19, volunteers have instead been packing food into hampers to minimise interaction and maintain social distancing.

Mrs Mackaness said that when she first became involved with the community centre in July 2019, they were giving out about 40 food hampers every week. Now that total stands at about 160 hampers every week, although Mrs Mackaness said has this figure has fallen to about 135 hampers per week across the New Year period. “Some people just dip in and out, sometimes people come when they have lost a job because of the impact of COVID or had their hours cut,” she said. Asylum seekers, refugees, single mothers

and pensioners are among those who visit the community store. “Homeless people come in from Werribee, they have now been put into accommodation because of COVID, and they are cooking their own food at these facilities, so they are coming to get food from us,” Mrs Mackaness said. In partnership with Wyndham council, the community store also provides hampers to residents who have COVID-19 or have to isolate at home. Mrs Mackaness said that the grocery shortage impacting supermarkets has been

affecting the community store, including a lack of fruit and vegetables. She said that FoodBank Australia, from where the community store obtains some of its supplies, has put a cap on how many food items organisations can order. “That really has an impact on what we can pack in the boxes,” Mrs Mackaness said. Mrs Mackaness said the Birdcage Community Store would appreciate both more volunteers and donations of goods, such as pantry staples like pasta and rice, nappies, toilet paper and toiletries.

A fairy fun vaccine Wyndham medical clinic staff donned fairy costumes to welcome children having their first COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, January 20. MyClinic Hoppers Crossing manager Linda Stevenson said that doctors and other employees dressed up for vaccination sessions attended by youngsters aged five to 11. Ms Stevenson said the clinic was decorated with balloons and that staff used finger puppets to entertain children. The puppets are made by Shelley Howard, mother of clinic receptionist Sarah. Ms Stevenson said the clinic was vaccinating children on Thursdays and Fridays, and adults from Mondays through to Wednesdays during business hours and after hours. Once vaccinated, children receive a lollipop, bookmark and certificate. She said the clinic’s efforts to welcome children have received “very positive feedback from parents”.

Ms Stevenson said the vaccination sessions for children were popular and that the clinic has been receiving many calls about them. “Management would like to thank all the reception for dealing with all the phone calls, without them we would all be doomed,” she added. In addition, IPC Health opened a new vaccination hub in partnership with Western Health on Monday, January 17 at Dianella Community Centre. The centre opened at noon and vaccinated a total of 132 people on the day, including 126 children aged between five and 11. Bookings for the IPC site can be made through the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 or https://www.coronavirus. vic.gov.au/vaccine. To book a vaccination at MyClinic Hoppers Crossing, call 9974 3255 during business hours or visit www.myclinicgroup.com.au Alesha Capone

MyClinic Hoppers Crossing staff Samantha Furniss, Dr Michael Talerico and Sarah Howard, with patient Ava. (Supplied)

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Call for Point Cook bus boost By Alesha Capone Several commuters have requested bus services along Featherbrook Drive and Hacketts Road in Point Cook, as part of a campaign for improved public transport across the state. Friends of the Earth Melbourne is running the Better Buses project, which is seeking community input on where improvements need to be made to bus services, particularly in the western suburbs. Using an interactive online platform, residents can rate bus routes on frequency, reliability and connectivity, and provide feedback on what changes they would like to

see in Victoria’s bus network. The data collected will be used to show which areas across the state are most in need of bus reform. More than 80 commuters have so far provided feedback on buses within and around the Wyndham municipality, via the interactive online platform, especially within Point Cook. Comments from different community members posted on the platform include: “The road on Featherbrook Drive from Boardvard Boulevard to Hacketts Road does not have any bus stop. “We need to have bus stop(s) along

Featherbrook Drive and Hacketts Road for transport to Hoppers Crossing station and Werribee. “We want a bus that starts somewhere near Alamanda and travels through Featherbrook Drive, then come(s) inside the Saratoga estate through Featherbrook estate, Kingsford estate and the go to Hoppers Crossing station.” Another resident wrote that Saratoga estate in Point Cook “doesn’t have easy access to a bus route”. “Having a bus go down Featherbrook Drive and Hacketts road to the closest train station/ Point Cook Town Centre or Werribee Plaza may be beneficial,” the resident stated.

Requests for additional bus services in new estates of Werribee, Truganina and Williams Landing have also been lodged. A Department of Transport spokesperson said: “We know demand for public transport in Melbourne’s west is high – that is why we have introduced a number of new services to get locals where they need to go. “We are always exploring ways to provide more convenient transport options and will continue to work closely with the community to ensure our public transport network is accessible and better connected.” Details: betterbusesvic.crowdspot.com.au/ page/welcome

Play tries to counter ‘toxic’ narrative Writer Gideon D. Wilonja says that his latest play was inspired by talking to his black male friends about how society perceives them and the impact this can have. Wilonja, of Wyndham Vale, runs the Mwangaza Theatre Company. His play, Do Black Boys Go To Heaven? will be performed at the Wyndham Cultural Centre from February 3 to 5 to coincide with the Midsumma Festival. Wilonja said the play was “a manifestation of a number of conversations I’ve had with my black male friends”. “Often the question of where do black boys go for healing comes up when we are talking about the unspoken trauma that comes with being a black boy in a society that paints us

to be threats, before we can be anything else,” said. “So I wanted to write a play that explores what happens when we are forced to hold in our pain, anger and trauma. “All the characters in the play embody a specific hurt that turns ugly when not given the space to heal.” Wilonja also performs in the show, which he said the entire cast and crew have collaborated on. “I am lucky to be working some of the brightest local African talents,” Wilonja said. Wilonja said he hopes Do Black Boys Go To Heaven? will help “dismantle the toxic narrative that has been created around queerness, blackness, religious power and

legal authority - and most importantly create space to allow black boys to be vulnerable”. Do Black Boys Go To Heaven?, 7.30pm, February 3-5 and 2pm, February 5. Wilonja will participate in an artist in conversation event from 3-4pm, February 4. Tickets: $20-$30. Details: https://bit. ly/3rIH383 or call 8734 6000. Alesha Capone

Gideon D. Wilonja will appear in a play he has written, Do Black Boys Go To Heaven?, at the Wyndham Cultural Centre. (Supplied)

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By Alesha Capone Demand for birthing suites at Werribee Mercy Hospital has reached capacity. The hospital welcomed 3833 babies in 2020, slightly lower than the 3888 babies delivered there in 2019. Health services chief executive Jason Payne said Werribee Mercy Hospital’s birthing numbers had remained steady over the past two years because the birthing suites were unable to accommodate any more expectant mums. He said some pregnant women within the Werribee Mercy Hospital catchment are

birthing suites, additional post-natal beds, and other ante and post-natal facilities, accompanied by additional midwifery and nursing staff. “Based on demand for existing maternity services, it is projected that Werribee Mercy Hospital would be well placed to meet an anticipated increase in demand of up to 30 per cent more babies in the western metro area.” Mr Payne said Mercy Health has been working with the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services since 2016 to prepare for the future needs of Werribee Mercy.

In November’s state budget, $4.8 million was allocated to finalise planning for the third stage of the hospital’s development. “We have acknowledged publicly the funding was a clear sign the voices of the people of the west of Melbourne are being heard and government is committed to meeting a major upgrade,” Mr Payne said. Mercy Health Group chief executive, Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen, said the next stage of Werribee Mercy Hospital’s construction required $300 million in funding “to ensure the people of Wyndham receive the level and quality of health services they deserve and need”.

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being forced to use services at public hospitals outside the area. “The demand exists for Werribee Mercy Hospital to deliver more babies locally but this cannot occur without expanded facilities,” Mr Payne said. “It would be preferable that local families had access to more of the best high quality and safe public birthing services at Werribee Mercy Hospital, so they don’t have to travel.” Mr Payne said planning was under way to boost the capacity of the birthing suites. “A third stage of Werribee Mercy Hospital, which is currently in the final stages of planning, will involve the creation of more

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Trapped in COVID hell

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SLEEP & SETTLING PROGRAM

By Tara Murray Peter Thomson is a shell of his former self. Having contracted COVID-19 in August 2020, the western suburb’s resident’s life has been turned upside down. He spent months in hospital and feared at one point he would die after being put in a coma and on a ventilator. While Peter was released from hospital in March, he has found himself readmitted on a regular basis due to the ongoing effects of COVID. The virus has also made some of his existing medical conditions worse. One of those times was after a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine and he’s been told not to have a second dose, meaning he’s not fully vaccinated. That throws up more challenges. “I came home from the hospital at the end of March after seven and half months in the hospital,” he said. “I’ve got fatigue. My short term memory is deplorable. I’m still getting headaches, I had never had headaches before. “I’m pretty much living on painkillers. I’m in and out of hospital, what sort of life is that?” Peter said the last 17 months had been a mixture of emotions. He said it has been a never ending cycle of going between home and hospital. His most recent admittance in January was for breathing and lung problems. The fear of what lies ahead scares the hell out of him. With rising incidents of people getting COVID-19 for a second time, he fears what will happen to him if he gets it again. “I was told to get the vaccine and I had the first dose back and was back in the hospital for

ARE YOU A TIRED PARENT LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS ON SETTLING YOUR CHILD? tǇŶĚŚĂŵ ŝƚǇ ŝƐ ŶŽǁ ŽīĞƌŝŶŐ Ă ŶĞǁ &Z ^ůĞĞƉ ĂŶĚ ^ĞƩůŝŶŐ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ͘ >ĞĂƌŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ŚŽǁ ǇŽƵƌ ďĂďǇ͛Ɛ ƐůĞĞƉ ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ŽǀĞƌ ƟŵĞ ĂŶĚ ƟƉƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ ŽŶ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ ǇŽƵƌ ďĂďǇ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞǇ ŐƌŽǁ͘ Peter Thomson has been in and out of hospital since getting COVID-19. (Damjan Janevski) 229489

nine days and had a really severe reaction. “The doctor said the first one put me in hospital for nine days, the second one could kill me. I have an exemption but that runs out this week, I don’t know if they’ll give me another one. “I’m frightened to go out of the house. I’ve said that if I get it again there’s a fair chance they’ll be signing my death certificate. “I’m scared.” And then there’s the anger about the lack of support for long term covid sufferers. He said governments had done nothing and were way behind in research compared to countries like England. “The government doesn’t seem to care,’’ he said. “It’s in the too hard basket and it gets me down and makes me angry. There’s a lot of

other people who are feeling the same. “More people are going to be diagnosed and have long term effects. But there’s nothing for them.” Peter had tried to set up a support group for long-term sufferers, but had little success. He has found one group on socil media, which has been useful. “It’s pretty much the only place that I have been able to find,” he said. “It’s wonderful but one group isn’t enough. It’s sad that I get the most comfort from a Facebook group.” While struggling with his own symptoms, Peter has a clear message for anybody who thinks COVID-19 is nothing but a mild illness. “It’s not a walk in the park,” he said. “Believe me. I say that with tears in my eyes.”

You will gain amazing insight on: ͻ ůĞĂƌŶ ŚŽǁ ǇŽƵƌ ďĂďǇ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵ ͻ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƌƌĞĐƚ ƐůĞĞƉ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ͻ ŶĞǁ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ ƚĞĐŚŶŝƋƵĞƐ ͻ ^ĞůĨͲŚĞůƉ ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽƉŝŶŐ ƐŬŝůůƐ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK VISIT www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/sleepandsettlingprogram or contact Maternal Child and Health on 9742 8148

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Playwright’s VCE study success By Alesha Capone Werribee playwright Alaine Beek says she felt “so excited” after one of her plays was selected for the VCE Drama Playlist 2022. Jack and Millie, a show that Beek wrote about her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer, is among six productions that Victorian students will study this year. Beek said it was great to see her script included on the VCE list, among that of classical playwrights and big theatre companies. “It’s a really amazing recognition for good work,” she said. Jack and Millie, directed by Nigel Sutton

and starring Beek, Ross Daniels and Phil Cameron-Smith, will be performed at theatres during March. “It’s the true story of my breast cancer journey, I wanted it to be positive, I didn’t want it to be gloom and doom,” Beek said. She said the character of Jack was reminiscent of her own “inner voice” while she had cancer. “There is a lot of comedy in that,” she said. Jack and Millie debuted at the Saltwater Community Centre Amphitheatre during 2021, although COVID restrictions caused dress rehearsal and opening night to be cancelled.

Beek said the Saltwater venue manager, Bob – a cancer survivor – was enthusiastic about staging the show. “All ages attended the show, from young teenagers to the elderly and across the board audience reaction was overwhelmingly positive,” Beek said. Beek said that she has been offering to visit local schools to students talk about Jack and Millie. “I have a passion for working with youth and have done so for a number of years in performing arts,” she said. Beek said she was in the process of converting her Werribee-based theatre company, Essence

Productions, into a not-for-profit organisation. Beek said she hoped this would help the company get more funding for shows and to work with young people. Jack and Millie will be staged March 1-3 at the Wyndham Cultural Centre, March 5 at The Potato Shed, Drysdale, March 8-9 at Griffith Regional Theatre, March 11-12 at Albury Entertainment Centre and March 16-19 at The Atheneum, Melbourne. Tickets (Wyndham shows): $35 full, $30 concession, $30 groups of four people or more, $20 students/matinee. Details: https://www.essenceproductions. com.au/jackandmillie

Crime, arrests in Wyndham

Wyndham librarian KatyAnne Gladman at the Werribee library.

(Damjan Janevski) 257113_01

Book in for reading this summer Wyndham library members aged 12 and older have been invited to enter a YA (Young Adult) Summer Book Binge reading competition. With the school holidays coming to the end, Wyndham council’s libraries are encouraging young people to enjoy reading for leisure. To enter the Book Binge, library members can download and complete a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line on the book binge card – similar to a bingo card – to be entered into a prize draw. They can tick off the books they have read

across the summer by writing the title and author in the matching square on the book binge card. Some squares on the card have a task, for those entrants need to write the answer in the appropriate square. Young people will receive one entry into the competition for every line on the card that they complete, with a maximum of four entries permitted for completing all 16 squares. Tasks related to reading must be completed using titles that fall within the YA genre,

meaning that the main character(s) of the book is a person or people aged between 12 and 25). The Book Binge prize pool includes a $100 Robinsons Bookshop voucher, new release YA books and more. To enter the competition, email your book binge card to teensummerread@wyndham. vic.gov.au or drop it off at the at a Wyndham library branches. The competition will run until 5pm on Monday, January 31, details: https://www. wyndham.vic.gov.au/ya-summer-book-binge

Wyndham police were kept busy last week with a series of arrests and crimes across the municipality. On Thursday, January 20, police arrested a 17-year-old, 18-year-old and 19-year-old, all from Truganina. They were charged with a range of offences, including aggravated carjacking, theft of motor vehicle and robbery. The trio were charged in relation multiple crimes, including an alleged robbery that occurred after an 11-year-old boy attended a fast food outlet at the corner of Forsyth and Sayers roads in Truganina about 7pm on January 8. The boy was allegedly approached by four males, who allegedly assaulted him and stole his phone. On Wednesday, January 19, police charged another teenager in relation to a separate crime. A 17-year-old Werribee girl was charged after alleged aggravated home invasion in Truganina which occurred about 1.20am, during which a man was allegedly assaulted. Investigators have been told three people allegedly entered a Troitta Way home about via a window. Once inside the premises, the three allegedly stole the victim’s car keys before they were disturbed by the victim. The trio fled the scene, with a resident giving chase and catching one of the girls. The two other offenders allegedly assaulted the victim in an attempt to free the girl, but failed. The 33-year-old male victim sustained minor injuries. Also on Wednesday, police issued firearm prohibition orders to a 30-year-old man from Point Cook and a 31-year-old man from Tarneit.

Health system is not ready for long-COVID warn physios The Australian Physiotherapy Association is concerned the health sector is unprepared to manage the next part of the COVID-19 pandemic, long-COVID. Association national president Scott Willis said while there needs to be a focus on hospitalisation numbers and infection rates, a focus on what lies ahead is just as important. He said the transition from continuous,ongoing emergencies to robust health services working as one, must be a priority for the National Cabinet. “The health system is strained to breaking point with overwhelming case numbers,” he said. “As case numbers spiral to frightening levels, the number of Australians requiring ongoing, post-COVID care will continue to 10 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

place massive strain on health services. “This will likely occur at a time when exhausted health workers are emerging from the latest (Omicron) variant. “The focus on hospitalisation numbers and infection rates is understandable. However, planning for the management of longer-term respiratory conditions and other debilitating effects and lingering symptoms, should be more advanced across all jurisdictions.” Mr Willis and the association wrote to the federal and state governments last year urging them to work with physiotherapists. He said their rehabilitation treatment is, and will continue to be, essential to the recovery of thousands of Australians afflicted by COVID-19.

Having had COVID-19 himself, he has suffered some long term effects including shortness of breath, lack of energy and emotional issues. “This is a condition that involves various symptoms, including both physical and mental fatigue, requiring rehabilitative care that extends across a full, multidisciplinary team. “Governments need to move fast in advancing pathways to COVID-19 recovery. Response plans that allow rapid scaling-up of long-term care where COVID-19 control measures fail, are also necessary. “ Mr Willis said some early estimates suggest that at least 10 to 30 per cent of people will continue to have symptoms for up to 12 weeks after their acute infection.

He supports recommendations that long-COVID be recognised as a distinct and separate disease entity to acute COVID-19 should be considered. “Our health system has barriers around funding and delivery models that are not being resolved at a national level. “We need MBS and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme benefits that adequately support patients living with long-COVID, to reduce out-of-pocket costs. “We don’t know what lies ahead, but we can predict with some certainty that the future demand will be from those suffering on-going health problems post-infection.”

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MY PLACE Dilan Jayasekara has been named among four finalists for the Emerging ICT Professional of the Year at the 2022 Australian Computer Society (ACS) Digital Disruptors Awards. He chats with Alesha Capone. Firstly, can you tell me a bit about yourself? My name is Dilan Jayasekara. I work as a data engineer in Pitcher Partners, Melbourne. But personally, I’d like to call myself an all-rounder. I live with my beautiful wife Tara (Jayasekara) in Tarneit. I migrated to Australia in the summer of 2017. The decision was not a hard one to make. I have always wanted to live in a foreign county since I was six years old – a weird childish ambition that only grew up with time passing by. I completed my bachelor’s degree in 2016 back in Sri Lanka. I started as a junior software developer, while studying for my degree and made a steady transition to web development at the end of my fourth year at university. The quality of the education system in Australia, and the fact that the nation was ranked the most liveable city for three years in a row, meant I picked Australia as my first option without any hesitation – plus kangaroos! I got married and then we both flew to Australia in 2017 for my master’s degree in software design and development. Also, I always wanted to watch the Ashes cricket live at the MCG, which I was able to do last month (the Boxing Day test 2021). How long have you lived in Tarneit and what do you like about the area? We moved from CBD to Tarneit at the end of 2020. Being squared into a small one-bedroom apartment in Docklands, the nature of Tarneit just blew me away. There are dozens of walking paths, where I could go back to my regular walking routine and occasional bicycle rides as well. My wife and I strongly hope to make a difference this year and join at least four community groups and meet hundreds of new people around Tarneit. Also, I read about the

English as a second language, it’s possible. You just have to make sure that your internal voice is stronger than the external noise, everything is possible. Believe in yourself and keep marching forward. You’re also a poet, fiction writer and a blogger? I love poetry and I hope to launch a small book combining 50–60 poems one day, hopefully within the next five years. In terms of blogging, the greatest learners don’t just consume, they contribute, and my blog is one of the main sources for me to connect with the data science/programming community.

Dilan Jayasekara.

(Supplied/Imran Abul Kashem, Westend Photography).

Wyndham Smart City project before moving in and that is a very interesting project, so I’d like to meet a few people who are working on the project and be a sponge and absorb as much wisdom as possible. Do you have a favorite spot in Tarneit to eat or get coffee? There are two favourite cafes that I usually visit. One is called the Little Growling Cafe, which is just five minutes walk away from my home. This is our usual spot for a coffee break after a long jogging/cardio workout. The other one is called @7 cafe. where they serve this amazing king-size omelette that I can’t stop

thinking about! The coffees are great at both places. How does it feel to be named a finalist for the Emerge ICT professional of the Year, from Australian Computer Society? Coming as an immigrant international student who spent 20-plus years in a country where political corruption was present, 30-year civil war, bomb blasts and tsunamis to a successful finalist candidate for the Emerging ICT Professional of the Year 2022 ACS was not a smooth ride. It is proof that if you’re willing to take the necessary steps to blend into an entirely new country, with

Could you also tell me about your involvement with music? Since childhood, I always wanted to do something that combined the logic and reasoning of science with the passion and creativity of art. Finally, after many years of education, experimentation and exhaustion, I figured out how to combine the two with a special project — Cestine Music Analytics. “Cestine” is a music data analysis project using Spotify to identify music patterns and learn more about how the recommendation algorithm works. We at Cestine believe: “Music does not just instrument anymore, it’s data about entertainment.” Through this lens, the project helps aspiring artists gain more visibility by educating them around certain musical structures and patterns that they can incorporate into their own songs, to make them more algorithmically friendly. Winners of the ACS awards will be announced on February 23. Details: http:// connect.djayasekara.com/

Online help for the terminally ill By Christopher Carter, CEO, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network It’s the news nobody wants to hear: your condition is terminal. Sadly, though, it is a message delivered by doctors to scores of people in our region every day. Causes of death vary, and weeks, months, even years may pass, but everyone who receives an end-of-life diagnosis shares one common experience: the world suddenly becomes complicated. There are difficult conversations that need to be had with friends, family and medical professionals. Plans for the final days have to be made, decisions enacted to cover the time when decision-making may not be possible. The house might need to be modified. Carers and other helpers might need to be found and engaged. Will mobility aids be required? Are there support groups? Where are the funds to come from? And – most importantly – where are all these answers to be found? It seems a particularly cruel twist of fate that life becomes more difficult as a result of discovering that it’s coming to an end. In conjunction with experts in ageing and chronic disease, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network has created Australia’s first website directory and resource collection designed for people who have received an end-of-life diagnosis, their friends, family and those who care for them. Called Lately, the website which launched this month, features a series of easy-to-understand questions and conversation-starters designed to start important discussions about the dying process. These include How do I tell people I’mdying?,Who do I need around me at the end of my life?, and How do I find services for

Lately is a new website for people who have received an end-of-life diagnosis.

LGBTIQ people?. There is information, too, on the how and why of advanced care planning – the process of formalising wishes about end-of-life treatments, religious rituals, funeral arrangements and related matters. This is particularly important. People naturally don’t like to talk about the death of loved ones, so all too often these crucial decisions don’t arise until the person concerned enters their final hours. Sometimes

(iStock)

this results in family arguments, anxiety and stress, adding misery to what is already a difficult time. The advice and information on Lately were contributed and reviewed by experts, but advice can be of limited value if there is no opportunity to act on it. For this reason, the site also contains an extensive and growing database of service providers – organisations and businesses in our region which deliver a very wide range of

help. These include disease-specific support groups, counsellors, dementia assistance, mobility aid hire, financial planning, home care, mental health support, spiritual guidance, veteran assistance and much more. Access to Lately is free, as are many of the services listed. It can be found atlately.org.au . Nobody wants to receive the awful news – but now, perhaps, the aftermath can be a little less challenging. Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 11

BEHIND THE NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

A Space is Held

The Demographic Dance OFF and Face to Face

Bottom by Willy Hudson

The Shy Manifesto by Michael Ross

Midsumma returns to the west Midsumma Festival kicks off in Melbourne’s west this week with a packed program. The premier queer arts and cultural festival will continue through to February. Sarah Oliver looks at some of the must-see events. 4Play & First Nations Drag Join three of Naarm’s finest First Nations drag artists for a night of camp chaos, fierce fantasy and sparkly sass. Miss First Nations 2021 Cerulean will rain excitement, Mora Money gives us their best sugar baby fantasy and Ms Carmel Latte is simply not your regular caffeinated beverage. Friday, January 28, 8pm at Pride of our Footscray Community Bar A Space is Held A series of performance artworks presented live by multidisciplinary artists. The direct nature of performance will elevate ideas of queer bodies, displacement and anticolonialism to a common knowledge better understood by many. Saturday, January 29, 4-6pm at Bluestone Church Arts Space Bottom by Willy Hudson Locked in his bathroom during a tragic third date, Willy asks: are you a Top or a Bottom? Join Willy for a queer coming-of-age remix, as he questions if ‘bottom’ in the bedroom means ‘bottom’ in life – and whether Beyonce can help put his love on top. February 1-5, 9.30pm at Bluestone Church Arts Space The Demographic Dance OFF and Face to Face The Demographic Dance OFF invite you to respond to their unique stories in a two-part interlaced live show additional and pre-recorded video. ‘Face to Face’ offers a relaxed performance inside of an interactive sensory friendly show. This show will have traditional methods of access accompanying the interactive Creative Access. Saturday, February 12, 12.15pm, 1.15pm and 2.15pm at Footscray Community Arts Centre – Basement The Shy Manifesto by Michael Ross Seventeen-year-old Callum is proud to be shy and he thinks you should be too – because what this noisy, crazy world needs right now is a bit more self-restraint. He will address an audience of radical shy comrades and incite the meek to finally rise up and inherit the earth. February 1-5, 6.30pm at Bluestone Church Arts Space Benched by Jamila Main Actor and award-winning playwright Jamila Main invites you to join them on the bench for an intimate moment of rumination on athleticism within a body whose access needs subvert the assumed binary of disability. This is one-on-one theatre that is joyful, conversational, and candid. February 10-12, 1.30-4.15pm, every 15 mins at Footscray Community Arts Centre – Entrance Gallery Dragstrology Melbourne’s Queens of the Cosmos, the 12 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

4Play & First Nations Drag

Dragstrology

Dragstrology Auntie and bestie team, Freida Commitment and Matilda Mercury, dive deep into their crystal ball and give us the T for 2022! Thursday, February 10, 8pm at Pride of our Footscray Community Bar

Benched by Jamila Main

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

Art show The Little River Art Exhibition 2022 will be held on Saturday, January 29 from 10am-4pm and Sunday, January 30 from 10am-2pm at the Mechanics Hall, Rothwell Road, Little River. ■ makarakasch@gmail.com

U3A classes U3A Werribee Region is a not-for-profit organisation consisting of semi-retired and retired residents of Wyndham. The organisation conducts a variety of weekly classes run by volunteers consisting of history, senior men in light exercise, mosaics, Tai Chi, digital device applications, mahjong, yoga for older people, and both popular and classical music. All classes are conducted in safe and friendly venues mainly at Wyndham community centres. ■ Rick, 0402299220

Quilt-In Wyndham Patchworkers is holding its 25th anniversary Quilt-In on February 12 at St James the Apostle Catholic Church Hall, 336 Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing from 10am to 3.30pm, with Veronique Diligent as guest speaker. The day will include a raffle, door prizes, show and tell and four local traders. Due to COVID-19 requirements there will be no door sales, so all attendees must pre-book via www. trybooking.com. Tickets: $15 including morning/afternoon tea. BYO lunch. Proof of vaccination status or medical exemption required. ■ Donna Morris, 0417 268 887

Education volunteers EdConnect Australia are on the search for Wyndham residents to mentor and volunteer with students for the 2022 school year. The charity places volunteers in local schools to help improve the lives of vulnerable young people and equip them with life skills. Whether you are recently retired or studying at university, EdConnect Australia offers training and support to its volunteers. Potential volunteers can apply online. ■ www.edconnectaustralia.org.au/ volunteer/ or 1800 668 550

team entries and donations of items for the event. ■ Charlie, 0412257723 or charles.montebello@bigpond.com

AL-ANON meets

ANZAC Day

AL-ANON provides support for families and loved ones living with alcoholics and problem drinkers. The group meets Mondays at St Thomas Anglican Church foyer, 117 Synnot Street, Werribee, from 7.30pm, and on Tuesdays at the St Mary’s Tennis Club rooms, 204 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough.

Newport RSL Sub-branch is looking for expressions of interest from community groups who wish to participate in the 2022 Anzac Day commemoration services in Williamstown and Newport, and also technical groups with the ability to portray laser images to buildings and choral groups. ■ newportrsl@gmail.com

Sarah Harvey from the Cafe 500 at the Melton airfield and their goat. (Damjan Janevski) 264901_01

Diabetes support group The Westgate diabetes support group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at the Altona Bowling Club at 10am. ■ Elaine, 0415 030 996

Tutoring program Youth Services and Equal Ed are providing free online tutoring classes for young people aged 12 to 18 years old. The Academic Homework Support Program will run online on Wednesdays 4-5pm, from the second week of each school term in 2022. All sessions are supervised by Wyndham council Youth Services staff. ■ https://youthwyndham.com/pgm-reg or Danielle Diez, 8375 2346

Charity golf day Altona City Rotary Club will be holding its 20th annual Charity Golf Day on February 25. Very Special Kids will be the major beneficiary. The Rotary Club is looking for

Musicians welcome Do you play trumpet, flute or lower brass instruments? The Hobsons Bay City Band is seeking musicians to join its community band. Rehearsals are held Mondays from 7.30pm at the Newport Lakes Primary School, Elizabeth Street, Newport. Visitors and interested musicians any age welcome. ■ Roger Lewis, hbcityband@gmail.com, or www.hbcb.org.au

Rotary club Rotary Club of Point Gellibrand meets at Customs House Hotel, 161 Nelson Place, Williamstown, on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 6pm for a 6.30pm dinner meeting. ■ Pam, 0418 347 691or rotarypointgellibrand@gmail.com

Friday evenings at 203 Williamstown Road, Yarraville. Great music, friendly atmosphere. New members, players or beginners welcome. ■ Heather, 9399 2190

Heritage walks Enjoy a leisurely two-hour walk around historic Williamstown and nearby suburbs with guide John. Walks start at 9.20am each Tuesday outside the Visitor Information Centre in Nelson Place. ■ John, 0418 377 336

group, running at the Melton South Community Centre each Monday from 10am-noon. Bring along any knitting or crochet projects and work on them while sharing tips, learning skills and catching up over a cuppa. ■ 9747 8576

Zonta club meets The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton. ■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420

Family fun day The Altona North Bowls Club will be holding a family fun day on January 26. From noon, there will be live music, activities for children, sausage sizzle, refreshments and barefoot bowls. Gold coin donation for entry.

Mahjong group Interested in learning to play Mahjong? U3A Melton has a group who play on Tuesdays at 10am. ■ u3amelton.com or 0419 563 016

Melton Men’s Probus Club Combined Probus The Altona North Combined Probus club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Altona Sports Club. Includes a speaker, organised trips and outings, and a friendly atmosphere. ■ Lesley, 0414 481 442

The Melton Men’s Probus Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Melton Dart Club, 63a Reserve Road, from 9.45am. New members and visitors are most welcome. ■ 9746 0271

Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park Singing group Join the Melton South Community Singers at the Melton South Community Centre on the first and third Tuesday of each month. ■ Sue, 0400 082 413

Mouth organ band

Melton South Knit & Natter

The Yarraville Mouth Organ Band meets

All welcome to join this social crafting

Meets Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh. The volunteer carers help to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always welcome – with or without experience. ■ Elaine Greenhall, 0418 171 119, or 0400 052 857 Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 13

PUZZLES No. 065

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.

5 8 2

4 9 7

9 1 4

5 7 1 2 7 3 4 5 1 6 2 7 3 9 3 4 7 6 6 9

Type of hat (3) Pre-evenings (10) Containers (7) Most wealthy (7) Businesses that sell goods (9) Look for (4) Giving an alternate name to someone (10) Scottish loch (4) Downtime (4) Symptomatic (10) Insects (4) Making loud and confused noise (10) Wetter in terms of weather (7) General style of cooking (7) Expert (10) Allow (3)

1 3 10 11 12 13 15 17 19 20 23 25 27 28 29 30

4 6

3 3 1 8 2 6 4 7 2 7 4 3 5 2

3 7 2 4

21 22 24 25 26

DOWN In a logically consistent manner (10) Related to government (9)

1 2

medium

No. 065

Male angler (9) Noblemen (5) Most pleasant (6) Very fat (5) Location (4) Quit (6) Valuation (10) Things causing annoyance (9) Article expressing editor’s opinion (9) Relating to elementary particles (6) St Francis of — (6) Combine (5) Rocky stuff that forms a reef (5) — and cons (4)

4 5 6 7 8 9 14 16 18

ACROSS

easy

QUICK CROSSWORD

DECODER

No. 065

4 5 5 1 hard

3 9 6 5

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

ACUTE ADAPT ADORE ADORN AGENT ANGEL APRIL ARISE BURRO CELLO CRASS DEEMS DOERS ENTER EQUAL ERROR ESSAY HEELS IRKED LEGAL LINES

Today’s Aim: 12 words: Good 18 words: Very good

N O

4 LETTERS DARK DRAW DYES ERGO KNOT MOSS MOTH ONCE ONYA REST SAND SCAN SLOG TAGS

6 5 9 4 8 7 2 1 3

1 9 7 6 5 8 4 2 3

4 5 6 9 3 2 1 7 8

2 8 3 4 7 1 6 9 5

5 3 2 7 1 6 8 4 9

9 7 1 2 4 3 5 8 6

3 2 4 8 6 5 9 1 7

7 8 2 9 1 3 4 5 6

4 3 1 2 6 5 8 9 7

3 4 7 6 2 1 5 8 9

1 9 5 8 7 4 6 3 2

2 6 8 5 3 9 7 4 1

8 1 3 7 5 6 9 2 4

9 2 6 1 4 8 3 7 5

5 7 4 3 9 2 1 6 8

6 9 7 4 5 3 8 2 1

2 7 6 5 1 4 9 8 3

3 8 5 9 6 7 2 1 4

9 4 1 3 8 2 5 7 6

4 5 2 7 3 8 1 6 9

7 1 3 6 2 9 4 5 8

8 6 9 1 4 5 7 3 2

14 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

R A

5 3 8 2 9 1 6 4 7

QUICK QUIZ

YOUSE ZEBRA ZESTS 6 LETTERS COLOUR LATTER NUCLEI RELAYS 7 LETTERS AVOIDED CUISINE ONEROUS SLEEPER

SURLIER WEAVERS 8 LETTERS EQUIPPED FESTOONS FLOORING SEESAWED 11 LETTERS ASSIMILATED SELFISHNESS

Which British journalist wrote the 2019 non-fiction book Superior: The Return of Race Science?

True or false: the scientific name for a dugong is dugong dugon?

Viola Davis (pictured) stars as Veronica Rawlings in which 2018 film?

Bluetooth is named after a king of Denmark and Norway from which century: 10th, 11th or 12th?

Colombo is the largest city on which South Asian island?

Banoffee is a combination of which two flavours?

Shore is a 2020 album by which US indie folk group?

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

S M A R T M O L A R O U T D O

8 6 5 1 9 7 2 3 4

Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

No. 065

N R O L

6 4 8 3 2 9 7 5 1

LOUSY NOOSE NOSED ONION OUNCE PALER PATIO RADII RAPID SCALE SEEDS SKITE SOILS TEASE THESE TIARA TITLE TONNE TOURS VOCAL WEDGE

28-01-22

No. 065

enjoin, genii, gone, grin, ignore, inner, iron, ironing, jinn, join, joiner, joining, neon, nine, noir, none, origin, region, reign, rein, reining, rejoin, REJOINING, ring

7 1 9 5 8 4 3 6 2

1 2 4 8 7 6 3 9 5

5 LETTERS ACHED

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 words ending in “s”.

A O

9-LETTER WORD

24 words: Excellent

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

medium

A M 16

easy

hard

5x5

2 9 5 2 5 4 6 3 4

9 1

3 LETTERS AGE ARE AVO CAM COO ELF ERA ERR GEE GEL GOO HAY ILL IRE IRS LSD NON ONE PEA PRY RAM RUE SIT TAR

Y I G SWF L H Z KON C

8 8 2 9 6 3

R E VQX J D U P T B AM

WORDFIT

From which continent did elm trees originate?

With regards to the file type, what does PDF stand for?

10 The Aurealis Awards celebrate Australian writing in what genres? ANSWERS: 1. Banana and toffee 2. Fleet Foxes 3. True 4. 10th 5. Asia 6. Portable Document Format 7. Angela Saini 8. Widows 9. Sri Lanka 10. Sci-fi, fantasy and horror

SUDOKU

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Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 15

SPORTS QUIZ 1. Australian cricketer Beth Mooney may miss the upcoming series against England after suffering a fractured what?

4. Which Spanish soccer player was recently recognised as The Best FIFA Women's Player for 2021?

2. Which Adelaide-born tennis professional recently won the 2022 Adelaide International men's singles title?

5. Which Polish soccer player was recently recognised as The Best FIFA Men's Player for the second year in row?

13. Which two international cricket teams are visiting Australia for Twenty20 and One Day International Matches in January and February? 14. In what country was golfer Vijay Singh born?

6. Which team will not take part in the NRLW this season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

3. Which Queensland-born tennis professional had a career high singles ranking of world number 4, in February 2011?

12. In what country is the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup being held?

15. What martial art made its Olympic debut in 1964?

7. Which three new teams are joining the NRL Women's Premiership this season?

Lleyton Hewitt

16. What is the AFLW round celebrating the LGBTI+ community known as?

8. Tennis professional Maddison Inglis was born in which Australian state or territory? 9. Which Melbourne United basketballer recently scored his 5000th NBL point? 10. Which US college football team recently won the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship? 11. Which Australian batter won Player of the Series in the 2021-22 Ashes?

27. Which Australian sporting code has signed a $25 million sponsorship deal with the cryptocurrency company Crypto.com?

22. Which A-League club won its first premiership and championship in the 2020/21 season?

17. The French Open stadium Stade Roland Garros is named after a famous Frenchman known for what?

23. Tennis players Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt both won how many grand slam singles titles in their careers?

18. What Australian city is rumoured to be hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games?

28. German Yannick Hanfmann defeated which Aussie male tennis player in the first round of the Australian Open?

19. What NFL team was originally known as the New York Titans?

24. Which New Zealand opening batsman scored 252 in their Second Test victory against Bangladesh in January?

20. What sport is the focus of the 1992 movie The Cutting Edge?

25. How many centuries did Sir Donald Bradman score in his 52-Test playing career?

21. Which former Mercedes F1 driver won the last Australian Grand Prix in 2019?

26. And which English wrist spinner famously dismissed The Don in his final Test innings for a duck?

29. Which country has won the most gold medals in the history of the Winter Olympic Games? 30. Before the commencement of this season, which two BBL clubs had each won three titles?

Vijay Singh 2801

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IONIQ 5 drives into the future By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring Those cheeky chaps from Monty Python may well have had the new IONIQ 5 in mind when they coined their “And Now For Something Completely Different” catch-phrase. A futuristically-styled mid-sized SUV, the IONIQ 5 is Hyundai’s first-ever dedicated battery-electric vehicle as distinct from the Kona SUV and IONIQ hatchback models which also come with hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. Although it carries Hyundai badging, the SUV IONIQ 5 is the first vehicle from the Korean company’s new sub-brand and joins the luxury Genesis marque but with EV only models. The existing IONIQ hatchback variants (hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV) will continue to be sold as Hyundais, but future dedicated EV including a sedan (IONIQ 6) and large SUV (IONIQ 7) will sell join the IONIQ 5 under the new brand name. IONIQ 5 is available in one grade, with the option of a rear-wheel single motor layout or a dual motor (rear and front) AWD. Our test car was the AWD variant with Hyundai’s HTRAC multi-mode system and in metallic Galactic Grey, one of six exterior colour options.

STYLING As always there will be opposing opinions about external styling and that’s even more likely when something as adventurous as IONIQ 5 comes along. We absolutely loved everything about it, a few were non-committal, while a couple hated it. One thing that was consistent as we drove the car around for a week was that it didn’t go un-noticed. Although EVs don’t need a conventional grille most models to date have been based on petrol or hybrid vehicles any so usually end up with a closed-off version of the grille. Because IONIQ 5 is all-new from the ground up its designers have been allowed to let their creative juices run free. The front of the car features two narrow glass strips, the top one with twin rectangular LED headlamps outside of orange turn indicators on either side and sensors and a camera in between. Below there’s a full-width string of LED daytime running lights beneath while at the bottom there is a pair of air flap that opens when needed to provide cooling to the various pieces of componentry above. On the side a diagonal crease runs from high in the front doors down to the base of the rear ones with a neat lined panel at the bottom of the doors. The door handles sit flush against the doors and pop out when unlocked. The wheels are 20-inch alloys with a complex design. Throughout the exterior of the IONIQ 5 car there’s a small square design that’s most noticeable at the rear lighting panel with, as at the front, the name in the centre and rectangular taillights surrounding the turn indictors.

INTERIOR The innovative design features continue inside the IONIQ 5 Comfort features include a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and an adjustable centre console. The front seats are 12-way power adjustable and come with a ‘Relaxion’ (zero gravity) mode. Perfect for lying back and having a quick nap while the car is charging. IONIQ 5 has a three-metre wheelbase and that contributes to a level of rear legroom that you’d get in a luxury sedan. All seats are power adjustable with a memory function which can be set through the digital display screen. A vision glass roof with a powered sunshade is standard in both models. There are a number of “why didn’t someone think of that before?” features including a padded bar that runs the length of the interior doors instead of conventional handles, a glovebox that slides in and out and a small magnetic pad on the right edge of the display panel where you can pin notes, photos, etc. The charge point is at the rear driver’s side with both AC and DC sockets. The cables are located under the front bonnet including a very clever Vehicle to Load device which

The futuristic IONIQ 5 EV turned heads wherever it went.

plugs into the car’s AC port at one end and a standard power plug at the other allowing for multiple uses including providing power to another electric vehicle. During our week we found a practical use when we had a black-out at home but were able to plug in a kettle and have a welcome cuppa while we waited for the power to come back on. Amazing! Full charge through a standard domestic power point is upward of 24 hours. However, it’s likely that anyone buying an EV will invest around $2000 in a home charging wallbox. This will reduce charging time to around six hours while an ultra-fast charger can charge from 10% to 80% in around 18 minutes. We’re currently in the process of having a wallbox installed at our home office by JET Charge, Australia’s leading installer of EV charging equipment who partner with Hyundai as well as most other EV brands including Tesla, Volvo, Porsche and Audi. We’ll do a follow-up News story to report on how it all works out.

CarPlay compatibility is standard as well as wireless smartphone charging. Sound is through a BOSE eight-speaker premium audio system. Satellite navigation includes details of the closest charging stations and a driving radius on how far the battery will allow the car to reach.

SAFETY Standard safety features include seven airbags; front and rear autonomous emergency braking; front and rear parking sensors; blind spot monitoring including camera coverage; lane departure warning; lane keep assist (which can be temporarily turned off by those of us who like to steer the car ourselves without interference); smart radar cruise control; rear cross-traffic alert; safe exit alert; rear seat occupant alert; driver inattention alert; and an interactive surround view monitor including a 360-degree overview; remote smart parking assist which allows the car to be moved remotely; and two ISOFIX child seat mountings.

DRIVETRAIN

DRIVING

The IONIC 5 RWD has a single 72.6 kWh battery mounted at the rear and producing 160kW of power and 350 Nm of torque with a listed WLTP range of 451 km. The AWD version has batteries at the front and rear with outputs of 225 kW and 605 Nm but less range, at 430 km.

Pressing the unlock button on the key fob opens the door handles which sit flush against the sides of the car. The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive and the overall ambience of the interior sets the scene for an enjoyable travel experience. The driving position is fairly high even with the intrusion of the sunroof and visibility in all directions is excellent. The chunky steering feels great but does tend to obstruct the driver’s view of the instrument panel and the steering wheel-mounted gear selector. We love driving electric vehicles at the best of times but the IONIQ 5 takes that enjoyment to an even higher level. It cruises effortlessly

INFOTAINMENT The IONIQ 5 has two 12.3-inch screens embedded into a single panel. A digital instrument cluster in front of the driver and a Multimedia navigation unit in the centre. There are three USB ports at the front and two more at the rear with 12-volt sockets at the front and another in the boot. Wired-only Android Auto and Apple

and with such a large amount of instant torque on offer it can accelerate sharply when needed. Smart regeneration braking to extend range can be adjusted through steering wheel paddles including an i-Pedal feature which allows single-pedal driving. There are three drive modes: Normal, Eco and Sport. The only downside with the IONOQ 5 is in the ride and handling especially through corners where we found ourselves backing off. Typically, most Hyundai and Kia models gain the benefit of local input into their cars’ tuning but that didn’t happen with the IONIQ 5, possibly because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

SUMMING UP Motoring journalists are inevitably asked what their favourite car is. After spending a week behind the wheel of the IONIQ 5 it has certainly earned a podium spot and, with the expected ride and handling tweaks, would likely move to the top spot. We love its exciting styling both outside and in its bright, spacious and airy interior. No review of an EV can be complete without reference to the price / range equation. All EVs are very expensive when compared to conventional vehicles, including hybrids. At $71,900 for the IONIQ 5 RWD and $75,900 for the AWD it sits at the higher end of the segment. Offsetting the high price, its potential range of up to 450 kilometres makes it more practical than many of its competitors. If you’re willing to trade-off a lower range for a more affordable price a base model IONIQ 5 will arrive here at a date to be advised later. Standard warranty is five years with unlimited kilometres. There’s an eight-year, 160,000 km battery replacement warranty, Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 17

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Asciak is ready for a big season with the Jets Western Jets’ Stephanie Asciak is looking to make the most of her last season with the Western Jets in the NAB League Girls competition. Asciak will be one of the Jets key players this season and is looking to build on her previous seasons. “It’s so exciting,” she said. “I’ve been there for four years. “Coming into my last year, it’s pretty sad but exciting at the same time. I’ll definitely give it my all and hopefully I can make it to the top.” Having been part of the program for four seasons, Asciak has seen the development not only in her own football, but across the board. She said the competition was a lot different to what it was when she first began. “It has developed so much,” she said. “The level of footy wasn’t as good at the start as it is now. There’s been a lot of learning and development with the girls playing more football. “The skill level is getting better.”

Asciak and her teammates returned to the track earlier this month, ahead of the season getting underway. With changes to the NAB League, games have started much earlier than they normally would. “It’s been exciting getting back to training,” she said. “The heat is something we need to adjust to. Some of the training sessions have been warm, it has been a struggle, but it’s something we will adapt to.” Asciak, whose local club is Caroline Springs, said there had been some really encouraging signs from within the playing group. She said they had really built the last few years and were looking forward to a big season. “There’s so much talent,” she said. “We have our eyes on finals this year, as we just missed out last year on making finals,” she said. “We really want to make finals and we’ll put our heads down. We’re really determined to reach that goal.”

Personally, it will be big year for Asciak. She has her sights set on playing for Vic Metro at the under-18 national championships having previously played in the under-16 team. Asciak will also play with Essendon in the Victorian Football League women’s competition. “At one club I’m the oldest and the other club I’m the youngest,” she said. “I think someone passed my name onto Essendon and I did a few training sessions with them. “They offered me a contract. “The speed of the game and the IQ of the game is a bit different. “There’s the bigger bodies and the professionalism of the players. It takes some adjusting to.” The Jets will start their season on Sunday against the Tasmania Devils after a bye in round one. Tara Murray

Stephanie Asciak

(Supplied/Western Jets)

Extended NAB League Girls’ season in ‘22

The winning Western Spirit team.

(Supplied)

Spirit claims YPL title By Tara Murray Western Spirit players played the game of their lives to secure the under-15 girls Youth Premier League title. Having been runners-up two years ago, the last time the event was run, the group went one better this year to secure the metropolitan-west region’s first girls state title. The last time the Spirit won any title was the under-18 boys back in 2010, when it was still known at the state championships. Coach Rob Ward said the group of girls had been sensational across the whole week. “It was an honour to coach them,” he said. “We thought we had a good team on paper. The talent was there along with the attitude and their approach to cricket and the commitment. “We expected them to be ultra competitive. Six of the girls that were in the team that finished runners-up two years ago. “We never expected to win a state title.” Ward said the group started off the carnival 18 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

well before a slump in the middle of the week. He said they got the playing group and the parents together and had a good chat after a mid-week loss. “On the Wednesday afternoon we called in all the players and parents,” he said. “We said if we continue to win we will make the final. If we lose we will have to rely on other results. “We had a really good win on the Thursday against the Suns to get into the final.” The final against the Breakers was played at Junction Oval, with Ward saying for many of the players it was quite an occasion to be playing on an international ground. Rain delayed the start of the final, which Ward said was a blessing in the end. The Spirit made 4-169 from their overs. Captain Holly Nagpal made 73 not out at the top of the order, with Mia Gordon chipping in with 49. The Breakers could only make 7-125 in return. Lou Lou Field took two wickets from the Spirit. Nagpal was named player of the match.

It capped off a good week for Nagpal who made 368 runs at an average of 122.67 per game the best at the carnival. Ava Spiteri led the competition’s bowling with 12 wickets. Both girls are from Burnside Springs United. Ward said the recognition for Nagpal was the result of hard work. “Holly exceeded everyone’s expectations,” he said. “She was an ultra professional as captain of the team. She hasn’t had the season in premier cricket she would have liked, it’s just reward for her work. “Along with vice-captain Kayla Britnell they led the side well. Their preparation and tactics outshone their compatriots. “Their work was on another level and got us over the line in some games.” Ward said the success of this side was something they had been working on for a number of years. He said to see that result in a state championship was amazing.”

More games is one of the highlights in the NAB League Girls’ fixture this season. The season, which started at the weekend, features 13 teams playing nine matches across 10 rounds, two more games than last season. The start date of the season was brought forward to bring it closer to the AFLW and VFLW fixtures. Matches will be played across the state, including Williamstown, Truganina, Craigieburn and Bundoora, while teams will make the trip across to Tasmania to play the Tasmania Devils. The Western Jets, who had a bye in round one, this season faces the Tasmania Devils, Northern Knights, Bendigo Pioneers, Sandringham Dragons, Geelong Falcons, the Suns Academy, Calder Cannons, Greater Western Victoria and the Eastern Ranges. In other changes to the competition, quarter lengths will increase from 17 minutes to 20 minutes, while clubs who miss out on the semi finals will play in a repechage round, giving all clubs a minimum of 10 games for the season. The Suns and Brisbane Lions academies plus Northern Territory will each travel to Melbourne for one game as guest teams, playing the Chargers, Western Jets and Tasmania Devils respectively. The ladder will again be broken into metro and country-Tasmania divisions, with the top two of each group to play off in semi-finals on the weekend of April 2 and the winners of those games meeting in the Grand Final on weekend of April 9. The opening clash of the NAB AFLW Under-18 National Championships between Vic Metro and Vic Country will be played in conjunction with round nine, but that is the only representative match to be played during the NAB League Girls season. The under-16 futures clash between metro and country will be played alongside round five, with their championships to be played from May to July.

The Hawks Fastpitch Softball Club is hoping to replicate its success from last season and make the finals this year. The club, which plays in the Werribee Softball Association, is about halfway through the season after a Christmas and New Year break. Hawks president Jason Kriehn said the season began back in November, slightly later than usual because of lockdowns and COVID restrictions. Kriehn said that although COVID-19 sometimes caused players to be absent if they became ill or were required to isolate at home, the Hawks tried their best to participate in every game. “The second half of the season has thrown a few curveballs,” he said. “We try our best to reschedule or get as many players as we can on the diamond.” Kriehn said two of the Hawks’ women’s teams are in the top spots on the competition ladder, along with one of their men’s teams. “Last year, we had three or four teams win a premiership and and we hope to about stay the same this year,” he said. “Obviously, we would love our teams to make the finals but we’re just trying to do our

Werribee’s Tim O’Brien in action.

The Hawks Fastpitch Softball Club held a six-week program for children in December. (Supplied)

best and get as many people as we can on the diamond. “We also have a state league team which plays every Thursday night and some Sundays against some of the best teams in the state.” Kriehn and his brother Todd coach the state league team. “We’re on the cusp of finals and hoping to make the final,” Kriehn said. He said that softball was “a very family-oriented sport”. “A lot of parents play seniors and their kids play in the juniors,” Kriehn said.

He said that softball clubs, which compete against the “big” sports such as football, soccer and cricket, were always keen to attract additional players. In December, the club ran a six-week Batter Up program for children aged four to eight years old who are interested in softball. “We had 25-plus kids sign up after that,” Kriehn said. “I think the most Softball Victoria’s ever had sign up as a result of the program. “We are hoping to ruin more programs like that to continue to get more youngsters into the sport.” Kriehn said that the Hawks were more than willing to take new players on board midway through the season. “We’re happy to take anyone, at any time,” he said. The club fields an under-12 team and an under-15 team in the juniors, plus seniors teams. Details: https://www.revolutionise.com. au/hawksfastpitch/, https://www.facebook. com/hawksfastpitchsoftball or email: hawksfastpitch@outlook.com Alesha Capone

(Damjan Janevski)

Tigers seal valuable win By Tara Murray and Alesha Capone It was a tough day for the west teams in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association south-west on Saturday, with Werribee and Williamstown the only teams to come away with points. With only Spotswood sitting in the top six heading into round nine, the west teams all needed to get wins to try and keep in touch and keep their finals hopes alive. Werribee was able to get a valuable win and in the process moved into the top six with victory against Taylors Lakes. The Tigers batted first and were bowled out for 207 in the last over. Skipper and captain Tim O’Brien top scored with 37 as one of four batters to reach 30. The Lions shared the wickets around, with four players taking two wickets each. At 6-66 the Lions were in trouble. Once opener Luke Denny fell for 55, the match was all but over with the rest of the top and middle order having already failed with the bat.

The Lions were bowled out for 142. The win moves Werribee up to sixth, with Taylors Lakes sitting in 12th. O’Brien described the game as “a good win” for his side. “It was an important game, with it being so close on the ladder at the moment,” he said. “It was a team effort, everyone played a part, lots of players contributed 20 or 30. “Jonathon Burton took four wickets for the match and three early on to get us going. “Michael Kelly chipped in with three wickets as well.” The Tigers will play against Malvern on Saturday, January 30, which O’Brien also described as a significant match for Werribee. “If we beat them, we’ll get an extra six points,” he said. “It’s an important game so hopefully we play well.” O’Brien said that he hoped team member Matthew Dean, who has been out for the past two weeks due to an injury, would be back on board for the game against Malvern. O’Brien said that finals were still “a long way to go” with five games until they took

place. “I think we’ve still got a fair bit of improvement within the group, no-one has had an outstanding season yet,” he said. “Hopefully it will all come together and we can play our best in the finals. “Hopefully we win enough games to make the finals and from there anything can happen.” Also on Saturday, Hoppers Crossing pushed Ormond all the way but couldn’t come away with the points. Ormond made 6-218 from its 45 overs with Adam Bull making an unbeaten 139. Jeremy Swan took two wickets for the Cats, but was expensive, going at nearly a run a ball. After losing 3-8, the Cats middle order set about chasing the total. When Brett Smith was dismissed for 88 it left too much work for the lower order, with the Cats bowled out for 191. The Cats sit ninth. Williamstown had a vital win against Melton. The Seagulls had no trouble in the run chase, finishing 4-144.

Rocci a step closer to World Cup selection Maddy Rocci has been announced as one of 16 Opals players who will head to training camp in preparation for the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Serbia. The camp will be held in Sydney from January 31 to February 4. Rocci, who grew up in Werribee and started her competitive career started with the Werribee Devils at age 11, now plays for the Southside Flyers which are based in Dandenong. Her career highlights include two WNBL Championships, a gold medal with the Australian Under-18 Oceania Championships in 2016 and representing Australia in Under-17 and Under-19 World Championships. Rocci’s Southside Flyers team mates Rebecca Cole, Sara Blicavs and Abby Bishop will also attend the Sydney camp. In addition, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor and Cayla George from the Melbourne Boomers will head to the camp. Following the camp, 12 of the players will be chosen for the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Serbia, to held from February 10-13. Australia has drawn Korea, Serbia and Brazil in its group at the qualifier. Coming home following her new appointment as the New York Liberty head coach, Sandy Brondello will again take up the reigns as the Opals head coach at the camp in Sydney. Brondello said that she was happy to be home and was looking forward to working closely with the squad. “I haven’t been able to come home to Australia for way too long. “I have been watching the WNBL games and I’m really impressed with the performances of the girls and it’s exciting to finally get on a court with them. “The qualifying games in Serbia will be fierce, the competition is always tough at the international level, so this camp is a pivotal time for us to prepare. “I will be meeting some players for the first time while others I have worked with for years but that’s a great challenge to have as a coach. “We have a lot to do in short period of time but I know this squad is committed to the task so I can’t wait to get on the plane and get started.”

Werribee Football Club Monday 28th February 2022 6.00pm at Werribee Football Club AGENDA 1. Confirmation of 2020 AGM minutes 2. Financial statements for year ended October 31, 2021 3. Presentation of 2021 Annual Report 4. Election of Directors 5. General business *All nominations shall be in writing; signed by the candidate; signed by two club members (full member, life member); and delivered to the CEO by no later than Monday, 14th February 2022. Nomination forms are available by contacting the WFC office on (03) 9741 6688. Proxy voting is also available by sending a written nomination to the club by no later than Monday, 21st February 2022.

at the below address: WERRIBEE FOOTBALL CLUB PO BOX 2049, WERRIBEE VIC 3030

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