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Kids clean up Australia

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Pupils at St Mary of the Cross Primary School will join thousands of Australians taking part in this year’s Clean Up Australia day. The year five and six pupils, assisted by Werribee River keeper John Forrester, will visit Paragon Park in Point Cook to clean it up and learn about the environment. “We think it’s important to involve the children in Clean Up Australia Day as students need to learn that we are all responsible for our environment and that we need to respect our world,” St Mary of the Cross Primary School community liaison co-ordinator Sally Haisman said. “By participating in Clean Up Australia Day students will learn that if we wish to enjoy our local parks, beaches and rivers we have to be responsible for picking up rubbish and putting our own rubbish in the bin.” While Clean Up Australia Day was on March 6, St Mary’s of the Cross will hold its event on Friday, March 11. Fatima Halloum

Pupils Angelique and Amelia cleaning up.

Council hoon crackdown By Fatima Halloum Wyndham council has installed concrete barriers and CCTV cameras at Lawrie Emmins Reserve, Laverton North, in an attempt to prevent illegal behaviour. The 70-hectare space, often used by locals for leisure activities, has been negatively impacted by drivers exhibiting anti-social conduct, council said. To secure the site, council has installed concrete barriers as

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well as a number of six-meter J Hook Jersey Barriers. Additionally, 78 metres of large rocks have been installed along the archery club fence line and 82 metres of large rocks line the fence from the archery club to the cricket club. Permitted and non-permitted signs were added to existing signage to further remind visitors of prohibited behaviours, council said. CCTV has also been installed to monitor the reserve entrance and the archery club. Community Safety portfolio holder,

councillor Susan McIntyre said: “The inappropriate and illegal behaviour at Lawrie Emmins Reserve is dangerous and causes damage to such an expansive and significant outdoor space. “The Lawrie Emmins Reserve should be used and enjoyed by everyone safely — so we are asking our residents and reserve users to please report any anti-social or illegal behaviour to Crime Stoppers, or if immediate police response is required, call [triple-0]. “Protecting and keeping our community

safe is everyone’s responsibility, and we are particularly grateful to Westgate Highway Patrol and Victoria Police for supporting us with this.” Individuals found hooning, vehicle dumping or riding illegally will also face costly penalties. “Victoria Police is committed to enforcing any illegal or dangerous behaviour which will result in fines for those who are found to be doing the wrong thing”, acting Wyndham Inspector Steve Hayes said.

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West tourism in ‘no-man’s-land’ By Oliver Lees An organisation dedicated to promoting the tourism sector in Melbourne’s west believes the region has been overlooked by the state government’s strategy to revive the struggling industry. Western Melbourne Tourism (WMT) works in partnership with local government, local business and universities across six council areas in the west to advocate on the industry’s behalf to the state and federal government. Last month, Victoria once again opened its borders to vaccinated international travellers in what was seen as a welcome step for tourism providers.

But WMT and independent analysts feel the western region will struggle to rebound at the rate of other parts of the state. A WMT spokesperson added that unlike the CBD and regional Victoria, Melbourne’s west relies more on those coming to the region to visit friends and relatives, domestic business and international students, rather than traditional holiday tourism. WMT executive officer Richard Ponsford told Star Weekly that the large multicultural population in the west means many individuals and businesses depend on international visitation. “We’re sort of in a no-man’s-land, we haven’t enjoyed quite the same levels of support

that the CBD and regional Victoria has,” Mr Ponsford said. Mr Ponsford said while the WMT welcomed the state government’s $200 million announce for the tourism sector, he felt at a state and federal government level, the funneling of funds to regional areas and the CBD was unfair. According to Tourism Research Australia data, domestic overnight visitor spending dropped 68 per cent within the greater Melbourne region, which includes the CBD and Melbourne’s west, from the first 10 months of 2019 to the same time 2021. Decisive Consulting analyst Karl Flowers said this change has hit the west specifically, as

A stitch in time for the sisterhood Mita Chowdhury hopes her new project, Kantha, will create a universal sisterhood for the participating women. The community quilt, Kantha, is a project ranging over 12 weeks and will see women in Wyndham from diverse backgrounds collectively contribute to its creation. “The making of Kantha is women-dominated group craftwork. Traditionally, a group of women might sit down together to share their daily life and stitch the Kantha in their spare time,” she said. More important than the manufacturing of the quilt, is the connection the women will form during the process. “A group of six to eight women will sit down routinely and create this Kantha. When these women sit down regularly, they will develop sisterhoods and a bond that will emerge through this Kantha,” Ms Chowdhury said. “They will share the same goal, share their feelings, and invest their time collectively. They might share food and drinks during this process, create memories and momentum, and share their everyday lives and problems.” Kantha has a history dating back thousands of years, the quilt is traditionally made from recycled clothing, when a long-loved sari became too old to wear. Intense love, care and passion is behind the threading of every stitch, Ms Chowdhury said. “A mother may be weaving a Kantha with her own hands for her daughter or son who is about to start their own family or getting married soon. A grandmother maybe stitches Kantha with her favourite sari for her future grandchild, which will be used to welcome a newborn baby into this world.” Ms Chowdhury, a migrant to Australia from Bangladesh, hopes the project will help other migrants or diaspora communities to release their stresses and express their voice through embroidery.

many residents from the region work within the visitor economy. “The worst affected Australian industry by COVID has been the visitor economy and the worst affected area in Australia of this worst affected industry is central and western Melbourne,” Mr Flowers said. A Visit Victoria spokesperson told Star Weekly that it works closely with WMT. “Visit Victoria contributed to Western Melbourne Tourism’s 2021-24 Tourism Strategy and remains in discussion about delivering on the strategy’s objectives,” the spokesperson said.

COVID death toll mounts Sixteen people have died with or due to COVID-19 in Wyndham between December 2021 and February this year. The figures released by the Department of Health detailed the number of deaths by local government area (LGA). “Our heartfelt sympathies go out to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic,” a Department of Health spokesperson said. Wyndham currently has 1255 active cases, and has recorded more than 50,000 cases since the pandemic began. Mayor Peter Maynard urged struggling residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to contact council. “If you or someone you know needs help, contact our community connector team, who can help you find and connect with local service options,” Cr Maynard said. According to the Department of Health, just over half the eligible population in Wyndham has received booster shots. People with COVID-19 are 66 per cent less likely to die if they have had two doses of vaccine and are 88 per cent less likely to die if they have had three doses. Residents can visit the Wyndham council website to find an updated list of places they can get vaccinated. Details: https://www.wyndham.vic. gov.au/where-you-can-get-vaccinatedcovid-19-in-wyndham

A Kantha is typically made from cotton products. (Supplied)

Smile Squad is on its way The Victorian Government is making it easier for our kids to get the dental care they need. Find out more at smilesquad.vic.gov.au

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Changed traffic conditions on the West Gate Freeway and Williamstown Road During March, April, May 2022

Crews are working hard to widen the freeway from 8 to 12 lanes From late February/March there will be changed traffic conditions on the West Gate Freeway, heading towards the city, to create the space we need to set up a new work area. There will also be regular overnight closures of Williamstown Road, under the West Gate Freeway, for freeway widening above.

What to expect On the West Gate Freeway (pictured right): Citybound drivers on the freeway will need to decide at Muir Street pedestrian bridge to merge left to exit at Williamstown Road. All lanes will continue to the West Gate Bridge. The citybound speed limit will be reduced to 60km/h in this section of the freeway to facilitate these changes. On Williamstown Road: There will be regular nightly closures of Williamstown Road in both directions under the West Gate Freeway, between March and May. Signed detours will be in place.

Thanks for your patience

Keep in mind there are other disruptions in 2022. Find a detailed list at bigbuild.vic.gov.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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We understand that these impacts may be disruptive to you. We thank you for your ongoing patience as we work as quickly and safely as possible to get the job done.

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Pokie losses reach $40 million Poker machine users in Wyndham lost almost $40 million at clubs and hotels in the 2021-22 financial year. The figures were released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor regulation and followed reports that Victorians had broken monthly records by losing $250 million between December 2021 and January 2022. The Alliance for Gambling Reform said it’s a record that never should have been broken. “Many of the [local government areas]

with the highest losses are also some of the most stressed communities in our state,” the alliance’s chief advocate Tim Costello said. “It is a sobering reminder of just how dangerous this predatory industry is to our safety and wellbeing.” Reverend Costello said harm reduction is the best way for the state to decrease the numbers. “We also need well-resourced educational campaigns aimed at bringing awareness to this ongoing crisis,” he said.

“If we are to successfully reduce the harm being caused by poker machines we need to bring the community along with us.” Wyndham council established a gambling policy and action plan to encourage residents to consider alternative activities for recreation. Mayor Peter Maynard said the council has a long standing commitment to reduce the harms of gambling. “The cost to our community is not just a financial loss, but also has devastating impacts on the health and wellbeing of individuals,

families and businesses throughout our city,” Cr Maynard said. “The issues of gambling are a whole of community responsibility, and we look forward to working with residents, local venues, service agencies, the Alliance for Gambling Reform and other stakeholders to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.” For free, confidential Gambler’s Help services, call 1800 858 858 or see gamblershelp. com.au/

New friends have fun Children at Little Learners Day Care Centre will be spending one day at the end of every month with an unusual visitor, residents from the Wyndham Grange Village. For their first visit in February, the kids and the residents made jewellery, played with playdough and enjoyed afternoon tea together. Studies have revealed the benefits of elderly and pre-school inter-generational programs have reported improvements in both mental health and physical wellbeing, educational leader Amanda Lambert said. “Connecting children with the residents will provide opportunities for children to learn from and connect with an older generation, improve children’s pro-social behaviours of helping, sharing and cooperating with other people. “It gives older people a sense of purpose and improves their social outcomes along with changing the community perceptions, helping us see seniors and the ageing process

as something positive- bringing value to human interactions.” Ms Lambert said the children were very excited to meet with their elderly visitors. “The children all wanted the residents to see what they were playing with and to join in their fun. When we asked the children if they enjoyed having our new friends attend day care, they all said loudly ‘YES!!’” Ms Lambert hopes the program creates a local connection and integrates the elderly back into the community. “We believe this connection is really special for children as some children don’t have grandparents, or extended families close by and just as important for our residents, and those that don’t have or get to spend time with smaller children,”she said. Vieraya said her favourite thing to do with the residents was play in the doctors. “I like talking to them. They will be sad if nobody plays with them. I want that visit again.”

Children at Little Learners day care centre will meet with residents once a month.

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2022

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Respite care inspired by love Marina Ivelja understands the struggle that families in the western suburbs can face when looking for respite care for their loved ones. Mrs Ivelja is 16 years older than her brother, who has autism, an intellectual disability, complex partial seizures and severe self-harming behaviours. While growing up, she witnessed his diagnosis, integration with special schools and all the different services her family dealt with. “We have found that it was very difficult from the beginning to find services and facilities that could cater to his behavioural and disability support needs,” she said. Mrs Ivelja went on to pursue a career in disability services, including respite care, and

has worked in the field for more than 15 years. She is also the advocate for her brother. Mrs Ivelja said that initially her parents did not want to use respite care for their son. “It was very hard to get Mum to even consider respite,” Mrs Ivelja said. She eventually sat her parents down and talked to them about how respite care for her brother was similar to herself and her siblings going to a school camp for a night or two, before coming home again. “I can understand the hesitance of families utilising respite, as I have experienced it first hand with my family, who were fearful of: ‘What might happen and what are people going to think?’” Mrs Ivelja said.

Mrs Ivelja said that people searching for respite care in the west often faced difficulty in finding a facility that suited the particular needs of their loved one. Mrs Ivelja said that this motivated her to establish her respite service, Beyond Disability Services, which opened in Bacchus Marsh during November 2021. Mrs Ivelja said she has hand-picked experienced staff for Beyond Disability Services, and for the safety of all participants and staff there are security cameras installed both internally and externally. The service is open to participants of any age for both children and adults on self-managed and plan managed NDIS plans.

Marina Ivelja with her brother Thomas.

(Supplied)

Gastro outbreaks are on the rise

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Parents are being urged to take precautions following a rise in gastro cases in early childhood centres. As of February 23, there have been 104 outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in childcare centres, the average for the same period over the past five years is 63. Chief health officer Brett Sutton said children, parents and childcare workers each had a vital role to play in lessening the spread of the virus. “Gastroenteritis can spread quickly through settings such as early childhood education and care services, where children play and interact closely with each other and their carers and can readily spread their bugs,” Professor Sutton said. “It is important that early childhood services have good hygiene practices in place and to respond quickly with thorough and appropriate cleaning and disinfection if any children become ill. “A good old-fashioned scrub with soap and warm water is the best way to remove the gastro virus from our hands and prevent passing it on to infect other.” Viral gastroenteritis is highly contagious. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain and muscle aches. They can take up to three days to develop and typically last between one or two days, though it can be longer. Children, as well as staff, who develop diarrhoea or vomiting should stay at home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped.

Kinder upgrades Kindergartens across Wyndham and the state will receive upgrades under the Victorian government’s latest round of the Building Blocks grant program. Early Childhood Minister Ingrid Stitt announced the successful grant recipients on March 1, who will share $10.2 million in funding to assist in infrastructure upgrades, equipment and inclusion initiatives. Three recipients will share in more than $8 million under the capacity stream, which will help them build new integrated kindergarten facilities, with maternal and child health and family services. A total of 16 recipients have been awarded $1.4 million under the improvement stream, to help upgrade and build outdoor play and shade areas, indigenous and sensory gardens and install solar panels. Six recipients have also been awarded $842,000 under the inclusion stream to boost safety and inclusion in learning environments. “These grants will be used to build or upgrade infrastructure, buy equipment or implement inclusion initiatives, and support the statewide roll-out of our three-year-old Kindergarten program this year,” Ms Stitt said.

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Kids seat checks Parents and carers have been urged to regularly check their child car restraints, in an effort to reduce the number of transport related injuries. Inspections conducted by Kidsafe Victoria found that more than 90 per cent of children’s car seats needed to be adjusted or completely refit.

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Jenna Lee is one of 13 artists featuring their work in the UNIFORM exhibition.

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New creative exhibition

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Artist Jenna Lee says her family and heritage are always at the heart of what her work is trying to communicate. Lee is a Gulumerridjin (Larrakia), Wardaman and KarraJarri Saltwater woman with mixed Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Anglo-Australian ancestry. Her art work will soon be featured at Wyndham Art Gallery as part of their newest exhibition, UNIFORM. “I was drawn to be part of the UNIFORM show as often my work looks at how we use adornment to self-identity,” Lee said. “I am showing a series I collaborated on with my younger sibling Mackenzie Lee which features three pinned and framed adornment works, made by me. With three poems written by Mackenzie. We were exploring identity, self-identification, and self-expression.” UNIFORM explores the concept of uniforms within different societies, communities and cultures and examines how they

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conform and define us. “When seeing the show I would love people to think about their own UNIFORM and adornment choices, to wear and show things you are proud of and that help you communicate important things about yourself or share messages you want to talk about.” Wyndham council’s creative city portfolio holder, councillor Marcel Mahfoud, believes the show will challenge the way visitors consider the human body. “It reflects the internal and external body, the landscape of the body, protection and defence of the body and the gendered body. “This creative exhibition delves into our city’s rich cultural tapestry and highlights the varied and broad range of creative expression through clothing and adornment.” UNIFORM will run at the Wyndham art Gallery, 6.30-8.30pm, from March 24 until May 15. Fatima Halloum

Wyndham council is running a free girls-only program for residents aged between 12-17. The event will consisted of centre based activities and excursions, including cupcake decorating, games nights and self-confidence seminars. The program is held every Monday afternoon during the school term. Registrations are required prior to attending the program. Details: https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ whats-on/girls-night

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Afghans find refuge in Tarneit By Fatima Halloum When the Taliban regained control of the Afghan government in 2021, Ahmed Massoud* knew he had to flee. He faced prison, torture or worse for the career he had built as a government official. “We knew the new regime was very cruel and would target those who were with the previous government,” Mr Massoud said. “Some people were taken out of their homes at night and their bodies were found on the

roadside the next day.” Disguised as a stationery salesman, he and his eldest son evaded the Taliban at the border checkpoint in Pakistan. Four days later, Mr Massoud’s wife and their remaining eight children followed. They were picked up by the Australian High Commission and flown to Darwin to quarantine for two weeks before finally arriving in Melbourne. When they moved into a five bedroom house in Tarneit, Mr Massoud and his family

became the 500th Afghan family to be settled in their own home since evacuees began arriving last September. “The house is good and the neighbours are friendly and have welcomed us. We cannot believe the support and kindness we have received,” Mr Massoud said. “My priority is to settle my family. I want to get my kids into school and college because I want my kids to be assets to this country.” Not wanting to rely on the government, Mr Massoud said his next step is to find a job.

“I’ve already sent my CV to my contacts in Australia. I want to work and get some income. Centrelink is a wonderful initial support, but if you can work you should support yourself and your family.” Mr Massoud said he and his family are grateful they were able to make it out alive. “In Afghanistan people face many dangers and restrictions. We feel very safe here.” *Mr Massoud’s name has been altered to protect his identity.

Young author inspires others to give it a go Most kids want toys and sweets for their birthdays, but all eight-year-old Jordan wanted was for his book to be published. Jordan’s mother Samantha was all too willing to try and make her son’s dreams come true. “I logged into Snapfish and I took photos of his book, and made him like a hardcover printed out book,” Ms Foster said. “He probably thinks that there’s a million copies of it, and that people can actually go out and buy it. If that’s what makes him smile, that’s fine.” Jordan’s book is called The Missile. “It’s about a man who becomes an Alien named Crypto and he’s trying to take over the planet and he has all these weapons,” Ms Foster said. Jordan spends his spare time drawing and writing new books. Ms Foster said he

tells everyone he wants to be a writer and an illustrator. “He’ll get like a stack of A4 paper and I’ll have to fold it and staple it for him along the spine, and then he will create a book out of it.” “It’s just cute because he’s inspiring all of his school friends. And his little sister, she started making books as well because she just wants to be like her brother.” Ms Foster said her son is usually very shy but the experience has boosted his confidence. “It’s like he’s a celebrity. He walks through the playground and the parents know who he is. All of his friends are asking about the book and if they can buy it.” Jordan said everyone who wants to write a book should give it a try. “They should have a go, they will be so proud of themselves and it will make them smile.” Fatima Halloum

Jordan’s book is called The Missile.

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RSPCA horse neglect warning Horse owners are being warned to regularly monitor the condition of their animals, after the RSPCA reported 43 cases of underweight horses in the Wyndham and Melton area. In the last two years, RSPCA Victoria received more than 2000 horse cruelty reports, underweight horses made up almost half of those cases. RSPCA Victoria team leader Michelle Green said it’s important to remain vigilant to changes in weight or health.

“If owners notice deterioration in the body condition of a horse, they should seek advice. It is not acceptable to allow a horse to be so underweight that they become weak and not able to stand.” Owning a horse is a significant responsibility, the RSPCA said, and the animals require a substantial commitment of time, care and money to live healthy lives. Horses need to eat a one per cent of their body weight and owners are obligated to

provide horses with regular access to food and special care must taken as horses age. “Like humans, as horses age their ability to digest feed diminishes, as their teeth deteriorate. Horses aged over 15 require additional feed and attention; RSPCA Victoria recommends consulting a veterinarian or nutritionist for advice on how to be best care for aged horses.” Victorians are encouraged to ask for help if they can no longer provide the level of care

A fruitful occasion Werribee Park Heritage Orchard celebrated the start of autumn with it’s Orchard Open Day on Sunday, March 5, where over 100 established pre-grafted fruit tree varieties were up for grabs. All money raised will go into the upkeep of the orchard to keep the trees healthy and help it hold on to Werribee’s precious heritage fruit tree collection. Despite the overcast conditions, budding fruit enthusiasts of all ages garnered an array of knowledge, skills and plants from the orchard’s volunteers, attending orchard tours and pruning classes and paying close attention to horticulturalist Craig Castree’s captivatingly curated grafting presentation. Other highlights included Werribee’s bee keeping presentation and a visit from the Werribee Mansion’s volunteers elegantly dressed in 19th century attire, who ran a wool spinning demonstration. If you didn’t manage to make it to the big day but still want to sharpen your skills and grow your knowledge of all things fruity, you’re in luck: The Werribee Park Heritage Orchard volunteers meet every Friday at Werribee Park (down the road from the Werribee Mansion), from 10am to noon, where they teach pruning and grafting, and show you how to get your fruits to thrive in a close knit, hands-on environment. Details: https://werribeeparkheritageorchard. org.au/ or https://www.facebook.com/ werribeeparkheritageorchard.

their horses require. There is no shame in surrendering a horse in order to provide them with a better chance at a good life, the RSPCA said anyone struggling to care for their horses can contact them for advice and assistance. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, any person in charge of an animal is required to provide food, water and shelter, as well as appropriate husbandry and veterinary attention as needed.

Crime briefs Melbourne the break-in city Melbourne has been named the city with the highest number of burglaries, a new report has found. The study, conducted by Budget Direct, analyised break-in crime data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics from January-December 2020. Melbourne recorded 11,276 burglaries across the year, with 1790 of them occurring in February, Victoria’s worst month for break-ins. The winter months saw the lowest burglaries, July ranking the lowest at 840 recorded break-ins. Australia has the seventh highest rate of burglaries per 100,000 people in the world, and in 2021, almost 240,000 households experienced a break-in, according to Budget Direct.

Operation alliance arrests

Happy customers Mic and Conor.

Police have arrested dozens of young people across Melbourne as part of Operation Alliance. Police, including officers from Brimbank and Wyndham, zeroed in on young people in the north-western suburbs by saturating local streets, patrolling known high-volume crime areas, and carrying out bail compliance checks. Between February 25 and March 1, 66 people were arrested, with 17 remanded in custody for serious offences including armed robbery, breach of bail, aggravated burglary, and weapons offences.

Dean Di Quinzio

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Craig Castree gives a grafting demostration. (Pictures: Dean Di Quinzio)

More than 60 events over 10 days showcasing creative design in Geelong Explore exhibitions, workshops, tours, open studios, performance, public art, talks, and more.

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Psychologist waitlists worsen Doctors have urgently called on the federal government to relieve pressure on the mental health sector, following reports people are facing 12-month waitlists to see psychologists. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has asked the government to restructure Medicare, implement new service incentive payments for doctors managing mental health conditions and making longer phone consultations a permanent telehealth fixture. RACGP president Dr Karen Rice said the situation was a national emergency.

“I’m hearing reports that one in three psychologists are closing their books to new patients. The figure was just one in 100 before the COVID-19 pandemic and a precipitous decline like that should ring alarm bells,” Dr Rice said. “GPs see the consequences of people who aren’t accessing the help they need for mental health issues almost every day. Patients can rapidly deteriorate without the right type of interventions and, for many people, consultations with their GP in combination with psychological services, are essential.”

Principal psychologist Jill Crookes said at one point, her clinic had to tell doctors to stop referring patients. “The demand because of COVID has just been astronomical. There’s an incredible shortage of psychologists, that doesn’t look like it’ll get any better any time soon.” Big changes and an unidentifiable future were the biggest contributors to making people feel more anxious and depressed, Ms Crookes believes. “People were overwhelmed, they were working from home and for lots of people

going to work was an important social connection. They were worried about the future, how long will this go on? Will my parents die if they catch it? If they go to the hospital will they die alone?” Dr Price said the situation was dire. “Unfortunately, the full scale of what we are facing may only become apparent in the months and years ahead because many patients avoided or delayed consults with their GP during the pandemic. So, addressing the causes behind this profound shortfall in psychologists must be addressed.”

Reducing alcohol harm Schools in Melbourne’s north west will be the first play host to a global education program dedicated to reducing underage alcohol consumption. Smashed tours schools with a live theatre performance that aims to reduce the prevalence of early alcohol use amongst students by engaging participants in a safe and motivational learning environment. It is designed to enable young people to explore the consequences and dangers of underage drinking and supply them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible choices. “Smashed is an important program which teaches high school students about the dangers of underage drinking and the risks of this destructive behaviour,” Australian Secondary Principals’ Association president Andrew Pierpoint said The initiative is targeted towards year eight and nine students and has already reached more

than 100,000 school kids, though organisers hope to reach 750,000 people by 2030. Post-performance evaluation indicated that 95 per cent of students have been able to accurately identify key dangers and risks relating to underage drinking after taking part in the Smashed program. During the pandemic, Smashed was launched as an online experience consisting of a free one-hour session that follows the same performance and interactive learning model, giving students all over the country the ability to participate. “I encourage all schools and students to take part in the Smashed program, especially those who won’t have the opportunity to see the live performance at their school, to take part via the online program” Mr Pierpoint said. The program is free for Australian schools and can be accessed online for rural and regional students to complete the program in their own time.

More than 474 schools have taken part in the Smashed program.

(Supplied)

Wednesday, 9 March, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 11

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Block sizes continue to shrink Wyndham’s lot sizes diminished and block sales increased in the last three months of 2021, according to a new report. Compiled by RPM Group, data from the latest Greenfield Market report highlighted Melbourne’s greenfield property sector performance across the last quarter of 2021 (October-December). Median lot size in the western growth corridor (Wyndham, Melton and Bacchus Marsh) shrank by 5.1 per cent, notably smaller than other growth corridors, according to the report. RPM Group’s project marketing managing director Luke Kelly said in order to keep housing affordable, land size in the area could continue to shrink.

“We can’t just keep putting prices up. There’s a mixture of prices going up, but also land size coming down to make sure that we’re keeping the land price at a good rate,” he said. “The actual land size has gone from 412 square metres down to 368 square metres.” With 42 per cent market share, Melton, Wyndham and Bacchus Marsh maintained a predominant proportion of sales activity across growth areas. Mr Kelly highlights rising prices in inner Melbourne as a key contributor to the results. “When the housing market gets so expensive, people simply can’t afford it anymore. So what they need to do is look at alternatives to what it is that they can afford.

“That’s obviously put a lot of pressure in having to move further out, they have to move to Tarneit or Truganina.” RPM Group’s head of research Michael Staedler believes Wyndham’s 28 per cent annual growth can be attributed to an increase in the number of properties for sale. “The 28 per cent increase in block sales was largely due to releases on the market from the December quarter, which was just over a thousand, compared to the same quarter in 2020 which was 378.” “So you had 700 more lots on the market for buyers to choose from. That was the largest quarterly increase out of all the corridors we track.”

(Damjan Janevski) 225397_01

Pop-in for family fun Pop-up park is returning to Stockland in Point Cook for the fifth year in a row. The family-friendly events include yoga and fitness classes, kids craft workshops, live music performances, as well as weekly outdoor movie screenings beginning Saturday, March 19. Centre manager Frank Pizi said the team at Stockland Point Cook had worked tirelessly to make this season’s pop up park the best one yet. “After a tough couple of years, we’re excited to bring people together in a safe and relaxing environment to enjoy vibrant community events such as Pop Up Park,” he said. “We are committed to our purpose of creating a better way to live, and we’re proud to be able to support initiatives like these that create stronger connections across our community.

“In partnership with CoLocal and local council, our team has put together an incredible range of entertainment and activities for the community to enjoy.” Movie nights will feature kids classics like Madagascar, Shrek and Enchanted and will run every Saturday until April 23. Kids yoga will run in two sessions, on Fridays at 11.30am for kids under five, and Saturday mornings at 11am for primary aged children. Families and kids can enjoy live ambient music every Friday from 6-9pm. All events are free and held outdoors. Stockland Point Cook will host activities until Sunday, April 24. Pop up park in Point Cook.

(Supplied)

Harpley Town Centre Under Construction Perfectly positioned in the heart of Harpley will be a waterfront destination like no other. harpley.com.au

Artist impression only

12 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 9 March, 2022

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Production honours Sondheim By Alesha Capone Theatre and musical producer Adrian Storey has worked on everything from Shakespeare to opera during his 30 years in the show business industry. However, the Point Cook resident said his upcoming production of the Tony Award-nominated Sondheim on Sondheim has a special place in his heart. The show, directed by Tyran Parke, is touring the nation and will be performed in Melbourne on April 5 and 6. Starring singers including Anton Berezin and Rhonda Burchmore, the concert is a tribute to famous composer Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim, who died in November 2021, wrote the music and lyrics for many shows including Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday In The Park With George and Into The Woods, and lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. Storey said he was lucky enough to meet Sondheim while producing one of his musicals, Passion, in London’s West End during 1996. Sondheim on Sondheim features songs from 19 of the composer’s shows, as well as videos of interviews about the inspiration behind his music. Storey said that with Sondheim’s recent passing, it seemed fitting to stage a tribute to the man, featuring performers who know his work well. “It’s great fun to sit with your peers and put a creative show together,” Storey said. “It really is a once in a lifetime experience to attend as an audience, unless you go twice.” Storey said that meeting different characters, including well-known actors and writers, was a highlight of his job. He has worked with many famous people during his career, including Peter Bowles,

Adrian Storey is a producer of the Tony Award-nominated show, Sondheim on Sondheim.

Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith, Holly Hunter, John Hurt, Matthew Perry, Minnie Driver, Hank Azaria, Lisa McCune, David Hobson and Todd McKenney. “I worked with Eric Sykes, one of the original Goons, working with him and seeing his comedy was brilliant, we did a show together at the Piccadilly Theatre,” Storey said. “Sharing a Scotch with him after the show and talking to him about everyday tings was fantastic.”

(Damjan Janevski) 266688_04

Storey’s shows have toured throughout the United Kingdom, United States, Israel, India and Australia. He moved to Australia after “falling in love with the country” during 2008 and later started his own business, StoreyBoard Entertainment. In Australia, he has worked on the blockbuster musicals Jersey Boys, Hairspray, A Chorus Line, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, South Pacific, The King & I and Anything Goes.

“I’ve been lucky to work with brilliant people, designers, performers and directors,” Storey said. “Opening nights and red carpets are always glamorous, but there is a pretty arduous and detailed process to get through to that point. “It’s challenging but it’s good fun.” Sondheim on Sondheim will be on at the Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, on April 5 and 6. Details: http://sondheimonsondheim. com.au

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MY PLACE Meet Wyndham council’s young person of the month, Shane Nicole Villegas. She chats with Tima Halloum about her connection to Wyndham. What do you like about where you live? I love how I live close by to four different shopping centres. It gives me and my family freedom of what kind of grocery mini day out we want. Point Cook Town Centre for an outdoor shopping experience, Pacific Werribee if we feel like visiting more of the bigger brands, Wyndham Village Shopping Centre for a quick errand run – has all the necessities and Williams Landing Shopping Centre if we feel supporting more local businesses that are constantly coming.

Shane Nicole Villegas. (Joe Mastroianni) 249605

What, if anything, would you change about where you live? Perhaps more recreational parks. Although my area is still relatively new, I am seeing a positive step with the upcoming completed builds. I think my suburb has its own characteristics that sets it apart from neighbouring suburbs, therefore I would not change anything in regards to where I live but to have an increase in public transportation to newly built houses and schools. Where is your favourite local place to spend time? I have a lot of places that I often love visiting, such as pet stores to have a peek at their new dog toy collection and treats, or new local restaurants to taste different types of foods. If I had to name a local place, it would be going to @7Grams cafe at Wyndham Village Shopping Centre with my mum.

am a perfectionist and a foodie!

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you I love to play volleyball and will continue a match even if badly injured. Other than that, I

What does it meant you to be Wyndham’s young person of the month? To be Wyndham’s young person of the month is an honour, especially to those who

decided to invest their time in me in order for me to be successful in life today and also receiving countless of recognitions and awards that I thought I would never get. Even to be considered as a F.I.R.E Carrier for the Aboriginal People is such a sacred and

touching moment for me. Being Wyndham’s young person of March is amazing in itself but I would also like to take the moment to thank everyone who has helped me in my journey.

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kidswest

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NEWS

FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors

40 years ago

30 years ago

20 years ago

March 10, 1982 “If we form a government in a little over a month’s time, Smorgans will be required to run a clean industry.” This was the assurance given by Mr Evan Walker, the Labor Party’s spokesman on the environment, to a public meeting at Laverton last Wednesday.

March 4, 1992 Brave burns victim Mark Thomas is on the road to recovery and all because his friends have tenacity of burly bulldogs.

March 13, 2002 An angina sufferer admitted emergency patient to Werribee Hospital waited for hours as a searched Melbourne and Geelong her a coronary bed.

10 years ago as an Mercy doctor to find

March 7, 2012 All smiles at Weerama festival.

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COMMENT STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Wild ways to cool off at the zoo The calendar season may have ticked over from summer to autumn, but forecasts are still trending high. On days where temperatures rise above 25°C, zookeepers at Werribee Open Range Zoo get creative to provide ample opportunities for the animals to cool off. Savannah keeper Laura Harbridge said that while the animals are perfectly adapted to cope with soaring temperatures, enrichment experiences, such as flavoured ice blocks, misters and sprinkler systems, are tailored to offer new and novel experiences with an icy cold pay off. “Our animals are a mix of African and Australian native species, so they’re built for this climate,” said Ms Harbridge. “We find most of the animals take care of themselves, as their exhibits at the zoo are built to mimic their wild environments, and include plenty of shade and water. “We offer various enriching experiences to our animals every single day. Even when it’s hot, we’re focusing on offering differing stimuli, such as flavours, scents, textures and physical sensations. The cool-down is an added bonus.” Just like humans, mental and physical activity are critical to animal wellbeing. Zookeepers provide a variety of activities, experiences and habitat designs to encourage animals to use their senses, move their bodies, and display natural, species-specific behaviours.

A wallowing rhinoceros making a splash. Right: Ice blocks are a favourite on hots days at Werribee Zoo; An Africa wild dogs cools off on a hot day. (Pictures: Supplied)

For the southern white rhino, this involves rolling around in wallows to slather on a layer of moisturising and sun-protecting mud. While for nimble fingered vervet monkeys, this includes receiving pieces of maize and frozen fruit in an ice block to promote their fine motor skills. Ms Harbridge says that while the calendar

season has changed, we all still have a job to do to help out our native neighbours. “Keeping fresh water available to wildlife should be a year-round activity. We often see extremely hot days through March and April, so maintaining the bird baths and other wildlife-friendly water vessels remains important.”

Zoos Victoria members and Werribee Open Range Zoo visitors are reminded that all tickets must be pre-booked online at zoo.org. au and all ticketholders 18 years and over are required to provide proof of full vaccination and follow current Victorian Government directions at www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au. For more information, visit zoo.org.au.

Print and Online Sales Executive Star Weekly

Star Weekly is an independently owned company which prides itself on its long history of community experience but also its investment in the future. The successful applicant will need to possess good people skills to enable them to meet with local businesses to sell solutions through our advertising platforms to help promote their business. Sales skills/experience: • Ability to maintain existing professional relationships and to create new ones • Ability to meet defined sales and activity targets • Excellent listening skills • Accuracy and attention to detail • Effective time management to meet deadlines • Ability to operate in a team • Demonstrates initiative and flexibility • Effective oral and written communication

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Applicants will need their own reliable vehicle for which we will provide an allowance. Belinda with new-born son Oliver, and two year-old Arlo. Both boys were born outside of Wyndham, but spent time as patients in Werribee Mercy Hospital’s Special Care Nursery. (Joe Mastroianni) 226335_01

The position is salaried, plus we offer an open ended commission scheme. Send your application letter and resume to: Mandy Clark Group Advertising Sales Manager mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au

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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16 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 9 March, 2022

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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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

Bowling with Babies Werribee Bowls Club will host a Bowling with Babies event until April 8. The event will run every Friday from 10-11.30am. Sessions cost $10. ■ playbowlsvictoria.com.au

Photographer’s choice pic is of Roberta Joy Rich who has a new exhibition at the Footscray Community Arts called ‘The Purple Shall Govern Exhibition’. (Damjan Janevski) 270254_01

Hikoi Brothers Hikoi Brothers is for men of all ages in the western suburbs. The group meets fortnightly on Sundays for walks, talking about a range of topics while enjoying the different tracks in Wyndham. ■ http://ow.ly/JpJR50HOVuN

Join Landcare The Friends of Presidents Park meet on the first Thursday of the month, 10am–noon. This is a new conservation group. No prior knowledge required. Meet in the carpark near the river and Shaws Bridge. ■ admin@werribeeriver.org.au

Activies of fun, friendship Wyndham Life Activities is a not-for-profit organisation based at the Italian Sports Club of Werribee with a range of activities on offer every week, including walking, Double 15 Dominoes, line dancing, yogalates, casual lunch and card games, seniors exercise, mahjong, happy hour, book clubs, caravanning, photography and movies. ■ wlac@iscw.com.au

U3A Werribee U3A Werribee Region is a not-for-profit organisation consisting of semi-retired and retired residents of Wyndham. It conducts a variety of weekly classes run by volunteers. ■ Rick, 0402299220

Education volunteers EdConnect Australia is 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. EdConnect Australia offers training and support to its volunteers. ■ www.edconnectaustralia.org.au/volunteer/ or 1800 668 550

AL-ANON meets 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.

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 is 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

Computers for beginners Williamstown Community and Education Centre is now taking enrolments for classes to help those with limited computer skills. Classes are run daily at both Joan Kirner House, Williamstown, and North Altona Library. ■ Lynne or Tahlia, 9397 6168.

Wednesdays and Fridays. The group walks for 60 minutes, and is a great way to socialise and get active at the same time. Members are required to register with the Heart Foundation to join. ■ Ian Watson, 0411 566 862 or https://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/ Community/Whats-On/Altona-Meadowsand-Newport-Heart-Foundation-WalkingGroups

Williamstown Craft Market Commonwealth Reserve comes alive on the third Sunday of the month for the Williamstown Craft Market. The market boasts more than 50 stalls showcasing everything from handmade craft, homegrown produce and food vendors. There will also be live music. From 10am-4pm. ■ https://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/ Community/Whats-On/Williamstown-CraftMarket

Conversation Cafe The Conversation Cafe is back on at Footscray and Braybrook libraries. The Cafe gives people the chance to meet new people and practice English conversation skills in a relaxed and friendly environment. ■ https://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/ library/Events/Conversation-Cafe

AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club Would you like to develop confidence in communicating, competence with language and clarity in writing? AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club would like to invite any and all residents to join them on the first and third Thursday of every month to help develop public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets at the Laverton Community Hub, 95-105 Railway Avenue, Laverton from 7-9.30pm. ■ Vince Camilleri, 0413 734 707

Diabetes support group Walking group Altona Meadows and Newport residents are invited to take part in a Heart Foundation walking group that meets on

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

Heritage walks

Book sale

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

Friends of Altona Library hold a book sale on the first Tuesday, Friday and Saturday of each month at the rear of Altona Library, 123 Queen Street Altona. Access is via theColes carpark. From 10am to 1pm. Pop down to grab a new book or two. ■ https://libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/ community/friends-of-the-libraries

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. ■ Roger Lewis, hbcityband@gmail.com, or www.hbcb.org.au

Melton Valley Probus Club The Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club meets at 10am on the second Tuesday of each month at the Melton Country Club. The group is open to everyone to get together. ■ Ann 0425705150

Knit & Natter 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. All welcome to attend. ■ Lesley, 0414 481 442

All are welcome to join this social crafting 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

Rotary club

Zonta club meets

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. Visitors are welcome. ■ Pam, 0418 347 691, or rotarypointgellibrand@gmail.com

Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support other women. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton. ■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420

Altona North combined probus

Mahjong group The Yarraville Mouth Organ Band meets Friday evenings at 203 Williamstown Road, Yarraville. Great music, friendly atmosphere. Everyone is welcome. ■ Heather, 9399 2190

Interested in learning to play Mahjong? The game is a tile-based game that is derived from China where it was developed in the 19th century. U3A Melton has a group who play on Tuesdays at 10am. ■ u3amelton.com or 0419 563 016

Friendship Group

Melton Men’s Probus Club

Altona Day View (Voice Interest and Education of Women) Club meets at 11am on the third Wednesday of the month at Altona RSL. The club is always open to new members. ■ Janet 9394 6522, or 0412 010 176.

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 welcome. ■ 9746 0271

Mouth organ band

Wednesday, 9 March, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 17

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Glaucoma: keep an eye out for the silent thief of sight By Dr Mary Travis Glaucoma is often known as a ‘silent thief of sight’ due to the frequent lack of symptoms of the condition before significant vision loss develops. During World Glaucoma Week from March 6 to 12, it’s an important time to highlight that while glaucoma currently affects 300,000 Australians, shockingly, more than half of this group are undiagnosed. This is just one reason why it’s important to have regular, comprehensive eye health check-ups, which include assessing vision and eye pressure, and an examination of the optic nerve at the back of the eye. Eye health check-ups are recommended every 12 months over the age of 65 but can be recommended at any age or more frequently if there is a risk of glaucoma. People over 50 or with a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk of developing glaucoma. Glaucoma is the name given to a group of diseases where vision is lost due to damage to the optic nerve often linked to high eye pressure. Unfortunately, this can cause irreversible vision loss. Currently, the treatments for glaucoma are lifelong and are not a cure for the condition. Initial treatment is provided with eye drops or sometimes laser treatment to the eye, but over time may also include surgical treatments when necessary. Regular screening to diagnose the condition at the earliest stage possible is essential to protect vision loss and the impact on quality of life – such as driving or living independently as we age. Optometrists, such as the staff at Wyndham Eye Care, can detect and diagnose glaucoma and often work closely with medical eye specialists (ophthalmologists) for a final diagnosis. Once the diagnosis has been

An optometrist examines for signs for glaucoma using a biomicroscope.

confirmed and a treatment plan has been developed, optometrists are able to assist in routine glaucoma treatment evaluations in

(Supplied)

conjunction with your ophthalmologist. If you are concerned about your eye health or are overdue for a regular check-up, the experienced

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10, 2021

Wyndha

This photo

of Marbie,

taken in

a Hoppers

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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

• • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

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

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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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20 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 9 March, 2022

PUZZLES No. 071

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.

easy

7 1 2 8 3 6 7 4 1 8 3 3 1 6 2 5 8 2 6 4 5 8 1 3 2 6 9 8 7 9 2 medium

8 1 5 7

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS

DOWN

Synthetic material (7) Tiny, six-legged creatures (7) Cast down (11) Expanse (3) Manually (2,4) Poster (7) Shortage (4) Valuation (10) Senior managers (10) Andamooka gemstone (4) Argue noisily and angrily (7) Of a tribe (6) Official (3) Common joint injury (11) Late (7) Association of individuals (7)

1 5 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 19 20 22 25 26 28 29

No. 071

Agreement (4) Gaseous fuel (9) Popular aquarium fish (5) Surreptitious (11) Harm (3) Beachwear (7) Rib-like structure (5) Absence of motion (10) Showy (11) Society below the surface (10) To place imortance on (9) Blasphemous (7) Horrible (5) Actor, Oscar – (5) Sole (4) Unhappy (3)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 13 16 18 21 23

24 27

DECODER

No. 071

8 8

1 3 9 6 8 2 9 4 3 7 5 6 2 1 6 8 2 4 9 hard

4 6 2 5 1 3 9 7 4

4 5 9

10 11 12 13

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

K R 21

7 3 9 4 6 5 2 1 8

4 9 5 2 7 3 8 6 1

8 1 7 4 6 9 5 2 3

3 6 2 1 5 8 4 9 7

9 5 4 3 8 1 6 7 2

Today’s Aim: 22 words: Good 33 words: Very good

C D

4 LETTERS ABLY ADZE AIDE BUSH CLAM HANS HIDE HONG OHIO ORBS SAIL SETH TROY USDA 5 LETTERS AGATE

3 9 2 5 7 1 6 8 4

6 LETTERS FATIMA KELPIE STATIC TARMAC

7 LETTERS ACCOUNT CANDIED HITACHI ICELAND MIDWIFE NIGERIA 8 LETTERS LEBANESE OVERFLOW PARENTAL WOMANISH

11-03-22

No. 071 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

QUICK QUIZ

What is the name of the Greek appetiser of fried or grilled cheese (pictured)?

What was the name of the first and only studio album recorded by the Sex Pistols?

What were the names of the three mascots of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games?

Which Australian drama series was set in the fictional town of Pearl Bay?

True or false: khaki is a synthetic fibre?

Which number does the Roman numeral L represent?

10 Monitor, anole and horned are all kinds of what animal?

Which classic nursery rhyme is said to be a reference to the Bubonic plague? What does the acronym NASDAQ stand for?

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

O O T D

C R E W O A L A N T E R

S K I

C T

SEATS SICKO SIFTS SPANK SPAWN TENET TERRA THING TRIPS

What kind of musical instrument is a clavichord?

1 2 8 6 9 7 3 5 4

2 4 9 8 1 5 7 3 6 8 5 4 9 3 6 1 2 7

HYENA IMAGE INNER LEAPS LEWIS LINEN LUCIA MAINS MANIA METAL OMEGA OPERA OUTDO PAYEE PETIT PRATE RECAP RESAT RIVEN SCENE

No. 071

aced, aces, acid, acre, acrid, arced, arcs, caddie, caddied, caddies, caddis, cadre, card, carded, cards, care, cared, cares, case, cased, cedar, cider, cried, cries, dace, dice, diced, dicer, dices, disc, discard, DISCARDED, erica, iced, ices, race, raced, races, rice, sacred, scar, scare, scared, sidecar

6 7 3 5 2 4 9 1 8

5 3 1 7 4 6 2 8 9

7 8 6 9 3 2 1 4 5

7 6 1 2 8 4 3 5 9

1 8 5 6 4 9 7 3 2

4 2 3 1 5 7 8 9 6

AGENT AIMED ANGEL ANOMY AROMA ASCOT ASHEN ASIAN ATOLL BANNS BRAVE BRING CHEAP CORSE DREAM ECOLI EERIE ENDOW EVITA GENII

W L

5 6 1 3 2 8 9 4 7

4 8 2 1 9 7 5 3 6

3 2 5 6 4 1 8 7 9

6 7 9 3 2 8 4 1 5

2 4 8 7 9 3 5 6 1

5 1 7 8 6 2 9 4 3

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”.

44 words: Excellent

6 7 4 8 5 9 3 2 1

1 9 8 7 3 2 6 5 4

9 4 3 2 1 6 7 8 5

2 5 7 9 8 4 1 6 3

8 1 6 5 7 3 4 9 2

9 3 6 4 1 5 2 7 8

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

medium

easy

9-LETTER WORD

hard

5x5

8 2 7 9 2 6

2 5 9

3 LETTERS AGO ASS BIZ EEL HAT HER HIC HUN ISH ITA KEN LEE MIR NAG NIL PAY RAP REC REP SPY SRI TIE TIM TRY

U CO S B ANH Y T I GQ

P F E L MX J D V ZWK R

WORDFIT

ANSWERS: 1. A stringed keyboard 2. Saganaki 3. Syd, Olly and Millie. 4. 50 5. Ring a Ring o’ Roses 6. National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (System) 7. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. 8. SeaChange 9. False 10. Lizard

SUDOKU

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Wednesday, 9 March, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 23

MOTOR STARWEEKLY.COM.AU The blanked off front ‘grille’ is the only obvious cue this Volvo XC40 is electrically powered. (Pictures: Supplied)

Auto style leader goes electric By Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring Our road test car this week is a Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin, which was particularly interesting as our family car is a Volvo XC40 T4 Inscription that we have owned for three years. It will be fascinating to find out how the two compare both in performance and the latest in technology. And decide if we hold onto our existing car or go the electric route.

Styling These days Volvo is one of world’s automotive style leaders and in my opinion the XC40 is the best shape from the company in many years. With a chunky, almost cheeky look it has an upright slightly-concave grille. In the Recharge the grille doesn’t need to take in air to cool the engine so is blanked off and has a very large Volvo badge in the centre. Deeply sculpted lower sections of the doors and upward swept D-pillars with lights in them also add to the looks.

no engine there. The small front boot has been nicknamed the frunk – short for front-trunk. Many owners use the frunk to store the electrical charging cables.

Interior

Powertrains

The XC40 is a bit larger than others in its class at 4425mm long, 1863mm wide and 1652mm high. Every cubic centimetre of the interior space is put to good use. It has seating for five, but four adults and a child makes more sense. There’s slightly less foot-space in the Recharge as the battery under the floor steals some of it. The Scandinavian styling is simple almost to the point of being minimalistic in the dashboard area. There’s excellent storage space in the door pockets as the Volvo designers avoided taking up space with audio speakers. There’s also out-of-sight storage in drawers underneath the front seats. There’s even Volvo’s funny little rubbish holder that can be removed from the car when you get home and emptied out there. The load area is slightly smaller than that on the petrol and diesel models because the boot floor is higher in the electric model. There’s also a small boot under the bonnet as there’s

Our Volvo T4 Inscription has 140kW at 5000rpm. The Recharge Twin has more than double that, 300kW at just one rpm – that’s right, one rpm. It has two electric motors, hence the Twin in the name. Each motor produces 150kW and 330Nm, one drives the front wheels, the other the rear. That’s 660 newton metres which is the sort of grunt developed by a big petrol V8 displacing seven litres. Official energy consumption is 25.5kWh per 100km. We averaged just under 20kWh during our 355km test period. The official range is 418km as measured by the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) and we looked to be getting close to that figure.

24 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 9 March, 2022

Infotainment We certainly enjoyed the clarity of the Harman Kardon premium sound system, as the electric Volvo is very quiet inside it adds to the enjoyment.

The portrait shape of the infotainment 9-inch inch screen makes more sense than landscape ones because you can see much further ahead on the sat-nav map. Volvo Cars’ driver infotainment system (Sensus) provides smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety The Swedish company’s approach to safety has never faltered over the many years it has focused on this vital feature. A host of features in the help avoid a crash, or minimise injuries if one does occur. The 360-degree camera system in our test car provided an overhead view of the Volvo and its surrounds – it’s almost as though a small drone with a camera is hovering over you. Great fun!

Driving Volvo’s Clean Zone two-zone climate system removes harmful pollutants and particles from outside the cabin to deliver what Volvo calls, “Scandinavian-fresh air on the inside”. It certainly is a pleasant place to be. The front seats are large and comfortable. In the rear I can sit ‘behind myself’ (I’m 180cm tall) with leg room to spare.

You don’t need to start the Volvo. Simply put your foot on the brake and select Drive or Reverse with a conventional ‘gear lever’ and the electric motor is ready to go. Somewhat oddly there’s still space for a Start/Stop button, but it has been blanked off. It can be driven as a one-pedal due to energy regeneration when slowing down. This can be a bit aggressive at first but we soon adapted to this and it became a personal challenge to avoid using the brakes at all. This is another clean feature as there’s no brake dust being created. People may ask why you need a family SUV that goes from zero to 100km/h in under five seconds. But the acceleration means you spend less time on the wrong side of the road when overtaking. And it’s really good fun to beat someone off the traffic lights who is in a big V8 with a lumpy idle who thinks he can whop you in a drag race. Childish? Yes, but what’s wrong with that! Handling is very good, with steering that almost seems to read your mind. The Recharge Twin has a lot more weight due to the heavy batteries - it weighs in at 2158kg, compared to our XC40 Inscription’s 1657kg. But it handles well as a fair bit of the weight is low down due to the heavy battery. Some road surfaces created more tyre noise than we anticipated. In particular the concrete surfaces on the motorway between the Gold Coast and Brisbane were louder that in our own Volvo XC40 turbo-petrol. Possibly due to the low rolling resistance tyres.

Summing up Electric power is the way of the future and Volvo is very Swedish in wanting to minimise global warming. Though the Recharge Twin is based on a vehicle using an internal combustion engine the conversion to make it an EV works well. Will we replace our turbo-petrol Volvo XC40 with an electric one? No, because we do a lot of long-distance holiday trips and charging would be slow in most places. We will wait until the 800 km battery and five-minute fast chargers arrive and buy one, if the price is right.

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

SPORT

Falcons are ready to hit the court City West Falcons are prepared to take the risk and run with small squads for this year’s Victorian Netball League season. While many clubs are preparing to have extra players amid possible isolation challenges, the Falcons have gone the opposite way. Falcons coach Marg Lind said for them this season was about getting the players court time after two interrupted years. “We’ve running low numbers and taking a risk,” she said. “Players are keen to play this year, so we’ve taken a risk and reward method, as I’d rather get them playing. “We’ve got players playing in a few different positions. They’re enjoying the versatility of running different roles which will help with smaller numbers.” The club’s championship team, which was undefeated last season when the season was called off early, is similar to last season. Goaler Uneeq Palavi returns to the club having played elsewhere in recent years and will add a bit of flare, while Lucia Fauonuku has been promoted.

The one big loss for the Falcons is captain, Maggie Lind, who has earned a contract with Collingwood’s Super Netball side. Maggie was named joint VNL championship division most valuable player last season, the second time she has won the award. Lind said her daughter might be released to play a few games to play for them, but they wouldn’t know until during the season. “Losing Maggie is a big hole,” Lind said. “She still helps out a lot with coaching and organised a clinic for the junior association.” Lind said Soli Ropati would move into the wing attack position having played that role before. Maddy Gray may also spend time playing there. Zoe Davies, who has been signed as a training partner at Collingwood, and Fauonuku might get opportunities in the midcourt, with the side taking in a defensive heavy squad. She said Montana Holmes, who has also signed with Collingwood as a training partner, had been training really well in

the off season. Lind said expectations for the championship side remained high. “We are expecting to finish in the top four,” she said. “A couple of injuries could change that though.” In the other sides, Lind said they had added three players from Albury Wondga to their division 1 side. She said the under-19s would again provide some excitement. “We’ve got Adut Manyiel from Ballarat who is pretty exciting. “Teal Hocking is in the side and we’ve up Kiralee Collings in the midcourt who has great leadership. “Charli Nicol and Achel Yout are back and have some really good potential.” The Falcons will kick off their season on March 16. Tara Murray Soli Ropati will move into the wing attack position. (Shawn Smits) 237918_07

Sports shorts VTCA The Victorian Turf Cricket Association season came to an end on Saturday for all the Wyndham first XI sides. With plenty of rain, Werribee Centrals didn’t even get on the field in division 3 against Sunbury. Point Cook suffered a final round loss to Sunshine Heights, while Laverton was skilled by Grand United for just 31. In division 5, Sanctuary Lakes finished the season by beating Wyndhamvale, with neither team making finals.

Australia Cup West Point is through to the fourth round of the Australia Cup after victory on Saturday. West Point beat Richmond to win through to the next round. It was a much tougher day for Hoppers Crossing, which lost to Collingwood City 4-1, which also lost a reserves game 5-1.

Bowls

The launch of the Kicking In For Kids Campaign. (Supplied)

Making footy cheaper By Tara Murray A new campaign has been launched to help keep young children playing football in Melbourne’s west. The Kicking In For Kids Campaign was launched by the Western Bulldogs and the Western Region Football League last week. As part of the campaign, the Bulldogs and its partners, will pay for the league registration fee for all WRFL junior players from under-8s to under-16s. More than 1300 footballs will be provided to WRFL clubs to help the clubs have the equipment needed to best help the kids as part of the campaign. Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains said children had been heavily affected by the pandemic. “As everyone is aware the last couple of years has been really difficult and really challenging with COVID,” he said. “Particularly our children, who sadly have been deprived a lot of childhood activities we’ve taken for granted. “Whether it’s going to school or kicking

the footy at their local footy club these are things that haven’t been able to be done. “It’s exciting to be here talking about the Kicking In For Kids Campaign. Throughout the campaign for season 2022, the league registration fee will be paid for every child in the WRFL from under-8s all the way through to under-16s. More than 5000 kids will benefit from that, it will lesson one of the barriers of returning to football. “We’re just so grateful to be part of this initiative, playing our part int getting kids back to being healthy and doing things they should be doing at this age.” WRFL chief executive Matthew Duck said it had been an incredibly challenging couple of years for everyone involved. He said 100s of children had stopped playing football in the west the last couple of years. “While the cost to play Australian rules football is very low in comparison to many other sports, we do know the barrier to entry for many. “This investment from the Western Bulldogs and their partners represents a

significant financial investment into the local football ecosystem here in the west and is aimed squarely at reducing the costs with the benefit going directly to 5000 families here in the western suburbs.” The Burnham family from West Footscray Football Club are the faces of the campaign. Western Bulldogs stars Lachie Hunter and Isabella Grant were part of the launch. Both played their junior football in the WRFL. Grant said local footy was where you fall in love with the game. “For me, footy is the first place I felt comfortable being myself … Especially young girls growing up, they can feel like they are part of the community and they’re safe to be who they are. “This provides an opportunity to stay in that system.” Hunter added: “I grew up in Williamstown and played under-9s to under-16s. I spent a lot of years there. “The thing I remember is that’s where I met a lot of my best mates now. I still hang out with a lot of kids I played in under-9s, under-10s teams with.”

Werribee will head into the Bowls Victoria weekend pennant division 2, section 1 finals full of confidence after beating Williamstown on Saturday. The Bees won three of the four rinks, winning 80 (16)-65 (2) to seal second spot. The clubs’ division 4, and the club’s top division 5 side also made finals. Finals start this week. Snowy Barker was named the club’s bowler of the weekend pennant season. The club will have four sides in mid-week finals, with the division 2 and 3 teams finishing second and the division 4 teams finishing first and third in their respective sections.

Athletics It was a Wyndham one-two in the Athletics Victoria Shield League division 2 championship playoffs on Saturday at Lakeside Stadium. Western Athletics claimed the title ahead of Wyndham Track and Field. The two teams, with share facilities, will be promoted to premier division for next season. Wyndham has climbed three divisions in three years as a result of the latest promotion.

FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly Wednesday, 9 March, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 25

SPORT STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Wyndam works hard under new coaching squad A new look Wyndham men’s team will take to the court in the Big V championship this season. With a new look coaching squad led by Lucas Allen, the squad is busily working hard ahead of the season. He said they had looked to reset the men’s program as they look to future. “We’re working towards the season and knowing how to play with each other,” he said. “It’s almost a brand new team and new coaching staff. “We’re making some progress and hopefully by the time we’ve had our practice matches we’ll be ready for round one.” While it’s a new look side for Wyndham, many of the faces joining the team this season are familiar. AllEn has made a focus of getting local players back to play in the area. “I think it’s really big and important for us,”

he said. “There’s always an element of wanting to recruit the best talent and recruit talent that is local. “It was a big task of mine to try and recruit local players back to the team. We’re definitely taken some big steps with that. “We want to be a destination club and that locals don’t want to go elsewhere.” Manel Ayol, who played at Werribee, before heading to college and playing interstate and overseas, is one big name local to return. Josh Norling returns from Coburg Giants, while Abram Tong and Matt Dean have both stepped up into the side from the club’s youth league and under-18s. Keenan Gorski joins the club from Wallan Panthers. The club had previously announced that American wing player Kavione Green would join the club as an import. Allen had initially signed Kavione when coaching at Southern Peninsula, experiencing

a full pre-season with each other before COVID saw the season being cancelled. “We have maintained communication since KG initially went home after COVID hit, and when the opportunity to team up together again presented itself, we both acted immediately”. Allen said he was looking forward to seeing how things they’ve put into place during the pre-season will work on court. The side will kick off its season on March 19 against Chelsea Gulls. Allen said they weren’t shying away from what they want to achieve. “We are playing to win,” he said. “We want to win and have wins on the board as in two years time the objective is to have a good chance to go to NBL1. “We want our youth team in the championship division. They’re big team goals, we have to win games to acheive them.” Tara Murray

(Wyndham Basketball)

Female focus is paying off

Hoppers Crossing’s Brett Smith fielding. (Joe Mastroianni). 270159_01

Cats finish on a high By Tara Murray Hoppers Crossing finished a disappointing Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association south-west season on a high. While finals were out of the equation well before the final round, the Cats could have been forgiven for just cruising to the line. But instead the Cats came away with a big win against Spotswood, which ended the Woodsmen’s finals hopes. Cats’ president Jake Porter said it hadn’t been what they wanted heading into the season. “It was a disappointing season,” he said. “We wanted to perform a lot better this season. We had an opportunity to give some younger players a good and it was good for the future. “We could have rolled over, but we fought it out to the end.” The match started late due to rain before the match, with each team able to face 30 overs. 26 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 9 March, 2022

The Woodsmen were restricted to 7-138 from their overs. Brett Smith took two wickets for the Cats. Brock Bamford got the side going with 28 off 21 balls. The Cats would make the runs with 14 balls remaining, finishing 7-139. Ajay Bhatt top scored with 47. Porter said they were able to put together a good strong all-round performance to come away with the win. “We put it all together,” he said. “It was a good bowling performance and then we started well with the bat. “Brock was given a licence to enjoy himself and do what he does best. He got a few away in what was his third first XI game.” Porter said they would look to build on this season next year, with the younger players and hopefully a few recruits. Werribee finished the regular season with a win against Melton. With a top two spot already sealed, the Tigers easily beat the winless Lions.

The Lions were bowled out for 119, with the Tigers finishing 1-120 in reply. They finished the regular season in second. The season wasn’t completely disappointing for the Cats, with their two women’s sides making grand finals to be played this Sunday. The top side that plays in the Cricket Victoria Women’s Community Cricket north-west B competition, beat Ballarat Women’s in the semi finals. Ballarat was bowled out for 92, with Taylah Steadman taking 3-14. The Cats finished 2-93 in reply. Muskan Sandhu finished 42 not out. They will face Essendon in the grand final. The second side, which is a combined side with Sanctuary Lakes, plays in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association division 4 competition. They faced Flemington Colts in their semi final. Flemington Colts made 5-93 from its overs, with the combined team finishing 4-98 in reply.

While having a successful women’s team, the Truganina Rabbitohs knew they could do more in the female space. Having had a women’s side in the NRL Victoria competition since 2017, the Rabbitohs have been among the top sides every season. Club president Tim Watts said they have made a big focus over the off season, to make the club even more female friendly. He said there had been big growth in the junior space and they wanted to ensure that everyone had a place to play. “This is the first year we’ve had a junior girls team,” he said. “We had girls in all our teams from under-6s to under-13s. “With so many girls coming through the system, one of my KPIs [key performance indicators] was to look at getting a junior girls team. “We’ve managed to get an under-13 team and we’ve got 15 girls ready to go.” The club will again field a women’s side in the first grade competition with 15 to 20 players already expressing their interest in playing. He said among that group was a number of new players. “Hopefully we’ll get a few more in the next few weeks,” he said. “We won the competition in 2017 and were runners-up in 2019. Last year we were third, but only got half a season. “This season is really exciting and there’s a lot of new players and fresh young talent. “There’s still a lot of senior players to show the new girls the ropes.” Off field the club has a women’s co-ordinator to ensure that all female players have a female to talk to if needed. Watts said not many clubs in the competition would have a female co-ordinator. Another initiative the club has done this year is designing a jersey, specifically for the females of the club. “The females at the club didn’t always feel like they had an identity at the club,” he said. “We thought let’s have a fresh start and asked what colours they wanted on the jersey and we allowed them to design something that they felt comfortable in.” Tara Murray

Home grown talent the way to go for Tigers Werribee Districts will continue to rely on home grown talent in Western Region Football League division 1 this year. After a strong 2021 season which saw them sitting second when the season was called off last year, the Tigers have stuck with the core group of players. Tigers coach Chirs Gilham said their focus had been on retaining the existing playing group. “COVID has been tough on people,” he said. “Things were going well last year when it was cut short. “The focus was on trying to retain the list and go within a similar looking line up.

“From 2021 to 2022, we’ve been able to do that. It wasn’t hard at all. We’ve been able to retain them easily.” Gilham said they had added a few younger blokes, who had previously played at the club and had gone elsewhere or had been playing at NAB League level. Gilham said one of their biggest strengths was having locals playing at the club and not having to look to bring players in. “Some clubs have struggled to keep players, we’ve been fortunate and they’ve been keen to jump on board. We’re in the fortunate position that most are home grown players. With the salary cap, we haven’t had a lot of room to

move. We weren’t focused on recruiting.” Zak Busuttil is one of those home grown players who is returning this season. Gilham said the end to last season was disappointing, especially with the position they found themselves in. He said it was too hard to forecast what would have happened had the season continued. “We had beaten every team in the league that we had played, we were the only team to do that,” he said. “Our position on the ladder gives us confidence heading into this year.” The Tigers have a number of practice games scheduled in the lead up to round one, when

they face Point Cook on April 2. Gilham said they were keen to get some match simulation in ahead of the season . “It will be very even competition and you can throw a blanket over the top five to seven clubs,” he said. “I think we will be right there at the right time of the year.” Gilham said things were looking positive across the board at the club, with high numbers of players in all age groups. “My two kids are playing juniors and there were kids everywhere at training. We’re looking at having two sides in each age group.”

United stays on track

Dylan Pierias at training.

(Supplied)

Pierias shows his best By Tara Murray A change of mindset resulted in a breakout match for Western United star Dylan Pierias against Perth Glory. Having been part of the Olyroos side at the Tokyo Olympics, Pierias at times has had an up and down season. Benched at half time in the previous match, he could have been forgiven for dropping his head and sulking. But instead that was behind his performance against Glory, when he produced a best on ground performance. The performance would include a goal in the second half, which would seal the 2-0 win. Pierias said he had approached the Glory game a bit differently than the previous few rounds. “Personally, before that game I had been trying to get a starting spot,” he said. “I was putting too much pressure on myself. “I went into that game trying to play like I was 10-years-old and just enjoying it. I didn’t think too much about it and I just

took the opportunity.” Coach John Alosi was really pleased with the game of Pierias saying he was one of the main reasons for the win. Having had that success, Pierias said he would continue to just focus on playing and let his game do the talking. He said knowing that he can put out a performance like that, only gives him confidence. “The mental side is such a big thing,” he said. “I’m now going out there with the right mentality. “It just gives me confidence going forward.” The performance of Pierias is a good side for United that sits equal top, with Melbourne City, which has played two extra games. United has nine wins from 14 games, which is more wins than they had for all of last season. Pierias said the biggest thing this season had been the closeness of the group with everyone buying in. “You can’t complain when you’re on top,” he said. “I honestly think that this is just a great bunch of guys.

“Everyone gets along and there’s really good morale. John has created a great culture and I would consider it like a family environment. “Sometimes sporting clubs can feel like work, but it doesn’t here.” Pierias said this playing group was a pretty special one. He said while he expected the group to gel well together, he was a little surprised at how well they had. For Pierias it has been a big year, having played for the Olyroos at the Olympics. He said that was a pretty special experience. Pierias, who grew up in Caroline Springs and still lives in the west, has previously said he wants to make the west of Melbourne proud. For now he is focused on the A-League season and having success with United. “We want to finish on top and win the championship,” he said. “I know this group and they will not be happy to settle for anything for less.” United was set to face Newcastle Jets on Saturday afternoon, after deadline. For the result, head to www.starweekly.com. au.

A Leo Lacroix double has ensured Western United continued its unbeaten run in the A-League men’s competition. Facing Newcastle Jets in Ballarat on Saturday night, United showed some good form to get past a difficult side, 2-1. Lacroix opened the scoring in the 16th minute through a set play, before scoring his and United’s second in the 52nd minute. The Jets got one back in the 81st minute to put the pressure back on United, who were able to defend well under pressure to secure the win. United coach John Aloisi said for a large part of the game they were comfortable. “They are a very good side,” he said. “They can play good attacking football and they are quick, they can make it difficult for you. “We felt like we handled that well. In the first half certain occasions didn’t play as much, but it was also about how they press. “The beginning of the second half we started to have control with the ball and cause them problems with the ball. I thought the first 15 minutes of the second half were really good and we created our chances, [I was] disappointed we didn’t take more of our opportunities that we had.” Aloisi said he thought they were slightly sloppy in the piece of play where they conceded the goal, but for most part he was happy with how they defended. He said Lacroix looked really good out there and that the two goals he scored were something they could continue to build on. “We hadn’t scored a goal off the corner yet and [we’ve said] once we get the first one we’ll get many more. “We have some big boys who go forward. It’s hard for the opposition who they pick up, thats why we were so pleased to get that first one. “The second one … We practice a lot at training.” The win moves United back to the top of the table, with Melbourne City playing on Sunday. Aloisi said they were pretty happy with how things were going. “In the last seven games we’ve scored 13 goals, not bad going,” he said. “There’s always positives and negatives you can take out of the game.” United’s next match is this Friday against Sydney FC. Tara Murray

Wednesday, 9 March, 2022 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 27

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